Top Vietnamese Restaurant in Oakland
Ph Ao Sen Restaurant
1139 E 12th St, Oakland, CA 94606, United States
Been going to Ao Sen since it was located on E. 14th (International Blvd) on the corner across from the liquor store. Originally a mentee brought me here since she believed they serve the best Pho.They serve a variety of rolls, Pho and Bun; however nothing will wow you except maybe the prices as in expensive. However their Bun Bo Hue is excellent.Decor is a little above your average Vietnamese restaurant in that it tries - emphasis on tries - to be classy. If you are seeking a more dignified Vietnamese meal in Oakland, I would suggest Binh Minh Quan near the Oakland Tribune area downtown.
Vien Huong Restaurant
712 Franklin St, Oakland, CA 94607, United States
*2/25/2024I ordered the mixed noodles with both ho fun and rice noodles. The broth is light and clear, and it comes with lots of toppings like chili, sriracha, hoisin, vinegar, and Vien Huongs special chili sauce. Theres a mix of meats in the dish—shrimp, fish balls, pork balls, pork pieces, kidney, and your choice of sliced chicken or pork—all served with your favorite type of rice noodles. The homemade chili oil and pickled jalapeños give it a spicy kick, making the flavors really pop.1/25/2024No. 21 Chow Jew Ho Fun is a dish featuring shrimp, fish balls, pork balls, pork bits, kidney, and your choice of sliced chicken or pork, all harmoniously paired with your preferred rice noodles.The addition of homemade chili oil and pickled jalapeños provides a spicy burst, delivering that extra kick! The flavorful combination keeps me coming back for more.Venturing into something new this time, I got the fried fish cake. It proved to be incredibly tasty, although the only drawback is its slightly higher price for relatively smaller portions. But, its definitely worth a try!*Tip: Cash only.12/27/2023Vien Huongs No. 21 Chow Jew Ho Fun is a monthly ritual with my friend! Their exceptional chicken broth, light and clear, is unmatched. After trying other places, I keep coming back for its distinct flavor.What makes Vien Huong special is the thoughtful addition of kidney, setting them apart. The dish includes shrimp, fish balls, pork balls, pork bits, kidney, and your choice of sliced chicken or pork—all perfectly paired with your preferred rice noodles.Vien Huong adds a spicy burst with homemade chili oil and pickled jalapeños, providing that extra kick! A flavorful experience that keeps me hooked!*Tip: Cash only.11/27/2023No. 21 Chow Jew Ho Fun takes center stage on their menu. This time, I tried their mixed noodles with ho fun and rice noodle. The chicken broth is a light and clear base for their impressive array of condiments such as chili, sriracha, hoisin, vinegar, and Vien Huongs house-made chili sauce. The dish features a generous medley of meats—shrimp, fish balls, pork balls, pork bits, kidney, and your choice of sliced chicken or pork—all served with your preferred type of rice noodles. The homemade chili oil and pickled jalapeños add a spicy burst and extra kick, creating a delightful flavor combination.We also tried their Sauteed Kidney with Ginger Onion, which I really enjoyed and highly recommend if you are not apprehensive about eating pork kidney. The kidney is well-seasoned and flavorful, with a crunchy but not mushy texture. The onions complement the kidney really well, even when paired with the Chow Jew Ho Fun.*Tip: Cash only.10/23/2023Vien Huong Restaurant is a hidden treasure. I revisited this place, and its just as amazing as ever.Their No.21 Chow Jew Ho Fun takes center stage on their menu. The chicken broth is light and clear, giving you the perfect canvas to season to your liking with an impressive array of condiments. They offer chili, sriracha, hoisin, vinegar, and, of course, Vien Huongs house-made chili sauce. This dish is a generous medley of meats, including shrimp, fish balls, pork balls, pork bits, kidney, and your choice of sliced chicken or pork, all served with your preferred type of rice noodles.Their homemade chili oil adds a spicy burst of flavor, and the pickled jalapeños give your meal an extra kick, creating a delightful flavor combination.*Tip: This restaurant is cash-only, so be sure to come prepared. The prices are incredibly reasonable. Youll be pleasantly surprised at how affordable it is. Not to mention, the service is lightning fast; I can finish my meal in about 15 minutes and be on my way. Parking can be a bit challenging, but its a minor inconvenience for the fantastic food.
Nng Qun Vietnamese Cuisine
615 E 12th St, Oakland, CA 94606, United States
This is my absolute favorite Vietnamese restaurant around Lake Merritt and Oakland. My favorite is the bun Bo hue, but I’ve tried the other dishes and can say they’re all good. Highly recommend!
Binh Minh Quan
338 12th St, Oakland, CA 94607, United States
Binh Minh Quan is an above average Vietnamese restaurant that is very clean with modern decor. One can tell it didnt want to be another ghetto pho spot with cheap decor. A lot of thought went into the restaurant when they took over from the previous restaurant which was also Vietnamese.Pho and Bun are great as well as the Vietnamese crepe. They also have different restaurant fare than other Vietnamese restaurants like curry dishes and fish.Unlike many Pho places in Oakland, this restaurant takes care in each of its orders and doesnt seemed rushed like the other Vietnamese restaurants in Oakland.Friendly staff. A quirky upstairs restroom - I doubt this is accessible for people with disabilities - and fun fact the upstairs before it became a restroom used to be a weird sort of stage back when the spot was I believe a bar years ago!Highly recommended if you want to go to a classy Vietnamese restaurant and avoid the down, dirty and grimey spots!
