Emerging from this pandemic, the restaurant industry has been reeling due to labor shortage/reorganization. I can tell you with confidence that Bamboo Cafe is still strong with their service. Where other establishments lack in labor power, Bamboo's staff has NOT fallen off their game! A great experience, as usual! read more

**VIETNAMESE FOOD IN SIMI VALLEY** Did a quick stop before heading out to the Ronald Reagan Library. One person from the group is a vegetarian, so it made sense to go here. PARKING ======== Strip mall, next to Albertson's. AMBIANCE ========= It's clean, friendly. What more do you want. And no, there are no coffee shop girls here (boo, I know). FOOD ===== SHRIMP SPRING ROLLS - $4.25 The traditional Vietnamese spring roll with shrimp, lettuce, mint, bean sprouts, vermicelli noodles, wrapped in rice paper, served with peanut-hoisin sauce. Not the best I've had, but our German friends loved it (they never had them before). RATING: 3/5 GRILLED CHRIMP AND BBQ PORK NOODLE - $7.95 I didn't like the pork. It wasn't right. Needs to be more greasy and authentic. This was no Orange County quality. The noodles were also too thin. RATING: 3/5 STRAWBERRY & BANANA SMOOTHIE - $3.95 This was the best thing. Natural and fresh. RATING: 4/5 SERVICE ======== Attentive and friendly, thank you. OVERALL ======== Affordable Vietnamese eats in Simi Valley. Definitely NOT the best, but good enough. read more

I got the vegetarian/vegan noodle soup and the vegetarian spring rolls. I've never had Vietnamese food. I normally do not love tofu but theirs is perfect it wasn't mushy maybe baked. This soup was so good. I will be going back for more. What a treat. The peanut dipping sauce for spring rolls was delicious too. Highly recommend if you're a vegetarian or vegan. read more

Not only did i get my butt handed to me during the pho challenge, I have not eaten pho since and that was 6 months ago. Ive since formulated my 10 steps on how to possibly win. I will break it down: 1) put the ice from your water into your bowl to cool down the broth and noodles so they dont absorb as much water. disgusting yes. stupid yes. 2) eat the noodles as fast as you can before it gets powdery in your mouth. save the meat for last. 3) do not skip any meals + load up on carbs before your meal. this creates insulin spikes which actually cause to to crave more carbs. 4) do not drink any water during 5) dont wear a belt or jeans. They have no give. Go for basketball shorts or elastic waste bands. 6) dont talk 7) dont think 8) dont drive 9) dont stop for pictures 10) use the spaghetti method. fork, poke, twirl, and inhale. There you go. I'll be back. Save me a seat. read more

Bamboo Cafe - 30 minutes later. Ugh - Vietnamese Near Me - Simi Valley, California

Best boba in town! Love the milk tea with boba, or the matcha milk team. Also love tofu spring rolls with fish sauce.

This is the first Vietnamese restaurant I have eaten at. I have been back more than a half a dozen times and have several favorites. I have a shell fish allergy so I can't report on the shrimp. Lemongrass Chicken dish, Fillet Mignon dish, Soup - Beef and Chicken, Coffee, and a few of the appetizers. The soup is almost now a stand-by for me at lunch. if you want to see the Pho Real Challenge, I shot this video for my site 365 Things to do in Simi Valley. http://bit.ly/hSWsdg I agree with the reviewer before me on service and the atmosphere, but I cannot compare to other Vietnamese restaurants because this is the only one I have been to. read more

Bamboo Cafe - QR code link to Video of the Pho Real Challenge - Vietnamese Near Me - Simi Valley, California

The one thing (and probably only thing) I miss about Simi Valley, is probably Bamboo Cafe. After spending a lot of my time in West LA, I've come to see that well...there aren't any legitimate options for good pho. NONE. Looks like all my qualms with the restaurant have been taken care of. This place is truly deserving of a 5 star recommendation. Deserved for actually taking the time to read reviews and improving their restaurant based upon what the people actually want. Anytime I come back to Simi, I'll make sure to make a stop at my favorite pho restaurant. read more

