Hoài Huế Restaurant

The Experience: I stopped by around noon on a Sunday and the place was packed, but luckily a table had just opened up. The restaurant is cozy, with about 12-15 tables, and there were people waiting the entire time I was there, which is a good sign that this spot is popular. They had the NBA playoffs playing on a TV, and I had the perfect view from my table, which was a nice bonus. They accept credit cards and you pay up front at the register. Service was friendly, fast, and efficient. The Food: I came specifically for the Bun Bo Hue but ended up going for the #1, Bun tấm hoài Huế, and it was absolutely worth it. I ordered the large bowl, and it was generously portioned with huge cuts of beef shank, large bouncy pork and shrimp and crab meatballs were packed with flavor. It was definitely a meal that would fill anyone up. The broth was incredible: rich, flavorful, and clearly made with care. My only minor critique was the pork hock was a bit tough compared to other versions I've had. Still, that didn’t take away much from how great the overall dish was. The Rating: 5/5 Quick and friendly service, an unbelievably delicious Bun Bo Hue! I’ll definitely be back to try more dishes.

Their bún bò Huế is very good, especially #1. Mỳ quãng is a bit too fusion for my liking. Price is very reasonable.

Came here because of the amazing reviews and they did NOT disappoint. Arrived around 12:30 pm, put our name on the waitlist for 12 diners, and was summoned back for a table around 30 minutes later. (We just got some sesame balls for a snack from the Vietnamese bakery next door). The line out the door, and the restaurant being crowded with Vietnamese family (including the elderly) speaks volume to their food quality. Is the service the best? No. Is the food the best? YES. HUGE portions, tons of herbs/garnishes, 3 vegetarian/vegan options, flavorful broth, perfectly cooked veggies. Would love to return on our next trip to San Diego. This is the best vegetarian soup I've had in my 6 years of being vegetarian!

Love the Bun Riew a lot, it has a slightly sweet and acidic tomato flavour and is loaded with crab meat, tofu, shrimp, pork blood and lots of things. The soup is amazing and it comes with a lot of side veggies (very generous). We also ordered the banh beo, large portion comes with 20 pieces, good to share among 3-4 ppl. Eat it when it’s served hot to the table!

Hoai Hue was an absolute delight! The moment we stepped inside, we were enveloped in the tantalizing aromas of simmering broths and sizzling meats. The Bun Bo Hue was a revelation - the rich, spicy broth was perfectly balanced, and the tender beef shank was simply divine. The Banh Mi was equally impressive, with its crispy baguette, savory fillings, and tangy pickled vegetables. The restaurant's bustling atmosphere and friendly staff only added to the authentic experience. If you're craving a taste of authentic Vietnamese cuisine, Hoai Hue is a must-visit!

Excellent Bun Bo Hue (i love the Bun Bo Hue Special) and friendly, helpful staffs. Prices are afforable. They also have Banh Gio & Nem Chua which are my favorite Vietnamese snacks.

Hoai Hue is truly a gem in the City Heights restaurant scene. Specializing in central Vietnamese food, you will be able to experience so much more of what Vietnamese cuisine has to offer, aside from the typically known Pho or Banh Mi. There is a parking lot next to the restaurant, but it can be quite tricky scoring a spot on this busy section of El Cajon Blvd. It gets packed at the restaurant during peak meal times, so make sure you give yourself some time to get seated. Trust me, it’s definitely worthwhile! Hoai Hue is a medium sized restaurant, very clean, well lit. If you’re not too familiar with Vietnamese food, not to mention central Vietnam’s cuisine, their menu has photos to help guide your eyes. Also, the servers are all fluent in English so they can help you select from all the dishes they have. Hailing from Saigon, central Vietnamese cuisine was not what I grew up with, but have had a few dishes and variations here and there. I just love Vietnamese food in general so this restaurant was nothing short of delivering. My family was visit San Diego and wanted to see how the Vietnamese food here was like. I remembered how much I had enjoyed this restaurant, so I took them here. We got 4 orders of each item to share family style. The Banh Beo was smooth and tasty. The Banh Nam was soft and had the perfect ratio of ground shrimp to rice cake. The Banh Loc was a a hit with everyone as well. The Banh Canh Tom Cua was just delicious. The broth was well balanced and they are very generous with the extremely tasty house-made shrimp balls. Everything was so authentically delicious that my family added a bowl of Bun Bo Hue at the end just to try it, even though we were all stuffed! Just writing this review is giving me cravings for their food! So if you like Vietnamese cuisine, then do yourself a favor and head over to Hoai Hue and treat yourself. You deserve it!

First impression upon walking in? Dirty. But because our peers recommended this place, we stayed to try it. We were seated at a dirty table, even though it was "cleaned" right before we sat down. We asked if the food debris could be swept from under the table, but the server stated it was fine, that they were short staffed, and kicked what she could to the side. I recommend scanning the barcode on the table for the menu because there's more options on it than the physical, dirty hard copy. Our group had a few different bun bo hues and a banh canh tom cua. Everyone who ordered bun bo hue said, adding shrimp paste and sate (provided on the table) along with vegetables made it more flavorful. However, they said it didn't taste as good as usual. I had the banh canh, and it was ok. There is nothing too outstanding to mention besides the three large shrimp balls that were filling. We ordered banh beo chen but it never made it to the table. Wish we could've tried it but oh well.