Review Cafe O-mai - Brisbane

We visited Red Lotus for our daughter's birthday during the SE QLD rain bomb. The weather definitely kept a few people away, but business was still good on a Friday night. Red Lotus have been serving fresh flavoursome Vietnamese food for over a decade now and this visit was no exception. The noodle salad with a bit of everything was very popular. Servings are huge and great value. The spicy lemongrass chili barramundi wasn't quite the spice hit my husband was hoping for, but still well received. It's easy to see Red Lotus being around for another decade and more!

We went here last night in the middle of some crazy rain. But that’s beside the point. This restaurant was cosy and cute, not too busy. We ordered spring rolls, pepsi marinated pork ribs, the crispy skin chicken (which comes with fried rice) the morning glory and barramundi and some cocktail. It was all really good - and great value for money. We ate like kings at a feast. They even had to bring an extra table over which was crazy. I should Have taken a photo but I was too excited. We have leftovers for lunch today. The morning glory was amazing and I really loved the crispy chicken and fried rice. It’s my second time here and I’m really glad we dined here last night. I do think the lighting was a bit too bright and there could be some light music playing to help the vibe. Apart from that, a really good restaurant. At the end my friend said ‘you haven’t seen the last of us’ and he was right. we will be returning. Thank you.

I'd honestly say the food is average. My das and I went to eat dinner and we were craving for Vietnamese food. He really wanted to eat Crispy Skin Chicken, so we ordered. But 5 mins later the staff came back and told us they were sold out. Disappointing. We ordered their Special Beef Pho, it was bit too salty. Overall, the food was ok.

Great ambiance, lovely warm setting , really good food. Fantastic service. Ideal for a evening out.

Awesome food, the pho is just as good as cafe omai's one Pros: - amazing food - takes care of the dietary requirements. (The vegan pho might be one of the best things ever.) - lots of options - really friendly staff - been here many times and the quality is always great Cons: - a tad pricy - the space is a bit small - hard to find parking

Maaaate I’m eating here and loving it awesome authentic healthy yummmmyyyy food amazing what was I thinking going to KFC keep up the good work people you should franchise this Red Lotus Very friendly and pleasant experience 👍🏾💯

We dined there tonight and I reckon it’s gone down a notch since our last visit a couple of years ago. While the pork rib’s were very nice, the roasted duck was very dry, the Salt & Pepper Calamari was tough and tasteless and finally the Ginger Chicken stir fry was very salty. Not disaster but they can do a lot better than that.

Very friendly staff...quick service.. meals tasty...moderate pricing.. .easy parking on the street...amenities on site... Only one problem..it can get very noisy when crowded

Myself and my youngest niece had breakfast here this morning. Id heard nothing but good things and had visited the sister cafe Red Lotus last May and thought i would give it a go. Luckily we arrived when there was a lull in the patrons as we managed to get a table inside. Love the fact the staff show you to the table and bring over cold water and glasses. Anyway, we browsed the menu and I couldn’t decide on the Phat Breakfast or the Corn Fritters but decided on the Phat Breakfast which i was extremely impressed with. My niece not being adventurous had a hot chocolate and toast with Vegemite will i had the Phat Breakfast, Recovery Juice (Delicious) and a proper chai tea made on hot milk. Staff were friendly, food fantastic and with the cafe full to the brim and about 25 people waiting to get in the food was brought at a quick time. At no time did the staff look frazzled. Congratulations I will be back.

This cafe brought our area alive a few years ago. Thank you! It is run so efficiently and the food is great. Good staff and inspiring energetic owner with an amazing memory. My only suggestion: when you run out of metal straws please use paper straws - or better yet give us the choice to say no to plastic straws. I have never used your single use coffee cups but hope they may be bio compostable cups and not plastic lined.

SO SO happy I found this place! The pho is absolutely delicious and healthy, which is hard to find!! And even harder to find is a vegan or vegetarian option, thank you so much for offering this! I just wish this place was open in the evening as well :)

This place has to be the best Vietnamese I've had outside Vietnam. Great, fresh, tasty food. I know I should try something different on the menu, but I can't ever go past the pho and the omelette. Staff are friendly and handle themselves well given the place is always so busy.

Our fave family brekky spot. Everyone is so friendly and the food is amazing! A takeaway coffee and bacon and egg Bahn mi is also the best way to start a weekday.

Absolute best place for brunch. All staff were fabulous and the phat breakfast was amazing!!!

Amazing Vietnamese cafe. The Bahn mi and pho are very good (and you can get baby sized breakfast pho). The cafe is also eco conscious, only using metal straws with their drinks.

Super yummy and fresh! We had the tamarind chicken bun, a bit of everything noodle salad, green papaya salad, plus Vietnamese coffee and lemon soda. Everything was amazing.

Really fantastic, the owner doing really good things for the Brisbane food scene and deserves the accolades. Bun Bo Hue; really well done, authentic with a great flavour. Coffee is great and the range of fresh juices are terrific. Well done Cafe O-Mai - awesome

Craved for a nice hot noodle soup yesterday morning so went to this cafe for a Pho.<br/>I had been here couple of months ago but it only serves take-away. I had the luck to enjoy my brekkie with table service this time. It fully utilized the convenient of digital info to ask diner going on the web page instead of physical menu. It is a very good idea for preventative measure during pandemic.<br/>Ordered my favourite baby beef Pho and a flat white. The Pho came to the table within five minutes. Visual appraisal won my appreciation. There were generous portion of raw beef on the top with side bean sprout, chilies and a little wedge of lemon. <br/>Broth was very tasteful.<br/>The flat white made of Toby Estate brew was as good as the Pho. Strong strength and nice smoothness reflected the barista’s pouring technique. <br/>It is honestly a perfect match brekkie for me👍👍👍<br/>Previous rating: May 2019 5/5; Mar 2016 3/5

Best Vietnamese restaurant in brisvagas <br/>

Love their pork roll and ice coffee.

