This Vietnamese restaurant has been around for decades and has been a family staple for us for years. We've probably eaten here 50+ times with family and friends, and one thing I can say is that they are 100% consistent. We've never had a bad meal here. There's a great variety of Vietnamese dishes, so everyone can usually find something they like. The chả cá (fish) is one of their popular dishes and a favorite. They also have good chicken phở, broken rice, vermicelli noodles, spring rolls, roll-your-own options, and plenty of soups beyond phở. You can order individual dishes or share family-style, which makes it especially easy when coming with a group. It's very casual, family-friendly, quick, and straightforward--nothing fancy and probably not where I'd choose for a date night. But for a dependable meal with family or friends, it's a great spot. Kids like it, parents like it, and my mom likes it--which says a lot coming from an older Vietnamese person who knows her Vietnamese food! The staff is always efficient and nice, and after all these years, the food remains consistently good. The biggest downside is parking. The entire shopping center has become so busy with restaurants that finding a spot can be overwhelming, especially during peak hours. Also, keep in mind they do not take credit cards. Bring cash, or you can pay electronically through options such as Zelle/Venmo. Overall, this is one of those longtime neighborhood restaurants we keep coming back to because we know exactly what we're going to get: good Vietnamese food, plenty of choices, friendly service, and consistency. read more

We tried this local viet place on Sunday and to our surprise it was amazing food with a quick service! Only thing to note - it's cash only!! In $64, we got: - fish entree serves 2 - 5/5 - it comes with thin vermicelli noodles, healthy herb leaves and lettuce and fish sauce base. It was so so good :) If u like rice paper with it, its $3 extra - shrimp roll appetizer - 5/5 - tender, perfectly crispy and freshly deep fried. Paired well with the hot sauce and sriracha - viet iced coffee with condensed milk - 3/5 - it was strong and less condensed milk than i liked. I will try avocado smoothie next time - strawberry smoothie without boba - 3-5 - too sweet and huge portion Loved the hot sauce/ spice rack they had on each table as it had so many options to enhance the flavor. Definitely coming back to try their pho and loved the fish entree. The fish entree is $10 cheaper on Wednesdays as advertised outside on the door. read more

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The interior is pretty spacious and can accommodate small and larger groups. It is cash only but there is an ATM machine located near the restrooms. My friend and I shared the grilled fish with vermicelli noodles and vegetables. The combo served two people for $35.95 plus an additional $3 for rice paper. The fish was crispy and super flavorful. I'd definitely come back if I was in the mood to make my own spring rolls. read more

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THE GRILLED FISH IS A MUST! I'm generally not a big fish person but I only come here for this dish and it is delicious. // Bún Chả Cá Lã Vọng (grilled/fried turmeric fish + rice paper) If you love fish, you will love this dish. I believe Thien Long is known for it. Even if you don't love fish, I think you will also be impressed with the flavors. The fish is piping hot, flakey, and crispy. The dill actually brings out a fantastic umami flavor. I recommend adding on the rice paper as an extra. It comes with a large plate of veggies and vermicelli noodles for you to make your own rice paper roll. The fish sauce also adds a nice fresh layer of flavor that compliments the veggies and grilled fish. When at Thien Long, you have to order the 36B! Please note this restaurant is CASH ONLY. There is an ATM here but there's a $3 surcharge. They do also accept Zelle payments but this time, their Zelle was having issues. Come prepared with cash as a back up. read more

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Tumeric Dill Fish is SOO UNDERRATED, and this spot delivers! this dish is not as well known to foreigners, 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 read more

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Their Long is located in a busy plaza in San Jose and be warned, parking can be a pain, especially on the weekend. It's pretty spacious, good for small or big groups and has a good variety on their menu. Tried the pork chop rice plate and the fried fish appetizer and both were pretty good. I'd get either again but also down to try other items on their menu. read more

There's not much to say but... chả cá, phở áp chảo, bánh bột chiên, and bánh xèo. Come here if you want to try some authentic Vietnamese food, family style. P.S. on Wednesday they have a promo for chả cá. read more

