Tigon is a cute, unique restaurant that I would certainly go to again for a casual dinner. My partner and I both had the Combination Beef Pho. In comparison to others, I was very pleased with both the meat and the noodles. And if you're a big fan of the bean sprouts, they provide plenty. However, the broth was good but did lack some flavor (which we made up for with sriracha). Service-wise, water glasses arrived at the table before I could return from the restroom and the waiter returned with drinks and food within a couple minutes. Overall, a pleasant experience that was perfect for us on our way home from Napa Valley. read more

The lotus salad was really good and refreshing we asked for them to replace pork with chicken which was nice. The thai green milk tea with coconut milk is a must. The catfish clay pot and Bon Bo hue were good. The decor is so nice and fitting. Will be back soon with friends. read more

Solid spot in El Cerrito for some Vietnamese food. The decor is noticeable once you walk in, with large plants everywhere. My wife is a plant enthusiast, and can name mostly all of the plants since we have the same in our house. We were immediately served and didn't take long to order our food. Ordered the combination rice plate (R4) since I was really hungry. The plate came out fast and plate was huge. Food was full of flavor, and also had a Thai ice tea. Would come back here for the service and environment. read more

Tigon - Thai ice tea - Vietnamese Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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Another good Vietnamese establishment close to home. Their Combination Rice Plate had a nice spread of items and was filling, though I feel the chicken and beef could've used a bit more flavor. My party also enjoyed the Braised Catfish in Clay Pot, a more unique dish. They did a great job on the tropical-esque decor read more

This restaurant has really decent Vietnamese food for the area. The menu is big and offers many different choices than the usual rice plates, vermicelli bowls, and banh mi's from other viet restaurants. My sister and I's go-to is the shaking beef, bo luc lac. It comes with only the beef and veggies, so you'll have to order a side of rice with it. This is my favorite place to get this dish! I've tried shaking beef from other restaurants and it just isn't the same! I'm surprised I haven't uploaded a picture of their shaking beef yet lol. Probably cause I be going in on it before taking a picture lol. read more

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The food is okay as far as Vietnamese food is concerned and the layout of the restaurant is cute! However, the service sucks!!! Please stop using a pre-teen child as a waitress!!! It is no longer cute! There are plenty of adults working there that can offer better service than a child! read more

Sitting here after finishing some wonderful and diverse Thai food. Excellent service. A short review but I wanted to get it out. read more

I still stand by my belief that there aren't a lot of great Vietnamese restaurants in my area, but this place was a pleasant surprise. My friend suggested it and we decided to go for lunch. The inside is really pretty (definitely an aesthetic to it) with a lot of decorations, different seating areas, and space. The prices were a bit off putting at first, but when the food came out it was just the portion I was looking for with the same Vietnamese flavors I miss. Their fish sauce was especially good and I had to ask for more. Ended up ordering a vermicelli bowl with different meats, veggies, and egg rolls while my friends got their caramelized pork and another their tomato/crab soup Staff was friendly and quick at refills and other things. Would definitely take my parents here if they visit, I think they'd give their approval as well read more

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Service was great! They are very welcoming once you enter the restaurant, they sit you down and give you a few minutes to decide what you'd like to order. Food was AMAZING! Pho was 10/10 :) read more

Tigon - N0. Beef Pho Combination / Phở Đặc Biệt - Vietnamese Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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I have been here twice now and both times were great experiences. We got the Tigon special (DIY spring rolls). The dish includes a huge tray of vegetables, vermicelli noodles, spring roll wrappers and bunch of meat/seafood. You wrap your own spring roll using the food on the tray. SO good! One order feeds 3-4 people, depending on how much else you order. We also got a few appetizers. My favorite is the crispy shrimp roll. It's fairly easy to find parking. Very friendly staff too! I would recommend this restaurant to anyone and everyone! read more

