the chicken pho genuinely brought me back from the brink of death. this place is godsent. i feel like a whole new person because of this meal. if you want to feel reborn, do yourself a favor and eat here. also the sticks are delicious and a great compliment to the pho. read more

We started with the Golden Coins. This rice paper, pork and vegetarian appetizer is excellent. Could be a meal for one person. Then our entree, the scallops in a vegetable soy sauce served with white rice. This cozy place nestled in a shopping center in Del Mar, could be easily overlooked. Don't miss it. As usual, service was excellent. read more

We joined friends here for dinner on a Saturday evening recently. Tucked away in the corner of a strip shopping center, its exterior is pretty much just the front door. There are a handful of outdoor tables. Inside, the dining room is decorated simply. Service was very good. For dinner, I ordered the Cornish Game Hen "Le Bambou" (3/5), and my wife had the Phở Special (3/5). The Cornish Game Hen looked lovely on the plate, but I had two issues with this dish: the sauce, while tasty, lacked the layering of flavors I've come to expect with Vietnamese food; the game hen meat was dry, dry, dry. Likewise with the Phở Special, the layering of flavors was not there. read more

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You'll find Le Bambou nestled into a back corner, an elbow really, of the Vons shopping center off Del Mar Heights Rd. It was probably the first Vietnamese restaurant my husband and I visited after moving to SoCal more than 25 years ago. We haven't been there for years, and decided to revisit after another couple suggested we all meet up there for dinner. I found it both pleasant and disappointing. There's a moderately sized, quiet outdoor seating area, and a simple yet pleasant dining room. Service is speedy and attentive. The disappointment was the food. For the four of us, we ordered Cornish game hens, Pho special (beef pho), and 2 Shaken beef. Our dishes looked authentic, just like some we've had in Vietnam. The flavors, however, disappointed. The marvelous flavors that we enjoy so much in Vietnam, and restaurants in Convoy and in Mira Mesa were missing. Just didn't come through very much at all. For me, Le Bambou will be filed away as a fun memory of discovering everything in our immediate surroundings in San Diego. I doubt that I'll be revisiting read more

Le Bambou - Le Bambou Mar 2026 - Vietnamese Near Me - Del Mar, California

In a busy mini mall strip. Interior design appears to be from 80's. Kind of formal setting with table cloth forks and knives. The server was very professional, and polite. You have to ask for chopsticks. We had fried tofu as appetizer which was good. I had the sole currie which was very tender and well prepared. It was al ittle salty. My wife had the shaken beef which she liked. The pertions were generous and the price was reasonable. read more

I have heard about Le Bambou for a long time but never got a chance to visit until recently. And the reason that we went there was because my friends' kids like it. That's a good enough reason for all of us adults. Overall, a restaurant with table cloths, nicer than a typical Vietnamese restaurants. They were busy and food came out pretty slow but we were there to hang out and were not terribly hungry, all was good. Food wise, it was passable. Really nothing to write home about. We got a few dishes to share, chicken claypot, chicken on a skewer, the make your own spring roll thingies and a few more dishes. Food was not bad, just not memorable. I'm trying to think about it a month later and my brain is blank on what else we ate. But overall, food was okay. The chicken claypot which I ate the most was okay. There was quite a bit of chicken in it. A tad on the sweet side but not too sweet. I don't mind eating it again but I won't get out of my way to get it. read more

Le Bambou - Chicken claypot - Vietnamese Near Me - Del Mar, California

We were in the area at the beach and I looked for Asian food and this place looked good and interesting since they have several options to make your own spring rolls. I thought that would be something different and fun for my grandson. We ordered the fried crispy egg rolls and the make your own pork spring rolls, they were both a hit. I wanted to try the Shaky beef since it was a popular dish and the description said the meat and onions are charred, it was the best Shaky beef I've ever had and I've had it at many restaurants. I've never seen clay pot dishes before so we tried the salmon, the flavor is so unique and flavorful! Everything was so good and the staff was so nice, I stopped by the next day for lunch and got to talk with the owner Nghia, he has such a kind, humble manner. He was there at closing the night before and working first thing when they opened the next day. I will definitely return when I'm in the area! read more

