44 Best Vietnamese Restaurants near El Cajon

“I’m use to the pho spots in little Saigon Garden Grove and this place is very reminiscent of that. The square tiles, the mismatched tables and chairs. The atmosphere feels authentic which excited me for the meal to come. Ordered the pho special and definitely did not disappoint. Very friendly owners. Very fairly priced matched with quality Vietnamese comfort food. Not much more you can ask for.“

“Food excellent good service and fast“

“I have eaten Vietnamese cuisine throughout California, and Grandpa Tao ranks among the best. In addition to the amazing tastes, the casual restaurant is friendly and comfortable. Ingredients are fresh, the environment clean and relaxing. I particularly recommend the Pho, the Rice Vermicelli (try it!) and the Shaking beef. You'll like it.“

“I forgot what we ordered but everything was very good. The owner was nice enough to give us some desserts to try and they were good. Portion is ok. Wish it could be a little more bigger. But the menu is huge. We didn’t know where to start. Will definitely come back and try more of their dishes Updated from previous review on 2025-07-03“

“The food here is delicious..ate there twice and can't wait to go back.“

“Felt bad arriving pretty late; 1945 when they closed at 2030. However it was a long day of flights and our hotel was far away and reviews for this place suggested it was excellent. I'd wager a guess I've eaten at at least 100 pho establishments in my time on earth and for sure this one ranks in the top 5. The food was great. The beef ribs were AMAZING and those deep fried buns were to die for. The prices are very fair and portions filling for most any adult. Most importantly the broth was rich and had a good mouth feel. Beefy but very light almost as clear as a consomme.

Wish I lived in San diego so I could visit this more than once but gives me something to look forward to coming back for.“

“Enjoy the pho 🍜 at this restaurant is very delicious 🤤“

“the service is great and fast plus the food is awesome 👌 💯“

“The pho has huge serving size for the cost of about 14 bucks and the sandwiches are the best I've tried in el cajon. Even when I order to go they always make sure I have everything I need. The staff are always attentive to what we need and are very respectful and welcoming.“

“Great portions and great taste. Very friendly servers, I recommend.“

“Had their egg rolls with the rice paper a year ago from a co-worker who brought a tray in to work. Haven't stopped thinking about it.

But somehow, it wasn't as good as I remembered it. Still good but a little too dry and too salty.
Bahn mi was great.

Not much of a seating area so beware if you plan on eating in.
They only take cash.

Wheelchair accessibility: Not much room for wheelchair“

“I loved !!! great food and service“

“The food is decent and authentic. Vietnamese coffee is extremely good! There is also plenty of vegetarian selections. Price is very reasonable.

Parking: There is a free parking lot at the back. The parking entrance is small and you may miss it easily.“

“Excellent 🍲 Pho, the spring rolls are very good. The place is small but very cozy.“

“This hole in the wall is so delicious!! The food is great and the staff is so nice and really helpful about explaining the menu! I’ve been here a couple times and around dinner it has been consistent and flavorful. Great pho for a rainy day and smoothies for the warmer ones! Definitely check this place out if you’re in the area!!“

“I absolutely love this restaurant! They have my favorite pho and beef stew and veggie soup. The ingredients are always fresh and the soup is hot and ready to eat right away. I will always eat here! I order to go and my food is still hot and ready. The Thai Tea is sweet and delicious as well. This place was super helpful when I was sick and wanted soup, very comforting.“

“Authentic Vietnamese place serving only 4 dishes. But if you like made to order banh cuon (steamed rice rolls), cha lua (steamed pork loaf), or best of all, gio chien (fried pork paste), you really won’t be disappointed. These simple items are much better than what’s available elsewhere because of the ingredients and because of their freshness. Yum!

Note: You can reheat the fried pork paste in an air fryer at home and it still tastes good, but when it just comes out, the smell of it is so irresistible!“

“Good authentic food. Great service“

“Wanted to try the authentic-ness of the place I like it and i would go again, I would definitely recommend some people cos' you know everyone has different taste buds Lol , and their customer service was awesome 🖒“

“Excelente comida 🥘 y atención“

“Their menu is very simple but the food is great! I love their soup(s)!“

“Good service, good atmosphere, great food“

“When it’s cold and rainy or you just want some hot food to warm you up or test if you’s taste still works!!! Best place to be“

“good food and awesome customer service“

“This food to go restaurant, cook so good and delicious, the price is good too cheap than other restaurant , I love they cook. I think a lot people liked too“

“I didn't give it the highest ratings but it's a great place if you're craving some Pho. It usually ends up to be my twins and I place to go eat some Pho.

Wheelchair accessibility: Pretty short distance and easy from the parking lot. Yes there is wheelchair access.“

“this place is amazing and the prices are very affordable, i tried my first avocado smoothie here and i was blown away. they offer party trays too. very friendly people.“

“Absolutely the most of the most! The veggies are abundant fresh and crispy. the pork is tender and flavorful and the tiny rice noodles are hot and well cooked. they serve it with large lettuce leaves that you wrap all the goodies up as a Vietnamese burrito. and dip it into a flavorful sauce called fish sauce but it is not fishy and does not taste like fish. Tops! Every dish is tops. and the soups are also fun to try. A fun meal pretty much describes the Saigon Restaurant. Thank you, Victor. He's the top cheese there. I'm so happy this restaurant survived the pandemic.“

“My friend invited me to her favorite pho spot, House of Pho, for a girls' lunch, and I can't believe I hadn't been here before—wow! While pho is their specialty, I decided to try the BBQ chicken rice plate, and I absolutely loved it. The chicken was tender, flavorful, and perfectly grilled, served with fragrant rice and a delicious side of broth that added an extra comforting touch.

