Always delicious and reliable! Update as of 12/4/25: They have a new sign that says they're temporarily closed and under new management. read more

Tofoo Com Chay - Just a heads up for all--I saw this today - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

I had the best experience and food here! First off I have to call out the above and beyond kindness and friendliness the staff/possible owners! Super sweet and helpful folks who were very attentive and made sure we had everything we needed and were comfortable. I think it's been about a month of this restaurant being under new management, and while I can't compare it to the old management, I think the new folks are doing a great job. I'm not usually a big soup person, but the spicy noodle soup I had upon my friend's recommendation was truly delicious! So much flavor, and I'm actually a big fan of the vegan meat they used, and I'm very hard to please in that department. The portion size was also quite generous in my opinion! Some things to note, parking is not very easy here, your best/cheapest option is managing to secure street parking along the road, directly across the street is 2 hour parking that becomes free after 6 pm. However, do note that this place closes a bit earlier than you might expect, at 6 pm. Another thing to note is that it would be difficult to bring a group of more than 4 people here as it's very limited seating and a bit of a tight squeeze. My group of four had to sit outside and drag the two tables together, which wasn't a big hassle, but might not have worked out so well had one of the outdoor tables been taken. I'm looking forward to coming back and trying more delicious Vietnamese vegan food! read more

Tofoo Com Chay - Spicy Noodle Soup - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

They are back open again after the remodel. 10-6pm Monday thru Saturday Great take our place. Yummy! And Healthy! read more

A San Jose institution that I hope sticks around for a very long time! Even as a meat lover, I'm always blown away by how tasty and satisfying thus vegan spot is. You can go wrong with any of their dishes and customizable combos, but my favorites are their Bamboo Soup and Special Fried Rice. I also recommend getting a big tub of their Chili Crisp when they have it available. The couple that owns and runs this place are always nice and so hard working. It's a hole in the wall spot, so seating is limited. Use cash unless you're okay with a small additional fee. Street parking with parking meters out front. read more

Tofoo Com Chay - Bamboo Soup contents (noodles and various tofu, soup not picture here) - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

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This location has reopened after a period of closure. It is now under new management, and Uncle Ben is no longer there following his retirement. The interior remains largely the same, but the menu has changed quite a bit. I definitely miss some of his signature dishes. read more

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New Menu....... New Menu, New Menu items, New Menu Items, Great Food, Loving Hut Owner From Milpitas CA read more

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Ordered a House Special Chowmein. The noodles were well cooked, and the imitation beef that came with it is quite good. It tastes more like something tofu-based then a good substitution for beef. The service was good, and the ambiance is a takeout place read more

Tofoo Com Chay - House Special Chowmein - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

I've frequented this place since college so I guess definitely over 10 years (jeez am I getting that old).. but how have I not written a review??! Better late than never I suppose This place sells vegan , not even vegetarian, Vietnamese food Please don't let the exterior or small slightly run down interior, parking, or the "small" selection in the glass case scare you.. the food is totally homey and the flavor palette hits just right, this is what a Vietnamese vegan/veg family would make at home. A lot of people like to order their noodle dish, but I always get one of their combo rice plates because it reminds me of home and always hits the spot. Note if you eat the rice dish in house, they will microwave it for you, since it's been in the glass case, I understand how this may turn you off but pretend your eating at grandmas house! It's seriously smallllll with a couple 2 seater tables outside and maybe 3 on the inside, when I "dine in" I'll opt for outside if I can cause it does start to feel a little cramped inside. I do wish they were at a bigger more convenient location ... but hey, I guess don't fix what ain't broke. The owners are always so kind and friendly. They use to be cash only but when I just visited they now accept credit cards ($20 min). I'm not sure if they even remember this because I'm sure they do this often for many people since they are so sweet, back when I was a broke college student (now I'm just broke), I was short on cash and the owner gave me my meal and just told me to come back to pay another day when I had enough money :( ... wahhhh I was so appreciative and that made a lifelong customer out of me. Anyway, please give this place a try, the food is so so so good, once you get over everything else . If you're unsure what to get, literally just close your eyes to point and choose, everything will be yummy lol. Support local :) read more

Tofoo Com Chay - Healthy balanced portions and they give you a handful of veggies just like a viet mom would make you eat with your meal, lol - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