The only Pho restaurant in Southern California that offers a Pho Challenge. After completing a 8 week cutting cycle in preparation for my Physique Competition back in December, a Pho Challenge was high on the list of food challenges I would attempt to conquer after my show as I was getting mad Pho cravings for not being able to eat Pho or anything else tasty for those 2 months. After my competition, I gathered my friends brave enough to join me on this journey and we headed over to Bamboo Cafe where we ordered 3 Pho Real Challenges. The rules were to finish the 2lbs of meat and 2lbs of noodles in 1 hour, which was a challenge I was willing to accept. As soon as those 3 gigantic bowls arrived at our table, I took the first bite and immediately felt a little bit like Heaven. The broth was so tasty and the noodles were perfect texture, not too soft and not too hard. I started with the 2lbs of meat and devoured that in 10 minutes. 20 minutes later I finished the last of the noodles and successfully conquered the challenge. As they brought over my winners shirt and captured a picture for the Wall of Fame, my friends were still powering through those giant bowls of Pho. They unfortunately didn't finish challenge but I stayed there the whole time cheering them on. I left that day with a free meal, free shirt, picture up on the Wall of Fame, and a full belly! Well almost full belly as I still had room for a box of donuts next door which I had also been craving! It was a good day! :D Highly recommend Bamboo Cafe for those Pho lovers brave enough to try this challenge! read more

Bamboo Cafe - Vietnamese Near Me - Simi Valley, California

I'm so excited......this was a FIRST for me......no, obviously not first to review.....but my very first time eating Vietnamese food. It was also my first time trying BOBA. I have been so curious and fascinated with this whole boba thing. Having read dozens, if not hundreds of reviewers' comments on this stuff called "boba," I had NO idea what it was. I asked several yelpers what it was, but still, till you try it, you just don't know. I NOW KNOW !!!!!! Yaaaaay. It's almost strange, the texture, but there's something very alluring about it, and I was amazed that it was the same exact flavor as what I was drinking. I had the Thai Iced Tea, which I always love, and the boba was the same flavor. How cool is that? I'm sure that's what captivates so many.... is the flavor of these little balls. (I'm fixated on mango for my next venture.) What I'm not sure of is what the "typical" texture is. These were the size of pearls, and they were almost gummy/rubbery........is that normal? I haven't a clue. But they had flavor, and it made me want to keep eating them as they'd get sucked up the larger-than-normal straw. It was fun. I enjoyed it, and now, I'm thinking.......I want to try different places, different flavors. The curiosity has definitely swept me into this whole boba craze. But this isn't even why we came here.......on to the main star of the show.........the food.......... We tried: Chicken Sauteed w/ Lemongrass, Carrot, Cucumber, Bean Sprouts and Vermicelli Noodes - (Bun Ga Xao Xa) Filet Mignon & Steamed Rice w/ lettuce and tomatoes - (Com Bo Luc Lac) Shrimp Spring Rolls w/ noodles, lettuce, carrot, rice paper, and a peanut dipping sauce - (Goi Cuon Tom) As with the Peruvian restaurant I tried the other day, I have no point of reference to know if this is authentic, well represented Vietnamese food. I can only go on what other, more experienced reviewers said about the place/cuisine, and in particular, my Yelp friends, Anthony N and Sue G. I really don't know what "outstanding" Vietnamese food is, but I found this food to be quite tasty, if not a little spicy (thank goodness for that Thai iced tea), and the ingredients were quite fresh. I have to say, I was a little more than worried when I saw that MOST of their food items had MSG in it. Only their vegan items didn't, and to make sure, I asked. I have had really bad experiences in the past with MSG (at other dining establishments), and it is well known to be a controversial food additive and not really all that good for any of us. I was worried when this place admitted to using it in almost everything. The key for me is the 30 minute test. If I don't get sick within 30 minutes, I'm fine. I am VERY HAPPY to say, nothing happened AT ALL. Now I'm thinking, they must not use THAT much because I am soooooooooo sensitive to it, otherwise I would have definitely reacted in a bad way. Disaster averted. A little side note here........I just have to say that with all the Asian restaurants we've been to lately, and here is certainly NO exception, the noodles soak up all the flavors intended in each dish, and they are sooooooooooooo yummy. I honestly have never eaten noodles with such drive and enthusiasm (in American or even Italian dishes) because they simply never had flavor. They may have had sauces ON the noodles, but the noodles themselves were plain. However, with the Thai restaurants and now this Vietnamese restaurant (haven't tried Korean food YET), the flavors in the noodles are EXQUISITE. I keep eating them and eating them...........more than I've ever eaten noodles. The young waitstaff at Bamboo Cafe, whoever is available in any moment, comes running by (not walking) with food, drink, to answer questions, check on you.......very attentive, and with me, because we were brand new to this cuisine, I asked a zillion questions. They were quite helpful, and yes, they chose our dishes for us, telling us what they liked. I asked. They answered. Good choices !! I was secretly wanting to try the "Pho," but my husband didn't really want it, and none of the waitstaff recommended it....... even though I asked. I just like saying it, and if nothing else, there was a really funny episode of Modern Family where one of the main characters was talking about "Pho," and I always laugh everytime I think of that scene. Thus, I wanted to try it. Don't ask. Was this my favorite cuisine of all time? No, can't say that it was. It was rather simple, unadorned food, but very clearly loaded with flavor, which is the ultimate test for me, but no, not the only test. Everything was well prepared, and I would definitely eat it again. I want to try more dishes, especially the Pho, and I would definitely come back HERE to try these dishes. I'd also like to try other Vietnamese restaurants, as well, but this was a really good place to start !! DIRT CHEAP prices, too !!!! read more

