Blue Monkey Cafe & Restaurant
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Definitely a place to try when in San Jose. Parking can be a bit if a hassle since there isn't that many. They have a large grilled seafood selection and a little bit of everything here. I like how they have a large variety from every area of Vietnam. Bún đậu mắm tôm platter and the shrimp and pork belly salad served with shrimp chips was super delicious and refreshing. The chicken and purple sticky rice was crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. Garlic fries was well seasoned but lack crispness. The stir fry crab glass noodle texture was good but flavor was lacking. Large open dining area with plenty of seating. Staff we knowledgeable and super friendly. Food came out fairly fast.
Everything we tried was really good! Blue Monkey Cafe & Restaurant has a fun, casual atmosphere and a nice variety of food. One of the coolest touches is the big blue monkey hanging from the ceiling, which definitely makes the place memorable and gives it some personality. Good food, fun decor, and a unique vibe. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area!
I think the meal I had here would have to be considered ~lifechanging~. This is one of my favorite spots in San Jose and a place I love to take people from out of town. It's always a good sign of authentic Vietnamese food when I don't quite understand the full menu. I always get the A2 Bun Cha Ha Noi (small), which includes grilled pork, pork patties, some egg rolls, vermicelli, and lots of leafy greens. The small is more than enough for 2 people. It also comes with the whole rice paper wrap setup, where you can grab rice paper and efficiently dip it in water to soften it up. I love that the dipping sauce is in a giant bowl, composed of the classic fish sauce concoction with sugar and some garlic and optional chili. I could honestly drink the bowl of fish sauce if I'm being honest but I'm fortunately more civilized than that. Service is very quick. The food comes out fast and it's pretty efficient. At the end of the meal you go up to the counter to pay, and there's a small discount if you pay in cash.
Blue Monkey drew me in because it offered various cuisines around Vietnam, and Northern cuisine is not one that I've seen often. Despite it being in a big lot, parking still took a while to find. Thankfully, we had thankfully just beat the lunch rush and not had to wait longer than 10 minutes for a table. My friend and I shared a Northern spread (Bun Cha Ha Noi) and a Southern style Goat Curry (Banh Mi Cari De). Service was definitely on the slower side that day, but thankfully we were proactive at getting the orders in. The Bun Cha Ha Noi was delicious - pretty much a DIY spring roll - all the fun, all the mess, with none of the clean up other than licking the plates clean. The pork belly was delicious; I was surprised how much I liked it, since I'm not a fan of pork. I devoured numerous rolls, and we also had some extra vermicelli to finish off the rest of the protein. This single meal was definitely more than enough for two! The Banh Mi Cari De (goat curry) was unfortunately quite the opposite. The goat was cooked very well - tough, gamy, and difficult to eat. There were probably six pieces in total, our first was tender, our second had bone, a little harder to chew, and the last was best compared to rubber. The curry was a bit watery, which made the banh mi soggy when dipped in. This was probably an adventurous try, but not a dish I'd ever consider ordering again.
Tried Blue Monkey recently at the advice of a coworker and enjoyed the meal. The bun dau mam tom--the tofu was crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and all of the accompaniments were fresh. The mam tom had a strong flavor (as expected), but it was balanced well and tasted authentic. We also ordered the cha ca La Vong, which came out sizzling and fragrant with plenty of dill and turmeric flavor. Mixing it with the noodles, herbs, and peanuts made for a great combination of textures and flavors. Portions were generous, service was friendly, and the food came out pretty quickly even though the restaurant was busy. It's not always easy to find Vietnamese dishes like these done well in the South Bay, so I was happy to find a spot that delivers. I'll definitely be back to try more of the menu.
Parking was hard to find. Service was fair and our food came out pretty quick. Food was delicious, and had a lot of left overs. Love the spacious dining area. Many tables and room for a large party. We definitely will return.
Second time here. First time tried the make your own spring roll pork platter that was awesome portion size. Wanted to come back for the second time to tried to seafood so we did that today. Ordered the seafood platter so we can sample everything. Ordered the papaya salad, shrimp, and fried chicken cartilage on the side. On the whole, the seafood is decent b out would prob ordered separate dishes next time since we are not a fan of the blood clams. It might be an acquired taste. Manila clams are good but some folks of my dining party find it to have a bit of sand. The oysters has a cheese topping to it that may be too much for ppl. So yeah the big seafood platter with everything might be more of a 6.5/10 experience. May order individual pieces next time.
