Chào XO Kitchen

Delicious Asian fusion restaurant in national city. I really like this restaurant because they mix together Filipino, Thai, Vietnamese food altogether. Such an innovative menu. They have tom Yum spaghetti, and kare kare curry. Just be aware of the parking because it’s in a notorious shopping center with not much parking. Definitely will be returning here again.

Very tasty dishes from the kare curry to the phở. Previous reviews warned about small drink and meal portion sizes so I made sure to ask for easy ice in my ube horchata. Nonetheless, it was delicious, as was the egg coffee. To start, we ordered the spring rolls, which are cut into sushi sizes. I do hate when places do this because the food falls out easily and it ends up being less portions that if we’d ordered two spring rolls from a normal restaurant. The phở bowls overall were good portion sizes as a whole. However, they had a little less meat than we’re used to. For example, the meatballs weren’t cut into sushi sizes half like other places so it. They were cut into slivers. My meatball phở was yummy though. We also had the Anthony Bourdain special where the meat was tasty, but not plentiful. Price tag was $20, but I’d say it was worth maybe more like $17.50. All in all, this place gets full stars on food quality. Also full stars on service. I asked the server for easy ice on my horchata and she must’ve remembered that. Because when she refilled my water, she made sure to avoid getting ice into the glass. Very thoughtful because I have sensitive teeth! In terms of quantity I’d give it four stars. Atmosphere four stars. I liked the look. The alt indie music was meh, but boy were the booth seats uncomfortable. My bum hurt at the end and the plants kept poking me, and I’m short! Despite the little complaints I give this place 4 stars (would be more like 4.4 if I could be precise). We will come back again when we’re in the area next to try more dishes. Thank you for the great service!

Food was alright, got two pho combos but the meat was kinda rubbery. The drinks were pretty good but they were so vibrant in color that I'm pretty sure it's a mix, it was the panda and ube horchata. However, the crime was the mango sticky rice. I'm currently in bed and I can't fall asleep because I'm thinking about that dam sticky rice, it was melted and depressing... it looked like there was no rice in the to-go box. I'm so bothered by it, I can't stop thinking about it. The tofu spring rolls and peanut sauce was pretty good though. Also this restaurant is full of AI art, not even decent AI art. Hands morphing into chopsticks and everything. and it was VERY unsettling when I went to pick up the food. Host was nice though. I haven't tasted the Pandan pudding yet, so no comment. All in all, for two combos, two drinks, an appetizer and two desserts for dam near $90 to just be mid. Not eating here again.

I absolutely love coming here, I always crave their mango sticky rice. Their thai tea is so sweet and refreshing, for food I highly recommend the ribeye mushroom rice and the saltado shaken the meat here is so flavorful and tender. There’s spicy aioli sauce that goes so well the filet mignon

I've been meaning to try this place since it opened On my first look at the menu it was clear that it had tons of options ranging from Delicious looking pho to pad thai and a few birria options. on this visit I got the "Kare curry." Its absolutely amazing, super flavorful, rich and aromatic, the veggies are cooked to perfection and the pork belly option was the ideal choice for me. It starts off a little sweet but dont be afraid to mix in that shrimp paste, it'll bring everything together. 10/10 (I love kare) the only downside was that I think I needed just a tiny bit more rice to finish my entire plate. Absolutely no reason this place should've been empty when I walked in it's beautiful and such a nice, chill, warm environment and all the food was delicious. The drinks were also wonderful my personal favorite was the Pandan Horchata, delicious! In conclusion, this place has countless options but it's definitely all the good stuff piled together and it works. 10/10

My boyfriend and I got their pho, tamyum pasta, coconut ceviche and their spring rolls. It was so tasty and makes your insides feel warm. It is so flavorful and feels almost homey. The vibes are also really nice and romantic. They were playing our song so it made the experience extra special.

Ordered tomyum pasta, filet mignon pad thai, and filet magnon saltado shaken. Drinks were the lychee lemonade, pandan horchata, and strawberry latte. The filet mignon that came with both the pad thai and saltado shaken came out pretty raw. As if they threw it on the grill for a maximum of 10 seconds. Pad thai and saltado shaken themselves were a bit on the saltier side. Tomyum pasta was pretty good, although could use a bit more flavor. Pandan horchata didn't have much pandan flavor, strawberry latte did not have much of the usual Vietnamese coffee flavor as I was expecting. Lychee lemonade was on the bitter side and could use a bit more lychee flavoring, and they used canned lychee for the topping so it was slightly mushy and looked funny.