The owners here are super friendly and welcoming. I ordered the vegetarian pho after a flight back home and was craving pho. The broth was very flavorful and rich. It also had a bunch of toppings such as tofu and imitation pork and beef. It is a casual area with seating outside and inside. The only thing is I wish they had labels for all the items they had but the staff members are very helpful with telling you what everything is. For vegetarians and vegans this place is definitely somewhere to eat. read more

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Was looking for a vegan friendly place for a friend visiting. It's a small hole in the wall Mom and Pops kind of place. The service was nice. It was our first time. But we both quite liked it. We ordered the Bun Bo Hue Noodles. It had a good flavor that was deep. Everything inside was pretty yummy. If you like a comforting savory soup, this is for you! Will for sure be back with my husband. I preferred sitting inside because the outside is a bit scary hah Lunch time gets busy so go early. And theres only a few tables inside. Private lot in back of store read more

Tofoo Com Chay - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

Cheap, fast, easy, super-plentiful portions, close to SJSU (if you're a student or visiting), and probably relatively healthy as far as foods go. I was in the area and so I visted. Very friendly service and the operator tried to explain every single dish to me that I ordered in my combo special just to make sure that I was getting what I wanted. This was very educational because I am not really that well-informed about this cuisine. Not exactly necessary for me because I was pretty assured that I would like everything on the menu even if I didn't know what it was, but potentially very helpful for picky eaters. The food is vegan but I largely didn't notice, except for one dish - which I honestly thought was /better/ than the original meat version. I had a three item combo with the following: 1. Vietnamese Chow Mein. I am not sure what this is called in Vietnamese, but it tasted a lot healthier than the Chinese version, which I think was good because the lack of extremely heavy oils and what not allowed the natural flavors of the vegetables and herbs to come out better. They gave me a lot of this. 2. Curry Potato. I liked it well enough. The curry was not particularly overwhelming - it didn't really need a staple dish to pair with it. Just the curry and potato and vegetables by themselves made a good dish. Nice! 3. Braised Tofu Eggplant. At least I think it was braised. Very flavorful. Came with these nice little Chinese-style peppers that added a kick. The tofu was unusually NOT bland - the sauce on it did the perfect trick. Eggplant soaked up the sauce as eggplant often does and made a good pairing with the chow mein. 4. Chicken drumstick. I'm not sure if this was something I paid for or not or just something extra they gave me. It was pretty good. Like really good. I don't know what they did with it, but it seems herbs/spices were interlaced into the not-meat. This actually made it significantly better than most chicken, which I'm going to be honest is often just kind of bland. All of this ran me $14 combined (tax/tip/etc.) Good deal! Cheaper than the fast food Asian food boxes you get at even most grocery stores these a days! Only downside is that it's kind of hard to find parking around the area. It's like within walking distance of SJSU, which kind of inherently makes parking challenging... I have heard GREAT things about the bon bo hue, so that will be what I try next! read more

Tofoo Com Chay - Inside - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

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My friend likes to come here a lot for lunch, and one day we decided to come here together. There's very limited seating, but luckily there were about two or three tables outside that we were able to eat outside. The people running it were very friendly (though I am unsure if this was because of my friend being a recurring customer or not), and I got the yellow noodle soup with teriyaki kebabs to share. I should note that I am not vegan, but the fake meat was very tasty and had a nice texture to it. However, the serving and the kebab was a lot more than I had expected and I ended up having a slight stomachache after. I think this is probably the type of place that would be good for getting to-go, as you can save the food for a later time if you can't finish it all in one setting. Overall, it was a nice place with tasty food and friendly service at an affordable price. I would recommend going here, vegan or not, if you are ever in the area. read more

Tofoo Com Chay - Yellow Noodle Soup - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

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THE BEST VEGAN SPICY NOODLE SOUP! I was lucky enough to be staying with a friend who lives nearby here, and when I discovered this place on Yelp I knew I had to try. The spicy noodle soup was stuffed with a variety of fake meats, all of which were incredible, and my favorite of which was the ham. I've had a lot of fake meats in my life and this was definitely some of the best. The spicy broth was so flavorful and it also came with a bag of toppings and some vegetables which were a great addition. The noodles were $13 cash which I thought was great value. Portion size is perfect for one meal. The guy who runs the store was really friendly and honestly just by looking at him you can telll he's really really nice. I would love to come back to try the other menu items and the deli options. There were also some steamed buns and skewers that looked delicious. I would travel back to San Jose just to eat here again. Absolutely incredible. read more

