Xyclo

Absolutely delightful. The vegan pho is light but flavourful, and generous when it comes to the veggies - the noodles are also surprisingly flavourful. The vegan vermicelli with tofu and mushroom is so satisfying and yummy. Also had some vegan rolls that were super good. Overall, was blown away by the quality of the dishes and the quantity is very generous.

Xyclo began serving banh mi during the pandemic and they are *excellent*. The best vegetarian banh mi I've had in the Bay Area. The addition of mushroom and sweet potato add a nice complexity to the fried tofu. They're not particularly cheap at $7.95, but they are tastier and more substantial than most. Unless you're really hungry, you can stretch one into two meals. You can also add a Thai tea or Vietnamese coffee for $2, which helps offset the sandwich price. Both are really good.

Great place right next to Fenton's Creamery. They have really terrific fish and their spring rolls were fantastic. Highly recommend if you are in the area.

Super good. And many of the menu can be prepared gluten free which is great!

My new favorite Vietnamese. I don't usually like spring rolls but my friend insisted we order them and I'm glad we did. It was SO good. Nice thick wrap, fresh crunchy veggies, and fresh shrimp. The fish plate I ordered was also amazing. And the spritzer drink was yummy too.

Food here is always good, and the service is attentive and pleasant. What is especially nice is that it's not the run-of-the-mill Vietnamese food. All of the rolls are great. I like the double surprise the most. I won't ruin the surprise! Salads are good too. The clay pot was a little boring.

Our favorite thing to order here are the Buddha Rolls, I also love the pumpkin curry with tofu. They offer excellent house cocktails and water fresh from the coconut. Beautiful restaurant.

One of my all time favorites in Oakland/Berkeley. The food is consistently excellent. During the pandemic, they have take out. During normal times, the dining room is really pleasant. And they have really good cocktails!

Just got the chicken Bahn Mi. Really really solid. Almost too big, tbh. I kind of like them on the smaller side but it's the right price given how big it is and how fresh the vegetables. I just got my sandwich to go but the inside seemed quite nice and they had some great looking plated meals.

The pho broth was on the blander side but not completely bland, just a faint taste of the beef bones and spices. There are meatballs, brisket and slices of thin beef but no tripe and tendon in the combo pho, to my surprise. A hefty serving of pho noodles were there at the very least. service was attentive and friendly, I liked how the guy upfront gave me the sriracha and hoisin sauce per my request. Ambiance was a bit empty but the decorations were more on the modest end. The chairs have cushions, which made it comfy. Parking here was a bit of a nightmare on Sunday evening, but I did end up finding a spot around here. It is also on the BILT restaurant list so easy 6x cash back with the BILT card. I would not drive here for pho specifically as the primary reason, but if I have a strong soup craving, I wouldn't mind coming here.

Ugh this was really really difficult for me to grade because their porkchop over rice was AMAZING! Really good marinade and tender and honestly probably the best Vietnamese porkchop I've had that I can remember, BUT the other stuff was a fail. The fried chicken had too much batter and honestly needed more seasoning. The eggrolls were awful. The meat tasted stale or old. It was fried and hot, but the meat inside had an off putting flavor. My friends shrimp vermicelli bowl was a hit. Large grilled shrimp and fresh noodles. Honestly if they would have had better eggrolls that didn't taste funky I probably would have given this place 4 stars. I would come again though.

Service was great, friendly and attentive but the foods were a bit off. They're not authentic Vietnamese foods. If you're open for a non-authentic pho with salty taste, it's passable. It's like you're buying a SONY TV but got a SQNY instead. The other dishes were not too bad but ingredients were also... off.

Came here for lunch one day and everything we ordered was delicious. -bun Bo hue -chicken pho -pork vermicelli bowl -pork spring rolls On the pricier end but they give good portions! Great service! I loved my bun Bo hue broth, better than most other places in Oakland that I've had, just wish they used actual bun Bo hue noodles and not pho noodles. Will definitely be back :)

I like their food, only one thing is the lady is not very good service as she only hide herself at her desk and watch iPhone?! not to check other consumer see if they like it or need help. I have been here before, that time has the guy, he is doing better than this lady!

