Mama Hong’s Vietnamese Kitchen

My husband and I decided to try this place for the first time after a long day at the doctors office, and we absolutely loved it! The atmosphere was very clean, good music, the interior was like new and spacious. The service was fast and the food was delicious! We were greeted by Kevin whom was very kind and knew the menu very well, he was patient with my husband who had never had Phở before and was always checking that we were comfortable. (is say that because I’ve gone to other Vietnamese restaurants and they seemed very annoyed if you are not very knowledgeable about their menus) We had the pork spring rolls, Phở with beef tenderloin, & meatballs, and the Beef Stew with rice noodles which was all recommended by our awesome waiter Kevin.
The Beef in the Beef Stew was tender and everything had a lot of flavor, I ordered a side of veggies to add to my Stew, (yum) the pork spring rolls with the peanut sauce were flavorful. It was all savory, I couldn’t finish my stew so Kevin kindly put into to go containers. We definitely recommend this place to others, and will be back!

I’ve been to this place twice now, and I like it a lot. I always get the hot honey lemongrass tea, which is served in a pot. The phở is solid and is a good size. My friend got the chicken bahn mi which was well enjoyed. We had the same waitress both times and she was great. This place is now in our regular rotation.

The service is fast and their food delicious. I had the Filet Mignon Phở and Grilled Ribeye Spring rolls.
Their food is soo good you forget they don’t serve alcohol.

I love their Phở Bo (Beef Rice Noodles). The broth is perfectly made. I think it takes a lot of time to achieve the goodness of the broth. Phở will be good if the soup is good. So I commend Mama Hong’s Phở Bo. For sure I’ll be coming back to have more.

I really liked my meal at Mama Hongs. It was very busy during the lunch hour when we came and service was kind of abrupt. Also, my friend found a fly in his phở which put a damper on lunch. They got him a new bowl of soup and I admit, I did think twice about my own food but it was so good that I kept eating. Plus I kind of understand that the restaurant doesn’t have too much control over the door opening and closing and letting in flying insects.
I got the crunchy noodle stir fry which was very interesting. I paid a dollar more to get crunchy noodles thinking that they would just be cooked for longer but they were actual crunchy noodles. They gave me some extra sauce to put over it to get the noodles to soften and be edible. I liked the flavors and everything tasted really fresh. I liked the way they cooked their tofu, not too soft.
We also shared the spring rolls which were soooo yummy. My friends got the phở and really enjoyed it (minus the fly). Prices were reasonable. They have a parking lot attached to the place but I am not sure if they validate for it or not. We just parked on the street.

A must try is their Mama Hong’s Special: beef stew with rice noodles.
It’s such a cool concept. I have yet to find another Vietnamese place that serves it this good! I sub out my rice noodles for egg noodles and it’s amazing! The stew is very savory and the perfect comfort food. As an appetizer, I suggest the pork sausage spring rolls. An order of two is cut in half, making it 4 small pieces and it’s a nice appetizer to share.
Overall: Mama Hong’s has a great atmosphere, it’s modern and clean. There’s plenty of free validated parking and the food is consistently good.

This place is very close to my apartment so I come here for pick up on my way home. The food is well packaged, piping hot and very satisfying. I love the sliced beef phở! It’s a large portion and the broth is tasty. Often I order one veggie, which also has a delicious broth, and one beef then mix them up to share with my husband. This way we get some meat, but also more veggies.
I’ve never dined it, but it’s usually bustling so people seem to like it!
I wish they had fresh spring rolls here.

I’m always on the hunt for the perfect bowl of chicken soup for the days when I’m feeling ill and not up to making my own. I’ve tried soup from Thai restaurants, Jewish deli’s, local market’s– you name it and I’ve probably had it. Nothing has lived up to the homemade version until I discovered Mama Hong’s.
The chicken phở with added veggies is my go-​to order, not just when I’m feeling ill, but anytime because it’s just that good. The broth is incredibly flavorful without being too salty, and the additional veggies add extra goodness. I’ve tried the filet mignon phở as well, but in my opinion the broth doesn’t compare to the chicken. The grilled rib-​eye spring rolls are also an amazing appetizer!
I tend to order take-​out and Mama Hong’s packages the broth, noodles, meat, veggies, and condiments separately so that you’re able to assemble the bowl yourself. I’ve never had soup packaged like this but I’ve realized it makes all the difference. Just last week I changed it up by dining in and our waitress Jennifer was exceptional. Highly recommended for delicious and affordable food, as well as wonderful service!