Tigon - a plate of food on a table - Vietnamese Near Me - El Cerrito, California

The service that I received today was NOT good though the ambiance was good. Me and my family had asked for no peanuts in the platter and our waiter had also repeated no peanuts in our platter. When we got it we had to wait for the other half of the platter because we had only been brought the vegetables of the platter and once they brought the other half of the platter (the meat) it had peanuts in it. We asked if we could get another one but without peanuts and they said "sorry we ran out of meat" which was a lie. Now we were waiting on the fried rice we ordered and once we got it, it didn't seem/look like fried rice so we asked if it really was what we ordered and they said "yes that's the fried rice it's just under it" we kept eating it but we weren't sure if it was the fried rice because we had got the same order the last time we were there and it was completely different. As we are eating it they come back and tell us that it wasn't fried rice even after they said it was? They then give us the real fried rice with shrimp Even after they said they had no more meat left what a joke. read more

First time coming in the place looked pretty nice. Good decor and vibrant colors. The service in the place was not good from first visit. Me and my wife would have to flag down the waiters to get some service. At the time there were only two tables including ours. We put in our order with the waiter, it took 15mins for my wife's order to come out and I was stilling waiting for my order to come out. 10-15min went by and my wife asked me to check on my order. Again flagged a different waiter down and asked about my order, the waiter says "oh" and then goes check. After a few mins, I looked on over and see that the waiter was discussing to the waitress about my order. At this point, I was tired of waiting and wanted to leave. So I ask the waiter, how much longer and he tells me 5-10mins. So I told him it's okay I didn't want the meal no more. As I was paying for my wife's meal, they asked if I still wanted the meal after I told them I wanted to cancel it. For the food, my wifes pho was really great quality. I hope next time there will be better service. read more

This restaurant is not a Vietnamese restaurant. I really wanted Imperial rolls. They call them Crispy rolls. They look like Chinese egg rolls. That's what this restaurant is. All the wait staff are teenagers & in their 20s. They allow a little girl about 4 to ride her scooter around the restaurant disturbing the diners. She's bored & they ignore her. It's bad parenting & shameful. Food. None of it is Vietnamese. Maybe the Pho is good but it was too hot for that. The salads don't look at all like the pictures. I ordered the lettuce cups but they are not lettuce cups so it's hard to make the little cups of deliciousness--bits, shredded coconut, red onion, ginger, & cashews. Instead of butter lettuce they serve a bitter salad which was a terrible lettuce & not a good vessel for the goodies. The dried shrimp is wet and slimey. They look like maggots. read more

Upon arriving , I waited for a long time ,until I was seated ,or even noticed for that matter .The service was very mediocre ,and I've worked in the service industry most of my life!Finally ,I got seated but wasn't asked for a drink or anything.At this point, I wanted to leave ,but was being patient!I ordered the pho chicken noodle soup , and it was amazing .The soup is the only reason I'm giving this place a star ! read more

Nice Vietnamese spot in El Cerrito Some street parking and relatively large, clean seating area. Service was great, and very obviously a family owned restaurant. Had a nice variety of dishes. Got the V3 and was a lot of food for the portion. Spring rolls were portioned well and tasted fresh. Overall great food and no complaints across the board from my group Would definitely come back. read more

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Wonderful Vietnamese restaurant in El Cerrito. Loved the fact that they have many good options to choose from on the menu. We went with the Braised Catfish in a Claypot and Stir Fried Eggplant with Tofu. First of all, the catfish was very delicious. Loved the sweetness of the braised fish in the claypot. It was not too overpowering and just enough to combine with the thick broth and vegetables. It was very enjoyable with steamed rice. Loved the Stir Fried Eggplant with Tofu as well. This was an excellent dish. The eggplant was soft with a nice creamy texture. It had a nice sweet and savory sauce. I was amazed how well the sauce paired with all the ingredients. The dish also had onions and peppers. They had a wonderful contrast in texture and made the dish very eye appealing. This was also paired with rice. Service was very nice here. We were welcomed and seated right away. It was good to know how comforting our host was to us. The staff was very friendly and efficient. Our food came in the expected time it was posted on the menu. Some dishes take time to be cooked and that wait was essential to enjoy the meal. Loved the overall vibe of the place. The ambiance here was pretty cool. Loved the decor inside. A lot of spacious seating. We visited here on a Monday evening, not too many diners, but an okay amount. The place is well maintained and clean. Parking was not too bad. Just parallel park close by the restaurant. Overall, wonderful dining experience here. Loved the many options on the menu and the flavor along with the service was phenomenal. I will definitely come back here soon again. Thanks Tigon! read more

