Tay Ho Oakland Restaurant & Bar

Food is delicious and is quick. I’ve been several times but hands down my favorite is the garlic noodles with short ribs. My other go to is the Drunken Beef. My lunch companion orders the noodle bowl which looked really good so I’ll try that next time.

The food here is amazing!! The cocktails are great too. We got a bunch of appetizers and felt full - will have to try entrees next time. The staff and environment is very friendly.

Really disappointed in the service. Arrived for a dinner to share a cozy space with 4 other institutions to bond & yet when we requested to pay our bill, the server said they cannot split our bill because 1. They didn’t write down what each person was ordering. 2. They refused to accommodate and split the bill even with 3 separate payments. 3. The main female server was not friendly and dismissive from beginning to end. 4. There were 3 other large groups not with us who were present and yet, I felt we were being targeted because we weren’t of a certain demographic. In top of this, the food wasn’t warm when it arrived. It looked good but it was cold. Had this been a group of a certain demographic, the restaurant would have most probably catered to their request to split the bill with each group who was present.

Delicious! We enjoyed spring rolls with pork sausage, the broken rice with pork chop, and the green mango salad. The porch chop was especially good, but watch out for that fish sauce if you’re not used to it 🐠. We also had two cocktails: the soaring goddess and a margarita, which came out purple. Note, it’s a little pricey but the food is good as are the drinks. It also had nice ambiance, but note - it will fill up around 7 on Saturday night.

This restaurant is incredible. Everyone walks in like it's just a normal Thai restaurant... The food is superb and out of this world. The flavors in each of the dishes we tried were unique, layered and sophisticated. A true delight just like the staff and servers. Delicious cocktails and good wine as well.

Cute little place. It’s small family owned and run business . I loved everything we ordered! We ordered the Hanoi Hipster cocktail and blown away by the presentation. The Fresh rolls, mango salad and braised eggplant, mushrooms and tofu were excellent.

This place is truly a gem, and no one in the bay makes food as careful & thoughtful as Tay Ho. The quality of the ingredients really shine here—you can immediately taste it when you have a first bite of the beef, pork, or even veggies and herbs. They taste so fresh and ALIVE. And, I appreciate that they feature a lot Vietnamese dishes that you don’t often see here in the US. Of course everything was DELICIOUS—banh xeo, bahn bot, bun rieu, and the pork com tam. Can’t wait to go back!!

The garlic noodles here are BOMB! The chew on the noodles is heavenly. It's pan-fried wheat noodles topped with fresh basil, roasted garlic, minced garlic, fish sauce butter, and parmesan cheese! Beef spring rolls were also very fresh and their peanut sauce was so good I wished I had ordered extra. They put something fried and crunchy in the roll which I never had before. It added a nice texture variation that I really enjoyed. Be patient as my take out order took around 30 min but I would say it was well worth it and I would go back to try other menu items.

Ambiance, Food, and service are all great. I love this place. Great date night spot. Cocktails are all delicious.

This is one of my favorite Vietnamese restaurants here in the Bay Area. My favorite lunch go-tos are the house special and Anthony bourdain's vermicelli bowl, simply out of this world. This place also has a very nicely curated list of spirits that I really enjoy. Try a shot of Cenote blanco with your meal and I would say that a perfect parring. During crab season we would come here for a card feast IYKYK type of deal, last time we ordered 4 crabs on 4 heads! lol love this place, cheers!

Tried a few dishes from here. We ordered the banh cuon rolls (steam rice rolls), rice plate (broken rice special), and the bun rieu. Everything was good but the bun rieu for me lacked a bit of flavor. Overall enjoyed and may order other items next time. We ordered to go through doordash but I hear the ambiance inside is nice. I will say it is more of an elevated viet restaurant so it is a bit pricier than your usual viet restaurants.

Love that Tay Ho is near the office I work so I can go when I have a longer lunch break. I got my food togo but I would normally eat the restaurant if I had time. That being said, my order came out fresh, but did take a little bit longer as things are made to order. Keep that in mind if you're in a rush. I got the fried summer rolls and banh cuon plate. Summer rolls were so crispy and hot on the inside. Lots of fresh herbs and lettuce to eat it with. The banh cuon is super soft and silky, but not so much that it breaks apart. They include 3 kinds: 2 with different filling, and one plain, topped with the steamed pork, sausage, sweet potato fritter, cucumber, etc. Definitely recommend this one - Love contrasting textures in my food so I'm game for this. Drizzle that fish sauce and you're ready to go. Service was friendly and the interior is very cute.

