This little place is easy to overlook amid the traffic in Monterey, but it's worth figuring out how to get into its parking lot. The food is fresh and delicious, the beer selection is good, and the people-watching can be fun. I was there on two different occasions a month apart, and both times I enjoyed an excellent meal at a bargain price. Just be sure to get there early, as it fills up fast at supper time. read more

Great food! Decided at the last second to grab dinner instead of cooking tonight and found Chopstix. The food is truly great! read more

I love Chopstix food. Today was my 3rd order this month. For takeout, food is hot and delicious. I have been going to both the Seaside and Muras restaurants for years. read more

The food here was fantastic. I'm so upset I was there for months and didnt actually try it until about a week before my departure. Prices are cheap compared to the rest of monterey. They have a variety of things to try. Have at it! read more

Chopstix - Number 15. Very good! - Vietnamese Near Me - Monterey, California

So I used to love this place but they have completely down graded since COVID. They raised there prices by .50 or more and give you less food! I called in a order so I wouldn't be waiting around in the tight and close area but they didn't have what I ordered... so they just didn't make my order until I came in to pick up, where I had to sit and wait for something else to be made I really didn't want! Totally disappointed and rather save my money for better quality food! read more

Waited over 25min for the food then proceeds to say they forgot and doesn't have anymore regular soup except spicy noodles

Came on Saturday night by myself and it was very busy. Waited for maybe 10 minutes and was seated. Waitstaff was very nice and attentive. I got the spring rolls which were decent and the large pho (for $1 upcharge). If you're not super hungry, go with the regular, lots of noodles in the large bowl. Delicious though!! read more

Chopstix - 1b. Pho Chin, Brisket beef pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Monterey, California

I'm not from here, was looking for a place to eat. Found this one & order for takeout. Portions was not a lot. Bf order the bbq pork rice plate. The meat was thinly slice. Rice & salad was the size of a kids palm. Bf was still hungry, he wasn't satisfied, was upset. Place could added more portion size for the price . Rip off, don't recommend this place to anyone. read more

This Chopstix is conveniently located just down the street from the Del Monte Center (Monterey's outdoor shopping mall). It's fairly small inside and is quite busy due to their tasty Vietnamese food at an incredible value! They serve Viet. appetizers, pho, bun bo hue, udon & wonton soups, dry-noodle bowl dishes, rice platter dishes, Viet. sando's, and dessert. The dishes are $5.50, and the sammie's are only $3.50. There is about 9 tables and a small bar area with a handful of barstools. The wait staff is great and really friendly. They have oodles of delicious boba drinks categorized as: milk tea (29 flavors), flavored tea (18 flavors), mocha blast (9 flavors), snow bubble (24 flavors), slush (23 flavors), and specialties (15 flavors). If I lived next door, I think I would have to try all 115+ choices! Good thing I don't or I'd probably have to pimp my bod with an insulin pump to manage all that suga! Enjoy in moderation folks! Drinks are reasonably priced between $2.50 - $3.75. I prefer milk tea with boba, which is only $2.50! *fist pump* Want some pho-kin great cheap-eats in Monterey?... then Chopstix is IT! Pho-reals! My pic of the Lemongrass Chicken dry-noodle bowl: http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=oBIiJUXZwEf5pOTbPUeBDQ read more

Chopstix - Lemongrass Chicken Noodle Bowl (Large) $6.50 & Tasty!!! - Vietnamese Near Me - Monterey, California

This place was on my list to visit when in Monterey, so the chance came on a Friday night. My husband and I stop in the evening around 8 pm and was told to pick any seat. Most the tables were dirty so we found one close by the back window. After about 10mins we were approached by our waitress, she asked what we wanted. I told her we needed menu during this time I was on Yelp looking at the menu and pictures drolling over the yummy food. So I really had no clue of what was served for dinner and what was included. The food took forever and was ok, the customer service was horrible, they had two little children sweeping the floors around us, while the workers were counting up their tips, unprofessional. I will not be going back. read more

