So there I was... sitting on an oil rig in Alaska, talking to a sheriff's deputy with over 20 years…read moreon the job. He says, "My buddies keep telling me about this place called Pho King Good." Funny part? Even he had never been there. Well, that little story stuck with me. Fast forward a few weeks. My road trip partner, Koda, and I are heading home from Disneyland, cutting through Sacramento toward Grass Valley. We roll into Auburn and BOOM there it is. Pho King Good. Now let's just take a second to appreciate that name. If you're gonna swing for the fences with a name like Pho King Good, you've set the bar about as high as Mount Everest. You don't get to be "pretty decent." You'd better make me question every bowl of pho I've ever eaten. The sign? Absolutely iconic. It practically jumps out and hollers at you from the side of the road. Easy in, easy out. Road-tripper approved. Walking inside, though, I was expecting a little more "Pho King Palace" and a little less "we've been meaning to remodel since the Clinton administration." The marble counter looked nice enough, but the place just felt like it needed a little love. If I owned a restaurant with a name that good, I'd lean into it. Give me lanterns. Give me atmosphere. Make me feel like the King just walked in. Charge me another couple bucks if you have to I wouldn't mind if the experience matched the name. Then came the menu. It felt a little like Dysfunction Junction. They had everything listed, but it wasn't organized in a way that made ordering easy. Give me sections. House Pho. Beef Pho. Chicken Pho. Special Pho. Help a hungry traveler out. The food? Solid... right down the middle of the road. After hours in the car, a hot bowl of pho hits the spot no matter what. Koda really enjoyed his chicken dish, and our vegetable egg rolls with the peanut sauce were decent, although the wrapper was just a touch on the rubbery side. The owner was friendly, welcoming, and genuinely hospitable, which always counts for something. My only real disappointment was this: with a name like Pho King Good, I expected to leave saying, "That's the best pho I've ever had." Instead, I left saying, "That was... good." And then came the plot twist. Time to pay. Cash only. So now I'm walking out to the ATM like I'm making a withdrawal for a back-alley poker game or a dispensary run. I'm standing there thinking, "Well... this tip just took a hit because I wasn't planning on paying an ATM fee for my noodles." I still don't quite understand it. You're giving change, printing receipts, running a business... we're already 95% of the way to taking cards! Overall, this wasn't about whether the food was amazing or terrible. It was about the experience. Sometimes that's the story worth telling. Would I stop again on another road trip? Probably. Because sometimes a bowl of pho, your best buddy Koda riding shotgun, and a restaurant with the greatest pun in California are all you really need. And if they ever decide to polish the place up and make it live up to that legendary name... It might just become Pho King Great.

VEGAN SIGHTING!!! I…read moredon't even know where to start my fellow vegans. This quirky, Vietnamese restaurant in the city of Auburn, CA, has by far the best vegan Banh Mi sandwich. The tofu was prepared so it did not take up the whole sandwich. The pickled radish and carrots had the perfect and balanced of sour and sweet. Of course, can't leave out the herbs of cilantro and fresh jalapinjoes. The french bread was crispy outside but still soft and hearty as you take a bite. My earth was it a 2 thumbs up!!! Then their vegan pho with veggies and tofu did not disappoint. Their veggie broth was perfectly blended and made wonderfully that I was not even thinking this was vegan. The staff was kind and informative. They were attentive and friendly. Then comes the merch. If you like a play on the word Pho, then come and check out their shirts for sale. All I have to say is "Life is Pho king good." With this said, another gem in Auburn, CA.

I had the pleasure of trying their bun rieu, it was amazing. Best one I've had so far. Who knew,…read moreauburn. Piping hot, flavor was bold and crab taste was definitely there. The grill pork plates were really good as well. It's a must if you want Vietnamese food in this area. Service is great! It's a must try....

On this very hot summer day, while I am still too sore to cook, we decided we wanted to try out Pho…read moreTasty in Auburn. It was easy to spot from the road and it was an up front parking kinda day! As we walked in, the first thing you notice is the beautiful pink bosom tree. It so spacious and clean in here. There are tables with chairs, half booths, and booths available to sit in. The tables were clutter free of where we normally would see a chopstick/spoon/sauce caddie. Alley greeted us as we walked in and she let us sit wherever we wanted. I liked how there are big windows that allow a lot of light to shine in. The art in the walls was so beautiful. Even the bathroom was wall art (with a beautiful faucet)... and with the blossom tree inside the restaurant, it gave us a soothing mellow dining experience. We ordered the shrimp spring rolls for an appetizer to share. For our main entrée, we each ordered the XL bowl of Pho Dac Biet and a couple of waters to sip on. Our appetizer was out within a few minutes. Gorgeous plating and the peanut sauce is delicious. The spring rolls were good. I prefer them with a little more peanut sauce and ingredients in the roll. The ones we ate didn't have any coriander or mint. After a couple bites I looked for it and they weren't in there (those ingredients were listed on the menu for shrimp spring rolls) but they were still delicious and packed very full with lettuce and vermicelli noodles. For our Pho, first we sipped the broth... it was very good beef broth! The aroma isn't as strong as we are used to and the flavor not as strong... it was more delicate and light... it still tasted of perfection! I like how the thin rare steak on top was filet mignon. Very tender.... however, the broth was so hot, it cooked the steak almost all the way before it got to the table. Alley was kind enough to bring out a few extra slices of meat so that I could enjoy it the way I really like. Service was fantastic and you have to ask Alley about her adorable manager! See you guys soon (especially for a rainy day!)