Cam Huong
702 International Blvd A, Oakland, CA 94606, United States
Ive been coming to Cam Huong ever since it was located on Webster in Chinatown. I used to order food here for catering parties at Asian Health Services. Ive always had a crush on the younger lady who I speak to now and then. The food reminds me of old Oakland Chinatown which used to have affordable comfort food including Cantonese and Vietnamese food now hard to find, so going to Cam Huong is like getting Soul Food to me. Ive been coming here for 25 plus years.So the reasoning behind a 3 star review is this. I bought what I usually get, prepared rolls, a dessert from the freezer, ice coffee and a vegetarian sandwich - bi chay. I waited and waited and heard the staff yelling at each other in Vietnamese about a vegetarian sandwich. And then I thought oh great, I hope they dont mess it up.So it turns out after riding my food to the Lake on my bike to eat, after opening my sandwich- it was filled with CURRY TOFU???I was so insulted. To make it worse, the one I have a crush on made it.I hate when establishments think I dont know what Im ordering and give me a bait and switch just to get me out the door. Made me mad that I gave them a good tip too as I usually do.Have yet to go back as Im still upset.
Tay Ho Oakland Restaurant & Bar
344 12th St, Oakland, CA 94607, United States
This modern yet homey restaurant serves common Vietnamese dishes in a simple, neat, and plentiful manner. My bun cha ha noi featured two spiced pork patties sitting in a heaping pile of thinly sliced pork. They sat in a salty and savory bowl of dipping broth with pickled vegetables at the bottom. There was a side of plain vermicelli noodles, sliced cucumbers, herbs, and whole romaine lettuce leaves. The herbs and lettuce being in large whole pieces did make the dish harder and messier to eat, so use your hands to tear them up. Flavors are clean and transparent, as bun cha is somewhat simple. The quantity in meat and vegetables was high, but the dish was inherently light, so all was finished.My dinner was on a surprisingly busy Tuesday night where I was seated at the last table at 7:45pm. Water was served immediately. We were made to find their menu via qr code. There being one proper server, and the small kitchen kept wait times long; the bartender also served as a waiter but came onto the floor much more unreliably than the main waitress. The surfaces of the table and chair were slightly sticky, as is common in some restaurants. Lamps hang down via long wires from the high ceiling. Tables were a dark and heavy wood. The decoration and furniture were quite nice, and the atmosphere was improved with a moody lighting influenced by controllable lamps on each table.Prices were higher than other Vietnamese restaurants. The atmosphere is both airy and cozy. Service is quite slow here, it being so busy, and therefore impersonal and maybe inattentive. The food was clean, light, and delicious. Ill come again for a satisfying dish in a warm atmosphere.
Ph Vy Vietnamese Cuisine
401 International Blvd, Oakland, CA 94606, United States
This is a great family owned restaurant with great pho. I also ordered their spring rolls which comes with four pieces and a generous serving of a creamy well made peanut sauce. The pho is outstanding. Broth is tasty and their toppings have great flavor.The place is a typical hole in the wall Vietnamese restaurant that may not look pretty on the inside or outside but cooks delicious quality food. It is obvious that the family who run the place puts a lot of care into providing great service and food.Also, if you need a place to go watch the warriors game thats not a bar, this is the perfect place.
Pho 84
354 17th St, Oakland, CA 94612, United States
Almost don’t want to write a review and let everyone in on the secret. The oldest Vietnamese restaurant in Oakland, it has by far the best pho I’ve ever tasted. Their portions are standard and their food is yummy. However, I stan their pho.
Pho Huong Que
200 International Blvd, Oakland, CA 94606, United States
If someone asks me where to go for good, reasonable priced, authentic Vietnamese food in Oakland, I would not hesitate to recommend this restaurant. In fact, I would put it on top 3 of my favorite Vietnamese restaurants in the Bay Area. Service is average, foods take about 10-15 minutes to arrive at your table. Theres outside sitting if you want some fresh air while enjoying your favorite dishes.
Monster Ph
360 40th St, Oakland, CA 94609, United States
A. Food: overall good food. Ive come here at least four times. They seem to cater mainly to the Western taste. My latest chicken rice plate was OK. Although I would do away with less pickled vegetables - a bit overwhelming. Beef Pho and Vermicelli were good but I would come here only as a last resort considering that there are many other authentic Vietnamese restaurants in Oakland.B. Service: good overall. The culture of not saying thank you in Vietnamese restaurants is rampant. Although its better here. One worker even walked pass me as I was leaving and ignored me. The attitude of I did you a favor by serving you a meal comes across.C. Price: a bit overpriced. Expect to pay at least $3 higher than most other Vietnamese restaurants. Dont expect hot tea to be free.D. Cleanliness: decent overall. However an employee dropped a rag on the floor then picked it up to wipe tables and continued to do so without rinsing it. A more sanitary concept is to wipe tables with disposable paper towels.E. Other observations:1. Very noisy especially Sundays. Crowds are already talking their lungs out. Then theres loud music blasting on top of that. Not for people who want a peaceful meal.2. The owners have their own kids hanging around the premises playing and doing homework. Its not necessarily the best image for your business.3. Please fix the floor. It doesnt look good. It needs tiles. It makes the experience less appetizing. Im sure you can deduct it as a business expense.4. Look at the picture and see how an employee left the flatware on the napkin. Clearly undertrained.