We sat outside since we had our dog and the staff got the heat lamp for us so it gradually got warm. Staff are really nice. When we got the hot pot, I ate it "incorrectly" but the waitress stepped in and showed me how Vietnamese folks use the sides. For example, she said the noodle just goes in your bowl and then the sides go into the pot and you can pour the fish sauce on the side. And you scoop a bowl of broth on the side so it doesn't overfill, so you can pour it back in as the soup decreases. And then the catfish takes about seven minutes to cook. The oysters were SO GOOD. Sizzzzzling, juicy, wonderfully seasoned. Comes with a side of green sauce I have no idea what it is but it is good with the oysters but the oysters taste good without it as well. The chicken feet deboned is really good! Flavor is delicious. And the mango was good. I do wish it was a bigger plate given the cost but it is a good appetizer. There was a restroom and parking since it is a plaza area. I will def come back to try more!
Had their Hu Tieu Nam Vang dry with soup on the side. For appetizers, fried egg rolls and banh beo chen. Also had strawberry lemonade. Good Hu Tieu. Broth was not so warm but has such clear clean taste. Can taste the aromatics more than the fish sauce in the broth; had a lot of celery like flavor. There were a couple of ribs in the broth with tender meat attached to it. I got the Nam Vang with egg noodles instead of rice noodles. The seasoning for the noodles had a slightly sweet sauce. Noodles itself was perfectly cooked, slight chew to it and not soggy. The dish had the sweet, salty, savory combo The egg rolls were on the smaller side but tightly packed with delicious ground pork. Crispy outside. Came with the slightly spicy sweet fish sauce with chili. The banh beo chen came in one small plate instead of little dipping sauce plates. It had minced shrimp (more like crumbles), friend pork rinds pieces, and green onions. I like that they used shrimp instead of mung bean paste. The steamed tapioca/rice cake base was also topped with fried pork rinds and fried shallots (tasted like smoky onipn rings). The combination of all the texture and taste was well balanced. Sweet, salty, umami.
My boyfriend introduced me to Blue Monkey and it's quickly become one of my favorite Vietnamese spots! I've brought my family here and they all loved it too--you honestly can't go wrong with anything on the menu. They also have rotating specials, which keeps things fun if you like trying something new each time. There's plenty of seating both indoors and outdoors, so it's great for groups or a casual meal. My personal favorite is the catfish hot pot with the sweet and sour soup--SO delicious and super comforting. Definitely a must-order! Such a solid spot that I keep coming back to!
Got their hu tieu and it did not disappoint! Heft amount of toppings and it includes some pork bone broth on the side as well. I recommend getting their big plates of wraps since it's a fun experience to wrap your own spring roll. Check in with the waiters for monthly deals!
Dropped by Blue Monkey for the first time @ 1 PM on a Sunday and got seated right away, but the food and service needed improvement. We got the grilled oysters with scallions, fried chicken with purple sticky rice, and the NY steak sizzling plate. We asked for the oysters to come out first as an appetizer, but the kitchen timing was totally off. The chicken showed up first instead and it was super dry, mostly bones, and the drum stick bone was unusually long, I don't want to imagine what it was, but it wasn't chicken though the purple sticky rice was actually delicious. Had to flag down our server twice to check on the oysters, which finally came out second. By the time the steak (which comes with sunny-side-up eggs and a side of rice) finally hit the table, we were honestly just done waiting.On top of the slow kitchen, there's a bit of an English barrier with some of the staff. I went up to the cash register to ask for a towel or some napkins, and the lady completely misunderstood and just motioned for me to pay. If you need a spot with zero wait at lunch, it works, but the service pacing and communication issues mean we probably won't be back.
