Great selection of menu items that you may not typically find at other restaurants. Ample parking in the plaza, good amount of seating options, and quick service. We ordered: - razor clams - snails - fried tilapia - fried frog legs - pork rice plate I was thoroughly impressed with all the items we got. Everything was incredibly fresh! And surprisingly, everything - including the fried items - was easy to go down. The snails and razor clams were chewy and briny, with the snails being paired with garlic and scallion fragrant goodness and razor clams paired with crunchy greens. The fried tilapia was crunchy/flaky and paired well with fish sauce - I could see myself snacking on them like chips! The fried frog legs, while admittedly sometimes annoying to eat due to having to get the meat off the bones, was tender, crunchy, and well seasoned. And while we were practically stuffed from all this food, we had a couple bites of the rice plate before packing it to go, and the meat was a mix of tender, smoky, slightly sweet, and umami. If you're looking to impress a friend and have some fresh, unique, and flavorful seafood items, I would definitely take them to Dong Que! read more

See all

This restaurant deserves negative stars, if that were allowed. First, the customer service was horrid. It took forever for someone to take our order, and once we finally placed it, the table next to us--who arrived about 20 minutes after we did--received their food before us. We understand that this type of establishment can be loud and busy, and that service may be spotty at times, but the wait was unreasonable. As for the food, every dish was overly salty, and the duck eggs were dry and inedible. The only positive thing was probably the hot pot, which was decent. For a restaurant that seems to be trying to compare itself to Oc & Lau in Westminster, this was a huge disappointment. Do not come here if you expect good service or good food. At this price point, I expected much more. Unfortunately, this place was terrible. Don't be fooled by the other positive reviews. read more

See all

ABSOLUTELY DREADFUL SERVICE AND COMPLETE NEGLECT - AVOID (Đông Quê Restaurant, San Jose) Rating: (1/5 Stars) Restaurant: Đông Quê Restaurant Address: 2852 Alum Rock Ave, San Jose, CA 95127 Date of Visit: November 16, 2025 at 4:45 PM Party Size: 10 (Disabled Group) I wish I could review the food, but the truly abysmal service and disrespectful treatment of our party overshadowed any potential enjoyment of the meal. This was the worst dining experience I've ever had here, and I will never return. Specific Failures in Service and Courtesy 1. Flagrant Neglect of Disabled Guests at Check-in: Upon arrival, I approached the check-in area to notify staff we were here (a party of 10, including several disabled individuals). Even after I asked multiple young male waiters passing by to check us in or offer help, they didn't answer and didn't stop. To be completely ignored when requesting basic assistance is unacceptable and disrespectful. 2. Unfriendly, Dismissive, and Yelling: The waiter's communication with our party was incredibly unprofessional. They spoke to us in a loud, inappropriate tone, which made our experience very uncomfortable, and often sighed loudly. The situation peaked when we simply asked for a to-go box; the waiter yelled at us with such loud sounds that it was startling. This dismissive and aggressive behavior is entirely unacceptable in a service environment. Conclusion: A Feeling of Discrimination This was a fundamental service breakdown that moved beyond poor hospitality into sheer neglect. The failure of multiple staff members to assist a disabled group requesting check-in, coupled with the waiter's later unprofessional and aggressive conduct at the table, is truly shocking. Given the staff's clear reluctance to serve and assist us, it gave our entire group the distinct and unsettling feeling that they did not want to serve disabled people and that we were being discriminated against. A restaurant should value all its patrons and offer attentive, respectful service; it is clear this establishment does not. I strongly advise dining elsewhere until management addresses this severe failure in training and customer courtesy. read more

Dong Que Restaurant - Recipe - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

Absolutely the tastiest Vietnamese food I have ever enjoyed! I ordered the coconut snails and a dozen other dishes. Each was uniquely delicious, but the snails were a novelty for me and were great! The service was fast and helpful. Parking was skimpy, the restaurant was fairly noisy, but the quality of the food made these minor problems inconsequential. read more

We have Mother's Day together, food were good, service is ok , not so good. Overall is ok.