I wanted Vietnamese food, so my friend took me to this gem in Oakland while I was visiting. The restaurant has a cute vibe with intimate seating. We got a table by the window which was also great for people watching. The server was friendly and personable. He gave us some suggestions and helped us with deciding on a few things. The dishes come with a fragrant plate of greens and veggies. So good! Each dish was flavorful and savory. It was exactly what we needed to make our bellies happy. If you love Vietnamese food and in the Oakland area, this place is a must try!

The chicken wings were good. I asked for a Thai ice tea and it was green. I prefer the regular orange brown with Thai ice tea and was told lots of people like the green tea. The eggplant was not good. My husband liked the oxtail pho. They need to work on customer service with English speaking customers

Located right outside Chinatown, Tay Ho has a different vibe than the other restaurants there. It feels a little more upscale, and the prices certainly reflect that. Inside, it's dim and cozy, and there's a bar as well. The steam train special pho is quite good, but the Bourdain vermicelli bowl might just be better. Definitely a good place to go to once in awhile!

I came here for dinner on a Thursday evening with a friend. We didn't have reservations but were seated right away. I ordered a Pho Tai and noticed it was definitely pricier compared to other authentic pho places. The pho was still good, so I wasn't mad about the taste. My friend ordered an alcoholic drink and said she liked it. The service was slower than expected. It took a while for us to get our check and we had to wave down to staff multiple times trying to get their attention. The ambiance is nice and cozy, a bit of a smaller restaurant. It's located on the corner of a street so it's easy to find but you need to find street parking. Overall, the place was nice but the price is steeper.

Hands down the best place for Banh cuon (rice noodles rolls) in the Bay area or even California. I wish they served it at dinner as well. Other dishes are tasty as well.

Finally got to try this place since I was craving some Northern Vietnamese food. We came in on Saturday for lunch and got seated right away. With their food, it should be more crowded. - Mekong Tumeric Cake / Bánh Khọt: ordered this for appetizer and they made it good here. Don't forget to wrap them with all the herbs served on the side. - Bún Chả Hà Nội: this is the dish we came for but a little bit disappointed with the grilled pork belly patty, too big and salty for me. Dipping sauce was good but not enough like how it is supposed to be served. However their grilled lemongrass pork was on point and my bf loved it. - House Special Rice Plates / Bánh Cuốn Đặc Biệt: love it, wish that they made the dipping sauce separately rather than using the same sauce with the others. - Grilled Wild Betel Leaf Beef Rolls / Bánh Hỏi Bò Lá Lốt: pretty good as well since they have the spicy pineapple anchovy sauce. My bf is a big fan of their anchovy sauce. We love this place with their food and their service. Definitely see us coming back for other Northern Vietnam dishes. They're right in Chinatown so it's not hard to find parking.

We tried a variety of dishes, including the House Special - Bánh Cuốn Đặc Biệt, the Hanoi Banh Cuon Rolls - Bánh Cuốn Thịt Nướng Xả, and the Classic Spring Rolls. The Classic Spring Rolls were a refreshing and light appetizer, perfect for a hot summer day. The Hanoi Banh Cuon Rolls, particularly the version with grilled lemongrass pork were amazing. The pork has a wonderful balance between sweetness and saltiness. The combination of bean sprouts, basil, and soft steamed rice rolls complemented the pork beautifully, and the addition of fried shallots added a delightful crunch. The House Special offered a combination of three different hand-made steamed soft rice rolls filled with ground pork and mushroom, ground shrimp, and plain rice. It was topped with house-cured beef, sweet potato fritters, crispy roll, and green bean & shrimp fried bread. The variety of flavors and textures provided a unique dining experience. The only downside was that the sweet potato fritters were not as crispy as we had hoped.

Came to celebrate my cousin's birthday here and everything was great! We ordered the bun bo hue and banh khot. The flavor on the bun bo hue was very rich and I like how it had a variety of protein. They gave us a lot of cabbage for toppings, which I wasn't sure if it was normal or if they just ran out of bean spouts but I do prefer bean sprouts over cabbage in my noodle soup anyday. This was my first time trying banh khot and it was delicious, kind of reminds me of a mini banh xeo. The service was good, they got our order wrong at first but we noticed and notified them and they were able to get the food out pretty quickly. Overall, pretty good.

