Nếm Restaurant

Vietnamese restaurant · Sierra

Nếm Restaurant

Vietnamese restaurant · Sierra

1

175 S Capitol Ave Ste K, San Jose, CA 95127

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Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
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Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null
Nếm Restaurant by null

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Vietnamese seafood specialties, hot pots, noodles, and rice plates  

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175 S Capitol Ave Ste K, San Jose, CA 95127 Get directions

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175 S Capitol Ave Ste K, San Jose, CA 95127 Get directions

+1 408 677 5899
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Aug 20, 2025

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Gilroy Garlic Festival, a San Francisco Bay Area Tradition for More Than 40 Years, Cancelled ‘Indefinitely’ - Eater SF

"The purveyors behind popular San Jose establishments Paper Plane, Original Gravity Public House, and Miniboss leased a 4,000-square-foot spot in downtown San Jose. They plan to turn the space into a restaurant with cocktails, stating 'food will be center stage' at this new spot. The restaurant will join an ax-throwing-restaurant-bar business, Unofficial Logging, and a new location of Urban Putt in the development." - Dianne de Guzman

https://sf.eater.com/2022/4/22/23037553/gilroy-garlic-festival-cancelled
View Postcard for Nếm Restaurant

MoonRule

Google
This charming restaurant offers an aesthetically pleasing ambiance, particularly in a specific corner. The reasonably priced menu offers dishes that are served promptly. Surprisingly, it is relatively empty in the mornings, suggesting that it is more suitable for evening dining. I have had positive experiences ordering from this restaurant through Doordash, and I highly recommend it!

Chelle T

Google
We wanted a home-style food. We ordered a catfish with sour soup, very tasty, nice vegetable textures. We ordered fried noodles, two kinds of egg roll, a kho with pork and rau mung(sp?). Service was nice, our friends enjoyed the selection.

Viet Nguyen

Google
We were craving for oysters and snails so we came to Nem restaurant this Saturday 05/12/24. We ordered six flavors oysters and golden sauce whelks. The oyster were so fresh and flavorful and they were among my favorite items at Ném Restaurant. We also liked the seafood bird nest in crispy yellow egg noodles and seafood fried rice. The seafood fried rice was delicious with combination of minced seafood and the fried rice was just right with a taste of crunchy and flavorful. We also ordered frog leg with butter sauce and it was so crunchy, tasty with butter sauce. Overall, we really enjoyed most items that we ordered from Nem restaurant. The restaurant is hidden away from all the crowded and major food eatery locations and it can be intimidating to walk in without seeing a lot of foot traffic, but the flavors and freshness of the food cooking from Nem restaurant are what I can count on to eat here. I would definitely come back and try other items.

H T

Google
Food is nothing special. Taking into account the quantity, quality, and price is 3 stars. The food does take a bit of time when we went (Sunday at 6:30) and our party of 10 was one of two tables there. Pho came out about 20 minutes after ordering and it was very sweet with a fair bit of msg. Hot pan beef was mid but came with surprisingly good bread. Coming back from college we got dia gia dinh and, while they weren't like grandma or moms, the bitter melon soup, braised egg and pork and hot pot catfish hit the spot. The fat and skin of the pork was like jelly and food was hot.

Yen Thu Nguyen

Google
During a family gathering, we decided to try Nếm Restaurant based on a friend's recommendation. The staff was welcoming and guided us through the menu, suggesting popular dishes. We ordered the catfish claypot, garlic butter razor clams, and the seafood fried rice. Each dish was bursting with flavor, and the portions were generous. The highlight was the catfish claypot, which was tender and savory. The ambiance was relaxed, making it a perfect spot for family meals.​

Elizabeth Lo

Google
Excellent food, service and atmosphere! The waitress recommended a very good and fun hot pot type dish and also gave everyone in our group a free dessert drink or Vietnamese iced coffee! This is by far the best Vietnamese restaurant I’ve ever been to with a very extensive menu that isn’t anywhere else!

Sothin Huot

Google
It was took us 40mins from where we live. She so friendly and flexible. No doubt the restaurant was open till 5pm, but since we got there she just let all of us in. All food that we had very fresh and love it very much and we definitely recommend to all our friends and family. We will go back more often. Thank you for being open for us. Even on Labor’s day.

clarence keyes

Google
I was very pleased That this restaurant took me away from me few other restaurants because of the quality, especially the coffee. I’m going nowhere else for the coffee now. Not every restaurant has everything I want, but it was good enough sufficient and I was beyond satisfied going to this place that I never knew about even though I know San Jose very well. Highly impressed and I will be getting more coffee tomorrow. Thank you so much. Café su da ngot lam và Hai nhut lam for real. Yoi qua
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Joshua T.