Very tasty food and nice iced coffee. Very different take on breakfast which I loved!

Third time visiting this place today and quality of the food keeps going down as well as the cleanliness of the restaurant. Our Pho was served luke warm it could barely cook the raw beefs, when asked why this is the case they said “let them microwave it” for us???!! The pork meatballs were also served chill. Complained to the supervisor nothing was done about it. <br/><br/>So far it’s been less than 4 hours since our brunch and I already went to toilet twice because of diarrhoea from the meatballs. This will be our very last visit.

Went for brunch with friends on Sunday morning, make sure you book! This place hustles and bustles like any restaurant or cafe you'd find in Vietnam. <br/><br/>The traditional Vietnamese side of the menu offers all the dishes expected, along with refreshing additions like a VEGAN pho or, at the other end of the scale, a BLACK ANGUS pho. Authentically named dishes like "Aunty Five's claypot sausage baked eggs" and "O-mai's phat breakfast" adds to the fun of making a decision. There's plenty of basics available such as eggs on toast and house made granola.<br/><br/>Drinks are well catered for with Vietnamese beers (for later in the day), cocktails, wine, fruit juices and, of course, coffees. If you're a fan of coconut you must have the AFFOGATO (Vietnamese cold drip coffee poured over coconut sorbet, coconut pearls and sesame praline). This, along with the COMBINATION PHO, were the highlights for me!<br/><br/>I can't wait to go back and try some other offerings. Servings are generous so take your appetite with you. Service keeps up well with the chaos so it's a great place to be. If you've been to Vietnam before, Cafe O-mai will have you wanting to go back for a return visit!<br/><br/>Well done and keep up the great work!

Outstanding Asian and super popular. The soups are killer and so full of flavour. It’s table service but no frills, not that it matters because the food is so good and you don’t have to wait long. Will keep returning time after time.

Used to be a really good Vietnamese restaurant in Brisbane, but now the standards just dropped so terribly. Tried to convince myself going back again and again, but just disappointed every time. Not going to come back anymore.

I would definitely recommend Cafe O-Mai to anyone looking for a delicious place to have lunch but wanting something a little different. I had the Vietnamese cold drip coffee (if only I could have that everyday!) and the muesli. The smells from the kitchen smelt wonderful and everyone’s meals around us looked amazing! Can’t wait to come back.

Jan 2020 update:<br/>Came back again and tried their grilled meat a bit of everything vermicelli bowl. Boy was it delicious. You see the guy on the charcoal grill making it for you on the spot. So tasty!! But downside is there are heaps of flies around as it is another semi open concept restaurant. <br/><br/><br/>Saw many good reviews raving about this place in annerley. Came on a weekday for brekkie, so didn’t have to wait for a seat. Great open concept with air conditioning inside as well (for those who hate the Brisbane heat like me). I had their classic banh mi (viet sub). It was pretty good with fresh ingredients inside, but had a little too much bread to ingredients ratio. I’ve heard good things about their roasted pork roll though. Slow drip viet ice coffee is always a must (even for a non-coffee drinker).

Tasty clean fresh Beef pho, delicious Toby’s Estate coffee, a really top notch lunch experience on Brisbane’s side 5* - will return. A lively and busy venue for good reason

Just returned home from Sunday breakfast - after Aunty Five's Claypot Veggie Baked Eggs, I am stuffed. It was delicious!! The breakfast menu is quite large with something for everyone & very reasonably priced. The cafe was busy & noisy & just right for a bustling Sunday morning. The staff are very friendly & efficient & my table of 7 all enjoyed their meals. Highly recommended - we'll be back!!

Heard about this place and had it bookmarked for ages. Came here on Sunday and I was def impressed! Had the Viet Omelette and it was just done really well. The nice salty pork was perfectly balanced with the onion, sprout and the rice. Wife had the Bahn Mi and was also done really well. The Vietnamese ice coffee was also excellent!!

Came in today for some of their famous pho; however the charcoal chicken caught my eye and I tried that. It was really good, juicy yet crispy on the outside, the salad had the perfect amount of onion for me. For entree I had the chicken and mushroom spring rolls- they were pretty tasty. <br/><br/>Friends had beef vermicelli salad and a beef soup. They were really happy with their food. <br/><br/>To drink I got the $2 bottomless soda water which was super refreshing with my meal. <br/><br/>Will I be back? Definitely

The cafe staff were lovely and very helpful. Nice food, the vegetarian big breakfast was lovely although it needed more sauce. I would visit again!

Yum love having all Vietnamese options for breakky. There is often a wait here but worth it. We enjoyed Vietnamese iced coffee and the hot pot bowl.

Great service, came in on a very busy day and the speed at which they accommodated our table and sent out our orders was fantastic. Definitely recommend.

Typically busy cafe, waited in line for about 15 minuets as we came at the weekends. I’ve ordered the beef pho, the taste was a bit average. I will try the salads next time for lunch. They start serving lunch at 11:30am.

Went here for lunch and this place was already full of people. It didnt take a long timw to get seated and your food served. I had combination pho which was good. They were so generous to give a huge amount of meat. My bowl was full of meat. The beef was so tender even the brisket and the tendon. One regular bowl of pho can be shared with your friend. It was too big for me.