Thien Long - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Still one of my favorite Vietnamese resturants in the bay! I love their chef's special with fish, its delicious with rice paper. It's been years since we have been back, can't wait to come back read more

Chả cá lã vọng: A+ Northern region dish, definitely a must try. Serve on a bed of onions and fresh dill. Great spring roll dish for two hungry peeps. Banh bot chien: B Can't go wrong. Was nice and quispy. -John read more

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I come here very often and I've always left happy. Please try their fish spring roll! Taste: Their fish spring roll is flavorful and comes with a side of seasonal veggies. It's great for anyone trying to get their greens. Parking: Paloma has a lot of parking but it's quite the popular plaza. Service: They've always been great. It is cash/zelle read more

Thien Long - fish spring roll - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

I quite liked this spot, which is a quintessentially Vietnamese restaurant located in a large plaza. 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. read more

If you haven't tried the turmeric fish spring rolls - you're missing out! This post is to highlight that dish, but the other Vietnamese classic dishes I've tried in the past are also pretty good: bun thit nuong, bo luc lac, pho, bot chien. Service is quick and attentive. It can get pretty crowded at peak hours, but there's many tables that can accommodate larger parties. It's also cash only! read more

Thien Long - 36B. Bún Chả Cá Lã Vọng (2 Người An) - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

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I always get 36B whenever I come here, and it never disappoints! I like that you can control how grilled the fish and onions get, and there's always plenty of fresh veggies. This time I also got A3, which didn't have much flavor but tasted great with the hoisin sauce. Overall it was more than enough food for three of us. read more

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My aunt wanted pho & other items, while my mom & I wanted anything with lettuce wraps so we dined here for lunch. We immediately saw how others ordered the turmeric dill fish plate so we ordered that with the rice paper, along with the fried egg flour cake. My aunt got her beef tendon pho so we were all content! Love the variety of options & the flavors were spot on for the dishes we got. Would definitely be back to try other items but know where to come back to for the fish wrap, I think it's way better here than at pho Kim long. read more

There's one thing I always get from Thien Long, #36b- bun cha ca la vong. This grilled fish (tumeric/dill) dish comes with rice noodles, lettuce, cuc, and herbs, two sauces (fish sauce and fermented shrimp sauce), crispy cracker with black sesame, fried shallots and peanuts. It's great a great takeout item for those busy weeknights. read more

Thien Long - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

Decided to revisit Thien Long after many years and I'm so glad I did! I was craving Bun Cha Ca La Vong and remembered my family use to frequent here. Still as good as I remember! One order is perfect for 2-3 people. The fish came on a sizzling plate and you can ask a waiter to turn off the flame whenever you'd like. It came with so many sides including noodles, vegetables, sesame rice paper, and sauces. We also ordered rice paper on the side for a few dollars more. The turmeric fish was super flavorful when grilled with the onions and dill. Truly a full and balanced meal for a great cost! Also, it was a fun dining experience since we have to prepare the rolls ourselves. Cash only but they now accept Zelle as a payment option. They have a variety of Vietnamese dishes on their menu which I am eager to try, but I'll definitely be back for their cha ca. read more

Thien Long - 36B. Bún Chả Cá Lã Vọng (2 Người An) - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

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MY FAVORITE PHO PLACE EVER!!! I've eaten so much pho in my life , here in the bay and in socal, and nothing beats this place. So genuine and delicious. The broth is out of this world, and everything on the menu is so delicious. the service is amazing, and I love coming here i've brought so many people to try this place. The ambiance is authentic viet, and they light incense for their buddha altar. I will come here as long as i can. Best pho here is the grilled beef one, ugh perfect! read more