Shrimp Banh Beo (4/5) Rare Steak Plate (5/5) I've been meaning to try this restaurant and it was really good when I went. Their portions are decent and they serve a small salad with a baguette at your table when you order. They have a wide menu selection and their dishes seem very authentic
1 month ago
3 days ago
My boyfriend and I stopped by for lunch because I was craving Bun Cha! This was actually the first restaurant I've seen that offers a Bun Cha with grilled pork and egg rolls, which I really appreciated. I loved having that extra variety to switch up the flavors throughout the meal. Yummmm. The Bun Cha Ha Noi comes in either a small ($28) or large ($47). Our server told us the small would be enough for two people, so that's what we ordered. When it arrived, it was a huge plate filled with fresh vegetables, noodles, and meat. Bonus: it also came with rice paper!!! I immediately loved this place even more. Since my boyfriend doesn't eat much of the herbs and vegetables, we went through the noodles and meat pretty quickly while sharing. I can definitely see how the small could feed two people if you're using all of the veggies, herbs, noodles and rice paper to make wraps. For us, though, we could've easily handled the large! We ended up ordering the chicken wings with garlic fish sauce afterward, and they were over. Wasn't a big fan but we finished it. Next time, we'll definitely be ordering the large Bun Cha platter and hopefully bringing more people with us so we can try more of their extensive menu! read more
20 days ago
2 months ago
Definitely a place to try when in San Jose. Parking can be a bit if a hassle since there isn't that many. They have a large grilled seafood selection and a little bit of everything here. I like how they have a large variety from every area of Vietnam. Bún đậu mắm tôm platter and the shrimp and pork belly salad served with shrimp chips was super delicious and refreshing. The chicken and purple sticky rice was crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. Garlic fries was well seasoned but lack crispness. The stir fry crab glass noodle texture was good but flavor was lacking. Large open dining area with plenty of seating. Staff we knowledgeable and super friendly. Food came out fairly fast. read more
Everything we tried was really good! Blue Monkey Cafe & Restaurant has a fun, casual atmosphere and a nice variety of food. One of the coolest touches is the big blue monkey hanging from the ceiling, which definitely makes the place memorable and gives it some personality. Good food, fun decor, and a unique vibe. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area! read more
I think the meal I had here would have to be considered ~lifechanging~. This is one of my favorite spots in San Jose and a place I love to take people from out of town. It's always a good sign of authentic Vietnamese food when I don't quite understand the full menu. I always get the A2 Bun Cha Ha Noi (small), which includes grilled pork, pork patties, some egg rolls, vermicelli, and lots of leafy greens. The small is more than enough for 2 people. It also comes with the whole rice paper wrap setup, where you can grab rice paper and efficiently dip it in water to soften it up. I love that the dipping sauce is in a giant bowl, composed of the classic fish sauce concoction with sugar and some garlic and optional chili. I could honestly drink the bowl of fish sauce if I'm being honest but I'm fortunately more civilized than that. Service is very quick. The food comes out fast and it's pretty efficient. At the end of the meal you go up to the counter to pay, and there's a small discount if you pay in cash. read more
Blue Monkey drew me in because it offered various cuisines around Vietnam, and Northern cuisine is not one that I've seen often. Despite it being in a big lot, parking still took a while to find. Thankfully, we had thankfully just beat the lunch rush and not had to wait longer than 10 minutes for a table. My friend and I shared a Northern spread (Bun Cha Ha Noi) and a Southern style Goat Curry (Banh Mi Cari De). Service was definitely on the slower side that day, but thankfully we were proactive at getting the orders in. The Bun Cha Ha Noi was delicious - pretty much a DIY spring roll - all the fun, all the mess, with none of the clean up other than licking the plates clean. The pork belly was delicious; I was surprised how much I liked it, since I'm not a fan of pork. I devoured numerous rolls, and we also had some extra vermicelli to finish off the rest of the protein. This single meal was definitely more than enough for two! The Banh Mi Cari De (goat curry) was unfortunately quite the opposite. The goat was cooked very well - tough, gamy, and difficult to eat. There were probably six pieces in total, our first was tender, our second had bone, a little harder to chew, and the last was best compared to rubber. The curry was a bit watery, which made the banh mi soggy when dipped in. This was probably an adventurous try, but not a dish I'd ever consider ordering again. read more
Tried Blue Monkey recently at the advice of a coworker and enjoyed the meal. The bun dau mam tom--the tofu was crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and all of the accompaniments were fresh. The mam tom had a strong flavor (as expected), but it was balanced well and tasted authentic. We also ordered the cha ca La Vong, which came out sizzling and fragrant with plenty of dill and turmeric flavor. Mixing it with the noodles, herbs, and peanuts made for a great combination of textures and flavors. Portions were generous, service was friendly, and the food came out pretty quickly even though the restaurant was busy. It's not always easy to find Vietnamese dishes like these done well in the South Bay, so I was happy to find a spot that delivers. I'll definitely be back to try more of the menu. read more
