Have driven by Bon Cafe a million times, first visit was on a Saturday evening. It's across the street from Melt Confectionary Chocolate and Ice Cream. Service was fine but we were never offered any tea refills. Dishes are in the $17.00 to $24.50 range. - Hu tiu nam vang (#29c) ($19.75) - dry version. Prawns and squid were good, liver was dry. Plenty of noodles. Side soup helped soften everything up - Pho sa-te ga cong (#29a) ($20.75) - broth was decent, on the sweeter side. More coconut milk than peanut flavour. Chicken slices were okay read more

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Time to update the review after 10 years. I guess the big one is that prices have gone up. A lot. Ouch. Their lemongrass chicken and spring roll are both solid. Wouldn't mind coming back, but there are other options in the vicinity. read more

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Woke up with a sore throat and said to myself, you need Pho today. I ordered a Rare Beef Pho from Bon and treated my partner to a Veggie Banh Mih. My pho was so soothing and the broth had great flavour! For a medium it cost about $16 but it's huge so I can't imagine getting a bigger portion. I have enough for dinner leftovers! Great amount of beef too! Overall would order the soup again! For the Veggie Banh Mi, we asked for tofu which they kindly added to it no problem. The one problem with the Banh mi was the veggies were actually cut too large so you didn't get that nice pickling flavour like other Banh Mis we've had. $8 is a little on the pricey side as well for this sandwich. I would go back though and have the pho and try more entrees. read more

Bon Cafe - Rare beef pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

The owners here are so nice and the food is delicious. Very fast service and nice atmosphere and good calming music.

I went here last month to buy a quick lunch. Dining area closed down, but takeout order was accepted at the counter. There was a small counter guarded with a plexiglass and the owner would come for help when needed. I bought Chicken Banhmi ($6.25) it had full of meats and veggies. I loved how my sub was loaded with toppings like that. Bun had this crunchy texture and veggies were fresh and crispy. $6 might seem much, but food was fantastic. I'll stop by again if I'm hanging around Main St for sure. read more

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Been going here since I went to the school across the street. Food has been the same quality tasty goodness since then. Service is always lovely and always feels good supporting a small business. Definitely recommend to anyone wanting a filling meal. read more

Been here on 3 separate occasions. Their dishes are on the smaller side and the price is quite high for what it's worth. Bun Bo hue ($17 for a medium) isn't spicy or flavourful enough but service is good. Iced coffee is $6.25 for a very small cup. read more

This place has been here for a while, but I hadn't tried it till yesterday as my coworker told me "it's good, better than Au Petite Cafe"- which closed nearby- but they resurfaced on commercial dr actually. Restaurant decor is simple but clean. Lady who takes orders is patient and friendly. I ordered takeout of a large special pho and a lemongrass chicken w/ rice. The portions are huge! Yes large should be big but I can usually finish and I almost couldn't. The Lemongrass Chicken was also huge and is really double the size of most places. I can't believe they give so much chicken, and rice and salad... that's impressive these days when most restaurants are shrinking their portions. Btw if you like big portions go to restaurants in Sechelt...(that's another district I know but it should be a standard for cost vs potion). I digress. The ingredients used here are fresh and well prepared. They do not and I repeat they do not overload their food with msg. Do they use a little? Probably but I found it hard to detect (unlike most Vietnamese venues). They ran out of bread mid-day otherwise I would have had a sub sandwich but that's ok I'll be coming back...regularly. read more

Bon Cafe - Lemon Grass chicken w/rice - Vietnamese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Price may have gone up since COVID so if you are looking for a one dollar Vietnam food -- this is definitely $$ restaurant. It needs to be updated Medium pho was about $17 I think -- pretty small medium bowls compared to other Vietnamese restaurant. Lemongrass chicken rice noodle dish was almost $19. Quite a lot of dishes are range of $18-22 It is a very intimate place and when it gets busy, it will get quite loud, you might be seated with other people literally right beside you -- I think they try to put as many seats as possible in a small space. Food was good but nothing impressive. Maybe I am spoiled with so many good other Vietnamese restaurants in this neighborhood. The lady who served us food was very warm. Christmas carols made us dance while eating. I would give 3.5 stars if it was an option.. not 4 though read more