We had dinner at Le Bambou in Del Mar and walked away with mixed feelings. The place was bustling, and it looked like there was only one server working the entire restaurant. Poor guy--he was incredibly sweet, apologetic, and professional despite being clearly overwhelmed. Service was understandably slow, but he really did his best. Now for the food: the shrimp, crab, and pork fried eggrolls were hands down the best part of the meal--crispy, flavorful, and easily some of the best I've ever had. Highly recommend those! My chicken and rice in the clay pot had a beautiful presentation but was a bit underwhelming in flavor. I added hot sauce to kick it up a notch. On the flip side, my husband enjoyed his steak pho and said it was delicious--rich broth and full of flavor. And a pleasant surprise: my kids absolutely devoured the shaking beef and kept saying how good it tasted--definitely a hit with them! The ambiance is cozy with low lighting and candles, and there's some outdoor seating available too. Overall, it's a busy spot that could really benefit from more staff. read more

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I had a great time here! Fantastic food, welcoming atmosphere, and a beautiful high minimalist interior. read more

Le Bambou - Absolutely beautiful decor and interior, friendly staff and great food. Highly recommend. :) - Vietnamese Near Me - Del Mar, California

Extensive menu of mostly Northern Vietnamese dishes. Vegetables are super fresh. I found the flavors a bit more sweet and dishes to be a bit over sauced than I expected. Service is great, and fast! Interior is almost retro, but it's clean and tidy. read more

Stopped in for a meal, on the recommendation of friends... Have the "golden coins," which were fun and yummy. Service was great and included white table cloths and linen. Would definitely recommend ! read more

I wanted to take a moment to thank your team for opening today during a very stressful day for many. Traffic was insane with many closures during a very horrible experience your team showed up and welcomed us. I am aware that your team commuted for many hours and yet, still were able to come and serve us a wonderful meal with amazing service. The chef was fantastic and Bengie and Michelle were on top of the whole dinner. We were all very grateful after a long day and thank you for a wonderful first dining time. We look forward to dining again. read more

It's just really disappointing that it keeps getting worse. Every time I come back, my food tastes like leftovers or maybe they scooped it out of a bowl of soup, and the portion size was terrible. It's really bad when you go out, spend money, and what you get nowadays isn't worth it. I'm sad about this experience, and more importantly, it took a chunk of my budget for eating out this week. read more

We come every other Wednesday at 5:30pm as a meetup group for Chess and Bridge. There's so many great choices on the menu, crave-able choices that I just can't wait to order! My recommendations include any of the clay pots, any of the salads, where you add your own protein and their steamed or sautéed sole is pretty good. Oh, don't forget their fried rice and their egg rolls. Ambrosia is also a favorite with our group. And don't leave without dessert. Their Flan is out of this world! It's a mix between a creme brûlée and flan. So yummy! read more

Some of the best Thai food I've had in Del Mar! Cornish hen was on of the most surprising pleasing dishes, cooked perfectly. For sure coming back read more

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I've been eating at this restaurant for over 20 Years! The best Vietnamese food in San Diego!!! Family owned business with excellent service and ambiance. Their prices are unbelievable especially for the quality of the food. Best egg rolls served with lettuce, mint, cilantro and dipping sauce you won't be disappointed! read more

