Golden River Restaurant
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On a rainy day the best soup to warm you up ban bab rieu,crab tomato soup with mixed veggies,fishcake,shrimp,pig feet. Came out warm to heat up the body. Excellent service restaurant was busy. Vermicelli noodle was plenty to soak up broth. Won ton noodle soup excellent. Also a choice of egg noodle or ho fun.They fill up water and tea for you. Also the hainan chicken.
Ordered banh hoi with bbq pork, beef ball, and a fried fishcake which came wrapped around a sliced stick of sugar cane. Talk about infusion of flavors! The fresh vegetables (mint, basil, cucumbers, and lettuce) were so crispy and clean, it made the DIY experience easy and enjoyable. Everything from the rice paper wraps to the condiments was authentically delicious! Can't forget the pickled veg & peanut w/onion garnish too. The place was packed but it was surprisingly quiet...just how I like it. 100% recommend!
The beginning of this month, this seemingly persistent virus finally caught up to me. Felt like I went through the wringer (does anyone still use this idiom???). I was sapped of energy. 5 days later I needed to return to work--fever free and negative. What can I have for lunch? A lot of food places outside are usually unhealthy. If healthy, it's cold and raw. Thankfully, there's always Pho to save the day. I went on a Pho quest to restore my Force--visiting only new places along with an old one and only in Chinatown. I started my quest at Golden River Restaurant. It's been at the corner of River and North King Street for decades. I remember going there a couple of times as a boy with my Yeye (paternal grandfather). Everytime we go to Chinatown, we have Bahn Mi, usually at Bale (or we go to McDonalds :p). I was a child who never complained or threw any temper tantrums to go somewhere, and whatever food you put in front me, I'll eat and finish it (all still true today). I write this review having already tried the Pho at almost every Vietnamese restaurant within that block (one left, who knew it closes on FRIDAY!!). Every place has its pros and cons. If I had to rank Golden River, it'd be at the bottom, but that doesn't mean it was bad. The pros: the amount of ingredients. You get a lot more of everything here. The beef tendon and rare steak are the best here. Big pieces of tendon and tender rare steak. Plenty of vegetables, sliced onion, cilantro, and scallions. Noodles were also plentiful and had taste. Another pro was the seating. It was surprisingly quiet, cool, and comfortable inside. You could not hear all the cars passing by. The con was the broth. It didn't taste bad. It was just very one note. I could not taste the herbs and spices. It didn't feel savory or hearty. It was almost like salt/MSG and water. But all the meat and fresh ingredients made up for it. Overall, the pho wasn't bad. You get the most ingredients here. Just the broth doesn't measure up. It's still better than anything outside of Chinatown, but within Chinatown, other places are better. Service was good though. Food came out fast.
We stopped by here for lunch today, along the way to watch a Korean movie at Regal Dole Cannery. Service was quick and respectful as usual. My wife ordered the Pho with Tendon, and I, the Combination Pho. First the leafy greens and bean sprouts arrived. We use this time to remove the leaves from the stems in preparation to soaking them in the hot soup. Shortly afterwards, our piping hot bowls of pho were served. My wife enjoys hers with Chili Garlic Sauce, which has a clean aftertaste and enhances the already tasty broth. At most other Vietnamese restaurants, we have to specifically request this sauce, but here at Golden River, it's available at the tables along with other condiments. Although we both had medium-sized pho, they were enough to warm us up and satisfy our appetites on this cold rainy day. This is our go-to place to enjoy a bowl of beef noodle soup when we're in the area. https://www.facebook.com/groups/hawaiikorea/permalink/1835728043468212/
I just moved to Oahu and was craving banh cuon so I ordered this dish to go. I wanted to love it so badly but the flavors were underwhelming. It wasn't seasoned very well and even the fish sauce tasted bland. Trust me, I didn't think that was possible. Now, I don't know if I am just being biased because I am so use to my moms banh cuon but as I reflect on this dish, I would not recommend this dish. I will give this place another try because the service was great! I will try other dishes though.