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The five stars is for the balanced proportions of toppings which went into the noodle soup bowl. Unlike other places where noodles separate themselves from the toppings, the toppings here were sliced enough and thin enough to embed themselves more into the noodles, so each mouthful tended to have both toppings with noodles. One of the fried tofu types were not as pungent as other places. But the other protein toppings were distinctive. Most interesting was the flat roundish slices which tasted like dried dates. There were also some yellowish shavings which tasted like dried tofu sheets with chicken. There were at least 2 other dark toppings which I could not describe. read more

The gentleman in the front is friendly and smiles. Fried fish stick was so similar to fried tilapia. Salad was sweet, sour, and spicy. This vegan place is definitely a go for both vegans and non-vegans read more

Tofoo Com Chay - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

This is probably one of the only places I would drive 1+ hours to San Jose for. It's a very small place with basically no place to sit being run by the sweetest older gentleman. This is more likely a to-go kind of place even though they have a few tables for you to eat at. Everything is vegetarian which is always amazing and everything is delicious!! I don't even know what was on that combo plate, but I loved every bite of it. If anyone asks me for recs for the South Bay, this is the spot I always give. read more

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Service and atmosphere is standard for a small hole in the wall. I tried the pho chay which has tofu and imitation meat. Flavor wise it's not exactly like normal pho but I think they did an ok job replicating it in a vegetarian way. Portion was average/small. Would recommend for someone who is vegetarian and enjoys Vietnamese food. Price is also very reasonable. read more

Tofoo Com Chay - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

As a meat eater with many vegan friends, I sometimes struggle to find affordable food that gives that homey flavor. When you enter this hole-in-the wall shop, you are greeted with the most friendly owner who goes above and beyond. I brought my vegan coworkers here, who have not heard of this place, and they loved it!! The skewers and beancurd were their favorites. I always get the Spicy Noodle Soup- I think it's so interesting to see the variety of vegan means that are created and how well they go with the dish. For me, the vegan beef pieces were standouts!! I liked how it was savory, chewy, and a touch of sweet. The broth was so amazing, even on a hot summer day. I paired this with a grass jelly drink you can get from the drink fridge next to the register. The grass jelly herbal tea was a nice pair with the spicy, savory broth. I come here all the time, and prefer sitting outside to enjoy the area when I do. read more

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Times and prices have changed, but Tofoo Com Chay has a permanent place in my heart. The combo plates are $10, but the flavor and variety they have on their displays are priceless. ;) The lemon grass tofu is always my favorite as well as the bean curd! I tried their fried veggie wontons and they were so good! Next time I come I definitely wanna try their pho! read more

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Hole in the wall place and so worth it! Prices are great, friendly staff, and food is on point! Loved that they gave a lot of noodles in the Pho. Will be coming back! read more

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Fair warning - our rating is influenced by the fact that vegan Asian cuisine is generally difficult to find, so it's good for what it is. Judging against all the other good food in the Bay would knock at least a star and a half off this location. We had lunch here on a weekend. It's a very small vegan establishment with limited seating on the inside. The lighting is dim as well. It's a very hole-in-wall kind of vibe. You order upfront, get seated, and your food will be served to you. The man who took our orders was very friendly. We ordered a plate of summer rolls as an appetizer, the yellow noodle soup, and the special fried rice. SUMMER ROLLS: The summer rolls come in a set of three, all cut in half. In it are your usual spring roll ingredients and, presumably, a vegan protein. This was very delicious, especially with the peanut dip that came with it. SPECIAL FRIED RICE: This was a very celery forward tasting dish. The fried rice is plated beautifully, surrounded by a circle of cucumbers and topped with vegan beef and pickled carrots and radishes. The vegan beef looks very similar to real beef and could've fooled anyone but the texture gave it away that it's plant based. YELLOW NOODLE SOUP: This is an egg noodle soup served with broccoli, carrots, tofu and an unknown plant based protein. It comes with a bag of bean sprouts, basil and hot sauce. The soup is a bit greasy but otherwise good. I wasn't a fan of the plant based protein in terms of taste and in the end, resorted to only eating the noodles as the soup was a bit greasy. This soup gives off that "homemade" vibe very well. It's quite nostalgic, if that's what you're trying to go for. The prices here are great honestly; you get what you expect with that price. It's honestly hard to find an establishment that doesn't have sky high prices. We don't have a lot of experience with vegan food, especially so with plant based proteins. It is honestly not to our preference but we wanted to give it a go, and this might be a good place to try if you're a vegan. The only thing we would note is that they appear to have used the microwave to heat all our dishes - both the noodle base and the fried rice. It does raise questions about how fresh the ingredients are, but the approach is consistent with the overall ambiance of the place. read more