Yelp
Ok so Im a former elite member that wanted to comes out of the woodwork cave I've been in. Took my gf and her mom here after seeing the reviews. Please take note: Food portions were tiny for the price. Temp of the room was super cold. Also, no one in the restaurant but us three. But... really? braised Cats fish had TWO small pieces. Clam dish had like 7 pieces lol..and were SANDY. No. Like what. Do NOT come back here. Unbelievable the small portions for the price. Believe and trust that
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Wendy C.

Yelp
Came here at 6pm on a Thursday night... we were the only table the entire time... my mom complained that it was freezing inside the restaurant and luckily they were kind enough to bump up the heat so honestly they got a star for that. Food kinda came out pretty slow considering we were the only table. 2.5/5 Braised catfish in claypot. Extremely small portion and very oily. Also came with a few pieces of the pork belly and the side of the pickle mustard greens. Pickled greens wasn't really pickled. Nothing really to write about it terms of flavor. 3/5 shaking beef. Again very small portion. Beef cube was cut so small it just didn't feel meaty. Was a little overcooked as well. Nothing to write about for flavor either. 3/5 basil clams. Wasn't washed properly, so had a lot of sand and grit. This dish was a lot better in flavor and I did like it. The clams were huge though. 3/5 crispy pan fried noodles with beef. Nothing special
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KM T.

Yelp
Food and service were great! Highlights were the unique and delicious fish hot pot in sour bamboo broth. The snails in coconut milk was delightful, and the ca kho to was perfectly cooked in a sauce that was well balanced. The other dishes ordered were great too! Above all, I especially appreciate our hostess being upfront about the freshness and portion sizes of certain dishes that were not in season.
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Allison T.

Yelp
Randomly decided to give Nem Restaurant a shot and this place did not disappoint!! The food tasted homemade and service was great. For 2 entrees, 1 side of rice, and 1 order of fries it cost us $44 in cash. If you are craving Vietnamese food, I would give this place a try. The menu has a wide selection and included photos!! The photos really helped me decide which one I wanted. They have indoor and outdoor seating. We decided to sit outside. The outdoor seating was filled with grapes, passion fruit, Thai chilies, and other herbs growing.
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Tommy N.

Yelp
Ambiance: I'm sorry, but it's a 2/5 for me. The place was cluttered and it's a bit of a ghost town in there. The space just didn't feel thought out but attempts are being made. The interior could definitely use some experienced consulting but we all go to these mom and pop Vietnamese hole in the walls for the food and nothing else. Service: Was pretty good but we were literally 1 of 2 parties in the entire restaurant. Hard to give them a rating in such a scenario so I'll refrain from doing so in this review. Food: The tamarind prawns were a bit tart but the cook on the prawns were good. Generous portion size but a bit too heavy handed on the sauce so the dish felt out of balance. 3/5 on this one Canh chua was great and equipped with the flavors I expect. The Canh chua here leans more on the sweet side vs. the sour side but not too far from what I normally expect. Solid 4/5 The ca kho came with pickled mustard greens which I'm a fan of. Not something everyone enjoys but if you're looking for that pop of acidity, then definitely give it a shot. The cook on the fish itself was good but the sauce was a little runny, and it didn't have that thick caramelized consistency that great ca kho has. A decent 3/5 for me on this one Overall: This is not a place I would take someone on a date to. The ambiance is simply not there and their menu formatting needs desperate help along with the decor. The menu lacks guidance to someone who isn't familiar with Vietnamese food and they could use some better pictures. I would say this is good for takeout or for a lazy day where you don't want to cook. Not a special occasion spot but that's ok! 3/5 overall
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Jenny T.

Yelp
Came here for family dinner on a Saturday evening. My brother called and made a reservation. They were seated before I even arrived. Food: So they don't have anything vegetarian noted on their menu, but they were willing to make me my own dish. My brother called ahead and asked if they were able to do so beforehand. They said they could make stir fried noodles, noodle soup, and fried rice vegetarian. I went with the stir fried noodles. They were flavored well, and it was a good portion. Definitely worth sharing! My family really enjoyed their food. My dad enjoyed it so much that he was telling the server and the front counter person that they need to do better at advertising because the place should be packed with how much he enjoyed the food. My dad doesn't like a lot of restaurants so this was high praise. Service: Service was friendly and quick. My family was seated very fast. My vegetarian option was ready in a good time after ordering. As with most Asian places, they don't stop by to check up on you, but servers were easy to flag down when we needed something. The Vietnamese hot pot took the longest to come out, but that's pretty standard in every restaurant I've been to. TL;DR - delicious Vietnamese food with standard service & high praises from my dad
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Anne P.