Service is rude . Not worth coming place is sketchy. Darken windows. Food is okay none real special

Dong Que is always poppin' with lots of locals visiting. The food is super authentic and very delicious. The service is attentive. It's easy to order a bunch of dishes because everything looks so good, and the bill can add up quick, so pace yourself! read more

Dong Que Restaurant - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

Service was quick, food was so good. This is a great spot if you are looking for street style Vietnamese food. read more

See all

Update on the refund: They charged us twice, so we waited for the refund, but it went through. My mom called back to check on the reversals and the lady on the phone answered and put my mom on hold. She forgot to mute and proceeded to talk shit about my mom. After she got back on, she said she'd send the receipt of refund that "she already did" but the refund was put through TODAY 10/9/25 when she said they did it on sunday 10/5/25. They would've continued with both charges, on my card and my mom's card if we hadn't called. DO NOT give them your credit card over the phone. Scammy vibes. Don't come here. Food is better elsewhere and the parking is awful here. Not worth it. read more

Fake phony customer service . Was waited on once ,,, Served and left to dry ,,, Never asked if my guest and I needed anything... The food looks nice but the taste is BLAND , Full of what seem like msg saturation. My guest and I walked away with indigestion !!! The place sucks !!!! read more

Dong Que Restaurant - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

Continues to have the best snails and clams around. Our favorite spot everytime we roll into town here. Great staff and service. Never disappoints. read more

See all

tried a new viet restaurant and their menu hide a variety of dishes! - 4/5 fried frog legs w butter: tasted like chicken but was v oily - 3/5 grilled oysters w cheese: cheese was a bit overpowering but i luvv oysters :-) - 4/5 pho ap chao: yompz partna loved this but id rather j eat regular pho hehe also i always get lwk sad when viet restaurants dont serve thai tea :( read more

See all

I gave this place two more chances. 1. Went at noon for lunch with Vietnamese friends on a weekday. The place was pretty empty maybe 1/8 full, the food was awesome. Everything tasted great. The Oc was well seasoned and buttery. Service was acceptable. 2. Went for dinner on a Sunday night with non Vietnamese friends, the place was packed. The Oc was tasteless, dry and not fresh. Waiter got 1 of 4 orders wrong. The waiters don't speak English well enough to know for me to know if they understood they got the order wrong, tried to take back two dishes instead of just the wrong one. I had to get up to find an English speaking waiter to confirm they understood the issue. The replacement came was not only tasteless but burnt. Did they use high heat to rush the order?? Don't do that! Not sure if you have to come with Vietnamese speaking friends to get decent food. I'm going to say it's a hit or miss and leave it at that. read more

See all

Super authentic Vietnamese restaurant. I loved seeing the wide range of demographic come through here. You got the aunties in here along with the younger crowd celebrating birthdays. So you know the food was going to be good seeing all the different age groups here. The food was delicious. The things I would order again are the banana blossom chicken salad (favorite dish), canh chua, oysters and snails. The banana blossom salad was incredible. It was super light and came with an oniony taste to it. Loved it a lot. The oysters were also delicious. It reminded me of what I had in Danang. I would pass on the chicken wings. They are kinda small and not worth the price. The shrimp was okay; once you get pass the shell, the inside was unseasoned. Service was decent. It gets very packed and you have to call out to get their attention. Don't be shy! They are hustling hard and you gotta use your voice or hand gestures to get what you need ! read more

See all

Long overdue review. This place has the best frog legs and family style foods. Everything are good and the price are reasonable too with good portion. read more

We came on a weekday evening and it was pretty crowded. We got canh mong toi, muop, cua dong; Goi Bao Tu Leoi Heo, Ca Com Trung Chien Gion Mam Me, and Oc Len Xao Dua. Food was good, and I would definitely come back to try the other dishes. They have a parking lot, but it's very small. We usually have to wait around to get a parking spot. Service is ok: you need to call someone to get their attention, and may wait a bit to be seated. read more