Tigon - Stir Fried Eggplant with Tofu - Vietnamese Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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"I've never had bad Vietnamese until now." This is what my husband said walking to the car after our bad experience. I suspect they serve frozen food, it doesn't taste fresh. The nuoc cham sauce was off, it didn't taste right. It was missing a lot of ingredients. The Pho broth didn't taste homemade, it was cloudy and salty. The chicken salad -Goi Ga lacked flavor and was doomed by the tasteless nuoc cham dressing & the chicken was rubbery. The chicken and shrimp egg rolls undoubtedly were not made in house. They had a weird mealy texture like they were frozen then cooked too quickly. Just to be clear, I'm making a very judgmental comment that the food isn't fresh and I only have what I ordered and what my husband ordered to support this claim. But what we ordered was not good at all, not fresh, no flavor an odd texture, and just bad all around. The service was uninviting. We felt like intruders in someone's home. No smiles of welcome, a rushed service the guy didn't give us much time to order and came back quickly with a frown, when we asked for more time. Never one smile all so serious. The table was sticky. I'm going to stop, I've said enough bad things. Just take this into consideration when you plan to spend $75 on nothing. Nope, I didn't tip. The nerve of me :( Huong Tra really sets the bar high. They were closed on Sunday so we tried this place. read more

The food here is just authentic. Very tasteful and savory. So many choices to choose from so everytime I come here I try something different and it hit the spot everytime. The price is reasonable too with the inflation now aday. this place food is fulfilling and touches your soul. Thank God I found this place. Will always be a repeating customer. read more

Tigon - Vietnamese Near Me - El Cerrito, California

TLDR: Food was good, but not what I was expecting, not for me but could be for someone else. Ordered a Vietnamese iced coffee, it was good but expecting and hoped for the style where it drips into your cup as you wait. Can't get mad at that either way. Husband's vermicelli came out beautifully played however, doing too much where he didn't even know how to eat it.. when he's a veteran at vermicelli lol. My seafood pho was good, however it didn't come out with the works.. like basil, bean sprouts, jalapeño, etc. Didn't ask why, should have. I even had to go up a few times and once to ask for a soup spoon for my pho (doesn't look like it's normally at the table). Overall good food. Style is just not for me but I can see it appealing to a different audience. read more

This place was bomb.com! The service was excellent. The food was super delicious. And the ambiance was chill, actually it was a bit chilly inside, until I got the bun bo hue to warm me up then it didn't matter. If you like the congealed pork blood, you'd be missing out here, unless you can ask for it?? Will definitely come back, would definitely recommend! Nomnomnom! read more

Tigon - Two types of chilis for the soup - Vietnamese Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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V1 and N6 so good! This place should be filled up with patrons the food is delish. Love the fresh herbs!

Meh It was my first time here and really not impressed. My Vietnamese in-laws been here a couple times during grand opening and says that it tasted subpar this most recent visit. Banh xeo - way too many bean sprouts, few shrimp and overall soggy Vermicelli bowl - ok but egg rolls weren't crispy as well Bun rieu - lacking flavor, very mediocre Overall, just wasn't that good and unfortunately, we would not return. read more