I just ordered take out in my first visit ordered there garlic pasta with rib eye and taste great in my pallete also their thai tea exactly my preference. Went again today to try their other menus but I ended to taste their pho and spring roll tufo love it comfort food they also have great service and ambience. Definitely would be back to try their signature dishes preferably curry dishes just can handle the heat right now.

Everything was so good, the staff are really nice and friendly and the place is really clean. I love it and I will for sure be going back

The food here is delicious! The portions are quite large and for a good price. They are also very friendly and play good music! Will definitely be returning :)

Great hidden spot! very warm environment and good food :) I got the fries plate with rice and salmon which came with a sauce

I returned to this place once I tried before. I and my husbandee both loved our first experience here :) Our server AJ (if I remember correctly ) was very kind and nice, she recommended us the Tomyum pasta it was great and we came back for the same one hehe, we love this place!

Everyone, THE TOM YOM NOODLES !!! I tried the birria pho and fries here, and wow--what a fusion! The birria broth was rich, flavorful, and packed with tender, juicy beef that melted in my mouth. The pho noodles soaked up all that savory goodness perfectly, creating a delicious twist on the classic. The birria fries were just as amazing--crispy, cheesy, and topped with that same slow-cooked meat and consommé for dipping. Every bite had the perfect balance of crunch and spice. Portions were generous, and the staff was super friendly. Definitely a must-try spot if you love comfort food with a creative twist!

All the food I ordered was delicious! I am definitely coming back to try everything on the menu Service was good. Ambiance is casual dinning. Great for solo or groups. Kid friendly.

Fusion! Usually I would avoid fusion places, but the dishes here looked intriguing. There are all kinds of fusion dishes of the best kind here. I found birria ramen, birria truffle fries, tom yum spaghetti. I tried the tom yum spaghetti, coconut ceviche, mango sticky rice, and some Thai tea. All were great except the mango sticky rice. That was just good. It had a chocolate drizzle. Just a personal preference but I don't like chocolate l chocolate on mango or on rice. This had both. The coconut ceviche and the spaghetti were great. The spaghetti was cooked nicely, not soggy pasta. The sauce tangy with a bit of spice. The coconut ceviche was very refreshing and fresh. I accidentally discovered that a combination of the tom yum spaghetti with the ceviche's coconut sauce is delicious. The Thai tea was strong and flavorful, unlike some places thatt are just sweet and watery. The restaurant is a small and cozy. The venue might be relaxing but the food is exciting. Gonna be back to try some of the other dishes!

Delicious Asian fusion restaurant in national city. I really like this restaurant because they mix together Filipino, Thai, Vietnamese food altogether. Such an innovative menu. They have tom Yum spaghetti, birria ramen and kare kare curry. Just be aware of the parking because it's in a notorious shopping center with not much parking. Definitely will be returning here again.

This place is a contemporary Vietnamese fusion restaurant. Interior decor is great, very comfy vibes. The Ube coffee was delicious. I liked the tom yum pasta that came on a cast iron skillet (very hot), and the pho broth was very flavorful. The meat portion was good and unlimited noodles on the pho is a bonus. Service was good as well. We will definitely be back to try other unique menu items.

Was in the area looking for a coffee shop and I somehow stumbled across Chao XO's page since they have lattes on the menu. Chao XO is a restaurant that serves fusion dishes (Filipino, Vietnamese, Mexican, Thai, etc.). We ordered the combo pho, pork belly kare curry, ube latte and strawberry latte. The combo pho and drinks were delicious but the one that really stole the show was the kare curry. AMAZING! I don't know what I was expecting when ordering this but definitely going to be driving from OC to national city again so I can order this again! The restaurant itself is so cute! Loved the vibe, style, and menu. You won't be disappointed!

Delicious food ,we got the birria dumplings , birria pho and combo pho (add the rib bone!) and it was amazing. Our server was wonderful, can't wait to come back to this cute place. Edit- the Thai tea is bomb

Great food !! Birria is super tender and the seasoning is amazing!! Fried rice is also very delicious the chicken is super tender and delicious will definitely be coming back!

