Hạ Long Bay

We’ve ordered takeout from here before, but we finally decided to dine in for Valentine’s Day and I’m so glad we did! Everything, down to the water, was delicious. The cucumber salad was perfectly light and refreshing. The tea is unbelievably good, the pork in my boyfriend’s crepe was phenomenal, and my orange chicken was hands down the best I’ve ever had. Lastly, we ordered the blueberry rangoon for dessert, and it disappeared so fast I didn’t even get a picture we just dug right in! The warm, sweet blueberry filling inside the perfectly crispy fried rangoon was absolutely addictive and had me wishing we’d ordered another. The service was attentive and on point, and the atmosphere was just right not too over-the-top, but not too plain either. We’ll definitely be back!

Pho broth was excellent. Papaya salad was spicy and a little too sweet. Dumplings’ skin was too thick. Decor can be better, very austere. Service was fine.

For the longest time Ha Long Bay held a legendary almost cult-like feel amongst the local community . Sadly they closed their doors in 2024 for a much longer than expected period of time , but have luckily reopened again this past summer under new ownership. As a life long "disciple" of the old restaurant I have to be unbiased and review based on the new restaurant experience. New ownership added online ordering options (via toast) . A plus ! Updates to interior of restaurant was needed although it look a bit less authentic almost sterile now . Menu for the most part remains the same and the coding of menu is same . However it is not unnoticed to me that there is that special something missing . Either there is a new cook/chef in the kitchen because that extra magic touch is lost in the food . I have ordered take out couple times and my staple is usually a banh mi for lunch and a spring roll appetizer (usually AP3) . Banh mi bread is hugely improved with its more crunchy and toasted . Excellent change . Chicken is now grilled vs being fried — another healthier approach . The pate though used isn’t as great and it tastes a bit inconsistent. Will red to try again to compare . Appetizer AP3 is always steady and well done . Main dinner when craving noodles in a decadent sauce and over the top vegetable extravaganza has Always been MM1 with a combination of protein. The spice level though asked for hot to extra is almost non existent and I need to add my own spicy sauce on top . Noodles are well prepared and seasoned with the combination of proteins but I think the sauce is less appealing as years past . Still good but just not great . I will continue coming to this great place as I think it has potential to remain a top local eatery but the magic that once was .. is no more

Do not come to this restaurant expecting authentic Thai food. Gai Yang w/ Papaya Salad and Pad Kra Pao are two classic popular dishes in Thai cuisine, and unfortunately, the restaurant's presentation and flavors failed to deliver. The Gai Yang was sliced up chicken breast (very dry) and the papaya salad was overly acidic and fishy. The Pad Kra Pao was even more disastrous. It was served in a thin sliced pork stir fry style in thick gooey sauce. We questioned the dish and one of the servers claimed it was "Chinese" Pad Kra Pao. My friends and I were baffled. The attached pictures speaks for themselves. Additionally, we requested spicy for certain dishes and nothing came out spicy. Also, all the dishes we sampled, e.g., Pad Thai, Pad See Ew, Drunken Noodles, Larb, were all bland. Overall, the service was decent, but that doesn't justify their food prices and quality. Sad to say, my friends and I won't be returning.

The food wasn’t quite what I expected. I don’t remember the exact name of the fried noodles, but they weren’t great—the sauce just felt mixed in with the noodles, meat, and veggies rather than really stir-fried. The chicken satay was pretty average too. The best dish we had was the rice noodles. We waited for 15-20mins for a table for three. Food was served pretty quickly tho. Overall, wouldn’t recommend.

We waited about an hour to be seated, which is pretty typical — it’s always busy whenever we visit. Be sure to make a reservation in advance to avoid the long wait. Holong Bay is a small, cozy, and cute spot in Madison, Wisconsin. Despite its size, it has a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The food is delicious and definitely worth the visit. We tried the Tom Yum soup, chicken dumplings, basil fried rice, Pad Thai, and iced Thai tea — everything was flavorful and well-prepared. Highly recommend this place if you're craving Thai or Vietnamese cuisine. A must-visit in Madison!

I ordered delivery. Out of two orders of sesame balls, 3 out of the 4 balls were so burned I had to throw them away. I've only ever seen them a super light, golden tanned. They're supposed to be light and airy, very delightful. These were very dark brown, heavy, extremely burnt, with the filling very dry and crumbly. I ordered egg rolls and got spring rolls. I oddly got more crab rangoons than I ordered, maybe they were trying to make up for the rest of the food that was inaccurate and burned? Maybe they treat people better that actually come in to dine, but I will never order from here ever again, and will let people know not to order from here.