Mekong Restaurant

ChefHopMeister

Virginia

4.45/5  rDev +1.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 3 | selection: 5 | food: 5 | $$

This place is a textbook example of the saying "don't judge a book by its cover". Located in what appears to be an older, somewhat rundown strip-mall, its not necessarily a place that would catch your eye when driving through the streets of Richmond looking for a place to eat, let alone to have a beer!

Once entering the restaurant, you are greeted by a whiteboard with a listing of the current beer selections offered on tap. There must have been over 20 beers on that menu which hinted I was not going to be disappointed.

I proceeded to the bar area which is located in the back of the house. Along the way, there are displays of various beer bottles, shelves of beer, coolers loaded with beer and ultimately the beer bar with many handles to choose from. The atmosphere in the bar area was very enjoyable and relaxed.

The menu offered a huge variety of beers as well as a wide selection of authentic Vietnamese food along with prices that were very reasonable. The food was fantastic with the crispy spring roll being the best I've ever eaten. The Pho that was ordered was also very good with flavorful broth accompanied by fresh proteins, vegetables and condiments.

This place is a must go-to experience for the beer enthusiast as well as those seeking great Vietnamese food. Mekong is now on my circuit of places to go when in Richmond. After living in the area for several years, I wish I had discovered it sooner. Better late than never!

01-10-2012 13:01:26 | More by ChefHopMeister

triwolf

Ohio

4.45/5  rDev +1.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5 | $$

GO GO GO GO!!! OK, if nothing else, where else are you going to find a Belgian bar in the middle of a Vietnamese restaurant? The oddity alone is worth it. That aside, they have a good beer selection with a couple of local brews and I've never ordered anything they didn't have. Then there's the food - great stuff and large portions that make it well worth the price. The servers are great, know the beer list, and are quick! The tables & chairs are very basic & not super comfy, but that's a small price to pay for the experience. This place should be on your 'must go' list if you're ever in the Richmond area.

10-13-2012 01:01:19 | More by triwolf

EricP

Mississippi

4.53/5  rDev +3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5 | $$

This is a fantastic place. The food is very good and they have a solid beer selection. The number of taps is nowhere near Capital Alehouse, but all are solid.

We usually order the Pho and you can get a huge bowl.It's some of the best in town. The other Vietnamese food is also very tasty.

This is a place where my kids love the food, my wife loves the food and I can get great food and beer.

It's in a nondescript old strip mall and has plenty of seating (its much bigger than it appears from the front).

I've been several times. They only down side has been that sometimes service has been a bit slow. Sometimes it doesn't seem they have enough folks working for the size of the place.

Highly recommended.

05-02-2012 22:03:58 | More by EricP

CRV334

Virginia

4.69/5  rDev +6.6%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.75 | selection: 5 | food: 3.5 | $$

I care nothing for the food, but the selection is great.

An is incredibly savvy and his staff knows their stuff. I never look at the menu and just tell the bartenders what I feel like and they will never miss the mark. There is a reason why this place is the best beer bar in America. People here love beer and love what they do.

05-26-2013 19:53:04 | More by CRV334

Beerstorian

District of Columbia

4.71/5  rDev +7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 5 | selection: 4.75 | food: 4 | $$

One of the best beer bars I've visited. It's in a nondescript strip mall in Richmond--a real hidden gem. Given that this place is a restaurant, the menu is fantastic. Actually, it's fantastic regardless. I spent a lovely evening there sampling the many Belgian beers. Incredible selection.

Get to know Anh (Ahn?), the owner. He knows his Belgian beer better than just about anyone. He travels to Belgian a couple times per year to select what he wants in his bar. He makes great recommendations, and the customer service is great.

Definitely a must-visit when you're in Richmond, or to make the trip down from in nearby DC.

