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    Gia Lai Restaurant

    4.3 (110 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Order Gia Lai Restaurant Takeout or Delivery

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    GIA LAI RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Trendy
    Classy
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Gia Lai Restaurant

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    17. Crispy Egg Rolls (5 Pieces)
    Raquel P.

    First time trying this restaurant out and my party and I were very happy with dishes we tried. Their egg rolls were delicious. The tempura shrimp was delightful, they gave us two dipping sauces and they were both fantastic. I had the wonton soup with rice noodles and bbq pork and I was very happy with how good the broth was. My husband had the pork chop plate and we ordered some chicken wings and a combination fried rice and they were both amazing. One of our daughters ordered the beef soup and she didn't care for it, our other daughter ordered one of their noodle salad bowls with grilled pork and she took that bowl down, she was very pleased with her dish. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Overall the restaurant was very clean, the people running the place were very welcoming.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Would definitely consider going back and trying some more of their dishes. Great place to eat some good Vietnamese cuisine.

    33. BBQ Pork Egg Noodle Soup
    Stacey A.

    The place is located in a small little plaza the location is a bit questionable but don't let that deter you. Upon entering the place is super clean and quite modern. The service was fast and the people were super friendly. The condiments on the table were NOT sticky which I thought was a good touch. Seeing as Im a bit of a germaphobe. The soup broth was clean tasting as well.l and all the veggies were super fresh. The onions tasted like onion they were not too cooked and bland like I sometimes get in other pho places. I tried a bit of my husband's dish as he got the braised pork chop and it was perfect. Sweet and savory and the potions were big and filling. All in all I would try this place again.

    First time here today and the food was amazing. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's also really clean in there which is a plus![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Will definitely be going more often.

    This guy's service is poor to say it nicely without any ill words.
    Carolina L.

    The Pho is great and so is the crispy egg rolls. The service is horrendous! The host/attendee/ whatever sat many times at the bar to look at his phone. I could not understand if he knew what we wanted or what he said. It wasn't a language barrier I just don't think he knew or wanted to know what he was doing. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant is very clean and has a nice ambiance to it.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I don't care to come back even though I enjoyed my food. I can't get past the service. Not once did he ask if we cared for more of anything. I also had to flag him down to get our check.

    Floor sign welcoming you, it changes color. Their signature Gialai logo on the host stand.
    Katie M.

    They are super friendly and helpful with the menu. I love the tempura shrimp with sauce! The ambiance is quaint. It is an open floor plan so you can see the whole dining area in one glance. The booths are spacious and the pop music covers are fun to listen to! Update: some of the music playing is original. Still pleasant to listen to. The Kung Pao is really good and our son loves trying different Ramen/pho meals. The best one so far has been the chicken Ramen. We have dined here about three or four times so far. Will be back!

    Eggroll
    Monique M.

    Really enjoyed this place. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Restaurant looked really nice and clean.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We went around dinner time and it wasn't busy. We were seated right away. We tried several items and we were really happy with the flavor. The prices were fair. The only item we didn't care too much for was the seafood boil. It wasn't a typical Cajun taste, it was more citrus. But otherwise everything wise was great. They even made the chow fun different as per our request and it turned out really good. We'll definitely be coming back here.

    Lisa Y.

    First time trying Gia Lai and was very impressed with the food. We ordered the bun Bo hue, house fried rice, seafood boil special, pork vermicelli noodle bowl and bbq pork chow mien. Every dish was flavorful and plentiful. We can't wait to come back to try other dishes.

    Roast Duck Noodle Soup
    Lorean W.

    Recently, Gia Lai came across my radar and as I am always in the mood for a bowl noodles, I knew I had to stop in and give them a try! It's very new and bright and tidy inside. The dining room feels nice and open, and they have a secondary room that is a bit more intimate. I love that they have nice big booths for larger groups. The service was prompt and friendly, especially from the manager/owner. I ordered the 'oysters on ice' from the specials, and the 'roast duck noodle soup' from the regular menu. The oysters themselves were delicious, but I prefer mine a bit more undressed--though the tobiko is a really nice touch and a fun textural component without over-complicating things. The duck soup was SO GOOD! The broth was silky and had great depth to it and the duck was so delicious! I do wish the vegetables were chopped because the pieces are a little awkward to eat--wouldn't mind the meat being taken off the bone either but that's just a personal preference thing. One thing I REALLY loved was the iced tea--not just because it's delicious but because it's priced appropriately! Other places in the valley I've been to lately are charging $4 to $5 dollars for a glass of iced tea and that's just too much. Not so at Gia Lai and I appreciate it so much. I'll definitely be back, but not until the outside temperatures go down because it is very warm and STILL inside. Not ideal for a hot bowl of noodles. They could use some music playing as well because it's so quiet inside when there's only a few tables occupied. Keep on doing your thing Gia Lai! Excited to check back in!