The portions were generous, and the flavors were on point. The service was quick and friendly, making the experience even better. Whether you're in the mood for pho or something else, House of Pho is definitely worth a visit. I’m already looking forward to coming back!“

“This is a 42-year-old Vietnamese sandwich chain that started in San Jose. From 1983 to today, it has expanded across the United States and become almost a household name. My first try was truly amazing—I never knew sandwiches could be this delicious! Their meat is incredibly fragrant, paired with fresh vegetables and savory sauces. The bread is perfectly soft and chewy, creating a rich, savory flavor that bursts in your mouth with every bite!“

“2nd time this week eating there. Nice, cozy place, great food, great service. High recommended.“

“Classic..................“

“Always great I get vip service when I come here the food is always great“

“My first time eating at this place, located in the Mission Gorge area of San Diego. The surrounding is always scenic and safe, and the people are friendly. The food is very savvy and culinary. Service was exceptional polite, creating an ambience environment, along with decors and sanitation, Saigon Star deserves an ovationfor its Vietnamese & Chinese bistro, as is should be IT: the local eatery in town....more dynastic ambient... Fantastic Four!!!!!“

“Delicious place to soup for lunch“

“With the Vietnamese sandwich shop now under new management, we decided to take advantage of their grand opening special, which included a free drink and bánh mì que for posting on social media. ??

Upon entering, we were warmly welcomed by the staff. ? Several customers were already inside, enjoying their regular bánh mì.

The shop features 3-4 small tables with stools, creating a cozy seating area. The space was clean and the menus were straightforward, making it easy to place our order. ✨

The service was incredibly friendly. Although the lady suggested her favorite, the fresh fruit tea, it was unfortunately sold out. ?? We chose the Thai tea and milk tea with boba instead. She generously added free fried shrimp to our order! ?❤️

The Thai tea was good, but the highlight was the milk tea. Unlike the typical black tea base, this one had a fragrant jasmine flavor that was absolutely delightful! ?

The bánh mì que is a new variation of the sandwich, being shorter and slimmer. It was packed with a delicious amount of char siu meat and fresh veggies. ???

Given the quality of these items, I’d definitely return to try their regular bánh mì when I’m in the area and craving a delicious Vietnamese sandwich. ?“

“Ordered the fried calamari and it was 10/10 with some lime on top. Order the wonton soup, it was very light, and felt it was missing something, nonetheless the shrimp stirfry noodles (flat egg noodles) was sweet and savory and full of flavor.“

“I've been coming here quite a few times and every time I just wait to get slapped by the server, he is kinda mad everytime and I don't take it as a bad thing I just laugh it off but maybe they should consider smiling more lol my family was scared to ask for the bill because it seems any moment he will just explode and yell or something overall it's pretty good and everytime I go there I pretty much laugh about how scared I get about asking for something or ordering it's funny but maybe other people don't take it as is“

“Food came out quickly. Good quality.“

“their sandwiches are to-die-for🤤🤤🤤🤤“

“Phò Hòa in City Heights/Talmadge is a classic, fairly authentic Vietnamese pho dining experience. I give this spot a solid 4.4/5 stars. It’s not the greatest I’ve had, but it’s definitely up there. The layout of the restaurant, the busyness, and the carts they use remind me a lot of being on the train in Vietnam.

To say they’re on top of the tables is an understatement—the staff are constantly available, cleaning, and ready to take your order at any second. My friend and I ordered brisket, rare steak, and tripe pho. We loaded up our bowls with basil, jalapeños, hoisin, sriracha, and chili oil.

The broth was good, the meat was tender—particularly loved the brisket—and the portions were good. For some reason my bowl had a smaller portion of noodles, but there’s plenty of meat, so I’m not complaining. I think that the broth could use a bit more complexity, perhaps more anise and a longer steeping time with more bones.

All in all, it’s a solid pho though. Lots of seating, fast service, a range of meat cuts—basically a no-frills, classic pho eatery with good prices and a no-nonsense atmosphere. If I had to choose other pho places to rank above this one, I’d say Pho Sao Bien or Pho Minh are slightly better in terms of broth quality.“

“So good here! This food is amazing.“

“staff was warm and welcoming as we walked in. Super fast service, 3 different staff check on us to see if we needed anything. food came out in correct order, fresh, and hot! was a nice time. They even said thank you and goodbye on the way out which was nice. first time my hubby and I ate here, we will be back 😋“

“Another great spot if you are craving for bahn mi and other Vietnamese food delights.

Ordered # 2 / Grilled Pork: Thin and crispy crust with fresh and. For me, grilled pork was lacking of seasoning. Fresh pickled carrots/daikon and cilantro. Will try other meats on our next visit. 3/5

Croissant: I was surprised they have one if the best croissant. Flaky, crispy crust and buttery flavor. Would definitely buy this every time I am in the area. 5/5

Parking is hard during lunch time hours so plan accordingly. I was there around 8AM so no issue with parking.

Friendly staff and love the ambiance inside.“