Hoa Bien is definitely a go to place that we frequent for Vietnamese food. We're always greeted immediately, and the service has always been excellent. We love their pho and noodle salads. The pho broth is near the top of our list as far as the taste goes. The various meats are always tender and flavorful. The egg rolls are really good! All of the add-ins for the pho always look and taste fresh. This is definitely a place that never disappoints! read more

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Hoa Bien is my go to pho restaurant because they never disappoint. Their pho dac biet comes with tendon, tripe, brisket, meatballs, and sliced beef. Soup broth is rich and delicious. Service is always excellent. Parking is located in the back of the restaurant and there are a lot of seatings inside. read more

Hoa Bien Vietnamese Restaurant - Pho Dac Biet - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Very accomodating, high quality art that keeps the same taste. Fast service. This place has okay pho. The area is very clean. read more

Hoa Bien Vietnamese Restaurant - Fancy crab rangoon - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

We stumbled on Hoa Bien driving down University Avenue after visiting Melissa and Mark Hortman's reviewal at the State Capital. I remembered the restaurant from years ago when I worked in St Paul. University Avenue westbound starting at the State Capital is block after block of Asian dining and grocery stores so if you don't have an idea what you are looking for it's hard to choose. Service was very prompt and attentive, the food was excellent! We both had the Bun (salad) with egg rolls, I added tofu which was delicious. (I love tofu and this was deep fried.) Other diners were having the same and many were having Pho. Highly recommended! We will add this lunch spot to our St. Paul runs. read more

Stopped in for lunch today. They have spruced up the interior. It was very inviting. We were immediately seated and received our refreshments right away. The lunch menu had some very nice options. I chose the spicy chicken with wontons. GREAT CHOICE!! The dish had a Beautiful spice level. The wontons were cooked just right and the sauce was very good. The spring rolls and sauce were fresh and tasty. Great lunch prices and enough for leftovers. Thank you HOA Bien! read more

The atmosphere here is really nice, the music is a good volume and it's a good temperature. The service is fast and attentive, they make sure you're taken care of! The Pho is forgettable- when I try pho broth I look for a broth that I would want to keep having even without adding extras. This broth was not very rich, and the meat in it was a bit tough. I'd be willing to give it another try, but the food isn't good enough at the moment to even take the leftovers home. read more

I've been on a Vietnamese kick lately, which shouldn't be a surprise, I'm Vietnamese. In the past several months though, it's all I crave. I hope this phase in my life never ends and lasts until I'm into my ripe old age. When I'm too lazy to make my own dishes at home, there's a handful of Viet places I tend to go to for specific dishes. When I'm just a little lazy but still can make an effort, I'll venture out to Brooklyn Park and MLPS. But super lazy days when everything is a chore, I hit up places closer to me that I know I'll enjoy, like Hoa Bien. I usually get their vermicelli bowls, banh cuon, and canh chua, which you must order the ca kho to accompany. I've also tried their bun bo hue, unfortunately, that was a let down, no flavor. So, I just stick to what I know is good there. Service is always fast and efficient, that's all I need. read more

Great service, lunch specials, food! I love their Bun (Noodle Salad)-very fresh ingredients and tastes like a slice from Viet Nam. read more

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First time here. Ordered the lunch special of Hot & Spicy Chicken w/ egg roll. Nice ambiance with lots of natural light. Service was excellent. The food was very good and the egg roll was great! Can't wait to come back and try more of the menu. read more

Hoa Bien Vietnamese Restaurant - Hot and Spicy Chicken with egg roll - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Soooo good. Honestly I missed the pho in Minnesota. We have some options in ABQ where we currently live as well but I don't think it's as good as the options here in MN. The spring rolls were much better as well. As always, pretty reasonably priced flavorful broth for the pho. Very clean interior and wonderful service. We didn't specify that my partner has peanut allergies so when we got his dish with peanuts on it we felt bad but they very gladly substituted it quickly. We were so grateful for that!! Will come again someday when we're back home next time. read more