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My husband picked me up their delicious bamboo veggie chicken soup (number #15) when I had a bad cold. The soup was so delicious and had the most flavorful broth! The bamboo shoots were so tasty along with thin noodles and onions. The tofu was great too! The service was efficient and food came relatively fast! The prices were also very affordable-$13. I will definitely be coming back again. read more

This is my favorite place to visit in SJ! It's unfortunately been 4 years since I've been to this place, so it was nice to finally come back. I like that it hasn't changed, and the food is as good as ever. read more

Tofoo Com Chay - braised bean curd - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

Quick update - they now take credit card as my previous review noted cash only. And yes, still yummy!

This place is really good. They have a lot of vegan food with different tofu types paired with vegetables sauces and spices. Great for lunch. read more

Tofoo Com Chay is a vegan Vietnamese restaurant in Downtown San Jose. I love their Bun Hue chay. The veggie beef, soy ham, mushroom stems, and rice noodles soak up the deliciously spicy lemongrass broth. I've previously said this statement to my girlfriend and I want to reiterate it on my Yelp review for Tofoo Com Chạy: If I had a last meal before I die, it would be their Bun Hue Chạy. Yes, it's that good and it's only $12! Hard to find any Vietnamese restaurant serving noodle soups under $20 nowadays. The owner and his wife are always welcoming and nice. The location of the restaurant isn't in the best area of DTSJ so just remember to lock your car doors when you park. Once you come inside the restaurant, it's perfectly safe. Tofoo Com Chay is easily one of the best restaurants in San Jose. Try it out next time you're in the area! read more

Best TOFOO ;) ever!!! I've tried pretty much everything here (since they opened in 2000). Gosh it's always great! Even when (very rarely) it's only good, it's a new adventure in taste! read more

If you've tried Vietnamese food, you know that very few places in the US are better than San Jose for great Vietnamese food but Tofoo Com Chay raises the bar! This tiny restaurant run by super friendly and kind Mr. Benjamin has tasty, healthy dishes that have me returning for more than 15 years. The Spicy Hot Pho, Summer Roles, and Banh Mi should not be missed. I swear by this soup to cure even the slightest illness. Don't be fooled by this humble shop, it will not disappoint on flavor! read more

I have no idea why I havent written a review for Tofoo Com Chay before, it's one of my favorite places to eat. Super friendly and welcoming, I love everything about this place. My favorite thing on the menu is the yellow noodle soup but I could get anything here and am never dissapointed. And they take cards now! It used to only be cash. But still have some cash if you want to be able to tip, you can't with a card read more

Still the best. Spring rolls. Noodle's. Pho. Fake meats. Man, these folks are OG's of viet veg food for San Jose. 19 years vegetarian here read more

Food is old, outdated using a microwave too heat up your lovely vegan spiritual food. Only so you get sick from food poisoning. They want $$$ American but the Irony is they could care less about you. Shame on you both. read more

My friends and I met up at this hole-in-the-wall for their vegan pho, and it definitely did not disappoint. Served hot and fresh, I was amazed at the sheer amount of flavor, especially in the "meat" pieces. They are able to pack so much into it while also being totally vegan. I was so comfortable with them being all vegetarian/vegan - gives us many more options to choose from! The portion is awesome for what you get, and as a noodle person, I was thrilled with amount of noodles they give you. They also give you a pack of extras that you can add to your bowl which includes jalapeno peppers, bean sprouts, basil, etc. I added the peppers and sprouts - it makes the broth stand out and the dish that much more substantial! If you like spicy, I highly recommend eating the pho with the hoisin/sriracha sauces they have to pack in even more flavor. The shop itself is a bit cramped in the sense there is no indoor dining area here. They have a small eating area outside perfect for quickly savoring the best first few minutes you have to gobble it all down, though! If you are in San Jose, I would HIGHLY recommend you try this gem of a location. I would not have had the idea to try this place if my friends hadn't mentioned it to me, so please do yourself a favor and try this spot!! read more

Tofoo Com Chay - Vegan pho - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Highly recommended, spicy noodle soup. The spice flavors are well balanced and the texture of veggie meat is so amazingly crafted ..