Came here during height of the pandemic for outdoor dining, and finally got to enjoy indoor dining. Service and Staff: - They are a little short staffed (as most restaurants are), but were quick to help us once we got our order in - Look at the menu via the QR code on the table and then order with the waitress Food and Drinks: - Thai Iced Tea: so good! I've never had a green Thai iced tea before, so that was an interesting surprise. But it's nice and sweet :) - Vermicelli Noodles with Spring Roll and Chicken: tasty bowl with a lot of food! The dish comes with three chicken skewers, three half fried spring rolls, and lots of noodles - I can't remember the name of the dish, but we got an appetizer of egg cups with a shrimp inside. Careful as the dish is super hot in temperature, but tasty! Miscellaneous: - Two bathrooms located in the back of the restaurant down a hallway - Lots of tables from two-person tables to family style - Parking is available via street parking

I decided to come here after it was recommended to me by a friend. We arrived right when it opened on Tuesday and opted for outdoor seating; since there were only two of us, they offered options of sitting at one of two small round tables placed by the front entrance. I did feel the table was a little bit too small/crowded for all of our plates plus water jug and glasses later on, and also meant that one of us was sitting among the potted plants at any given time. They have QR code menus currently instead of paper menus. I decided to order the banh xeo and requested for it to be made vegetarian. The food arrived in a pretty typical amount of time. It came split in two different plates, one for all the vegetables and herbs, and the other for crepe itself which I believe contained tofu and mushroom pieces inside. The sauce provided definitely was soy-based but I wasn't sure if it was fish sauce given I asked for it to be vegetarian. The sauce had some tan-colored bits strewn in it but I think that most likely wasn't peanuts since I was able to eat it without having an allergic reaction. The portion was massive so the $19 menu price for the banh xeo (also called "grandma crispy crepe" on the menu) actually wasn't that bad. It was delicious, so I ate more of it than I originally thought I would. The lettuce and herbs look like a lot, but I think the ratio was fine when it was combined with the crepe itself. I definitely enjoyed the crispiness of the crepe, definitely one of the highlights. I would recommend giving them a try if you are in the area. I noticed they seem to have different items available on the lunch menu compared to the dinner.

LOOOOOVE this restaurant! They have the most amazing vegan options!!! I highly recommend their vegan fresh steamed rice rolls, the vegan spring rolls, and the vegan Buddha fried rice! They also make their soy sauce in House. This place is simply amazing! & they have a full bar!

My family and I wanted to eat Vietnamese food. I've always wanted to try this place for the banh coun but went on a weekday to try their other dishes. The restaurant is right in chinatown and has a lot of seating. We went around 6:30 and it was pretty empty but became more busy the later it got. The food was honestly pretty good for a modern vietnamese place! We were skeptical at first but were surprised on the flavor. The banh xeo and banh kot were crispy which is very important to me. Glad they had drinks on the munu, this places makes a great date spot!

This restaurant surprised me with the excellent fried catfish which came with noodles, salad & sauce that was amazing. Also the Obama favorite with the pork belly perfectly grilled and flavored. The service was excellent and efficient . Our food arrived very timely manner. And the food disappeared almost as soon as it arrived. Yes that GOOD. I savored every bite & flavor. Restaurant dining indoors was good and extended outdoors. Clean and nice Asian touches. Will need to come back to try other dishes.

5 Stars for food taste and 5 Stars for Services, but the price you pay for one "ribs" is ridiculous! Welcome to the Bay Area!! Lol! Angus Beef Short Ribs - Cơm Sườn Bò Đại Hàn (gf) $25 Black pepper sauce, garlic, ginger, honey, onions, sesame, soy sauce, chili, lemongrass

Came here on a Saturday around noon with a pretty big group. They really only have 1 large table in the center for larger parties so definitely call ahead if possible. We luckily had no wait. It was a bit of a wait between ordering our food and getting the food but pretty typical for larger groups; overall good service. Some dishes, like the ones with broth, come out a bit slower. The food actually tastes very good but it is very pricey compared to other Vietnamese restaurants. I got a bowl of the banh canh and the flavor was very good and authentic but it came out to be about $28 for 1 bowl after tax and tip. Overall the restaurant had a great atmosphere and I would come back if I'm wanting to splurge for my Vietnamese food cravings.

