Great place to get some Vietnamese food! i had chicken pad thai which was so delicious, super peasnuty but had lots of veggies and chicken with the noodles. it came with a bunch of cilantro and bean spouts! Beef pho was also super nice!! A lot veggies and the beef tasted so good. The noodles were also really tasty and didn't break apart. The portion size was also good and I was super filled up after eating. You have a choice to get meatballs too but I didn't just the beef!! The lady working there was very friendly and the atmosphere of the restaurant was very chill. There's also wide range of options to choose from! read more

This is my go to in Capitola for Asian food. Before Super Noodle opened, this was the premier Asian food on this side of the hill. It's fast and tasty, could be a little more authentic, but I think they nail what they are trying to go for read more

My son loves the Bahn Mi sandwiches here and I think they are pretty good for the area. I will say I used to avoid this place but they really do have a few good, consistent items. We do usually order here to go. The lollipop chicken dish, entire family enjoys. We have ordered both the rice plate and the the wonton soup with the lollipop chicken and both were really good. The other item that we order here consistently is the boba teas. The boba is always soft and chewy without being rubbery which means it is fresh. Favorite family items, the noodle soups, the Bahn Mi and the lollipop chicken. We will have to keep trying things to update. read more

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By far one of the top places for asian food in santa cruz. They have the best spring rolls and the amount and quality you get is very good for the price. Also while i have not yet tried it, my friends RAVE about the pho there and its the only spot they go for it. Ive gotten a few food items at asian express and have never been dissappointed in the slightest. I also recommend the avocado smoothie read more

Overcharged my daughter! Check your receipts. They're taking advantage of minors and over charging them. Adding tips for themselves??? Will be reporting. read more

Asian Express - Receipt - Vietnamese Near Me - Capitola, California

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This is my go-to place whenever I surf Pleasure Point or Capitola. I give this place 5 stars for the following reasons: 1. Good broth for Pho. I normally get the combination meat and it's a good size, especially when I'm hungry. 2. Spring rolls are bigger than many places and have a lot of fresh vegetables in them (which is a plus). 3. Good customer service with friendly staff. I never thought that I would find a good pho place in an all-white beach town :) read more

Asian Express - spring rolls - Vietnamese Near Me - Capitola, California

Excellent Pho and pork sandwiches. Fast service. Food very fresh. Spring rolls excellent.

a good option if you're craving asian food! we ordered the mango smoothie with boba and the #8 pho. my friend said the wrong number off the menu on accident, and the actual dish name wasn't on the receipt or anything so we didn't notice until they brought out the food. the staff kindly replaced it & i am eternally grateful. (o´`o) the noodles were a bit mushy imo but my craving was definitely satisfied. their boba has a good texture but there were a few pearls that were hard. a lot of people ordered boba while we were there, so i'd definitely try one of their teas next time. read more

Asian Express - a couple of figurines on a table - Vietnamese Near Me - Capitola, California

Staff is always friendly. Wide variety of Asian food. I get the pad Thai, spring rolls and the pho. It's all really good. I highly recommend

We LOVE Asian Express pho offerings. Fresh, delicious, healthy portions. The tofu and veggie is our favorite, but the spicy seafood and chicken are also delightful. We also regularly order the shrimp spring rolls which are the best I have experienced. Everything we've had (potstickers, grilled chicken over rice, sesame chicken, curries (fish or chicken), and milk teas) are consistently delicious and freshly made. Great service and easy online ordering. We highly recommend. read more

Their food and soup is so good! I love their lychee tea w/ lychee jelly & sesame balls!! The people who work there are so sweet too :)

Legit Americanized banh mi. Generous size. Plenty of jalapeños. Spicy! Shrimp spring rolls kind of boring. Popular. Busy. Decent cheap eats. read more

Asian Express - Bland shrimp rolls. Devoid of flavor. - Vietnamese Near Me - Capitola, California