    Diana R.

    The pho is the best in the area im from the bay area and very picky with my pho the broth is so savory and flavorful it quickly became my boyfriend and i's favorite place to eat the service is alright but the food makes up for it !

    Number 2
    Koi R.

    Oh. My. God. Okay this is by far the tastiest pho I've had. And I've tried spots in Turlock, Modesto, Tracy, and Livermore. So delicious. The broth is so flavorful and brothy without being too rich in oil. It's so rich in flavor. The size, portion of the pho. The best. THIS is a large pho. Other places large is a medium in my opinion. Also, idk if they're new so prices are low. But it's like $14 for this large delightful bowl of pho. Place is very clean and looks hip! Not too bright, not too dark and the music isn't too loud either. Service is on point, they didn't make me feel bad for asking for extra lemons either ! Plus plus in my book! I definitely will be back with my friends

    Everything we had !
    Jeanette M.

    My photo does it no justice, but the food was amazing it looked beautiful and presentable, the favorite was on point we had a large shrimp pho and added chicken its was delicious! We also had house fried rice and I wanna say it was one of the best also to add we had the garlic chicken with white rice the chicken was perfect we will definitely be regulars here cant wait to bring our kids to come enjoy ! 100% recommend.

    50. Grilled Pork Chop Shrimp Shredded Pork with Rice Plate with sunny up egg.
    Manuel E.

    First time trying Gia Lai and we were impressed! You can tell the restaurant is new very clean, modern, and spacious with plenty of seating, even for big groups. Service was excellent from the moment we walked in, and our food came out quickly and super fresh. My lady ordered pho, which was flavorful and comforting, while I went with my usual go to a rice plate. Both dishes hit the spot. Definitely planning to come back to try more of the menu

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    Review Insights

    5 months ago

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    9 months ago

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    11 months ago

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    9 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Tuan N.

    Tuan N.

    Thanks you for supporting our new business. Hope to see you again soon

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    10 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    8 months ago

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    7 months ago

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    9 months ago

    Don't even bother with this restaurant. Service is terrible and the staff is not friendly.

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    9 months ago

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    6 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    4 months ago

    I ordered two chow funs, spring rolls and some other stuff - this food was expensive and had absolutely no flavor

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    1 year ago

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    11 months ago

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    10 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Tuan N.

    Tuan N.

    Thanks so much for supporting our new business. Hope to see again soon

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    6 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Tuan N.

    Tuan N.

    Thanks for supporting our new business . Hope to see you again soon

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    11 months ago

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    9 months ago

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    1 year ago

    Everything was so fresh and delicious! Service was so friendly, and it was clean and nice inside.

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    2 years ago

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    Photo of Tuan N.

    Tuan N.

    Thanks for supporting our new business . Hope to see you again soon.

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    1 year ago

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Gia Lai Restaurant

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    Commonwealth

    Commonwealth

    4.0
    (1.3k reviews)
    2.5 mi
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    First time here since moving in the area. Met up with some friends and got some good foods and…read moredranks. Came in around lunch time and it wasn't busy. Staff were friendly and there were menus for the drinks and food. They also had indoor and outdoor seatings. Majority of their menu were handhelds and shareable which is understandable since it's more or a brewery/bar setting. I got the Caesar salad with no chicken as well as the truffle fries. Truffle fries were very good and seasoned. Caesar salad was okay, most of the lettuce was already soggy but i should have asked for the sauce on the side. It seems like their tacos and handhelds are really popular so I'll try that next time. Overall good foods and good times. I'll come back.