Love this Vietnamese restaurant tucked away in the corner of a Del Mar "shopping center." (Not sure if that's the correct word!) While the sign might be small, they have a good amount of seating inside. And two tables available outside as well. The lighting is warm, a bit dim some times, and the interior is tastefully decorated. Unlike your usual Asian restaurants that have emphasis on red. Le Bambou has a theme of grey, white, and green-- every so often they have flowers in vibrant colors on the table. At night, they have candlelight which adds to the atmosphere! I like the relaxing piano music that they play as well. Today, for lunch I had the chicken curry with white rice. It came with a side salad and 2 fried wontons (and nuoc mam aka fish sauce for dipping). I love how much chicken they gave and how soft the chicken was. It wasn't rubbery and overcooked like some places. You could taste the coconut milk and a bit of sweetness. Next time, I'll ask for a bit of heat or add some chili sauce. I personally felt that the carrots could be cooked a tad bit more, since this was curry-- it would be tastier for it to be softer rather than have a fresh vibrant crunch to them. The side salad was a great and refreshing touch. I had it with the rice and curry! Overall, I'd give this plate a 4.5/5! Other times, I've ordered the (lunch special or dinner): - Charboiled Pork Skewers. This is served with rice and a bed of fresh greens. I recommend taking the pork off the skewers and breaking it down in smaller chunks to be eaten with the rice. The flavor is delicious and the pork wasn't too fatty. I really enjoyed the marinade on the pork, sometimes I wish for the pork to be a bit more charred but overall pretty solid! 5/5 - Shaking Beef: I've had this a few times here, and the most recent time-- it was unlike other shaking beef I had. I think it depends on who is cooking it, but the most recent one was more saucy than I'm used to. It lacked black pepper and garlic oomph, and was a tad too sweet for me! The meat was really tender and delicious though. They serve it with rice. 3.5-4/5 - Crispy Shrimp Wontons with fish sauce and lettuce: these were delightfully crispy and filled with plump shrimp mixture. When wrapped in lettuce and dipped into the tangy sweet fish sauce-- it's such a delight! 5/5 - Traditional style fish soup: with sole, it is a tangy tamarind soup with tomatoes, bean sprouts, pineapple and celery. I make this at home and usually love it! --While I enjoyed the components in the soup, I think it was too much pineapple...as the soup was more sweet than tamarind flavored. Eaten with rice, it's nice. But not a soup I'd order again. I'd try maybe a different soup off the menu. 2.5-3/5 - Iced Vietnamese Coffee: sweet and strong, what more could you ask for? 10/10! I've also had the flan-- which is made by Nghia the owner. It was so smooth and creamy. It was lightly sweetened (not too sweet) and the caramel was so lush! I wish there was more caramel, I licked that plate clean. Would come back just to order the flan. 10/10 Overall, a great spot for Vietnamese food (especially in Del Mar where there isn't much Vietnamese restaurants). They are open lunch and dinner, but closed on Mondays. Price is pretty spot on for what it costs to eat out nowadays. A notable mention for the some people, they don't use MSG -- as written on their website. I think it's perfect for solo eating, with friends, on a date, or with family. Come and try their extensive menu and see if it can be your new favorite restaurant. read more

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He Said: It's been a few years since I've been here, but I think my first visit was over 20 years ago, when I lived in the area. The quality is still what I remember and service remains fun and attentive. I usually went for the vermicelli pork, but did the pork skewers this time. Yum! The sauce was lovely and the pork was nicely cooked. She Said: After hearing about Le Bambou from my husband and his family for *years* I was afraid I would be disappointed, but those fears were unfounded. I had the pork skewers, too, and as He said, they were terrific. I also had a taste of the soup that our guest ordered and it was delicious. I look forward to returning on future trips to the area. Potty Points: No trip to the potty for me on this visit. read more

Long-time favorite in the region for good service, value. We enjoyed: Crispy Pork and Vegetable Imperial Rolls (4 rolls), $13; Charbroiled Pork, $18, four skewers of charbroiled pork marinated in a sweet and savory BBQ sauce, served on a bed of fresh greens and steamed rice, $21.00; marinated garlic and onion filet mignon beef cubes sautéed to perfection on a bed of fresh greens, with steamed rice. Wines by the glass go from $7 to $18, with a good selection of wines by the bottle, from $22 up to $68. Fast, friendly, efficient service. read more

First time trying this restaurant. It good, and they had a nice selection. I ordered off the lunch menu. I ordered the fried sole, which had a nice light coating but I don't think it was sole. It was also supposed to have a ginger or lemongrass taste, which it did not. It was supposed to have chicken wontons, which it did not. Maybe because it was fried? The soup eggdrop?? Had no flavor I added spice and soy. I will say my dining partners enjoyed their food. Two ordered clay pot and two had curry shrimp. The appetizers looked good,with lots of veggies. The coconut ice cream was refreshing. I would order something else the nexttime, the plates looked light and fresh. read more