Came here for lunch today and devoured my #39 sliced pork with spring roll on vermicelli. Those spring rolls induce instant drool upon sight and smell! The portion was just right for $11.75 and I left very satisfied. I hadn't been here in a few years and had only previous had their pho which I remember being standard but I had heard they really stepped up their food game and our lunch today was proof of that! The pork wasn't chewy and was super tasty, vermicelli bouncy and light with yummy fresh veggies and the spring roll added a different deep fried goodness element that always makes these bowls just come together. I highly recommend grabbing spring rolls to even share with the table. Everyone will be in heaven. Friend got a banh mi and I heard no complaints! read more

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I can't believe I've never been to this café before because I am a frequent patron at Au Petite so I don't think about going somewhere else on the same street. It wasn't until someone told me about this place and she happens to be a chef and said Bon is really good. The same evening we went there for dinner. As I didn't taste the rest of their food but it sure smells amazing I'm only reviewing my noodle soup. It is a tomato base soup with dill and some other fresh spices serves with deep fried fish cakes and round the vermicelli noodles. My first thought was this is pretty good and I find wanting more. Next thing you know, I finished the entire bowl. The soup despite all the flavours and spices was well balanced in taste and not overpowering nor overly salty. The place fills up quickly lots of families coming here for dinner. The server and owner were both very pleasant. I look forward to trying other dishes from this café soon. read more

Bon Cafe - Deep Fried Fish Cake Round Vermicelli in Tomato based soup - Vietnamese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

If you all are for restaurants using masks, definitely go here for your pho. Currently it's take out only. First time being here and best broth I ever had. We ordered the works for the pho #8 bond special with extra tendon(seems like less places have tendon so was exciting), #38 with grilled lemongrass chicken- spring roll- and veggies, and # 26 assorted seafood and rice noodle in soup. The broth for the works was amazing, it was full bodied sorry for mentioning it twice but it was awesome! The raw beef after letting it cook a lil was so so tender and a very high quality, the brisket was nice and juicy too! Loved my chicken, they had the traditional spring rolls made the right way, the seafood it was my partners lunch it looked good (but didn't want to take away from her meal;)) She told me her meal is great after eating it too! Def recommend this place as I've noticed some of the other pho places we've ordered out from since the pandemic have lost their full flavor of how their food is normally. read more

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At great prices and very filling meals, this tiny hole in the wall is a great place for pho. My friend and I ordered combo E which included a rare beef and tendon pho in small which was filled with many pieces of beef and toothsome noodles. The soup was hearty and not too salty and it was quite large! The banh mi was my favourite from here with plenty of delicious and juicy grilled chicken in a soft and crunchy bun. It also had lots of pickled veggies for a bit of flavour and tanginess. Overall, I would gladly return to this place for a banh mi craving! read more

Bon Cafe is located on Main St and 33rd Ave. It's small Vietnamese cafe. We found they're always busy for lunch and decided to check it out after years. The menu was on the table and selection pretty limited. Beef and beef ball pho - It's mediocre and the soup taste so MSG. Spring rolls - it's was ok and combo with noodles soup. Besides, the cheap food and quality. I would not know recommend this place for foodie. read more

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This little place has a lot of vegetarian (indeed, vegan) options, so I decided to try out their satay vegetable noodle soup for dinner one night. They have two sizes (medium: $13; large $14), and I went with the large. You get a very generous portion of mixed vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, carrot, red pepper, celery), deep fried tofu, and nicely cooked thin rice noodles. The broth is what makes this though -- the satay character was sublime, being moderately spicy, with just enough sweetness to balance, and not too oily. I absolutely loved this. One of the best vegan phos I've had locally, and that's saying something given how many great vegan Vietnamese options there are in Vancouver. Highly recommended. read more

