A great little hole in the wall restaurant. You'll probably never notice this place when you're driving by because it is so small but it has become one of my favorite go-to outlets for vegetarian alternatives. They offer a wide variety of dishes, that are packed with flavor and super cheap. I sometimes forget that I'm not eating meat because it tastes so good! There's very limited seating and most people take their food to go but I've been able to enjoy a bowl of pho as I watched the busy street of Santa Clara. read more

The problem is the place is dirty and small. I found hair on three dishes of food. The veggie pho and tofuu dish is a little above average, and the other food is ok. They need to clean up the place and keep the hairs out of the food to become a 4 star. read more

This place is delicious! Small little vegetarian vietnamese place tucked into a small building. When I think of hole in the wall, I generally think cutting corners but this is not the case here. I ordered the yellow noodle soup and the stir fry chow mein. Both were delicious. I did carryout so the broth for the soup was separate from the noodles and veggies, which is good so they didn't get soggy. The veggie broth was great and there were plenty of noodles to split between me and my girlfriend. The chow mein was hot out of the pan when I got it so that made it super fresh. The veggies were fresh and the noodles weren't greasy. I wasn't a huge fan of the vegan meats, but thats a personal preference. I'll be coming back for the chow mein read more

Great spot for lunch in the downtown area. Excellent food, large portions, and very affordable. Not to mention, the couple who operate the place are super friendly and accommodating to their customers. Yes, it's a hole-in-wall kind of place, but these are the gems that I look in eateries in downtown SJ. I always get the Bun Hue soup and it is super delicious (not mention healthy) at an affordable price. Again, such a gem in downtown! read more

Whether or not you are a vegetarian (I happen to be one), this spot is amazing. I love that it's a safe spot for me to eat, but my dining companions can count on great food too. As a side note too, the folks that work there are wonderful! read more

The food here is pretty good, but the two other tofu places nearby on the same street are better quality. Tofoo Com Chay makes all their food fresh, but then they nuke it in a microwave before giving it to you, and if you order to go they nuke it while it's in a styro-foam container, which kind of ruins it. It's smarter if you get it to-go however, because there's barely any room to sit. If you're lucky to get a seat indoors, you'll probably get an elbow to the head or someone's bag dragged through your soup because it's so packed inside. It's better to sit outside, but then again the tree can drop twigs onto your plate, which is annoying, the tables wobble and the sidewalk is a little slanted. The service is very quick, and the price is really great for how much food you get. The owner is really friendly and you can tell there's a lot of regulars there. However, because of the poor seating arrangement and the heavy microwaving I tend to go here less than some of the other tofu places close by. read more

FOOD: 1.) Vegetarian Pho = Satisfying, with fake meat and tofu. Taste is definitely different than regular pho. . . . kinda tofu-y. The noodles were a little stuck together, but it's forgiveable given the fact that they wow us with the "meat" 2.) Chicken Drumstick = lol it's like a magic! :P looks and tastes like chicken until you reach the "bone" and haha.. SERVICE: ;) They're nice here ATMOSPHERE: Cute! Two little cafe-esque tables outside, under the little canopy. Small straight away hole in the wall inside for few tables on the right side against the wall. Reminds me kind of a to-go dim sum place, with the left side has a glass case displaying all the yummy assortment of food. :) read more

This place is great! The prices are so cheap & the pho' is great for vegetarian! The only down side is parking, so make sure you bring plenty of coins for the meters. They just redid the inside of the place making it brighter and more comfortable :) read more

For the price and what it is, a not so healthy vegetarian spot with great imitation meat, it deserves 5 stars. I think the pho broth lacks flavor but the combination plate dishes are great. They do serve the dishes past its cooking date so check carefully to see if what your ordering is looking dryer than what it should be. When fresh, nothing there disappoints. At 5$ a plate, you can't find any better deal downtown. 50 cents more for brown rice is a good idea. The one thing that's a pain is that they are cash only. The 7-eleven a block away gives up to 10$ cash back. read more

This place is amazing. I am so sad to say I have been going here for a few years and have yet to write a review. Every single thing on the menu is delicious. There is nothing else around quite like it, so whenever I want vegetarian it is the only place i go. Pros: close to my house delicious rotating items pho cheap did i say DELICIOUS?! cons: small eating area parking due to being downtown cash only Faves: Veggie pepper sausage Spicy Pho Kung Pao Chicken read more

Pretty good, a good 7/10. Their fried rice was pretty bomb. Felt like their pho could be a bit more flavorful but still good!