See all

Came here with two friends- it was my first time, though they've been before and liked the food. We waited up front for about 6-8 minutes before anyone even acknowledged us. Once we were finally seated, we placed our order, and later, the person who took it brought out the wrong beverages. When we politely told him it wasn't what we ordered, he got really defensive, started blaming us, and complained that they would have to remake the drinks. It was just such an uncomfortable, unnecesary reaction. He eventually took the drinks back but never came back to the table again. The rest of our food was served by other staff, who were much more courteous, making the experience a bit better. As for the food, we had the pork rice plate, some fried chicken, and scallops with fish roe, which were all a good portion. We also had some oysters, and they had a slightly bitter taste. My friends said the seafood was much better the last time they went. Overall, the food was okay, and portions were great, but the service experience really soured the visit. read more

Food is always amazing here. The seafood is always fresh and cooked to perfection. I think this is one of the best Vietnamese seafood / "snail" places around California. The bad: - need to constantly follow up with the servers and staff if you haven't received your food after 10 minutes.. chances are they forgot or the queue got messed up. - they always ask for cash tip vs leaving it on the credit card settlement, just pretty annoying and can come across as scummy. read more

See all

Came here on a Wednesday night and to my surprise it got fairly busy pretty fast after we sat down! We had a party of 7 and they were very accommodating. We had to remind our server a couple of times about our order since the servers got overwhelmed with the amount of parties going in. The food was delicious and their service was good. The ambiance can be like a chilling party hangout or a family fun outing. They have multiple private rooms for large parties as well! read more

See all

Đây là quán ăn mình thích nhất cho những món ăn vn. Mỗi lần có bạn tới thăm mình đều dẫn tới đây.

Delicious spot for Vietnamese style seafood. There is plenty of seating inside and outside. The seafood here is so fresh and cooked perfectly. They also have other options like stir fried noodles and grilled beef, which are also very good. My favorite dishes has to be the frog legs and razor clams. The staff here were very nice and attentive. read more

Definitely a spot you want to arrive at early if you're coming with a group! It gets packed by 5pm, but for good reason. They have so many menu items to choose from and have an amazing sturgeon hotpot that's perfect for families. FOOD REVIEW: *Sturgeon hotpot -- this place has the best sour and savory soup by far! The sturgeon is fresh and they give enough for a family style hotpot dinner. The bun and vegetables will *Bo la lot (leaf wrapped beef) -- soooo yummy by itself, with lettuce, or over rice! if you like the 7 course beef at Anh Hong, you will definitely enjoy this. If you're not familiar with this item, they are basically elongated meatballs wrapped in leaves that are super mild in flavor and wilted until soft. Pair with ground peanuts if you're not allergic for more texture! *Fried smelt (small fish) -- so nostalgic and delicious! the roe in each smelt I had was full of roe, just wished they would give a few more pieces for the price. *Banana blossom salad -- they ran out of the usual greens/sliced snail salad, but this was a great alternative! just be careful of the sweet fish sauce, it can get get a bit messy. 4 round shrimp chips included, yay!!! *Lemongrass clams -- this is my favorite clam item bc of the large clams and amazing flavor! the lemongrass, basil, and peppers make the hot this a great dinner starter. it's not exactly salty nor that spicy, but a savory clam soup? as always, be careful of any sand in all shellfish! *Blood clams -- the first time I had it a couple years ago was great, but this time around the clams were overcooked and became tasteless :'( PARKING: A bit tough to find storefront parking, so you will prob have to check behind the neighboring bank! read more

See all

The food is great here. I ordered the sea snails with green onion oil, coconut snails, fish sauce chicken cartilage, and the beef wrapped in betel leaves. Everything was delicious, but my main complaint is the ambiance and service. No matter what day I go (weekdays dinner time), it's always LOUD in here. Granted, they sell alcohol here and it's known to be the Vietnamese version of an izakaya (nhau), it's always extremely LOUD in here. People talking at the top of their lungs, screaming/yelling, and large groups of people. The music and just overall extremely loud environment had my ears ringing halfway through dinner, and when my family sat outside to continue our catch up, we could still hear patrons screaming/hollering inside the restaurant. The service is poor. I understand the nature of a "hole in the wall" Asian restaurant stereotype, but this took it to the next level. Servers are hard to come by. 3 different people greeted us and asked us how many people, and then neither of them sat us nor did they simply ask us to wait. They're always rushing around. They forgot a set of utensils and water, even after asking them twice and then they kind of just threw them at us. No amount of busy could justify these standards to me. We had something floating in the water, and their little paper pads were crinkled. Perhaps it's better to forfeit the paper pads altogether then. Despite all these shortcomings, their food speaks for itself and I might probably return next year (haha). Only this time as take-out read more