Decent phở on the Westside (I still prefer Nong La but I think this place is a liiiiittle cheaper, if not the same). Maybe a bit on the salty side sometimes.
The only thing I don’t like is, they don’t give enough fish sauce with the bun (vermicelli noodles). I like so much fish sauce in my bun that a middle-​schooler sitting nearby should be like, «ugghhh, close your legs, it smells like fish!» The amount they give you barely coats your noodles.
If you park in the underground garage don’t forget to validate!!!

Why are phở places so inconsistent from one day to the next? Have you ever wondered that? On a typical day, Mama Hong’s is good. Often, they are very good. Today, it was mind-​blowingly good. Can I expect it to be mind-​blowingly good tomorrow? Nope. Can’t figure out why it’s that way with phở.
The filet mignon phở is the way to go here. The sriracha wings, as well as the spicy garlic chicken appetizers tend to be on the drier side, but they’re okay flavor wise.
Service here is better than most Vietnamese restaurants. It is also cleaner than most.
Parking in the garage is free with validation.

The only worthy phở place on the Westside!
Compared to a few phở places around West LA, this place has the most authentic broth. Even though their phở is small, it tastes flavorful and not too salty like others. The regular size phở is $ 10. I ordered the traditional combo and also two egg rolls. The noodles are cooked slightly ‘al dente’ with the right amount of meat. Sadly, the egg rolls didn’t look to appetizing. The rolls were small and they only have one lettuce piece to wrap with the egg rolls.
Parking is the hardest part here. The plaza has an underground parking which you can validate to get 90 minutes free parking. At busy hours, the lot can get full since half the parking is for the yoga place in the plaza. Spots are very tight so be careful.
I definitely recommend this place!

Stop the presses! There is — in fact — delicious, authentic-​tasting, & flavorful Vietnamese food that’s just right down the street from Santa Monica.
Until recently I had thought that Sawtelle was our only means of finding reasonably-​priced and tasty Vietnamese food on the Westside; I’m happy to say that Mama Hong’s has proved me quite wrong:
_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​
+ It can be a bit of a hassle to get into the underground parking lot located in the plaza that houses Mama Hong’s. The driveway is a bit narrow, and there’s always traffic coming in & out of the parking entrance. However, it’s worth the struggle — the lot offers free validation for up to an hour & a half for restaurant patrons. Plus, there’s plenty of parking once you do manage to make your way in.
+ Upon entering the restaurant, I immediately noticed how welcoming and clean the dining environment was. The gradually-​changing colorful lighting, wall-​mounted artwork, and overall polish of the eating area were simultaneously inviting and relaxing; you don’t get the «well, as long as my hands don’t touch the table» kind of vibe that some shiesty Asian restaurants can give off.
_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​
+ We started off our meal with an Appetizer Trio, which was comprised of two Spring Rolls, two Egg Rolls, and four «Shrimp Torpedoes» — fried shrimp coated in a light batter.
Each element of the Trio was delicious in its own right — but together, their contrasting textures & flavors made for an even more satisfying combination. The crunchy, savory Torpedoes & Egg Rolls tasted of classic Vietnamese flavors, and weren’t at all overly oily or greasy (as I had been expecting them to be). All three selections were prepared with an emphasis on quality, freshness, and a noticeable attention-​to-​detail. I’m not the biggest fan when it comes to big plates of fried foods, but this appetizer definitely surpassed all of my expectations.
+ For my entrée, I went with the Pork Chop Combo Rice. The portion size was staggering; I knew from the second that I received my plate that I had no hope at all of finishing the dish in one sitting (which honestly seldom happens when it comes to myself & food). For most couples, I’d bet that you’d be more than set with sharing this platter of food alongside a large bowl of phở.
Big servings aside, there was a lot to appreciate on my combo plate. The star of the show was the large helping of expertly-​grilled, tender pork; it had a slight sweetness and char, and every bite I took was satisfyingly juicy. In fact, the meat was just as delicious when reheated and served up as leftovers the next day!
For those that know me, it’s no secret that I believe that a fried egg can turn a bad day around, — and a good day into a great one. Such was the case with Mama Hong’s Pork Chop Combo. However, I did note the egg was cooked through a bit more than I would’ve hoped for; it didn’t have that runny texture that would’ve paired so well with the rice. Next time, I’ll just request to have the egg prepared more towards the yolky side…
_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​
+ The service here was excellent; while we did have a server assigned to our table, I appreciated how other members of the staff came by to check up on us & refill drinks on a frequent, steady basis. Every interaction came with a smile, and the servers took a genuine interest in our well-​being. Even though we were one of the last tables of the evening, our meal never felt rushed or hurried; hats off to the staff for making our dining experience both memorable and relaxing.
You can’t go wrong with Mama Hong’s!

