“The menu is extensive so I asked for suggestions but since no one speaks English they just pointed at a few items and I said yes because life is short and it was awesome. The only downside is that when I go back, I won't remember what I had so fingers crossed that I try something new.“
“It's a great location to come after touring Pearl Harbor.It's so, so delicious. It's perfect for Korean tastes. fried rice. Everything including rice noodles is delicious.The portions are large, so you can eat to your fill, the price is reasonable, and it's perfect.“
“This spot is located near the Walmart.To me, Bahn mi consists of quality fresh ingredients, texture, pickles, right amount of sauce and good baguette.I’ve tried pretty much everything in their menu in the last. This time I tried their vegetarian tofu and mushroom. Personally speaking, I could use a bit more taste in the lemongrass tofu, still tasted good though.The Vietnamese coffee is also very good.“
“Authentic Bun Bo Hue, like when I was in Vietnam! The broth is so tasty, I could eat two but one is more than enough. It's such a treat to eat here. The food is amazing & prices are fair. I am SO grateful for this restaurant. Even if you're a picky eater or know a picky eater, I'm sure they would love the grilled pork (com tit nuon).“
“Stumbled across this gem when the restaurant we were intending to go to, was closed. And boy oh boy, sure glad it was!!! This place is outstanding. From the very warm welcoming when first seated, to the amazing service and hospitality, to the very best and most delicious soon. Will be returning eveytime we’re in town! Thank you, Ducs Bistro!“
“Super fresh and delightful food from Bella Banh Mi Cafe! I can honestly say that this is the best banh mi I have ever had and I have had a lot of banh mis in my lifetime! I loved the smoked flavor to the meats. They give more insides than bread or wrapper, which is hard to come by these days. They put generous amounts of cucumber, carrots, and Chinese parsley in my sandwich and I enjoyed every last bite! The bread was perfect - flaky with lots of crunch. The summer rolls filled with bbq pork had that great charbroiled taste too and they did not skimp on the meat. The homemade peanut dipping sauce was perfection! This was a delicious and filling lunch! I simply cannot wait to come back!“
“For some reason since the pandemic the price of Pho has skyrocketed. I mean everything has gone up in price, but pho seems to have gone up more than any other food. Pre pandemic, it was about $11. Now, if you're lucky its $16. My usual Pho place, Pho Tri on Kalakaua and Beretania had a special on Saturdays. Buy one bowl at about $11, get the second one for 50% off. Two people could dine for $20. After discontinuing this offer, they raised the price up to $16 meaning the cost had gone from $17 to $32. I stopped going there and stopped eating Pho as a result. For $16 you can still get a fresh caught fish plate at Nico's which to me represents much better value.Anyway I still get the urge to eat Pho and this place was convenient with excellent reviews.We got one Rare Steak and Meatball Pho ($17) and one Seafood Pho ($17.50).I would say everything was average. My dining partner said the broth was too oily. It didn't bother me too much. Size was average, amount of protein was average, amount of garnishments was average, taste was average. Everything is what you'd expect.Service was good. Water was refilled, and whom I presume were the owners were friendly. I think the price is a little high, but its a small restaurant and they need to make a living. I would go back if I wanted Pho and didn't want to drive. Some places in Chinatown, the taste and portion size is a little bit better and the prices are a couple bucks less.“
“I am blown away this place was great! When I go to Vietnamese restaurants I susally order the beef combination pho with no tendon. But this place already had it on the menu without tendon! The flavor is all there with their dishes & they have a special lemongrass dipping sauce. They give with all your orders, so good!!“
“On a mission to try all the Vietnamese restaurants in China Town, and all of Oahu. I've found my new favorite summer roll! I don't even care that the rice paper tore because it had yummy pork and shrimp and the peanut sauce had great flavor. The vermicelli bowl also had a lot of food and great flavor. I will definitely be back to try to pho and bunbohue. I ordered for takeout and the lady was super nice to me.“