One of my favorite vegan shops. I am a carnivore but this place is local to me and provides very flavorful dishes. It has indoor and outdoor seating on Santa Clara St and the same two people are always running the show there. It is cash only so be prepared! read more

I love finding delicious vegetarian places, this spot is pretty cheap too! The drumsticks are worth trying and it comes on a sugar cane stick! I really like the pho here also, it's still very flavorful even though it doesn't have meat or meat broth in it. If you're eating at the restaurant, you just pay at the counter (cash only) after you're done.. but don't forget! I wasn't used to it and forgot that I didn't pay yet and almost dined & ditched.. she had to chase after me, so embarassing. read more

When I parked in front of the sign, I thought to myself, "vegetarian?!?!!" - I obviously didn't read the reviews on yelp very carefully. Then I went into the tiny store and saw the giant "chickens" on display and immediately felt relieved. Then felt tricked again when they told me it was made out of tofu... Anyway, despite this place being everything I didn't want it to be - vegetarian, super shady parking at night, and not really a sit down place - I had a great time and amazing food! The noodle soups were out of this world. I shared three different kinds and I had to keep going forth between them all to make sure which one I liked more. Great hole in the wall. Cash only! read more

From my first bite, all I could say was, as Man vs Food's Adam Richman says, "Oh my goodness, oh my goodness." Cheap food. Delicious food. Generous portions. Tastes so good I wonder if there really isn't any animal in it. The drumsticks are money. That's all I have to say, since typing anymore would make me want their food even more, and they're closed right now. read more

Dear Tofoo Com Chay, I thought of you today. Sorry I haven't visited in a while, but school has taken me 500 miles away from you. Words cannot explain how much I miss a good, dependable tofu restaurant. It's just not the same without you. Don't worry, it won't be long before I come home for the summer and we can reignite our passion for each other. You've never done me wrong, and I haven't forgotten that. I so miss your purple "brown" rice, not to mention your Teriyaki tofu. I'm drooling just thinking about it. See you soon, Vada read more

By far the best Vegetarian restaurant in all the Bay-Area, I know what your saying , this guy obviously doesn't get out, well on the contrary I live in San Jose but in SF everyday and eat at new places all the time and love other restaurants too. Ben really has a great thing going here, staff is awesome and the all the food he provides is delicious. Even though I can eat anything there, my favorite item is the "chicken Salad" I am giving Ben and his place 5 stars simply because I am never disappointed when I dine in or take out from "Tofoo Com Chay" Cheers to life! read more

My friend took me to this place years ago. I don't know why it's only now occurred to me to write a review, but what can you do... Fate works in mysterious ways. Let me start by saying that I'm one of those boorish American hypocrites who want to go vegan but can't seem to bite the bullet and do it. I have a deeply conditioned relationship between food and happiness, and a lot of the foods that make me the happiest involve meat and/or dairy products. A few of these foods have viable meat-free substitutes, but most of them don't. Until I came here, I figured that if I went vegan I would have to forsake the guilty pleasure of cheap Chinese-American fast food forever. This place has effectively proved me wrong, and words alone cannot express how truly wonderful that is. I know the restaurant is billed as Vietnamese and not Chinese, but their food fills the niche that Panda Express (DON'T JUDGE ME) once occupied. It's glorious. I wish they would open up a branch in SF so I could enjoy it more often. read more

This is one of the best places to eat in San Jose. I was introduced to Tofoo Com Chay a few years ago as a strict carnivore...needless to say I was a bit hesitant. One taste of the drumsticks and I was absolutely hooked! Its like they mixed soy with crack, I can't get enough. This place cost me an A in my History 17C class, because I would always feel like my time was better spent eating a sesame chicken sandwich instead. The prices are great, and the staff is so warm and friendly! The only down side about this place is that I tend to go when its packed, and there really isn't any room. Also, avoid the sweet and sour pork if you're new to this. read more

This little restaurant is absolutely incredible! Their food is the best comfort food, especially on a cold rainy day. Their staff is also sweet and accommodating. They allow me to bring my own to go containers and fill them up with no judgment or hesitation. My two favorite items to order are their veggie white rice noodle pho and their veggie grilled pork banh mi. The staff is not stingy as their soups and banh mis are filled with a ton of imitation meat. And not just any veggie meat...flavorful veggie meat! It also doesn't hurt that their prices are incredibly reasonable. For a huge bowl of soup you pay $8 and for a humongous nahn mi you pay $5. You can't buy amazing food like this with $5 or $8 now a days. Vegetarian or not, give tofoo com chay a chance, read more

Apparently this is a favorite amongst San Jose State Students and since I live relatively close too, I came here just one day to try it. I did come on a Rainy Sunday and to my dismay, found out it was closed on Sundays :(. So I did eventually get my fix of this Tofoo Cam Chay. This place is VERY affordable for the college student. And its Vegetarian, but that's not to say its super duper healthy either. I mean Asian food in general has its fair share of MSG or LOTS of sodium. Enough about my "health:" Conscious rant, I tried the fake chicken that's on a stick and the Thai Basil Tofu. For I believe less then 5 dollars, I was filled and it was absolutely delicious for vegetarian food. I have yet to try the Pho, as it seems like a delicious choice! Overall, I give Tofoo Com Chay my 4 stars. I think its well deserved. Food was good, affordable, COULD be a little larger but hey, what do you expect? They can't really expand out of thin air. I reccomend this place for anyone who hasn't tried it ye read more

Great food & Great service! Chicken kaboobs were delicious and so was the Tuno and Lemongrass Chicken.