    Sadly disappointed…read more My friends and I stopped by Commonwealth on a Saturday afternoon for a late brunch. It was a beautiful day so it was busy for both indoor and outdoor seating. Here, you order your food, grab a number, and find your own seat for the food to be brought out to you. We sat at a table outside to decide what to order. There were no menus available so we just had to search for it online before heading inside to order. Despite being third in line from the register, we had an extremely long wait to order. There was only one person running the register who also had to make the drinks, meaning the service incredibly slow. We wanted to order the five taco platter, garlic fries, chicken Caesar salad, and mimosa pitcher. Sadly, we were only able to get the pitcher and salad. The cashier told us "sorry, we aren't doing fries right now." Not doing fries? Every plate in the vicinity had fries on them. She said that because it was brunch hour, only food on the brunch menu could be ordered. We looked at the brunch menu again and literally saw garlic fries as an option as a side for the burgers/sandwiches. No where did it specify that you can't order off the other menu and both were available online. What bothered us about this is that we placed this order at around 1:50pm, and brunch ended at 2:00pm. I understand that we are not entitled to things on the lunch menu during brunch-time for items like the tacos, but considering the menu swap was less than 10 minutes away and they were quite literally were "doing fries" at the time, it didn't make much sense to us. The only food that we ended up ordering was the Chicken Caesar Salad. This one dish took a super long time to receive. By the time it was brought out, the three of us nearly finished the Mimosa pitcher. The waitress noticed we had no silverware and said she would go grab us some. Because of how the service had been going thus far, we placed a bet on whether or not the waitress would come back with the silverware. Surprise, surprise. She didn't. We had to go inside later and search for silverware ourselves. We weren't even able to get sharing plates which was upsetting since the waitress asked us if we would be sharing the salad. The salad itself looked delicious, but was bland. The dressing was missing that zing and zest that a Caesar dressing typically has. I do appreciate that is was a chopped salad, had avocado, and seasoned croutons. It is just unfortunate that it was lacking any flavor at all. The food prices are quite affordable for the quantity of food you receive though. This experience was disappointing because I was so optimistic about the place. The menu looked good, it had fun and casual vibes and a cool crowd of people. If Commonwealth worked towards better service practices, it would have been a more positive experience.

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    Commonwealth
    Commonwealth
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    The Brass Tap

    The Brass Tap

    3.7
    (278 reviews)
    6.1 mi
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    I like coming to Brass Tap bc they have a nice selection of drinks & even flights if you want to…read moremix it up. I will drive from Turlock out the far side of Modesto for the service, food & drinks I get!! Jess G is MY favorite. She is ALWAYS amazing! She is attentive. Pays attention to details. She's the only one I will drive out for. So I DO call before I go to make sure she's working. The BBQ Pork Mac & Cheese Balls are absolutely delightful!! They are my first choice for an appetizer. Brass Tap has a nice environment to hangout, chill & have some drinks. They have several TV's around too.

    Horrible service experience…read more When we arrived, the restaurant was only about 30% full and there appeared to be four waitresses on duty. After seating ourselves as instructed, we waited nearly 15 minutes before anyone acknowledged us or came to our table. We ordered two drinks and an appetizer (cheese curds) and requested a beer flight. It then took another several minutes to receive a flight card, and additional time before another waitress finally came over to enter the order. By this point, we had already been waiting approximately 25 minutes. Nearly 30 minutes after being seated, I finally received my flight. The cheese curds never arrived. Shortly afterward, our entrées were delivered. To be fair, the food itself was good. The larger issue was the complete lack of attentiveness from the wait staff. During the time we were waiting, employees appeared more focused on talking amongst themselves and cleaning tables than monitoring customers. At one point, a waitress cleaned the table directly next to us and never acknowledged our presence. Customers should at least be greeted, acknowledged, and offered water shortly after being seated. Instead, we sat for nearly 15 minutes without any interaction whatsoever. If a self-seating system is being used, management needs to ensure staff are actively watching for incoming guests and providing prompt service. To make matters worse, when the bill arrived, we were still charged for the cheese curds that never came to the table. We had already asked two different waitresses about the missing appetizer. The charge was eventually addressed, but it should never have appeared on the bill in the first place. We visited on Sunday, June 14, at approximately 2:45 PM. Our food arrived roughly 75 minutes after we first sat down. We left a $0 tip, which is extremely unusual for us. We normally tip 20-30% for good service, but the service on this visit did not warrant any gratuity. Management should review what occurred during this shift, including staff performance and table coverage procedures. Based on our experience, there were clear failures in customer service, communication, and basic attentiveness. Unless we receive an apology from management and some indication that these issues are being addressed, we do not plan to return. Potential customers should be prepared for slow and highly inconsistent service.

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    Great patio
    The Ripon Tap House

    The Ripon Tap House

    4.1
    (113 reviews)
    11.8 mi

    I come here whenever I want a good solid burger. Nothing fancy. Their "build your own" always hits…read morethe spot. I also like that they have a rotating tap list and the staff is pretty friendly. They offer quite a bit of options for games to play at your table, and the kids menu is a plus. My only gripe would be that their soda's aren't very good- I don't know if their machine needs to be cleaned or changed out but whenever I order a coke it is not good. It would be nice if they offered canned sodas instead.