I remember back in the day there used to be a really long line to dine at this restaurant over the weekend (it seemed much bigger back then, or maybe it's because I was also very small) lol Parking is a little rough around the edges in Chinatown but you can definitely score a free parking spot on Sundays! This is one of two places that I know of that offer banh coun. It's one of my favorite dishes and not many places offer this. It was about $12 a plate and takes about 15-20 minutes to make. The restaurant was practically empty when I went, but a few other patrons came in shortly after as it was becoming lunch hour. Service was pretty standard to any Vietnamese restaurant and I'll definitely be back again when I have cravings
Wow! This hidden gem has some really delicious food, great service and unique menu items. I'm already looking forward to going back! They have Bánh cuốn which is toothsome soft rice noodle wrappers (almost like if mochi and ravioli had a baby) stuffed with seasoned mince pork, woodear mushrooms and shallots, with meatloaf slices and topped with fried shallots and green onions. Served with lettuce, mint, basil and bean sprouts. Theirs was as amazing as I remember it when I was in Hanoi. Definitely try this dish! It's hard to find in most Vietnamese restaurants. We also got the Bánh xèo, a savory fried pancake made of rice flour, water, and turmeric powder stuffed with tender slices of pork, shrimp and bean spouts and served with lettuce, basil and mint to make wraps with. The pancake is fried in coconut oil to give it a distinct flavor and the pancake is crispy. This was another amazing dish! We also got the spring rolls (not pictured) and they were also perfectly cooked and the filling was savory and properly portioned in the wrapper. The owner was willing to make me a Hanoi style iced coffee, which had raw egg yolk mixed with condensed milk and served with strong drip style cafe du monde brand coffee. It was rich/ sweet/delicious (and strong!). Service was very friendly and helpful and the food came out fast.
First time eating inside this restaurant after passing by it hundreds of times. The pho combination tastes good but the soup gets cold fast. I still enjoyed it.
Went in again. Only my second review but I've been there numerous times. This time back to dine in again. What I really like about their pho is the broth. It's superb. These days branded out to pho not only with rare beef but with brisket also. Always get spring rolls but today Ordered BBQ pork and spring roll over rice but spring roll sold out! Oh No! That was literally my reaction. They substituted summer rolls for me. My daughter is addicted to their iced coffee. Such good coffee, served in a coffee press. Is it called phin? It's so rich and sweet, even a non coffee drinker like myself like the roast flavor of this type of iced coffee. I usually have luck parking either on King St or River St (parking meter). Worst case scenario, municipal parking structure corner of Nimitz and River St. They close at 2:30pm at this,point but they stay open if customers are there. Would love to give them my support so check them out!
It has been a while since I have found a very good Vietnamese restaurant that still offers authentic dishes, true taste, no skipping on ingredients, and generous portions at a reasonable price. Of course I had to go to Chinatown and the most sketchiest part to find it, but it was well worth it. Located at the end of Chinatown at the corner or River and N. King it isn't exactly the most pleasant of locations. The building as well as the surroundings are rather dubious and ominous in appearance. However, despite as bad as everything looks, it is safe and once you get inside, you are in a cute little well kept restaurant being taken care of very friendly staff. I ordered the Spicy Beef Noodle Soup also know as Bún Bò Huế. What an amazing soup. It was spicy, but not like rocket launching blow your head off. Of course I added a good heaping spoonful of there incredible homemade chili sauce because I do like it rocket launching. The broth flavor was rich with lot of great meat tidbits of various sorts. It was also a lot larger than I expected and if had know the size would be so generous, would have probably gone for the medium size. The spring rolls that I also got were very fresh and you could tell made with care. I like the fact that you could order a small plate of 2 and it still came with all the fixings that come with Vietnamese spring rolls to make lettuce wraps. Be brave and head down to check this place out. It really is worth it.
