I once wrote a glowing review of Cyclo; however, due to repeated visits I'm starting to see that all the excitement over this restaurant was more hype than reality. I am Vietnamese and I am always trying to find good Viet restaurants to introduce to my friends. Many of them have fallen in love with Cyclo, but I've found better places to spend my money since then.\r
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If you must come to Cyclo, I would recommend the Pho Ap Chao ($10) - I especially liked the veggies. The crispy lemongrass chicken ($8) was good, but one dimensional. It was just meat and rice, so veggies or herbs would have been a nice addition. I've been here on 4+ occasions and like the dinner atmosphere a bit better than the lunch. Sometimes, it can get extremely hot and sweaty, I felt like I was dining in the kitchen itself. I really appreciate that the place has good, clean decor: glowing candles, mural on the wall, and a creative hut-looking area over server station. It?s a cozy place for a date. \r
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My good friend called to make a reservation for a large party, but when they arrived they still had to wait over an hour to be seated - fake reservations!\r
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It would have been nice if the owner stopped and said hello to our table on multiple occasions when she is clearly super-friendly with many of the other diners. Maybe she's biased against Asians as other reviewers have pointed out :-( That's a shame, especially since I'm constantly introducing friends to new restaurants. Too bad Cyclo, I'm taking my business elsewhere!!! \r
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Pros: good variety of dishes to try, cozy ambiance
Cons: hot and sweaty dining room, biased service, slow seating
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