Thien Long - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Cash or Zelle only! Tax is extra! 6 people will add 15% service automatic ! Great food! We bought 1 bun rieu oc and 1 cha ca la vong. Bun rieu oc got the size large. Soup broth color is light tomatoes soup based with lightly crab paste colors, noodle is thin and textured is great ( not soggy). Size/price is at point, can actually feeds two people! But my 17 girl finished the whole bowl! Ca la vang, was a pricey one at 35.99 and 3.00 extra for rice paper (38.99$$$). It served two people. It came with noodles, cucumber special mints/herb. Two dipping sauces. Shrimp paste sauce (purple sauce) and fish sauce. The shrimp paste sauce was too sweet and have to added more lemon to adjust the sweetness. Thought it tasted ok only! Would not buy again. But will come back for a better opinion such as my kid-bun rieu oc. Service is not the best, waiter never returns to the table after they bought our food to the table. No water refill or checking in if we need anything else:(! The ambiance is normal, just basic decorative family oriented relaxing casual style. read more

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This is a really solid Vietnamese restaurant in the heart of East San Jose! We usually like taking family and friends here when they are visiting since there's such a versatile menu. The fried crispy pho noodles with stir fry is probably my ultimate favorite dish here. The crispy pho noodles are fried well and the flavor of the sauce is delicious. There's usually a mixture of meat and vegetables that go really nicely with the noodles. The classic turmeric catfish is a must try also. The staff are friendly and attentive throughout the meal. It's CASH ONLY, so be prepared and there's an atm machine in the store as well. Definitely highly recommend! read more

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Really delicious and authentic Vietnamese food! Was recommended to try the grilled fish with turmeric and crispy chow fun noodles. The fish was delicious, our party wrapped it with noodles, mint, sauce in rice paper- 10/10 recommend! Crispy noodles were delicious and I've never had like that where the noodles were bundled up and fried. I really appreciated the variety of the menu and how they have dishes you don't normally see at restaurants, and our server was nice and explained to us how to eat the grilled fish. Also, Banh Xeo was MASSIVE. Definitely recommend if you are looking for authentic Vietnamese food! read more

Thien Long - A7. Bánh Xèo Thiên Long - huge!!! - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

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I've been going here for decades. Still the best bun cha ca la vong (turmeric dill fish) around. Cash only. Local vibe. Staff have always been nice and food service is fast. Parking can be challenging during peak times read more

Thien Long - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

Thien Long in East San Jose is a great spot! I only came to try their famous sizzling fish platter, and it did not disappoint--fresh, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. Fast service and a cozy, welcoming vibe made the experience even better. I'll definitely be back to try more items on their menu! read more

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Went here around 3pm on a Wednesday with my girlfriend. Not really busy, had to come up near the register to get seated, we were automatically given water, and our order was taken, all the food came out pretty quickly, the drinks took a little bit to come out. We got egg rolls that didn't come out until after the pho and fish. The pho came first and it was delicious. The fish was the star of the show it comes out of a hot plate and honestly was was so delicious, you can add on rice paper for $3, and I recommend if you like to make your own "spring roll" type of thing. The place is like any traditional Vietnamese restaurant inside and it felt homey. Would recommend! read more

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I got the Bun Rieu Oc and the Bun Cha Ca La Vong. The Bun Rieu was super tasty! The broth was a little bland at first, but adding some shrimp paste totally woke up the flavors. They gave so much periwinkle, way more than I've seen at other Vietnamese spots, so it felt like a great deal. The crab cake was just okay though, a little too crumbly for me. The grilled fish was pretty solid too. I'm pretty sure they used tilapia, but I thought this dish usually comes with catfish? The turmeric flavor was nice and subtle. Charging $3 extra for rice paper felt kinda wild, so we just used lettuce wraps instead. read more

Thien Long - bun rieu oc - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

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I came up from SoCal and made this as a restaurant for dinner. The hotpot, on the menu stated this feeds two people since we were a party of 3 I decided to order a pho just in case. The hotpot had plenty of toppings with a side of noodles and vegetables . The pho was so huge we took leftovers to the hotel and had plenty to eat. Service was fast and the staff was attentive. Tucked in a plaza with other Vietnamese stores. Side story: At the parking lot spotted (the infamous) a van reselling Porto's I laughed hard but that doesn't impact the review of this restaurant read more

Thien Long - Seafood, beef Hotpot 35.95 - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