Ridiculously good vegetarian Vietnamese food run by the nicest people ever. I got the tomato tofu, braised bean curd and the drumsticks and they were all awesome. The drumsticks are indeed the best though--how the hell do they make tofu/soy/gluten taste like this? It's even on little skewer "bones" and has a "skin" too to make it like a real chicken drumstick. I swear you might as well be eating com tam because it's so "meaty" that you nearly forget you're eating vegetarian food. A combo plate comes with your choice of dishes, plus rice, vegetables, and a little bowl of nuoc mam to complement everything. My only complaint is that their food is reheated, but for $5 a three-item combo plate, I ain't complaining. The place is also hella small, so either be prepared to wait a while for a seat or just take your food to go. The best part is, nothing had to die for you! read more

I grew up in San Jose, and after many years of Tofoo Com Chay sandwiches I am still always up for another one. The plates and soups are good, but the (faux chicken) drumstick sandwiches are the best. It's great for what it is -- a super cheap, super tasty vegetarian sandwich place. It's a tiny place, cash only, and better for take-out if you're eating with more than one friend, but it's pleasant and has great variety. I'm not vegetarian and don't eat here because the fake meat is convincing (though it's a pretty good imitation) -- it's just really tasty. read more

This place was a delicious, no-nonsense, CHEAP alternative to meat. As a vegetarian only establishment they have done a great job disguising tofu as chicken, beef and various other meats. It was super cheap, filling, and delicious! I will totally be back if ever in the area. I got the drumstick sandwhich and the bread was soft and yummy. The drumstick tofu had the constistency and taste of chicken but was tofu.. bamboo served as the bone. Its strange to think of a place that promotes vegetarian fare that looks like meat.. seems counter-intuitive, but eh.. it works! read more

Looking for cheap, inexpensive vegetarian food? This is the place to go for a broke college student!! Super close to SJSU and it's walking distance. I remember that it's about $5 for a rice combo with two or three items. Their noodle soups are also really good but I remember it being very spicy. Given that I've been here about 8 years ago and prices haven't really changed that much, props to them for keeping their prices low!! This is really a hole in the wall. Not a lot of space inside the restaurant and only a couple of tables in the front of the restaurant. Remember to bring cash because it's CASH ONLY! read more

This place is treasure buried in a hole in the wall. It is hard to find veggie Pho. They have GOOD veggie Pho. And good sandwiches. Actually everything is good here. And the owner Ben remembers everyone and you attain 'Norm!" status with him after a few visits. My only complaint is that they asked me to share a table last time. Seriously - I don't want to sit across from a stranger at a tiny table splashing him or her with Pho. Or vice versa. And I don't want to have to explain this to you while you stand there with this person. Unless it was someone famous or really really ridiculously good looking. Then it would probably be OK. But on the whole it is really good, really cheap, and really veggie friendly. read more

Tofoo Com Chay is such a blessing for broke kids like myself. Whenever I found myself stuck in situations where I only had $20.00 to survive on for a whole week, I knew I could eat good if I survived on chow mein and sesame chicken sandwiches. My favorite items for the rice plates are definitely the thai basil tofu, sesame chicken, chow mein, ROTI DRUMSTICKS, pineapple tuna, and the salad. All the sandwiches are good, and the spicy noodle soup is awesome on cold days. Ben, the owner, is super friendly and gets to know all his regular customers. He's one hard working dude; it's pretty amazing that he's been able to build such a successful business in the tiny space he has. Whenever I have extra $$$ on me I always try and give him a tip. Usually he'll remember and hook it up fat the next time...and I never know when I'll come crawling into Tofu Com with my last $5.00 and that extra scoop of tofu will really actually matter. read more

This is my favorite spot to eat in San Jose. My favorites include: -Braised bean curd -Salty curry tofu -Eggplant -Drumstick yum yum yum This place is truly a little gem of wonderful! I've been going here for 7 years now and it never fails to. read more

This place has been in my rotation for the past 5 years. Ben is super friendly and he personally created all of the recipes including the sauces and soups. The place is really small so I usually take my food to go. Lunch is usually better than dinner because there is higher turnover and there are more food options. Best vegetarian Bun Bo Hue (Spicy Noddle Soup) that I have ever eaten Brown Rice, Basil Tofu, and Bean Curd when I'm not feeling soup read more

