Our second trip was every bit as lovely as the first, which had been right after they launched. This is a Minneapolis gem, worthy of bringing visitors to. The flavors are bold but accessible to people unfamiliar with Hmong food. The portions are big. The service is outstanding. The space is stunning. The cocktails are excellent. It had been a good 8 months since we last dined here, but the server remembered us and treated us like old friends. I'm proud to have Vinai in my city.

We visited Vinai to celebrate a special occasion and were really looking forward to trying the highly praised menu. I made a reservation online and even noted the special occasion, but unfortunately, it was never acknowledged by the staffs -which was disappointing, especially considering how meaningful the day was for us. We ordered a variety of dishes including the crabby fried rice with duck egg, beef soup with rib bone, NY beef strip, curry rice ball, and their house-made Mama Vang sauce. Each plate was beautifully presented, and the restaurant itself had a cozy yet modern feel. The crabby fried rice was probably the highlight of the meal. It wasn’t as savory as I usually prefer, but the crab flavor was well-balanced and paired nicely with the creamy duck egg on top. Sadly, the rest of the dishes didn’t quite live up to the hype. The beef soup looked great. The bone-in cut and tender meat were promising, but the flavor fell flat. The aroma had us excited, but the taste just didn’t deliver. Although the NY beef strips were cooked well-done as we requested, lacked seasoning and didn’t have any standout flavor. Portion sizes overall were smaller than expected for the price, especially the curry rice ball. With all the great reviews on Vinai, we expected more in both flavor and hospitality. We left somewhat disappointed. If I had to recommend a dish from what we ordered, it would be the crabby fried rice.

My partner and I were so excited to check out Vinai since we knew how much buzz and hype this restaurant received. It did not disappoint! It lived up to the hype. The food was absolutely amazing. The service was great. The whole aesthetic was clean and very representative of Hmong culture. I felt like I was back in Southeast Asia. I highly recommend the pork chop and hill tribe chicken, but everything we got was delicious. You also need a reservation that they open up every 1st of the month, so be ready to check that out and parking was free on the street! Overall, amazing experience and 10/10 recommend!

Definitely recommend going with a group so you can try an assortment of different items! Objectively, we didn’t have a bad bite, though there were certainly a few items that stood out above the others and will haunt my dreams until I have a chance to come here again: the roasted cabbage, the pickled Brussels sprouts that accompany the steak, the crabby rice, and the lava cake for the amazing smoked marshmallow fluff toasted rice ice cream. Absolutely get all four of the sauces as well for an added boost of flavor. Service was amazing, and our server had great recommendations and was so patient with us! Looking forward to our next visit already!

Vinai is different from Chef Yia’s other establishments and exceeded my expectations. Here are my most memorable bites of the night: The laab carpaccio definitely hit the mark! The braised beef soup is very delicious and savory! The meat fell off the bone and paired so well with the peppers! The NY strip and pork chop were both cooked well. I enjoyed the flavors even though I typically prefer just salt and black pepper. The crab fried rice has great flavors; next time I’ll try it without the fried egg on top. Luckily my friend loves the “sardines” here so I also tried it ... and it did not disappoint!

Vinai is special, and MPLS is so lucky it’s here. The food is inventive, playful, elegant, and so delicious (the charred cabbage was out of this world, I want to eat nothing but crabby rice for days, and the lava cake was easily the best dessert we’ve shared in years), and the restaurant is airy, open, and comfortable (even for larger bodies!), but the service is what *really* sets it apart. Vinai’s team seems to work together seamlessly, clearly cross-trained, all so skilled and passionate about Vinai’s food and drink, and all focused on maximizing diners’ experience. All the good stars and kudos to the team. . Can’t wait to go back.

The food at Vinai definitely lives up to their James Beard Nomination! My partner and I visited for a date night on a Saturday and had a great experience. The meal itself was incredible, the ambiance was comfortable and super inviting, and the service was good. The flavors of every dish were totally awesome, but I especially loved the Shrimp Pork Toast and the Braised Beef Rib that we tried. I also really liked that you could order hot sauce as a side for your meal and our server was able to recommend certain pairings and describe the flavor profile of each of the sauces. My partner and I definitely ordered too much food for two people as the portions are pretty large, so in the future I'd probably order a little less or go back in a group so that we can split a larger number of dishes family-style (and save room for dessert!). Aside from the delicious food, the rest of our experience was pretty good too! We were seated on time for our reservation and I loved the decor and ambiance. Our waitress was just a bit slow to check on us between ordering, food, check, etc., but she was nice and happy to answer our questions on the menu—plus, it was a pretty busy night. Overall we had a great experience and I would definitely recommend checking out Vinai for a fun night out with amazing Hmong food! If you're looking to try a lot of dishes I'd go in a group (or come with a big appetite! ) but it's also still a great spot for a special date night.

We splurged & was not disappointed. Every dish had its own unique flavors and comfort. I highly recommend the pork chops, beef soup, fried rice, and fried catfish. The cabbage was good but definitely can pass since other dishes had veggies mixed in. Mix drinks were good, some stronger than others so read carefully based on your preference.