This is an excellent spot for Vietnamese food. Quick service and many unique Vietnamese dishes. There are many tables for small and large groups. Expect some wait time during rush hour. read more

See all

If you're looking for Vietnamese style cooking and love seafood, look no further. Dong Que serves amazing food and drinks! read more

See all

You know this place is legit when there are only Vietnamese families dining here. I loved the variety of different Vietnamese food you could get here. The Vietnamese seafood just hit the spot. I'm not a big oyster fan but the toppings on the grilled oysters paired so well. I also love the sauce that came with the seafood. It was sweet, tangy, and a little spicy. We also got the catfish stew and it tasted very homey. The server was also really kind to give us his recommendations. I'd come back again! read more

Dong Que Restaurant - Cheesy scallops and grilled oysters - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

Been here every time I fly into SMF California. WORTH the drive to eat here. Their grilled oysters are the best in town!! read more

See all

My Viet friends parents recommended this don't. It's not disappoint. Delicious clams, snails, fried smelts, crispy rice with pork floss and Chinese sausage, and much more. Goes down great with a pitcher of beer. Absolutely delicious and fresh. Good service. read more

See all

This restaurant gets super busy real quick. Service was good, servers were very attentive. Fish sauce Chicken feet 10/10 delicious! Very flavorful, a bit hard to eat Grilled oysters: 10/10 big oysters, creamy and worth it Mango salad: 10/10 Super refreshing. Sour sweet and a tad spicy, perfect for the summer Razor clam: 6/10 it was fine nothing wrong with it just not my type of clam Coconut snail: 7.5/10 I didn't really enjoy the sauce and super difficult to get the meat out read more

See all

This place isn't bad at all for a hangout spot/nhau food as they have liquor, beer, and lots of traditional Viet food.I came here with my family for dinner on a Thursday and they were super busy. There's various types of seafood, ranging from razor clams, scallops, snails. Their menu is huge and has so many options and are always packed, even on weekdays. Fried Lemon Grass Tofu: 4/5 Super flavorful and crisp. Good with rice! Fish sauce wings: 3/5 not bad, but not crispy enough and it's a tiny portion. Com Chay lap suong: 4/5 delicious! I would get this everytime. It's simple but I love crispy rice. Giant Clams/Razor Clams: All cooked in butter sauce with peanuts, masago, and green onions. These were delicious! 4/5 Fried Whole Fish: 3/5, This wasn't bad, but this is just your standard fish. I probably would not order again, nothing special. I am taking a star off due to bad service and I got a bad stomach ache from eating here. I would still come back for family/special occasions. read more

This is by far the BEST visit I've ever had @ Dong Que. While I frequent to the restaurant every now and then, the delicious tasting food is what continuously brings me back. Tonight, it was the food and the exceptional service!! Shout out to the young man running the show- not sure if he is the manager/owner?? Came here for dinner and the restaurant was already poppin' with loud chatter, sizzling hot plates, and clinking & clanking of Heineken beer bottles. This place just gives you the feels of nostalgia!! First thing that caught my eyes were the physical laminated menus!!! YAAAASSS-OH HOW IVE MISSED YOU!! I knew it was only gonna be a matter of time before the QR Codes would get the boot because the OGs were sure to cause an uproar. LMAO. I placed my order for our typical MUST HAVES: OC LEN XAO DUA [Vietnamese coconut snails] CHANH GA CHIEN GION [fried chicken feet] COM CHIEN DUONG CHAU [yang chow fried rice] NGHEU HAP THAI LA QUE [steamed clams in basil] ** the restaurant was unfortunately out of oc gao & oc mong tay ** Food takes a bit of time, folks. Don't come here expecting some fast food typa magic. Dishes come out piping hot, sizzling, and made fresh to each order. You will most likely be waiting a bit depending on what you order. While we were waiting for our food, the younger gentleman came out with a hot wheels toy for my toddler to enjoy at the table & take home. I appreciate him taking the time to notice her during the dinner rush & going out of his way to ensure she was happy & comfortable. YOU'S AN MVP!! Thank you for being attentive and so welcoming with all of your patron encounters- your efforts did not go unnoticed. 5/5 stars. Todays visit totally made my day- it really is the littlest things that can mean so much!! Food was amazing, waters kept getting refilled, and the customer service was A1. It really doesn't get any better than this!!! read more