Le Bambou - Tempura shrimp - Vietnamese Near Me - Del Mar, California

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We had a surprise celebration here at Le Bambou yesterday, for my husband's birthday milestone with 23 family & friends and it was a huge hit!! Thanks to Neil & his staff, for the exceptional customer service, delicious food, & beautiful ambiance, we all had a memorable & happy occasion!! My sister & I taste-tested the menu two weeks prior, meeting up with Neil (owner), and he helped us pick the food which was the following: 1) crispy pork imperial rolls for appetizer, 2) combination salad (no nuts because a family member has allergies); Main entrees: 3) shaking beef, & 4) chicken curry. I also requested for vegetarian dishes: vegetarian rolls, vegetarian salad, and eggplant with basil for a family member. We decided to ask each guest to order his or her drink, soda, wine & beer, coconut water, etc & Neil generously offered a 25% off discount on the drinks. One half of the restaurant had enough space for 36 people, so we had more than enough & comfortable seating for all of us. Neil & his staff offered to serve the ice cream birthday cake from Baskin-Robbins with no additional service charge (again, thank you, Le Bambou!). All in all, everyone had a relaxing dinner; we were able to enjoy each other's company, socialize, lots of hugs & laughter. Do not hesitate to plan your next milestone here, be it a birthday, anniversary, or even just lunch with your best friends & family! Can't wait to go back & taste their other wonderful dishes on the menu! I can't say enough about how beautiful it was! It was well worth it & the best part? No dishes & clean up afterwards! Thank you, Le Bambou!! read more

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Wonderful, more upscale Vietnamese restaurant, in other words, wait staff dressed in formal black, linens on the table, and wine list available. Menu items were pretty diverse with rice and noodle options and stir fry's. I selected the house special claypot rice, which has a bit of everything - chicken, shrimp, veggies. Surprisingly, the typical "takes about 20-25 minutes" was not noted for this item on the menu, as is typically the case for claypot dishes at other restaurants. My husband ordered the shaking beef entree. Both dishes came out at the same time. The shaking beef was so flavorful and tender! I loved the claypot as well, great texture from the rice that's stuck to the pot and the tender chicken, some different flavors from the medley of veggies, it was very comforting. Best of all, service was very friendly and attentive. read more

Le Bambou - #8 Clay pot rice - Vietnamese Near Me - Del Mar, California

THIS PLACE IS AMAZING! I discovered this restaurant through someone in my Del Mar yoga class who owned a private jet. My thought was, if they can afford to go anywhere, and this is their favorite spot, it must be incredible--so I decided to try it. And it did not disappoint! The food was outstanding, and the service was excellent too. This is a true hidden gem that's absolutely worth visiting. Pro tip: Start with the crab rolls--they're the perfect appetizer! read more

Food (5/5 stars): Le Bambou is an amazing higher-end Vietnamese restaurant. They even have a wide array of vegetarian options and bang for your buck lunch specials! I enjoyed the Chargrilled Pork on Skewer lunch special, which came with rice, salad, chicken wontons, and their soup of the day (not pictured). The highlight was the sauce on the pork. It tasted very similar to the Peking Duck sauce. Overall, such a delicious and filling meal. I'm looking forward to trying their pho and other entrees! Experience (5/5 stars): * Price: a little pricier than a typical Vietnamese restaurant, but very worth * Wait Time: minimal during lunch on a Tuesday * Service: very good and friendly. They gave great recommendations * Parking: there's a parking lot * Ambiance: it's beautifully decorated. I love the black and white pictures of Vietnam plastered on the walls read more

Le Bambou - 11. Charbroiled Pork on Skewer Lunch Special - Vietnamese Near Me - Del Mar, California

This gem of a restaurant is amazing. Go now and try it out. Go. Now. I eat there almost every week with a group. Every week I try something different on the menu. A few things were pretty good. The rest are absolutely fantastic. The shaking beef is delicious with some of the most amazing beef I've ever tried. The clay pots are all fantastic, with special note of the clay pot rice "Le Bambou". The vermicelli with pork, shrimp, and imperial rolls is one of the most unique meals that I have ever tried. (Why are you still reading this? Go. Try it for yourself.) The staff are friendly and very helpful in making a choice from their menu. And the service is excellent. The restaurant itself is nicely decorated. Though a bit dark, I think that adds to the ambiance. The restaurant is tucked into a corner of the shopping center near Vons. You may need to park more in the middle of the lot. But it is worth it. Man, is it worth the visit. The food at Le Bambou is unbelievable. It is easily my favorite Vietnamese restaurant ever. Everything that I have tried on the menu has been good. Many like the examples I cited above are outstanding. Get your car keys and experience Le Bambou yourself. Do not delay. read more

It's 2025 and they still use white tablecloth and linen napkins for lunch and dinner and still have real wax candles burning on the table!!!