02-24-2013 23:51:10 | More by Beerstorian

enmity1380

Virginia

4.85/5  rDev +10.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5 | $$

One of the best beer bars in va, perhaps even the east coast. An has put together an amazing selection of beer to pair with really good Vietnamese food--all priced significantly lower than most beer bars (I.e allagash confluence or interlude for a $5 pour or a vintage Bon chien for 5-6 vs. the $8-10 and up you would find in most city beer bars). Going to their anniversary nights as well as the special nights are even better (ie sour night with incredibly hard to get sours, gose, geuzes, etc from around the world 5 and under). The only negative thing lately has been their spike in popularity from winning the best craft beer bar in America on craftbeer.com has made it harder to get in--good for them, bad for the regulars

03-09-2013 13:44:51 | More by enmity1380

phisherman11946

Virginia

4.95/5  rDev +12.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5 | $$

Mekong is for beer lovers. Their beer selection is ANstoppable. They have about 18 taps and everytime I go back there are more and more taps to choose from. If you get there early enough and get a chance to sit at the bar in the back, do so. You just might find yourself with a surprise beer to try or finding yourself in a conversation with An, David, or Diablo. This is the haunt for local beer people.

The beer is alway fresh or vintage or rare. Every once in a while you will see beer flowing through a randall of hops or coffee to make your beer taste different. There are always events celebrating various things. The sol-stache parties raise money for pints for prostrates.

If you are on facebook, look for the Mekong page and hop on in.

07-06-2011 19:58:07 | More by phisherman11946

3Cheers4Beers

Virginia

5/5  rDev +13.6%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5 | $

Mekong is exceptional, truly one-of-a-kind in so many respects---but like many of the finer things in life, you really need to soak in the Mekong experience and allow yourself reflect and really see what's going on there rather than just compare it to your expectations. This is a family-run, COMMUNITY restaurant and monument to the love of craft beer. It has many layers:

GREAT FOOD: Depending on what you've ordered, the fare is on par with the finest white table cloth Vietnamese restaurant in Saigon or Hanoi; or the warm and inviting comfort food you might find in a stall outside the fish market in Hoi An. There is NO PRETENSE there a'tall, not a shrine to brass and glitz but a simple environment where food is celebrated and cooked and served lovingly by the many family that fill kitchen, bar and service areas. Service is FAST, efficient and damn good.

GREAT BEER: I could go on for a novel here, but the true love of beer is celebrated in every way possible. A very wide and alternating number of craft beers, mostly Belgian, are on tap nightly. Hundreds more in the cooler. Sponsorship of the local homebrewing club; rotating "special events" where the beer flows freely and may be seasonal, rare, aged, sour, oaked, bourbon-barrelled, dry/double/triple hopped, many times from that special firkin that you'll never see again. The beer guy An (the BEER LOVER) has traveled the world tasting beer and meeting brewers and distributors near and far. It shows.

GREAT HANG: the bar scene at Mekong is truly unique. Its the place the local farmer offers tips on growing hops and local foodie joints; the place where the areas best musicians hang out; the place where local restauranteurs go when they want great food and a haven for discussion of the latest dishes; the place where the family might bring out some strange and exotic dish that's not on the menu and share it with a stranger; the place the young lookers and folks of all ages go to take in the scene or celebrate Halloween or Super Bowl. The place that sponsors or participates in any one of the dozens of events both at the bar/restaurant or in the community where Mekong is usually signed up for the cause celebre of Richmond, be it the Dragon Boat races, a charity golf event or that festival that rocks the town. If you are a regular the bar staff will know what you like, and also tease your palate with something new. The community aspect is what makes MK really unique---you can do great beer, you can do great food (and they do both), but to do it in a way that makes you feel totally comfortable, known and recognized as family, is truly rare.

If you've made a single visit, and didn'ty find exactly what you were looking for or comparing against, go again and put your expectations aside and try to see what's really going on there. It takes a few visits to really even start to appreciate the vibe. By then you'll be a part of the family of beer lovers that dream of that next visit and anticipate that next outrageous event. Cheers!

05-20-2011 16:02:22 | More by 3Cheers4Beers

homebrewer88

Virginia

5/5  rDev +13.6%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5 | $$

I've been going to Mekong for a while now and have never had a bad experience l. An always has an amazing selection of beers on tap and in bottles, and the food is great, all of it. You will not find better beer prices anywhere. There is normally a pretty big crowd so if you want a spot at the bar you may want to get there around 5:00 or 6:00.
Even when they are packed I have never had to wait more than ten minutes for a table. All of the wait staff that I have experience with were very knowledgeable about the beers they offer.

01-10-2012 17:11:27 | More by homebrewer88