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two words: joleen q.! haha my bbf joleen also wrote a review, she did try the pho challenge, she did a great job!, tho she did not win :(... It's not as easy as it looks. 3 heaping bowls of noodles, tripe, meat and "veggies". If you do not eat it fast enough the noodles just soak up the broth. Luckily you do not need to drink the broth, however, you have to sign a waiver before you start to eat.... dun dun dun! Costs $21 if you do not finish, if you do win you get a picture on the wall, and a free t-shirt. If you do not win, you still get a pic on the board and you are called the "fans" of bamboo cafe! Overall, nice and attentive staff. I had the beef pho and the spicy shrimp rolls, both very good. Though the noodles needed a bit more flavor, so I added some chili to it. read more

I've been to numerous pho places around the valley But I have to say this is my top favorite now! It was my first time going today and I was in awe about their food, cleanliness, quick costumer service!! I ordered pho and cappuccino boba. The pho was a perfect size for me as advertised they are lite & healthy! Their broth is hands down my favorite ever !!! Out of all the pho places I've had theirs had so much flavor and not so salty or water down like other broths I've had. The noodles were a perfect amount for me- not too much that I was leaving feeling sick but not too little that I was leaving with not enough food. The cleanliness of this place is immaculate. They clean as soon as their guests leave & wipe down. Costumer service was awesome! Our food came out within 5-10 minutes of us ordering! Mind we came in during their lunch hour and it was pretty busy many people coming in and out. Very efficient and friendly! Water was great! Seems silly but it is infused with apples, oranges & lime when we went it something I'm going to add in my daily ! Our waiters came by numerous times to refill & check on us. I am extremely pleased with this place ! read more

Bamboo Cafe - Pho 5- chicken - Vietnamese Near Me - Simi Valley, California

Pho was great! Still hot when I got home. The person took our order was nice and friendly!