Yelp
First, I would just like to say that I'm BAFFLED why this place isn't more popular. The food is so good!!! Honestly, upon first entering on a Saturday during PEAK lunch time and seeing a completely empty restaurant, many things go through my mind: "is the food bad here?" "Are all the ingredients old due to lack of turnover?" My worries quickly disappeared as my food was not only fresh but DELICIOUS! The water spinach stir fried with garlic was top notch! They stir fried it with chicharrones which gave the dish great texture and flavor. The tamarind shrimp was sour but also complex and amazing. I highly recommend the seafood egg roll as an appetizer! It's a spacious and clean restaurant with great service. There's even ample parking for just the restaurant itself. I really hope this place gets more business because they really deserve it!
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Kristina T.

Yelp
Giving this hidden gem a solid 5 star! I've been eating here for a while now and it's never busy but I think it's the location. Either way, we haven't been disappointed. The food is all pretty good and the price is reasonable. The service is attentive too. They give alittle cash discount but also takes credit card. My fav is the garlic butter razor clams and the scallion onion blood clams are so yummy! We always get the catfish claypot and tamarind soup to share, the portion is good for 2-3 people. My kids like their rice plates and pasta bo luc lac. I do recommend this place for your family meals and seafood fix! Spacious and clean as well, yay!

Ha N.

Yelp
09/28/2024 is the date for my wedding. I planned to cater food to the church after wedding mass. I heard about Nếm restaurant. I came by to be curious. They provided me the bill that less than $4500 for 110 people, which included free milk tea drinks and decorations. Feed back from my weeding's guess, they so happy that they can eat Vietnamese food instead of Chinese food at Dynasty or anywhere else. They thrilled with the food, they said they cannot stop eating. Half of my guests ended up going home with a take-out food box because there was so much food. I recommend Nêm for parties, family events, etc. Go with( gỏi tiến vua, bánh hỏi thịt nướng, cánh gà chiên nước mắm, tôm trứng muối, miến xào cua, cơm chiên, nuôi xào bò) I attached my bill and weeding video, picture.

Chinh P.

Yelp
I decided to give Nem a try before booking a private party l am guessing there will not be next time. The most expensive catfish in clay pot that l ever had! $16.95 for 2 pieces of fish, is there a mistake? The price is unacceptable for the portion.

Tuyen L.

Yelp
Had my daughter's 1st birthday there, and the manager Duong had exceptional communication and was very accommodating. We got the free decorations during their promotion, which is a huge plus. Food was good, but a bit pricey. I'd totally host a party there again.
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Andy L.

Yelp
We had a good overall experience at Nem for dinner. I was excited to try the seafood dishes but two of them (whelk and razor clam) were overcooked and rubbery. Not a good experience, especially having tried the same dishes at other local restaurants and in Vietnam. The clams with the Nem special sauce were great though. We also enjoyed the braised catfish (ca kho) which also had small pieces of pork belly. Yum. The canh chua soup and veggies were good, but the fish was a bit overcooked and tough as well. I increased my rating by one star after the staff responded with some good points. I appreciate their effort and willingness to receive and apply feedback.
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Catherine N.

Yelp
It's a hidden place but great place if you like "nhậu" dishes. The environment is friendly and exceptional services. Sea food is excellent here. Definitely come back on my next visit
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Jen Q.

Yelp
The service here is phenomenal everyone is friendly and attentive. They had multiple large parties inside so we were seated outside and they brought us personal fans and checked on us often to make sure we were well taken care of. When we asked for chili peppers the sweet lady offered us some from her garden and it was delicious. I could go on and on about the service but the best part was the food. Packed with flavor and good sized portions. We ordered razor clams 5/5 Bo luc lac 4/5 Banh mi thit nuong 3/5 morning glory vegetable 5/5 Bo xao hanh cuon. You can make your own rolls, came meat on a sizzling plate, veggies, and pears. The sauces that came with it were so good 6/5! We had such a great experience from the food to service we highly recommend giving Nem Restaurant a try!
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Erin L.

Yelp
Such a special experience! I'm so glad I got to try this. Inside is spacious and filled with lots of greenery, I appreciate the thought put into the aesthetic here. Very welcoming and comfortable! Loved the whelk with golden sauce!! Golden sauce being salted egg. It was my first time trying whelk and thought it was more memorable with the sauce. Forgot which soup we ordered, I loved it personally but I can see where this may not be an experience for everyone. Lovers of fishy, somewhat sweet/sour tastes will enjoy this! Flavors are really bold, but I find it really comforting. Highly recommend if the dry Cali air has cast a spell on your throat (like it did mine), and can find this soup magical as an instant remedy!
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Serenity L.

