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    Le Bambou

    4.1 (365 reviews)
    ModerateVietnamese, Seafood
    Open 11:00 am - 2:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:30 PM

    Order Le Bambou Takeout or Delivery

    Le Bambou Photos

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    LE BAMBOU ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Casual
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Le Bambou

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    Chicken claypot
    Christine M.

    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.

    Absolutely beautiful decor and interior, friendly staff and great food. Highly recommend. :)
    Dylan L.

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

    51. Shaking Beef
    Mara K.

    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.

    4. Simmered Fish in Clay Pot
    Natalie G.

    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

    Beautiful flowers and candlelight on tables
    Caitlin D.

    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.

    Tempura shrimp
    Bonnie F.

    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.

    "The Birthday Cake"
    Arocel F.

    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!!

    #8 Clay pot rice

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    3 years ago

    Excellent food, service and atmosphere. pleasant and relaxing dining. First time here. We will be coming again soon.

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    3 years ago

    The food was great and the staff was friendly!! The ambience was a little old fashioned, but it was very clean and service was quick

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    4 years ago

    I was pretty excited about this place but was ultimately disappointed. Food was just okay and definitely not worth the price tag.

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    4 years ago

    The pho is amazing! Ginger chicken is amazing! Crispy egg rolls are amazing! Great service. Highly recommend

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    Page 3 of 10

    Ask the Community - Le Bambou

    Would you consider the food to be on the sweeter side if we're comparing to Chin's Chinese? Also in Del Mar.

    The food is less sweet than the food in Chin's Chinese. To me, Chin's Chinese is more of a fusion place compared with Le Bambou.

    Which items are gluten/soy free?

    View All 4 Questions

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    Xin Chao Eatery - Tofu Spring Rolls

    Xin Chao Eatery

    4.1(283 reviews)
    0.9 miCarmel Valley
    $$
    Family-owned & operated
    Kid friendly

    Still our go-to place for delicious Vietnamese food. Love…read moretheir Vermicelli noodle bowl. Lettuce and noodles very refreshing on a hot day. Lots of grilled pork. This dish fills me up. They have the best Vietnamese iced coffee around!! Our server Maya is very friendly. We like that she recognizes us and says hello when we come in. Great service! Restaurant always clean. Love open feel. There is outside seating also.

    Visit April 2026…read more Located in the Del Mar Highlands shopping center in the upper lot from Sky Deck. Tiny but popular little pho shop. Came here on a Saturday night and all the tables were in use so we settled for bar seating. I've never eaten inside truth be told and we had only stopped here for egg rolls to munch on whenever we head up to the OC or LA lol. Their fried egg rolls are really good so of course we started off with them, an order of 9. I do wish they had given more lettuce to wrap them in. More of a kitchen prep issue. There menu is fairly small, at least compared to other Vietnamese spots I have been to. I was torn between "The TCN", tai chin nam, which is rare steak, brisket, and flank, and the "The TNG", tai nam gau, which comes with rare steak, flank, and fatty brisket. I'm a nerd so TNG caught the attention of my Starfleet tricorder but lost me at fatty brisket. I liked my dish. The portion size to price ratio was fairly good. I've had similar size bowls at other places and they were $20+ while this was less than. Broth was bright and not too greasy. Tender pieces of beef. A good stop when you're in the area and craving pho.