My family loves to order takeout from Auburn Thai! The food is consistently good, portions are…read morelarge, and service is always so quick and friendly! Our favorites are the Avocado yellow curry, green curry, and drunken noodles. I will say that the price has gotten a bit higher than it used to be but it is still worth it for the quality of food that is provided!

We have eaten here several times. Cute little restaurant. Clean. Friendly staff…read more Mostly everything on their menu can be converted to Gluten Free. Just ask your server and let them know you need GF. They have GF soy sauce. Yesterday, we went for a late lite lunch. It was delicious. We shared Pineapple Fried Rice with Stir-fried prawns and chicken. Pra Ram-Steamed broccoli, cabbage, carrot; topped with sauteed chicken, house peanut sauce. They also serve a small salad with a yummy peanut sauce dressing. No reactions 24 hours later. Of course we'll be back. We appreciate you.

I'm so glad I found Nectar Cafe! This place is great! Let me tell you why. I was in town to run a…read morerace called The Canyons 50K. The day before the race, I arrived in Auburn (my first time ever) to pick up my race bib and to look around to take in the local culture. I was also hungry after flying into Sacramento and driving another 45 minutes to Auburn. I'm vegan, so I searched for local places that offer vegan options. Nectar Cafe was at the top of the search results. As luck would have it, Nectar Cafe was just a short walk from where I parked my car, and just a short walk from the Start/Finish line of the race. Man... I am so glad this restaurant exists. The food and the service were great. I had the Southwestern Wrap and a brownie. I was so happy with this place that I knew I had to go back the following day after my race. And that's exactly what I did. The following day I had a BBQ Burger with their own house made patty. And this time I had even more dessert. All the desserts are vegan, and they are awesome! I tried all of them. The chocolate chip cookie, the brownie, and the chocolate mousse were delicious. I highly recommend Nectar Cafe. Really. I highly recommend them. I look forward to eating at Nectar Cafe the next time I'm in town.

absolutely unexpected how good my food was. I'm always very weary and skeptical of walk-up to order…read moreestablishments, as I just feel the food is more lacklustre, but Nectar Cafe pointed at me and told me I was WRONG. I'm going to dream about the nachos I ate. And the bite of cauliflower tacos I stole from my friend. and the brownie I also stole from my friend. It all tasted so fresh and light which is not a word I would use to describe nachos, but it's the truth!! honestly my only note is just the kind of service. the food and vibe of the establishment feels much more suited to a dine-in wait-on type experience, but that's truly just a preference! I can't wait to come back with more friends so I can try the whole menu!!

Gotta start off by giving the GOAT of schmears a shoutout.. the Mango Schmear 5/5... Burgers here…read moreare always kind of trash.. idk 2 maybe 3/5 stars. Went with the wagyu smash burger this time.. was greasy as ever and the bottom part of my bun was soaked and soggy/falling apart by the time I was eating it.. honestly kind of trash.. still tasted okay but not much flavor.. sweet potato fries were okay. a big enough portion to share with someone else. The reason I'm giving 4 stars instead of 2 or 3 is directly because of one item and one item only... the mango schmear... some of the best damn schmear I've ever had. I always come for the schmear and leave with a burger that disappoints me.. the smear always wins me over though.. Lots of other good salsas/spreads/aiolis but the mango schmear.. the mango schmear.. try it and tell me I'm wrong

I came here as part of the Slice of Sac Yelp Experience, but have had this bookmarked on my places…read moreto try for awhile now. Let me say that this is one of the most dangerous markets I've been to because of the vast selection of specialty and local goods! Let's start with the market side because I am so excited to talk about it! This place is jam packed with so many goodies that I had to talk myself out of so many things I wanted. When you first walk in you are literally bombarded with their numerous hot pies and it then it opens up with a smorgasbord of delicious looking baked goods from locally made breads, sweet loaves, cookies, and more pies! Exploring through the market you will undoubtedly find something you want/need in your life from hot sauces, pantry goods, or, in my case, pre-marinated meats! In one corner near the produce there's even a section where you can try all of their house made salsas, sauces, and schmeers! I ended up grabbing a ready-to-cook porchetta, peruvian marinated chicken thighs, and aji verde for my weekend dinners. I could not leave without trying out one of their savory pies and went with the Japanese curry pot pie. The crust was light and buttery and went so well with the chicken curry inside. I also got the poke plate and very happy with the quality of the fish, but the rice was a little mushy for my preference. Moving over to the restaurant you will see that they have numerous burgers, sandwiches, and shakes made-to-order. For the Yelp Experience, I tried their marion berry pie and a melona shake. The pie was sooo good! It had a lightly buttery crust with rich, yet tangy berry filling. The melona shake was definitely out of the ordinary which prompted my ordering it. It was just lightly sweet and very creamy with a good flavor of honeydew. Not cloyingly sweet at all. Ikeda's is definitely a roadside mom & pop shop, but it deserves a stop if you're on the 80 or close enough. I am excitedly planning to come back try more of their pies and try out their smashburger and crab sandwich next time I'm around. Also make sure you have a freezer bag or cooler because you WILL find something you want here!