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Came back for dinner and we had the prefixed family dinner for 6. Service was prompt and friendly. The food was great and we enjoyed the freshness of the veggies. The hot and sour soup was tasty and I wish there could have been more fillets of cat fish then just one small piece. The salted prawns were crunchy and tasty. The lemongrass chicken had a little spice to it but the kids were still able to eat it with the rice. The squid in the pineapple sauce was a little off and I can't tell if it's old or spoiled. The fried fish with sweet good sauce was delicious. Would have love to have an appetizer in the family dinner instead of a plate of herbs and veggies. Otherwise, the meal was delicious and I didn't have to cook! Will definitely come back for more of their weekend menu. read more

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My partner and I walked in and the first thing we noticed is that we were the only Asian guests and we knew then that this was not the place but we decided to give it a try anyways. BOY OH BOY- we should have trusted our guts because we were definitely disappointed- with the food, service and most importantly ourselves! I really wished it proved us wrong! I got the chicken pho while my partner got the hot and spicy shrimp. We shared shrimp spring rolls. The spring rolls were really loose and the sauce was very watered down. The pho was flavorless, pretty much just hot water and there is limited condiments- I'm sorry my fellow pho fans but there was no fish sauce or chill oil, which was like basic needed pho condiments for me. Also the mini slice of lime I got for my pho was going bad- it was browning in the side- made me question freshness. The hot and spicy shrimp was honestly the star of the show- although it wasn't spicy it was full with flavor! I don't know if I would be back but I did notice weekend menus with many traditional weekend dishes that I may check out in the future in IDK a year from now. Now for the service- it was quick but unfriendly and I definitely felt pushed to eat and pay...even when it wasn't busy. read more

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Came here on a recent Sunday afternoon after seeing a movie. It was one of those *very* cold and windy days. We were delighted to find them open after we agreed that some Vietnamese food would hit the spot! Parking in their adjacent large parking lot was easy. Walking inside the restaurant, we found it had a few tables occupied by large groups, and we were seated at a comfortable booth towards the back. We took our time considering our menu options and finally decided on an order of egg rolls to share, two entrees, and a pot of tea. A short while later, all the food was brought out at once, instead of our app coming out first, and then our entrees several minutes later. The egg rolls were hot & fresh, right out of the fryer. They were crispy and very tasty. The Mock Duck Lo Mein entree I ordered was also very tasty, and I ended up eating the entire serving during the course of our visit (yes, I was full). My dining companion enjoyed her entree and got a container in which to bring her leftovers home. When our server stopped by to remove the empty plate from the egg rolls and to hear my companion's request for a leftovers container, and despite the obvious fact that I was still eating (chopsticks in hand and bringing food up to my mouth), she asked me whether she could take my plate away. What?! The prices seem fair for the quality and amount of food. Service: so-so/meh. read more

We had a great meal here! Started with the fried egg rolls, they were super tasty, would definitely order again. Then we shared the Com Ga Nuong and Bun Bo Xao, both were excellent! They had great flavor and felt very fresh! The service was also fantastic, our waitress was very attentive. Our food came out quickly and we got lots of water refills! read more

I know I'm coming late to this St Paul gem, but better late than never. We had a really good takeout experience on a day my wife was craving pho. She got the sliced beef pho and I got the combination bun salad. Both were excellent and the bun came packed with 3 different proteins and an egg roll. The kids loved the egg roll appetizer but did not think highly of the wonton soup (I think the sesame oil turned them off). Also the chicken and rice dish was fire. Will def be back! read more

I'm 41 years old and I've been a fan of Hoa Bien since I was a teenager when my high school was a couple blocks away and they were in a much smaller building in the same location on a hill. Hoa Bien has maintained it excellence through the years. I haven't once been disappointed. My go-to dish is typically their Bun Salad. My son loves the Shrimp Lo Mein. Dad loves the Hot and Spicy Chicken and my Mom is partial to the Sweet and Sour Chicken which actually has Peppers, Onions and Pineapple! Hoa Bien has my vote for one of the best Vietnamese restaurants in the Twin Cities! read more