I always get beef combination meat out side at Golden River Restaurant Downtown Honolulu! Its clear beef broth has rich savory flavor. The #thai #basil , #herbs and #beansprout add refreshing scent to the soup as well as crunchy texture to the bowl. Meat ball, rare steak, tendons, and all other meats create layers of rich full-body #umami ! This is a perfect mouthful satisfaction with comforting touch for my weekend! What food are you enjoying today? Mahalo for stopping by to my post #enjoyfoodhawaii
5 months ago
It's been a while since we last ate here. We arrived on a Saturday at abt 12:35. It was not busy and we were seated right away. Iced water was brought without prompting. I ordered pho with noodles on the side, with steak and meatballs. Hubs ordered lemongrass chicken plate but the aunty misheard and brought a bahn mi instead. Which is fine, whatever, coz he was also confused if he ordered rice or sandwich!! I don't usually eat with the veggies but I did it this time since I'm not eating noodles. I didn't add any sauce either but squeezed the lemon wedge that came with. The broth is tasty just so! I will be having my pho like this from now on. There was a good amount of meat, that even the hubs noticed. I didn't sample his sandwich but the bread looks freshly baked. He said it was nicely toasted. It's a comfortable resto with big windows and glass-topped tables and saxophone covers of pop music playing in the background. Reasonable prices, friendly staff. read more
8 months ago
Hard-to-Find Banh Cuon, Done Right One of my favorite Vietnamese dishes is Banh Cuon -- steamed rice rolls filled with ground pork and wood ear mushroom. It is typically served with steamed pork, herbs, fresh veggies, and a fish sauce vinaigrette. It is not a common dish, so you won't find it at most Vietnamese restaurants. But you will find it at Golden River Restaurant, located at the corner of King Street and River Street. Service was good, and the restaurant has strong AC, which was a welcome bonus on a hot day. If you're craving Banh Cuon and want a solid, no-frills spot to enjoy it, Golden River delivers the goods. read more
Stopped by here for lunch today and really enjoyed it! The hardest part was definitely parking -- it can be a little tricky -- but there are some street stalls and a few lots nearby, so it's manageable. Once you step inside, the AC is blasting (which honestly makes you crave something hot and comforting), and the food absolutely delivers. We tried the pho, the look funn seafood noodles, and the vermicelli noodle soup -- everything was flavorful, piping hot, and hit the spot. We also ordered the spring rolls and the roll-up plate, which ended up being one of my favorites! Fresh, tasty, and super satisfying. Overall, great food, cozy vibes, and I'll definitely be back soon! Service was also so quick and easy. read more
On a rainy day the best soup to warm you up ban bab rieu,crab tomato soup with mixed veggies,fishcake,shrimp,pig feet. Came out warm to heat up the body. Excellent service restaurant was busy. Vermicelli noodle was plenty to soak up broth. Won ton noodle soup excellent. Also a choice of egg noodle or ho fun.They fill up water and tea for you. Also the hainan chicken. read more
4 months ago
Support local family owned business. This Vietnamese restaurant has been in Honolulu Chinatown for more than 20+ years. Their PHO beef and pork meat balls are freshly made with No preservative. read more
Ordered banh hoi with bbq pork, beef ball, and a fried fishcake which came wrapped around a sliced stick of sugar cane. Talk about infusion of flavors! The fresh vegetables (mint, basil, cucumbers, and lettuce) were so crispy and clean, it made the DIY experience easy and enjoyable. Everything from the rice paper wraps to the condiments was authentically delicious! Can't forget the pickled veg & peanut w/onion garnish too. The place was packed but it was surprisingly quiet...just how I like it. 100% recommend! read more
9 months ago
9 months ago
The beginning of this month, this seemingly persistent virus finally caught up to me. Felt like I went through the wringer (does anyone still use this idiom???). I was sapped of energy. 5 days later I needed to return to work--fever free and negative. What can I have for lunch? A lot of food places outside are usually unhealthy. If healthy, it's cold and raw. Thankfully, there's always Pho to save the day. I went on a Pho quest to restore my Force--visiting only new places along with an old one and only in Chinatown. I started my quest at Golden River Restaurant. It's been at the corner of River and North King Street for decades. I remember going there a couple of times as a boy with my Yeye (paternal grandfather). Everytime we go to Chinatown, we have Bahn Mi, usually at Bale (or we go to McDonalds :p). I was a child who never complained or threw any temper tantrums to go somewhere, and whatever food you put in front me, I'll eat and finish it (all still true today). I write