This is comfortably the best Vietnamese/Australian fusion cafe in Brisbane. The service and vibe is a light in an otherwise decrepit neighbourhood.

I decided to come here after seeing a lot of positive comments . I ordered a combination Pho, classical Banh mi and brisket Banh mi . I came here around brunch time . The cafe started to get busy. The two Banh mi came first in a reasonable time; however my pho took a while . Finally the waiter came and put my pho on the table without even saying anything . She was the same person took the order as well . Later on , I tried to look for a staff to ask for hoisin sauce and chili sauce . I couldn’t get any of the staff attention because they are all busy . So I decided to walk to the counter to politely ask for the sauce . The same lady gave me the sauce without a smile or a word but a very rude attitude . I was so shocked because I just tried to have the sauce to go with my Pho . I love the combination of those two sauce together with my Pho . <br/>Overall , the classic pork roll was just okay . Def it is not the best I ever had . The pho broth was light and lack of aromatic fragrant which make pho so special such as the cinnamon , star anise , etc . However , it was a good size of pho with lot of beef toppings and the broth is no added msg . General speaking, the food was decent but nothing is too stand out for me . I do like the decor and the atmosphere but def not the service here . I don’t feel like welcomed by the lady served me in the traditional dress . I feel a bit disappointed with the service

We came here today at 12, and although it was amazing to see so many people dining in, the busyness wasn't really conducive when you have a newborn. We decided to get takeaway and eat in a park instead. We shared a tamarind chicken bun, a bit of everything noodle salad, and green papaya salad, with Vietnamese cold coffee and lemon soda. Everything was amazing! Very very delicious and fresh. In particular, the chicken spring roll that was chopped up in the noodle salad was incredible. So many flavours...if I had to eat just that for the rest of my life, I would be very happy. I hope to return here very soon.

Best cafe/lunch in Brisbane that I have had. Really good Pho without an overly salty taste. Did try the banh xeo and although the crepe was crispy, filling could have been stir-fried with abit more colour and flavour, dipping sauce did help. But honestly, its hard to get me to order anything past the pho section in the menu. Summer or winter its a fav!

My family came in today and we ordered a buddha bowl (as pictured), combination pho and crackling pork banh mi. Accompany this with there lemon soda and Vietnamese ice coffee.<br/>Taste: Was really good and flavorsome. However, one thing that was noted was the broth is not as warm as you would expect for a pho. So if it was a tad hotter it would of made the pho much better.<br/>Service: Bit tricky as it was australia day so things got a bit chaotic. This was to be expected so we were ready to wait. However, when all the stuff came out 25mins later only one thing was missing.. the banh mi. We figured oh maybe come 10 minutes later. No, so i went up and ask myself figuring it might speed up the time but it still took a further 20 minutes which by than my family was done. While, my little sister had to eat the banh mi alone when the family already done. This made her feel sad and rather loss her appetite to eat. No matter how busy it shouldnt take 50 minutes for a banh mi thit of any kind.<br/>Resolution: At billing time i told them what happen and as of goodwill they did deduct the banh mi price so that was a kind gesture as noted. However, sadly when waiting nearly an hour for banh mi thit and my little sister who was so excited to have lunch with the family be upset. The deducted amount was just not worth it.

UPDATE: After recommending the pho here to my parents, they were also keen to catch up to try it.<br/>Once again, another bustling weekend brunch. Whilst my parents had the pho, my partner and I tried the Classic Pork Banh Mi and the Deluxe Vegetarian Pho.<br/><br/>The banh mi was perfect - lightly crispy baguette with fresh fillings that was not overly salty nor sweet. The vegetarian pho was delicious with different textural soy-based products as well as mushrooms and asian greens. My parents also agreed that the pho was pretty good.<br/><br/>Service was great this time around - our food arrived within 10 minutes and our waitress was more than happy to chat in Vietnamese with my parents, answering questions about the food and restaurant.<br/><br/>Overall, a far more pleasant experience - boosting my score from 3.5 to 4.5. Must trys: pho and banh mi.<br/><br/>........................................................................................<br/>Went here for weekend brunch. The cafe was bustling - there was a high and fast turnover as people entered and left.<br/><br/>We ordered drinks - Red Bean Frappe and the Vietnamese Coffee Affogato, which were both very nice and not too sweet.<br/><br/>From the breakfast menu, we ordered the Regular Beef Pho and the O Mai's Veggie Delight.<br/><br/>The pho was delicious - Southern style, tender meat, and a lovely broth that was not salty nor sweet. It came with condiments of a little-wilted beansprouts, a wedge of lemon and Vietnamese basil. Although I could spy chilli and hoisin sauce available, these were not brought out with the meal.<br/><br/>The veggie delight was, in contrast, rather average. The poached eggs were actually fully cooked, the pineapple sauce was a little too sweet, and the accompanying mushrooms, pak choy and avocado was all rather simple.<br/><br/>Noting the high turnover, our dishes still took awhile to arrive. The table next to us actually received their meals before we got our drinks (20 mins). Another 20-25 mins until the pho came out. And then it was at least 15 minutes for the veggie delight.<br/>Ambience is casual (and loud). Prices are reasonable.<br/><br/>If there was an option to score 3.75, then I would, as the pho is definitely commendable - highly rated in my 'pho list'. However, on this occasion, the service and veggie delight were a bit of a let down.<br/><br/>I am still curious about their other traditional Vietnamese dishes, and would love to come back to try their banh mi and lunch menu.<br/><br/>Overall, if you can wait, come for the pho!