I stumbled upon this undercover flavor dojo in National City called Chao Xo... and this place is fusing more cultures than a UN potluck!!! I saw Birria Pho and Birria Dumplings on the menu and immediately blacked out from joy!! Next thing I know, I'm three slurps into some legit Birria Consomé Pho wondering if I need to write a thank you letter to someone's grandmas... this soup was Pho-nomenal!! The Beef Rib Pho came out looking like it bench presses other soups. Rib was meaty, tender, juicy w the kind of broth that whispers sweet nothings to your taste buds. The Birria Dumplings were the culinary equivalent of a group chat where everyone actually shows up on time and brings snacks. A genius appetizer... whoever decided to marry Mexican birria w dumpling realness deserves their own Food Network special and a standing ovation w dipping sauce. Spicy, savory, and slightly scandalous!! Tried the Garlic Noodles too... bc carbs are my love language... and let's just say I now want to be tangled in the creamy, buttery goodness!!! The staff are friendlier than your auntie after two glasses of boxed wine Seriously, great vibes!! This place is criminally underrated. So stop what you're doing, grab your appetite and maybe a bib, and support this flavor fusion fiesta!!! Chao Xo deserves all the love and support!! Highly recommend for adventurous foodies and fusion lovers!!

Stopped by Chao Xo and tried a few things -- Birria Pho, Tom Yum Pasta, and the Combo Pho. The fusion concept is cool, but overall the food was just okay. The Birria Pho was definitely the best -- rich, flavorful, and the meat was super tender. The Tom Yum Pasta was unique and had a nice tangy, spicy kick, but not something I'd personally crave again. The Combo Pho was a letdown -- the broth had something off about it, like the flavor wasn't balanced or fully developed. Definitely not the best pho I've had. We also tried some drinks. The Ube Coffee was a 10/10 -- smooth, creamy, and had the perfect amount of ube flavor. The Thai Tea was a little too sweet for my liking, but still decent. Service was great -- the staff was friendly and attentive throughout. Overall, I'd give this place a 3/5. Cool concept, great service, and the Birria Pho is worth trying, but the rest of the meal didn't quite hit for me.

Really enjoyed this place. I ordered the birria phở/ramen and it was super flavorful with a rich broth and tender meat. Portions were generous, and I liked that you can choose your noodle type. Unlimited noodle refills are a nice bonus. Would definitely come back.

The food was amazing! We ordered appetizer, pho and ramen. My family was so happy with everything we tried.

Chao XO was delicious! I visited this place with my partner after missing an outing with friends to go here. Some friends raved about their fusion dishes, and another friend said that the pho wasn't up to his standard and wasn't served hot enough. With that in mind, and even with previewing the menu, I was pleasantly surprised by the Filipino / Thai / Vietnamese / Mexican / Peruvian fusion influence on the menu. We started with the crab guacamole as an appetizer. The red tortilla chips were pretty, and I don't think they really influenced the taste of the guac but it delivered on the overall taste and crunchy texture contrast. I ordered the kare curry (which is name play on the original Filipino dish called kare kare), which is served with a side of rice and a small dollop of bagoong. The waitress made sure to point out the bagoong, which is fermented shrimp paste. The salty, fishy, and pungent taste of the bagoong goes well with the richness of the sauce. It's not the same bagoong I grew up with, but I enjoyed this bagoong with the overall dish. I only wish I had more of it with the kare kare! My partner ordered the pho (forgot which cut of beef). His bowl came in piping hot, and he enjoyed his without any additions. We also ordered shrimp spring rolls and peanut sauce to go for his uncle, who gave it a thumbs-up. I'd love to come back to try the other fusion dishes next time!

Dropped by here for a Father's Day lunch and had such a wonderful visit. Not too busy so we were able to be seated (although I did make reservations online just in case) and the service was always friendly and checking up on us. My family and I were able to get a booth near the back, so that had a very cool atmosphere. Ended up trying the minty calamansi drink (tart but also refreshingly good), the calamari (good), the combo pho (so delicious and filling), the pandan halo (sweet) and the banana foster sticky rice (they were out of bananas so we had the flavor with mangos) which was very tasty. Loved all the food, and hoping to come back soon to try more of the menu. Thank you!