My favorite place to eat in Auburn!…read more Everything here is not only delicious, but is all high-quality wholesome ingredients. Everything feels healthy and not processed and so so good! The food is delicious, but they also have the very best matcha and chai lattes in town! Not only that, but it's a very dog friendly location! You can bring your pup to sit out on the patio, and a couple times we've been there they even brought out a piece of bacon for my boy! Could not recommend more!

Located in downtown Auburn, this coffee shop/diner was super packed and noisy on the inside. They…read morehave an upstairs and downstairs seating area and believe me seats are premium.As they are BUSY!!! I ordered a peach Arnold Palmer, and an egg wrap + bacon. The Arnold Palmer peach tea was refreshing. And the wrap was simple.... Well.... Delicious! I mean I could eat that wrap everyday twice a day!! I'm beginning to understand why they are so busy. The price point is on the higher side but the quality is excellent. Note parking on the weekends are a premium, just relax, find a parking spot somewhere else and walk over, you won't be disappointed. ;-)

Had to show my vote because this food is delicious. Im new to the area and super picky about my…read morechinese food. In the East Bay, there was ONE spot that did hot and sour soup in a phenomenal way and here comes Liu Mandarin to send my taste buds into shock and awe. I had the pork dumplings last time too. Two thumbs up. Despite the poor review, I got the walnut shrimp this time around, and I must say-- I wholeheartedly disagree that its mid. The shrimp were super flavorful. Not a crunch, but I rarely find a crunchy walnut shrimp so I'm not hung up on the texture. Just got the beef and broccoli-- fabulous! So fresh i ate the entire order in one sitting. Id absolutely get it again. I was hesitant to order the first time around, but now I can definitively say I've found my local go-to chinese restaurant.

FOOD - Walnut Shrimp: battered shrimp with candied walnuts…read moreover broccoli. The shrimp wasn't crunchy enough. Walnut shrimp is my go-to when I have Chinese food so I'm a little bit of a walnut shrimp snob. This was pretty mid. 3.5/5 - Mongolian Beef: beef with onions, red bell peppers, and bok choy. The flavor was pretty good. The beef was tender enough. 3.75/5 - Orange Chicken combo: orange chicken with chow mein, and egg roll. The chicken wasn't dry but not very tender either. The flavor was okay. The chow mein and vegetable egg roll were pretty standard. 3.5/5 - Fried Rice and 4 Dumpling set combo: the fried rice was, also, pretty standard. The pork dumplings were pretty good. The side of wonton soup was good. 3.75/5 SERVICE: Service was pretty fast and friendly. 4/5 FINAL THOUGHTS: Everything was okay. Nothing was bad, just nothing to write home about.

Overall we didn't really care for Auburn, but ended up having a small lunch/snack at The Auburn…read moreBodega. The honey loved his sandwich and my hummus+vegan tuna salad+carrots+cucumber box was amazing. It really hit the spot after having some trouble finding a veggie-based restaurant in the area. The service was friendly and they have quite a bit of outside seating out front and in back. The biggest issue are the kids items next door smell so if you're sensitive, either plan to sit indoors or take you items to-go.

Amazing sandwich and service. Split the my cousin Vinny sandwich and it exceeded our expectations…read more The meat was tender, juicy, and abundant , the toppings were generous and complimented the sandwich and the bread was toasted to perfection.We finished it with pleasure!!

Absolutely amazing sandwiches. Highly recommend trying this…read moreplace. We ordered the Santa Fe chicken on a sourdough roll. Simply amazing..!!!

Stopped here at around 1:20PM on a Sunday, and it was moderately busy…read more Really friendly staff, family owned (I think) and a good amount of seating inside. There is a bathroom that you must ask for a key to. Once 1:30 rolled around, I was excited to try my sandwich given the great reviews, then came 1:40, then 1:50, and I did not have my sandwich until around 1:55. I worked in a sandwich shop for 3 years, so I know sometimes a wait is unavoidable and can recall dealing with rude customers, so I did not approach the staff regarding the wait. They were trying their best to accommodate the orders. However-- 35 minutes for 2 sandwiches, I think, is a little excessive. In the end, my sandwiches were spectacular, genuinely well crafted, and met (maybe even surpassed) my expectations. When I got back to my car, I noticed the worker (owner?) gave me a full sandwich despite me ordering half. I wasn't sure if this was purposeful as means of saying "our bad", or just a mistake, but I will say it left me in better spirits. If you have some extra time to kill, with friends etc., this is a must try. However, if you are on ANY sort of time restriction, I would not recommend stopping here. I'm sure this is not always the case, but as a stop on a long drive, I did not consider an extra 45 minutes for a sandwich. If the owners are reading this, I truly mean well and hope you know a long wait is a sign of success. Growth is inevitable!