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We stumbled across Thiên Long years ago in search of Pho. Upon our second or third visit (a century ago) my wife asked about the preponderance of fish sizzling on a silver platter on bed on dill, onions, and topped with peanuts. That's the house special. It is an assembly of veggies, rice noodles, rice paper, a bowl of water etc. and you make incredible spring rolls. I don't recommend the LA Kalbi plate. Great service and a little shrine by the cash register - Cash Only! read more

Been here a couple times in the past year or so and their fried fish never disappoints! Came here on a busy Friday dinner and waited about 10 mins before getting a table! ~the food~ - #36B Bun cha ca la vong: This seems to be their most popular dish here and for good reason! The menu lists this as "grilled" fish, but I think it's more fried (pan-fried?) than grilled. Regardless, this fish is so tender and flakey, so good! We order it with their rice paper and make fish springs rolls with it, highly recommend trying this! - #28 Bun tom Thit nuong: This dish has bbq pork + shrimp over rice noodles + lettuce and other veggies! The bbq pork and shrimp has a really nice chargrilled flavor and was cooked nicely! I think the shrimp might've been just a tad overcooked, but still pretty good! ~parking~ We did come here on a busy Friday night and there seems to be a lot of other popular restaurants/cafes in the plaza, so parking was a bit challenging but we found a spot eventually! Izumi matcha is next door, and there was a decent line outside! ~overall~ Important note: this place is cash only! But they also accept Zelle! Super casual, and quick service! Pricing is reasonable imo, given the larger portion sizes! I think this place is definitely worth giving a try for their fish! read more

Thien Long - #36B Bun cha ca la vong - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Located in the same plaza as Izumi Matcha, Thai Elephant Express, and Hue. Lots of good Vietnamese food in the area. This place has been here for a while and I finally got to try. We got seated immediately on a Friday at 6:45pm. They are known for their grilled dill turmeric fish (cha ca la vong). We obviously had to order that to try! Portions were so generous. Enough to feed 2 people. It's so fun rolling your own spring rolls. They even provided lots of fresh herbs and lettuce. The fish was very flavorful and paired well with the dipping fish sauce (nuoc cham). This dish was very authentic to the ones in Ha Noi, Vietnam. Ambiance is very causal and service was quick. Keep in mind they do not accept credit cards so make sure to bring CASH! You pay at the front. I would come back and take my parents :) read more

Thien Long - Cha ca long vong - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

Grilled fish 4/5 - this dish was good and the fish is cooked well. Flavor is also really good. You wrap them into your own spring rolls which was pretty fun! The fish didn't have too much batter which was good. We came on a Saturday for lunch and they got pretty busy. It's in a big plaza but the parking lot fills up quick. read more

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I visited this restaurant with my friend on a Sat evening and there were still plenty of seats. This restaurant was recommended to me by my Viet uncle and I really enjoyed the food here. I got 48. Cơm Tôm Thịt Nướng Trứng Op La (bbq pork, shrimp and fried egg with rice) and it came with a good amount of food. The bbq pork is extremely flavorful and tender. I first tried it at a party where they catered the bbq pork party tray and it was really good. read more

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Nice service I believe it is cash only/zelle in a busy plaza. Food is authentic and tasty I just wish the bun bo hue soup was hotter - temperature wise. The chicken pho was clean but also had a rich flavorful broth. read more

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We've been going to Thien Long for years and I can't ever remember having a bad meal here. The food is always super fresh and delicious. The Seafood noodle soup is one of my faves, but today I mixed things up by having Beef Stew - which was savory, tender and delicious. Ambiance is simple, almost cafeteria like, but that's not why you're here. You're here because the food is fabulous and service is prompt. We've had many meals here for decades now and Thien Long has earned its place in our hall of fame. Bet you'll like it, too! read more