    Photos
    Xin Chao Eatery
    Xin Chao Eatery
    Xin Chao Eatery

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    Pho-Ever - Egg Rolls

    Pho-Ever

    3.8(681 reviews)
    6.7 mi
    $$

    Pho‑Ever in Encinitas is a total find! I'm gluten-free and usually nervous about Vietnamese spots,…read morebut here the rice noodles and fresh herbs make it super easy to enjoy. Broth is rich, clean, and comforting (perfect after a morning walk on the beach). The spring rolls wrapped in rice paper are light and crisp, and I love that you can customize your pho exactly how you like it. Staff are super friendly and the place has a nice, casual local vibe. If you're around Leucadia or Solana Beach and haven't checked it out yet, do yourself a favor...your taste buds will thank you!

    long time regulars at the PHO-EVER in Vista. we were in Encinitas for an event and excited about…read morefinally giving this location a try. very disappointing experience. really one-and-a-half stars generously rounded up to two. it was Wild Card Weekend and the Rams-Panthers game was playing on the TVs. couldn't help but wonder if that was always the plan or if PHO-EVER inherited the space and kept the sports bar feel. that and the two guys running the front of the house were the two pluses. the kitchen was definitely on the way downhill side of the experience. don't usually count so heavily on the photos to tell the story, but in this case the pictures really are worth a thousand words. the Nước Chấm was the sorriest excuse for a dipping sauce I've ever had in a restaurant. all that's best about Vietnamese cuisine, the bright, fresh, balanced flavors was AWOL. sweet, spicy, tangy, salty, and umami were all absent. would you guess the sad little veggie strands were carrots and daikon? the orange color's the only hint. the Chả Giò (egg rolls "filled" with ground pork, carrots, jicama, and taro) were under stuffed and undercooked. the wraps were mostly hollow inside and the wrappers soggy in the middle like they were fried in old oil that was too hot and when the ends were done, the centers were not. the BANH MI (baguette sandwich with grilled pork, cucumbers, pickled carrots. daikon, cilantro, jalapeños, and pâté aioli) described as "loaded" on the menu, would be more accurately characterized as skimpy. the grilled pork had the flavorless taste, texture, and appearance of being lightly poached in water. the PHO GA (chicken breast meat in chicken bone broth) was the most disappointing dish of all. the "soup" part (described as a rich chicken bone broth on the menu) had less complexity or richness than dish water. the "chicken breast" had the flavor and texture of a congealed and formed rolls of chicken in a deli case. sad. sad. sad. ps: the "leftover" pho was on the kitchen island when our nineteen-year-old got home from work. he finished it after adding a heaping spoonful of Better Than Bullion chicken base without either of his parents saying anything. yeah, it needed that much help ...

    Photos
    Pho-Ever - Interior

    Interior

    Pho-Ever - Calamari

    Calamari

    Pho-Ever - Nước Chấm (Vietnamese dipping sauce) for eggrolls

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    Nước Chấm (Vietnamese dipping sauce) for eggrolls

    Flower Child

    Flower Child

    4.2(732 reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$
    Healthy dining
    Gluten-free friendly

    But of course I would be drawn to Flower Child! I looove this place. It's actually one of my…read morefavorites to eat lunch at. Yesss, Flower Child for life!! It has a warm and nice atmosphere with lovely friendly service from the staff. My meals always arrived in just a couple of minutes... never a long wait time. Everything I've ordered was delicious and healthy. The flavors blended sooo well together...compliments to the chefs. Highly recommend it to the Yelp Community!!!

    Meh, it was ok but not that exciting. I had the Cobb Salad, we also had the Poke Bowl and the…read moreMediterranean Chicken Kabob. Menu descriptions set up my expectations for something else. I was hoping to see abundant lettuces, some avocado, healthy pieces of roasted turkey, punchy gorgonzola vinaigrette. I got what seemed like not a lot of lettuces, watery diced up sliced turkey spread throughout, some fresh avocado, and a mild but tasty vinaigrette, and some good pickled onions. So it wasn't what I was expecting for a Cobb Salad, but rather felt like a watered down and small version. Chicken Kabob had only small diced up chicken, no chunks of chicken like you might expect and no smoky flavors. Tuna poke had some good raw tuna, rice, greens etc. But what I really felt like was going on here is that instead of price inflation we have portion reduction. All our bowls were on the smaller side, though the prices are still decent for what you can get nowadays. Lunch for four almost $100. Just not deeply satisfying. Service was quick and prompt and there is plenty of great outdoor seating. Looking for an ok healthy bite you can go here, but reality did not meet my expectations here.