I was recommended this place a while ago and only just remembered when I was searching for somewhere close on Unilocal.
First, I have found it difficult to acquire delicious Vietnamese food near where I live, and outside of the Sawtelle area in general. Mama Hong’s is hands down THE best Vietnamese food I’ve tried in the LA area thus far. I just ordered to go, but the box was packed full with delicious, AUTHENTIC tasting com thit Nuong (rice grill meat combo with grilled pork, egg roll and fried egg). The salad is good, the meat is just how I love it, and the cha gio was delicious. I WILL BE BACK!
If you want delicious authentic tasting Viet food I would highly recommend trying Mama Hong’s.

4.5 stars
Every time I come to this place with someone, I always hear them talking about how Mama Hong’s is the best Viet food in the West side. So far, I don’t disagree.
I’ve gotten their rice plates which are big portions and cooked perfectly with loads of flavor. The fatty in me always asks for extra fish sauce to complement all the flavors and pour extra on my rice. The vermichelli bowls are also pretty good– very fresh and refreshing.
Overall, I would recommend this place. I have yet to try their phở, but I can’t wait to come back because it always smells delicious!

Vegannnnnn phoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!
And really good vegan phở at that. I’ve had restaurants say to me, «Yea sure we have vegan phở» but it’s the lamest shit I’ve ever eaten. They don’t have a veggie broth but want the business so they basically have hot water with soy sauce they play off as ‘broth’ which is so weak it makes me want to punch them in the eye. But I don’t punch them in the eye even though I should, instead I just never go back to their crap restaurant. And yes, I will call a place ‘crap’ if they sell hot water soy sauce as vegan phở. If you don’t have a veggie stock that’s fine just say you don’t have a vegan option and I’ll be like, «Cool, thanks for being honest and not selling me veggies soaking in hot water.» Assholes.
At Mama Hong’s though it’s different. Our server told us about the vegan phở and when he said they make a vegan stock with vegetables, seasoning, anise, and more I got curious. One little test sip of the broth and I was all about that vegan phở, ALL ABOUT IT I SAY. Take one whiff of the stuff and you know it’s going to be packed with flavor. Last visit I was on a double date and managed to spill half a bowl of said broth into my lap which you’d think would be a shitty end to a meal but really I just smelled like fucking fantastic vegan phở broth so I basically smelled amazing for the rest of the night.
Pair that phở up with the vegan fresh tofu spring rolls and an order of that spicy garlic tofu and you’ve got one phenomenal vegan Vietnamese dinner right there. They have the traditional meat Vietnamese stuff, they have badass vegan Vietnamese stuff, EVERYONE WINS.

I usually get phở at phở places; you don’t go to Lawry’s Prime Rib and order fish, right?
But Momma Hong’s doesn’t have Phở in its name, so I figured it was about time I ventured into other parts of the menu. .
The tables next to us were just served, and the perfumed scent of just off the grilled marinated meat permeated the air; I was salivating, wondering whether it was their famous shaken beef, or. .
The server suggested it was their pork chop, and when I asked if it was possible to get it as a salad, she suggested their standard combo with all salad replacing the rice.
DONE!
She also suggested the ribeye rice paper wrap. .“very popular, and I strongly recommend it. «
DONE!
Both were excellent, the ribeye rice paper wrap more of a standout because it was so unexpectedly awesome. The crunchy ingredient — not sure what it was — put it over the top.
Flavours; textures; meat; starch; veggies; cold and warm; the mash up just worked, for me. .
Their phở was always a reliable standby, best on the westside, now I have two more reasons to go when I get a craving. .
Reasonable prices, seldom a wait for a table, usually not too loud for catch up get togethers, clean, nonoily tables. .
Love it.
Secret guilty pleasure: soda fresh limeade. I had three…
: —)

4.25 stars: D
Great food. Simple and spacious space. Easy garage parking (free 90 mins with validation). Decent (generally good but can be slow) service.
What I’ve tried:
— Filet mignon phở: really good, light but flavorful clear broth, very tender beef, nice soft noodles.
— Crispy spring rolls: tasty and had a nice crunch.
— Bun thit nuong: delicious, well seasoned (i wish they had fresh bun but that doesn’t seem to exist in the US so can’t blame them)
— Thang Long fish soup is quite good but could be so much better if they strain out the soot from the grilled fish.