Decided to get the fried fish spring rolls. I love being able to pick my own ingredients that I want in the roll and rolling it myself. It comes with fish fillets that are lightly battered and fried on a bed of onions and dill, topped with fried garlic and toasted peanuts. And surprisingly everything went well together. Comes with noodles, cucumbers, mint, and perilla leaves with a side of fish sauce for dipping. I'd return just for this dish alone. Also got the bun rieu. No snails and no pork blood in mine. It wasn't as flavorful as other places I've had but nonetheless still edible. Probably wouldn't order it again. As far ass the service, we were promptly greeted and seated upon arrival. Thankfully it wasn't too busy on a Sunday afternoon, but it did start to pick up as time went on. Keep in mind it's cash only, but they do take Zelle as well. read more

Thien Long - Fried fish for spring rolls - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

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I've been here many times because I really like their grilled fish. I'm not sure what kind of fish they use, but it tastes super tender, and the special flavor seems to come from the spices. I also ordered pho this time, and it turned out to be really good as well. The broth was so flavorful. I'll definitely come back again just for their grilled fish. The only downside is that parking in this plaza isn't easy. read more

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Recently I've wanted Bot Chien, Fried Flour Pancake with egg, and I decided to try Thien Long. It was better than other Bot Chien I've had. I especially like that they allow you to order extra egg, since some other places' Bot Chien taste like you're only eating pancake. The "pancake" pieces aren't bready like American pancakes, it's more like fried soft tofu. I liked how soft it was in the middle while still having crispy corners. The sauce is like a sweet soy sauce. Very good! read more

Thien Long - Bot Chien Trung A3. Fried Flour Cake with Egg-Bánh Bột Chiên Trứng--very good, ordered extra egg. - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

Yummmmmmm! The turmeric fish is so worth the visit! I found this place through Yelp, and after reading some comments, we decided to try! We actually ended up getting this to go, and it was still so delicious when we got home. (Ordered on the phone and they said it would take 15 mins) My boyfriend who's from Hanoi said this flavor is super close to the home. This was my first time trying it, and it's sooo good! The seasoning and flavor of the fish is delicious. It's served on top of onions and dill. I love an extra dill flavor. We wrapped ours with rice paper. 10/10 would recommend! read more

A little expensive but always delicious fried fish! Vietnamese restaurant off of Capitol expressway known for their fried fish dish. The filets are marinated and fried and served with rice noodles, lettuce, cucumbers, basil and rice paper! This place is a make your own roll though so they give you the rice wrapper separately to wrap them yourselves! However if you need help or don't know what to do, you can ask for directions :) It's not too noisy inside and is great for groups! There's lots of tables with 4-6 seats! read more

Thien Long - Cha ca la bong (fried fish) - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

I was visiting friends up north and they said I had to try Thien Long, so we went. It's not a fancy place, but the food is great! We got 2 orders of the cha ca la vong and it was super delish! Fish was cooked to perfection and the accompanying veggies cooked on the grill in time to wrap in our spring rolls. Food really hit the spot and reminded me of my adventures in Vietnam. Service was ok. People were nice, but once they bring out your food they don't really check on you. Also keep in mind this place is cash only a so make sure to hit the atm before you go. When I'm in town again, I'd definitely go back. read more

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As everyone mentions, their cha ca la vong or turmeric fish is the best here. Their goi ga or cold chicken salad is also very good. Their food is not very expensive, and it can be a lot of food. For the cha ca la vong, make sure to order the rice paper as well. It is extra cost though, but the dish doesn't feel complete without it! Servers are very nice. The place feels like a classic mom and pop Asian restaurant. Nothing fancy about the decor, but the food is where it's at. It can get very busy on weekends during lunch. Downside is that it's cash only, but they accept Zelle now! read more

I've come here twice just for cha ca la vong (lemon grass fish) and it never disappoints! The portion size is huge and perfect for sharing with 2 people. The menu says it is grilled, but my friend pointed out that the crispy coating couldn't be grilled and I had an extreme face palm moment. The fish is super fragrant and juicy and it tastes home made. Don't even try to put it in a lettuce wrap because the fish will plop out! It is just as good in a deconstructed salad with some nuoc mam. PSA: this place is cash only but also accepts Zelle. You pay at the counter and don't even have the option to tip (weirdly) read more

Thien Long - Cha ca la vong - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California