“I love Insomia! My favorite dish is beef Pho for breakfast. Did not know this hidden Vietnamese place right at Kakaako! The owners (husband and wife) are awesome and entertaining. It is cute small coffee shop. Everything is so clean and nice. Convenient parking at the garage in the same building. The owner gives a parking validation valid for one hour. I've already recommended some friends who went there and love Isomia, too!“
“Great place for pho! They have the pho hot pot which is amazing. Their kalbi rice dish is really good. We also had the Vietnamese crepe which is fresh and full of flavour. Their papaya salad is also fresh and tasty. By far this is one the best pho places on the island. Will be coming back for sure. Service is great and atmosphere is clean. Can’t go wrong here.“
“First time at this restaurant. The inside was quite plain, but when the food hit the table, I understood what the fuss about this place was. My wife got the chicken Pho and I got the BBQ chicken/ spring roll vermicelli. Super fresh and delicious. Pricing was fair.“
“This is probably my new favorite place for a seafood phõ as it is so flavorful. Also my kid said their bahn mi is the best yet. This place is tucked away across Walmart on Keeaumoku. It gets busy and has limited dining times. We were very fortunate to be the last on the list and they waited to serve us despite the restaurant closing. This place is small and quaint- eat and leave so others can enjoy too! We will definitely be returning.Parking: get validation“
“Favorite pho place on the island. Friendly staff with timely service. We’re always satisfied when we come here. I love the tofu pho with a side of meatball and a piece of French bread with their housemade butter. The chili garlic dipping sauce is also my all time favorite!“
“The service from my male waiter at the bar seat on Thursday night was superb. He helped me order half portion as I was alone and gave good recommendations. The meat in the Pho 75 melts in your mouth. The escargot dish is a wonderful texture journey and a 10/10 down : fluffy outer crust and soft juicy escargot inside. The ahi toast was a pretty good intro dish. The fried chicken wing was good but not too special.The portion is generous , I was way too full at the end (4 dishes).“
“This is an excellent, small, family owned and run Vietnamese Restaurant. They have a very diverse, tasty menu items. My favorite is the curry crab and garlic fried rice. But, YOU won't be disappointed with any menu item.My friends from Japan and I just happened upon Bac Nam. We had just visited the Makiki Christian Church around the corner. Our party needed a rest. We were tired of walking. And, we all desperately required a good, healthy, tasty and filling meal. So, we decided to try Bac Nam Restaurant. What an unbelieveable find. The dishes are absolutely delicious.We had no introductions to this restaurant. But, the kind family style service and stunning dish flavors immediately won us over. And, since then, I have become a long-time, dedicated fan of theirs.My favorite is the combination of curry crab and garlic fried rice. Some of the restaurant patrons, who passed by my table, nodded and remarked that the dish was one of their favorites too.Later, I discovered that customers from all over Japan including as far north as Hokkaido, are their devoted patrons.My Vietnamese friends, who later came to Hawaii from Boston for a visit, also gave their full, strong stamp of approval along with their seal of authenticity.For all these reasons, I highly recommend the Bac Nam Restaurant for your's and your family's next stop. Give them a try. I believe, you will not be disappointed.Parking: Free parking stall behind the restaurant.“
“This cafe is a place you MUST try!Parking: There is a lot of parking spaces near the cafe. My family parked at a paid parking space for $7 dollars for an hour (this is including tax). There were also free spots you could park at.Kid-friendliness: The owner, his wife, and their mother in law very extremely kind and welcoming. They recognize peoples faces and know their names. They all have beautiful big smiles and the kids loved them and the food! They also had conversations with our kids and gave us free tapioca deserts! Wonderful people, best place we ate at hawaii, and will definitely try again when we come back!Wheelchair accessibility: My family and I ate in and saw many people with wheelchairs enter the cafe. They have lots of seating and have a wide door so it is very accessible for people with and without wheelchairs.“
“This is my favorite Pho in Waikiki, maybe in all of Oahu! Food is great, owners are amazing. Support this local business!!! My recommendation is the vermicelli salad with shrimp, so ono. DO NOT park at 7-eleven, good chance you will get towed. I watched 2 vehicles get towed in 30 minutes. My husband loves their pho. For the pic I posted I got extra shrimp and no spring roll. Trying to be healthier... but I did miss the fried deliciousness!!!“
