Tay Ho Oakland Restaurant & Bar

It was such an incredible surprise to encounter the contemporary Vietnamese restaurant, Tay Ho (West Lake) in Oakland Chinatown.

The vegan Banh Xeo was delicious! It's one of my favorite Vietnamese dishes, and this is the only place in Oakland I've found that makes a vegan version.

We chose this restaurant to celebrate Mother’s Day, but sadly, it was a letdown from the moment we walked in. The place had an old, musty smell and looked nothing like the inviting photos posted online.

For our meal, we ordered four main dishes that were supposedly rated 5 stars by online users, plus one appetizer. The mains arrived in just 10 minutes – surprisingly fast, but not in a good way. Each dish contained the exact same type of noodles and tasted nearly identical, with the same basic Vietnamese fish sauce, garlic, and repetitive flavors. The appetizer was just average, and to make matters worse, it came out last.

When the bill came, we noticed an automatic 18% service charge tacked on – for customer service that, honestly, wasn’t worth more than a 5% tip. In the end, we felt completely fooled by the glowing online ratings.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 3

Service: 2

Denise and her team offer an unparalleled set of authentic Vietnamese food offerings which combine top-tier quality ingredients and boundless creative flair with thoughtful customer service. This past month we chose Tay Ho to host my husband's birthday party; Denise and Vy were kind enough to let us rent out the back room with a prix-fixe menu and custom cocktail offering for a group of two dozen. All of our friends left raving about the experience, most of whom had not previously dined there before. Whether it's the 'off the beaten track' appetizers like the Hue Dumplings and Golden Rice Cake with Shrimp, the pho / vermicelli offerings which are all excellent, or the creative concoctions coming out of the bar such as the one-of-a-kind Phominal cocktail, you can't miss this unique experience!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Beautiful place. Good food

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Amazing food and excellent service. The bartender makes some mean cocktails that are so unique. Try the mango salad and catfish for sure.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Get the coffee with the foam thing

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I came here for lunch after hearing some friends rave about it. I’m rarely in Oakland so I decided to stop by since I was passing through. The food was excellent! You guys gotta get the House Special Banh Cuon, grilled lemongrass pork with vermicelli, banh khot, the salted Vietnamese coffee, and Pho-nominal. There’s much more to try so I’m definitely going back!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

The service quality was impressive.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Traveling with Celiac Disease can be tricky but Tay Ho's menu has multiple gluten free options. We were guided by our server to choose a few of their specialties and I'm so glad we did! Everything we had was amazing! Tapioca based dumplings, the special golden rice cake and a combo noodle bowl. No reactions and phenomenal flavors!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

We keep coming back for the garlic fried rice. It’s very simple (and def overpriced) but it’s SO GOOD. Also the dry pho is delicious.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Cool vibes and great food at this downtown Vietnamese establishment. There is a bar with counter seating. My favorite were the banh Khot. Recommend!

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 4

Vegetarian banhmi and vegetarian pho are fresh and fantastic

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

One of the best restaurants in Oakland and best Vietnamese restaurants I've ever eaten at anywhere. The food here is so crazy flavorful. We've been here a few times and honestly every single dish has been amazing.

Most recently we tried some dishes outside of what we might usually order and had the fried catfish dish, the shrimp ban xeo and the vegan bo bun hue. Everything was so tasty and fresh. I couldn't believe how much flavor was in the vegan bo bun hue (I've also had the non vegan and it's very delicious as well). The beef carpaccio dish and glutinous dumplings are some other favorites. Portions are also super generous.

The cocktails are also excellent and inventive. They're never too sweet, sometimes a little spicy and always balanced with a cute presentation. I really think you can't go wrong here!

The first time we came was Tet which made it extra special! The staff is so wonderful. They can get busy but it's definitely worth the wait.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

This place is legit. No kidding. This restaurant inspired me to actually go to Vietnam to experience it for myself. Yes I got the Bun Cha in the Tay Ho neighbourhood right by Ho Tay. The food here is fantastic. Just like what it was there. Perhaps it might take you to Hanoi too!