We drove over to Cafe O'Mai today on a sudden banh mi craving. This place popped up in my Zomato search and I recognised it from lists of well-rated spots I'd seen in the past. It was quite busy with a queue for tables on a Sunday afternoon. We headed to the take-away area of the cafe where you can order and pick-up. The bf got a classic pork banh mi and opted for added chilli, as well as some bbq pork rice paper rolls with peanut sauce. I had the grilled tamarind chicken banh mi. I didn't really pay attention to the time but I'd say we waited 15-20 mins for our take-away order. The rice paper rolls got a tick from the bf for their freshness. He wasn't overly fussed with the hoi sin peanut sauce but it wasn't bad. We both really enjoyed our banh mis. The bread was crusty but soft and flavours were great and mine had ample chicken. We couldn't find any faults except that they don't quite compare to the ones at that certain unassuming takeaway shop in Darra :) (which, as a bonus, happen to be half the price!). I would like to return to Cafe O'Mai and try their pho next but I will need to be prepared for the queue/wait.

Really good atmosphere. Great, accomodating service. Good with families with small kids. Seems always busy but we seem to get a table every time. Food always fresh.

The freshest of ingredients, friendly and attentive staff. The meals came in very good time, even though the place was packed. Highly recommend the green papaya salad.

Great Pho with lots yummy meats in there! Lovely cafe, enjoyed my lunch there. It was pretty busy but got seated straight away and my food was served in reasonable time. Would give it 5 if the bean sprouts were fresher! Will definitely go back for more w family and friends. They all wanted to check them out

Absolutely delicious and yummy food. <br/>Traditional pho is what you are expected. Our bowl was swapped to the more expensive version of beef and it's just amazing. <br/>Coffee is so unique and cool as well. <br/>Love t.

The food was really so so~~~ the vegetables came with Pho, was not fresh...... the only good part was the price is cheap... was expecting too much....

I ordered the the fresh vegetarian rice paper rolls, as well as the Buddha’s “a bit of everything” vegan dish. Hands down the most flavoursome meal I’ve had, it filled my stomach and I’m a big eater. Huge fan of both of these dishes. This is a favourite venue for lunch in this area. Very flavoursome and nothing I could fault with the dishes served.

Food gets a rating of PD - pretty delicious - great varied menu with a bit of something for everyone, all able to be washed down with some half decent plonk. Service is excellent, friendly but they get double points for being family and kid accommodating.<br/><br/>It's a real joy to have a neighbourhood joint, with decent food and coffee (and wine) that doesn't cost the earth but will allow me to bring buggalugs in the pram without feeling like the Queen of Inconvenience.

Been here for two times, always on Saturday morning and the cafe was always busy.<br/><br/>The cafe has a great range of food options. The first time I came, I ordered bo kho with a baguette. The bo kho has a very rich taste and the portion is big. It is a very filling meal for breakfast. The second time, I ordered a regular beef pho. The portion was as big as the bo kho, but has little meat. The ratio between the meat, the noodle, and the soup was not balanced. It was delicious, but the dish was lacking in proportion.<br/><br/>The table service was also quite slow. It can be because I came during the busy times. I had to ask the staff about my order a few times before it actually arrived on my table,<br/><br/>Overall, the experience was great. The food is tasty and filling with cheap price. I should try to come on the weekday and see whether the service is better.

Cafe O-Mai is very popular- and for good reason. The cafe was buzzing with people for our midweek lunch visit. We were seated quite quickly though and loved our experience.<br/>The cafe boasts a bright and lively feel, decorated with a colourful mural and rustic timber tables and chairs.<br/>The menu is excellent with so many choices, including an extensive vegan menu.<br/>We ordered rice paper rolls, spring rolls, tofu curry and pho. Food was brought out promptly and was delicious. Full of flavour, large portions and a good amount of chilli. <br/>Affordable prices and friendly service.<br/>Can't wait to come back!

The best pork crackling banh mi in Brisbane! The lychee frappe is a must too!! Have been here many times and can definitely recommend it!! 👍🏼

This Vietnamese restaurant is a great place for food. I particularly love the Vietnamese ice coffee and baguette! My partner loves the pho and the juice. So it's a win-win situation for both of us. The staff are friendly and always welcome with a smile. <br/><br/>The only bad thing, which is not even that bad, is the parking. Since it's off Ipswich Road the traffic can be quite busy. Usually there is sufficient parking along Cracknell Road or in one of the side streets.

Great menu. Great food. Have been here multiple times always love it. Very authentic options. Also love the Vietnamese coffee. Bahn mi delicious.

Absolutely amazing. Breakfast is the best in Brisbane. Service is amazing and food is always consistently amazing. They know they loyal customers by name -10/10 all round!

Really good food, but when restaurant is not busy, expect to wait a bit - I suspect the downtime is time for most staff to take a break. Order at the table and pay at the counter.

Busy cafe on the weekends! We ordered pork rolls (I got the crispy belly which was YUM) and also an iced coffee - viet style. The pork rolls were a little expensive compared to the usual $4 in Sydney but still worth! Next time I will be back to try the noodle soups which looked amazing. Hopefully the flies will be gone by then..

Went on a Sunday morning and they found us a table after a very short wait.<br/>Food was very tasty and staff very friendly. Bit of a mix-up with our order kept us waiting a while for the food but they were quick to rectify this once they knew of the mix-up.<br/><br/>Phat breakfast was great as were the clay-baked eggs (although I'd prefer them runny).<br/><br/>Will definitely return to check out the lunch/dinner offerings.