Wenever we went in there in the afternoon, there is always one worker who's like mid twenties girl. She's pretty cool - very efficient and friendly. Will engage in convo from time to time, also really great at recommending dishes. We typically get the catfish, banh xeoh, their rice rolls and the special assorted dessert w/ the mung bean, jelly, coconut... Idk the name though xD The catfish is perfect for eating there. Its nice and warm and so very savory with their rice. Feels like a warm hug honestly. Banh xeoh is always fun to eat with the veggies/herbs. I noticed you dont just get one type of plate of veggies, its sometimes the shiso leaves or perilla, sometimes different herbs. Always an assortment. Always delicious. Rice rolls has bean sprouts innit. Makes for a satisfying crunch. The dessert is always nice to finish the meal. Very sweet and satisfying. Definitely hits the spot for Vietnamese, and always makes me feel pretty light after stuffing my face. Highly recommend! read more

This Vietnamese restaurant is delicious. We got a couple orders of the crispiest, most wonderful egg rolls. Yum! Next was their Spicy Chicken with vegetables and an order of pork fried rice. Both full of flavor and the spicy was mn spicy, so next time we will tell them to spice it up. We split it and still plenty for lunch tomorrow. Great spot and the takeout was very quick and they brought it right out to our car. read more

Quality, quick, Vietnamise. Simple inside. You can't go wrong here. Been eating hear for 20 years at least. Only one way in and out of their parking lot. read more

Once again ,a wonderful experience. Delicious food. Friendly service. Calm atmosphere. Love this place. read more

Hoa Bien Vietnamese Restaurant - Bun thit nuong, egg rolls and chicken curry - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Stopped by before a work event and ordered one of my default order, Pho Special. Servers were friendly and the service was fast. It only took ten minutes to order and receive my food. I was a little disappointed with the portion size, which is on the smaller end of the scale; however, the pho itself did not disappoint me. The broth was well seasoned. I drank almost all of the broth, which was rare. The garnishments were healthy looking and fresh. I took my time to taste and enjoyed every bite. If you didn't already know, the meatballs are made in-house. The textures were bumpy and looked homemade. I got my source straight from the staff member before I left. They were good. Even though there was no chili oil on the table, the jalapeño was spicy and made up for it. Would go back for pho again. read more

Hoa Bien Vietnamese Restaurant - Pho Garnishments - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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We were here again for the umpteenth time. (We go here a lot). The food was good as always. I had a bowl of hot sour seafood soup. It was not as good as regular pho but ample amount to take some home. Our biggest problem this time was the wait. Usually they are prompt with the service but not on a Saturday night. We had planned on just dropping in for a bite then going out to visit friends. We ended up being here for almost an hour and a half. Excessive time especially when I was trying to get somewhere else for the evening. read more

Hoa Bien Vietnamese Restaurant - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Service I would give them a 2. But overall experience I would give them a 1. I have eating at this restaurant for several years, until yesterday. I would say it will be my last, and the restaurant is a SCAM.......As you can see the pictures I'd taken were the foods I've ordered. It doesn't look the same as the menu. They have used cheap squids to substitute what I have ordered . The other is Banh Bot Loc, but with that picture is more of a dumpling. I have asked about the food the cook said that is how it is. I am freaking Vietnamese I know what is Banh Bot Loc is. If you run out just said you dont have it, why sell me something else. Pure SCAM. I wasn't offer to return the food. Hoa Bien bay gio te lam roi. Trong menu Hinh thi de do an nay, ma ban do an khac. Cac ACE nen Chu Y. Coi chung bi Hoa Bien lua. Muc xao thi trong hinh de loi muc ngon lam. Ma ban cho minh loi re tien. Con Banh Bot Loc coi co giong kg? read more