I had a great experience here.
Pros:
— Great food! I had the Bún thit nuong cha giò for $ 10. Even as someone who grew up in Vietnam, I still think their version is one of the best Ive ever had anywhere, and definitely the best I’ve had in the US. The pork was amazingly marinaded and it was neither too lean nor fatty. The amount of veggie was proportional unlike several other places I’ve been to where they put way too much veggie in this dish. My other 2 friends (1 Viet 1 from Hongkong) also enjoyed their Hu tíu bò kho.
— Zero wait time on a Friday night
— Free parking for 1.5 hrs with validation
— Good ambient environment. Nice lighting and music. Attentive waiters/​waitresses. It might be loud at full capacity.
— 2 mins walk away from a bunch of seemingly really nice bars with attractive people.
Cons:
— Didn’t see any Vietnamese employee??? I hope the chef is.
Here’s a little side tip for phở-​lovers: Only order phở if the restaurant’s name contains the word «Phở». Since Viet cuisine is too often associated with Phở, most of the time restaurants only add it to the menu so that people won’t come in and wonder «What kind of Viet restaurant that doesn’t serve phở?». In fact, if you ever have a chance to visit Vietnam you’ll see that most restaurants do not serve phở: only «Phở restaurants» do.

Overall, the food was too oily and salty. However if you are on the west side and have a huge craving for Vietnamese food and don’t want to battle the traffic to go somewhere further, Mama Hong’s is a decent back-​up.
MAMA’S COMBO PHO ($ 7.95 — regular, $ 8.95 — large): Portion size was as expected. Again, oily and salty. Adequate amount of meat. They are stingy with the bean sprouts/​basil – but you can ask for more!
SPICY GARLIC CHICKEN WITH NOODLES ($ 10.95): average dish. Basically chow mein with garlic chicken. Again, oily and salty.
FYI Parking available below – remember to validate!

This is one amazing Resturant with such friendly staff, came here with my coworkers after our 12hr shift at the hospital and we were all craving some PHO! Portions were satisfying and we all left happy.

1. spring roll — fresh + big (good portion)
2. beef broth + veggie phở — yum
so it’s bee about 8 hours since my lunch here, how do I know the broth is legit? i’m not gulping down water from all the salt or msg that other places might put in. the broth was fresh and clean tasting. portions are generous and overall GOOD! i stay clear from broth places unless i know what they make it with but when i asked they mentioned it was from legit bones.
on top of that mama hong’s, you have a friendly, attentive and hard working crew. all your employees that were on duty on 1.31.2016 during lunch time were great so hope you keep them around. oh and to my server that was on duty at 11:20 am, awesome service!

DELICIOUS! I’ve had most of their Phos and all of their spring rolls and a couple other dishes.
Very friendly staff. It’s cheap for the amazing quality and good size of portions. I’m an athlete and can definitely eat a lot, and this place is perfect for a big meal for 10 bucs.
Great spot whether you’re going to eat solo, with friends, or have a chilled date.
Perfect!

Mama Hong’s, in my opinion, is the best Phở you will find on the West side. I’m sure that doesn’t speak volumes, considering I can count on my two hands the Phở places in the area and the rest are just whatever.
Back at home home, I live close to little saigon (Westminster, CA) and I have my go-​to phở spots there, which are 5 star worthy. But I just haven’t found a jaw dropping, mouth watering phở place in LA that keeps me craving more and more.
I need a consistent fix of phở and Mama Hong’s is the closest thing I can find in LA that will satisfy my crave for phở until my next trip home.
Get the classic phở with whatever type of meat you’re into … filet, brisket, intestine lining, etc. The broth is what makes the difference :)
I’ve tried the cream cheese wontons and spring rolls before, both were just good. Didn’t love them, but didn’t hate them. Will probably pass on apps in the future and just stick the phoking broth.
SIDE NOTE — while, the spring rolls here are average … if you are looking for some phoking delicious vietnamese spring rolls, get your booty into your car, and drive down to Westminster and go get some pork or shrimp spring rolls from Brodards. I’m not kidding when I say «You will never look at a spring roll the same again». You will not regret this impromptu trip.
#juneatsworld