New take on Asian fusion, we had the kare kare calamari and mushroom ribeye rice. It's good flavoring and the ambiance is super cute and spacious. Also the drinks are so yumm I had the Thai tea, calamansi mango. Service was amazing

I ordered from here on DoorDash I'm ordered. It was super good, especially even for to go. We got a crab porridge and pho with wide noodles! All were good. Especially the crab porridge. Finally I'm here for dine in and it's so cute in here! Love all the decor! Sadly they don't have the porridge anymore but the items they have are so hard to pick from! So many delectable unique options! A little bit pricey but so cute very unique. Will write back after dinner to update!

The restaurant is inviting. I love the set up. The server is attentive but she needs more training. She doesn't know the menu. She doesn't know what they are serving. It's like she's figuring out everything-- forgivable. We like the Anthony Bourdain Pho. I ordered the Birria Pho- it was freaking spicy that I only ate the beef. I asked if they have broth that is not spicy that I can pour over- I want to enjoy my meal- her reply was "SORRY WE SELL THE BROTH!" I COULD HAVE RETURNED THE PHO AND COULD'VE SAID I DONT LIKE IT- but I didn't do that, ON THEIR WINDOW IT SAYS UNLIMITED SOUP! The Pad Thai is definitely not good!!!

I've heard rave reviews about this place from my friends and wanted to try it myself. Came on a Saturday for lunch. The inside is decorated very nicely with a couple of tables. The food was pretty good. The pho was tasty and their tom yum pasta was delicious. However, sadly the service at this spot was terrible. We waited forever for just the bare necessities and our food to come out. The lone server here was so overwhelmed and I don't know where the rest of the staff was. I'm hoping it was only this time, but I'm hesitant to come back.

Excellent food and ambience. Hidden gem in national city! Coconut ceviche: fresh and vibrant flavors. Less acidic than your typical ceviche but much needed boost of freshness to the meal. Birria fries: great combo. Consommé rich and flavorful. Probably the best I've had in awhile Anthony Bourdain Pho: great beefy flavor from the seared rib eye. Broth is above average (not the best I've ever had) but works well with the other strong meaty flavors in the soup. Somehow stayed hot til the last drop.

Shrimp Pho was outstanding! Bro loved the Pad Thai. Huge portions and priced right We will definitely be returning with friends. Great experience

I saw Chao XO on Yelp and had high expectations, but I was entirely disappointed by my experience. We came today (Sunday) at lunch time, and there were several tables filled. Regardless, we were seated right away but were not provided with any menus. It was about 5 ish minutes before a server came by and placed two menus at the corner of our table without greeting us or acknowledging that she was dropping menus off at our table. At this point, we were already ready to order, but we were unable to do so because she had not even made conversation with us. Over 10 minutes later, our server eventually stopped by our table and we placed our order of the birria pho and kare curry. During this time, we still had not received any waters, so we had asked our server for waters. About 20-30 minutes had passed before we were able to remind our server to grab us waters. I say "able to" because our server had not stopped by our table. It seems as if our server was busy, which I understand, but I wish they would have stopped seating people if they were too busy to successfully manage the tables they already had. We eventually got our waters, and our food came out probably about 40(+) minutes after we were initially seated. The pho was alright to be quite honest. The meat tasted good, but the broth just tasted like standard pho broth but much saltier. The kare curry, however, was pretty delicious. It tasted quite creamy and sweet, and the sauce paired well with the pork belly meat. One complaint I have about this dish is that the portion size is very small for its price. Overall, I very likely will not return nor recommend this spot to any friends visiting the area. Although the food was alright, the service was highly disappointing.

I was pretty excited about this place. I kept seeing it on social media and they raved about it. I'm all for fusion, and the ideas they had were good but not executed well. The "lomo saltado" was way too sweet. I guess it was supposed to be teriyaki lomo saltado. But way too sweet and watery. I did enjoy the "ceviche" and the crab guacamole. Though the guacamole needed more seasoning or something. White bland. You have to add salt and some chili. But the tomyum pasta was way too salty, it was inedible. Had to return it and ordered another dish. My cousin ordered the karecurry which turned out pretty good. So I ordered that in place of the tomyum pasta. My mother ordered the pad thai but it was bland. I mixed it with the karecurry and it went well together. For dessert I ordered a mango sago. Tasted a little too imitation. Not fresh mango that's for sure.