Cafe o mai never disappoints. The portions are large and a good price. Lots of yummy vegetarian/vegan options. The vegan Buddha bowl and tofu curry are my favourites!

My partner and I go here every other weekend to enjoy their delicious bahn mi and pho. Beautiful decor, good service, great price, and unbeatable taste.

We're such regulars that everyone knows our order. Love the service and love the food especially the Angus beef pho! Everything always taste so fresh and oh so aromatic ✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️

Love coming here on a weekend morning for some brunch pho and coffee, or just a nice tropical drink. Relaxing inner city suburb vibe and the food feels fresh in the mouth.

We went to Cafe O'Mai for lunch, and the classic Báhn Mi was probably the best I have ever eaten! And great value at $7, it was filling enough for lunch even though I was sceptical a $7 sandwich would fill my Friday lunch hunger. Try the iced coffee to go with it 😉

Today I finally get to visit Cafe O-Mai! Since a few of our Zamato friends have recommended this restaurant, I feel compelled to try their Vietnamese soup noodles. We arrive at 11.45am and spend a moment to admire the interesting decor then seated ourselves in the middle of the restaurant. After an awkward 4 minutes a waitress asks if we're ready to order. I smile at her and ask for the menus. The menus are provided promptly with a bottle of cold water and after a quick chat I'm impressed as I can see she is run off her feet today. <br/><br/>This is a professionally run restaurant. From the kitchen to the beverage staff, food servers, wait staff and cashier. Every staff member knows what is expected of them and the restaurant performs like a well-oiled machine. I order the mandatory Pho (Combination) Dac Biet and a slow drip iced coffee. My girlfriend, the Bun Bo Hue and a premixed iced coffee. Our drinks arrive within 10 minutes. Both iced coffees are served strong and sweet but I prefer flavour of the coffee bean used in the slow drip. <br/><br/>The waitress delivers the salads and herbs for our soup noodles. I notice the brown roots of the bean sprouts, they look 1-2 days old. The salad for the Bun Bo Hue looks sad and lacking with a dozen bean sprouts and no rau muong (kang kong) or alternatively shredded cabbage. Our meals arrive 15 minutes later looking well presented and appetising. I sip the pho bo and bun bo soups and both are flavourful and delicious. We both agree the soups need to be 15-20 degrees hotter. The noodle and combination meats in both noodle dishes are quite generous. <br/><br/>The Pho (Combination) Dac Biet was good but was let down by the warm soup. It rates 4/5.0. The Bun Bo Hue was also good but was let down by the lacklustre salad and warm soup. It rates 3.5/5.0. <br/><br/>A material consideration on my reviews is price/value for money. On average Cafe O-Mai's price for these two noodle dishes are 25-35% above the prices charged 15 minutes away in Inala by Tan Thanh, Pho Tung and Chac's Vietnamese. A fair rating for this restaurant based on the food, service and impressive decor is 4.0/5.0 but I feel the need to deduct a half point for value. For diners hesitant to drive to Inala, I would recommend Cafe O-Mai for authentic Vietnamese soup noodles. Bon Appetit!<br/><br/><br/>

Went here on a saturday at around 1.30pm and it was completely packed! (waited maybe 30~mins for a table) I ordered the vegetarian spicy noodle soup and it was delicious! Best vegetarian noodle soup I've had in a very long time

Cafe O-Mai Goodness!!! <br/><br/>I have had this place bookmarked for forever! Kicking myself that we didn't attend sooner.<br/><br/>From the street, it looks quite small until you walk in and realise it is actually a lot bigger than it looks. A little confused by the decor but the mural on the wall is beautiful.<br/><br/>Food! So many delish options - I love that the menu has what our server described as 'Australian' dishes, then dishes that were a Vietnamese and aussie fusion and then authentic Vietnamese options. I had the Aunty Five's Claypot baked eggs with vietnamese lemongrass pork sausage with mushroom, tomato and tamarind sauce served with sourdough. I noticed that some of the other dishes had the pineapple and chilli jam and avocado and coriander salsa. I needed to taste both and although neither options are on the menu as a side that you pay extra for - I asked the server and he was happy to provide it as a side for me.<br/><br/>Oh my word - it was an explosion of flavours and textures with every bite. The sausage was freaken amazing! The tamarind sauce - amazing! Avocado and coriander salsa - so light and refreshing - it was amazing! The pineapple and chilli jam - put it this way, I offered to pay for a jar of this delicious jam but it was made in house and not for sale. My goodness - the jam was BEAUTIFUL! The fritter I got on the side too was really good. My coffee was also really, really good.<br/><br/>Service was a little slow, the other half had to get up and ask someone to come and take our order. Other than that, everything else was great. Definitely on the list for us to come back and on the list of few places that we would recommend to others. <br/><br/>Thank you Cafe O-Mai!

Finally got to experience cafe O-Mai and what a up and down experience indeed. The major thing that needs improvement is the service, we got seated and given menu's within minutes of turning up which was good however that was the end of it, didn't get given table water till after we ordered meals and waited about 10 minutes till we had our order taken, I noticed this happened to alot of customers and not just us. Having someone take our order required me to go and physically get up and find someone to tell them we want to make our order now. Things improved after this, coffee's turned up quickly and boom!! Magnificent coffee! Main brekky turned up shortly after and what beautiful presentation! The stand out here was the coffee, pork sausages and the chilli jam, no words can describe how good the sausages were and then to have them accompanied with one of the yummiest chilli jams was just amazing!!!<br/><br/>Great food but service definitely needs mass improvement.