Awesome experience. Something for everyone. We tried Pho soup #2 and #5 and a bowl of vegan pho AND the Bahn Mi pork sandwich! Everything here was fresh and fabulous. read more

Thai tea on top so gas everything I've gotten is so good I get it more then one time a week and it has never gotten old

First off, the floor is just gorgeous. Ordered the V1 and i didnt regret it. Egg rolls were crispy, as they should be. I got the shrimp and bbq beef over vermecelli noodles with cucumbers peanuts and carrots mixed . Oh and some fresh lettuce. So after eating, I was feeling a lil sluggish, lethargic if I might say. So you know what I ordered right? You guessed it!!! The VIETNAMESE ICED COFFEE. YES YES AND YES! this thing is the closest you'll get to some Yayo from Miami circa 1980. It might stop my heart, but i dont care, I need that energy for these damn loans. And it taste fuqqin delicious. Bamboo, we will meet again. See you . Love, the Margarita Cheetah read more

Bamboo Cafe - #7. Best ever PHO SHO - Vietnamese Near Me - Simi Valley, California

I love Bamboo Cafe! The interior is decorated with bright colours and fake bamboo, kind of reminiscent of your favourite tacky aunt. Their pho is quite delicious - there's a lot of meat, very tender tendons, and a healthy heap of noodles. I do find that the XL isn't as large as what I'm used to more down south in LA, the broth is a little on the salty side, but it's delicious and convenient. I LOVE their banh mi - the pork sandwich is my favourite. It always comes in a delicious, crusty bread bursting with veggies and meat. It's pretty long too - we usually split one between two people. Service is fast and efficient, but don't expect anyone to ask you how your meal is. They also have their Pho Challenge - if you can finish an obscenely large bowl of pho (2 pounds of beef and 2 pounds of noodles) then you get a shirt, your picture on the wall, eternal fame, and possibly a stomach rupture. I've seen a few people do it and it's a hugeeeeeee bowl of pho!! read more

This is our go to Pho spot in Simi. Excellent service, really tasty food and plenty of seating if you want to eat in. We often get takeout and it is still piping hot when we get home. If you like Pho definitely give it a try. read more

Good clean food, well maintained cozy restaurant, friendly responsive staff, unlike the "other" Pho place which we never go back to. Politeness instead of rudeness, cleanliness instead of nose picking, wholesome instead of bugs in the food. Three strikes and we will never go back to the "other" place. Three grand slams and this place is a winner! read more

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Gave Bamboo Café a try this week after looking into trying Pho and they have vegan options available on their menu. Initially upon walking in I noticed that décor itself was a lot better than I had expected for being located in a strip mall. We sat down and received menus immediately from the server. Since the vegan section is very limited it didn't take much time to decide on what we were going to order. We went with an order of tofu rolls and two orders of Pho. Within a couple minutes the tofu rolls rolled out, couple minutes following that the order of Pho arrived, so obviously a lot of pre-made items. The tofu rolls were packed with veggies and the ginger sauce was flavorful. The description does vary from actual items received to what is noted on the menu. This was also my first time experiencing Pho, so I really don't have anything to compare it against. The Pho itself was a nice serving, fresh vegetable, and tasty broth. The service was fine, but the serve was a bit expeditious with the water refills. It actually was a bit distracting while trying to enjoy the meal, but otherwise not a deal breaker. Overall, clean décor, great tofu rolls, fine service, and I guess okay Pho. Probably would not return just out of my lack of enthusiasm for Pho, but the tofu rolls would be tempting. read more

Bamboo Cafe - Vegan - 1 Spring Rolls - Vietnamese Near Me - Simi Valley, California

I typically order a bahn mi sandwich to go but decided to dine in and try something different. OMG the food here is so delicious and so flavorful. I ordered a 2 piece egg roll appetizer and a rice dish (unsure of the name) of it but it had filet minon beef. The flavor of the egg rolls was foreign to me but so so tasty. The rice dish was great although the dressing didn't have enough spice (me??), lol but I added a tad of Sriracha and it was exactly what it needed. Love this place! read more