I'm really sorry to say that I didn't love Monsoon. I wanted to love it - the former occupant of this space, Cyclo, was also a Vietnamese restaurant, and they had the best pho around IMHO. So I got some fried wontons and some beef pho. The fried wontons were good (but you kind of can't screw up fried wontons), but the pho was just...bland. And unlike Cyclo, they no longer have beer on tap, which was kind of too bad, I've always liked having a pint with my pho (even though most pho places generally don't serve alcohol). Anyway: oh well, kind of a bummer.

I think the restaurant has great potential and has a nice indoor aesthetic. Ordered the spicy noodle soup (bun bo hue) and chicken rice plate with extra chicken. Originally tried to order chicken rice plate with chicken wing add on but was told they don't do rice plates with chicken wings. Was texted that my order was ready and pick up was easy. The spot was not too busy during our 4:30pm pickup. My takeout of spicy noodle soup only had raw brisket and no meatballs and no filet mignon/tendon. The overall flavor was okay. I think I would prefer it if they contacted me if there were items missing from my noodle soup order so I could maybe order something else or cancel my order.

Gee, I didn't know Xyclo closed. I tried it years ago and was a bit underwhelmed by their chicken pho, but I noticed the recent change in name and found out it indeed reflected a change in ownership. New chef/owner has shifted the focus of the Vietnamese cuisine from the North to the South. I'm not nearly enough of a pho connoisseur to know the difference. What I do know was that the $16 Chicken Noodle Soup was more freshly executed than the pho I had before and consequently a lot tastier. Interestingly it was not referred to as pho, and I wasn't sure whether it was not technically pho or it was a concession to the decidedly non-Vietnamese clientele to be found on Piedmont Avenue. It really didn't matter, it was good (photo: https://bit.ly/3JtU3YN). They use poached chicken that reminded me more of Hainan chicken especially since they served a tasty helping of ginger garlic sauce on the side (photo: https://bit.ly/3CK5W90). All the other requisite elements were present - thin rice noodles, fresh bean sprouts, cilantro, chopped scallions, sliced peppers, and light chicken broth - along with some unexpected items like red onions and fried onion bits. It was quite satisfying and kept me full. However, I felt I would be remiss if I didn't take advantage of a Yelp check-in coupon that gave me a complimentary $5 Vietnamese Iced Coffee (photo: https://bit.ly/46klqhH). I haven't had one in such a long time that it was quite a treat. They offer the expected rice and noodle plates, so chances are pretty good that I'll return for more of Chao's homestyle dishes. FOOD - 4 stars...a tasty chicken pho with fresh ingredients AMBIANCE - 4 stars...pretty spacious, not overly decorative SERVICE - 4 stars...quietly attentive TOTAL - 4 stars...this is a Monsoon worth weathering RELATED - Exploring Piedmont Avenue? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2I0RAHj

Chicken pho was edible but broth wasn't particularly good. The woman was working by herself so you pay for your meal prior which is odd but ok. It's ridiculously over priced at $18 after tax, portion was plentiful but I'd skip this place it's not good..

I have eaten at Monsoon a handful of times now and I love it. It's a no frills Vietnamese spot. Flavorful, great portions and the menu isn't overly long. I always struggle with vegetarian pho because usually it's just broth and noodles with a couple pieces of fried tofu, but this was so much better. Overall, their vegetarian selection is great which is why I'll definitely be back. Last I went a few weeks ago, they were cutting down on their menu options due to staffing so I really hope this business keeps it going. It's a perfect lunch spot or rainy day pho spot and I highly recommend it if you're in the area!

Stopped by for a Ban Mi sandwich after seeing the location was new with favorable reviews. It definitely exceeded my expectations. FYI it was much bigger than expected. I would definitely go back to try other items.