We had high expectations and really looked forward to going to Cafe O-Mai with it's high Zomato rating. <br/>We made sure we got there at the stroke of 12 to ensure we wouldn't miss out with the lunch time rush. <br/>It was a good call because sure enough the whole place was filled up 5 minutes later, with  staff looking  super busy.<br/>We ordered the crackling roast pork banh mi, the pulled beef brisket banh mi and the sugarcane prawn vermicelli noodle salad. <br/>The best of the dishes was the pulled beef brisket banh mi. The bread for both banh mis was excellent, but we felt a bit let down with the flavour of the fillings. The vermicelli salad and the sugarcane prawn were both okay. <br/>Although it was quite good, we can't really say we were blown away. Mrs Kan Do was a bit more critical than me, but that may have also had to do with the brusqueness of the first waiter who met us at the door. <br/>In terms of Vietnamese fare, there's a lot better around Brisbane, and this place is more expensive. Perhaps it's just that we've been spoilt with Scotts Rd Takeaway in Darra and Nom Nom Cafe in Salisbury who do great banh mis, or maybe we didn't order their best dishes on a busy day. <br/>In any case, the rating of 3.5 out of 5 is probably slightly generous considering that we were somewhat underwhelmed.

The Meatballs Family ventured down to Cafe O-Mai in search of a Vietnamese breakfast and to see if they live up to their 4.5 rating.<br/><br/>Toby's Estate Coffee (Latte) was good (4) and the Babyccino was nicely presented with two marshmallows (4).<br/><br/>The Classic Pork Roll Banh Mi was great - one of the best we've had in Brisbane - 4. The Bacon and Egg Banh Mi with soy sauce was quite unique, but also very good - 3.5. The best part of both Banh Mi was the bread - 5.<br/><br/>The Blueberry and Coconut Muffin was served piping hot and was delicious - 4.<br/><br/>A very enjoyable experience!<br/><br/>Banh Mi Tip: Jan Power's Farmers Markets @ Queen Street...the best Banh Mi we've found yet.

I think Omai has the best pho in the town. I love the food & the Vietnamese dripping coffee was awesome. But the thing quite lacking was the service. All staffs seemed so busy until no one greet people coming at the front door. But worth to come back to try the other menu.

Cafe O Mai is a real delight- the food is thoughtfully prepared, delicious and the prices very reasonable. The coffee here is fantastic as well. My partner and I are locals and the staff knew our names  and regular orders after the first or second visit. Also, there's enough variation in the menu to cater to vegans and vegetarians, which makes us both very happy. Lucky to have this as our local brekkie spot.

Best beef pho in Brisbane, perfect every time. The difference between the pho at Cafe O-Mai and other cafes is that the broth is so rich and deep in flavour. I can't help but want to drink every last drop.

Busy place even on a weekday arvo. Coffee was great, tried the soda chanh, perfect for a hot sunny day. The banh xeo (Vietnamese crepe) was great, reminds me of when I had it in Vietnam, except the meat and shrimp portions were a lot more generous. Service was good, everything was served quickly. Definitely not disappointed although I had high expectations after hearing all the recommendations from friends and online reviews. Will be back!

Prepare to wait outside as it's always packed. But it's def worth the wait. Had the Banh Xeo (traditional Vietnamese crepe) and it was so good. ❤️

The best spot for authentic Vietnamese breakfast. When I feel like a hot bowl of beef noodle soup (pho) or crispy pork baguette or meatballs served with a warm baguette and of course Vietnamese coffee, I head to Cafe O-Mai. My favourite so far especially in this warm weather is the lychee and watermelon frappe! So refreshing and very moorish!

One of my favourite places in Brisbane 💜 lovely food, the service is always quick even though they are constantly busy. My big favourites are lemongrass beef bahn mi, chicken pho and lemongrass grilled chicken. And THE caramel slice!!! Glad I live nearby...

Amazing spot for Vietnamese breakfast. The pho was quite good, and the Vietnamese ice coffee was perfect. Tucked just off Ipswich Road the perfect spot for breakfast on your way to work.

If you're a Vietnamese fan, this place is to die for. Probably one of the best place for authentic Vietnamese food in Brisbane. A fairly typical quality cafe atmosphere and the food selection is fantastic, even catering well for vegetarians and vegans. I had vegetarian spring rolls, and a Vietnamese crepe filled with prawns, pork and sprouts with a light salad. Very nice. My partner had the pork rice noodle soup. Both meals were fabulous. The service was fairly prompt and food came out in a timely manner. We weren't disappointed. It's a very busy place, but with plenty of staff on hand there were no complaints. Going on the reputation of this place from word of mouth through friends, it lived up to expectations.

Pho for breakfast! Their combination Pho is delicious, beef brisket is very tender. Portion is large, even a regular size is big for me. Price is very affordable, the service is okay, nice atmosphere. Gonna head back for more and try their classic pork roll soon.

Last week, a friend and I decided to (finally) take a break off work for one day. Being fully entrenched in the life of a full time employee, we opted to go out on our day off to better take advantage of the time rather than be responsible and recharge at home. Wanting to try something homey and soupy, we opted to try breakfast at the ever popular Cafe O Mai at Annerley.

Nice interior and decor but the food was very average, if not bad. Ordered the banh mi that came out on a chiabata or Turkish bread? Whatever it was, the bread was so tough and stale. The pulled beef that filled the banh mi was very tough and chewy. Would not recommend. The coffee was ok as it tasted burnt. Wouldn't recommend this place to friends after this experience. I hope this review finds its way to the owners so that they can improve the quality of their food!

Very impressed by the quality of this little neighborhood cafe, pictured are sugar cane prawn noodle salad and beef pho. Great for brekkie or lunch.