Great small, family owned Vietnamese restaurant. There is a reason why this restaurant has stayed in business for decades and is loved by the locals. read more

Food & service...Love this place. And their flan & coconut ice cream... a must ordered. read more

Such a wonderful experience. Atmosphere, service, food. AMAZING. Neil and the family are so warm and kind. We got the Crispy Vegetarian Imperial Rolls and Pho. The rolls were so perfectly crispy and satisfying. Every single bite was incredible. Thank you thank you thank you. We will definitely be back! read more

I love supporting local, family owned restaurants like Le Bambou. It's a humble spot in the corner of the mall popular with the locals in Del Mar and CV, and I highly recommend it to anyone craving Vietnamese food or interesting in TRYING Vietnamese food! One thing is clear from the beginning: You can tell they really put their heart and soul into each dish. Our server was very attentive - we were constantly offered fresh plates and utensils, and had our pot of green tea refilled quickly after drinking it all. Idk why but I just love the added feel of drinking tea with a meal, such a classy and delightful experience! Dishes: I'd recommend the gold coins as a FUN and INTERACTIVE appetizer! You get to make your own spring roll (?) by dipping the rice paper in water and building it on your plate. Dip it in the peanut sauce...delish! Mains: The Pho Special is perfect for protein lovers! It has a large rib sticking out of the bowl, plus more meat inside the bowl with the noodles. Warm, hearty, yet refreshing! The shaking beef is a solid pick for a stir fry type dish and you can't go wrong here. The STAR of the show is the CLAY POT dishes! They come out sizzling hot and packed full of your choice of protein. My brother's favorite. The curry's are also delish, I'm partial to the yellow chicken curry, for its sweet and savory flavor. Overall: Great food, excellent little touches in the presentation and service. Glad to have visited the restaurant for service after getting takeout for a few years. Highly recommend! read more

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I'm Vietnamese, so when it comes to Vietnamese food I'm used good fresh food, good portions, low prices, minimal ambience, and okay service. Le Bambou is in Del Mar, one of San Diego's richest and whitest regions. So this Vietnamese food is good fresh food, okay portions, moderate prices, good ambience, and great service. The food feels a little less flavorful and more Americanized, but that's expected in this part of town, and I think this might be the only Vietnamese restaurant in a 5 mile radius. $12 Pork Imperial Rolls...thick, hot, and crunchy...and the most expensive egg rolls I've ever eaten. $19 Fried Fish w/Ginger Sauce...deep fried and delicious! I hadn't had this before ever, the fish was crispy, moist, and flavorful. $18 Shaking Beef...tasty, marinated, tender chunks of beef grilled to medium. $17 Chicken w/Lemon Grass Hot Peppers...this was honestly quite bland, but we did as for "low" spicy, so maybe that was our fault. We also got a free piece of delicious Flan for the birthday girl! The food was good overall, I'm just used to larger portions at lower prices. I'm usually somewhere on Convoy or Mira Mesa when I'm craving Vietnamese food. But Le Bambou is an excellent choice if you're a local and don't want to drive far...or you're simply rich and don't mind paying higher prices. Service and Ambience are far superior than the grimier and grittier places I normally eat at too...our waiter was super friendly and awesome unlike the usual zero personality folks I'm used to. read more

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Le Bambou is Vietnamese if Vietnamese went fusion/fancy? That's not to say the food's not good because the food is good. It's tucked away in a quiet corner and modestly serves up Vietnamese fusion food. I'm a sucker for good shaking beef and duck so surprise surprise that's what we got. Shaking beef, well, it'll have you shaking with delight so try that eventually. The duck wasn't super crispy which is fine but the flavors richly saturate the entire plate so there's that. Not much else to it, eat some good food and live life. read more

Le Bambou - 51. Shaking Beef - Vietnamese Near Me - Del Mar, California

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The most authentic home made clean PHI've ever had! The manager / owner was so warm and he gave us great service! The place was super clean. With candles white and bright and super Romantic! Thanks Niel. read more