Parking was hard to find. Service was fair and our food came out pretty quick. Food was delicious, and had a lot of left overs. Love the spacious dining area. Many tables and room for a large party. We definitely will return. read more
Second time here. First time tried the make your own spring roll pork platter that was awesome portion size. Wanted to come back for the second time to tried to seafood so we did that today. Ordered the seafood platter so we can sample everything. Ordered the papaya salad, shrimp, and fried chicken cartilage on the side. On the whole, the seafood is decent b out would prob ordered separate dishes next time since we are not a fan of the blood clams. It might be an acquired taste. Manila clams are good but some folks of my dining party find it to have a bit of sand. The oysters has a cheese topping to it that may be too much for ppl. So yeah the big seafood platter with everything might be more of a 6.5/10 experience. May order individual pieces next time. read more
We sat outside since we had our dog and the staff got the heat lamp for us so it gradually got warm. Staff are really nice. When we got the hot pot, I ate it "incorrectly" but the waitress stepped in and showed me how Vietnamese folks use the sides. For example, she said the noodle just goes in your bowl and then the sides go into the pot and you can pour the fish sauce on the side. And you scoop a bowl of broth on the side so it doesn't overfill, so you can pour it back in as the soup decreases. And then the catfish takes about seven minutes to cook. The oysters were SO GOOD. Sizzzzzling, juicy, wonderfully seasoned. Comes with a side of green sauce I have no idea what it is but it is good with the oysters but the oysters taste good without it as well. The chicken feet deboned is really good! Flavor is delicious. And the mango was good. I do wish it was a bigger plate given the cost but it is a good appetizer. There was a restroom and parking since it is a plaza area. I will def come back to try more! read more
Had their Hu Tieu Nam Vang dry with soup on the side. For appetizers, fried egg rolls and banh beo chen. Also had strawberry lemonade. Good Hu Tieu. Broth was not so warm but has such clear clean taste. Can taste the aromatics more than the fish sauce in the broth; had a lot of celery like flavor. There were a couple of ribs in the broth with tender meat attached to it. I got the Nam Vang with egg noodles instead of rice noodles. The seasoning for the noodles had a slightly sweet sauce. Noodles itself was perfectly cooked, slight chew to it and not soggy. The dish had the sweet, salty, savory combo The egg rolls were on the smaller side but tightly packed with delicious ground pork. Crispy outside. Came with the slightly spicy sweet fish sauce with chili. The banh beo chen came in one small plate instead of little dipping sauce plates. It had minced shrimp (more like crumbles), friend pork rinds pieces, and green onions. I like that they used shrimp instead of mung bean paste. The steamed tapioca/rice cake base was also topped with fried pork rinds and fried shallots (tasted like smoky onipn rings). The combination of all the texture and taste was well balanced. Sweet, salty, umami. read more
My boyfriend introduced me to Blue Monkey and it's quickly become one of my favorite Vietnamese spots! I've brought my family here and they all loved it too--you honestly can't go wrong with anything on the menu. They also have rotating specials, which keeps things fun if you like trying something new each time. There's plenty of seating both indoors and outdoors, so it's great for groups or a casual meal. My personal favorite is the catfish hot pot with the sweet and sour soup--SO delicious and super comforting. Definitely a must-order! Such a solid spot that I keep coming back to! read more
Got their hu tieu and it did not disappoint! Heft amount of toppings and it includes some pork bone broth on the side as well. I recommend getting their big plates of wraps since it's a fun experience to wrap your own spring roll. Check in with the waiters for monthly deals! read more
Dropped by Blue Monkey for the first time @ 1 PM on a Sunday and got seated right away, but the food and service needed improvement. We got the grilled oysters with scallions, fried chicken with purple sticky rice, and the NY steak sizzling plate. We asked for the oysters to come out first as an appetizer, but the kitchen timing was totally off. The chicken showed up first instead and it was super dry, mostly bones, and the drum stick bone was unusually long, I don't want to imagine what it was, but it wasn't chicken though the purple sticky rice was actually delicious. Had to flag down our server twice to check on the oysters, which finally came out second. By the time the steak (which comes with sunny-side-up eggs and a side of rice) finally hit the table, we were honestly just done waiting.On top of the slow kitchen, there's a bit of an English barrier with some of the staff. I went up to the cash register to ask for a towel or some napkins, and the lady completely misunderstood and just motioned for me to pay. If you need a spot with zero wait at lunch, it works, but the service pacing and communication issues mean we probably won't be back. read more
Shrimp Banh Beo (4/5) Rare Steak Plate (5/5) I've been meaning to try this restaurant and it was really good when I went. Their portions are decent and they serve a small salad with a baguette at your table when you order. They have a wide menu selection and their dishes seem very authentic read more