Was not expecting such a yummy bowl of soupy phở noodles in the Westside. I can’t say I’m too happy about a $ 8 bowl of phở, but at least they don’t skimp on the meat. I was glad to see they offer various types of meats for phở: tai, chin, bo vien, etc. & you don’t get that super thirsty msg aftermath which is always a good sign. Their menu also offers other basic Vietnamese food dishes.

You’re living in West L.A. You’re hungry. You don’t want to spend $ 30 at a swanky trying-​to-​be-​too-​cool to attract young professionals and hip parents restaurant. But you don’t want to be too cheap and get tacos from a tiny oily Mexican restaurant. And you definitely don’t want Chipotle AGAIN.
You want Mama Hong’s! It’s very decently priced ($ 9 – 13 entrees). It’s quick (if you need that). The service is truly exceptional. And it’s quality.
My go-​to is the Combo Rice plate which gets you meat, rice, salad, an egg roll and a fried egg for a $ 10 spot. The Phở is solid, as are the egg rolls, spring rolls, and the cream cheese wontons!
Keep doin’ what you’re doin’ Mama. I’m about to order you TONIGHT! :)

Found this place on a top 10 phở places in LA list. It was my first time having phở in LA so I don’t really have a comparison for the area. First thought was that the atmosphere was way more Western looking than the usual phở places I go to. The service is really good and attentive, especially the waitresses who are extremely sweet!
Shared the appetizer sampler with my boyfriend & the raw spring rolls were really meh :(This was disappointing but all the other appetizers were good (fried spring rolls + shrimp torpedos). I got the mama’s combo phở and it was just okay. I felt like the broth was missing something and was a little bland so I added some sriracha. The meat was probably the best part of the phở since the noodles were a bit clumped together. Overall I probably wouldn’t come back for phở here… but I’m guessing the area doesn’t have much better ?? idk idk

Good place. I have eaten in more authentic Vietnamese restaurants and this place has nothing to envy those places. Their phở options are good, the service is good, their personnel very attentive.
The taste in everything is outstanding .
I have become a regular at this place.

I’ve been here nonstop ever since my roommate went with me on a phở journey across west LA and Westwood. Though my girlfriend prefers Nong La for their sandwiches or vermicelli, I prefer this restaurant for their phở.
The broth is perfection, and I don’t say this lightly. The taste is clear but not heavy, and the sliced steak that I get is excellent. I prefer my meat a little tougher and they deliver (might not be for you if you like tender meat). My girlfriend gets the traditional combo phở when we come here, and it has softer cuts of meat.
The noodles are great, the meat is great, the soup is great, the basil leaves I add are great. Seriously, what else is there? Service is quick and professional too

Yummy and excellent service. Forgot to catch the name of our server but she was so sweet and prompt with everything! I really liked her lol. Just because of her I would come back. Also the food was amazing and came out quick! They have free refills on drinks for the people that like soda lol! I had the vermicelli bowl with pork and egg rolls

My party and i drove over an hour and a half to come to this place (we were already on our way to venice beach). I saw something exotic so i ordered the shaken beef fries. The beef was real good and tender, but the fries has a texture i cant describe except that it tasted like it was cooked in old oil. We just picked around the fries and ate all the meat and left the fries Alone. When my rice plate came out my meat was cold so that made it even harder to eat. My brother ordered the same entrée as mines, but with different meat option and his was cold as well. They either need some heat lamps or just microwave the meat. Service was fine though and the waiter was nice

A 5 Star improvement over the old Phở 99 location. These Guys make good Phở and have a pretty complete menu. Service is friendly and fast prices are more then fair, if you want good Phở on the westside and don’t want to deal with Sawtelle you should check it out.
Must try:
Sriracha Wings
Rib Eye Rolls
Phở (I go with rare steak and brisket, I’d stay away from the Filet, it’s not bad just not worth the extra $$)
Honorable Mention (or if your not into all that):
The Bahn Mi — good flavors but not enough meat, for $ 5 it’s good if you need your fix.
Fried Tofu Noodles