“My 3yr old loves this place. Not only affordable and budget friendly, they are delicious. Portion is bigger compared to pricier pho restaurant. We usually needed to get extra noodles in the past but here was not necessary. But I think on our next visits, we would need to order extra as our little is getting bigger. We would get 2 large portions and share broth and meat with our little.“
“i LOVE lemongrass chicken here and i LOVE the pho but like they kinda like wrap it weird i think its this place idk but like sometimes the pho like gets loose and goes rampant like a raging tiger but that does not matter cause i LOVE it, thank you, Love, “
“I have to say that this is one of my favorite places on the west side of Oahu for Pho, Tofu Pad Thai, Lemon grass tofu sandwich and Shrimp Papaya salad. The food, price, and service are all great. Everything is tasty, affordably priced, and quick friendly service. Menu is decent sized with a variety of dishes with the usual classic Vietnamese dishes and boba drinks. I normally go for the Shrimp Papaya Salad. It's a healthy and fresh menu item. Other tables around me seem to be ordering Pho. Pho appears large and generously filled with lots of veggies and meats. By the size of them, you will not leave hungry. Parking is convenient and free as it's located in the Foodland Shopping center. The restaurant is quiet and small to where you can have a conversation. Definitely will be back and recommend this place.“
“This was my first time coming to this Vietnamese restaurant and the food was great. We had the Combination Pho, Lemon Grass Chicken, and Specialty Sandwich which were all good. We also ordered a side of spring rolls which were good but had only come with two green lettuce leaves which I found a little odd. Otherwise all the food was on point. I'll be coming back for sure to get my Vietnamese food fixThe restaurant was quite busy when we got there and the people kept coming so I'd imagine that it would be best to come earlier if you have a bigger group. Otherwise the tables do clear out quite quickly.As far as cost, this place is reasonably priced but it is in Chinatown so the parking is always a challenge. They also automatically charge gratuity for groups more than 6 people. Just keep that in mind if you come here with 6+ people.“
“Had an opportunity recently to come back to the island for a visit and the must have on my list was PHL. I remember when I was in school this place was on my weekly rotation, sometimes even twice a week. Not sure if it's due to being in college and started drinking and this is ALWAYS a good cure for hangovers, but PHL always hits the spot. Not only their combo pho, but also their spring rolls. One thing I don't get elsewhere that this place is so thoughtful, is they cut the lettuce to the exact size for rolling on the outside of the spring rolls. Add a little mint, you got the perfect combo. Also, rarely in Colorado the pho places would leave out the baby sauce dishes, I always have to ask for it. My favorite way to eat pho is to dip the sauce and not drench the soup... and when you eat at PHL, you need to taste the soup. It's just that good. If they used any msg my body couldn't tell, it just tastes like it's slow simmered for hours.... And I'm not tired after. The meat ball is also a whole small meatball cut in half, not sliced flat pieces that does not look like it's a meatball. Most of the time, those sliced meatball has a weird taste... not here at PHL. I always get the combo pho, everything is so delicately sliced, the tendon is super tender, the tripe smells clean, the beef is all so tender too. It's been 20 years since I moved away, and one of the owners was looking at me like she knew me - she said, you look so familiar... I let her knew I was a long time kama'aina that moved away... but before I did I visited every week, even when I moved away from Honolulu to Makakilo. I also really love their sate chili sauce. Come to find out they use this specific kind that can really be found on the island that's from Thailand. It's spicy and savory. They sell the jars here if you'd like to take one home or you could find it in any of the Vietnamese mom and pop grocers in Chinatown. Thanks to Ann and her siblings/family for sharing decades of deliciousness. Please keep going strong so I can still come back to enjoy your family tradition. If you're in HNL, please come support them.“