7 months ago
Good solid place if you like to share big Vietnamese food platters. I always go for the bun cha Ha Noi platter, which comes with noodles, meat, greens and rice paper so you can make your own spring rolls! it's a bit pricey, but if you come with another person or even 3 total people, you can share this platter and be satisfied. It's a fun experience making your own spring rolls since you have control on what to add to your own bite! The hu tieu here is surprisingly pretty flavorful and delicious as well! The soup is filled with umami and meat is tender as well. Razor clams are not bad too, whenever I am craving some Vietnamese street food and want some clams that's when I order these. Otherwise I usually just stick with the bun cha ha noi platter and the hu tieu! read more
7 months ago
We were visiting family in San Jose and we wanted to try some authentic Vietnamese dishes. Blue Monkey was highly recommended. When we arrived, it was pretty busy. We managed to get seated relatively quick. We were hungry after a trip to Monterey. We started off with snail in curry. I'm personally more familiar with coconut milk but this was the one the chef recommended. They cut the end of the shell so you can suck the snail out easily. The curry was sweet and tasty. Sauce was definitely worth keeping to put on top of rice! Next we ordered meat and seafood platters. For the meat platter, it has egg rolls, meat balls and grilled pork. It came with Bun and some leafy vegetables for wrapping good with. All so good! The seafood platter was the highlight for me. It came with grilled oysters, cheesy scallops, blood clams, clams and more snails. They green mint curry that came with it was a bit spicy and compliments the seafood. In terms of ambiance, it is well lighted. They have long tables for big groups. Staff was friendly. After eating, we paid st the counter. We will be back again when we are in the area. Check them out if you have not been! You won't be disappointed. read more
4 months ago
This is my first time trying deeeeep authentic Vietnamese food. I really appreciate they offer options from the north, central, and south regions. We had the goat curry, spring rolls, & snail ham. I would have liked more vegetables, I feel like the meat to veggie portion was off. I also recommend ordering 2 banh mi with the order, lol. Spring rolls were yummy. Snail wasn't for me but my viet bestie endorses it so try itttt. Service was friendly and fast. Ambiance gives VERY family friendly environment. If I lived in the area I'd come back and give it another shot! read more
Located in Little Saigon, parking is plentiful but availability is limited during peak hours. The interior is spacious and good for groups of all sizes. The ambiance is loud and busy. Service is bad. No water refills and weren't given any attention. There was an odd smell inside and wasn't pleasant. Food was good but at the same time the ingredients didn't seem super fresh. Given the ambiance and food, I won't be coming back. read more
4 months ago
Bun cha Hanoi for 4 was really good, the cost and the amount of food you get was a good price. All flavors great, the greens were fresh and loved the size of the rice paper read more
My friends and I finally had the chance to dine here and try a variety of authentic Vietnamese dishes. I appreciate how the menu is organized by regions of Vietnam: north, central, and south, offering many plates that are rarely found elsewhere. The staff was very friendly and attentive. When my friend spilled a drink, they kindly replaced it. FOOD Based on what we ordered, I'd rate it around 3.8, rounded to 4 stars, reflecting our overall experience. We wanted to sample quite a few items. Everything was good, but taste is subjective, and our preferences varied. I enjoyed all the dishes, while my friends preferred some over others. They offered a wide selection of seafood, including snails. * Boneless Chicken Feet Thai Mango Salad * Fried Chicken Wings with Fish Sauce * Sea Snails with Scallions * Scallops with Scallions * Sizzling Platter with Shaken Beef, Pâté, and Sunnyside Eggs I look forward to returning to try other specialties like their noodle soup dishes. read more
My parents have been hyping this place up and honestly I should've came sooner. You can not go wrong with their Bun Cha Ha Noi platter to share for 2. Grilled beef (amazing char), vermicelli, crispy spring rolls, a mountain of fresh herbs and you're essentially building your own perfect bite every time. The tom yum clams comes in a clay pot sprinkled with Thai basil on top. Clean, aromatic and extremely flavorful with that distinct sweet and sour profile. Service is genuinely impressive for the area, extremely professional and nice all throughout dinner service. Parking in Viet Town plaza is its own obstacle course, and peak hours fill up fast. Go at noon when the plaza isn't the most crowded. Will definitely come back to try out the rest of their menu! read more
I absolutely loved it! My friend and I ordered different dishes, but we tried each other's and everything was delicious. the food is exquisite and the service is very attentive. They have a very pleasant atmosphere and the service overall is quite good. A perfect place to enjoy an excellent meal alone, friends or with family. I liked the environment. read more