See all

This place is great for homestyle Vietnamese cooking. I love this place because they are a variety of dishes and they're always consistently delicious. Have been coming here for years and the service and ambiance have surely improved in the last 5 years or so. Would highly recommend for those that are adventurous eaters or those that are missing home style Vietnamese cooking from their parents. read more

My mom was in town, and that always means lots of food! It was my partner's first time trying Lau, and he really enjoyed it (although I could not convince him to try the snails haha). We had the fried quail, fried pork intestines, coconut snails, grilled oysters, shaken beef, the Thai hotpot, and the caramelized pork and shrimp. Everything was very delicious, although I will note that the Thai hotpot tasted more like Canh Chua rather than Tom Yum flavor, but I didn't mind because it was very good regardless. My partner tried everything except for the snails, but he did get a sip of the coconut curry and said it was good. Hopefully next time he'll be more daring! It was busy when we got there, but they have quite a lot of dining space so we were able to get a table for 7 with no issues. Luckily, we were situated in a separate room, so we didn't have to deal with noise for most of our dining experience. Besides the Thai hotpot, everything tasted just like they would in Vietnam in my opinion, and the restaurant has the seal of approval from my mom. I would recommend coming with a large party so you can try as many dishes as possible, but do keep in mind that it can get pretty loud if the restaurant is full. We saw a lot of older Vietnamese folks there, which is always a good sign. The service is pretty standard for a Vietnamese restaurant, and the food came out in a reasonable timeframe. They're not overly polite or fancy, but I honestly prefer straightforward service anyways! read more

This is my go to place to take my parents to because they're such picky eaters! It's a mixture of classic Vietnamese food and Vietnamese drinking food. The place is pretty spacious but fills up quick during dinner time so be prepared to wait. I'd suggest going before or after dinner time for a quicker seating time. There's parking in the plaza and the Citi bank plaza after business hours too. The service is quick and friendly! We ordered catfish with mango salad, morning glory with escargot, razor clams with tamarind sauce, and fried chicken feet. Everything was so good and the highlights were the catfish and escargot salad, the fish was crispy and juicy on the inside and the salad was the refreshing and had a good crunch. Razor clams in tamarind sauce were okay but I'd opt for the garlic and butter sauce! The fried chicken feet is something I wouldn't usually order but if you want to try something new, it tastes like crispy chicken skin. I didn't drink this time around but their prices on beer and hard liquor are fairly priced! Bottles of hard liquor are available too and cheaper than other places I've been to. read more