“I came to this place three days in a row because the food was really good! The portions were big, compared to most places in Honolulu, definitely worth the price. My favorite was the papaya salad, so filling and just delicious, the pad Thai had the best tofu I’ve ever had, and the chai tea was amazing! Staff is friendly, I would recommend this place to anyone that comes to Honolulu! Location is a bit hidden but the food is worth it!“
“When in doubt Russel knows! In town for a few hours lunch with Russel & Kar this was his suggestion and of course it was Ono! We had spring rolls they were crispy hot and refreshing with the lettuce wraps and dip pho with rare beef on side and Russel had his favorite salad. Tea was filled regularly and we left super happy and full for a really good value too!!!“
“It's on the edge of Chinatown, and there's no big signboard, so you'll have to be careful if you accidentally walk past it. This pho specialty store is housed in a building that gives you a sense of the times, and the pho is served with plenty of things like bean sprouts and medicinal herbs on top. Beef-based soup is the best. The M size was full of volume. However, please note that you cannot pay by card, only cash. I ended up with only $2 left.“
“Came here to pick up dinner to go (they're open for dine in as well in case you're wondering). My nearest go to pho restaurant. Try out the Pho with flank. Had a little bit of fat on it, which adds flavor to the soup iykyk. Their large size isn't as large as some other pho restaurants on the island, so don't be too disappointed if you order large and it doesn't fill you up. Overall, if you're in the area of stadium mall and craving some pho (especially on a cold night), come check em out!“
“Great pho soup. Fresh, tasty and comes out piping hot. Chicken sandwich is also yummy. Service always polite and the place pretty clean for Chinatown Only complaint, like most restaurants, too expensive for a bowl of beef noodles; portions don't warrant the higher cost. Inflation is no excuse to over inflate prices. I recommend the place though.“
Vietnamese • $
“Food is really awesome, so takeout will be fine, but service is severely lacking. There was no checking in on tables happens when its busy i guess? Only seemed to be 2 people working the whole floor, so I get it. However, what made me go 4 stars was thr fact that my friends and i stood at the register to pay for about maybe 8 minutes before being acknowledged or asked to wait even tho we did so patiently. The workers were, however, fighting over something, answering phones and processing other payments from cards that came AFTER we were already waiting at the cash register. They really need to get it together if they want repeat customers dining in.Vegetarian options: Looks like a lot of tofu options. Not sure on availability to omit fish sauce.Parking: Shared area with like 7 other places in close proximity.“
Vietnamese • $
“This is the best place for pho & banh mi on the west side 100%. The pho broth is so rich & flavorful, banh mi baguette is perfectly crispy, yet soft with amazing fillings of bbq flavors & crispy veggies. They also give you a side of broth, which is a nice touch. I’ve tried so many Vietnamese spots on the west side, and this place is hands down the best Vietnamese restaurant. Truly a hidden gem.“
“Honestly I can't stop raving about this place! My friend and I visited and we ordered the pho special, banh mi sandwich, and bao buns and all I can say is DELICIOUS the pho had a lot of meat and the lemon grass chicken was so flavorful! Honestly they all tasted delicious and I can't stop recommending it to my friends“
“This place is awesome. Staff was super friendly and welcoming. The Pho has a slightly sweet flavor, but it's delicious; cooked for 16 hours and is well worth the money. (Not too expensive. Veggie and tofu spring rolls were awesome, too.Vegetarian options: Veggie and tofu pho, veggie n' tofu spring rolls, Veggie vermicelli.Kid-friendliness: Didn't complain about my kid wanting white rice separately and being picky about other stuff.“
“Who would have thought a liquor store would have decent Vietnamese food at reasonable prices? I was here for 30 minutes and only saw people getting food. Maybe they should change the name of their shop. This place is in the Pacific Grand condo. Entry is through the lobby or through a back door. Menu on the lobby door is out of date. Prices are $2-$3 higher now. Don't let that deter you. The prices are reasonable and the food is tasty. They will even let you order stuff not on the menu. I ordered the spicy lemongrass chicken but on rice noodle (bun) instead of rice. It came with a small basic salad. For $13 I thought it was a fair price. Not huge, but filling enough. They have 4 tables in the store for dine in which is convenient. And hey, if you need a liter of Vodka, or a 40 to go, they have that also. Brown bags optional.“