Yelp
Super excited to find a restaurant that served sea snails and razor clams ! I don't see too many restaurants that offer these types of options. When i went, it wasn't busy but they do have ample amount of seating inside. Service was very prompt and nice. The menu is hugeee, it has so many options to choose from. This is what I ordered: Salted Fish Fried Rice (3/5): This was good, but I couldn't taste the salted fish at all, so it tasted like normal fried rice. Lemongrass Stir Fried Frog (5/5): Definitely a must try! If you never had frog before, it really does taste like chicken. This dish was so flavorful and definitely a favorite! Grilled Canada Whelks with Fish Sauce (3/5): This was okay. I really wish it would've been more seasoned. Of course, the fish sauce helps but it wasn't as flavorful as I'd imagined it to be. Razor Clams in Butter Sauce (2/5): I tried this with a couple of my friends and one of them really enjoyed the butter sauce. Me and my other friend did not. It's buttery but it has a sweet and a very distinct taste to it that I couldn't figure out. I'm not sure what they added to it, but there's a specific taste to it. Overall, it was a good experience to try more "adventurous" foods. The service was good and the food came out pretty quick. Personally, I think the whelks and razor clams could have been flavored better, but id come back to try different flavors/sauces. Especially since there's not too many restaurants that serve these options.
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Tiffany L.

Yelp
I came here on a Saturday night at 6 and it was super empty. There were lots of plants, quiet music and nice paintings. They seem to specialize In exotic seafood in sauces soups and stir fry. We ordered a braised catfish and clams in their nem #1 sauce. Braised catfish: 3.5/5 I was a bit disappointed by the quantity there were only 2 pieces and a few tiny pieces of pork in there. The catfish was a bit dry but the sauce was good. Clams: 5/5 super fresh and the sauce packed nice heat. They were plump and juicy. The food came out super fast and we scarfed down all our food.
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Amanda N.

Yelp
Absolutely my favorite exotic Vietnamese restaurant in San Jose! Food always comes out in a timely fashion. Food: (everything is so tasty here) Mussels Fried rice Clams ...only to name a few Service: Everyone is friendly and attentive Outside dinning: I usually eat outside at their patio, which they are also dog friendly. Lovely decor
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Jessica N.

Yelp
This spot definitely gives Dong Que a run for their money. For those that don't know Nem serves Vietnamese seafood family style authentic to how it's served in Vietnam. Restaurant is very clean and nice. No wait at all which is why I decided to try it. Food came out pretty fast and every dish was very flavorful and unique to their style. Portions were good. Service was decent. This might be my new to go for this type of Vietnamese food. What we ordered: Stir fried corn (bap xao) Fried Quail with garlic butter (chim cut Chien bo) Salted fish fried rice with chicken (com Chien ca mang) Whelks with nem #1 sauce (oc huong xao) Prawns with special sauce (salted egg) (Tom rang)
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Amy P.

Yelp
Today was my first time here and I came for lunch with my colleagues. Luckily, one can speak Vietnamese so he called ahead maybe 5 minutes before they opened in order to have a few appetizers ready by the time we got there. I'm not too adventurous when when trying new things so I can proudly say I tried the horn snails in the coconut milk. Flavoring was good and it was just easy to suck the shell so I wouldn't have to chew. The crispy seafood eggrolls were also one of my favorites, which was really good with the creamy sauce it came with. Shaken beef is usually my go to when I order a rice dish at a Vietnamese restaurant and this one didn't disappoint. The beef was tender and saucy. The red rice was flavorful. I would totally get this again. Overall, everything we ate was quite delicious and I'm glad my colleague introduced our group to this spot. I will be back!
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Cecilia L.

Yelp
Very tasty food and many choice. Clean and very order, staffs are very friendly and helpful. Try Vietnamese food if you're in town.
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Liz R.

Yelp
New spot that I found on Yelp only because the place I originally planned to go was closed. Food was good.
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Maya K.

Yelp
I was absolutely blown away by the food at this unsuspecting restaurant! Canh Chua is my fav vietnamese soup and this one was perfectly sweet-sour-salty. The okra, banana stem and fish were all perfectly cooked. Also got the Calamari and claypot catfish-- which were also perfection. Can't wait to come back and try more of the menu-- especially the hot pot!!!!
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Sonya E.