This Vietnamese restaurant is legit. Everything is so great here. Some of the dishes are quite expensive, but worth every penny, especially the Betel Leaf Rolls. Amazing flavors. They pair their dishes with lots of fresh greens, exotic herbs and sauces. Their Bun Bo Hue, Garlic Noodles with Shrimp and Chicken Salad are some of our other favorites. From their menu... so good!!! BÁNH HỎI BÒ LÁ LỐT - GRILLED WILD BETEL LEAF BEEF ROLLS $28 !!! Garlic, onions, toasted crushed peanuts, pork belly fat, ground beef, Betel "la-lot" leaves, steamed fine rice vermicelli, spicy pineapple anchovy sauce

Located very close to Chinatown, this restaurant is on the corner and very easy to find. The inside is pretty standard in terms of modern Asian restaurants and service was slow but welcoming. The food was delicious although it was kind of pricey compared to the other more hole in the wall options you can find in Oakland. I enjoyed most of the items we got though I really did go there for the banh cuon which is only available at lunch. House special - banh cuon dac biet: this had 3 different rolls included, ground pork and mushroom, ground shrimp and plain. I liked the texture and the fillings were not measly. I thought the toppings could've been fresher as some of them were a bit hard from being fried a while ago. Overall though, I love this dish and really liked this! Classic spicy beef noodle soup - bun bo hue: I like bun bo hue a lot but was not the biggest fan of the version here. I probably should have told them not to add the blood pudding which I don't like and that imparts a taste I'm not fond of to the soup. It was super comforting as a hot bowl of noodles though, and I think it would be perfect for the winter. Turmeric catfish - bun cha ca la vong: this was such a winner!!! Although the catfish itself kind of had a muddy smell to it, it paired so well with the sauce and herbs, and I loved that the fish covered in a ton of dill. It's kind of rare to see dill in Asian cuisine so this was really yummy. The spicy pineapple anchovy sauce was also really good with the dish and it was so good with the vermicelli. All in all I liked the food and they also reheated pretty well the next day for lunch!

We ordered two Dungeness crabs for 3 people ahead of time. The one with the chili paste marinade was excellent! Very flavorful and well cooked. I wish they provided gloves to eat cause it gets super messy! Carry your own if you're going to devour some crab :) The catfish in coconut shell dish was so delicious too, a little on the sweeter side if that matters. All in all a great meal - make reservations!

Ok so I really like this place, so cute on the inside and love that they have a nice bar with creative cocktails. And I know they are trying to pay their staff right. But $22 for chicken pho and $19 for veggie vermicelli was a little hard to swallow as a price. Consider that you are either making good money, your company is paying or you're feeling like a big spender because I love supporting local places like this but it's really hard to do at these prices. While the food was good it wasn't thaaaaaat good. I guess I'm just not use to these Oakland prices. :(

legit Vietnamese place in Oakland Chinatown. came with a Chinese friend who lives nearby and she loves it. I know why step away from the pho and try some of their specials. for a great variety plate, order the House Special - Bánh Cuốn Đặc Biệt. lots of different stuffed noodle rolls (not sure how to describe these, but trust me). also the beef noodle soup with tendon and blood sausage was sooo good. the tamarind cakes (Mekong Turmeric Cake - Bánh Khọt) with shrimp were amazing. I could eat those all day service was fantastic. waitress was super helpful in describing the dishes might be a little more expensive than your usual pho bowl, but totally worth it. will definitely return

Stopped in for a quick bite - new to the area! Lovely vibes and delicious authentic food. Definitely spicy so beware! The staff are wonderfully attentive and kind. Will definitely come back!

Came here again recently and had their fried catfish, green papaya salad, and Mekong turmeric cake. Really enjoyed the fried catfish- wrap it in greens and make a delicious bite! The green papaya salad was fresh, crisp and delicious. Everything was so good! So far I've really enjoyed coming here- looking forward to the next visit!