Bon Cafe - Satay vegetable noodle soup - large (vegan) - Vietnamese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Due to I suppose space constraint they have a funny layout. Tables for two are on the left and then tables on right can accommodate groups of up to eight! Definitely has a cafeteria vibe to it. To maximize capacity they've also decided to place a table just inches from the entrance. Awkward. Service is friendly though, and they didn't mind two people sharing a large pho. Respect ~ read more

Bon Cafe - Vietnamese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

This place is so good that we came on Thursday and liked it so much that we came back on the following Saturday. I just needed to have that grilled pork banh mi again. The first time we came we just shared the grilled pork banh mi to try the place out. The meat was so yummy and I love the sauce that went on top of it. (I think it had lemongrass? and it had a bit of sweetness to it.) The buns were thick, fluffy, and CRISPY. I had so many crumbs all over myself and the table at the end but that's how you know the buns are good. The rest of the filling was delicious and complimented the meat nicely. It was so good that I was still thinking about it two days later and this time we decided to get the same thing and the shredded chicken banh mi as well. The chicken was lovely too, it had a different flavour that was less sweet. The chicken was definitely a 4.5/5 but the grilled pork still won for me with 5/5. I liked that the meat in both was a bit saucy rather than being dry, but not so saucy that it was messy to eat. These dishes had really good value as well! (I can't speak for the non banh mi dishes.) When we dined in the second time (had takeout the first) they served the sandwiches in a basket which was really cute. It's quite a small place but they managed to fit a lot of tables in there. read more

Bon Cafe - Vietnamese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Was in the area after visiting QE park and came here on a whim. Prices aren't the cheapest, but it's not too much (Medium bowl of pho-$11.50 or so, Large for $12.50; rice dishes are a bit more pricey though, going to around $15-16). I came at around 12 pm on a weekday and was almost hesitant when seeing only one patron inside. Soon after, people came in for take out orders and others to dine in. To my surprise, a DOG walked inside and ate some meat from off the ground. Seemed to be walking around on its own for some reason. So I order the Bun Thit Nuong Cha Gio. Flavour was good and was above average if compared to some other places. The one fault they made was to not properly cut or separate some of the ingredients. For instance, my carrots were sliced but stuck together (looking like a wooden fence, but edible). The fried onion had a piece that was stuck in a cluster too. Overall, I'd say it was good food! It's a small little place and you may be hesitant at first, but it's worth a go. read more

Bon Cafe - Bun Thit Nuong Cha Gio - Vietnamese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Don't pass this place by!! The BEST egg rolls I have ever had. And the portions are huge! Those are the egg rolls! Theres 3 that size but I got the photo a little late... Their rare beef pho is always fresh! One of my favourite spots in Vancouver. read more

Bon Cafe - Biggest! Most delishish ever! - Vietnamese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

One of the most common relationship problems is... agreeing on a darn place to eat. Okay, i'll admit it. I can't ever make up my mind and my boyfriend aimlessly drives around because I can never decide where I want to go (TOO MANY OPTIONS, TOO MANY YELP BOOKMARKS). My boyfriend wanted to go to Anh and Chi but the idea of a traditional, family owned restaurant appeals more to me, especially when it comes to Vietnamese cuisine. We agreed that we'd eat at the first Vietnamese restaurant we saw. That establishment turned out to be Bon Cafe. He ordered a lemon grass chicken rice dish and I ordered a lemongrass chicken vermicelli dish and we shared a Vietnamese sub (banh mi). The couple running this little place were very polite and sweet. There was a good amount of people, considering it was a Wednesday evening. Situated on a busy street, i'd imagine this place probably gets quite busy during lunch and weekends. The food came out fast and my vermicelli dish was great. Proportions are decently large. Chicken was flavourful. Service was friendly and the owner came around refilling tea often. Also, a piano rendition of one of my favourite older love songs started playing and my heart melted. Nothing bad to say about this place. It's always the small, family owned and run businesses that produce the best food. Recommend! read more