Bamboo Cafe - Vietnamese Near Me - Simi Valley, California

Been a customer with Bamboo Cafe since 2018. They never fail me when it comes to taste of the food and customer service. This is just based on my experience with them. Friendly server's, good food for a reasonable price. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! Come and visit them!! I wish they have loyalty card too so I can get free eggrolls...ha ha ha. read more

We've eaten in twice and done take out twice and every item we've had has been awesome. From Pho, to noodles (the BBQ pork and shrimp 'V3' is a must), to the sandwiches (the bread is almost better than the meat inside), to the appetizers and Thai iced tea...it's all super yummy. And if you're a vegetarian there are great options too. Plus you can have a beer! Prices are reasonable and the service is excellent/friendly. It's one of our favorite places in town and worth trying. UPDATE: This place is absolutely incredible and is now our favorite place in town. We're on a very limited budget and also on a diet, and Bamboo Cafe allows us to eat inexpensively (split a bowl of pho and a sandwich), and watch our calories too. Everything is fresh and delicious (even my conservative parents loved the take out we brought home this weekend), and the service is excellent - fast and friendly! We're really happy that Bamboo Cafe came to Simi Valley. Be adventurous and give it a try! read more

Bamboo Cafe - BBQ pork & shrimp with noodles - Vietnamese Near Me - Simi Valley, California

Absolutely loved it, we've been back again since our initial visit. We have frequented the Pho place across the street before and hubby likes it but I like a bit more variety of Vietnamese than just Pho. Two coworkers had been to Bamboo Cafe and had high praises to I suggested it one night when we did take-out. We tried the Banh Mi, pork and lemongrass chicken, and they were delicious! We are big fans of Nom Nom Truck so we're familiar with the sandwiches and I have to say, Bamboo is cheaper and a bit more flavorful - especially the pork. Tried the BBQ beef rolls for an appetizer, tasty though the meat was a small part of it. We also got some chicken and beef vermicelli plate varieties, again tasty and flavorful! I ordered a Thai Tea with boba on our first visit and I was happy with it, mixed just right and the bob made perfectly. read more

Bamboo Cafe - Mmm Thai iced tea with boba - Vietnamese Near Me - Simi Valley, California

First time here, Absolutely delicious! I would recommend this to anyone I know. Blew my mind. Will definitely be back...SOON! read more

Best Vietnamese food I've ever had. Friendly staff, great quality meats, and delicious noodles!! Great healthy dining option!!

I've been here many times (pre-pandemic and during pandemic) and it never ceased to disappoint. Great quality food (amazing pho and tasty broth), very friendly staff (specially Bruce who makes people laugh with his jokes) and the better part, they've tried making outdoor dining a good experience and welcoming for all incoming customers. Best Vietnamese restaurant in Simi area. read more

Been here twice. Good times both times. Good food. Good vibe. I like this. But, no veggie curry. Sad. read more

Upon entering the restaurant, I was greeted & seated ASAP. I ordered the tofu spring rolls and veggie phö which was good without adding hoisin sauce or sriracha hot sauce. I had water and service was quite attentive in refilling my glass of water. Recommend this place if you're passing by Simi Valley or on a regular basis! Plus, they have FREE WIFI. read more

I came here awhile back with a friend. I ordered the pho v6 (shrimp) & thai ice tea and he ordered Vermicelli v1 Grilled shrimp, bbq beef & egg roll. Overall the meal was pretty good but we still preferred the other pho place cause I think we were use to going there a lot. They are both pretty on par. This place is definitely worth a shot to try at! There's plenty of parking and the price is pretty good! They also have a pho challenge but we were not up to it since....we couldn't eat THAT much, but if they allowed a double team we totally could of had it. read more

They have very good Banh Mi. Especially the grilled beef. Very delicious. I never had a bad experience here. The staff are very kind. The food quality is slways consistent. read more