Hoa Bien Vietnamese Restaurant - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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If you're looking for high quality Vietnamese food, this is the place for you to be! This Twin Cities Gem is located on Lexington and University, very convenient for those on the light rail/bus line. There is a large spacious parking lot as well. The restaurant is big, spacious, has a lot of natural light and a refreshing feel. Compared to other Vietnamese restaurants in the Twin Cities, the prices are slightly higher, but I promise you get what you pay for. The food is fresh and of high quality. Hoa Bien has the BEST egg rolls I've ever had (besides my mothers of course) My go to's are the Shrimp Fried Rice, Vegetable Lo Mein, 6 piece Fried Chicken, Chicken and Broccoli w| White Rice, White Noodle Shrimp Salad, Spring Rolls and of course Egg Rolls. If you eat by standard portions, each meal can feed 2-3 adults. The young men who usually work are kind. Lunch time is typically busy, but it quiets down for dinner. I use "Door Dash" when delivery is necessary. read more

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I saw your restaurant in Joshlilj's video where he fed homeless people. I was initially very happy to see the yellow flag with 3 red stripes in the background! Then I saw that you gave a discount when you found out he was feeding the homeless. Thank you for representing the generous spirit of VNCH. Thank you so much! Have a blessed day! (I did some major research to find out who you are. A lot of screenshots, zooming and Googling--I'm really good at investigating. Glad I found you! If I am ever in St. Paul, I will visit!) read more

I've never ordered anything bad from them, and they read the comments on my online orders which is super helpful. I love the tofu curry, and the pick up experience has been super easy and smooth. read more

I'll be up front and say my experience with Vietnamese food is limited (I mean none). So today I branched out a little to explore some new cuisine. Hoa Bien has a large menu with a variety of options whether your looking for Pho, Bun, Banh, or Chow Mein. They also have a decent selection of tea and sweet drinks. I came with a large group and they were very accommodating. Food: I had the Bun with chicken and I thought it was great. There was fresh mint and cilantro and the sweet and spicy sauce paired well with everything. The portions were huge, however I would like to point out that I ate the whole bowl because I thought it was so good. No one had any complaints at the table regarding food and everyone enjoyed the food and drinks they ordered. Service: Service was fabulous throughout and our food and drinks arrived very quickly. When we were finished they just said we could pay at the counter and it was very convenient for our large group. Even with the large group they somehow remembered what everyone ordered and splitting the check went easily. Other: They have a large parking lot which is nice and prices were very reasonable. I have to say that nothing particularly stood out to me that was absolutely amazing, but Hoa Bien was a great first experience for Vietnamese food and I look forward to trying other dishes. read more

Hoa Bien Vietnamese Restaurant - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Not sure who is hating on this restaurant but it is quality I love the canh chua catfish (kind of like sweet sour soup?) This is the restaurant that can cater to both Vietnamese and non-Viets! There's literally food for everyone. I've been here multiple times and the only issue I've encountered is waiting to order sometimes. However, the restaurant is highly recommended! read more

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Simple decor and excellent food. Friendly people I'd definitely come back here. Love the spicy chicken.

Went there for lunch and the service is great and the pho is one of the tastiest in Minnesota.

I was at the restaurant during my lunchtime. After order was made, almost immediately the food was on our table. Everything that we ordered was very fresh and tasty. I would highly recommend everybody to try their Pho and one of their noodle salads. They also have lunch menu. read more

Hoa Bien Vietnamese Restaurant - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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I love this place ! It's not most well Known Vietnamese restaurant in the cities but I think they have the most authentic Vietnamese food . I am Vietnamese and I can always tell real Vietnamese vs Americanized Vietnamese food . The food definitely reminds me of my moms cooking . I would recommend the spring rolls ! It's the best! This is place is not too busy on weekdays , so the food comes out really fast ! read more

Hoa Bien Vietnamese Restaurant - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

We enjoyed our first trip pre-COVID 19 in the dining area of the restaurant. Decided to try take-out and it was great. They do a nice job. Picture shows a 1/2 order of Bun with Eggroll - portion size is big so saving 1/2 for later! Great job Hoa Bien! Ordered from Bite Squad and it came fast. read more

Hoa Bien Vietnamese Restaurant - Leftover half of Bun with eggrolls - big portions! - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Everything we ordered was great! From the canh chua, ca kho to, and tofu with mixed veggies. Seasoned well and taste great served with rice.