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    Flower Child
    Flower Child
    Flower Child

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    Boto Sushi Del Mar - Lobster claw tempura

    Boto Sushi Del Mar

    4.1(321 reviews)
    0.0 miTorrey Pines
    $$$

    This is the spot for fresh delicious sushi! Perfect for date night, family dinner, or grabbing…read moresushi to go. Quality fish, generous rolls, and such a great deal! We tried: * gyoza *spicy cucumber * Ninja * beef teriyaki * Yellow tail *Chirashi sashimi bowl

    I came here with my daughter this past Tuesday evening. She ordered the chirashi bowl (for her) and…read moresalmon belly sashimi (a starter for me until I could figure out what I wanted) as I was getting ready to leave the office. Shortly after I arrived, the food was delivered. She was happy with her chirashi bowl ($36), but I was extremely disappointed with my salmon "belly" sashimi. It was not salmon belly, and they charged me $24 for 4 skimpy pieces that were not fresh. It smelled and tasted fishy. The pieces were the same cut as what she got in her chirashi bowl, only her pieces were noticeably larger! I don't mind paying $6 a piece, if it were fresh and the cut slightly larger. After the disappointing pieces of salmon, I ended up just ordering agadashi tofu. In hindsight, I should've just had my daughter order that for me and skip the so-called salmon belly sashimi. This restaurant is very close to my office, and it's a convenient location to meet with my daughter after we both get off work, but given the low quality and high price of the sashimi, I'll have to find another place for us to meet after work when we want sushi. For me, this was an extremely disappointing experience, but since my daughter enjoyed her chirashi, I would give it an average score of 3 stars. It's definitely no longer a 5-star establishment. I think other people may have also caught on, because the restaurant was empty. At 7pm on a Tuesday, there were only 2 other tables, a party of 2 and party of 4 on either side of us. No one new came in while we were there ....and for good reason!

    Photos
    Boto Sushi Del Mar - Left side of the restaurant

    Left side of the restaurant

    Boto Sushi Del Mar - Mango pana cotta

    Mango pana cotta

    Boto Sushi Del Mar - Ikura and bafun uni

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    Ikura and bafun uni

    Sisters' Snack Shack - Spam Musubi

    Sisters' Snack Shack

    4.3(178 reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $

    Visiting SD area and came across this hidden gem. Sisters Snack Shack what a find. My family…read moreordered an Ice Vietnamese Coffee and a Matcha (wife loved even though she's not a matcha fan) drink which were very tasty. We ordered a Banh Mi sandwich which was one of the best I've had. The vegetables were pickled In House and were Awesome, really made the sandwich in my opinion. The bread was from a local bakery, soft and airy....Soooo good. My daughter ordered Crispy Rice which was flavorful and fresh. The owner was friendly and interacted with her customers as they were family. I highly recommend this place and yes I will definitely be back.

    2 words... Nailed it. I took my friend to the Banksy…read moreexhibition at the Del Mar Fairgrounds and we wanted a bite to eat after... When researching (we are not from this area -not familiar) we thankfully stumbled upon this establishment. Thank GOD. Garlic shrimp spring rolls! Reee Mix! Wow! Juat wow... Spring rolls will never be the same for me. (In a good way-now Ill have to come back) My friend, Eric, ordered the Katsu chicken curry bowl and loved it. They separated the curry so you just pour he amount you like and additionally it doesn't make the bomb @ss chicken soggy. The Bahn mi was Bomb for me. Definitely returning and highly recommend. We also got the pleasure to meet one of the sisters-Matty! She is awesome and a great chef. Thank you Matty!!! -Randy

    Photos
    Sisters' Snack Shack
    Sisters' Snack Shack
    Sisters' Snack Shack

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    Le Bambou - vietnamese - Updated May 2026

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