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Absolute gem. Big portions for the price (try the bahn mi!) Very friendly, quick, and efficient service. Very tasty and fresh tasting food! Awesome lunch options! Wide and varied menu allows for so many cravings to be satisfied. Tons of vegetarian options! The bahn mi here is a large 7ish inch sammy loaded with the protein of choice along with tons of delicious pickles veggies, fresh cilantro, and pretty mild and crunchy jalapenos. super delicious and filling and only $6. The decor and name of this place may cause one to think it's low quality or cheap food, but don't be fooled. This is an unreplaceable gem of a restaurant that is very much needed in santa cruz. read more

Asian Express - huge bahn mi and pho broth with all the fixings for like $18 - Vietnamese Near Me - Capitola, California

my friends and i absolutely love this place they have great and fast service, staff has always been so friendly with us we always get their pho and sesame balls really great restaurant :D read more

Asian Express - Vietnamese Near Me - Capitola, California

first time trying asian express and the food was great but most of all customer service tops it off such sweet ladies made myself and my daughter feel so comfortable 10/10 highly recommend! :) read more

The proverb: "Fool me once, shame on you; Fool me twice, shame on me" best describes todays lunch here. Based on recent, favorable reviews on their bahn mi sandwich, I decided to order it (again). Bad choice. Clearly those who wrote positive reviews have no concept of what a bahn mi supposed to be. The long crusty baguette is probably worth more than its fillings which included some form of what I guess was supposed to be beef appeared pounded to a wafer thin soft pulp mixed with fat. This "beef" might be better suited to those who have no teeth to chew as it was completely void of any texture. This mystery meat and a few veges typically included in a Vietnamese sandwich were drowned in a heavy sauce designed to mask the shortcomings of this substandard bahn mi "beef" sandwich. Once again, just like my experience four years ago, the order took nearly one half hour. Add the bad sandwich experience to a restaurant environment about as filthy as they come, with mounds of plainly visible hair from both human and dog sources on the floor. And don't place your elbows on the table either cause their sticky! Add to all this their refusal to honor their own Yelp check-in advertisement of 50% off a drink, and you've got a one-star review! read more

Asian Express - They said it's "not available" - Vietnamese Near Me - Capitola, California

Food is amazing, drinks are great and hospitality is always on point. Definitely come by and try number 15.

I love their food! The service is excellent and the spring rolls and sandwiches are delicious.

ordered a bunch of things last night 11/30/23 that we always order. the veggie pho was basically hot water with noodles and veggies. absolutely no flavor in the broth whatsoever...and no, i don't have covid. pretty disappointing bowl of soup on a cold evening. read more

They actually answer the phone. Food is good, as are prices, and yes, ready quickly. Try the Thai milk boba, can request less sugar.

Everything we've had has been AMAZING - what a great lil hole in the wall. The service is great & quick and everyone is super nice! Recommendations: Chicken Curry w/ Rice, Chicken Pad Thai & Pork Banh Mi Their black boba tea is also perfectly sweetened - delicious! A regular spot for my fiancé and I now read more

I've been going to Asian Express for 5 years, before COVID and currently. I believe their quality, quantity, and price have changed significantly. Their entire menu prices have gone up 30% if not more and the amount of food on the plates has gone down. I have there last week and ordered Pad Thai and beef pho. The amount of actual noodles on the plate was half of the plate. The other half was bean sprouts and other garnish. The pho noodles were overcooked and the broth was too salty and not at all like pho broth but just beefy broth. I was highly disappointed with the meal and will not be returning any time soon. read more

Moved back to the Santa Cruz area after a solid decade + away. Up in Santa Rosa (where I was living), there are at least 12 Vietnamese spots and a bunch in surrounding towns. In the bay, it's a paradise for those that are pho and banh mi inclined. Unfortunately, Santa Cruz has basically no Vietnamese spots. Reviews for here were pretty promising and most of the bad ones are from people who were upset by the lack of orange chicken and imitation crab meat ragoons. Took my Pops here for lunch and we had a great time. Got a couple kinds of bahn mi and some duck pho. The bahn mi were a blessing and something I hadn't tasted in months. Pork and beef were equally tasty. Bread was crunchy, yet soft on the inside. The pickled veggies and paté were both on point as well. They're not San Jo prices, but only like $7, so very easy on the pockets. The duck pho was alright, but could have been better. The main leg in the soup was so small, it could have been from a pigeon. Broth was tasty though and everything else was up to par. Honestly, my only gripe was the duck quality/quantity, but most places don't do duck proper, so no biggie. This spot gets two thumbs up from this guy and it's dope having a spot in SC that actually has some Vietnamese grinds! Get some! read more