this review having already tried the Pho at almost every Vietnamese restaurant within that block (one left, who knew it closes on FRIDAY!!). Every place has its pros and cons. If I had to rank Golden River, it'd be at the bottom, but that doesn't mean it was bad. The pros: the amount of ingredients. You get a lot more of everything here. The beef tendon and rare steak are the best here. Big pieces of tendon and tender rare steak. Plenty of vegetables, sliced onion, cilantro, and scallions. Noodles were also plentiful and had taste. Another pro was the seating. It was surprisingly quiet, cool, and comfortable inside. You could not hear all the cars passing by. The con was the broth. It didn't taste bad. It was just very one note. I could not taste the herbs and spices. It didn't feel savory or hearty. It was almost like salt/MSG and water. But all the meat and fresh ingredients made up for it. Overall, the pho wasn't bad. You get the most ingredients here. Just the broth doesn't measure up. It's still better than anything outside of Chinatown, but within Chinatown, other places are better. Service was good though. Food came out fast. read more
4 years ago
We stopped by here for lunch today, along the way to watch a Korean movie at Regal Dole Cannery. Service was quick and respectful as usual. My wife ordered the Pho with Tendon, and I, the Combination Pho. First the leafy greens and bean sprouts arrived. We use this time to remove the leaves from the stems in preparation to soaking them in the hot soup. Shortly afterwards, our piping hot bowls of pho were served. My wife enjoys hers with Chili Garlic Sauce, which has a clean aftertaste and enhances the already tasty broth. At most other Vietnamese restaurants, we have to specifically request this sauce, but here at Golden River, it's available at the tables along with other condiments. Although we both had medium-sized pho, they were enough to warm us up and satisfy our appetites on this cold rainy day. This is our go-to place to enjoy a bowl of beef noodle soup when we're in the area. https://www.facebook.com/groups/hawaiikorea/permalink/1835728043468212/ read more
I just moved to Oahu and was craving banh cuon so I ordered this dish to go. I wanted to love it so badly but the flavors were underwhelming. It wasn't seasoned very well and even the fish sauce tasted bland. Trust me, I didn't think that was possible. Now, I don't know if I am just being biased because I am so use to my moms banh cuon but as I reflect on this dish, I would not recommend this dish. I will give this place another try because the service was great! I will try other dishes though. read more
I remember back in the day there used to be a really long line to dine at this restaurant over the weekend (it seemed much bigger back then, or maybe it's because I was also very small) lol Parking is a little rough around the edges in Chinatown but you can definitely score a free parking spot on Sundays! This is one of two places that I know of that offer banh coun. It's one of my favorite dishes and not many places offer this. It was about $12 a plate and takes about 15-20 minutes to make. The restaurant was practically empty when I went, but a few other patrons came in shortly after as it was becoming lunch hour. Service was pretty standard to any Vietnamese restaurant and I'll definitely be back again when I have cravings read more
Wow! This hidden gem has some really delicious food, great service and unique menu items. I'm already looking forward to going back! They have Bánh cuốn which is toothsome soft rice noodle wrappers (almost like if mochi and ravioli had a baby) stuffed with seasoned mince pork, woodear mushrooms and shallots, with meatloaf slices and topped with fried shallots and green onions. Served with lettuce, mint, basil and bean sprouts. Theirs was as amazing as I remember it when I was in Hanoi. Definitely try this dish! It's hard to find in most Vietnamese restaurants. We also got the Bánh xèo, a savory fried pancake made of rice flour, water, and turmeric powder stuffed with tender slices of pork, shrimp and bean spouts and served with lettuce, basil and mint to make wraps with. The pancake is fried in coconut oil to give it a distinct flavor and the pancake is crispy. This was another amazing dish! We also got the spring rolls (not pictured) and they were also perfectly cooked and the filling was savory and properly portioned in the wrapper. The owner was willing to make me a Hanoi style iced coffee, which had raw egg yolk mixed with condensed milk and served with strong drip style cafe du monde brand coffee. It was rich/ sweet/delicious (and strong!). Service was very friendly and helpful and the food came out fast. read more
2 years ago
First time eating inside this restaurant after passing by it hundreds of times. The pho combination tastes good but the soup gets cold fast. I still enjoyed it. read more
2 years ago
4 years ago