********************* 1284 ********************** Odd location by itself along the strip of all the motels here, not the best neighborhood, but it's a Vietnamese restaurant, a few rare ones in Monterey. Food is definitely NOT authentic. The wonton soup has broccoli and mushroom, trust me I love veggies, but I wasn't expect that! The BUN BO HUE Vegetarian bowl was surprisingly delicious, generous portion, much cheaper than what I pay in San Jose and San Francisco. Friendly and quick service, clean restaurant, and CHEAP EAT. So if you need a quick fix, this place would come to the rescue! Don't expect authentic food like we have in San Jose, but this is as good as it gets here. read more

See all

Summary: - Service - very friendly and attentive - Food - *CHEAP* and just about right - Ambiance - dive-y but hip & trendy at the same time NOTE: a few dishes here = same price for 1 dish at most surrounding places. Come here if you're really hungry, want a cheap but good eat, or just to take a break from the usual dining spots ******* "I'll start with the fish balls and sweet potato fries...then a Pho Bo and the vegetarian glass noodles. We'll decide on the slush later." "Fish-what?" My fair lady immediately asked. "Erm, fish balls" "EWW, what the heck?" she rolls her eyes, giggles, and continues, "that just sounds gross..." I had this look on my face when right then and there, I figured she was completely innocent to the foods of the South Eastern part of this planet. I mean, she's gone to Food & Wine events as well as other tasting events. So it surprised me that she never heard of this. Oh wait, that wouldn't be a fair statement. She knows French, German, and definitely traditional American fare but I should have totally realized that the dead giveaway is what she orders at Japanese restaurants [or places that pretend to be Japanese]. Nice. It's time to devirginize-her-Asian-food-palette in this somewhat-Asian-fusion place. Obviously, it didn't go too well after she tried the fish balls. Yeah, just like sashimi doesn't sit well with her either...or the other random more street-like Asian foods. I ended up having to eat everything, which I am NOT going to even complain about. Well, to keep it short, I enjoyed this place and I'll definitely come back. I mean, all those dishes + our slushes were still cheaper than my single dish for lunch. So there is no way I'd complain [especially when the service is friendly!]. read more

Adore Vietnamese Meals! Fairly healthy meal choices are tasty, good portions at very inexpensive prices. The new location has attractive decor, inside or outside seating, and excellent entree choices. Service at most Asian eateries is "hit or miss" on the friendliness element, but it is usually fast and efficient. Of course, lunch and dinner rush hours are going to take a little longer anywhere. Shame on all those pre-madonnas out there that believe the world revolves around them. Narcissism is a very ugly trait, but very American! They should save us all from their presence and stay home! read more

See all

The pho is horrible. Completely flavorless and watered down. We were so excited about having some pho after diving but were sadly disappointed. The broth tasted like they were low on soup and someone just dumped a gallon of water to a a cup of real pho bone broth. That's how watered down it tasted. I've been here for their appetizers and they were not bad. The lemon grass chicken was actually really tasty. They do have good customer service here. But for the pho I would give it negative stars. Seriously, even those instant pho packages had better favor. My poor husband couldn't even eat his soup. It was like eating noodles with hot water. The beef was really bad quality too and way over cooked. . Made me wonder if this place changed owners, because we went here though a friends recommendation, two years ago. read more

See all

I have been coming here for years and have loved it every time. Walked in for to go order, ordered quickly, and then waited 15 minutes minutes. A boba and a large sized rice plate, the only two items I ever order when I come. Seemed like the prices went up but that's normal in this country but I got home, and their portions for sure got way smaller. Pictured, seemed like more lettuce than broccoli and beef, which was strange because I've never gotten a tomato and lettuce with this order, only cucumber. I always get a large size and eat some now, some later but I was able to eat this in one sitting and was still hungry. I don't know how or why, they weren't busy at all, only 2 tables who were both already basically done. I'll give it another shot another time but if it's the same issue, I won't return which I would hate. read more

Chopstix - 24. Beef and Broccoli ("large" sized) - Vietnamese Near Me - Monterey, California

So I've lived here for 4 years now and this is my go-to Vietnamese place in Monterey. Food is good and price can't be beat. It's always busy so everyone here loves the food too. I know I said it was just ok in my last review, but I can't compare this place to the places in Orange County. Whenever I'm feeling homesick, I know this place helps me get over it. The familiar smells of the pho bring me back home. Everyone that works here is friendly and fast. I definitely recommend this place for your Vietnamese fix if you're in the area. Good value and good food. read more