Hands down the best Pho in Brisbane! I have tried multiple Vietnamese restaurants as I have always been intrigued by Pho. This is Brisbane's benchmark which is why it is always busy on a Saturday and Sunday morning. They also do an authentic Vietnamese drip coffee which (even though I bought all the tools from Vietnam) I have never been able to replicate. Also great value for money - when they say large, they mean LARGE. Our favourite breakfast joint on a cold morning.

The pho and bahn mi were both great in flavour. The Vietnamese coffee was excellent. The service was friendly and quick and the vibe at the restaurant was conducive to conversing. Overall a great choice for breakfast and will definitely return to try more of the dishes on offer.

Great food, drinks and dessert. Love the pho and the banh mi thit and Vietnamese iced coffee :) would definitely recommend. Good customer service also

Wow. This is now my favourite cafe in Brisbane, just go, don't hesitate. For the hungover amongst you I suggest the claypot eggs, a mug of tobys estate coffee and a fresh juice. The only question at this point is "was I an idiot for not coming here sooner", possibly the most rhetorical question I've ever asked myself all things considered. <br/><br/>Wifey had a huge bowl of beef pho for $11 which seemed good value when compared to most other cafes I've been to.<br/><br/>Run, don't walk, to Cafe O-mai, you will not regret it. Or maybe you will, as merely going there disturbed your otherwise busy schedule of punching puppies and lighting fires.

Cafe O-Mai is has never failed to serve me a satisfying meal. Me and my boyfriend were there last Saturday for brunch. Most of the time I would crave for their Pho. The homemade broth has such a rich flavour and the beef always tender. Would definitely recommend to friends to family. If I were to give a note for improvement...would be great if both our meals were served at the same time or not too far of a waiting time between both. Just a gesture of respect to start eating together. Overall, fantastic place for brunch!

Love having the traditional Viet brekkies as an option and was not disappointed with the omelette that I ordered. Overall, the food is great but some (not all) of the wait staff are so rude!

Each time I come here the service is quick and friendly. A nice change from the usual breakfast menu. Usually pretty busy, but the food always is good.

Cafe O-Mai is something of an institution in Annerley. It has been serving the denizens of the south Brisbane area Vietnamese food and good coffee for years, and over that time has expanded its footprint to accommodate the customer influx. I had been meaning to do post on it for some months now, but procrastination got the better of me. A revisit proved a good excuse to try more food, and an opportunity to get new photos.

This is one of the more unique and enticing Vietnamese restaurants I've been to; the food here was as fresh as one would hope and full of flavour.

Cafe O-Mai never disappoints. The menu is extensive, not just for meat eaters but vegetarians as well. As a vego, I am happy to share that they don't just have one veggie bahn mi option, but two! I have tried both the omelette bahn mi and the tofu version and they are packed with ingredients. The tofu rice paper rolls were fresh and the veggie pho - wow! I honestly thought I would never have the opportunity to eat pho again since beef stock is a key ingredient in the dish but the veggie pho was packed with flavour and I was impressed by how close it actually tasted to regular pho. The only downside of the place would be the slow service during peak hours (usually weekend brunch) but that can be forgiven when you're finally digging into the food.

When I reached, I instantly spotted slow drip coffees that people have ordered and I was instantly perked up! <br/>There is a huge seating area though it gets really crowded so be prepared to wait a short while if you are really interested in coming here. <br/>The place had a nice design, and is located near a main road in Annerley. The shop serves Toby estate's coffee so if you're a fan, do try it out! <br/>When I entered, I was promptly seated and I loved the puns on the menu; the pho section was: un-PHOgettable! <br/>I am a sucker for great tasting phos and seeing that this place was a vietnamese-ish cafe, I decided to order the combination beef pho. <br/>The pho came really fast, might have been less than 5 minutes! They provide chilli and sweet sauce, but not fish sauce. <br/>The soup was perfect, light and savoury tasting. The meats given was bountiful, and the part that stood out was the beef balls! If you are a big fan of beef balls, I urge you to add an additional 2$ portion! It's chewy, springy, and tasty. <br/><br/>Will definitely be coming again to try out the rest of the extended menu! <br/><br/>Only drawback is that my friends ordered the combination pho too, but received different cuts of meat... Which was a little weird to me. Other than that, I won't hesitate to recommend this place to people looking for a Vietnamese fix!

Simply the best Vietnamese in Brisbane. Great Bahn Mi and great Toby's Estate Coffee too. You will get some of the best, personalised service anywhere! Definitely go to Cafe O-Mai

I really love this little cafe. The food is so delicious it's clear that a lot of love goes into it. The pho is so good and nourishing. Slurp up a big bowl of it if you're under the weather and I guarantee you'll instantly feel better. Breakfast is good too and the coffee is excellent. Try the brioche French toast - very decadent and very tasty.

A busy cafe in the area that does a really nice coffee. Based on the coffee alone I would rate it a 4 out of 5! The latte was creamy all the way until I finished which shows that the barista knows how to steam micro foam and also had a nice crema that was not too strong that made the coffee bitter and not too lite that all I taste is milk. This is a barista that knows his stuff. No coffee art however otherwise surely would be a 4.5. Good job! Keep it up

Ordered the claypot baked eggs and the phat breakfast. The sausage in both dishes were flavoursome and well balanced. The claypot baked eggs were a bit sweet but tasty but the eggs were overcooked and burnt. In both dished we could have done with an extra slice of toast. The phat breakfast came with a very small piece of bacon, spinach was not wilted, and there wasn't much mushrooms. Portion wise it was a little bit disappointing as it did not represent what the name of the dish was called. We asked for the eggs to be easy over however it came out well done and cooked/burnt on one side. Service was bit slow.

