Catfish tamale - Amok, delicious. Everything is flavorful. The only problem is the crowdedness and being only open for weekday lunches.

Damn, for a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, this place is really shines (despite the crappy lighting). Located on a shady looking corner, Chez Sovan delivers delicious food. Sure, the portions seem kind of small for the price, but the food is solid good. The owner/waiter who runs the joint really brightens up the place as he chats it up with all his customers and really works his sales magic. You'll find yourself ordering half of the menu without knowing what happened to you. He practically orders everything for you. We took his advice when he said, "You gotta have the Amok. You gotta." And we did, and we don't regret it. YOU GOTTA HAVE THE AMOK! It's probably the best thing on their menu. It's like an egg quiche with a hint of curry stuffed with catfish. It's heavenly fluffiness for sure. We also ordered some ginger pork, chicken curry, and eggplant. And you know what, despite the seemingly small portions, I was pretty full and satisfied to what came out to be roughly $12 a person for 3 people. So when you get there, listen to the guy, take his advice, and I'm sure you'll enjoy your meal. read more

Found this place through Yelp. Thanks to each and every one of you that reviewed it and recommended it! God! I like this place. Had no F'in idea what Amok was - I'm about as white as you can get - it was good. Very good. Can't really describe it. You have to take it all in. How something that looks soooo ugly can smell and taste so $%# @#(%$ good is beyond me. The whole place is full of attitude adjusters like the Amok. It looks like a dive on a dusty little street corner that you would never notice unless you were looking for it. Then, if you have the cojones to walk in there you will find a clean, warm, inviting place that I couldn't help but think that Ernest Hemingway would have loved and hung out there often. The tall guy that works and owns (I think..) the place is an instant friend. He's smart, friendly, kind and makes you feel better no matter what kind of day you are having or where you are from. I like him! It's small inside; clean, well maintained. The food is tasty and comforting. We had the Amok, Fish Stew and Chicken Stir Fry thing. All of it perfectly done, tasting great and making me think that I would stop by on my way home for dinner but alas, its only open for a couple of hours through lunch :-( I'm definitely coming back again and I can't wait to bring my friends and treat them to something that they normally wouldn't try on their own unless a friend recommended it. read more

Little hole in the wall where the food is soooo bomb. Service is awesome, they're so friendly. Ginger fish and chicken skewers were the highlight! But you have to go early, they had already run out of their most popular fish dish and beef skewers by the time we got there (around 12:30). read more

Literally a hole in the wall. You hardly even notice this place when you drive through the block. The neighborhood is not the best either. But omg, the food really makes up for it. Two thumbs up for the curry chicken. Service is good too. The owner is really friendly too. But he could talk a little too much :) read more

Ate here with a friend for lunch in January and it is amazing. The amok and yellow curry are both 5 star dishes, and I can't wait to go back. I really wish they were open for dinner! read more

This place is packed considering how limited the space is inside. Unfortunately, this place is only open during lunch time. The area is kind of suspect I understand why. I ordered chicken curry which is different and unique quite good. Their curry is filled with carrots and potatoes. What makes this food good is the sauce itself. Chicken sewers are good too. I would probably order the beef skewers next time. Warning, you need to order more than one dish if your hungry which can be tough on your wallet. read more

The food here is full of flavor! I loved the Amok, noodles, and chicken skewers. Service is quick and the owner is really friendly. The only downside is that they are only open for lunch on the weekdays read more

came here with some ex-coworkers for lunch today. $2.50 for a TEENY cup of iced coffee (wasn't even good). we had the beef satay, fish stew, chicken curry and ginger pork. everything was SUPER sweet and kinda expensive ($10.50 for a large size entree, which wasn't THAT big). rice was $2 (first one is free, i think)... the owner is really nice, but i'd rather just go to a thai restaurant on castro to eat the same type of food.... read more

I've never been here before, but I'm already hooked. This place is soooo good. My three friends and I had our Yelp lunch here today. Since we were all unfamiliar with Cambodian cuisine, the somewhat funny yet very helpful waiter said that he'll take care of us. Since I didn't even open the menu and Chez Sovan doesn't have a website, I'm going to try to describe the delicious food we had. We got the steamed monkfish (I don't understand why everyone has been calling it catfish on yelp but the waiter said it was monkfish) (yum), shrimp and green beans in a spicy red sauce (yum yum), spicy and tender chicken stew (yum yum yum), Cambodian chicken salad (yum yum yum yum), and beef skewers (yum yum yum yum yum) marinated and grilled to perfection. The beef skewer was probably my favorite dish. Eating with 3 hungry men, the food disappeared quickly so we ordered another dish. The energetic waiter suggested spaghetti aka Cambodian pad thai (yum). That dish was also devoured rather quickly. Overall I will give Chez Sovan 5 stars. Yes, the neighborhood is a bit shady but parking was ample. We ate within 10 minutes of ordering, so they are quick. The waiter was quite helpful. The bill was $18/person for 4 people including tip, so that's not bad. The place was packed by 12:00 too. Did I mention that the food was good too? So check it out...you won't be disappointed! read more