Alright y'all the fact that Hoa Bien only has 3.5 stars (mostly because of old reviews) is a crying shame. Tl;dr one of the most diverse Vietnamese menus in St. Paul, where nearly everything is well-executed. Full disclosure, I've probably been going to this restaurant for twenty years. Yes, back when it looked totally different and the waitstaff were the parents of the current waitstaff. Back then it was nice but not remarkable (honestly) Viet food on University. By about five years ago, Hoa Bien had expanded. The atmosphere improved, food stayed reliable. But generally speaking, among University Avenue's "old guard" of Vietnamese restaurants (Trieu Chau, Saigon, etc), I generally would tend to go to Saigon (now iPho) for comfort level. Then, about two years ago, my mother went back and was pleasantly shocked. Hoa Bien had redecorated, expanded its menu, and gotten even better. Staples are well-executed. light and fragrant pho broths (I even like the chicken base Shock!), beautiful grilled meats on bun salads, my mother's favorite seafood soups. You will not be disappointed with Standard Vietnamese Fare. But there are also things you don't find at most Vietnamese places that feel really homey to Asians. I'm not just talking the Banh Xeo's of the world (you can find this elsewhere though Hoa Bien's is light, crispy and huge). I mean hot pots, catfish soup, more. The weekend special menus of beef smorgasbord and steamed sticky rice small plates. The latter are super finicky to make and rarely make it onto menus - even Hoa Bien sometimes can't offer certain dishes on Sunday because the homemade batch didn't come out. (Yes, everything is made by the matriarch of the family. This is not fool-proof cooking, and it tastes so much better as a result.) The wonder of Hoa Bien is that anyone can find something to satisfy them, whether you want American Chinese, regular Vietnamese or Really Super Vietnamese. Is this enough to convince you that Hoa Bien deserves your patronage? I may just go in a few hours. read more

Come here! Get the best egg rolls ever and then order the #38 bahn xeo. It's a fried yellow rice cake filled with bean sprouts, shrimp, and pork, served with a vegetable salad and fish sauce. Yummy! read more

Hoa Bien Vietnamese Restaurant - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

They use to have a tiny location back in the 90s. their golden era if you will. Since the new building sprouted up though, the food has gone to the crapper. Their egg rolls are frozen and deep fried in old oil. The last time I was here, I could tell that they didn't even let the egg rolls thaw, straight from the freezer to the deep fryer. The center was still cold despite the outside being hot and crispy. Their pho use to have flavor, now its so bland and generic. The hot and spicy beef is still good, which is redeeming. The roast pork friend rice with their egg roll sauce is still an excellent experience. The actual eating space is quite tiny considering it's such a big building. Most of the square footage is allocated to the reception hall, which never seems booked (on the weekends at least). Not gonna lie, the building is an eye-sore for the area and doesn't quite make sense being where it is. Went from my go-to spot to my distant thought spot over the course of a decade. Oh well, the memories... read more

I've had the pleasure to have Pho all over the country, but the Pho at Hoa Bien was the best I've ever had! I ordered the pho with beef and brisket. The broth was so good, that I didn't need to add soy sauce or salt (which is usually the norm for me). The vegetables were extremely fresh, large, and crisp. The service was warm, friendly, and informative and the price was pleasantly below average. I'm looking forward to eating there again. read more

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Oh wow. This place blew me away. First, it was clean and modern and with lots of windows it was a great place to go on a cold but sunny day. We sat in the sunshine and it felt great. I may have given it 5 stars just for that. The service was exceptional in every way. The menu is a little overwhelming so the server was able to point us in the right direction. We got spring rolls, chicken lo mein. It was the best Lo Mein I have ever had, no exageration. This place was very out of the way for us, but it is definitely a place I'll be going back to. read more

Hoa Bien Vietnamese Restaurant - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Was visiting my brother and sister-in-law in Minnesota and also my two boys. Stopped in here for lunch. It was a nice place. Wasn't very busy. However the service was excellent. Very attentive. Loved the food. It was worth the drive from Utah to Minnesota just for the pho!!! read more