We went here for dinner on a rainy night and the restaurant wasn't too crowded with a nice flow of traffic. We ordered the North - Bún Đậu Mắm Tôm (Vermicelli with Fried Tofu, boiled pork, veggies, dipping sauce - a DIY Springroll style of dish), South - Gà Quay Xôi Lá Cẩm (Roasted Chicken with Magenta Plant Dyed Sticky Rice) - Not Pictured Here, Sò Huyết (Blood Clams), and Cánh Gà Chiên Nước Mắm Tỏi (Chicken Wings dipped in Fish Sauce and Garlic). The Vermicelli with Fried Tofu and pork dish is a perfect share between two people. The flavor of the spring roll (again, DIY spring roll, super fun to choose what you want in your roll) once you piece together whatever flavor component you liked, was so good. The Roasted Chicken was crispy and the sauce that came with it complemented it really well. I most particularly liked the Blood Clams. Have never tried it before and it was interesting. The flavor of the toppings was super good. The Chicken Wings and Fish Sauce and Garlic had very in-depth flavor and was super crispy to the bite. The food looked and tasted really good and my parents have tried this place before often, so they wanted to bring me here to try out some of the foods that they really liked. I want to say, the dishes were super unique, delicious, and I really liked how the service was fantastic, almost strikingly good, hence the following review. The restaurant is very clean and all the servers are very well mannered. Growing up in SJ and having a fair share of my Asian Restaurant experiences, we're kind of used to the environment where a good number (NOT ALL), but a good number of restaurants have good food but is lacking in professionalism for service. Blue Monkey really exceeded my expectation (and really a lot of the restaurants in Little Saigon kind of do) where I would be very willing to bring a professional, corporate party here and not expect to receive the usual treatment that is seen at the typical asian restaurants. The combination of fantastic service and the great foods with the plus of the wide variety of food options has landed Blue Monkey on my top lists of restaurants to dine at in San Jose. Will definitely be coming back when I'm in town. Highly recommended try. Overall Rating: Food: 10/10 Service: 10/10 Menu: 10/10 Restaurant Vibes: 10/10 Price to Overall Dining (POD): 10/10 read more
Blue Monkey in East San Jose is the kind of place you wander into expecting a quick bite and end up leaving with a full belly and a big grin. It sits inside a huge shopping complex right next to the mall so the whole area always feels alive.You can shop stroll snack repeat and somehow it all just works. The moment you walk in you get hit with bright colors upbeat music and the smell of something sizzling that makes you hungry even if you promised yourself you were only stopping for a drink. The staff brings the kind of energy that makes you feel like they have been waiting all day just for you. Drinks arrive fast food arrives faster and everything has that playful Blue Monkey flair. If you visit during one of the local event nights prepare yourself. The nearby fireworks shows bring serious excitement to the area. The sky lights up the crowd cheers and for a moment you forget you are next to a mall and not in the middle of a shopping complex in the middle of a city. Just be ready because the fireworks can get extra loud and parking becomes a competitive sport. Once you finally find a spot though the whole scene becomes part of the charm and excitement. Blue Monkey is lively tasty a little chaotic in the best way and absolutely worth the visit. Perfect for grabbing food before the event or relaxing after you have conquered the shopping maze. read more
Blue Monkey is one of my new favorite Viet spots to dine at. It is located in the plaza of Vietnam town which has horrible parking most of the time but dined in around 12PM so we were the only ones in the store. Ambiance is nice and they have a bunch of TV's with food from around the world playing. My first visit here we ordered the oysters with shallots, hu tieu nam vang kho, and bun cha ha noi. Oysters were really good and paired really well with the green onion and sauce. My second visit we ordered the Bun Cha Ha Noi which is grilled pork spring rolls. The meat had so much flavor and paired well with all of the fresh veggies. I also ordered the thai green tea which was a little too strong for my liking. I barely tasted any thai tea in it so probably would not order again. Service here is great and more attentive than more Viet restaurants. They have a ton of options here and very tasty authentic viet food! read more
I saw this place all over social media and decided to check it out. The place is bright, spacious, and crowded, but we were seated right away. There was also some entertainment played outside. The menu consisted of a variety of Vietnamese dishes from soups to bowls to smalls snacks. We got the oysters and the pork combo. The sauce on the oysters is pretty good, but they were too big for my liking. If you like big oysters, I would definitely recommend this dish. The pork combo is one their most popular dishes which consisted of pork cooked differently, with egg rolls, rice noodles, and vegetables. You can wrap the ingredients together and make a paper roll. For the price of the dish it was pretty well worth. The meat cooked perfectly and it was very authentic. read more
10 months ago
Pretty big space for this restaurant, I really like the turmeric fish with fresh dill here. The bun cha is pretty good and portions are good for 2 and they really load you up on the veggies. We also got the bun mam tom plate and that shrimp paste is soo good! I like to call it stank sauce My all time favorite two apps to get are the chicken cartilage which comes with a tangy green sauce and the coconut salad sooooo good. Their sauces are really bomb here. I've also gotten the bo ne sizzling plate is also really good, the sauce they have the steak cooked in is so delicious. Service is usually pretty good here, no complaints, although the first time I was here I wish they asked us if we've had the bun mam tom before to explained how to mix the shrimp paste sauce correctly. Other than that no real complaints. read more
