Bambu Vietnamese in Colchester

Worth the detour to stop here with a significant other or group of friends. Very well presented food which tasted even better!

Lovely food, so much flavour - Great restaurant & really decorated beautifully. We will be returning😋

My partner and I have always loved Vietnamese food, it’s one of our fav cuisines, however since moving back to the Colchester area from london we struggled to find authentic food….but finally we have. This restaurant is as authentic as it comes! Food was delicious, fresh and full of flavour. Portions were of a decent size and it was all very reasonably priced! Staff were helpful and friendly, the decor was lovely and the restaurant is set in a great spot. Parking was easy. Looking forward to their brunch sessions during the summer.

A special find. Parking was difficult as located around apartment buildings but it would not put me off going back. Food and staff were amazing 👏

I have lived in Colchester my whole life and didn’t know this place existed until we were introduced by friends. Bambu is situation within the downstairs of a block of flats in the Hythe. But don’t let that put you off. From entering the decked area outside overlooking the river, on to the authentically decorated quaint but impressive dining area we were greeted by the owner and her efficient staff. I was a little reluctant about my Vietnamese food experience as I’ve never tried Vietnamese food before but the starters and main course were to die for and very reasonably priced. Would I return? Absolutely what an Amazing restaurant! Oh and the cocktails are very very good!

Myself, my husband and three children went to Bambu today for lunch for my birthday. We’d never been before but were thoroughly impressed! Every dish we ordered was delicious, I can’t decide which dish I liked the best and already want to go back tomorrow! The balance of flavours were perfect and my children really enjoyed it too. Nothing was too super spicy and my smallest who is 2 really enjoyed the egg noodles, with my older 2 boys having a taste of everything and really enjoying it. The staff were also very friendly and helpful, I would definitely recommend!

Absolutely fantastic food, quick service, very friendly staff, With a great atmosphere... Would highly recommend!!!

Beautiful restaurant, lovely staff and amazing food 😋

My favourite restaurant in Essex! Amazing food!

Friendly staff. Quick service. Loving atmosphare.

Lovely Birthday meal. Four of us went out for dinner here the first week of January, we were expecting the atmosphere to be a bit quiet and we were so wrong. There was a buzz about the place, all the tables were full and I think that is testimony to any restaurant. The staff were friendly and attentive, the decor was perfect and the food was second to none. Enjoyed everything about this place and can’t wait to return! I am especially looking forward to their bottomless brunch events as I have heard great things. Thanks BAMBU

The food was great and so was the service. We were definitely a little loud and they were very polite. We appreciate that. A tad pricey but definitely worth trying.

This was my first experience of Vietnamese food, and I have to say it was amazing to taste and beautifully presented. The service was friendly and helpful, and the atmosphere was excellent

What a great dinner out we had. The restaurant design feels like home to me, the food was tasty, attentive staffs, good service and didn’t have to wait long for the food to come. Directions and parking to this area quite tricky for first timers. Better suggestion is to book a table in advance as they can be full, specially in the winter time where all customers are prefer to have a seat inside. Overall we are so happy and will be back again.

Another amazing meal..... the manager always goes the extra mile to make your visit special 11/10 .

Very tasty and the price is reasonable.

The place is good, nice food but probably pricey a bit.

Prawns were rock hard and over cooked and you only get 4 and two of mine still had the intestinal tract. Chicken pho was literally just noodles and boiled shredded chicken that smelt like dog food, no herbs or veg or anything, I was so looking forward to this but even the broth was flavourless like dishwater. Never had a Pho like it. Spring rolls had a nice flavour but were soaked in oil even seeped through the box so that ruined those. Heard so many good things but this isn’t authentic it’s just a waste of your money.

Nice place a lil small if u have a large group of people but the food is amazing. Me and my partner come here a lot

Such a beautiful atmosphere, excellent service and really enjoyed the food here. Will absolutely be going back.

Super dîner. Tout est bon. Le personnel très sympa et à l'écoute.

First time at the Bambu .First impressions, I love the decor ,a little bit noisy at the start 19.15 Saturday night ,but once people started finishing and leaving it was better ,I could actually have a conversation with the person opposite me on my table .when the starter came ( Tasty mix for 2 ) I wasn't disappointed 😋 it was delicious and well presented on the platter. I had sea bass for main with lime and a side of stir-fried vegetables and Jasmine rice 🍚. The tastes where heaven on my tastebuds. I would recommend this restaurant to others .maybe slightly later to eat. One downside the parking is not the best and the lighting under the arch and along the walkway and up the stairs deffo need to be brighter

We booked for 6pm on Friday and the restaurant was quiet with only a few other earlybirds. Although, by the time we left at 7.30 all tables were taken with a variety of younger and older families and couples. We really enjoyed the food, the staff were friendly and attentive and the service was excellent. Will definitely be back there.