“This is my second pho experience in the district and I can 100% this one was best so far. I really enjoyed the broth and the beef was very fresh. The greens were also bright and crisp. Amazing service, definitely will come back. The pho was amazing! Note that they recently had a name change to golden river, same owner/staff. The place can be empty at times but I think it’s because the lunch crowds eats fast.“
“Greeted right when you walk through the door. The restaurant is nicely decorated. Gives me an old style pub feel mixed with some art. They have a wide variety of alcohol at the bar area. Our booth had comfortable couch type seating. Our server was amazing! She gave awesome recommendations! We ordered the papaya mango salad. It was fresh and delicious! They don't ask the spice level, but it paired perfectly with everything we ordered. The fried chicken isn't crispy, more like the original style from kfc type fried chicken. The flavor on those wings though? Unreal! The lechon was okay, a bit on the salty side. The spicy garlic noodles gave me mililani restaurant fried noodles vibes. Krazy fried rice was good as well. Yuzu cheesecake was not too rich, but just right. The star of the show? Oyster shooters! Best I ever had! Didn't drink at this dinner, but will definitely come back and try some next time.“
“Walking in on a Thursday early dinner 5 o clock hour and it was completely empty, soon after it was popping though but from what I observed, everyone was taken care of right away. Happy with the portions plated, the Bahn mi bread was great! Not so chewy, crispy and yummy. Contents in the sandwich was well spread too, I liked adding the papaya salad into the sandwich... the more the merrier. Would come again!“
“Ordering ahead was easy. Wish they had an online ordering system with a menu though. Parking is small and easy to miss, if you made it to the ramp by 24 hour fitness... then you missed their parking lot. They have outdoor seating but it's next to a very busy street, I'd recommend just getting take and enjoying it at home. The flavors were unique and they had different types of escargot which was nice but the mango conch papaya salad was my favorite. The flavors and textures where on point for that dish. The place is a little pricey but the food is very unique. It was worth the try.“
“Soooo deliciouso, I got on Uber eats, good price and good quality! Was ready very quick and they accommodated extra siracha and hoisin sauce for no extra fee which was very nice. Sooo give it a go, I only got the vegetable pho but rare beef on the side so idk about all the other things on the menu but the pho was very good!! I'll order again if I'm ever wanting some pho again“
“Came here on a Saturday late afternoon with my sister. The restaurant was empty except for us. My sister chose the ponzu broth and I chose the cream peanut broth. The latter was ok, but the ponzu was delicious. I will order that next time I go. They bring out plates of thinly sliced meat to your table and you go up to a buffet style table to get your veggies, fish balls, and sauces. The fish balls, chicken balls, fried tofu and veggies were all good. Ok selection. I liked that they offered tofu skin, grated daikon and minced garlic. The sauces weren't really labeled so I just tried some of each. The spicy ponzu sauce was my favorite. The only thing I wished they had was Goma sauce and cilantro. LolBut really everything we tried was good and I would come back again.“
“Sweet little mom and pop restaurant. Many times when you travel and want food from your country, it's either a hit or a miss. My family was craving Vietnamese food, so I did a search and gave it a try. I was pleasantly surprised with Tuan and his mother's restaurant. My family was pleased with the flavors. They also had Thai style papaya salad which was welcoming. I urged them to try to make Lao papaya salad in the future since one of the cooks is Lao. Also their Vietnamese taro tapioca dessert was wonderful ?. Thanks Tuan and Family!“
“Great corner restaurant, good neighborhood feel. We order from here at least monthly, and we always have prompt, courteous service. The food (especially the pho) is delicious!Parking: Immediately in front of the restaurant. I've always been able to park there with three or four open spaces around.“
“One of the better Thai restaurants around Hawaii with not bad portions. Everything we had was really tasty and I didn’t swell up or have a headache after so it was a plus!??I will definitely return to try other items on the menu I heard is good.“