10 months ago
On the quest to try every restaurant in this complex. My friend has raved about the cheesy scallops at this location and I finally got a chance to join her. We ordered a feast of - the cheesy scallops: the garlicky cheese sauce was SO GOOD but the scallops were a bit overcooked and rubbery - garlic long clams: I'm not normally a clam person but the garlic hit the spot! - build your own spring roll platter. I eventually gave up assembling these and ate the lemongrass meat straight as it was so flavorful! - sizzling beef plate: I've had better elsewhere in this complex - a small rice noodle dish I forgot the name of but it was yummy - duck noodles: the duck was delicious but the broth could have been a bit more flavorful Logistics: - indoor and outdoor seating - plenty of strip mall parking outside - pay up front after - it's a bit chaotic inside with lots of tvs playing food videos but a good way to zone out read more
5 months ago
Came here for the seafood and was not very impressed. My family got the large seafood platter to share which came w razor clams, oysters, Manila clams etc - we really wanted to try a bit of everything. Because we ordered the seafood platter all the dishes except for the clams in broth were cold, which was disappointing. The favorite was the clams in broth because it was very warm and flavorful thanks to the lemongrass and peppers. The oysters and scallops with cheese sauces was a miss. It wasn't your standard cheese sauce probably closer to a sweet cream cheese. The scallops were also really grainy (maybe not properly cleaned). The other shellfish just wasn't very flavorful even with the sauce. If you want to try the seafood here maybe don't order the big platter (which sucks bc it seemed like a great deal). Service was fast a restaurant was very clean though! read more
Good spot to grab a meal solo or with a group. Visited a friend in the area and we decided to stop in and try this venue. They currently have a 40% off on the large size (shared family-style entrees) for A1 and A2 menu items. We chose A2 Bun Cha Hanoi which is a northern Vietnamese dish of grilled pork, pork meatball/sausage, pork eggroll, with rice vermicelli noodles, rice wrapper paper, and fresh veggies and herbs (green leafy lettuce, cucumber, mint, purple shiso, and giup ca) with a nuoc cham dipping sauce. This is normally $44.95 and is enough for 3 to 4 people to share as a side entree. We also ordered the banh beo appetizer (steamed rice crepe from the central, Hue region of Vietnam) and asked for half/half of their 2 topping choices (dried shrimp jerky, and ground pork). I ordered a green tea with aloe and my friend had an iced coffee latte. We enjoyed our food and would come back to try other dishes. read more
11 months ago
Casual Vietnamese food with a lot of seafood specialties and very efficient service. One of the best and most popular restaurants in this competitive Viet plaza! I've been here a few times and tried a lot of their menu and everything is consistently good. However, the popular item is definitely A1 which is a huge platter with vermicelli, pork belly, fish cake, shrimp paste, fresh veggies to assemble yourself in a rice paper wrapper. The small portion is good for one person, and the larger ones are great to share with a table. The seafood is another popular option. Super fresh and cooked perfectly. My favorites are the razer clams or the scallop. They come with a spicy green sauce and seasoning on top that really highlight the fresh flavor of the seafood. Some of my personal favorites are the turmeric fish (A3) which is a fragrant and lightly fried fish which you wrap in rice paper and the crispy chicken that comes with purple rice. Honestly you can't go wrong with ordering anything, the whole menu is good. English communications are limited but the menus are in English with a lot of nice photos for me to point at :) read more
Finally got a chance here to try the bun platter, and it was good :) I'm probably used to "home" and how it's made so it's nice to finally give it a try at a restaurant and to know that the taste is similar. The workers Thi and Lien were extremely nice, to us and the kids! They teased them and made sure they felt welcomed during peak and off peak hours (we came on two occasions within the same week). The garlic butter and tamarind snails were delicious, and I can never get enough of the cilantro sauce that pairs so well with everything. The steamed oysters with scallions were especially delicious with the cilantro sauce. I snacked too much off the shared stuff I barely even made it to the bun platter! Of the bun platter, I really enjoyed the cha in both the Ha Noi and Mam Tom. My company enjoyed the mam tom sauce and I loved that they served the pineapple on the side. I didn't try the mam tom due to allergy but enjoyed that they serve fish sauce upon request (for the Mam Tom platter) because I couldn't take the risk of having the pineapple mixed within it (since typically most places have it that way). Weeknight and weekend vibes were totally different but both offered a very chill environment for a catch up or event, and it does get loud on the weekend dinner, which goes to show how poppin' they are! Without doubt, they do try their best to make sure everything is accounted for and are quick to clean up the table with finished dishes, and do their best to accommodate bigger parties. My only complaint is the tables are pretty small so in between the bun platter, plates/bowls and drinks, there's hardly room for anything else unless you move the sauce tray away. All in all, I enjoyed myself both occasions. read more
