Phan’s Garden Restaurant is Closed
Vietnamese restaurant is no more. A new establishment plans to take its place.
Pho. Photo taken Jan. 21, 2024 by Sophie Bolich.
A southside destination for authentic Vietnamese cuisine is no more.
Phan’s Garden, a longtime staple of the Clarke Square neighborhood, quietly closed in early 2024.
The restaurant, led by Hoi Tran, Ha Tran and Hong Doan, was known for its flavorful pho and crispy Vietnamese egg rolls, but also offered an array of Chinese-American dishes such as sweet and sour pork and Cantonese fried shrimp.
In addition to pho, Phan’s Garden, 1923 W. National Ave., offered a variety of soups such as wonton and egg drop. Vietnamese specialties like lemongrass chicken, canh chua tom nau thom (sweet and sour shrimp soup with pineapple) and many others were also served.
The restaurant was featured in Milwaukee’s inaugural Asian Restaurant Week, which was celebrated in 2021. It was also listed as a participant in 2022 and 2023, but appears to have closed prior to the dining event’s latest installment.
Lao Buddhist Temple. Photo taken January 25th, 2016 by Carl Baehr.
Phan’s Garden occupied a restaurant space on the eastern side of a building that also houses the Lao Buddhist Temple. The 25,211-square-foot building, originally constructed in 1927, is under the ownership of Wat Pathoummaphourtharam Lao Buddhist Temple Corp.
The restaurant space won’t be vacant for long. A new restaurant, Mama Lao Kitchen, plans to replace Phan’s Garden in the coming months.
Co-owner Nalee Thippanya confirmed the news on Friday, noting that she and her business partner, Souban James Phommarath, are working to complete a series of alterations to the space before moving ahead with the restaurant.
Mama Lao Kitchen aims to open in September with a menu of Lao cuisine including Lao sausage, beef jerky, steamed buns and more.
The 1,483-square-foot restaurant would include a small dining area, bar and on-site parking lot, according to a floor plan.
A food dealer license for the business is pending before the Milwaukee Common Council.
The owners of Phan’s Garden did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication. The restaurant’s phone line has been disconnected.
Existing members must be signed in to see the interactive map. Sign in.
If you think stories like this are important, become a member of Urban Milwaukee and help support real, independent journalism. Plus you get some cool added benefits.
Such sad news about Phan’s Garden being closed permanently. Truly the best Vietnamese food in the area; no other restaurant made such wonderful pho broth. As very long time customers, we will dearly miss this dining option.