«Good for West LA» but not great Vietnamese fare.
Phở — The slices of filet mignon were super tender, and the noodles were soft and chewy. Unfortunately the broth was pretty dilute. Kudos to them for trying to make their own beef broth without resorting to adding store bought stock (you can tell because there’s no heavy savory tang of MSG) — but there’s just too little beef flavor. Tastes like all the spices there, but they’re trying to use too few beef bones for too much water.
Pork sausage spring rolls — Very good. Pork sausage has been finished on a hot grill, has a sweet smoky taste.
Fried vietnamese egg rolls — They use egg roll wrappers, not spring roll wrappers, so they taste more like Chinese restaurant egg rolls.
Shrimp torpedo — Tried because they’re part of the appetizer platter. Shrimp oddly wrapped in a egg roll wrapper and deep fried.

A very respectable Vietnamese joint on the Westside for those times when heading down to Brookhurst off the 405 is just not feasible. I’m Orange County Vietnamese food spoiled, so I have to temper my expectations when I’m out of the delicious star-​anise scented Westminster/​Garden Grove phở-​ntasy of sorts where you have competing phở joints on all four corners of every intersection. But no worries, Mama Hong’s satisfies!
First of all, not sure if others have mentioned but there’s no Mama Hong’s on the signage outside but instead it says «PHO 99.» That’s the place you’re looking for. There’s a very decent little parking garage where you get validated parking for 90 minutes which is a-​plenty.
Mama Hong’s is quite prettier than most Vietnamese food joints and it was incredibly cozy when we visited a few days ago on a very icky, rainy night. The rustic twine installation by the mirror that is underlit by changing color LED lights made it seem like we were about to get slammed by a menu with phở charged twice as high as it ought to be, just because we’re breathing Brentwood air.
Nope. They are rocking Orange County prices and all in all, it is an incredible value and should by all means have only one dollar sign instead of two on Unilocal.The sandwiches clock in at 6 bucks and phở is 9.
And the food is yummy! Not perfect, but then again, I’m not joking when I say we’ve gone for months in winter eating phở 4 – 5 times a week. The bar is set high. At Mama Hong’s, the broth is just slightly undersalted and not as beefy as I usually like. Also, the noodle is of a thicker variety and it doesn’t absorb the saltiness as quickly as a much thinner noodle would and it seems underseasoned for that reason. The grilled pork bahn mi was HUGE and pork strips were marinated perfectly (all that sweet and garlicky goodness you expect in a good bahn mi) and would have been perfected had it just a few more pickled veggies throughout.
But still, this is me being incredibly nitpicky. This is very good Vietnamese food. If we’re HONESTLY about to have El Nino weather like the talking heads are promising us, then Mama Hong can expect some regular visits from me and mine. Definitely looking forward to it.

Everything on the menu is pretty decent. Especially the stir fry, curries and noodle selections
The prices are very reasonable given the huge portion size of pretty much everything on the menu.
Despite all of this, I always find myself always thinking that the food lacks a certain je né sais quoi. Specifically, I think that the food lacks the flavor and spices to really bring out the your taste buds, the flavors that make food that is otherwise average become great.
I should also mention that I’ve eaten from this place several times, and one of those times where our office ordered from this place, 3 out of the 6 individuals got food poisoning or were sick the next day.
I am sure that such incidents happen in a lot of places, but it is certainly detracted me from going back in the very near future.
Also, given that this place is in a strip mall, there is ample free parking in front and right at the bottom in the parking structure.

If you want authentic phở, don’t come here. You can definitely tell the phở is «Americanized.» Sure, the décor is nice and the restaurant is clean but I’m here for the food.
Parking is 90 minutes free with a validation.
I got an order of the Mama’s combo, phở tai chin bo vien, ($ 8.95 for a large) and it was not worthy of ~$ 9 at all. The soup was EXTREMELY SALTY. The noodles were still in clumps and stuck together. It took some serious effort to get the noodles separated from each other. Talk about an overpriced bowl of phở that doesn’t even taste good. The one positive thing is that the amount of meat is fair. A good portion of that but otherwise, pretty disappointed with everything. I remember coming here when it was still Phở 99 and I was let down. FYI: Be prepared to drink lots of water afterwards. You are going to be THIRSTY after all of the MSG that is in the bowl…
We also got an order of grilled rib eye steak spring rolls (bo nuong cuon) and it was also pretty bad. There was no taste. The fish sauce that came with it was so bland and plain. Usually there are at least some carrots in the fish sauce or something… Not good at all. I wouldn’t recommend paying $ 9 for 4 rolls of that…
I wouldn’t advise coming to this place.