Oh my god, the food is so amazing here. I went here with a group of friends and the staff were so friendly and welcoming. We particularly liked the long tables so everyone can sit together and steal each others food. We got a variety of different dishes from beef stir fries to veggie dishes and they were all so amazing. I got a banh mi to take home to eat later and it was fantastic. The restaurant is on the small .. .or am I supposed to say ... intimate side but that adds to the charm and the feeling like you're in the proprietor's home. She makes you feel so welcome. Definitely on my must-eat or must-take-out list for Piedmont. Five out of five, would recommend.

All I tried was the chicken banh mi and it was amazing. Lots of hot, tender juicy chicken on toasty bread. The veggies and aïoli inside were awesome too. I ordered to go and waited inside, the staff was super friendly and gave me a glass of cold water to drink while I waited. Can't wait to go back and try more items.

I ordered the pork vermicelli twice in one week. Large portions and very fresh ingredients. I didn't end up eating much of the pork because it was too fatty. I thought maybe it was a one off so I ordered it a 2nd time but it was the same. I took it off the dish and went through it and probably saved half. Luckily the portions are large but I won't be ordering again. Too pricey to be tossing half the meat and with restaurants being so expensive these days I'm far more selective where I eat. The first time I ordered the dish it came with 1 egg roll. It was very tasty! I didn't get it the 2nd time around though. Not sure if I'll go back.

I enjoyed a tofu bahn mi sandwich here today. The flavors and textures were all perfect and delicious. It was so fresh and good. I can't wait to go back to have another one! The people working here were pleasant, and the ambience was fine .

Great spot for delicious pho. Simple, limited menu, with good prices and big servings with delicious flavor. Order at the counter and food is served to your table. Cashier and server were friendly and delivered food with a smile. Restaurant seems a little empty like if it's missing some artwork and could use some music. I loved the generous serving size of my beef pho, which is perfect on a cool night (or warm). I'll be back to try the banh mi and more.

Step right up, order and pay first, menu on the wall - fast service, delicious, fresh ingredients, Spring rolls and egg rolls done just right - the meat is marinated and sweetened and perfectly grilled, the pickled carrots, green onion, daikon are all still fresh and nicely rice vinegared. Great lunch place, we'll be back to try the Banh Mi next!

Great location in Piedmont. The chicken pho was kind of hard to eat with the skin/hair on wings in the soup. The flavor was very light/subtle compared to much of the pho we eat in the bay. The fish sauce for the spring rolls was great but only enough to flavor ~ 2/4 of the rolls. It didn't seem like a busy time but the tables and bathroom were not very clean and the restaurant had an interesting aroma.

We went for lunch and the inside is very cute and welcoming. Upon coming in we were greeted by a nice and friendly person at the register who helped us order. We got the pork bahn mi, and were surprised how good it was! The portions were large so I was able to eat half for lunch then half for a later snack. The staff ensured we were happy, and I will definitely be coming back again.

Beef vermicelli. Always perfectly consistent with fresh veggies, even the roasted peanuts are fresh.

Delicious food and great service! Would recommend the vermicelli noodles and the banh mi!

Best banh mi I've ever tasted. I ordered grilled pork, juicy and generous portion. Place was clean and friendly.

Excellent little Vietnamese spot where you order at the counter and they bring it to your table. Prices were a tad high but the portions are quite large and the quality of the ingredients was excellent. The egg rolls were fresh and crispy with a lot of meat filling and a nice sauce. The pork banh mi was on a big roll that was crispy on the outside and fluffy inside with a good amount of tasty, juicy, and *lean* pork with some veggies and a nice mayo sauce. The beef vermicelli bowl was huge with a bunch of veggies, noodles, peanuts, and quite a lot of *lean* juicy seared beef with a nice smokey/grilled flavor without being burnt. I highlighted lean for both meats because too often I've had meat in dishes like this be mostly globs of gooey fat and there was basically no fat to be seen on these very nice portions of meat.

My favorite place to get chicken pho. Their fried chicken banh mi is also amazing, highly recommend.

Very great place. Got pork vermicelli noodles, great. Fast food quiet place, even the water is great with lemongrass in it. Polite staff, friendly people. Big portions!