I made a special trip to come here based solely on the raving Yelp reviews. I managed to find street parking about a block away so that wasn't bad. I got to the restaurant at 12:45 on a Friday and the place was full. I got the only remaining seat and that was at the counter. I planned to order the chicken satay, the amok and a Cambodian ice tea. When the server finally got around to take my order, he told me they were out of the amok. They had already sold the 30 orders they had available for the day. I love noodles so I decided to get the fried noodles instead of the amok. My tea arrived first and it was OK. It was a lot like a Thai ice tea but with less tea flavor (more cream and sugar). I was surprised that my noodles came way before my satay. When the noodles arrived, I was immediately disappointed. It was a big blob of noodles with tofu topped with a little bit of peanuts. The color was drab and the whole thing just looked boring. It didn't even have green onion for some color. I was hoping it tasted better than it looked but it really didn't. It was on par with Pad Thai from a mall food court. I finish my noodle dishes 100% of the time unless I'm feeling guilty and intentionally refrain from eating it all (dieting). With this dish, it was easy for me to eat only a 1/3 of it. I took the rest to go and will eat it for lunch tomorrow. It is decent enough to take the leftover but once again, it is like mall food court quality and taste. The chicken satay was nicely grilled. They use thigh meat so it has enough fat content to keep it juicy and tender tasting. The sauce was a lot like Korean BBQ sauce. It was good but not spectacular. Overall, I was disappointed with the food. It was OK but nothing like what was described in all these reviews. Possibly I ordered the wrong stuff but there are only about 15 items on the menu. If Chez Sovan is a one trick pony (only great dish is amok) then they need to have enough to ensure all customers can order it. I will say that the staff was really nice. read more

Small and crowded, but the food is delicious! Must order their amok, the steamed fish mixed with coconut, lemongrass, and a bunch of other wonderful goodness. read more

They are famous for their Amok. Often run out before they close. It is awesome. The chicken sticks are great. The string beans are great. The curry is a nice sweet variety. Been coming here for years. Awesome place for lunch. Limited hours, during the week and for lunch only. Friendly and funny owner. read more

a friend took me here, and i really enjoyed it! it's a hole in the wall cambodian restaurant in a bad neighborhood. but it's really popular. and tasty! i can't remember the exact dishes we ordered unfortunately, but they were all good. read more

went here w/ friends whom were visiting from la. have heard of this place before but didn't get to try it since it was closed on a sunday when we were in the area. the location is definitely a little sketch - ok a lot sketch but the food was wonderful. we came for lunch - definitely packed and ordered the tom yum soup, eggplant, and steamed fish something. all were fantastic. it is definitely a no frills place but i plan on coming back often. the server (im sure he is part owner as well) was very friendly and we enjoyed our experience. price was great too - inexpensive. read more

obviously not as cute as the other location, but just as delicious. the dishes are a little small, but they never disappoint in the taste department. even something as simple as green beans taste better here. and yes, as everyone has already mentioned, the amok is simply fantastic. they actually run out of it 1/2 way through lunch hours! get there early and order it quick! read more

Well this review is a little late, but you know what they say....Better than never. I really have to compliment the owners and staff of this small establishment. Foods that I have never known of are simply prepared with care. The food has so much flavor. If you're like me, and you like to take your taste buds on an adventure, well this is the place. You need to try the Amok. It's a white fish with spices that is steamed cooked. Omg. You need to reserve it before you arrive or as soon as you get there. That stuff goes quickly. Glad I was able to reserve one of the last 2 orders. Even though they are only open for a couple of hours during the week, it's so worth going. I do compliment most highly the waiters. So friendly and attentive to the customer and bunch of comedians. But overall this place was a lovely experience. I highly recommend you go when you have a chance. Or skip work just to go! Haha. Well this is it for now. From your friendly Yelper-Jen read more

The food was initially tasty compared to their other location, however quality have gone quite down. It must be because they were super busy during their lunch hours, but they kept on running out of meats like beef several times that I came here. It's like going to a gas station and they'd be out of premium fuel and only offer regular. It's a restaurant, meat items are essentials n it's relatively cheap compared to other costs. I ate here many times and the food quality isn't the same. For my last visit, the rice was quite under cooked as it was hard to swallow. They were super busy near closing, so I didn't felt like sending the food back. When I found hair in my stir fry, I stopped eating. Ok, I ate little bit more as I was quite hungry and don't have more time to do a 2nd lunch stop. I noticed the cooks in the kitchen weren't wearing hair nets. I don't like giving negative reviews, but I do like to see local small restaurant thrive and improve. Hopefully I can give this place a 5 star next time if I get the nerves to come back. read more

i absolutely love this restaurant! i come and visit them every week for lunch and this routine will not stop with the food they serve. yes, looking in from the outside, it definitely looks like a hole in the wall, but the food will absolutely bring you back. I highly recommend ordering their amok. read more