There was a bug/baby cockroach in my boba underneath the plastic cover. I was wondering what the black mark was so I ripped open the boba lid and saw it was indeed a small bug/cockroach. read more

Asian Express - Bug in boba - Vietnamese Near Me - Capitola, California

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Thai iced tea and #8. You can not go wrong with that meal. It is something I order on average about 2-4 times a month. I usually get it with sesame balls, but it seems that they have been out of stock for almost 2 weeks. The best pho in the area and they give big portions. The #8 is perfect for a cold day or hot day. 10/10 I will be going back again and again. read more

Haven't been here for a couple of years. Was surprised to find authentic Vietnamese food. Loved my spicy beef noodle soup. Wife had grilled chicken with vermicelli and loved it. Nice people running the game lace too. Glad to see the place full. Been coming here for a couple years now and still great. We've updated what we order. My wife gets chicken leg noodle soup which she loves. I get #31 won ton noodle soup made spicy. The won tons are nice and fat and tasty. Can't get enough read more

It's better than I remembered it. Also, I've only ever tried the pho here - maybe the rest of their food is fantastic. ‍ They don't have as many options of types in f pho as the normal pho shops, but still 8 I think. The pho broth is not as rich as some I've had but ingredients in general seem alright and portions are good. Having said that the price is a little high especially since it's not better than average. They do have a couple tables outside for dining, but not many. read more

I have only tried the Pho bowls and find them outstanding! Everything is fresh and flavorful! read more

Asian Express - Pho bowl with chicken breast. - Vietnamese Near Me - Capitola, California

In the desert of decent Asian food options in Santa Cruz, Asian Express is a welcomed oasis. I would usually steer far away from a strip mall restaurant that serves Vietnamese, Thai, AND American Chinese food, but somehow this little joint manages to hit the mark on everything I've ordered. The pad Thai is surprisingly flavorful and full of tofu, eggs, and shrimp. The pho comes with tons of herbs and meat and delicious soup. The basil chicken wings are crunchy and herby. The food comes out fast, the portions are large, and the prices are reasonable. Can't ask for more! read more

Really generous serving sizes! My husband and I were impressed with how good the beef pho was as well. read more

Their food is probably the best asian food in SC. Their bbq pork with rice or spring rolls are the absolute best! Their strawberry boba smoothie was so delicious and creamy. I always come here and will forever recommend! read more

Excellent food! Lots of small surprises of different tastes and textures. Hot, sweet, Spicy... fresh and crisp veggies. Lots of food! Thank you so much! We can't wait to come back soon! Mike & Melinda read more

My favorite Asian restaurant in all of Santa Cruz by far!The staff is super sweet & accommodating & their Beef Pho & Banh Mi are to die for! 10/10 would recommend! :) This place has been a comfort place for years I've been at ucsc & feels like one of the most authentic asian spots here! read more

Great food at a decent price.... one of my regular spots to get dinner to go.. I often order online and that works well... then pay when I get there. I highly recomend basil chicken wings... they are amazing. I also get the Special Asian Beef Pho soup regularly... its the real deal. They give thin slices of raw beef to cook in the broth which only takes a minute it is so thin... fresh basil and cilantro and bean sprouts... along with jalapeño and noodles.. compliment pre cooked beef and beef ball... Other than those two favorites... we get the prawns; pork and vermicelli occasionally and padcthsi and spring rolls. They offer some Chinese dishes as well... but I have never tried them. read more

Very good and savory pho soup, the spicy seafood is so good with boba drink Very small place and some dirty tables read more