Yelp
Finally had a chance to make it out to this restaurant. My girl and I dined her for lunch and ordered their House Special Seafood Hotpot. The seafood was a combo of jumbo shrimp, mussels, clams, octopus, fish, squid, and fish balls. The vegetables had the typical ones used for Vietnamese hotpot and the noodles provided were more than enough for our party of two. Broth was light with a hint of spice for heat. There is plenty of indoor and outdoor dining. Service was quick and friendly. Finally, the menu has a lot of options so good luck with deciding -- just make sure you visit this place when you're feeling really hungry for Vietnamese cuisine. P.S. these guys have a whole drink menu going on that's pretty unique -- Passionfruit Soda, Sugarcane, Kiwi Soda, etc.
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Anna H.

Yelp
How did I not ever know about this place? Everything we ordered was delicious. Great service, elaborate menu, pictures for every item, and everything was flavorful. We got the braised catfish in clay pot - has pork in it and flavor was on point Special fried rice (it's green but tastes good with crunchies in them) Golden sauce fried tofu - this was Amazing Chowmein- it was ok, more oily but still decent Scallops with oil/green onions- came with 4 pieces and it was yummy
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Shih Fa K.

Yelp
Ordered the pho bo fillet mignon and Bun Rieu Cha Cua, and it was good. There was a good amount of meat and cream in both dishes, and the soup base was delicious. The service was quick and responsive, and the ambiance was very lush with its multiple plants as decorations.
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Maggie G.

Yelp
This place is nicely decorated and sort of modern compared to most Vietnamese restaurants. Food was pretty darn good! I ordered Bun Rieu, presentation was better than usual Vietnamese restaurants. It came in a nice big while soup bowl with lid. Broth is what makes the Vietnamese noodle soup taste good. What I ordered was very concentrated and full of flavors. Strong taste of shrimp paste. This is not for someone who doesn't like fishy smell. Their rieu is different from typical restaurants, but not as fluffy as others. There was three us us that went at 11:30am on a weekday. The place was empty. I hesitated initially... their service was great for an Vietnamese place, however, service was extremely slow... or maybe I'm so used to the typical Vietnamese places that brings their food out within minutes. At this place, considering there was nobody dining in nor seeing any takeout orders waiting... it took them over 20 minutes to serve the three of us with two bun rieu and one pho bo. Therefore, I can't give them a HMDI when star... my coworker also had mentioned that we were in a time crunch. Anyways, this is a little hidden gem, price doesn't seem to be inflated yet at this time. Portions huge! Should be back.
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Kimmie H.

Yelp
Authentic Vietnamese restaurant that serves seafood, bar food like dishes without the rowdy scene. The clam dishes were delicious and not as highly priced like at some of the bar restaurants. There is a lot of variety and I'd be back just to try the different seafood seasonings.
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Tran M.

Yelp
I ordered 4 dishes togo, expensive and didn't know it comes out so little for each dishes The most dissappointed dishes are mango salad which cost $19.50, but only a little bit in the small container (picture) and the fried chicken feet Hong Kong ($18.50) - also a little bit, and the chicken feets are not crispy at all, not sure if they boiled only or fried it, so disappointed You can see the French fries with gold sauce in the picture, fries were so wet, I know because it was combined with the sauce but it's really wet and soft. The fried rice with salted fish is so little, I forgot to take picture Overall, we paid nearly $70 for 2 people but we have to eat extra instant noodle. Will never order with this restaurant again
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Trevor N.

Yelp
Five stars for this authentic Vietnamese restaurant. Hidden in a quiet strip mall cut off by VTA trolleys, so far this place has staying power! I was craving for seafood hot pot, I wanted the kind with bone broth, fresh veggies, real seafood and Nem really delivered. We ordered a hot, spicy and sour pot. It was really flavorful and plentiful. Also on the menu are other seafood yumminess like grilled prawns, razor clams, oysters, mussels and a wide variety of shellfish. Other land dishes like shaken beef, roasted quails and rotisserie chicken are available as well. Service was excellent! I wish they served beer but other than that, it was a very good meal!
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Ter L.

