46 Best Vietnamese Restaurants near Santee

“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.“

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

“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 😋“

“Thanh Tinh Chay is an absolute gem for plant-based Vietnamese cuisine! The flavors are fresh, vibrant, and incredibly authentic. The pho is rich and satisfying, the banh mi is perfectly crisp and flavorful, and the variety of mock meats is impressive. The staff is warm and welcoming, making the dining experience even better. Whether you’re vegan or just love great food, this place is a must-visit. Highly recommend!!“

“Don’t order with your eyes because you won’t finish… trust me, it’s that good! They have to have the “best” Viet BANH CUON (steamed rice rolls) in town! Also the best BANH Mi Chao (Beef, sausage, meatball, eggs, and French roll skillet) for a great value too! I will most definitely come back again …and I live 30 minutes away in East Chula Vista! I highly recommend. 5 STARS!!!“

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

“Nice staff. Great food. They serve you a plate of salad w/ homemade tofu and a pitcher of lemon water with no extra charge once you're seated. At the end they serve you ice cream, no extra charge too!“

“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.“

“The food was really good and the staff were very nice. There are so many choices on the menu and there are also many drink options which I enjoyed. I got the grilled pork vermicelli noodles and really liked it. The pork had so much flavor and was cooked really well. I am excited to go back and try more dishes!“

“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.“

“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“

“Food is delicious with great affordable prices. Definitely worth the drive.“

“More than just a Bahn mi shop. Cali Baguette is an authentic Vietnamese eatery. Besides an amazing selection of sandwiches (btw you can actually smell the fresh baguettes being baked!) There is a multitude of snacks, drinks and desserts! The service and very warm hospitality are just as impressive as the food 👍 I will definitely be back again AND again!“

“One of the best banh cuon in San Diego! The menu options are straight forward just banh cuon, the topping options and 2-3 different kinds of soup limited time only, until they run out or if they even make it for that day. The place is not fancy, so just eat and go or take to go. They have party trays too, just call in advance.“

“Good authentic food. Great service“

“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!!“

“Excelente comida 🥘 y atención“

“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“

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

“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“

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

“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.“

“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 is a small hole in the wall gem. The sandwiches are around six bucks ! When was the last time you got a made to order flavorful sandwich with all the fixings for that price ? The super pleasant stuff was fantastic . We tried their spring rolls and other steamed rice cakes . I heart this joint and can’t wait to come back for the catering“

“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!!!!!“

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

“Food here is pretty bomb... My go to choices are: Pad Thai, Cantonese fried rice, veggie lo mein, Cantonese rice noodle, mixed veggies.Friendly and smiley service from Sara. Appreciate her warm and kind attitude ???? Thanks Barona for continuing the Friendly tradition for 10 years in a row... Congratulations ???????????“

“This coffee is amazing!!! I like coffee and this coffee is strong! But only in the best ways.

I came to the shopping center not really sure about what I wanted to eat and decided to give this place a shot. I got their amazing Ube Coffee and two egg rolls + tip for less than $10.

10/10 Would recommend, would return.

Parking: There are plenty of handicap and regular spaces right in front of the store, as well as a huge parking lot that is shared with multiple businesses.

Wheelchair accessibility: There is plenty of handicap parking by the store, and a very wheelchair friendly courtyard and storefront.“

“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.“

“I came here for dinner today. the food was delicious and worth the wait. the restaurant looked nice with the murals and the aquarium at the entrance. the workers were nice, too. they let you bring your egg roll sauce in a plastic container to take home, too. I would pretty much go here again!“

“As a gluten free person, I ordered the chicken fried rice with no soy sauce and no oyster sauce, and a passion fruit boba tea with no sugar (which tasted totally normal). I talked to a man on the phone before going and he said that the chicken fried rice was gf with no soy sauce, breading, wheat, or anything, but when I got there the server and manager had a bit of a harder time understanding me but we managed to come up with it being safe without those two sauces. I'm not celiac, but they did say they would take extra caution when preparing it. It tasted great even without any sauces on it.

Dietary restrictions: Gluten free- the communication was difficult but we figured it out“

“The pho was hands-down some of the best I’ve ever had—rich, aromatic broth that was perfectly balanced with just the right amount of spice. The beef was tender and flavorful, and the noodles were cooked to perfection, soaking up all that deliciousness.“

“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.“

“Food excellent good service and fast“

“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.“

“Delicious place to soup for lunch“

“Had the Pho and a few different bahn mis now. The pho is excellent, heavy on the aromatic spices in the broth. The only place I’ve ever seen give you raw beef on the side when you order it to go as well. (What’s the point in rare beef pho if the beef has been cooking for 20 minutes on the way home!).“

“Food came out quickly. Good quality.“

“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“

“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.“

“Great food I had a bowl of Vietnamese favorite pho and love is“

“So good here! This food is amazing.“

“I got the crispy pork belly Bahn mi. It was good as anything I have ever eaten. Crunchy roll. We got an order of spring rolls too. Let them dry out a little when you unwrap them because ours stuck together and fell apart because they stuck together.
We will be going back soon.“