I was delighted to learn that the owner is Vietnamese. I was very skeptical to come here because Santa Cruz doesn't have a plethora of Asian eateries, Vietnamese to be exact. I cannot go and get a banh mi pate cha nor can I go and get banh bot chien so easily anymore. Sigh. More and more, I seem to miss San Jose like crazy. Anyway. Down w/ a cold, all I wanted was pho. Everyone kept talking about the #8 on the reviews so I ordered 3 (for Craig, my daughter, and myself) but later on I found out that they have pho dac biet. I like tripe and I like tendon. The steak? I eat that on the side - rare. I managed to get sach (tripe) added to mine. I was pleasantly surprised that the pho was quite tasty. For under $8, it was a generous portion. The meat counts but in pho, it's all about the broth. It needed roasted onions, roasted ginger, and more star anise. I can tell but overall it was pretty good given the demographic. Happy to see banh mi on the menu, I ordered the only option available: banh mi ga nuong. Though Craig didn't enjoy his half, I thought my half tasted delicious. I can taste the lemongrass that was chargrilled on the chicken. I wish I ordered two instead of sharing. Seriously. A few Chinese/Vietnamese items: fried rice, chow mein, egg rolls, general chicken, sweet and sour pork, wonton soup, lollipop chicken, beef and broccoli, sesame balls, bo kho, and many more; all reasonably priced. The place is fairly clean and service was great. I found out as I was waiting that not everyone there working speaks Vietnamese. It was fine but I am sure I looked stupid talking up a storm and asking questions when the other party has no clue what the hell I was saying or asking. I will be back for sure. It's nothing like the selections in San Jose but it will suffice for the homesick. Sad. read more

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For this area, it's alright but definitely no comparison to San Jose or Oakland. I've had pho a couple times here. Sometimes it's ok but sometimes it tastes really off. Anybody who knows pho, knows it's all abut the broth or the whole thing is off. Every now and then this place has off tasting pho because of the base. The staff could use a little better customer service, don't seem that friendly. I've seen them mix up orders a bit and aren't god about correcting their mistakes. When you tell them they mixed up the numbers or the wrong order, they ask if it's ok that you just eat it anyway...not good service. read more

First time trying this place and it is super yummy. Awesome fresh food with many veggie options. They also have great bobas and the best Vietnamese coffee in town. The customer service is superb! Will be coming back here again. read more

I was yelping in the area for some soupy Asian meal and found this spot. I was kinda skeptical at first because the sign outside says they serve Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai food but how can a restaurant be good at 3 different types of cuisines?! It just has to be one really good Asian cuisine or just all not so good in my opinion lol Well I didn't try all three cuisines but ordered the number 8 pho which included meatballs and rare steak. The food was mediocre and had a lot of broth which I didn't mind but made it seemed like I didn't have a lot of meat or noodles. What I didn't like was the fact that the food we ordered for a party of 5 took a really long time (20-30 minutes) when I thought this was called "Asian Express" LOL not hating, just wondering when the express would play in. And the tables we were sitting at were dirty from leftover food residue :( They do offer iced water in a self-dispensing container but getting their dispenser refilled isn't one of the restaurant's priorities and I get thirsty :( Overall, 2 stars for this place. I'm surprised how many people do come to the restaurant and it does get busy but maybe I just ordered the wrong thing. Oh well not planning on returning though. read more

Asian Express - Number 8 pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Capitola, California

I came here to try their pho just because I missed it and had a huge craving. I actually came here with a small group and we all ordered pho. I could have sworn it was a little more expensive than how much I normally pay for a bowl of pho. It wasn't horrible but I've tasted better. I guess the 2 stars explanation is more due to the fact that their drinks SUCK. I thought I was ordering some sort of boba drink but it turned out to not be that at all and worse. I hate coconut and the dirnk contained a huge amount of coconut flakes. Oh and the boba inside wasn't even realy boba. It was hard, nasty tasting boba that disgraces all bobas! I mean it's conveniently located next to Capitola Mall and near a couple of plazas but don't think I'll be coming here again. read more

Asian Express - Vietnamese Near Me - Capitola, California

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