Tigon - Banh xeo - Vietnamese Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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Would I come back? To be honest no... price is what really going to drive me away. Let's be honest. Only reason why we came here is because ao sen was closed on a Wednesday and tigon was the only nearest Vietnamese spot within a mile. Let's break down this review Food service and price Food I ordered a rice plate with grilled pork chops and shrimp cake. Grilled pork was marinated but lacked that extra taste in flavor I've had in other restaurants. It was cooked perfectly wasn't dry yet you needed the nuoc mam (fish sauce) to help out the flavor. The rice wasn't a typical broken rice dish like what most viet rice plates are usually served. Portion was good but I felt the extra large plate was a bit excessive. Service- it was a slow evening so the server had plenty of opportunity of come by and refill water and ask if we needed anything so that was great. Pricing- really steep for a rice plate... most average I've paid for a grilled pork ranges around 12-15 dollars a plate this starts off at 18 dollars usually what gets me is that the non cash fee of 3% not being advertised as you are tipping them... lmao so 21%.... Tipped... I guess rent is expensive in this corner but please have a big sign saying cash preferred or a 3% will be included. Not an ideal spot for a cheap bite but it does have good decor around it's very colorful with stuff hanging off the ceiling and a big ox at the entrance. read more

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Yum! Ordered food to go via their website, easy and fast: pork banh mi, fried imperial rolls (which come with lettuce wraps, basil and mint), shaken beef, and catfish claypot. Delicious! read more

I have to admit, I'm giving one of these stars just for the proximity to my home. The other three are for the strong family-friendly atmosphere and food. Their menu is extensive and had one of my favorite dishes - BUN RIEU soup. We were greeted by a cute little girl - Evelyn - if I had to guess, a 5 or 6 year old who kept us entertained until our food arrived. The server who took our order assured us that she would remove her if she was bothering us. I thought it was great that she engaged with the customers - another part of the strong family atmosphere. BB read more

We found ourselves looking for lunch in the El Cerrito area and saw Tigon (and subsequently looked it up on Yelp to verify that it had good reviews) and decided to try it out. They have quite an extensive menu of rice plates, vermicelli bowls, pan fried noodles, noodle soups and pho. This enabled us to each get what we wanted - I got the vermicelli salad bowl with chicken and pork. It was very tasty though definitely more vermicelli than salad. The portions of all of our meals - particularly the pho - were big. The restaurant is quite spacious but the booths feel intimate and cozy. Tasty lunch option! read more

On the corner of Central Ave and the main street: San Pablo Ave resides Tigon Vietnamese restaurant. Mostly street parking available. This restaurant has a tropical ambiance to their large indoor dining decor and setting. We already placed a to go order. Calling in was easy and service was friendly. The tofu veggie spring rolls was fresh and had a good dipping sauce. We enjoyed their garlic noodles that held up to the garlic flavor. The vegetable pho also had good flavor in the broth. May be we'll dine in next time. read more

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I've been waiting to try this place. We never went when it was a different restaurant. Primarily because parking here is a royal pain. Most folks coming to this section of San Pablo in El Cerrito, likely snag the limited parking spots for the movie theater a couple of doors down. I came solo for early lunch... me and 3-4 other folks separately. Place is huge inside. 100 folks could easily fit. The wait staff was friendly fast and efficient. I ordered the special Chá Giò Tôm, a slightly different take on traditional Bon cha Hanoi. Aka this featured Grilled chicken, beef, shrimp some imperial rolls. The NƯỚC CHẤM was very watered down, not that pungent tang from vinegar and fish sauce. The proteins were not very spicy or charred either. Would up having to doctor it up with chilies. Could have used more acid as in lime, and a hella more veggies. So this was a miss. Fortunately , I also got Bún Väc Biêt to go for dinner. So while the Chá Giò Tôm was a miss, I'd go just for this! My Yelp pal Maxx and I have been in search of authentic NEM RAN/CHA GIO. These were a staple and favorite while number 1 son and I were hanging in northern Vietnam a few years back. Basically rolls loaded with pork, shrimp or some protein wrapped in rice paper and deep fried. But everywhere here in the USA and the bay, restaurants use the more abundant wonton wrappers, like how traditional Chinese egg rolls are made! Trust me, there is a huge difference. At Tigon, they use the proper rice paper with added shrimp and taro. You then wrap a roll in supplied lettuce, add some other veg, like shredded carrots, radish, green onion, mint, basil etc then dip them in a variation of NƯỚC CHẤM. And eat it... like a Vietnamese taco. Even tho they were cold several hours later when I decided to eat them, they were really really great! Those puppies alone took the review from a 2-3 stars to a solid 4. Frankly, I don't care about the other great looking menu items. I'm going back just to eat the Bún Väc Biêt! These took me back to Hanoi, sitting on those little red or blue plastic chairs at an undersized table, drinking copious Saigon beers, Under the pulsing electrical wires that provide light, power white noise and a modicum of shade from the very hot humid sunny days; or shelter from the evening rain. Funny how food that was so enjoyable can conjure up such vivid memories! A true taste of northern Vietnam! read more