    I stopped in on a Sunday around 1:00 p.m., and it wasn't overly busy. The brewery has a modern…read moreindustrial vibe with a spacious, open layout. There's plenty of seating, including standard tables, a full bar, and a long high-top table tucked beneath an overhang that's perfect for larger groups. Behind the bar, two TVs provide entertainment, and a large display showcases their rotating craft beer selection. They also offer happy hour Wednesday through Sunday. We were seated right away, and our server greeted us shortly afterward. She was friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable about the beer selection. If you're unsure what to order, they'll gladly provide complimentary samples, or you can opt for a beer flight to sample four different brews. I ordered the bacon nacho fries topped with pulled pork along with a beer flight. Every beer was cold, fresh, and flavorful. The nacho fries were the standout of the meal. They were surprisingly delicious. The fries stayed nice and crispy despite all the toppings, giving each bite a great balance of texture and flavor. Two of us shared the appetizer along with our drinks, and it was more than enough food. I'd definitely order it again. Overall, we had a great experience. Between the welcoming service, excellent craft beer, and tasty food, this is a place I'll definitely be returning to so I can work my way through more of the menu.

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    The Vine House

    The Vine House

    4.7
    (138 reviews)
    11.8 mi
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    It had been a while since first tried this restaurant. They now have a full bar and that piqued my…read moreinterest. My husband started with a green salad and a glass of the Justin Cabernet. I had the strawberry limoncello spritzer and it was refreshing and perfect for a summer evening. Husband had the beef bourguignon and I had the salmon. Both were excellent! We finished with an espresso martini and the warm chocolate chip cookie with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate and caramel! Yummy. Service from Catherine was excellent.

    The Vine has such an intimate atmosphere. The interior is beautifully designed, with aesthetic…read moredecor and a stunning display of their wine selection. We ordered a variety of dishes, including the spinach and artichoke dip with cauliflower bread, fig & prosciutto tartine, mushroom & feta tartine, chorizo mac and cheese, beef bourguignon, catch of the day, and the long-range pork chop. Every single dish was a 10/10. Of course, we couldn't leave without trying dessert--we had the Ghirardelli chocolate chip cookie, butterscotch pudding, and crème brûlée, and they were all just as amazing. Our server, Vanessa, was exceptional. She guided us through the menu and drink options and gave fantastic recommendations. The cocktails were also delicious. We have no complaints and will definitely be back!

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    Johnny Carino's

    Johnny Carino's

    2.6
    (602 reviews)
    5.8 mi
    $$

    My sweetie and I recently ate here as I had a rewards BOGO coupon. I ordered the Salman in light…read morebutter wine sauce and artichoke hearts with a side of mixed vegetables. I absolutely loved it! There is a new favorite I have here and I plan to get it the next time I eat here! The waitress was very attentive and nice. The only reason why I give the place 4 out of 5 stars is because during eating there, a family nearby had a screaming toddler. Now I know that there is not much staff can do about that but management could ask the parents in a respectful and kind manner to control their kids. Not everyone wants to endure the piercing screams of a toddler and it does indeed reflect on the parents. My sweetie and I just wanted to enjoy a relaxing meal.

    Unfortunately, I ignored the 2.6 stars and went ahead and tried it out. My wife and I were…read moredefinitely disappointed. Where do I start... When you walk in, it feels like you are walking into the back door of a restaurant. There is a tiny sign that says wait to be seated to your left, that some people missed when they walked in. The service was horrible, I hate to say. Our waitress asked 2 times what food we were waiting on...which was our salads and entrees...and we never got our salad. (She completely forgot) Then she never asked to refill our drinks...and the manager finally did after he saw me looking up the Yelp reviews. Food: Appetizer: mozzarella cheese sticks...they were just ok. Salad: don't know, never got it. Entrees: baked cheese ravioli, was pretty good. We also got the chicken fettuccini Alfredo and that was horrible. The chicken tasted old and microwaved and the pasta was like pasta-roni. Very, very bland. Desert: chocolate cake was actually very good...but can't make up for everything else that was wrong. We will never return to this place again...and it makes me not want to even try Famous Dave's either. (They are in the same building)

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    Their cleaning chemical and dirty rags as my view while we try to eat this horrible food.
    Their cleaning chemical and dirty rags as my view while we try to eat this horrible food.
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    Gia Lai Restaurant - chinese - Updated August 2026

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