Mini Story Time... I went in there not really knowing what I was about to get into. I saw the most amazing looking pork I've ever seen. I ordered it first, of course. However, I received the oddest stare when I asked the confused employee for PORK. Woops, I meant Tofu. Amazing food for meat lovers and vegetarians alike. CASH ONLY, bring your Jacksons. Leave your Benjis at home. Minimal seating, indoor and out. Their "Special Fried Rice" (#24) is filling, affordable, and delectable. read more

Wow! This place is delicious. Let me warn you of two things though. My second time here, I was in a rush to get to class at SJSU so I got the wrap with sesame chicken. I went to class without eating it, and saved it for after class. This was a mistake since the wrap got wet and a bit soggy from the sauce inside of it. It was still good taste-wise, but the bottom of the wrap was soggy. A mistake on my part. The second thing is that I'd advise you to request that the food NOT be microwaved if you get the rice plate combo. The reason is that they put the combo into those styrofoam boxes, and when those containers are microwaved, they can bleed harmful carcinogenic chemicals into the food. Just take it to go and microwave it at home after you put the food into a microwave safe bowl. But yeah, the food is ridiculously cheap in my opinion. You can get large bowl of pho noodle soup for $6. That's pretty damn cheap for downtown. read more

Fantastic food. We had the bamboo chicken noodle soup and the Hue's spicy noodle soup. Amazing food. Will be definitely coming back. I'd like to see this place expand and become a proper restaurant because their food is worth it. read more

I love this place. For vegans and vegetarians, this is the best place to get cheap, tasty comfort food. They offer two and three item combos, where you can essentially choose anything you see in the glass displays; from tomato tofu, soy drumsticks, basil tofu, eggplants, to more simple broccoli and vegetables. You can choose from white, brown rice or fried rice/noodles. I have yet to try the pho or sandwiches, mainly because every time I come I am so hungry that I go for the most filling, haha! They also have packaged items for sale. Most people come here for takeout because there really is only three or four tables; there are two tables outside but it's too cold to sit outside now :) The only minor thing is that the food leans more on the oily side, so for people who don't like that, it might be a problem. (That would be me, so minus one star for that. Really, if you don't mind oily though, go for it.) read more

This is a hole in the wall place which serves great Vietnamese food. I always Bamboo Noodle soup. I always ask for the noodles to be replaced by brown rice and they never have problems doing that. The food tastes awesome and very reasonably priced. The only gripe is that if you go there on a Sat morning you may not find a place to sit. read more

Super cheap, delicious, and fast! They only take cash, which I never seem to have on me anymore... Only downfall is the food can be a little greasy, from what I've noticed. Doesn't feel very healthy. Still, so good. read more

I've been coming here for four years now. Still probably the best vegan place in the south bay. Delicious soups and skewers!!!

if u are not familiar with this San Jose area, beware that the online maps may provide wrong directions. they directed me to *W* Santa Clara even though the address is *E* Santa Clara. Tofoo Com Chay is probably the cheapest place in town for faux meat. too bad i don't like their faux meat... i would probably enjoy their dishes more had they used tofu instead. glad i took heed of other Yelper's advice and ordered to go since this place has only three small tables inside. Hits: - Spicy Noodle Soup (Bun Bo Hue): this won't stand in place of the real deal if u are a carnivore... quite satisfying for newly-minted vegetarians. however, it's a bit too spicy for my taste... will probably try the non-spicy noodle soups next time... - Grilled Pork Sandwich: i like the fluffy warm bread with crunchy crust... fresh cucumbers and pickled carrots... nevertheless, i'm not too into the charcoal faux pork... will probably try the Teriyaki Tofu Sandwich next time... Misses: - Drumstick: i could not force myself to finishing a second drumstick - Pineapple Tuna: kinda like eating cardboard - Basil Tofu: makes me want to gag - Fried Rice: the kinda fried rice u get at a very cheap buffet - Three-colored Agar Agar Jello: it looked pretty with the green (coconut), brown (coffee) and cream colors, but i think they added too much agar agar since the jello turned out disturbingly crunchy overall, the food was not as good as i expected (based on the reviews here), but it was very cheap and the service was nice and efficient. read more

this place is vegetarian, but i wouldnt have known if my friend didnt tell me, everything tasted similar enough to meat to fool me got the number 12 (pho) and number 13 (spicey noodle), both were good, but nothing spectacular the kebobs (we got the "chicken") was good, contrary to what some people may think. yes it is premade sitting in the counter, and yes they do microwave it. but it was still delicious. tasted like chicken, almost forgot it was fake meat read more

Amazing vegetarian food.