Went in again. Only my second review but I've been there numerous times. This time back to dine in again. What I really like about their pho is the broth. It's superb. These days branded out to pho not only with rare beef but with brisket also. Always get spring rolls but today Ordered BBQ pork and spring roll over rice but spring roll sold out! Oh No! That was literally my reaction. They substituted summer rolls for me. My daughter is addicted to their iced coffee. Such good coffee, served in a coffee press. Is it called phin? It's so rich and sweet, even a non coffee drinker like myself like the roast flavor of this type of iced coffee. I usually have luck parking either on King St or River St (parking meter). Worst case scenario, municipal parking structure corner of Nimitz and River St. They close at 2:30pm at this,point but they stay open if customers are there. Would love to give them my support so check them out! read more
5 years ago
It has been a while since I have found a very good Vietnamese restaurant that still offers authentic dishes, true taste, no skipping on ingredients, and generous portions at a reasonable price. Of course I had to go to Chinatown and the most sketchiest part to find it, but it was well worth it. Located at the end of Chinatown at the corner or River and N. King it isn't exactly the most pleasant of locations. The building as well as the surroundings are rather dubious and ominous in appearance. However, despite as bad as everything looks, it is safe and once you get inside, you are in a cute little well kept restaurant being taken care of very friendly staff. I ordered the Spicy Beef Noodle Soup also know as Bún Bò Huế. What an amazing soup. It was spicy, but not like rocket launching blow your head off. Of course I added a good heaping spoonful of there incredible homemade chili sauce because I do like it rocket launching. The broth flavor was rich with lot of great meat tidbits of various sorts. It was also a lot larger than I expected and if had know the size would be so generous, would have probably gone for the medium size. The spring rolls that I also got were very fresh and you could tell made with care. I like the fact that you could order a small plate of 2 and it still came with all the fixings that come with Vietnamese spring rolls to make lettuce wraps. Be brave and head down to check this place out. It really is worth it. read more
6 years ago
I always get beef combination meat out side at Golden River Restaurant Downtown Honolulu! Its clear beef broth has rich savory flavor. The #thai #basil , #herbs and #beansprout add refreshing scent to the soup as well as crunchy texture to the bowl. Meat ball, rare steak, tendons, and all other meats create layers of rich full-body #umami ! This is a perfect mouthful satisfaction with comforting touch for my weekend! What food are you enjoying today? Mahalo for stopping by to my post #enjoyfoodhawaii read more
3 years ago
We enjoyed a flavorful lunch. The veggie egg rolls were light and crispy. The vegetables were tender and seasoned just right. The pho broth was clear and flavorful. The meat was thin and tender. A true delight. read more
I've remember this place as Ha Bien & we would always get the special #13. When I brought my other half during our dating days, we would always get #13. We would always say #13 and know exactly this is the place to go, for our special #13. Its been so many years, that we last dined here, until my recent visit to this restaurant. I've discovered it is no longer Ha Bien with a name change to Golden River & I told the guy taking my order, I'll get #13, but there was a slight change in number, the #13 is now #19. Lucky thing I checked, or else I would be eating something else under #13. Its the same owners just name change, same menu, just that #13 is now #19. This restaurant has been in business for over 2o years. I remember coming with my parents during my small kid days, during high school with friends, with my other half when we dated, & I am so looking forward to many more visits. I always enjoy my meals here, everything they have here is delicious.!! Lets talk about the #13, I mean #19, I always order this when I visit Golden River. This is Golden River's seafood special soup. Available in 2 sizes, medium for 9.00 and large for 10.00. Id go with the large for just 1.00 more. What so special about this soup? Wow.!! If you haven't tried it you're missing out. The broth is so tasty, it comes with tons of stuff, its not your typical bowl of noodle soup. This one is very special!! In this special #19 the soup comes with 2 huge shrimp, special made fish balls, fried steamed pork, fried shrimp,thinly sliced pork, tons of toppings, with lots of veggies. I always get Look Fun noodles. This soup makes look fun, taste so good!! After my recent visit, I am already thinking about my next visit, I'll call it my #19 fix!! Golden River is located at the corner of River St. next to that pho shop next door, skip the lines and come here. I say this is a gem in Chinatown. If you haven't tried it, you don't know what you're missing. The waiter/owner's son is very friendly and Service is very fast! They except credit cards and tax is already included. Don't forget to ask for tea water. Save your appetite for #19, this will really fill you up. Stop by, I promise you will not be disappointed!! Get #19 and thank me later.!! 2016 #71/100 Yelp Challenge read more