Think this is like the only Vietnamese place in Simi Valley ha.... Which can be a good thing....least you can go to place when you're craving Pho and what not....=) Took my Family here not long ago.....and they loved it....good pho, plus the service was really good..... From the spring rolls to the lemon grass chicken, there wasn't anything to complain about.....heck I couldn't even finish my food from tryin everything ha.... Would definitely come here again....Thank You for making my first visit a pleasant one! read more

The Bamboo Cafe is one of a limited number choices for pho in Simi. It is actually right across the street from another pho restaurant. If you are deciding between the two, Bamboo Cafe wins out. The service is quick, friendly, and on point. My problem is that the food itself is just good. Hits the spot for a quick fix, and is a decent place to hang out, but the pho isnt top tier amazing. With that being said there is nothing wrong with the food, it's just okay. Maybe I am being extra cynical because at heart I am a Ramen guy. read more

Good Pho! The Vietnamese Coffee is intense but good. The Pho was good. I really only go to one Pho spot but went to this spot since I was out in the Simi area. Definitely a dolid spot. Prices are good and the portions are big. Service was very friendly and attentive. read more

We just moved to the area and we were looking for a good Pho place. I am extremely picky with my chicken and some Pho places don't use quality chicken in their pho. We found this cafe on Yelp and decided to try them out. Before even tasting the pho, I would rate them 10/10 just on the service and packaging of the pick up meal. It came with individual bowls that we are able to utilize for the pho- other pho places do not have this perk. The pho itself was 10/10!! Absolutely delicious and had so much flavor - chicken was white meat and shredded - my preference. My hubby got brisket pho and loved it. We have found our pho spot in Simi!! 10/10!! read more

Ok, so I went here again to get my usual boba. I looked in the back where they were making the boba and they used POWDER! I won't be coming here to get my boba anymore. Go to It's Boba Time! read more

OK this place is not bad at all! I got an order of spring rolls, the pork rolls, and beef pho. Everything tasted fresh and the pho broth was amazing! Due to COVID, I ordered online for curbisde pickup. When I arrived, I called and they brought my order out right away. I will def be back! read more

The Bamboo Café is a nice alternative Asian food option in Simi Valley. Have been here a few times. At our recent dinner, we started with the shrimp rolls as well as an order of vegetarian rolls as appetizers - both I would get again. My main course was the Seafood Pho - filled me up - had just enough of various seafood items. Also at our table was a beef Pho bowl - which was enormous, twice as big as my Pho bowl. Most folks at the table had portions they couldn't finish and had to take food home. Extremely attentive service. read more

The best Vietnamese food in all of Simi Valley! Hands down! Nothing compares to both the food & the hospitality! You are always greeted with a smile & great service. Also a great place for quick take out! We love a variety of options on the menu, everything is always fresh & full of flavor...especially the V4, their spring roll appetizer, the pork bahn mi, fried rice & the V5. We frequent Bamboo & they never let us down! Would recommend them to anyone & hope to see them a continued staple in our community for many years to come! read more

Bamboo Cafe - Best Thai Iced Tea ever! - Vietnamese Near Me - Simi Valley, California

Amazing food, great service, great tables, great everything. Might be a little cramped but man it's worth it. And they give you sauce! I love sauce. read more

Love this place! A clean Vietnamese restaurant! I've been to some pretty dingy ones all over LA. Came with some friends and my guy did their pho challenge along with another friend. They would have completed had it not been for the tripe/ knuckles/ hoofs lol. They thought they were getting only filet- sick for days after that, I swear I could smell it coming out of his pours a week later. Love the citrus and apple infused water. Food is always good. My only gripe is the bread they serve their sandwiches on- it's really hard and I'm scared I'm going to break a tooth whenever I eat it, could use a softer type of bread and the da which would be 90% better. Everyone that works there is nice and gives great service, even when busy they do pretty well. read more

Bamboo Cafe - Vietnamese Near Me - Simi Valley, California