Yelp
Arrived here for dinner and the entire restaurant was bare. Thinking that we might have made a bad decision, we continued despite the lack of patrons and wanted to see what this little mom & pop shop had to offer. The menu is quite long but a majority of items were appetizer|Viet bar food. Items vary from snails, shellfish, rice plates, baguette sandwiches, hotpot, and pho. Dinner consisted of: -Bo Luc Lac w/ Com Do [shaken beef with red rice] -Bo Luc Lac Xao Nui [shaken beef with macaroni] -Oc Len Xao Dua [horn snails in coconut milk] -Oc Mong Tay Xao Bo Toi [razor clams in garlic butter] Cons: -They don't carry Diet Coke. I'm sure this isn't something that regularly happens but c'mon!!! -Employees kind of hover around you assuming you're ready to order & they legit just handed off the menus. LMAO!! -Veggies missing from my cubed beef plate and that wasn't a request made. We ended up having to ask an employee about the omitted vegetables. -Portions are kind of small for the price you're paying. -While the snails in coconut milk were delicious, the lack of preparation caused for a lot of the snails to be wasted. I couldn't manage to get them out regardless how hard I tried. You honestly get a lot of wasted pieces. BOOOOOOO!!!! Pros: -The restaurant is super clean & very inviting. Chairs seem brand new and the high chair provided wasn't sticky & was genuinely clean. This normally isn't the case when it comes to dining out- believe me I know!! -Staff is very friendly. They accommodated a few requests that I wanted to have done for my toddler. -Our entire meal was absolutely delicious and everything was cooked perfectly. This was hands down the best coconut sauce I've ever had in my snails-nothing bland or watered down here and it comes with a little kick of spice!! The razor clams where plump, juicy, and were really enjoyed. Meats where cooked medium and each bite was super tender. 4 stars, factoring the small hiccups. Being that this is a newer business, there are a few things that should get ironed out before they can shine at their truest potential but I have absolute faith in Nem. Compliments to the chef, your flavorings are spot on!!
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Cherylynn N.

Yelp
Anyone get phantom preggo cravings? I'm not talking about chips and ice cream, unless you're scooping out ice cream with some chips. YUM. I woke up early Saturday morning with phantom preggo cravings and this time it was...snails. Not bougie escargot but Ốc, the Vietnamese drinking kind. This meant one thing...mini road trip to Man Jose! Nếm Restaurant serves an array of Viet drinking food (oysters, snails, clams, octopus, balut, etc), hot pot, and more mainstream items like pho, bun, and com plates. No booze; at least none was listed on the menu. They're open for takeout, delivery (3rd party apps), indoor dining, and outdoor dining. Staff wore masks properly. Do note, depending on who's working, there may be a language barrier. F O O D * Ốc Hương Xào Sốt Nếm #1: Stir-fried Whelks w/ Nem #1 sauce ($13.95): https://bit.ly/3sQtfZl For the whelks (sea snails), you can choose from several sauces: garlic butter, golden sauce = salted egg, tamarind, and nếm #1. It wasn't stated on the menu so I asked what nếm #1 was and our server said, it was "almond". I thought I misheard but he said, "yes, almond...I think you will like it." Cool, except it wasn't almond and it was more like chili garlic. Not a big deal but I think they should update their menu to avoid confusion. Unfortunately, the whelks were overcooked so they were unpleasantly tough and very hard to chew. The nếm #1 sauce was flavorful and AZN spicy with a touch of sweetness. * Ốc Nhật Nướng Mỡ Hành: Grilled Giant Japanese Clam w/ scallion oil, peanuts ($14.95): https://bit.ly/3yleuyK Sadly, like the whelks, the clam was overcooked too so it was dry and tough (not enough scallion oil). * Cá Kho Thịt Tộ: Caramelized Catfish & Pork Belly Claypot ($14.95): https://bit.ly/3Dn3QeA The caramel sauce was rich, bold, and salty so rice is a must. Like the other seafood items, the catfish was overcooked. It also wasn't the freshest and had a strong muddy flavor. The pork belly were sliced like lardons so you don't really get that fatty, meltingly soft goodness. * Cơm Thịt Nướng: Grilled Pork over Rice ($10.95 + $1 egg): https://bit.ly/3Dn4xVe Given their specialties, not a dish we thought to order here but it turned out to be the best executed item. The marinated pork was tender with some charred edges with plenty of scallion oil for added richness. The egg was perfectly runny, jasmine rice properly cooked, and nước chấm was tangy sweet with a good amount of fish funk. S E R V I C E Cordial and fast. Our kind server refilled my water glass without even having to ask. A M B I A N C E Love the outdoor garden patio with string lights. With the shade sails, it was comfortable dining in the warm weather. Most customers choose to dine outside. P A R K I N G Unlike the parking situation in Vietnam Town and Grand Century, easy parking in the shared private lot. Overall, I think I may have visited Nếm Restaurant on an off day with the seafood/fish not being the freshest and being overcooked. They opened in the midst of the pandemic so they're still new and have potential. Hope others have a better experience.
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Lilian P.