Bon Cafe - Lemongrass chicken and rice, special banh mi, and lemongrass chicken vermicelli - Vietnamese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Hidden gem! This place is small but so worth! Fast service and very generous portions. Ordered a bowl of pho (lots of rare beef) Ordered a bowl of lemongrass chicken vermicelli bowl (lots of chicken) Ordered salad rolls and they're BIG & YUMMY Definitely will be back! Definitely recommend! Usually small, local owned, family run, ma & pa places like this only accept cash BUT they accept credit card! Gotta get them points!! read more

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I can't believe I haven't followed up more recently on beautiful little Bon Cafe. We order from here on average once every 1-2 weeks. It's definitely our most frequented restaurant. Our order is usually: -Deep fried spring rolls (#1) -- second to none. Crispy, full flavoured. -Pho tai nam (#10) - rare and brisket beef. -Meatball (#50) or BBQ Pork sandwich (#46). Double meat costs a couple of bucks extra and is well worthwhile to make it more of a meal. -Chicken on vermicelli (#41) In my opinion, Bon Cafe has the best tasting fish sauce in the city, which means everything else is enhanced by just that much more. Their pho broth is full-flavoured and complex. But besides all that, THE PRICES. Extremely affordable. When we dine in, which is only rarely, they offer some little crackers to my kids. The staff are lovely. Good Vietnamese coffees too. read more

Overpriced sandwiches which are just ok. A guy at the cash register was very rude. Will never come back again. read more

One of the best pho places in Vancouver that I have tried so far. I had written a review previously for Au Petit Cafe which is just down the street from Bon Cafe, which is deliciously convenient! I had ordered the house special pho, which is a mixture of different cuts of beef in noodle soup - your usual pho bowl. The broth/soup itself is flavorful and not at all too overly MSG'd - no need to drinks a gallon of water afterwards! I think a good bowl of pho should have a few components: flavorful broth + well cooked noodle + cuts of beef that is as fresh as possible + additions of onion, bean sprouts, basil and any other toppings you'd like and everything just needs to be fresh and hot. Bon Cafe satisfies all those criteria and it's very much no frills. Prices are reasonable as well, my medium size bowl has a generous amount of meat and noodle, and is perfect for a filling lunch! I have yet to try their rice dishes and their banh mi yet but they seem to be popular with take out orders. Overall, a solid, reliable family-run Vietnamese restaurant that does not disappoint. I wouldn't say that they have any speciality dishes, but they have everything you would want in a casual Vietnamese spot! read more

Bon Cafe - House-special pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Great service but the beef noodles was not my taste. I was craving for a good bowl of Pho to compensate the cold weather. Unfortunately, we left disappointed! 3 stars for the nice service! read more

Bon Cafe - Grilled pork with egg rolls - Vietnamese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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I like this place. Their menu selection is pretty decent, and their rice dishes and pho are good. What I particularly like is that even their medium sized pho, reasonably priced at $8.50, has a good amount of meat. I never have to dig for my tendons and tripe! My hubby has a large appetite and likes the rice dishes. I'd suggest sitting near the windows is possible, away from the aisle. I sat at a table for two by the main aisle to the cashier, and there were people lining up beside me and my table to pay or get take out. Not comfortable to have strangers in my personal space while I eat! The bathroom is cleaner than you'd expect from a place like this :) read more

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Small space but good food! Knocked down a star because it was a little dirty but again the food was great. Visited from out of town and found this place near the Airbnb. We were very happy with the meal. read more