GAS! so cheap & filling. I used to come to this place so often as an SJSU student, & had to make a trip in this stormy weather just to satisfy my cravings! Whole thing cost me 12$ read more

Tofoo Com Chay - Bbq combo plate - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

Vietnamese vegetarian restaurant! It's a super tiny restaurant. Very narrow inside with a few tables. It's more of a take out place. Everything is vegetarian, no meat! They have rice plates, noodles, kebabs, and appetizers. I stick with my usual order every time; teriyaki tofu and eggplant tofu (yum!). The 2 item combo plate with rice is $10. It's an easy spot to pick up lunch if you're a student at SJSU or working near downtown. I believe they started accepting credit card but just have cash just in case. Btw parking can be limited. It's definitely a little hole in the wall, and you have to try it! read more

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Tofoo Com Chay is a staple in the san jose vegan community. I've been coming here for years and hope to continue for years to come. Ben the owner is so friendly each time i visit. The restaurant itself is small, but there are a couple of tables if you want to enjoy your food there. There are so many things to try here including combo plates, sandwiches, delicious soups and more! read more

Tofoo Com Chay - Fried rice lunch combo with eggplant tofu, chickn drumstick, and braised tofu. - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

There are so many options for delicious vegan Vietnamese cuisine in San Jose and Tofoo Com Chay has really stood the test of time. My friend and I came here recently as I was curious about whether the rave reviews lived up to the hype. Needless to say, this friendly shop certainly delivers on that front that I think even meat-eaters would enjoy. This Mom & Pop shop is one you might miss if you weren't looking out for the storefront. It reminds me of shops in Southeast Asia that are tiny businesses that pack a punch. They have a very small inside area for dining (2 people max per party) and a few tables outside. We loved seeing the range of items on their menu. You could either select a a combo plate and order yourself a variety of entree items along with a grain, or pick some main specialty items. We ordered the Summer Rolls ($6), Tofu Teriyaki ($6), and their vegan Pho ($10). The two appetizers were excellent - nicely seasoned and a vegan fish sauce to dip your rolls. Our hearty bowl of pho came with an amazing veggie broth that honestly mirrored the likes of my former days eating meat. The fake meats included were also pretty good too. We also love that it was so affordable. So many vegan restaurants charge a higher premium that makes plant-based eating seem bougie and expensive. This shop doesn't do that and offers a fantastic meal for a no-frills experience. I have fallen in love with this place and the wonderful and helpful owners. I hope they continue to thrive and offer the community more of their vegan deliciousness. ~I'd like to dedicate this review to my late brother who passed five years ago and was vegan.~ read more

Tofoo Com Chay - Summer Rolls - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

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I have been looking for a great Vietnamese vegetarian restaurant in the South Bay and finally I've found it here. It is less than a 20 mins drive from Sunnyvale and it has indoor/outdoor seating. We ordered the bun bo hue, teriyaki chicken & the spring rolls. All 3 were delicious. I especially loved the bun bo hue - the broth was delicious and flavorful. It perfectly hits the spot on a chilly day like today. I will definitely be coming back. read more

Tofoo Com Chay - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Came here on a Saturday early afternoon with my boyfriend after a friend recommended it. We each ordered #12 vegetarian pho with fake beef, pork, cha, as well as a side of eggplant and tofu. Owner brought out of food to us at the table. Tiny mom and pop shop so definitely would not recommend for large groups. It's more of a eat and go spot, not to hang out and chat at. Portion sides were good - definitely full after eating. Pho also came with side of hoisin sauce, sriracha, lime, bean sprouts, jalapeños. The flavor of the broth and fake meat is pretty good. I wouldn't say anything stood out as amazing but a solid spot for vegan/vegetarian food. Prices are more than reasonable and you get to support an Asian local business! :) read more

Tofoo Com Chay - #12 vegetarian pho with a side of eggplant and tofu - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

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My mother in law is visiting from Vietnam and she is a vegetarian. We were looking on yelp for vegetarian restaurants and we found this place. She said the food was really good. They have a lot of different precooked meals for you choose from. You can also order off the menu for if you would like. The vegetarian sandwich was also really good. They have a lot of different fake meat options and they are all pretty good. The broth they have for soup is also really good. The price is very reasonable. The food is a 5/5 The service was ok, nothing special. Pretty standard for a Vietnamese restaurant. They do definitely cater towards Vietnamese people but they do speak English and have a menu in English. This is a grab and go location as there is not much seating inside. You can sit outside but its a busy street and I would not want to sit outside. Minus one star. Also the parking in this area is really bad. You have to parallel park on the street. During the week you would need to pay for parking. I would come back again if I'm looking for Vietnamese vegetarian food. read more

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