Chopstix is a great choice for a quick, cheap bite and a refreshing Boba (Bubble) Tea beverage. Sandwiches are $3.50 (BBQ Beef, BBQ Chicken, Ham, Pork, Lemongrass Chicken, Bacon and Vegetarian) and most dishes are priced at $5.50 with good portions, so you can stretch those dinner dollars pretty far here. For a mere $20.00, lunch or dinner for two is covered at Chopstix. This is an in-and-out type of place....there are always scores of people in here from open to close everday and only like 9 tables. But the food is brought out quick and many orders are for take-out, so you'll be able to nab a table with relative ease. Don't expect to get doted on. You get a smile and quick service. No extras here but always pleasant. The Oreo Cookies 'N Cream Boba Tea and the White Chocolate Mocha Blast were both wonderful! I had to come back two more times last week to re-visit the cool, creamy chocolatey goodness of that Oreo Cookie Bubble Tea. The White Chocolate Mocha Blast was a close second. The Avocado Boba and the Mint Chocolate Chip Mocha Blast were very enjoyable. The Lemongrass Chicken Noodle bowl ($5.50) was very light and refreshing. Generous chunks of grilled chicken and fresh vegetables (bean sprouts, cucumber and mint) tossed with a vermicelli noodle salad, served with a side of sweet-chili sauce. The Mandarin Chicken Wings were tasty with a nice honey-based glaze with strong notes of garlic, soy sauce and ginger. The Calamari and the Veggie Egg Rolls are always great mealtime accompaniments. Chopstix has been a real boon for cheap eats seekers and Boba Tea lovers. I will be back in soon :-) read more

See all

This place is absolutely awful! The customer service is ridiculous and when it comes to ordering your food, WOW is all I have to say! I had ordered my boba over the phone and they said it will be done in 15 min. I went to the place and waited 45 min in the restaurant for two bobas, While everyone before and after me got there bobas. So I approached the cashier and she "oh sorry, we can't make it!" What!!! I was extremely upset!!! She gv me a Stupid excuse for not making my drinks, left with no drinks, money back and no sorry!!! Never again!!! Here's a pic of my boba they delivered to me two hours after I ordered my food!!! Yes, I gv them one more chance and NEVER AGAIN!!! My pic of the boba is the nasty picture towards the end! read more

Chopstix - This what they delivered to me! This is suppose to be a kiwi boba!! WTF is this!!! Disgusting!!! - Vietnamese Near Me - Monterey, California

Everytime we are in Monterey, we stop at Chopstix. On Sunday we stopped for dinner after a long day. The restaurant was busy and we placed our order and sat outside. Our food arrived in 15 minutes. My husband ordered snow peaswith chicken and I ordered the beef pho soup. My soup arrived with a greasy looking broth and was very salty. The beef was dry and tasted horrible. When I asked where the bean sprouts, basil, and jalapeños where at I was told that it didn't come with it. The owner came out to bring someone an order and I brought the soup situation to his attention. I told him that the broth was greasy and tasted weird and that I didn't want it. He proceeded to argue with me and tell me that the oil was from the beef and if I wanted to exchange for the chicken, the broth would be the same. He brought out the chicken pho, bean sprouts, and the other fixings. The Pho was much better. On the way out I thanked the owner and gave him a tip. He took the tip, made a nasty remark and gave it to his waiter. Based on other comments based on his horrible beef pho, and my own experience, I will never go to Chopstix. Go up the street to Great Wall and enjoy excellent customer service and fresh soup. read more

This has to be one of the best Vietnamese restaurants I have ever dined at (and I have dined in the famous Vietnamese restaurants in DC). Plenty of food for a great price. The flavors of the Pho broth was just right and the stir fried egg noodles.... wow! The wait staff were super friendly and the meals came out quickly. I highly recommend this place for those that crave some Vietnamese food or some boba tea. I know, for sure, we will be back. read more