8 years ago
I went here the other day for lunch with a gf. We ordered their nuoc nam aka sugar cane wrapped shrimp combo with Vietnamese sausage and bbq pork and noodles and Veges with lettuce and rice paper wraps. This was soooo good! We also shared a seafood egg noodle soup. This is a Vietnamese/Chinese restaurant. They also have sugar cane juice here too! read more
3 years ago
This little gem of a restaurant is my favorite place to eat Pho on Oahu and it has a parking garage nearby for a bonus. The place is right on the corner of King and River Street and it might be small but the bowls of pho are big. The ingredients are all top notch, from the broth or stock which has such a good rich flavor and not greasy like some, to the tons of fresh greens including Basil, Culantro, Lemon and Jalapeños; I have not found better. I get the combination meat with the meat inside and it will always be my go-to. Every condiment and sauce you would ever want is already on the tables and the service has always been quick, professional and nice for the 10 years I've been going. If it's for breakfast sometimes I add a Vietnamese ice coffee that comes in the drip style coffee maker to your table. This is a spot that I always try to take friends to whether introducing them to pho, or if I want them to experience my favorite source. read more
6 years ago
4 years ago
First time eating at this pho joint. Went with two of my work associates who go there quite frequently. I ordered the large pho tai meat outside $13.50. They give lots of lean meat that's semi frozen. The broth is beefier than other places I've been and I didn't taste too much MSG if any at all. The restaurant itself is a typical Chinatown dive, but clean. I did not see any cockroaches, so that was relieving. There's no parking other than street metered parking and municipal lots. We walked from our downtown office, so it was pretty far. I liked the pho, but not sure I'll go back since it's so close to my go to pho joint in the Chinese Cultural Plaza Pho Huong Lan. read more
6 years ago
Amazing spot! Me and some friends just stumbled in. Calvin is such a sweet heart. The food was freakin delicious. Everything was so yummy. read more
We came for early lunch around 11a. Easily got a table but already a good crowd. Started with the summer rolls, pork and shrimp with vermicelli noodles wrapped in rice paper. So fresh. We also shared a Vietnamese iced coffee with condensed milk. It was so good I only got a sip. My hubby had the bun cha gio - vermicelli noodles with fried spring rolls and pork. So much food you can split this. I had the won ton soup and ban xeo, Vietnamese crepe with pork, shrimp, and bean sprouts! So much food i have leftovers for dinner. The won ton is super tasty and filling. If you're in Chinatown, you have to try. Parking at Maunakea municipal $1/hr. Nice service and great prices! read more
5 years ago
5 years ago
This place is becoming one of my favorite Vietnamese restaurants in Chinatown. I came back for their house special noodles ($8.50) which had rice vermicelli noodles, shrimp, fishcake, a big shrimp chip, and fish balls. The broth was awesome. My husband tried the chicken pho which he enjoyed. Their Vietnamese coffee is great, too. read more
12 years ago
we always get the same thing here , seafood egg noodle soup for my hubby and pan fried gau with eggs for me . it's always very busy here and you have to wait a while to get a seat . the food is good and they have a big menu with a variety of foods to choose from . read more
14 years ago
The best time to come here is after 2PM. Why??? You can find street parking pretty easily and it is not that crowded and you get served right away. I usually order only the beef stew (Bo Kho) noodles half yellow noodles and half fun. It comes with a lot of beef and noodles. The only thing I dont like is there are carrots in the soup but it's just a personal preference for me. Service is quick and efficient. When you are done you go up to the cashier to pay. I heard they also have other good food but I have yet to try them. read more
5 years ago
7 years ago
The food was delicious! Only complaint I have would be customer service. No workers had check on us on how the food was. Not once they refilled our water. My grandma had to ask two different workers for hot tea. read more
7 years ago
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More info about Golden River Restaurant
198 N King St
Honolulu, HI 96817
Chinatown
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(808) 531-1185
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13 years ago