Bon Cafe - Pho below is #18 and eggrolls are #1 - Vietnamese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Great family run restaurant, with legit broths for their pho. All the meats in the pho bowls are very tasty and flavourful, which is hard to find in a pho place. Doesn't leave you feeling like you drank too much salt either, which is a huge plus. The balance in the broth is a hard thing to find, and I always return to this place when I'm looking for a great pho broth. The bun bo hue here isn't as spectacular as other options in Vancouver, it lacks the spicy and sweet depth in a truly excellent bun bo hue, but it's delicious still. I've been coming here for awhile and haven't ever been disappointed. read more

Bon Cafe - Vietnamese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

There's lots of pho places in this area. You've got the one near the corner and it has secret menu things and good pho bit pricey. You have petit cafe and it's known for the rice dishes and their baguette sandwiches. This one is great because it's a locally owned, family owned and has a number of seats. And I would say Bon Cafe is the best for pho in the area because they have a solid soup and their rice has good portions and tasty meat as well. I would say overall for quality and price it's the best. If you are feeling hot then their lychee drink is addictive. The banh man ( seafood gumbo) is a specialty noodle soup and it has a particular smell, but if you can get over that then I think it's a great deal and pretty good. I would say this is my new favourite go to pho and Vietnamese food place now. Love it and highly recommend it. Service may take a bit since it is family owned so just allot for some time or know what you want before the crowd comes! A must stop for any of your visitors. read more

Lemongrass chicken and combo E what we ordered. Could not even finish everything. That was lots of food. So don't expect small portions. The beef pho is delicious and filling with beef vegetables and fine noodles. Perfect. The lemongrass chicken had one roll as well in it delicious and quite a big dish a must have, you should try if don't crave for soup. The chicken sandwich is tasty fresh crispy bun, tasty sauce and stuff inside. It was too much for us so I had a breakfast the next morning. Staff is decent not over smiling but did their job and was really fast! read more

Bon Cafe - Vietnamese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

My wife and I both had the #9 (Medium) - I ask for extra meat which was an additional $4.50. The broth was very flavorful and the service was great. My wife's only complaint was not enough noodles in hers however for me there was enough. read more

Bon Cafe - #9 with extra beef - Vietnamese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Delicious! Had the Combo A ( a Banh Mi, a springroll and pop). I ordered theire special Banh Mi and it was delicious. As I expect from a Banh Mi! The springroll was hot and crispy. Service was not the best but the Banh Mi is good enough to return again. read more

Bon Cafe - Combo A. Special Banh Mi - Vietnamese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Came here to try their pho. Ordered #11 on the menu: Raw beef and beef tendon and rice noodle pho. The pho soup was pretty good; good beefy flavour and not salty at all. The soup was hot enough to cook the raw beef. The pho comes in medium $8 and large $9. I had the medium and was pretty full afterwards...it probably wont be enough if you are really really hungry though... Will definitely come back. It's actually a great alternative to Au Petite Cafe, which is usually very busy. read more

Bon Cafe - #11 on the menu! - Vietnamese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

A friend and I met up for lunch some innocuous weekday for lunch. He said he felt that he was coming down with something and wanted to go to a hot soup place for lunch. We settled on Beefy Beef on Main Street. I showed up a bit early (a touch before 11 am) and discovered Beefy Beef closed. A quick phone call later and he suggested Pho Bon (Bon Cafe I guess). I've driven by this place 150,000 times if i've driven by it once! This constituted the first time I've ever walked through their doors... What did I discover? Nothing overly special or unique... just your ho hum, run of the mill, family Vietnamese restaurant/cafe. My friend and I shared a couple of salad rolls and I had their meatball soup. Both dishes were the same as you would encounter from any typical Vietnamese joint. Here's a question... Do all Vietnamese restaurants get their salad roll from the same place, because it sure looks and tastes like it! In a world drowning in average this place is another bucket of cold water in an ocean of mediocrity! Next please! :) read more

Bon Cafe - Salad Rolls - Vietnamese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Very good grilled pork on the Banh Mi. The lemongrass chicken was a little dry but tasted very good. Not the best banh mi but i would be a repeat customer if i lived in the area. We didn't order a spring roll but they were huge! read more