Chopstix - Fresh Spring Rolls - Vietnamese Near Me - Monterey, California

See all

It depends what you're looking for... a cheap filling meal, sure this is the place to go. It's hard to beat those prices and good variety of selection to choose from. But don't expect the meal to be top quality. Boba is the best I've tasted in Monterey. I especially like the passion fruit. I'd avoid the Vietnamese ice coffee if you're actually looking for the real french press drip. Haven't been able to taste all the dishes but the vietnamese bbq pork dish was interesting. Let's say, it wasn't what I was expecting, (Suon Nuong) but still decently tasty. The soup was pretty good to, but I think the ultimate test would be trying the pho. I'll have to come back and try some of the other dishes. There's also several daily specials that look really good too. Only quip is that the service was spotty. We never got water refills, only checked on once, no one came to pick up the bill so I ended up just paying at the counter. read more

It reminds us of some of the places we could go for pho and boba in LA. The option for fresh rice noodles is great! And they have decent boba. I'm still waiting to try their green beans as they've been out each time I've ordered it but they call immediately and let us know so we can choose an alternate. So far everything we've tried is pretty tasty and when they pack things to go it's done really well and in a considerate way so you don't end up with soggy warm salad etc. I usually get some pho, got a rice dish, glass noodles and my mom got the papaya salad. All of it was good. We've become regulars read more

I have this thing about not wanting to review places where I visit regularly. Everytime I think about writing a review about Chopstix, I'm torn -- because I obviously like their food (or I wouldn't keep getting it) but their customer service is pretty much terrible (which is why I usually get takeout and/or expect to be treated like crap). I am reluctant to give them 4 stars but then I'm like "why would I be a regular at a place that I give anything less than 4 stars? Gawd, I am such a masochist." The food actually isn't even that great. What is great is the combination of cheap, conveniently located (for me), and well packaged take-out. I like the pho especially and get it regularly, but it's not the best pho I've had. However, see above -- cheap and closest to me, so easy to grab and go. They do brisk business at the Monterey location and maybe that explains some of the customer service shortfall. But if I were to rate if just on dine-in experiences, it would be maybe 2 stars -- because service is poor even when they're not busy. The communication among staff about who is responsible for which table isn't quite there and can cause major lapses. And they aren't great about bussing tables and ensuring all utensils and condiments are available in a timely manner. But when they're good, they're very, very good. So... on those days, it's easy to overlook all the other bad days and relax and enjoy a meal. But on the bad days, ugh, gawd, you just want to get up and leave and find someone else who can cure your pho addiction. It's very hit or miss, Russian Roulette dining. So, I recommend takeout. Also: bring cash if your bill will be less than $15 or they'll charge you extra to use your card. read more

See all

This place was awesome! I got the lemongrass chicken, meatball summer rolls, and a Stella. Everything was really good. Pretty cheap with the lemongrass chicken running me 6.50 for the large size, 5 for the summer rolls, and 3.75 for the Stella. The meatballs turned out to be what looked like slices of pork salami or something. I picked it out and it was really nice with the peanut sauce. The lemongrass chicken was awesome. Really flavorful and I love vermicelli so it was awesome! Good portion sizes too! I tried the 5 spiced chicken that my friend got. It was really yumms but it was marked as the spiciest item on the menu but it wasn't spicy at all. Awesome all around! read more

Chopstix - I should've gotten a photo of this before I ate most of it but so good! I got the lemongrass chicken and meatball summer rolls. - Vietnamese Near Me - Monterey, California

See all

I purchased their Papaya Salad. It's always good. Everything on their menu is good. I will go there again.

There were more positive things for me to say about this place than negative so let's start with the bad news first shall we? For a pho place, the bowl sizes were very fair and average for the most part but the portions seemed very off. For a Dac Biet regular sized pho, I got so much more tripe than meat and the noodle ratio to soup was 1:4 in my opinion. I usually prefer a ratio where there obviously is more soup than noodle but not to where I finish off the noodles in a few bites and still have a heap of soup left. Besides that, I feel like the flavor of the broth was decent enough compared to other pho places in small towns. It's nothing a Siracha and Hoison can't fix. Although I did wish they had chili oil for you along with the garlic pepper siracha they did have. The service was superb to say the least. We went an hour before closing (yes we needed a quick bite and went later than we thought-sorry!) and it was PACKED! And even though the place was busy and my boyfriend and I had to sit and wait, the host/server was very chipper and welcoming. She was so cheery and asked us to wait 5 mins for a table. My boyfriend was doubtful for the 5 minute wait but we quickly got seated. We were tended to immediately and even with the place being so packed, the servers all did good work as a team and made sure every guest was tended to occasionally and it made the ambiance more relaxing and homey. Service like this really outshines the business and (to me) makes the food taste better and worth visiting for! read more