Yelp
Food 4/5 This review is for orders completed via Uber Eats. Cumulatively, I've had: - Grilled giant Japanese clam - Various grilled oyster dishes - Sugar cane juice - House special stir fried mussels - Grilled scallops in scallion oil - Obtuse horn snails in coconut milk - House special stir fried clams - Stir fried prawn in golden sauce Everything tasted *amazing*! This place hit all the flavors I was craving for especially with the sauces- their fish sauce mix used for the giant clams, the coriander herb mix with the sautéed dishes, grilled oyster toppings, scallion oil with scallops, and etc. Now, the reason why I took off 1 star is because the recent grilled oyster order I had, it was delicious....but it gave me explosive runs. Maybe I got a bad batch? I'm not sure, but this was enough of an experience for me to take a long hiatus from ordering here again. If I order in the future, I am 100% taking a break from the oysters here. I'm not too big of a fan on their stir fried prawn in golden sauce either as it tasted like the sauce was mostly Mayo and oil. For the price point, I'd recommend trying it atleast once and just be very cautious with their oysters.
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Tami L.

Yelp
Saw Ném popped up in my notification and decided to check it out. I took hubby and my youngest son (who can be a picky eater) on Sunday. We went there during lunch time, it wasn't crowded. The restaurant was clean and friendly service. They have outdoor seating which is nice on a warm sunny day. We sat outside and noticed they have a fountain, which was very tranquil for my spectrumy son. That was a plus. We ordered razer clams in spicy garlic butter sauce, basil clams, tofu in golden sauce (salty egg), fried chicken wings in garlic sauce, and a bowl of fermented 1000 year old egg congee. For drinks, we ordered fresh squeezed orange juice and pressed sugar cane. We LOVE the razer clams in garlic butter sauce. My son and husband kept dipping everything in garlic butter sauce. My son also loves the fried chicken wings. I give it 4 stars because it was a bit pricey on some of the dishes for its portion. But the food was good and well flavored and I'm looking forward to going back and trying out the rest of their menu by myself or with my girlfriends.

Khoa N.

Yelp
Người nghe điện thoại nói chuyện dễ thương hihi. Chắc phải ghé thêm nhiều lần nữa
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Jose M.

Yelp
We finally tried this place, as we have been meaning to ever since it popped up in our neighborhood some years ago. My wife was craving vietnamese style seafood, so we made a date out of it. It was a Thursday night and we were 1 of only 2 tables there for dinner. We tried the razor clams (tamarind sauce), mussels (nem sauce) and the salted fish/chicken fried rice. The seafood was good texture, and the nem sauce was tasty. A bit oily, but that may be a characteristic of this kind of cooking? Nonetheless, taste is good. The fried rice was okay, but I could live without it. Seems like it may be a weekend place to have some beer and pick at appetizers? Either way, good shot for vietnamese stir fried seafood.
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Shirley L.

Yelp
Snails, escargots, razor clams, and scallops are famous Vietnamese seafood, yet they are not utterly available in the Bay Area. So when I found Nem Restaurant in San Jose, I went immediately. They had both indoor and outdoor dining. We picked outside since it was a nice day. The decor was very pleasant. The dishes came out reasonably fast. There were different sauces to cook with the seafood. Nam #1 sauce had a kick but too sweet for me. The coconut sauce was thicker than usual. The razor claims were over cooked so they were chewy. The scallops and large escargots were the best dishes among all the items we ordered. The lemonades had pretty purple colors from the flowers, but way too sweet for my taste.
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Derek S.

Yelp
Came by for lunch the other day and it was a scary experience. There was plenty of parking in the strip mall. I noticed the Social Distancing Protocol was "missing" from the door, which explained why only some of the staff were wearing masks some of the time?!? The tables were pretty close together and I was seated right next to a table that was just ready to leave... Started off with the Iced Vietnamese Coffee which was good. It was quite strong! The Bun Bo Hue was merely lackluster. The broth was pretty clean. The noodles were mediocre and the meats were on the drier side. The highlights of the dish included the tasty pig's feet along with the meatloaf. ~$20 after tax and gratuity for lunch with a 10% Yelp check-in. They do take credit cards!

Andy L.

Yelp
Oh my goodness. How does " Nem restaurant " gets many good reviews??? Don't let the reviews mislead you. Very disappointed on my first visit with family. Not just my own opinion but with the whole group.
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Ann N.