I've been going to this restaurant for about 9 years now. The food has been consistently good. They raised prices a few years ago, so the food has gone from great value to just good value. read more

Good service. The waitress was friendly and had good recommendations. Quiet on the weekend, but still good.

food was excellent and the servers/owners are friendly, genuine, funny! read more

Chez Sovan - Eggplant tofu, chicken and beef satay, and must try amok - Cambodian Near Me - San Jose, California

The food is absolutely delicious and the service is not only entertaining but it feels like home. It's not a fancy place but the food and service makes up for it. read more

Free water Fridays are the best the food is amazing hands down the steamed fish is killer

We tried this place for the first time this past week. Ordered their Basa Fish Amok, hot and sour soup and bbq satays. Totally recommend the first two. Their hot and sour soup tastes a lot like tom yum, and it reminds me of the tom yum that I tasted in Thailand years ago. Their customer service is first class! I have to say again their Amok is super delicious! read more

I'm not an expert on Cambodian food, but I thought Chez Sovan was excellent. The amok and chicken curry were very tasty. I also had the stir fried rice noodles with beef, but was not special. read more

delicious Cambodian food. similar to Thai food but more ginger. Amok is quite good. Open only for workday lunch!!!

place is the bomb! friendly environment get the fish !

It was very good and very busy (which did slow down the service) but I'll forgive them for the food. It was similar to other SE Asian cuisine (think Thai) but had a little twist. Will have to go back again because I fell in love with the Amok. Unfortunately they forgot the bring the curry so I can't review that, but had more than enough food otherwise. read more

can't get enough of this place! The chicken curry and the amok are a must. I have dreams about this place when I know I'll be going there soon. I'm salivating for my next fix as I write this review, so glad I'll be there tomorrow. read more

4.5 stars - I hate to write this review because I might have to wait longer at lunch! My suggestion is to take a group of people and try everything family style. Don't know what to order? Let the guy take care of you - it works every time. I love their catfish wrapped in a leaf, and a friend said she could drink the curry through a straw. I loved all of it - everything was spot on. My only complaint is the room can get really loud at lunch time, but it's still totally worth it... just go already! read more

Quick and easy place for lunch with great food. The curry chicken, kabobs and ginger pork are all delicous. The service is great. Highly recommended. read more

Amok, catfish in a banana leaf, is amazing. A great hole in the wall that's always packed with a lunch crowd.

Me and my friends decided to road trip to Norcal this summer break. After touring the beautiful of gardens we needed to refuel. We have never tried Cambodian cuisine and decided to give it a shot. After parking at a residential, the first sentence we said was "is there even a restaurant here?" upon our arrival we were immediately greeted by a bubbly, handsome, and kind waiter. We ordered the amok, Cambodian iced coffee, Cambodian iced tea, and chicken curry. One of the best decisions of the entire trip! Our entire meal came out in less than five minutes. The amok is absolutely delicious even though it's appearance might be off putting. It is a must order item. The iced coffee is strong yet sweet. The Cambodian iced tea makes thai tea look like trash. It was so good we ordered two more to go. Lastly, that curry hit the spot. It's flavor is indescribable. It was sweet yet spicy and totally delicious. The chicken was so tender it broke when we barely touched it with our fork. Overall, it was a great experience from food to service. This place will become big. Go to this hidden gem before lines form around the block. read more

Amok was delicious and the fish was fresh. The beef satay was Okay, nothing special about the flavors, but still quite tender. The chicken curry however, was too sweet for my taste. The chickens were tender but some were Quite dry. I think that the rice really balances the sweet curry taste. read more

I don't really know why this restaurant is so highly rated. The food is okay. Not a big deal. The flavoring is a bit too sweet for my taste and frankly, the amok smells a little weird. I've been to this restaurant twice, do not think I'll be coming back. I'm just befuddled that this restaurant is so highly rated. read more

This place is great! Really happy to have been introduced to this place by a co-worker. The neighborhood looks somewhat sketchy with some nearby buildings having bars over the windows and signs of graffiti. But since it's open during lunch only, seems fairly safe during the day to visit. Dishes are reasonably priced and very tasty, and the owner/manager has always been very friendly to our group and gave us great service when we've visited. My favorites include the Chicken Curry, the Amok, the Ginger Fish, and also the skewers, especially the beef skewers. Also have tried the Fish Stew, that was okay but the other dishes were tastier. Will definitely be back again to try more dishes. This place can get crowded, so be prepared to wait. Wish they were open for dinner or weekends! read more

Great food and great service!! It's a good to go if you haven't try Cambodian food yet. Just make sure you go for lunch only since they are not open at night. read more

Food here is very delicious. Amok which is fish coated with some flavorful coconut paste and wrapped in banana leaves was amazing. Small cosy place with very delicious food. Only problem is it's open for short duration and only on weekdays. read more

It looks like a hole in a wall, but it is a great place for Cambodian cuisine. You have to try their chicken kababs!! Chicken samlaw curry is good too!! Unfortunately, they only open for lunch. :( read more