Amazing food and amazing service. The curry sauce was to die for.

Went to the bottomless brunch. Fantastic food and value for money. Lovely afternoon . Highly recommended.

A hidden gem. A lovely, cosy authentic restaurant with great choice on menu. Service great too.

Very lovely place with a great food and atmosphere

Ace service. Met all guests' dietary requirements.

Great food, the staff were so friendly and accommodating. Nice independent restaurant options to sit outside and in.

Great food, great service and it was lovely to sit outside.

Service is excellent, food is good and nice atmosphere.

It’s my favorite place from all Colchester. Food it’s amazing!! Stuff brilliant. I love this small family restaurant. Thank you

I had booked 3 nights in a Hotel in Colchester for my partners Birthday. I also booked restaurants for the nights we were there. The 2st night I booked Bambu. 10 out of 10 superb cocktails, a great bottle of wine & superb Vietnamese food. We had the big sharing platter & were not dissapointed. The ambience, the decor. The amazing friendly staff & the fabulous food makes for a fabulous night out. Thank you all Bambu staff ,you gave a us a wonderful time.

Always, always delivers super food!! We have bern here as a family many times, worked through the menu and the food quality, consistency and service is first class every time. Real bbq meats over charcoal and authenticity in the menu items. It’s always busy and rightly so, the lady owner and her staff at front of house are lovey and the chefs are very special also, all I would say is go… you won’t be disappointed at all!!

impressive! the food was delicious and the staff were accommodating. we were sat inside but my friend was starting to feel hot and we asked if we could be moved outside and they were able to without a problem. there's a wide choice of amazing vietnamese food and good choices for vegetarian too. they had nice desserts as well. the atmosphere was comfortable and the other customers were enjoying themselves too. very nice evening!

First time trying this restaurant after hearing good things from family. Very good food and atmosphere, seating could be better as chairs and benches are hard after a while. Definitely worth a visit and plenty of great fresh dishes to choose from. We Will be returning again

Beautifully decorated and a lovely ambience inside. We ordered the seafood sharer which was fantastic! I thought it was a really decent price too, I had the noodles with prawns for main and it was lovely, perfectly seasoned and the prawns were lovely and juicy. Would definitely recommend trying here, quick, friendly service also :)

I was very impressed with the food and the service. We had a lovely lunch and the staff went out of their way to make us feel welcome and made sure that we were happy with our meal.

In the past food always has been good and piping hot. Great Service and food served quickly. Restaurant clean and nice interior. Last meal i had was greasy but i will still return and hope it was a one off.

1st time to Bambu and went for a Birthday treat and what a treat it was. Lovely food , drinks and staff friendly . Food was steaming hot , tasty and if you ate a chilli .. Wow 😂. Finished meal with no dessert but my family wanted to try the Vietnamese dripping coffee so some had hot and others had the iced coffee ( which was lovely ) . We parked along road near the old B&Q and walked down the start of Wivenhoe trail to Bambu. We sat outside due to weather being just ideal . Lovely location . Go and see it yourselves you will not be disappointed.

Unfriendly staff Returned food uneaten, oily and tasteless, was not asked reason why food not eaten Failed to consider customers needs Walked away as I was talking Refused request for 2nd empty tea cup

Having decided to try this type of food we were pleasantly surprised to find this restaurant amongst the concrete jungle it hides in. The restaurant is very popular and having got there at 7:30 pm Saturday night the place was heaving and vibrant. We were...

This is a lovely Vietnamese restaurant on the river. Food was delicious, such a lot of lovely choice on the menu. For a sat lunchtime it wasn't very busy, I have read mixed reviews about the parking and don't see what people are worrying about....

Nice to come back here with family again as hadn't been here since the lockdown. Same reliable menu with wide choices of things to appeal to all palates, from soup type dishes to chili hot and spicy! Not bad value still, so it's easy to...

What was supposed to be a beautiful night out with my fiancé was ruined as a member of staff kept trying to flirt with my fiancé completely ignoring the fact I was sat there with her, even when I tried to pay the bill he...

The food is nice but I understand that things cost more but the portions are much less for same money. I don’t know about you but I can choose to eat elsewhere with such low value for money

Excellent food and atmosphere on the restaurant. We had a mixed starter which was lovely and a variety of mains which were all delicious. It is a bit awkward for parking and the surrounding area looked liked a rubbish tip when we drive through the...

I've visited Bambu alot over the last few years and can honestly say it is the best resturant in colchester. The food is delicous, the atmosphere is great and the staff are always friendly. The resturant itself is alot great to sit in as well...