Holy sh** wtf this place is sooooooooo f***ing good. Rating this place 5 stars for three reasons: 1) UMAMI. The umami hits you in the face and you're left wondering if you've become a masochist. The sophisticated taste is an undeniable result of high quality ingredients used and delicately prepared. 2) Service. Service is phenomenal here, the servers are super attentive to your needs. 3) Atmosphere. The interior decor is a surprisingly stark contrast to the restaurants unassuming exterior. The ambiance felt airy yet intimate, and I loved the tall ceilings (tall ceiling are especially surprising given the location). Overall I'm immensely happy I visited and tried this place out. The cost is definitely pricier than most pho restaurants, but that can be attributed to the more upscale vibe Tay Ho is going for. Additionally, I was pleasantly surprised by the authenticity of the taste; the food felt like an homage to the delicious flavors of Vietnamese dishes, and I'm (weirdly) proud of how this restaurant creates elevated dishes without sacrificing traditional ingredients or flavors. I'm definitely coming back!!!!!

4/4/23 Some new friends invited me to dinner with them, here, so...... if you are said friends................. please look away. Please. I cannot lie, or beat around the bush, or hide the truth.... so look away. .......... (New friends, you away now?) ...cuz this place is pretty much the most ridiculous "casual" Vietnamese restaurant I have EVER been to. Bar NONE. And I've had some pretty bad ones, like the one place where there was not a single Asian in the entire restaurant, staff included, and patrons... other than myself and my gf. THAT bad. Just check out their prices. THIRTY DOLLARS for Pho. 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 THIRTY. But I gave them the benefit of the doubt and ordered it cause I really wanted to see what THIRTY DOLLAR pho tastes like... 1. Pho Tai Duoi Bo - Oxtail & Piedmontese Steak Pho $30 "local oxtail served with classic pho tai": I love oxtail. I'm Chinese, so mommy made it fairly often. I've also had oxtail soup at Hawaiian restaurants and several Vietnamese restaurants. So yeah, I've had a lot............. and I THINK when they say "local oxtail" there were quite seriously literal--cause I think since I don't see ox walking our streets in Oakland, they took the tails of some MUCH smaller animal and used that. These were The SMALLEST oxtail pieces I've EVER had in ANY soup at any restaurant. Bar none. 3 pieces, each one no bigger than 1" in diameter. If you have had oxtail or cooked it, you know how ridiculous this is. As for that "Piedmontese Steak"....... um...... let me translate that for you: "1mm sliced pieces of thick cardboard." Dry as hell. Hard. Tasteless. The noodles were good, and soup was actually pretty flavorful, better than average even. But I didn't pay $30, which would be the most I've EVER paid for Pho ANYWHERE, for just good noodles and broth. 1/10 2. Caramelized Chili, Fish Sauce and Butter Wings - Canh Ga Nuoc Mam - (1LB) $20 "glazed and tossed in caramelized fish sauce, palm sugar, butter, garlic, onions, bell peppers": I'll give them this--these were pretty. I think there were 8 of them. Meat wasn't dry, but it definitely wasn't juicy. Nice flavoring--sweet and tangy, and just a hint of spice. Twenty dollar good wings? .............. I cannot fathom anyone saying yes. 7/10 if these were $10-12. 2/10 if they're in Michelin-star territory. 3. 1% Community Kitchens Food Relief $0.50: Yup, they play that game. Odd they did 1%--if they're gonna have mystery charges, why not just make it 5%? I dunno. But owner, just roll into the prices like you should, please. Normally resort-fee mystery after-meal charges are automatic -1 points with me, but since I was gonna give them 1/5 stars even before seeing that... 1/5 Btw, my bill before tip was $55. Just FYI. Yup. For Pho and Chicken Wings. Fifty Five Dollas. #oakland #vietnamesefood #vietnamesecuisine #surcharge #resortfees

HOLY! My partner has been mentioning this restaurant for MONTHS but we just never made it out until we saw that they were doing Oakland restaurant week. Let me just say.... BANGIN!!! Flavors and texture FOR DAYS. Portion size was incredibly generous so that was plus!! I honestly anticipate coming back again and again. The staff was so pleasant, bartender was on point with the drinks (they were so creative too!)

