I keep trying to give this place another chance(since Santa Cruz is so limited in phở options) and I’m always disappointed. Today was my last time going. They skimp on phở portions, the spring rolls are pre-made and packaged and the peanut sauce is disgusting, and their chicken is tasteless and rubbery. The restaurant was empty, always a sign to run away, and all their staff was sitting at the table eating their own lunch while we ate ours. It’s to bad they don’t have any good competition in this town to close them down.
Regina S.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Capitola, CA
This place has definitely improved its service and staff! This is the best place in town for phở or a vermicelli noodle bowl! So tasty! I love!
Yvonne Victoria G.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Santa Cruz, CA
Everytime I come here the staff is always so sweet! I love there phở! My fav is #10 on and the shrimp egg rolls amazing!!! I can’t for get the bobo. I love them!
Sean S.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Sunnyvale, CA
I am shocked at how good their Phở is. It’s surprisingly good, considering this is a strip-mall Asian food place. Their other food is decent, kind of what I’d consider a slightly upscale Panda Express. If you want excellent soup/phở, go here, because it’s actually quite good. Their beef phở is great.
Samuel B.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Santa Cruz, CA
Not bad! A mix of Asian styles on the menu. All of the food is good. They are lightning fast with the to go orders. In fact they finished three orders of Phở before I got to this point writing the review! A good place for Asian comfort food.
Josue H.
Rating des Ortes: 1 Soquel, CA
Just came to eat here for the first time and the last. I ordered the chow mien, sweet and sour chicken and egg rolls, this was the worst Chinese food I’ve ever tasted, the sweet and sour chicken was hard and stale looked like it was there for a week so I told them, they asked what I wanted instead so I asked for broccoli beef and they put the sweet and sour chicken back into the batch and gave me the broccoli beef. I went back to try out the rest of the food. The chow mien was old and warm not hot and fresh, the egg rolls were super hot and soggy, and the broccoli beef tasted horrible also. Over all I’m disgusted by this place, I didn’t eat any of my food and paid over $ 7 for it. Do not recommend this place.
Catherine W.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Castro Valley, CA
Yourube was with four other friends on vacation from the San Francisco Bayarea. We were craving Asian food so Unilocaled this restrauant. We knew not to expect the quality we are used to but hoping it wasn’t like a Panda Express. To our surprise the food was prettier good for being in the Santa Cruz area. I had the beef phở. The soup was tasty and the beef tender. Two of my friends had the chicken curry. They said it tasted good and had the right amount of spiceness. One person had the Mongolian beef and was happy with hers. The last person ordered the pad thai and said that was pretty good too. The people working here(looks like family run) seemed to rush around trying to please the customers. We will look forward to eating here whoever we are in the area. review helps others learn about great local businesses.
Nell A.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Santa Cruz, CA
The staff is warm and friendly. The place is clean and cozy. The vietnamese food is so delicious and it is great to have a restaurant that serves delicious vietnamese food in Santa Cruz. I often have # 14 with noodles, shrimp and pork. My son often has #21 which is a delicious hot bowl of spicy food which he enjoys. Very yummy!
Spring M.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Watsonville, CA
Love there phở soup its the best! The place could be a little cleaner.
Ron M.
Rating des Ortes: 2 Santa Cruz, CA
Phở can be good but could ya clean and keep the place clean. I feel like I need to take a shower when I leave. Seriously.
Kristin M.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Oakland, CA
I always get the vegetable spring rolls and sesame balls, and sometimes a drink. The boba isn’t great, but the special drinks are pretty good. I love that the food is made fresh as ordered(some places make rolls and such in advance to lessen wait time). I’m vegetarian so I can’t vouch for most of the other foods, but they sure look tasty! It’s in a really convenient place, too.
Julianne C.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Santa Cruz, CA
For Santa Cruz, this is a five star phở place. Obviously if you compare this spot to phở in San Jose, it doesn’t measure up but it’s still pretty dank. The staff is super friendly is also a plus. I find myself coming here more than once a week. Guilty. And get the egg rolls with extra lettuce and pickled radish/carrots! It’s phoking delicious ;) I always leave here satisfied and that’s what really matters. Trust me I’m supah squinty Asian.
Cheese Y.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Fullerton, CA
This unassuming strip mall eatery has the best Vietnamese food in the area. Their Phở is hands down the best in Santa Cruz and can rival many excellent Phở houses in San Jose. If Phở isn’t your thing, bánh mìn– Vietnamese sandwich with pork and the basil chicken wings are my go to favorites. Come check out the quirky strip mall atmosphere and authentic hustling that’s happening in this kitchen.
C J.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Watsonville, CA
Best phở I have found in Santa Cruz. everything tastes fresh. I like their boba too. Easy location on 41st ave by Starbucks
Band L.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Santa Cruz, CA
Great spot for phó in Santa Cruz. Good variety and is in a good location. Right outside of Capitola mall! YEE.
Cindy M.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Santa Cruz, CA
Since my last review there seems to have been a change in the ownership, the people who works here now are seriously SUPERSWEET. I walked in thinking I’d be treated like crap but was blown away by how down to earth and genuine my cashier, server, etc. was. Phở: –Decent broth but honestly not the best –Fresh side ingredients –Decent price –Phở noodles portion is smaller than before
Susie N.
Rating des Ortes: 3 San Bernardino, CA
Kinda cool place. It’s like a Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese fast food /dine in plus boba house all rolled into one. I went out there and order a dish I wasn’t too sure about. Sounded good. Spicy beef noodle soup. It wasn’t bad but it had some sort of lingering flavor that I couldn’t pin point. I had also ordered beef steak and there were a few intestine looking pieces mixed in. I’m used to beef being like brownish lol and the beef in the soup was like whiteish light brown mixed with dark brown pieces. Have never seen this kind of beef before. Not sure if the dish was Thai or Vietnamese but I won’t be ordering that again. I tried it and it was so so just not something I’m likely to continue to go back for. The boba was ok too. I had a green tea milk boba but again there was some lingering flavor I couldn’t figure out. It was almost cilantro like. Don’t know how else to describe it.
Allison L.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Des Plaines, IL
The phở here is really great. I am vietnamese and crave REAL asian food and this beef phở(#7) does it for me, and more. Thank you Asian Express!
Lillian N.
Rating des Ortes: 5 San Jose, CA
I decided to get the bo kho with noodles and my cousin got the phở. The employees are really nice. The bo kho tasted about 98% like my mom’s, which I liked. The soup was just a little bit thick but it was still yummy. The thick consistency made it looks bloated but that’s OK. My cousin said the phở tasted different than the phở she usually eats, but not a bad kind of different. She said there weren’t enough noodles either. They have a clean bathroom. Sometimes there wouldn’t be enough tables for customers since some would just sit there and talk after eating. Prices are reasonable too.
April S.
Rating des Ortes: 4 San Jose, CA
I’ve only gotten the phở at Asian Express, and it’s been really good each time. Really big portions and they get it out to you really quickly. I can’t speak much about any of their other food, but this is the only place I know of around SC that has phở!