Food was terrible. Very disappointing. Had the pho. Tasted nothing like pho and the portion was tiny. It was tasteless which meant it wasn't boiled enough or a lack of beef was used in the stock. Also very much overpriced. I think their customers have no idea what vietnamese food is meant to taste like. I've read the previous reviewers and those that gave it above a rating of 2 shouldn't be judging Vietnamese food as they are clueless about the taste it should be. I would recommend giving this place a miss and heading straight to Inala where most places serve great vietnamese food and are appropriately priced. This place is an embarrassment to vietnamese cuisine.

Nothing smells better than special pho in the morning. Kinda like napalm but since we are not in Nam with Charlie buzzing their bees no more ... This is as good as it gets. *flash back* "Johnny! No!". My only gripe is the Vietnamese portion for the big breakfast. In Straya, where we are phat like karabau, portions needs to be like karabau. Lucky it taste good.

Picture fresh food full of the flavors of Veitnam, coriander, pineapple chutney and condensed milk drip iced coffee. I believe many of the best breakfasts in brisbane are at this one cafe. We have breakfast there regularly outside with our dog. It had also become the place we take visitors from out of town and the place to go for birthdays. It really is something special. The staff are also super friendly and even ask about our canine friend when we leave him at home. Personal favourite is corn fritters bit there are many vego options which are ALL excellent. Also chilli is always optional so it's family friendly. So in summary Café O-Mai is kid friendly, grandma friendly, dog friendly, queer friendly with great food and exceptional staff.

I love Cafe O'Mai, loads of delicious vegetarian options. Can be a bit of a wait on weekends for breakfast but it's worth it. My partner loves the Vietnamese coffee and I can't get enough of the tofu

One of my go-to places in Brisbane. Delicious, fresh food. Very unique - traditional Vietnamese food along with Aussie breakfast-inspired items. Truly one of a kind. They do a 100% veg pho, delicious. Allergy friendly. Fun, loud atmosphere inside. Great place for a catch up.

Great Vietnamese food for very reasonable price, recently expanded and still always busy but easy to get a table. The pork meatballs are great, make sure you get a whole baguette with it because there's plenty of sauce to lap up!

Popular spot and worth the visit. I had the meatballs with quail eggs but my friends had the Bahn Mi which were amazing. Will definitely return.

One of the best Banh Mi rolls I've found within Brisbane. Great variety on both breakfast and lunch menu, with affordable pricing. <br/>Service is friendly and prompt.

Been here a few times for breakfast because food is usually so delicious. Service is hot-cold depending on who you get. Was so disappointed today as there was a fly in our coffee. no apology - but the waitstaff did promise to take it off the bill. When we went to pay, of course it wasn't taken off and we got a sour 'well we didn't put it in there on purpose'. Will rethink whether we will go back again. <br/><br/><br/>

Breakfast here was amazing. Have been to Vietnam & this has to be the next best thing to actually traveling there. Simple food here done with authenticity & flair. Just give me a bowl of that pho everyday of the week & I will be happy!!

Well done Café O-Mai Team, pretty much back to wonderful, meant to update my last review for ages - sometime a little café is soo good it gets swamped by folk all wanting food and attention. Love It!<br/>* happy to delete my negative comment.

Update June 13th 2017<br/><br/>As with the expansion of the cafe since opening, the food quality of one of their main fares has changed.  Disappointingly, the original dense and crunchy baguettes in the Banh Mi's have been changed to the standard 'garden variety' Vietnamese bread roll found at all other Banh Mi places, and Vietnamese bakeries.  Service wise, when ordering take-away, the staff don't seem to toast the bread roll, and when dining in, I had to ask for my bread to be 're-toasted' as it wasn't hot enough when brought out.  Rating dropped 1 point.<br/>=========<br/><br/> Wow, very impressive Banh Mi Thit (Vietnamese 'pork-roll').  Those of us who are original Vietnamese migrants to Brisbane know that the Grand-mother of Banh Mi Thit is at the Scotts Rd Takeaway Darra, and the Inala bakery (opposite Suncorp) but Cafe O Mai has taken the original recipe and 'gourmet-ized' it.<br/>First the baguette is more dense, and crunchy (and stays crunchy even when cooled down) making the meal more solid - unlike the 'snack' like rolls of old.<br/>The Filling is also wholesome and abundant - be it the classic pork, grilled chicken (my favourite) or lemongrass beef. <br/>If there's room for improvement, the Veges are not quite there - pickled carrot could be slightly sweeter, more coriander, and I don't remember any cucumber?<br/>But overall, it is one delicious meal.  If I'm in the neighbourhood - I'll drop in and pick up a baguette every time.<br/><br/>The other hallmark Vietnamese dish - the Pho is good - but slight flat on the beef and roasted herbs flavour.  At times, the raw beef can be too undercooked - perhaps a little westernised for the caucasian majority patrons.<br/><br/>Overall, this cafe is a great place to meet friends, have coffee and enjoy the tantalising Vietnamese cuisine.  The staff are efficient, friendly and professional.  <br/><br/>Everyone is happy here.

Been going here for years. Always great food and service (i dunno how they remember my order but they do!). My one criticism since re-opening (loving the open space btw!) is they are using a different bread roll for the banh mi. They're not a light and crunchy and are more doughy and thick. They raised their prics a little too but that's understandable considering how cheap they were before. Go back to the old rolls!!