Great spot for dinner with a large group! They were able to seat all of us last minute on a weeknight and were great hosts. They had a great selection of cocktails and huge portions for appetizers. I got the Bourdain which came with chicken skewers, shrimp kebab and imperial rolls all on top of rice noodles and some greens

Delicious Vietnamese food in downtown Oakland. I understand people say that the price is high, but look it's EXPENSIVE to run a restaurant in the Bay Area. Having said that, the portions here are really generous. I am a big fan of the Obama Bun Cha, and you can never go wrong with a Bun Bo Hue. While they serve pho, try their other dishes - it's hard to find places that make some of the things they do at this restaurant. Cocktails aren't bad either.

This place is delish, but it's not cheap (hence I gave it 4-stars). A few things we tried: 1. Grandma Crispy Crepe- This takes 15 min to make and honestly is quite special. I've never had vietnamese food like this and made it feel like a bougie vietnamese meal 2. Bún Bò Huế - SPICY. It is SPICY but the broth is great so as I'm blowing my nose, it didn't stop me from slurping the soup! It's a little oily but removing the oil, it's actually a pretty clean and clear broth. The noodles are the thick round rice noodles that are kind of spaghetti shape. Would get again but try (?) and ask if we can make it less spicy next time 3.Cơm Tấm Tàu Hũ Ky - Broken Rice special - A great flavorful plate of rice. IT comes with a good portion for one person! P.S. I got this in take-out style and I've never had takeout packaging as good as this! They bag the different things tightly and put it in the containers in a very smart way. Would definitely do take out again!

The chicken pho was good, according to my 11 year old daughter. She also loved how pretty the restroom was, with electric candles and fake flowers. The ambience was nice and there were no flies - I am compelled to mention that because we fled the Vietnamese restaurant next door due to flies swarming that place. Now, the cons. I ordered Vegan Braised Eggplant, Tofu & Mushroom, which turned out to be soupy and slimy, and kind of sweet. It was a vegetarian dish, but it felt like it was cooked by someone who thinks vegetables aren't real food. I choked it down, but I wouldn't ever order it again. And, while the bathroom did look nice, I could smell it well before approaching it. The smell didn't spill into the restaurant, so no worries there, but they could definitely clean it better.

A more expensive Vietnamese spot in Chinatown. I've come here a handful of times and consistently delivers the best bun thit nuong in town. There is something different that they do with the meat that taste more fragrant and flavorful. I ordered their food for delivery but recommend going in person to get a feel of the cozy atmosphere. Recommend going with a small group of friends or a yummy week night date.

The first time I came here was before the pandemic and I got the vermicelli bowl - thought it was decent/average (it was around $13 then?) I came back for takeout since my usual pho spot was closed. The wait time was 20 minutes after I called at 6 PM on Tuesday. Interior was remodeled to a more "modern" feel. I like the decor more before it was remodeled (it was a more authentic and homey vibe) The vermicelli bowl was $27.50, which was really surprising to me because most places charge $12-15. The pork wasn't tender and was really hard to chew. I won't be coming back.

I've never been to Vietnam. But, I feel like if I ever go, and the food is better than what we have here in the Bay, my stomach will be in big trouble from getting stuffed! Tay Ho is a exceptional Vietnamese restaurant in Oakland run by a mother and daughter team. They have many of traditional offerings you are able to get at most restaurants. But, they also make Northern Vietnamese style, fresh handrolled, steamed rice noodle rolls called - Bánh Cuốn. Two other items of tastiness: Bún Riêu- bowl of sweet spicy tomato flavor w/shrimp and crab cakes pork and blood pudding! Bánh Khọt- tasty and savory " mini" crispy pancakes w/ creamy center topped with shrimp, coconut and scallion sauce Service is fast and quick. Parking a little bit difficult and it's street parking. Can't wait to go back and try other delicious items off the menu!

