Tried Blue Monkey recently at the advice of a coworker and enjoyed the meal. The bun dau mam…read moretom--the tofu was crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and all of the accompaniments were fresh. The mam tom had a strong flavor (as expected), but it was balanced well and tasted authentic. We also ordered the cha ca La Vong, which came out sizzling and fragrant with plenty of dill and turmeric flavor. Mixing it with the noodles, herbs, and peanuts made for a great combination of textures and flavors. Portions were generous, service was friendly, and the food came out pretty quickly even though the restaurant was busy. It's not always easy to find Vietnamese dishes like these done well in the South Bay, so I was happy to find a spot that delivers. I'll definitely be back to try more of the menu.

Blue Monkey drew me in because it offered various cuisines around Vietnam, and Northern cuisine is…read morenot one that I've seen often. Despite it being in a big lot, parking still took a while to find. Thankfully, we had thankfully just beat the lunch rush and not had to wait longer than 10 minutes for a table. My friend and I shared a Northern spread (Bun Cha Ha Noi) and a Southern style Goat Curry (Banh Mi Cari De). Service was definitely on the slower side that day, but thankfully we were proactive at getting the orders in. The Bun Cha Ha Noi was delicious - pretty much a DIY spring roll - all the fun, all the mess, with none of the clean up other than licking the plates clean. The pork belly was delicious; I was surprised how much I liked it, since I'm not a fan of pork. I devoured numerous rolls, and we also had some extra vermicelli to finish off the rest of the protein. This single meal was definitely more than enough for two! The Banh Mi Cari De (goat curry) was unfortunately quite the opposite. The goat was cooked very well - tough, gamy, and difficult to eat. There were probably six pieces in total, our first was tender, our second had bone, a little harder to chew, and the last was best compared to rubber. The curry was a bit watery, which made the banh mi soggy when dipped in. This was probably an adventurous try, but not a dish I'd ever consider ordering again.

So worth the 52 minutes drive. First time having fresh Banh Cuon and I will be back for sure…read more Very straightforward. Service was fast and friendly,y by an uncle. Very casual, local, and homey feel.

This is the go to place for Banh cuon. I would go with the…read moredac biet if you're new to this dish. The restaurant was a little chaotic, with no real process for seating people. But the uncles try and are actually friendly. Everything is made fresh so plan to wait for food to come out. But the wait is worth it. Banh cuon thang tri was just plain rice rolls topped with dried shrimp comes with and egg roll, fried shrimp waffle, bean sprout salad, and variety of cold cuts. Banh cuon dac biet offered as variety of rice rolls with the same sides as the other combo plates. Egg rolls appetizers were good, they were fried well and very crispy. I love coming here but wait for food to come out can be a long wait on the weekend.

Tumeric Dill Fish is SOO UNDERRATED, and this spot delivers! this dish is not as well known to…read moreforeigners, and I love showing people this dish! It's a grilled tumeric fish dish that packs a ton of flavor, and you add noodles and herbs to make a delish spring roll (or in my case a fat burrito). It comes out on a sizzling plate so you have to let it cook a bit to render the onions and dill to get that perfect texture. The sauce might be a bit fishy to some, but it's what ties the bite together! It's def an acquired taste, but if you are open to trying new things, please come try this speciality dish. Tip: on Wednesdays, this dish is only $28, whereas the OG price is around $36. The fried rice here was surprisingly super flavorful! You can taste the separate grains (which is when you know the cook on the rice is good) and the salt levels were top tier. I would come back and get this togo if I was too lazy to create my own food with the spring rolls. Overall, you are here for the food, not the service and decor. I would love to try one of the soup dishes as the pictures on the wall made it look so enticing

I quite liked this spot, which is a quintessentially Vietnamese restaurant located in a large…read moreplaza. Both the parking lot and the restaurant were pretty crowded during dinner hours. If you can't find parking in that plaza, there's more parking across the road where the Target is. After spending about ten minutes on the written wait-list, our names were called. It's definitely a little easier communicating with much of the staff if you speak Vietnamese, and I find that waiting right outside the restaurant is best because they default to calling your name from the door once it's your turn. The interior is crammed with tables; the atmosphere feels busy and warm. There is a single room women's bathroom and men's bathroom in the back as well. The decor leans toward being classic more than trendy, which I liked. The menu is pretty big, offering a variety of items ranging from mainstream Vietnamese options to ones I don't encounter as often. I recommend eating family-style for many of these dishes, including the Bún Chả Cá Lã Vọng, which I enjoyed with my partner. The prices are pretty average, and their portions are generous. That said, they are cash or Zelle only. There is an ATM that you can use if you forget to bring cash, but this is still something to keep in mind. Overall, I can definitely see myself coming back. I wish I had the stomach capacity to try more of their dishes at once, and I 100% recommend that anyone give this place a shot.

Bun Rieu(8/10): I feel like there was lack of salt, but after adding the shrimp paste and some salt…read moreit's fine. The noodles are bouncy and the crab is juicy. Service(10/10): Nice and pretty fast. We didn't wait long for our food either!