There were mixed reviews on this place so we had to try it out for ourselves. When we arrived, it wasn't busy and we got a table right away. Ordered the following: * Crab Guacamole * Tom Yum Pasta * Birria ramen * Birria pho * Garlic Noodles with shrimp The guac was a hit at our table. Everybody enjoyed it. My husband and child thought the broths were flavorful. The noodles were good. Good amount of sauce on the tom yum pasta and shrimp on the garlic noodles. Service was good. Will try to be back in the day time so I can try their Vietnamese coffee.

Cute Asian fusion spot with a menu full of innovative, tempting dishes--it was hard to choose! We ended up ordering the egg coffee, Thai tea, coconut ceviche, tom yum pasta, and kare curry with filet mignon. The Thai tea was good, though a bit on the sweet side. The egg coffee, however, was amazing--strong, smooth, and velvety, exactly what I'd hoped for. The coconut ceviche was sweet, refreshing, and had a nice kick; it paired perfectly with the shrimp chips and was a great way to start the meal. The tom yum pasta was rich, creamy, aromatic, and generously loaded with shrimp. The kare curry with filet mignon was flavorful, but the dish felt a bit disjointed--the meat, eggplant, string beans, and bok choy seemed like a random assortment rather than a cohesive combination. Our server was friendly and attentive throughout. I'll definitely be back--can't wait to explore more of the menu!

Chao XO is an Asian-Latin fusion eatery located in National City. This spot is located in the same plaza as the Seafood City Supermarket. There are a good amount of parking spots in the plaza but things can get hectic depending on the day and time you go. Inside, they have a nice modern interior with some lovely Vietnamese inspired decor and about 8-10 tables for seating. For their menu, they have a solid selection of different tapas, pho, rice, noodles, and speciality dishes. Wifey and I opted for a spread of the Spicy Birria Dumplings, Tom Yum Pasta, Ribbone & Ribeye Pho, and a Peach Tamarind drink to wash it all down. Everything that we had was delicious with some comforting yet innovative flavors. Overall, we had a great dining experience here. All of the staff are very friendly and welcoming. This is a great spot for an elevated lunch, a dinner date, or just to grab a nice meal with family/friends.

Chào XO is one of those rare pho spots that instantly wins you over the moment you walk in. The atmosphere strikes the perfect balance between modern and cozy, with warm lighting and a clean, stylish layout that makes you want to linger a little longer. If you're craving pho, Chào XO should be at the top of your list.

Chao Xo Pho serves fresh, flavorful Vietnamese dishes with great portions and fast service.

I was really excited to see a new modern Asian Fusion place in National City. Parking is pretty difficult with the market next door, but it's not impossible. The inside is nicely designed and decorated. Came for lunch on a Saturday and the place was at about 30% capacity so I was seated right away. Food - I'm not sure if I just ordered the wrong items or the chef was having an off day, but both the Green Papaya Salad and Tom Yum Pasta were pretty disappointing. Both dishes were overly dressed. I've never had a papaya salad that was drenched like that. I also thought the pasta would be a bit more dry but it was almost a soup. Also a personal opinion, but I wish they'd use a different pasta over spaghetti, especially what seems like boxed spaghetti. Even though the dish was soupy they spaghetti doesn't grab the flavor of the seasonings. Service - Service was great. Staff was readily available to help at anytime.

Ordered the Kare curry and it was too rich and hard to eat. Thai tea was extremely sweet. Doing too much.

The service was amazing! The Ube coffee woke me up and it was delicious . The birria was smooth, tasty, and delicious. I would come back soon.

A very nice spin to Vietnamese fusion food. The tom yum pasta is a must get! It's piping hot and delicious. Also the peach tamarind and mango calamansi drink is very unique. Would come back if in town.

The food here each has their own unique flavor and are foods I haven't tried anywhere else. The food and drinks come out fast and the staff are super polite and attentive. The inside is very pretty as well and overall a nice place to eat.

I came here twice when they first opened last February. The decor is modern, with some Vietnamese flair. On my second visit, I came for lunch. Hubby and I shared the beef pho and a lomo saltado. The dishes were flavorful and delicious! I also love their watermelon xo mocktail. Hubby liked his jazzy peach cocktail as well.