I love the complex flavors of Vietnamese cuisine and grew up eating it so I'm typically picky about where to eat. If I'm not impressed the first time around, I don't give it a second chance. I've come here on three separate occasions with family and friends and needless to say, this family-owned restaurant's authentic and flavorful dishes have captivated my tastebuds to keep me coming back for more. I've tried a number of the items (egg rolls, fried chicken wings, banh mi, bun bo hue, cold vermicelli), and my personal favorites have been the rice plates and pho. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu and I appreciate that they have a good number of vegetarian offerings as well. Aside from the delicious food, the restaurant's environment is family-friendly and comfortable with tables amply spaced apart, a minimum requirement for me nowadays with a baby. The waiters were attentive and always made sure we had enough water, napkins and sauces.

Wow, this is an incredible spot! Really nice and relaxed vibe with welcoming staff! Had the pork banh mi, egg rolls, and beef vermicelli. Everything was incredible, and the banh mi was an absolute dream. The flavors are top notch here and you can feel the love and authenticity! Please support them! This is an awesome local restaurant with great people and amazing food that deserves to be celebrated!

Our waiter, Jeff, was such a wonderful host. His demeanor was so warm and friendly and put us right at home. When we arrived there was no one there, and we were quite happy to have the space to ourselves. It was lovely, quiet, simply decorated and tasteful. The food, OMG- let me tell you- some of the best Vietnamese I've had in the Bay Area hands down! We got the chicken bahn mi and the pork vermicelli bowl with an egg roll appetizer. Everything was perfectly cooked, the meat was so juicy, the veg was crunchy and fresh. This place doesn't skimp on portions, quality or freshness of their produce. This is a small family restaurant so to support them in their dream means you're supporting local, family owned and POC business! Absolutely delightful experience!! Couldn't believe it was empty, like- this place is truly a hidden gem. Let's support our community! We WILL be back for more!

Amazing food, great service, lovely space. I have loved every meal. Fresh, generous, great flavor. Can't go wrong with whatever you get.

Yummy and generous food. Sweet sustainer service. Easy location. Adding more characters to my post...

The Pho Place That Took Over Xyclo ... Banh Mi Sandwish Is Very Good & Pho is Not Bad Could Be Better, ... Give Them Try...... Nice People !!!

First of all, I ordered the fried chicken wings and eggrolls, and let me just say, my taste buds were doing the Macarena all night long. The chicken wings were so crispy, I could hear them singing "I Will Survive" as I took a bite. And the eggrolls were like a party in my mouth - every ingredient was invited and they were all having a blast. But the real star of the show was the mussel dish. I don't even remember what it was called because my taste buds were too busy doing a victory lap around my mouth. I was so blown away by the flavors that I forgot to take a picture, and trust me, that's saying something because I'm the kind of person who takes pictures of their food before they even touch it. The service, ambience, and the plants just added a nice touch to everything.

This place was pretty empty so I was worried of the quality, but the food really shocked me. The portions were really big and given the size, our meal was quite affordable. Plus, the service was good and we didn't have to wait long for our food.

Visited Pho-tastic Vietnamese Bistro in Piedmont and was quite satisfied with my meal. Their pho and rice plates are really good and are worth the price. I appreciated their service system. You place your order up front and then find a seat. It's simple and efficient. The servers then deliver the food to your table without any delays. All in all, a solid choice in Piedmont for Vietnamese food. I'll be returning.

Someone left a review saying the pho here was better than their grandma's so i ordered the pho and ended up supper disappointed. The shrimp spring rolls were very good on the other hand. The service was also great and the restaurant itself is super cute and fairly spacious.