Le Bambou - Sherwin n Saddad - Vietnamese Near Me - Del Mar, California

I've been wanting to try this restaurant for a long time. I expected it to be predominantly Vietnamese food, but it really wasn't. I thought most of it was delicious, but there were a couple misses. I ordered from the lunch specials. I ordered the chicken curry. It was served with soup of the day, 2 crispy chicken wontons, green salad and fried rice. Everything was served hot and delicious, except I wasn't thrilled with the soup. It was kind of a "muddled" chicken and rice soup without much flavor. The chicken curry was made with chicken breast which I really like, but on the menu it indicated that it was spicy. It wasn't. It was still delicious, though. A friend of mine ordered the fried sole lunch special. She was disappointed. She thought that it would come with the ginger aromatic sauce as described in the seafood part of the menu. It didn't. It was a rather skimpy portion of chunks of fried fish, no sauce. I would like to return and try some other dishes. The service was superb! read more

Le Bambou - Chicken curry lunch special - Vietnamese Near Me - Del Mar, California

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Food: If you're craving seafood, Star of the Sea hits the spot perfectly. Comes with rice so no need to pay extra to order it on the side. Surprisingly very filling. The sauce tasted amazing, felt more like a lemongrassy stew than a "sauce" per say. Parking: Large, shared lot. Should have no issues finding a spot. Service: Quick to seat us despite arriving close to closing time and having a relatively large group. Waiters were very kind, efficient, and professional. Advice: Check in on Yelp for a 10% coupon. I unfortunately didn't notice it until after we ate, but good news is now I can take my own advice and still have it available for use next time! read more

Le Bambou - Star of the Sea - Vietnamese Near Me - Del Mar, California

I came here for lunch during the week. It wasn't crowded at all. It was very quiet. They offer indoor and outdoor seating. The staff members were super friendly. I ordered the make it yourself shrimp spring rolls. The waiter even demonstrated how to make it by preparing my first one. They also had the best coconut water I've ever tasted. I also ordered a lunch special, the shrimp stirfry, which came with a soup and side salad as well as a couple of other things. I can't say I was a fan of any of the items in this special. Plus there were maybe four shrimp. They didn't have a lot of the traditional Vietnamese dishes that you normally see such as a wide variety of vermicelli bowls, but I did really enjoy the appetizer I ordered. read more

Le Bambou is one of my favorite restaraunts in all of San Diego and is very affordable! My favorite dishes are Shaken Beef and Star of the Sea in Tamarind Sauce with a side of rice. Each time I've gone, their food never disappoints and their flavors amaze me each time and has a wow factor! The Shaken Beef is always so juicy and never dry with great flavor. The Star of the Sea in Tamarind Sauce has a perfect balance of tamarind in its sauce. It's subtle and blends in the perfect amount. The imperial rolls in the Vermicelli with Pork and Shrimp dish are some of the best egg rolls I've ever tried and their pho is also very tasty. It's a small, family-owned business and the owners seem very sweet and give great recommendations. The prices are very reasonable and their portion sizes have just the right amount and I feel full. The restaurant has a romantic vibe but also a casual vibe at the same time. So if you feel like going on a date or going in casual with friends, family, or kids, it's a great place to go! 10/10 recommend! read more

Phenomenal food and service! So fresh, flavored perfectly and abundant! Cannot recommend any other Vietnamese family owned restaurant with higher praise! Utter perfection! Fabulous value! A must! read more

The food here is excellent and the service is usually very good. They were very slow the last time we had takeout. Tonight, we decided to dine in and it was a much better overall experience. Shaking Beef 5/5 Delicious with a capital D. They were a bit stingy with the beef tonight, I know times are tough, but for 18 bucks, it should be a slightly larger serving. Curry Chicken 4.5/5 Very good, not the most traditional variation of this dish, but it holds its own in terms of quality and freshness. Perfectly cooked meal. Value 3.5/5 (Del Mar premium, not entirely their fault) Service 4.5/5 Compliments to the chef, and kudos on providing high quality and swift service. We will be back! read more

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Amazing food, excellent service and a relaxed upscale ambiance, Le Bambou has all three! I'd highly recommend paying them a visit if you're looking for some Vietnamese food done right. To top it off it's family owned multiple generations. read more