The raves for this Vietnamese spot were downright deafening on "Check, Please! Bay Area" as they echoed each other's praises for the restaurant's signature items. That episode aired about four years ago, so I bookmarked it on Yelp where it was starting to grow cobwebs. On one particularly lazy Saturday afternoon recently, I finally tried it since I'm not getting any younger, y'know. Jamie W and I BARTed over to the 12th Street station and found it quite easily. It's just a couple of blocks away on the corner of Webster and 12th. They weren't busy when we arrived, so we were able to secure a table right away. We decided to share an order of the $11 Classic Spring Rolls (Goi Cuon), which combined shrimp, pork, lettuce, mint leaves, cilantro, and rice vermicelli noodles wrapped tightly in translucent rice paper. Of course it was freshly made and quite delicious since it came with the requisite house peanut sauce in a cool ceramic boat (photo: https://bit.ly/3KUe5cR). For his main, Jamie went for the $18 Garlic Butter Noodles with Lemongrass Chicken (Mi Toi Xao Ga), a delectable dish with wheat noodles pan-fried in roasted and minced garlic, basil, and their special fish sauce butter. It was topped liberally with grated Parmesan cheese, and the grilled chicken was served on skewers (photo: https://bit.ly/3vRh7KE). My palate zeroed in on the $22 Hoi An Chicken Fat Rice (Com Ga Hoi An) where they prepared shards of Mary's organic chicken quite tenderly. It came with a heaping scoop of turmeric chicken fat rice mixed with onion, garlic, chili, lime, kaffir lime leaves, shallot, ginger and their house fish sauce. It came with the expected chicken broth and a chili sauce for added kick (photo: https://bit.ly/3LW4P9o). We're definitely interested in coming back and trying other dishes like the Bourdain Vermicelli Bowl and the Obama Bun Cha. There was a good vibe here - even in the men's room where urination sensitivity behavior was encouraged in a poem (photo: https://bit.ly/3kOKFSH). FOOD - 4 stars...fresh ingredients elevate Vietnamese dishes that could've been predictable otherwise AMBIANCE - 4 stars...cozy and atmospheric SERVICE - 4 stars...friendly and attentive TOTAL - 4 stars..."Check, Please!" strikes again RELATED - Exploring Oakland? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2ObVcpQ

One of the few pho spots that have a full bar. The food was good. I got the pho tai and the combo vermicilli bun with pork shrimp & eggroll. They keep their fish sauce on the table which is nice! I also liked the fact that it is owned by women!

YUM. If you're looking for delicious, authentic Vietnamese food in Oakland, Tay Ho is the place to go. I came here with my partner to explore the food and cocktails, and they didn't disappoint. We were seated immediately and started browsing the menu via QR code. Service is great, but both food and drink take awhile to arrive for how small the restaurant is. I got the Bubble Gum cocktail (because lychee is the best flavor) but was super sad that the "smoke bubble" popped before I could see it. Total Instagram miss. Either way, all the drinks sounded good, and it was hard to pick between them. For food, we got a few things: * Hue Dumplings * Lemongrass Pork Spring Rolls * Obama Bun Cha 100% the Hue Dumplings were my favorite. I accidentally posted "mochi" instead of "tapioca" to my Instagram, and all my Vietnamese friends did NOT hesitate to correct me. Inside the dumplings, there was caramelized shrimp, pork belly, and fried shallots. Dipped in spicy sweet chili fish sauce, this quickly became one of my favorite dishes in all of Oakland. The Lemongrass Pork Spring Rolls and Obama Bun Cha were tasty as well. They all made fantastic leftovers since we couldn't finish everything. It wasn't until we came to Tay Ho that I remembered how expensive Bay Area food can be. Still totally worth treating yourself if you're looking for somewhere a little nicer to enjoy lunch or dinner.

Lovely little Vietnamese spot with some delicious food! Definitely start off with the Grilled lemongrass pork spring rolls. The house made peanut sauce is super flavorful and pairs perfectly with these spring rolls. For my main course I got the Bourdain Vermicelli bowl. Our waiter was quick, friendly, and let me sub the pork for a fried egg. The vermicelli bowl was topped with grilled prawns, lemongrass chicken, and fried crispy rolls. Super filling, super delicious, and I can't wait to come back and grab this again!

I've eaten here a number of times and it's really good. Even the drinks are great. I would recommend coming here for Vietnamese food. There are a few others nearby but I think this one is the best.

One of my favorite Vietnamese food spots! But this place is even better considering it's clean, there's good service, and it's family owned! On a Tuesday afternoon my coworker and I went out to lunch and it was still pretty busy at 1pm. It's just further proof as to how delicious the food is! The House Special is a must if you're able to snag it before it sells out for the day. It is phenomenal and so dreamy. I can't wait to come back and order a drink at the bar next time!