It's nice to see a restaurant that focuses on Central Vietnamese food (especially in San Diego) so…read moreI wanted to come here! No wait when we came around 5PM on a weekday but it got busy as we ate. Service was good and the food came out really quickly! Bun Bo Hue (4.5/5): rich and flavorful, one of the better BBH I've had. Even at less spicy, it was a good spiciness level for me lol. Beef was a little chewy but there was a lot of toppings and noodles. A big portion size Banh Ram It (4/5): my first time trying this dish after seeing it go viral on social media. I've never heard of it even though my family is from Vietnam lol. The bottom was nice and crispy, and the middle part was chewy and had a good amount of shrimp filling. The dipping sauce was good too. I haven't seen many restaurants offer this, but I would definitely get it again!

The Best bun bo hue in town with awesome service! They have good sugarcane here also.read more

No place has seen me more hungover than Bun Bo Hue An Nam. After a night out, or whenever I'm…read morecraving something comforting, this is always my go-to spot. I usually order their Bun Bo Hue in a large size so I can enjoy some at the restaurant and still have leftovers to take home later. Service is always quick--you get seated right away, and someone usually takes your order within a minute or two. The food comes out fast, hot, and fresh every time. No matter what time of day I visit, there are always people eating here, which speaks for itself. The broth is incredibly flavorful while still being light and aromatic. Combined with the variety of toppings and fresh vegetables, it's hard not to dig in the moment it hits the table (as you can probably tell from the photo, lol). The restaurant has plenty of seating, making it a great place to bring family and friends. When you're finished eating, you simply walk up to the counter, tell them your table number, and pay. Just keep in mind that they only accept cash or debit cards. If you're looking for a comforting bowl of Bun Bo Hue, especially on a rough morning after a night out, this is definitely the place to go. I will always come back here.

Wonderful experience. In all fairness this PHO should be 4.7star overall…read more The coffee is also great

Me & my husband had an amazing experience at this restaurant & Amy our server made it 10x better…read moreshe's super sweet & attentive. She always made sure we didn't need anything else. We will definitely be returning soon! SHE DESERVES BIG KUDOS!

Tay Ho is always filled with customers for good reason. The quality of their food and ample…read moreselection makes for a good spot, especially during a weekday afternoon lunch. Banh Xeo: I appreciated the display and aesthetic of the dish, although I wish that there was slightly more pork. The dish still tasted great, with its fresh vegetables as a side. Fried Chicken with Rice: This dish was simple and had a generous portion size for its price. I loved the tenderness of the chicken & how crispy it was.

Came by for lunch the other day and it was a decent experience. Parking is available in the private…read morestrip mall lot. Dining is available in the original indoor dining room or in the newly expanded dining room next door. Air conditioning was on the day of my dining although it was quite weak...making it slightly uncomfortable. Started off with the steamed rice roll with grilled bbq pork. The rolls were gigantic as well as quite price at ~$18 a dish. Moved on to the vermicelli squres with the grilled beef that was served on a large plate to wrap table side. Portions are also gigantic and perfect for sharing. They offer a points system via FiveStars to get free food after a certain dollar amount of spend. As of 6/10, cash and credit card are now the same price. Service by the uniformed staff was efficient. The vibes from the Gen Z cashier were lit.

One of the best pho spots in the Bay Area!…read more Food: 5/5 stars. Food is very hot! Just as it should be. Their Bun Ba Hue is fire! It has spice and rich flavors. Hits the spot and doesn't disappoint! Not too many people can make this dish as it should be made and they truly did a phenomenal job! Always a go-to. Their garlic chicken wings are amazing as well. It's the best out of all their flavors offered. Can't go wrong with ordering it. Crunchy, hot, slightly sweet and garlicky. Service: 5/5 stars. Greeted and seated quickly. Environment: 5/5 stars. Clean and plenty of space between tables. Bathroom is clean and tidy.

Went here recently on a Sunday and had a wonderful experience from the moment we arrived. Trung was…read moregreat to interact with. We ordered a large bun Bo hue, a large pho luc lac, fried rice with ribeye cooked medium level (as recommended), Bo luc lac with tomato flavored rice, and a chicken pho ap chao to share amongst 3 adults and 4 kids. Everything we ordered was delicious, tasty, and the portion size were very good and perfect for sharing. I was pleasantly surprised with the pho ap chao, it was really tasty and crispy and a dish I have not tried before. We really enjoyed everything but the Bo luc lac (shaken beef) was super tender and the beef was flavorful! This is a must try in my opinion! This restaurant is clean and tidy and has cute decors of bamboo hats hung from the ceiling and remind me of being back in Vietnam again. Staffs were attentive as customers entered. Plenty of parking spaces in the plaza. I will definitely come back here for everything I tried during my visit and to try more when in the area or on the way back from Santa Cruz. This will also be a great place to grab Togo for picnics or for hiking as well! My kids are already asking to come back to the restaurant after our first time there. So glad to know of another Vietnamese restaurant that has so many yummy dishes in SJ!