6 months ago
We ordered to-go on Friday around 6pm. We got Chicken gizzard, pig ear mango salad, razor clams, coconut curry snails, and thai Manila clams. Everything was good. The Thai broth that the Manila clams came in was sweet and had sand. Not bad, but I do like Dong Que better. But this is closer to our friend's place. read more
1 year ago
We got to try a variety of the dishes and seafood offerings and they were all pretty solid. For the com tam, I really enjoyed the bbq/char taste of the pork chop and the other additions of the cha, bi, and tau hu ky balanced well with the dish. Both the oysters and manila clams were classic dishes. The manila clams were quite good since there was a lot of clam meat. We also got the bo luc lac skillet. While it was well seasoned, I wish it was a bit more sizzling when it came to our table. If you happen to have some extra rice at the end, I highly recommend you just mix it into skillet with the sauce! read more
Yummy, I've never really had vietnamese food in this way, but I'm a fan! I would recommend you check out this place, and if you do come, make sure to order one of the massive plates that *everyone* there gets! We ordered the "pork platter" and the "seafood platter" both. I'm a huge fan of the former (not much of a seafood eater). Came with well-seasoned pork slices, spring rolls, noodles, lettuce, and some spicy seasoning on the side. The platter was massive, definitely enough food for 2-3 people. Service is decently fast, and the restaurant decor is quite unique for all the blue monkeys they have plastered on the walls. We sat outside in the heat unfortunately, so it was slightly uncomfortable, but as far as "heat" goes in south bay, this wasn't bad at all! Would certainly visit if I was in town again, but a bit far from SF to make myself a regular read more
My friend picked this restaurant as it was highly recommended and we are so glad we went! It's a large space on the corner and service was great from beginning to end. I'm not super familiar with Vietnamese cuisine outside of pho restaurants so I went with the hefty dish Banh Mi Chao Bo Luc Lac, as it had things that I enjoy like pate, steak, eggs, and baguette. It was a lot of food and though it was heavy, it was all very good. My friend ordered Banh Canh Tom Cua Cha Ca Trung Cut and I was confused when she told me it was udon noodles as I have never had that before in a Vietnamese restaurant. When it came out she let me try and it was absolute perfection. The noodles were silky and it was a nice seafood broth with lots of crab meat. We also had the razor clams in the garlic butter sauce and it was so tasty! Will definitely be back, prices are very reasonable and other dishes I would like to try. read more
Let me stop monkeying around and get to this review! 5 stars--boom--amazing Vietnamese food that made me feel like I was in Vietnam for an hour or so. Given the 90 degree weather, it really felt like I was in Asia. Let's get to the food. Wash your hands because you'll be eating with them. Grilled pork over rice cake starter: it's like minced pork with spices and green onions over a rice cake. They have an amazing fish sauce that you pour over the dish. They should sell that fish sauce because you could have poured that sauce over the napkins on the table and I probably would have eaten it. Bun Chai Ha Noi: Grilled pork, and eggroll, noodles, meatballs, veggies, and pickled veggie with fish and vinegar dip was a sight to see. What I love about food is there's always something out there that I haven't tried, and this was a new experience for me. They have rice paper that you dip in water which I knew to do from watching the Food Channel. I actually thought for a second that the water cup in rhe beginning was the way to dip the rice paper, but NO, watch and learn. The water is BEHIND the rice paper basket. You dip it and spin it like a steering wheel, then load up on your toppings and roll it like a spring roll. This is a make your own food kind of place. Me being on a low carb and low effort diet, I just took the toppings without the rice paper and ate it like a Vermicelli bowl LOL, but props to all you people who have the patience and skills for the roll. Great flavors on the marinated meats, and the veggies were super fresh. Would definitely come back again for this dish. Kumquat salted plum--YUM, hey that rhymes: This tea is refreshing and not too sweet. Not too salty or bitter either given the salty plum is at the bottom. 5 out of 5 I would get this again. Everything I had was amazing, and you know how picky I am about cold water being cold and the service being on it. Well here they were on it, even though every table was full, so Bravo to them for that. Wish they had something like this in SF, because I miss this place already! read more
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More info about Blue Monkey Cafe & Restaurant
989 Story Rd
Ste 8054
San Jose, CA 95122
Little Saigon, King and Story, East San Jose
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(408) 320-2088
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Are the hours posted anywhere at the restaurant? I came at 9am on Monday and they were not open.
Thank you for reaching out! We apologize for the confusion. Our hours are posted on Yelp, and we are open from 9 AM to 10 PM every day. Our employees are always there by 8 AM to prepare for the day. It’s possible there was a delay in turning on the…
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