I visited this locale for a weekday dinner. A nice little place between UCLA and Santa Monica that I had stumbled upon on Unilocal searching for some Viet food.
Parking was great. They have validated parking right underneath. For a place on Wilshire, that means a lot.
The vibe inside is very modern and hip. I had imagined I was going to walk into this mom & pop style shop that emphasized food rather than ambiance. However, the environment was refreshing and the place was packed.
I wasn’t feeling like the usual, so I decided to order this beef stew with tomatoes. It was generous on the onions. Very generous. I guess the onions made the soup very rich. Great soup, the type of soup that massages your insides and brings you home every time you close your eyes. Noodles were pretty average, but I thought the soup still carried the meal through. I’m personally a sucker for tomatoes so I loved how I could taste it in the broth as well as pick out chunks to chew on.
I would definitely come again to try some of the other items on the menu. It’s hard to find a decently priced Viet place in this area.

This is probably one of the better vietnamese restaurants on the westside. I cant really tell if its authentic or not so im thinking thats a good thing! I came in on a weekday for lunch and was served immediately. It wasnt too busy but wasnt empty either. There is free validated parking as well.
I ordered the chicken egg rolls and they were great! Plenty of filling and cooked to a golden crisp. They are served with lettuce, pickled carrots, and fish sauce. My only gripe is that the fish sauce is a bit bland but the egg rolls were fab.
For my main dish, i got the bún, or vermicelli, with pork sausage. It also comes with one egg roll. Overall flavors were good. The nem nuong (pork sausage) was cooked well and cut up so it was easier to eat. The veggies were fresh and flavorful.
My friend ordered the phở and i had a bite. Noodles were tender and the brother was tasty. Overall good experience though my fish sauce needs a kick! I guess they keep it neutral for all life forms but i like mine particularly flavorful.

The first time, I ordered a couple of dishes to go. I got the spicy garlic tofu appetizer and the combo vermicelli with shrimp and grilled chicken.
I got home and dug into the garlic tofu. Yummy! 4 stars. I opened up my combo plate and instead of chicken, there was beef! I don’t eat beef anymore and haven’t had it for a long time, but I’m pretty sure I still know what grilled beef looks and smells like. I was disappointed. I was already home so didn’t feel like going back to the restaurant. I just ended up tossing the beef.
The second time, my friend and I dined in and we both had phở. I got the veggie phở with veggie broth and he got the beef phở. Mine was ok. It was a bit bland and I kept adding fish sauce and sriracha. Well, I ended up adding too much sriracha sauce. It was so spicy that I couldn’t finish it.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars because although their phở broth can’t compare to the ones in a legit Vietnamese resto, overall it’s still one of the best (Vietnamese food) in the west side of LA and service was excellent!
We got appetizers of:
egg rolls, spring rolls, fried shrimp rolls: these were all pretty standard good! Comes with the peanut sauce as well as fish sauce (?) which combined makes it super yummy!
Spicy garlic tofu: wasn’t spicy at all – has a slight sweet flavor! I normally don’t like my foods sweet (dessert yes food no), but this was delicious. Loved the fried onions scattered throughout too, highly recommend this just like everyone else: P
We got orders of:
grilled pork rice combo: I tried a piece of the meat and it was pretty tasty espesh with rice, my aunt seemed to enjoy it!
beef stew with bread: I tried it and it really tasted like a regular beef stew but thicker, and you’re supposed to dip it with the bread, this was just an okay for me. Doesn’t help that I’m avoiding bread so I just tried a small piece.
beef loc lac: I totally forgot to try this, but uncle says it’s pretty good, though not as good as the ones in the Asian communities.
filet mignon phở: broth was a bit disappointing for me as it was a bit on the blander side, I am really picky about my phở broths and like them hearty and flavorful! Texture of the noodles were great though, and the portion was satisfying for the price. I’d say one of the better phở places on the west side still.
The Vietnamese iced coffee was perfectly made, super flavorful with just the right amount of sweet and coffee aroma, highly recommend this here! :)
Overall, pretty pleased. Parking was underground garage, service was impressive, everyone was friendly and helpful throughout our dinner. I’ll be back for sure!