We got the tum yum pasta and coconut ceviche. The coconut ceviche was interesting and refreshing. The tom yum pasta was really flavorful but a little too oily

This place is like one pleasant surprise after another. First of all, excellent prices for this economy. And high quality for the price too. Extremely kind and welcoming staff. I had the coconut ceviche and it was lovely. Unlimited noodle feature is amazingly generous considering the high quality of the noodles. I'm really impressed by how many different things they do really well. Ramen and pho are excellent, egg rolls were awesome, and in general this place does not skimp. You get sauces at the table, the full plate of pho fixings, and plenty of fresh toppings on the dishes. The mango rice was unconventional but tasty, it was served hot with less rice and more coconut milk, plus chocolate. I'll definitely come back.

Got hungry doing my errands and stopped by here unexpectedly during off hours. Their lunch specials are like $20 for an entree and a drink so that's all I can speak on for now; I know people like them for their boba drinks as well. I love the concept of birria pho! It was good and was a generous portion but idk I felt like it was missing a bit of a punch in the broth. Also it would've been nice to keep the traditional pho meats, I think that would've tasted so good with the birria broth. Overall 7/10 The drink was just ok, it didn't really have a strong passion fruit taste to it. The vibes of the place are really nice and I'd like to come back and try their other dishes, good for casually hanging with friends and family.

It was my mom and I's first time here and we're definitely coming back for sure! The birria pho was savory and not too spicy for my taste, so that was great already. Our waitress was super attentive & gave us her recommendations which helped a lot! I felt like we transported into Vietnam just by the first few seconds walking in - 10/10

Because of the wide variety of Asian cuisines dishes, we did family style and ordered a lot from the menu. And I was hoping that everything would be delicious because how great would it be to find a restaurant where you can eat multiple styles of food at once? Unfortunately, most of what we ate did not meet my expectations. Service was good though! They accommodated our large group by moving tables and chairs around and did a fantastic job handling all of our orders. One of our friends found a hair in their dish and the staff remade it for her. But service alone wasn't enough to save the food. Sriracha Elote: Extremely small serving. Honestly, just enough for 1 person and it's crazy how expensive this is for the tiny portion. It's good and I liked that it was a bit creamy but it was not worth the price. Chicken Wings (Garlic Fish Sauce): Comes with 6 wings smothered in the fish sauce. At first bite, I actually enjoyed it. Despite being smothered, the wings remained crispy so the batter held up really well. But the sauce it just too salty and I really needed breaks in between each bite. Kare Curry: This was my favorite dish and it's somewhat similar to the Filipino Kare Kare, where the base is a peanut sauce. I remember it being a bit sweeter than Kare Kare but still very good. Comes with a variety of vegetables and you can choose between filet mignon, pork belly, or more veggies. Nasi Goreng Fried Rice: Very disappointing. This Indonesian staple usually has a lot of spices and flavors but it just tasted like regular fried rice with soy sauce or something very basic. Garlic Noodles: I don't think I've had garlic noodles with this little garlic flavor before. The green house sauce was pretty good but you shouldn't have to rely on that for flavor in dish that's usually exploding with garlic and butter. Crab Congee: A watery congee, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's filled with a lot of ingredients but I thought the flavor was lacking. This was a personal preference though since other people in our group thought it was very good. Ribeye Mushroom and Rice: Very strong mushroom flavors that kind of overwhelm the beef. Everything was mixed into this gravy...I'm assuming it was a mushroom-based gravy. This was better than some other dishes but I didn't love it either. The ribeye was cut into small pieces and I think the dish would've been better with larger chunks. Tom Yum Pasta: Although the flavor didn't quite taste like Tom Yum, the pasta was surprisingly good. It comes out on a hot skillet but the first two orders we got weren't sizzling anymore by the time it came out of the kitchen, unlike the third. Nonetheless, this was a group favorite because of how creamy the pasta was. Overall, not too impressed with the food and considering how far it is from La Jolla, I don't think it's worth the effort to dine-in again, even for the dishes that I enjoyed.