Tigon - Special bon cha! - Vietnamese Near Me - El Cerrito, California

My mom and I had a wonderful lunch here. It's as good as other Vietnamese restaurants in the East Bay. We had the vegetarian pho and a vermicelli bowl with grilled pork and egg rolls. I like that you can mix and match proteins. The grilled pork was lean and crispy on the edges. The eggrolls were mild flavored and crunchy. The nuoc cham (fish sauce, lime juice) was really good, nice and citrusy. The family that runs it is kind and their kids were there and friendly. Quite a nice experience. read more

Tl;dr: A standard Vietnamese meal. Fast service, lovely ambiance. We arrived on a Friday around 6:30pm as a party of 2 and were seated immediately. Upon entering, we were amazed by the interior decor. We were sat in the side booths that were very private and comfortable for dining. What we got: Beef pho combo 3/5: A very standard, no frills pho. The broth was relatively bland for my personal taste, since I've had more flavorful broths. The pho did include a wide array of beef items for a decent price so that was a plus, but overall this dash lacked a depth of flavor I was hoping for. Stir fried Eggplant with chicken 4/5: I was pleasantly surprised by this dish in contrast to the pho. The sauce definitely elevated this dish. The eggplant was full of flavor and texture. It also came out steaming hot! The chicken was also very tender. Overall, I would recommend getting the stir fry dish over the pho. There's limited street parking in the immediate vicinity, but we were able to find street parking in the residential street behind the restaurant. read more

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Trying this place out for the first time despite being in Albany for about 15 years or so The atmosphere and decor was beautiful and unique in comparison to the surrounding establishments. Service was fast and the waiter/waitress was very kind. The thai tea was moderately sweet in comparison to most others I've tried, but the tea flavor was a bit lacking. The Bun Bo Hue is great. Plenty of meat and the pork sausage are great toppings that go well with a bit of the thai chili sauce , but there's no pork blood or pork feet. Either way, it's a great bowl of pho thats hits the spot if you like a little heat. The noodles are tender and silky. As for the Bun Rieu, I found it very flavorful too. The shrimp is tender, the fried tofu is tasty, but the "meatball" was not satisfactory. The taste is fine, but the texture of it made it seem dry. I would recommend eating it with some hoisin sauce to compensate. Overall I think the food was great, but I feel that the price just doesn't seem justified for whats in the bowl and for the quality of broth. I would recommend trying it out, but it's really up to you if you want to come back for more. read more

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Might be me. I found the food here to be better than the previous restaurant at this location. Generous portions and reasonable prices. We enjoyed the shrimp spring rolls and peanut sauce. Very fresh. Also enjoyed the combination rice in a clay pot. Easily sharable dishes. No bar here, but they offer Heineken or Corona if you want a beer with your meal. Great place and will definitely return. read more