Such a cute spot and very fresh Vietnamese fare. The wait staff is super friendly. At night they serve cocktails too. The ambiance is relaxed. Great spot to go out in downtown!

I've only tried their banh cuon which is what they're well known for. I liked the sides it comes with and the portion size. Their green thai tea is interesting but I prefer regular Thai Tea. Ambiance is cozy/clean, great place for lunch with coworkers

I've been to the Tay Ho location a few times in Santa Clara and always enjoyed my visits. I finally had the chance to check out the Oakland location and was quite taken back by the high prices on the menu. My cousin got the vermicelli bowl ($22) and I got the ground pork banh cuon ($16). The food was fine and I appreciate the staff checking in on the water refill; however, I'd prefer to get my pho and bbh fix elsewhere at the usual average costs.

Whenever I go to Vietnamese restaurants I usually order the standard beef pho, but not today..this time I decided to try something new. I went with a native foodie and here's what we ordered. BÚN RIÊU - Crab and shrimp noodle soup : I seriously can't go back to beef pho now after having this ..it's tangy yet umami flavor is sublime. Loads of crab meatballs, shrimp , tomato and vermicelli noodles. Mind blowing.. LAVONG - Fried catfish; Apparently this dish is hard to find in Vietnamese restaurants.. after I had it ..I dunno why any other restaurant wouldn't carry this. Crispy fried catfish was amazing..we wrapped with lettuce , mint , picked veggie and rice wrap. Dip at the end. Superb and must try here !!! MEKONG TURMERIC CAKE-BẢNH KHỌT: These look like egg custard but it's actually tumeric rice flower. I ate one and took the rest home because I filled up on the catfish. We this the same way wrapping with lettuce mint , pickled veggie and drip. Interior Decor: Upscale but casual. Interior is well done and inviting. There is a main bar and the menu looks like it's has some interesting cocktails. Some tables outside with heat lamps but everyone was eating indoors. Takeaways: Main dishes came out with alot of leafy greens and herbs - your gonna use your hands alot to assemble the wraps . Sauces are epic. I felt a clean finish after eating this ..light but packed w flavour. I would definitely come here again to try other items. Tip: be prepared to show your vaccination and ID for entry .

We are from SJ (where the best Vietnamese food is) so we were interested to try this Vietnamese place in DT OAK to see how it compares to what we are used to. We ordered an assortment of different dishes to try and compare. We got the grilled meat stuffed rolls, banh xeo, vermicelli grilled pork bowl, banh khot... everything was delicious, fresh, and authentic. One inconvenience is that between lunch and dinner it closes. Worth it to try if you are the area. One drawback is the prices are much higher than what we normally pay for for authentic Vietnamese food from(lion plaza in SJ)

Stopped by for breakfast today. Street parking was limited, but I manage to find one a couple blocks away. They didn't give me any physical menu, and told me to scan a suspicious barcode to view the menu and order. I just look thing up on the yelp app, and told them what I want. I got the banh cuon special. It was not bad. It came with some steam rice rolls stuff w wood ear mushrooms, and ground pork. There were some fried sweet potato pancake, my favorite was the fried green bean pancake w shrimp, it was super crunchy on the outside, while chewy and almost mochi like on the inside. Their little eggroll also tasted pretty good. There were a lemongrass pork cake, i think it was fried since I didn't taste any smoke, it was just okay, could use more lemongrass flavor. The steam pork cake was also just okay. The fermented/sour pork was not bad. Then there was the bottle of fish sauce on the side that you use to dip the steam rice roll in, it was pretty water down, and underwhelming. It could use some lemon juice, and more fish sauce in my opinion. The chili sauce did not have any spicy in it no matter how much you used. My bill came out at $25 before top for 1 meal with a cup of hot tea. Overall the meal was pricey, and the flavor was just okay.

Whoa! I picked this restaurant for dinner with the In laws and did not expect the prices to be SO HIGH for Vietnamese food. They were definitely not happy. They thought they were getting viet food at viet prices. They were also very disappointed to learn that they didn't serve banh cuon during dinner! We ordered: -BBH -bank xeo -bo luc lac -bun cha hanoi Everything was delicious, no complaint except the price tag. Come for date night to impress your girl (dim lighting ambiance with full bar) But don't bring your asian parents here not unless you want to get yelled at.