Everything was good to great with incredibly reasonable prices. $1.00 add to upgrade to large portions is generous and accommodates sharing dishes. If this place was in my town is be back regularly. Oh, and the kids loved the yummy flavored Boba teas. read more

Chopstix - Slurping is the way!!! - Vietnamese Near Me - Monterey, California

Food was delicious and the servers were so friendly! My boyfriend and I were in town and decided to check the place out. We got our table real fast and they were so patient with us when ordering food. I love the teas there! We ordered two more before we left. Definitely coming back when we are in town. Thank you, Chopstix! read more

Chopstix - Lemon grass chicken number 18 - Vietnamese Near Me - Monterey, California

Chopstix is slaggin on D. What was once a tasty, fresh, and piping hot soup affair has lost its mojo. After being open for just a few months now, the food has gone from good to bad, in near record time. The last few meals I have had here were served to me cold, not fresh, not hot. The meals were sloppily put together, lacking that cohesion of ingredients necessary for a respectable bowl of pho. Maybe it got too busy for its own good. It's always a packed house and they seem to just be slinging out the pho as fast as they can. Making plenty of money, yes, but no concern or care is put into the individual dish anymore. Sad. I'll have to start traveling the extra few miles for some other noodle bar. read more

I don't know how they get high reviews. It was 3 of us. As soon as we sat , we were weighted That was good but when we got our food , My husband's Pho was very cold but mine was super hot , I mean temperature burning hot hot that I had to wait in order be able to eat. And my daughter's it was ok. Definitely not going there again read more

yummy Vietnamese food with great price and lots of selections (sandwiches, pho, rice place, cold noodle...) ! Also have a good selection of Boba tea, slush, smoothie. Place looked pretty clean also, with a private parking lot for the customer. read more

See all

We tried Chopstix tonight, and WOAH, YUMMY!!! When we got there (at 5:30ish) the place was busy with lots of people in line for take out orders and all tables inside full (except one, which we got). With me was my mother and my two kids. We were quickly approached with menu's and the waitress was super helpful with the kids choosing drinks (the oreo cookies and cream snow). The drink menu is AMAZING. I was reeling from choices! We started with the spring rolls (YUM) with peanut sauce (double yum). I had the five spice chicken, my mother and daughter had the won ton soup. My son had the snack of popcorn chicken. He wanted calamari, but they were out, no big deal, he'll get it next time! Our dinners were $5.50 each, add a $1 if you want the large size. We were checked on a few times, with nice smiling waiters and waitresses!! Like I said before the place was hopping busy, but we didn't wait any longer then usual for our order. We can't wait to go back. I feel bad that this great restaurant has a 3 star rating based on a few opening day glitches.... read more

See all

The restaurant is not clean, service is not good, we ordered egg roll. It's overcooked. I asked the waiter why both ends of the egg roll are burned like dark dark. The body of the egg roll is dark brown.He said is normal! My grandson ordered pot stickers which came out soggy n soaking wet . Even traders joes pot stickers are looking better. The condiments on the table ( the plum/hoisin sauce) , the top is so disgusting I ask the waiter to clean. read more

Came in, waited over 35 minutes for food, and was underwhelmed. The sandwich lacked anything that could be called flavor and the servers didn't seem to update us on anything going on. It also seems like they were prioritizing to go orders which made the dine-in experience very underwhelming - especially with the small army of doordash drivers that came through the dining area. read more

Average food, good service. This is one of those Americanized Asian restaurants. The food is cheap and descent, but there are better choices with better taste for a similar price range. I had the Vietnamese pork chop with rice. The meats that come with the rice dishes are usually well marinated, however, although this pork chop was dredged in sauce it lacked flavor. Disappointing. I would give them 2 stars but their staff are really friendly and helpful so they're the reason for an extra star. I'll admit that it is handy that you can place your order online. read more