Tigon - Combo rice in clay pot - Vietnamese Near Me - El Cerrito, California

Tigon is fiiiiiiire. Everything we've had here has been nothing short of amazing. No doubt this is one of the best Viet spots in El Cerrito already. The times my bf asks me if we can come here for dinner is...... Too many to count. If anything, this review is mostly for him to express his love for Tigon via my Yelp LOL For COVID safety purposes, some staff wear masks, hand sanitizer is provided, and tables are sanitized thoroughly. Located next to El Cerrito plaza, some side street parking and residential parking available. Ornately decorated inside with a mix of traditional Vietnamese and modern restaurant infrastructure-- I'm told that this carried over from the previous restaurant. S8 FRESH SPRING ROLLS (w/sugarcane shrimp): I've had sugarcane shrimp before, but not in a spring roll! Tasty combination with the fresh veg, albeit a little more indulgent than a standard spring roll. Delectably sweet and aromatic. Comes with sweet chili sauce. R5 RICE PLATE (w/chicken): I get this every time I'm here. Their chicken is BOMB. Juicy & tender, grilled and sauced up with garnish to top it off. I usually douse the rice in fish sauce to accompany the chicken. My bf rotates between the N3 Noodle Soup (seafood or veg) and N5 Crab Vermicelli Soup-- high remarks for both. Being a minute away from my apartment, Tigon has easily become one of our dinner go-to's. read more

Tigon - S8 Fresh Spring Roll (sugarcane shrimp) - Vietnamese Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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Tigon takes over Nong Thon's space with little change to the infrastructure. the menu has many carryovers from the old. 10% off during September. offerings: hot pot, appetizers, salads, wraps, banh mi, vermicelli (bun), rice (com), Vietnamese savoy crepes (banh xeo), wok noodles, noodle soups, Vietnamese dishes, Bo 7 Mon (7 courses of beef), deserts, beverages.. eats: Special Dac Biet banh xeo (18) -"pan seared rice flour mixed in tumeric powder, coconut, onion, mushroom, mung bean, & mung bean. served with lettuce, basil, cilantro, carrot/radish shreds and dipping sauce" -eaten by grabbing a lettuce leaf, put some banh xeo, basil, cilantro, carrot/radish schreds on top, make a wrap, add dipping sauce, eat... repeat -didn't notice any onions nor mushrooms. sprouts were raw, not stirred fried. -chicken, shrimp, and squid had no stir fry char, bland/tasteless, probably cooked by blanching in hot water, then tossed into banh xeo mix at same time as raw sprouts. result bland tasting fillings, 4.5 could have been fab. dipping sauce of vinegar/fish sauce? only flavor enhancer. ingredients all tasted fresh. the trio (6.00) che 3 mau -green jello strings, small red and mung beans in coconut milk topped with crushed ice. -tastes better than the drink version since little water was present. comped soup -sweet tasting natural broth with carrot, daikon, onions, fried tofu bits, celery. take outs: -street parking is iffy. -unknown if other entrees also have shortcuts in culinary methodology. -no check ins. just dropped off food, went back to service counter. read more

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Tigon recently took over as new management. I was surprised! They had really good reviews. I was excited to try. I met the smallest, cutest waitress. We got free drinks due to grand reopening. Furthermore, we get 10% off final bill. While I do not know how long this will last.. food was super yum. I had the bun bo hue. It was delish! Also ordered the spring roll. But I didn't care for the thin vermicelli used. The presentation was on point. Food also taste on point. Would come back to try other foods read more

Tigon - Bun bo hue - Vietnamese Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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Love this place! The service is amazing every time, the food is always delicious and comes fast, and the ambiance is amazing. The space is beautiful, and always clean. read more