Stopped in on a whim. Ordered pork belly pho. I was so surprised to find that portions were huge and everything fresh. The broth was DIVINE. I did however find the pork belly itself to be flavorless and tough. (My initial excitement about the generous meat serving melted as soon as I tried to bite into the rubbery meat.) The server was kind enough to accept my request to substitute the meat out. I ordered the salt and pepper shrimp appetizer and I received 8 large head on shrimp that were seasoned and fried to perfection. Amazing. Worth a trip for them alone! They have a great assortment of fun drinks like ube coffee and fun mocktails. I will have to try one another visit. The restaurant in located in a busy strip mall. The dining area is modern, colorful, and clean.

So I had this place bookmarked since I saw this restaurant featured on Instagram. I know this area well, having grown up in Paradise Hills. First of all, sign for this restaurant is not yet up so it was a little difficult to spot. Upon entry, I was impressed. It's definitely got a cute, modern feel, which sets it apart from the traditional restaurants in the same strip mall. Tough competition though considering the price point of this area. Not too sure if National City is ready for it, we shall see. Despite the bar, they don't have an actual bar. They serve non alcoholic beverages like mocktails and zero proof beer. I opted for a mocktail, which was the Watermelon XO. Super sweet. It tasted more like juice than anything. I love mocktails. However, the key to an amazing mocktail, is the ability for it to taste like the original without the alcohol. Unfortunately, this falls short. I decided to try an original dish, Tom Yum pasta. It came in a sizzling pan, which was exciting. Definitely has some good flavors to this dish and it was good the next day. Again, 21 dollars kinda expensive for National City. My guests ordered the birria and the the beef pho and they said it was just okay. For dessert, we ordered the Pandan Halo. It's definitely the presentation in a glass that sells this dish. I grew up on Halo Halo, so basically that's what this is, but elevated because it's presented in a modern way. It was okay, but not more so than some of the other places where I've had halo halo. Service was great but didn't expect such high prices for this area. A bar with alcoholic cocktails would be great. Kinda empty when we arrived. Coffee drinks were cool, and ube drink was pretty with the layering effect.

I've been wanting to try this Asian fusion spot. Most of the dishes are Vietnamese inspired. It wasn't busy when we got here. Food came out within 5 minutes. We ordered the tom yum pasta, birria fries, and ribeye mushroom rice. Presentation looks great. But I think the taste didn't execute that well. I thought the food was just okay. Needed more flavor. The tom yum pasta was my favorite dish. Came with a good amount of shrimp. The birria fries came with a side of broth to dip in. I thought it was lacking spice and acidity. Also there was no truffle on our fries. The ribeye mushroom needed some salt. There was barely any beef. The jalapeño sauce that came with it was good tho.

Came here on a weeknight and there was no wait but only one person manning front of house. Food came out at a decent speed and even though it was only one person, he managed everything - props to him! The ambiance of Chao XO is really nice with the touches of plants and decor. Overall, the food was just okay and skimpy on the proteins given the price. Not sure if I'd go back. Birria truffle fries: The birria was dry and didn't have the traditional flavor. It was more reminiscent of a pho flavored short rib. The cheese sauce was a nice addition however there was no truffle evident in the dish at all. Mushroom ribeye rice: nice creamy sauce but heavy on the mushrooms. saltado shaken: The flavor was reminiscent of black bean chicken. The fries were cooked with the other stir fry items and more just topped over. There were parts of my dish that were cold, lukewarm, and hot. Disappointed with this dish overall. Pandan halo: Served in a wine glass, it was just okay. The pandan was a good touch of flavor but it was just rainbow jelly and a scoop of ube ice cream. There were parts of a halo halo that was missing.

i love this place cause of the amazing food! The server, KJ, was amazing and very welcoming.

Came here to eat dinner for my friend's birthday, glad we gave it a try! Customer service was amazing, everyone was so helpful and we came in during restaurant week so they had a full course menu going on for a super good price! My friend ended up getting that for her birthday. Our server was nice and explained how that worked and what we could pick, she also suggested her favorites on the menu. The decorations and ambience is such a vibe, really nice restaurant in National City and hope to see more like this! The birria ramen was super yummy, a twist on Mexican and Vietnamese! I loved the mocktails they offered, made me want to order back to back mocktails! The ceviche was good as well, def a new taste for me but I enjoyed it. Will def come back here to try other dishes.

Delicious food! Friendly people! Excellent service! Beautiful space! Their menu is exciting and their dishes came out with perfect timing!