Pretty decent pho place. Portions were good sized too. They didn't skimp on the meat. Definitely filling and worth the price. AC was on which helps when eating hot pho during summer. read more

Bon Cafe - Vietnamese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Definitely a hidden gem, I've passed by this place so many times over the years and have always wondered how they're still in business, must be very sketchy, probably bad food. I wish my gf and I could go back in time so that she can convince me to try out this place sooner. When you see this place, you may likely have a similar thought as me, you walk in and you can see the entire restaurant including the kitchen, less than 10 tables, seats maybe 20 ppl max. 2 ladies run the entire place, very small, however never cramped, the place was almost empty each time I've gone ever since my first visit. However in an average 1 hour stay, there's usually 5-6 take out orders, regulars coming in to pick up their order, I guess that's what they cater to mostly, I'm curious about how good their take out pho would be, haven't found a place that has good take out pho yet as the noodles usually become really soggy. The BBH is by far my favorite of anywhere in Vancouver, generous serving size, perfected broth, noodles are firm and chewy. I'm not a fan of bean sprouts with my bbh, however if you are then you will enjoy their extremely fresh looking bean sprouts. Along with the usual bean sprouts, chili pepper, and lime, banana blossoms and some green banana blossom looking things are provided. One of the ladies went on to explain that traditionally you are supposed to eat BBH with both the banana blossom and the green thing. I tried it once and enjoyed it, however will probably just stick with the banana blossoms as that's what my taste buds are used to. I will definitely be going back here again and again to try out different dishes. Pictures to come next time! read more

I've been here many times over the years and tried everything on the menu, so I thought I would give a veteran's review of this delightful spot. Bon's is the iron of the restaurant world. It may not be flashy like gold, or have that rare shine of platinum, but it's a steady, reliable go-to when you need food and are too hungry to think. Why do I keep coming back, when there are lots of restaurants on Main? Because I've never once had a bad meal here, and you can easily have dinner for two for under 20 dollars. If you're looking for a guiltless after work meal that won't drain away all the money that you just earned, this is a good spot. The staff are always friendly, service is usually quick, and unlike Au Petit (which is amazing, and totally worth the wait if you're not in dire straights), you can pretty much roll up at any time of day and get a seat. Like I said, it's the iron of the food world, the place to go when you just need something cheap, reliable, and filling. As for what to order... the pho is good, the broth is hearty and warming and the noodles have good consistency. The toppings are always fresh with a good cooling crunch to them. My favorite item on the menu is the lemongrass chicken on vermicelli or rice, which comes with lots of crisp veggies to freshen up composition of the meal. The ban mi is decent, but I really prefer the rice/noodle dishes, because they have a good mix of veggies/meat/grains. I always leave feeling nourished with a dash of indulgence, without having to clean out my wallet. So if you're reading this with a hunger headache and the need to eat something NOW, then look no further. Bon's has got your back. read more

With Au Petite Cafe a block away, it is highly unlikely that I will ever return here. My banh mi was quite dry, and somewhat flavourless on a toasted roll with a unique addition - cilantro dental floss. Apparently the individual who crafted my sandwich decided to put full stems of cilantro on my sandwich rather than just the more tender leaves, so I was stuck fishing 4 inch ropey, unchewable cilantro stems from my mouth every second bite - yech! Thank goodness I read Marc D's recommendation about the Little Mountain Coffee Company which is located right across the street and was able to wash down the not great Bon Cafe food with a delicious espresso. read more

Awesome banh mi's! This place is a total hidden gem that gets overshadowed by their popular neighbour, Au Petite! If you don't want to wait in line at Au Petite down the street, come here! Its just as good! I got their grilled pork banh mi, and it was delicious! They have a couple of lunch combos all under $10! I've heard good things about their pho too, the broth which is made out of real pork bone! Low prices, quick service, no frills! Whats not to like? read more