Tigon - dining area - Vietnamese Near Me - El Cerrito, California

Tigon, situated on the corner of San Pablo and Central in El Cerrito, specializes in traditional Vietnamese cuisine. Occupying the same block as the Rialto theater and other up-and-coming businesses, it's reassuring to see more signs of a post-pandemic recovery. Without any previous restaurant experience, The Troung family opened Tigon in September 2022, Going "all in," relying heavily on their belief in their family's cooking and recipes passed down from generation to generation. Their gamble turned into a win as they quickly managed to establish a healthy following and some great reviews. Their values revolve around family and community, which is the reason they've achieved early success despite being new to the restaurant industry. Recommended on Yelp! was the Bún Bò Huế, a traditional, semi-spicy noodle soup dish with thinly sliced boneless shanks, Vietnamese ham, and tendon. Served with fresh veggies and accouterments such as mint leaves, cilantro, and bean sprouts, this dish is completely gluten-free as are many other options on the menu. Given the exaggerated winter we've had this year, there's always room for a warm bowl of soup and while it's easy to find Phở, the more familiar and very common Vietnamese rice noodles in broth, Tigon's Bún Bò Huế is a heartier, more memorable alternative. The biggest attraction for my family is Tigon's "BÒ 7 MÓN", which translates to the Seven Courses of Beef. As the name implies it requires a substantial commitment from the establishment to prepare and serve, which is why it's rarely seen elsewhere, but at $30 per person, with a minimum of two orders it's an excellent value. Starting with carpaccio in a citrus-based sauce, the beef courses continue with different traditional preparations including a course grilled with lemongrass and another dipped in vinegar soup. You'll also enjoy beef in a fondue, wrapped in piper la lot leaf, grilled as a sausage, and steamed as a meatball. The final course is a beef rice porridge which ends/finishes/ rounds out the experience on a high note. Tigon's interior is vast, featuring Southeast Asian decor and comfortable private booths on each side with room for large communal tables in the center. It feels like the outdoor courtyard owned by a family happy to host and entertain you as part of the community. Ironically this is not far from the truth. From the ambiance, food, and service, Tigon exemplifies the very best of a family-run business. However, it's during the weekend when the ENTIRE family is there that this vibe shines through. The youngest members of the Troung family rotate between hanging out in the rear booth doing art projects to playing host - greeting and seating guests with the professionalism of a seasoned restaurateur. During my last visit, under the supervision of an elder, a pint-sized waitress perhaps no older than 10 years old, not only greeted us and walked us to our table, she made recommendations based on her expertise with the food she's grown up with. The exchange absolutely warmed my heart because it as it reminded me of when I played restaurant with my daughter when she was younger...but in this case, instead of toy plates and play-doh, actual food arrived at the table! read more

Tigon - Vietnamese Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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TL:DR - Just ok. Spring rolls look pretty but just not sure why there's so much extra lettuce and cucumber overload. Rice plate was fine, but all the meat pretty much tasted the same. Not enough rice either. It's just fine, there is better in the area. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I've given this place a few tries just because it's so close, but it's the epitome of Ok. So many odd choices made with the dishes and everything was just fine. Nothing was ever great, half the stuff I feel like I can make better myself. The spring rolls have massive pieces of lettuce and herbs sticking out of it. Artsy, sure. But what the hell do I do with that last bite? It's like a salad. The spring roll wrappers were also pretty hard by the time I got back home with take out, and the amount of cucumbers in it was overpowering. Another time, I got a rice plate, with pork chop and beef. The flavors were good, but the pork and beef has the exact same flavor and not nearly enough rice for all the meat. All in all, this place was fine, but there just has to be better around the area. read more

Nina and I met here again for lunch yesterday. Nina arrived earlier than I did and was seated in a comfortable booth. We had menus to look over and decided to share the papaya salad again and a combination claypot. Nina drank hot water and I drank hot tea. The papaya salad came first and was delicious, as before. This time we followed Alan's October advice and Nina took photos of the food. The claypot was beautifully presented and was also wonderful, w/ lots of vegetables, shrimp, pork, chicken and calamari, the rice nicely crusted on the bottom. It was a real treat. read more

Tigon - Combination claypot - Vietnamese Near Me - El Cerrito, California

We just ate here for the first time. Two of us had item E4 with chicken and green beans and a delectable sauce. The other two people had rare steak Pho. Everything was superb. Excellent service. I adore the ambience and the service was very good. I would definitely come back. The mango Panna cotta dessert was heaven. read more