Their website links to a payment site which allows you to order and pay. It was pending payment and awaiting confirmation for a while so we rang and they said they do not use the wb ordering anymore and the website will refund. Totally unprofessional...

I have been running past this restaurant since 2020 and have been wanting to go for ages. I finally went last weekend and it will now be one of my go to’s in colchester. Not the easiest location to get to but so worth it...

Top quality food. Only second time we have been here but realised we should go more. The food was really good and felt fresh and well prepared The flavours were exceptional. Service was very friendly and efficient.

So very quite Sunday lunch restaurant looks great and the staff friendly. I had a lovely lemon and peach tea which was refreshing and different than coke. We decided to order the mixed seafood platter which had four items and a great fresh and zinngy...

They took a booking 30 mins advance on a Saturday evening which was amazing. We had amazing service by all the staff and really delicious food. Amazing decoration as well will defo go to Colchester again for this restaurant!!!

Been here a few times and the food is just amazing! This is me and my friends go to restaurant, staff are so lovely and the restaurant is nice. Just in the middle of a housing estate so its a bit of a gamble for...

Meal with friends following recomendation. The food was delicious mixed fish platter for starters then we all had different mains we all liked the food very tasty ! well looked after by staff Would recomend will come again

We went to this restaurant on Valentine’s Day and had a fantastic meal.The decor was inspired, we couldn’t fault anything. The staff were friendly. Great experience.

The food was varied and very good. Staff were well trained, knowledgeable and friendly. COVID rules were followed. Quick note - parking is not available outside the restaurant so give yourself 10 minutes to find a space and walk a few minutes.

I ordered here Christmas Eve from Deliveroo. Thought I try something different, love Thai and the dishes seemed to be the same sort of things in it. Felt the rice noodles looked like something out of a microwave packet, very plastic like. The sauce was...

This is the place for traditional Vietnamese food, remember must order noodle soup.

Authentic Vietnamese food, great taste and generous serving - a bit expensive though. The owner and staff are awesome as well. Highly recommended by myself and Vietnamese friends.

Amazing food, plenty to choose from. Slightly more expensive than you'd expect and parking around this area is a nightmare. But overall very good and will return again soon.

This place is sensational. The food is really sooo good and the staff are so friendly and on the ball with everything they do. The ' head honcho ' Mae is a fantastic host and makes your visit memorable. Well done to you and your staff.

What a great place to have an authentic viet dinner! The place, the food, outstanding! Best spring rolls we had in a very long time. Not cheap, but you pay for what you get. Would come back.

I thought I would try to add some balance to this nonsense of "its the worst restaurant ever/ its the best restaurant ever" reviews that people seem to leave. It is actually a good restaurant. The prices are not cheap but are no different from...

Went here on a visit to Colchester and it was great. Food was lovely - had the Pho and the Bahn Xeo. Both delicious. They serve lovely Vietnamese coffee too. Apart from the freezing weather it felt like being in Vietnam! Staff were very attentive and kind. There's indoor or heated outdoor seating with some cover.

I visited here with my wife and two sons. My oldest son picked the restaurant, I did not even know this restaurant was in Colchester. We had to walk a little to get to it as there is no nearby parking. We had a sharing...

I would highly recommend this this place, the food was fantastic and the service was good and the staff were very friendly.

For a restaurant that is not super cheap, the quality of the ingredients was a little disappointing. First courses were really nice - ribs and chicken saray. But chicken Vietnam curry was rubbery chicken and a bit short on spice. The rice was a little...

I have been eating here for the last five years on a regular basis. I am now leaving the area so I went for my last meal at Bambu. May and the staff are always so friendly and accommodating. The food is always amazing and...

Great in everything. Strongly recommend to everyone

we booked a table for 8:30pm, as soon as we got there we were told the kitchen closes in 1 hour. It must have been the most rushed meal I’ve ever had in my life. The waitress was lifting the starter platter away while we...

Staff friendly and polite. The food is always great and we look forward to coming back each time!

Really pleased to be invited here food was excellent plenty of choice & helpful staff

We were visiting family on a busy weekend in Colchester as the students were starting to return. We were lucky enough to get a table here. The food was gorgeous, we could have licked the plates clean. The noodles accompanying our meal were delicious, I...

虽然没有中文菜单但是想吃什么可以问店员xd真的很好吃。 喜欢吃辣的同学可以尝一尝炒面，非常正宗。可以回味一整天。

Ordered food from here on Deliveroo as we’ve ordered their soups for lunch before and they have been lovely and good value for money but ordered a full main meal tonight for the four of us and I must say I’m so shocked! We spent...