See all

Ever since moving to the Bay, several people have recommended Dong Que restaurant to me for authentic Vietnamese street food focused on seafood - two years later I finally get to try it with a bunch of friends! For our first time we ordered quite a few dishes - though what I really wanted were the razor clams which they were sold out of :( Snails with Lemongrass (2/5): This is partially may fault, but I thought I had ordered the grilled snails so I was pretty surprised when they showed up with boiled snails. The soup itself was pretty clean tasting with the lemongrass, ginger, and spices negating most of the "muddiness" associated with snails, But since it was not grilled, the meat itself still had a bit of funk that I do not prefer. But this is purely personal preference so others may like this dish more. Shrimp and Pork Belly Claypot (3/5): Flavors here were good, but we were not expecting such a small portion for $18. This dish did not even come with rice. Grilled Blood Clams (3/5): Blood clams are not for everyone either but I personally love them. While the flavors were all there, my main complaint was that the clams were a bit overcooked so they ended up being a bit tough to chew. Grilled Scallops (4/5): These were delicious and large with four scallops in an order. Nothing beats good ole butter garlic and scallops. Personally would have preferred a bit less butter - but to each their own! Beef Rolled in Leaves (5/5): Ironically this non-seafood dish was my favorite one here - the beef was juicy, well seasoned, and this was paired with a plethora of fresh leafy greens to wrap it all! Crispy Seafood Noodle (3/5): Similar to the Cantonese dish, I always like how the gravy softens the crispy noodle just a bit. But like with the claypot, the portions of actual seafood were pretty limited. Black Bean with Clams (4/5): Also similar to the Cantonese dish as well, no major complaints here - though several shells were empty. Chicken Wings (5/5): Another favorite non-seafood item! Incredibly crispy and marinated in nuoc mam sauce, these were piping hot on the inside so be careful not to burn yourself! Overall an average experience but would still recommend if you are looking for an authentic Vietnamese street food spot and are open to trying all kinds of seafood! read more

See all

I have no idea what happened to my last review, but I'll put this out there again. If you want authentic Vietnamese hole-in-the-wall food, this is your place. Amazing flavors and huge variety of dishes outside of pho and vermicelli. This place is in a dodgy area of town and is not the cleanest of establishments, but the food makes up for it. The service is spotty, and you may have to wait a little bit for a table and food if it's busy, but again it's worth it. I loved the sausage rice pancake, hot and sour hot pot, and banana blossom salad. The flavors! Omg the flavors! Bursting at the seams! So delicious. Infused with such a deep palette of taste. It's amazing. It's like you really are in Vietnam. There's so much more outside of Pho and Bun for Vietnamese food. Try this place and you may not want to go back to them. read more

See all

I took my parents to the restaurant on a Friday night with the expectation of a delightful dinner, but our experience was subpar. While the food itself was satisfactory, the service left much to be desired. Initially, one of my ordered dishes, fried chicken feet, never arrived, and I later learned it got mixed up due to the kitchen being back ordered with too many fried dishes. This became frustrating as it was challenging to get the attention of the servers. Additionally, the portion size for the snap peas was disappointingly small. When we came in around 7pm, we were seated right away, but more and more customers came in and filled the restaurant. I think this is definitely a place where you get a drink and order more dishes as you eat. read more

See all

Dong Que is the only restaurant in NorCal my family comes when we want to have Vietnamese style seafood dishes . Service is always quick and I've never have to wait for table . read more

See all

"Nhậu" is becoming quite popular these days, "the art of drinking and eating with no particular purpose". This is the second place I've been to try this outside my own home and it wasn't bad. The customer service was quick -- To say the least. They take your order and it's immediately sent to the kitchen. We almost couldn't change our order within a minute after placing it (despite us coming on a Tuesday with relatively no people in the restaurant). They were quick to bring chilis, more water, utensils, etc. Very attentive and kind. I try not to speak in my native tongue and with my curls, it's not a dead giveaway. It's in order to assess how they treat all customers and I'm happy with the result. Food was tasty, portions were small -- Again, comparing to the last place I went to, the clams seemed to be half the size at a more expensive price. Coconut Clams - I love these, you don't need any utensils. Just got to make momma proud and suck Baked scallops - another dish that is quite tasty, reminds me of Thai Tom Yum flavoring or Di Di instant noodles Sweet & Sour Sturgeon Hot Pot - now this was flavor town, basically in a Thai Tom Yum broth! The veggies they bring are authentic to Vietnamese lau too. Hands down best item on menu. Overall, tasty spot. A bit too far for me but I'd love to try again when I visit San Jose. read more

Dong Que Restaurant - Sturgeon Hotpot - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

Spacious restaurant with a good amount of parking space. When you walk in, it looks small but there is actually another dinning area to the left which can be used for a private/large party. The service was ok, they were busy so I get it. Most of the food we ordered was very delicious. read more

See all