Kept it simple with the spring rolls and pork bành mì. The spring rolls were good, but when I bit into the sandwich I said to myself... "Are you kidding me??" When the flavors hit I swallow more than I chew. Think I finished it in under 3 minutes. Waiter was a chill dude. Jazz music softened the mood. Solid place. -- I could always eat

I've waited eagerly and so long for this restaurant to open. Last week I noticed it was finally open for business so I tried coming here with a friend visiting from L.A.. We tried a few times; first time coming around 8:45pm, only to find they were closed. Tried the next day again at 8:30pm and they were closed again. Finally I looked up their hours and saw they were open from 11am-8pm, so we came at 5pm. Success! Upon entering we were the only second pair of customers in the room. No one hosting to be found so we waited for a few moments. I noticed it smelled like an old bookstore, which, for a restaurant is not a good thing. Finally we get seated, and I notice their menu is limited compared to the many, many other Vietnamese restaurants I have been to. Despite this, I order Beef Pho, and my friend orders the bbq chicken vermicelli dish. Ultimately we both were not fans of our dishes. We both have had way better Vietnamese food. This place unfortunately gets two stars. I think the food is quite pricey for what you get. Probably will not be coming back nor recommend.

It's got promise. Kitchen felt oddly slow (perhaps they were busier than expected?) and the servers were all pretty young-- they should become more polished with a little more experience. Messed up our drink orders but quickly corrected it. Friends enjoyed their banh mi, bun, and whatnot, but I found the bun bo hue to be kind of Americanized. Broth was decent enough but lacked the complexity of the best, and while there was ample cartilage/tendon but no pork blood or any other organ meats. As a result it didn't quite do it for me.

I love supporting new family owned restaurants and with Monsoon being new to the area, I had to give it a try. The restaurant is a Vietnamese restaurant with classic items on its menu such as Banh mi which is a sandwich with pickled veggies, Pho, a clear soup with lots of meat toppings and a side of crispy veggies and a bunch of appetizers. Great place for a quick bite and to sit down for some non alcoholic drinks such as Thai tea and Vietnamese iced coffee (definitely my favorite.) Give the place some love while it's still new before it becomes bustling!

So I've grown up eating Vietnamese food regularly and also throughout adulthood. This place is legit. I got the combination pho and the steak was high quality and there brisket was way better than any pho brisket I've had. The tendon was tasty as well. Vermicelli was on point and the fried wontons were tasty with a nice sauce. The workers was very nice and helpful. We ordered to go and food was ready in 10 minutes! Amazing. Will be coming back.

Monsoon is a wonderful family-run restaurant. The food is authentic, and incredibly flavorful. We stopped by the first time and placed Banh Mi sandwiches to go on our way to the park. The quality of the sandwiches were fantastic--especially the bread and fillings. I highly recommend it. We came the last couple of times and ate at the restaurant, and service had a friendly, neighborhood vibe. We enjoyed the pho and the combination rice plate. It's quickly become one of our favorites on Piedmont Ave. The food is high quality and delicious, portions are generous, and the family who runs it offers friendly service. Monsoon, we're so glad you're here!

This place has really excellent grilled pork (either over vermicelli or as a rice plate), some of the best I've ever had a Vietnamese restaurant. And the portions are excellent value.

YES! Delicious Vietnamese cuisine for the neighborhood Thoroughly enjoyed our takeout banh mis and coffee today. Pate was on point. Excited to come back and try their other dishes!

Absolutely wonderful banh mi. Came for takeout and it was all fresh, the bread was wonderful and the pork was freshly made. Have no complaints it was declicious!

I just ordered chicken and beef pho Togo. They were the most salty pho I ever had. It tasted like they ran out of both and added water and lots of salt or fish sauce. Or someone mixed up the sugar and salt . You don't taste the pho flavor at all. I'm very disappointed

I came here for my birthday and was not disappointed. We started off with the chicken wings appetizer, and wow. The taste was immaculate, not dry at all like some wings I've had. My partner and I both had the beef noodle pho, and my mom had the combination rice plate. Price point is great, service was wonderful. Definitely glad we tried it, and will be back for more!

Nice service, pleasant vibe, pretty plants, yummy and fresh food. Great Spring Rolls! Glad they finally moved in. I want to come back for a Banh Mi. To be honest, the bread was dry, but I want to try it again to see if it is softer next time!

I frequented Xyclo, and miss it. Monsoon is a welcome addition, and the highest quality beef pho that can be found in the town- reminds me of Pho Fifth Avenue in San Diego. The quality of the traditional Vietnamese dishes is amazing. New gem on Piedmont avenue. I love this place!