I phoned this restaurant to book for my sister's Wedding anniversary and my Birthday Sadly, my sister is disabled and I asked if they could accommodate her - The answer was dumfounding as they did everything to put us Off, truly it was like she was being treated as a 2nd class citizen. We were so upset we had to put the phone down and finish the conversation HOW POSSIBLY in this day and age would anyone be so Ableism ( discrimination in favour of non-disabled people only) DISGRACEFUL

Gorgeously designed interior and exterior next to the canal. The service was wonderful. The food incredible. The vegetable spring rolls were divine. Please go to this place, you will not be disappointed.

Loved this very ambient little restaurant. Food was delicious and the service was exceptional. A little difficult to find and park but we'll worth the effort. Will definitely return.

My family wanted to visit here for some time. The main thing I will say is that it is VERY overpriced. Shockingly so. A main is around £13-£16 and does not include rice. For example an order of egg fried rice is £4.95. The portions...

I didn't see any bamboo just plates of delicious authentic food.

Some great things on the menu.., not mad about anything in batter as by time it gets to u via delivery its a bit dry and chewy... however there's plenty of choice...so definitely give it a try..

We were there on a sunday evening. Everything was amazing. The place itself is really well decorated giving you the feeling that you are not in Colchester. Everything we ordered was delicious, from the starter to the main dishes. I highly recommend the grilled seabass,...

We have eaten at Bambu and had a wonderful time with great food and good hosting. Decided to order a take out for home delivery and it’s hard to believe the food came from the same restaurant. Pricey and poor quality ... such a shame.

We had a wonderful lunch. The 3 of us shared a seafood appetiser platter and my son and I each had pho and my husband some beef dish. Everything was delicious and the atmosphere was perfect. The waitress wasn't extremely knowledgeable but tried to be helpful. There's a lot of gluten free and vegan options available as well, even for dessert. My son was asking to go back again before we'd even finished! I only wish we lived closer!

A hidden gem in town. You need to get a bit out the city center, but it is 100% worth. Every dish we tasted was delicius, with a perfectly balanced range of ingredients and some really exotic flavours. The seafood starter was, for instance, composed of many different bites that you may have already tasted in other restaurants, but here each one had such a unique profile that makes you say "this is something I've never tried before, and it is fantastic." I reccomend this place with no doubts to anyone who is really passionate about good food.

A hidden gem in town. You need to get a bit out the city center, but it is 100% worth. Every dish we tasted was delicius, with a perfectly balanced range of ingredients and some really exotic flavours. The seafood starter was, for instance, composed...

Amazing food, lovely location and very nice, attentive staff

Honestly one of my favourite places. Staff are so attentive and food is incredible. Always recommend to friends

Really liked it Lovely atmosphere Just that there was not much flexibility on gluten free goods

Food good. Ushered out very quickly once finished. Not particularly relaxed. Service and food good. Thought it was a bit pricey

A hidden treasure. Lovely setting, great service amazing food

Amazing food and really great staff. The restaurant is really nicely decorated, makes you feel you're on a trip far far away. The only downside is the poor aircon system that can t cope with a busy restaurant.

Fantastic food. Great menu. Reasonable prices I love this place.

Such a beautiful place and good atmosphere. The staff was incredibly helpful.

Had such a lovely lunch here today. For medical reasons, we are not comfortable sitting inside at present but there is wonderful outdoor seating with heating and a covered roof. When it began raining, the staff also gave us an umbrella for extra protection.The food was delicious with plenty of well-marked vegetarian and vegan options (inc. for dessert!).The service was impeccable - prompt and everyone was so friendly.The toilets were also very clean and well-maintained.

Great food, great service! Can't ask for much more!

Thanks again, Mai and team for another great evening! Food superb, service great, atmosphere lovely. It may take all eight of us a week or so to recover fully but we will be back very soon! 👍👍

I must strongly disagree with some of the comments here that say the staff were inattentive in my experience tonight I found they were very attentive in fact I mention this to my partner that they were doing such a great job standing at the bar waiting if anybody needed them, In most Asian restaurant you will find that the food is of a salty nature this is probably msg (Which in fact is safer to use than sodium salt) The prices are a little on the steep side especially for the beers which is just under £5 for a 330 mL bottleWhich is to be expected and is absolutely outrageous price gougingBeyond what is reasonable, We did have a good experience and the food was lovely well satisfied, The place is actually a pain in the backside to find there was a sign outside the restaurant which is hidden and setback from the road, The sign had the name of the restaurant on it with a helpful arrow which actually sent us around the block yet again not being able to find a restaurant we actually went round the block three times, Totally my fault because I was following the bleepin arrow. Please get another sign or move that one down the road in front of the arrow so that people can be guided there and another thing you have to park in the B&Q carpark you’re not supposed to park around the general area as it is private parking for the residents this is all student accommodation I don’t think many of them have cars but there you go

Fabulous food and fabulous staff.