Chopstix - Vietnamese pork chop with rice - Vietnamese Near Me - Monterey, California

This was our second time here. It was a little busy and our poor server was working the tables alone (she was doing a great job doing her best to keep up). Our order: #8 Won ton soup, very good #2 Pho ga chicken noodle soup, very good #13 Stir fried chicken, very good #55 Garlic string beans with chicken, a little to greasy and green beans could have been cooked a tad more. Kids enjoyed their Boba drinks: Oreo's cookies and cream snow with boba Coconut snow with boba (soooo good)! read more

I dont see why people are so picky ab this place?!!! Hmm - im myself a big pearl tea person... own one shop in bay area myself :p thats how much i like pearl tea. So we stopped by to get milk tea since i cant go longer than 5 days during this vacay. -very decent house milk tea and cantalop ice tea. One tip thou: the pearls alone werent soft enough and sweet inside out, well?!! This is a full menu restaurant HeLLo?!! Give them a break! Im jus happy and appreciative for what they offer -snack, foods, noodle soups, tea: total we got 4 cups of boba tea, 2 bowls of noodles soup, calamari, springroll, for the two of us. We were simply happy. -service is friendly and quick! Bonus ! Yes, give a try if you are not looking for some kinda high end picky dining place read more

See all

If you want Boba this is definitely the place to go. Mikey has incorporated real fruits in the blended drinks unlike regular Boba shops. I recommend Strawberry Mango with rainbow jelly. It's never disappoints. I do not recommend going here for food. If you see really Asian adults taking their family to an Asian restaurant you know the food is good if it's good enough for the people who can cook it themselves. That's not the case for Chopstix. There's not much variety in Monterey for native Vietnamese food but If you know real asian cuisine, you'd know that the Pho here is very bland and the the portions are definitely not worth the price. Down the street is Noodle Bar. If you're craving Vietnamese i recommend getting your drink at Chopstix and getting your meal at Noddle bar. The owners are related so I don't think it should be much of a problem. During dinner time, lunch or days with hot weather, expect to have delays in finding parking on the street. read more

Service - five stars! Our waitress was very friendly and has good communication skills. She often checked on us asking if we were doing okay. Location - very clean and impressive. I love the look of the restaurant from outside - very eye-catching. Plus it's right on the corner so it is easy to find. There are ample amount of parking spaces, their own parking lot and on the street. They have outside seating which also adds a nice touch. Food: Popcorn chicken - all dark meat and when you bite into it, you can taste the grease. We didn't touch it after two bites. The sauce was great though. Pho Soup (chicken) - very affordable. About $6.99 for large and the serving was a lot! However, the broth had no flavor. The slice of lime saved the day... Plus lots of squirts of hoisin sauce and hot sauce to make up the flavor. For me, a good pho soup is when the broth tastes delicious on its own, before adding other condiments. Mom order seafood pho and she said the same thing. Sweet and Sour Chicken with Steamed Rice - this one looked and tasted delicious. I would give four stars for this alone. My dad ordered this and we all tried it, we all agreed that we should have ordered it instead. Bahn Mi (lemongrass chicken) - tasted good. The chicken pieces were breast so that was a thumbs up. I wish the bread was crunchyon the outside though which is what I am used to getting from other Vietnamese restaurants. read more

Chopstix - Seafood Pho Soup. A lot of meat but broth lacks in flavor. - Vietnamese Near Me - Monterey, California

We came here after a long day spent in Big Sur. We walked in, and the place was packed! But luckily, we were seated after 10 minutes. I ended up ordering the summer rolls and the combination pho. The summer rolls were good, and it paired well with the peanut sauce we were given! However, pho was just decent. The elements (such as meats, noodles, bean sprouts, jalapeños, etc.) were all there but the broth seemed too thin and was lacking flavor. Service was only adequate. Felt that they seemed understaffed and lacking in knowledge. My boyfriend (who is lactose intolerant) was asking if they provided any dairy-free drinks, but the waitress seemed confused and was unable to give a straight answer. We just drank water. When we went up to pay, the cashier gave us someone else's tab. It was an accident, but good thing we quickly noticed. Overall, it was ok for the price! read more

Chopstix - Summer rolls :-) - Vietnamese Near Me - Monterey, California