Yelp
Went here on a Wednesday evening at 6:30pm and we were the only customer. Kinda strange but nice at the same time. Menu was full of a lot of apps and a few entrees. Service was great but they don't speak English well so we basically communicated in Vietnamese on what we wanted. Food was good, flavorful but noodle we ordered was lacking of flavor. Ok place to come and chill with friends and have a beer or two with the "nhau" food. They also have a side area where you can sit outside if you want.
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Aley N.

Yelp
On April 10th, me and my friends had great dinner here. After ordering, the food was brought out very quickly. The tastes is amazing and the service guys are very nice to us. I highly recommend you guys coming here to experience delicious food with your family.
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John N.

Yelp
Delicious.. no other words to say tbh. If you want bomb Vietnamese food, come here and you will find out for yourself
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Lyna N.

Yelp
I went with a group of 6 over the weekend. The restaurant is pretty empty, we were the only diners in the restaurant for awhile. Pros Clean and spacious restaurant Cons The waitress doesn't write anything down, even after we asked her to. Services is slow (there was only 2 other tables besides our group) I ordered 2 fried rice togo and paid at the resister and asked for no veggies in the rice. This the the staff at the resister wrote down the order and my request for no veggies. She brings out 1 box of fried rice. I reminded her that I ordered 2 and she said that they put both orders in 1 box! I had to explained to her that I ordered 2 because it's for 2 PEOPLE. She took the box back in just split it into 2 boxes, oh and they left the veggies in. Really small portion for the price that they charge.

Al T.

Yelp
Hidden gem, food is fire. Way better and cheaper than dong que overrated place. Best place for family meal.
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Min S.

Yelp
Many people reviewed 5 stars which made me want to try this restaurant. My first impression: when I enter the restaurant during lunch hour, No ONE eat there. I'm kinda hesitant to enter there but since yelp reviews are good, I went in anyway. I ordered clam dishes, frog leg, and garlic rice. A total of 5 dishes includes rice for 2 people. The portion is small. Only 5-6 clams/dish. We weren't even 50% full and the bill came out around $90. The food quality is just ok. The one in LA is better. Overall: overpriced, small portion, and the food is nothing special. So, no coming back for me.
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Cloud L.

Yelp
Yummy food! What I appreciate most is the excellent service! Staffs are very friendly, attentive and generous. I was dipping the last bit of green chili sauce (it tasted so good) and the waitress brought me an extra cup of sauce without me even asking. Wow! They really try their best. If you're not satisfied with anything, I am sure they will be happy to accommodate. Just let them know and give them the chance, people!
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S J.

Yelp
I loved the lotus root salad with shrimp chip. It was definitely a reorder item for me! The morning glory stir fry was also excellent. Note, I don't think this dish is vegetarian. I believe they fry it with what tastes like little fried pork belly fat bits. My husband's banh mi was not packed, but the bread was outstanding. The crust was extra crispy. The grilled meat was also very well seasoned. I didn't give Nem 5 stars because: - egg rolls were not crispy, small, and the skin was unusual - there were two pieces of shrimp shell jn the lotus root salad - personal preference: I don't know if this is how it typically prepared... but I didn't like the tough layer of pork skin on the pork belly slices in the salad
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Maria F.

Yelp
MY FAVORITE BAHN MI THAT I HAVE EVER HAD!!! Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture but the pork bahn mi was incredibly delicious, and I forgot the name of the seafood noodle soup but it was also so good! The pork on that rice place was so flavorful! The servings were very fair for the price. The establishment was clean, and the service was awesome! They have super fresh food, and their sugar cane and passion fruit soda were delicious as well!
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Yenn T.

Yelp
Large restaurant with plenty of parking. They sell authentic Viet cuisine and there's no wait here! I think it's because they don't sell alcohol here. I love everything I've eaten so far. They are known for Ốc and lẩu but their noodles and rice entrees are good too! Love their bún riêu 5/5. Flavorful and comes with pork blood. Ốc hương xào me 5/5 tamarind sauce is spot on Ốc hương hấp w/ nước mắm gừng 5/5. Love the flavors and their fish sauce. Mì xào dòn đồ biển 4/5 noodle portions kinda small but lots of gravy and veggies. No wok flavor but still flavorful. Cơm canh chua cá kho tộ 5/5 Ốc móng tay nướng mở hành 4/5. Shell is fragile and easily overcooked Tofu with golden sauce 4.5/5 crispy tofu with a crab egg yolk sauce. Very interesting. My friends liked it. Cà phê sữa đá 5/5. Strong, thick, and sweet. They even gave me free tea with the coffee, just like in Vietnam. It's a family restaurant, so they are down to earth and friendly. Very easy to ask for any adjustments. They have a very modern interior and a very relaxing outdoor area to for the summer.