Amazing food, excellent service and a relaxed upscale ambiance, Le Bambou has all three! I'd highly recommend paying them a visit if you're looking for some Vietnamese food done right. To top it off it's family owned multiple generations. read more

This place has one thing none of the other Pho shops do... tablecloths! Cloth napkins, quiet ambiance, impeccable service, booths and tables... Date night material. A lot has changed in the mall around Le Bambou since my first visit in 2000, but they're still bringing it. If you want a full menu of Vietnamese food, Pho, or claypot, and a quieter, more refined experience than Convoy, with easier parking, this is your ticket. The Phở Special comes with a big meaty rib bone. The bowl itself isn't as x-large as some other places, and limits itself to filet & brisket (no shredded tripe). Solid meal and a good value. Excellent service, and pretty quick if you just want a late hot meal. read more

Le Bambou, I apologize for the times I've forgotten about you, tucked into the corner and behind the water feature. I can't say Bambou makes the best pho in SD; we've got an entire neighborhood devoted to stuff like that. But their pho is always very, very good, and they're very, very close by my home. The restaurant is upscale-looking inside, albeit, as another reviewer noted, in an 80's kind of way. They always have a couple tables set up outside, which is great, because my pup loves to await me handing over the big beef rib bone that protrudes from my favorite pho there. So, I guess 4.6 stars... which we'll round up to 5. read more

What a disappointment. Le Bambou, so highly touted for years.. in Del Mar! Wow! Vietnamese food with a French flair, they used to say.. Because of thr tablecloths and cloth napkins? I have been there twice in the last 2 months, and I have twice been disappointed. Bland, bland, bland food, makes me wonder if the chef is really Vietnamese. For my birthday lunch, my "so called" bun plate looked and tasted like a Chinese stir fry from the 60s. No flavor whatsoever and 4 solitary scallops swimming in a tasteless sauce with limp vegetables. Where were the mung bean noodles? the crisp egg rolls? a flavorful pho? (instead of some white liquid that had NO flavor) I was waiting for the Chinese red lanterns to light up. The egg rolls (I have been to Vietnam and know eggrolls) were wrapped in rice paper. A plus. But they were so tough as to be inedible. I think they may have been reheated from the day before. I also learned how to make them: from the Vietnamese refugees I once taught. These had nothing in them save ground pork.. where is the grated jicama? The grated carrots? The star anise? the grated radish? The nuoc mam sauce had no nuoc mam in it. NO ginger, lime, sugar etc. No flavor at all. I had to ask to a side of real fish sauce. The service was quite pleasant...but the two times I have been, the place was practically empty for lunch. That says something. I would steer you to any number of excellent Vietnamese establishments in Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, and Escondido where most are family run. Maybe Le Bambou tones down its flavors for Del Mar palates? Come up north and find out what real Vietnamese food is like. Save your pennies for the good less exotic restaurants in Del Mar. Do NOT order the lunch specials for sure.... read more

Everything was perfect! This place has been a hidden gem for so many years. Im so happy they're still in business. Delicious food! Great service! Quaint, cozy place. read more

What an amazing hidden gem I found in a local strip mall in Del Mar. Little did I know, this restaurant is operated by the same family since 1987. I ordered the chicken and vegetables imperial rolls, the shaking beef (my favorite and its MAJOR NOMMMMMM) with the special beef pho. Everything was light, fresh and healthy. One thing to add, I have never been much of a Vietnamese eater, I mainly just ate beef pho, but after trying more of the food, I am a big fan. read more

I'm a firm believer that when a restaurant names a dish after themselves, then you should order that dish! We were greeted instantly upon arriving, were seated at a comfy booth, and presented with menus! Service was prompt and friendly and the kitchen knocked out our order quickly and accurately! Le Bambou has a dish called Combination Fried Rice Le Bambou... so I followed my beliefs and got that... and I'm happy I did! DELICIOUS!! It was fresh and packed with all of the tasty proteins I was craving! Highly recommended! As an admitted caffeine-addict and lover of Viet coffee (Cafe Sua Da), I had to order one of those as well. If I were to have any complaints about this place, it would be that they may have used too sweetened condensed milk... as my Viet coffee came out really light (in color) and was not as strong and bold as I like. Not a big deal, but next time I'd probably ask for them to ease off on the milk a bit. Vietnamese cuisine is generally pretty friendly for those of us gluten-free eaters... and Le Bambou holds true to that... so plenty of gluten-free options here! Overall, a wonderful meal and experience... and we will definitely be back! Gluten-free rating: *****FIVE STARS***** Overall rating: *****FIVE STARS***** read more

Le Bambou - Vietnamese Iced Coffee! - Vietnamese Near Me - Del Mar, California

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These guys know how to do fried rice! My combination fried rice was packed full of flavor, not oily, and the portion size was ooooh la la, I definitely need help with eating all of this, but uh uh, don't u dare touch MY fried rice! Needless to say, I ate the whole thing and reveled in it! read more

Le Bambou - 10. Combination Fried Rice Le Bambou - Vietnamese Near Me - Del Mar, California

I came across this place on a Friday at noon looking for restaurants near seasurf and found this place nicely tucked in the corner of the plaza. There was plenty of parking and no wait to get seated. Our waiter was very helpful in making recommendations and describing the menu for us to make a well informed decision. I ended up getting the vermicelli with pork, shrimp, and imperial eggrolls which is apparently one of their popular dishes. The first thing that caught my eye and taste were the imperial eggrolls reason being they were super crunchy! If they had a bit more savory flavor inside somehow it would have been a 5/5, but it was still very yummy. The pork and shrimp were pretty good and adding the fish sauce on top of course helped bring out the pop in taste. The veggies that came with the dish didn't look the most fresh but I guess it still tasted good. I give this place an honest 3.5 stars. Although my dish was good, my friend's orders were apparently a mixed bag. 4 stars overall for the nice service! read more

Just had an unforgettable experience with authentic Vietnamese cuisine! Indulged in their special pho, and it was nothing short of a culinary delight! Highly recommend it to anyone looking to tantalize their taste buds! read more

Le Bambou - Just had an unforgettable experience with authentic Vietnamese cuisine! it was nothing short of a culinary delight! Highly recommend. - Vietnamese Near Me - Del Mar, California

The food was so fresh and tasty. We ordered the vegetable Ambrosia and asked if we could get chicken instead of tofu and they yes. It was fun to make our own spring rolls. Our server was very polite and efficient. We will be back. read more

Best pho we've tasted!!! The service and food were excellent. We celebrated our high school kid's A's on their report cards. Lovely choice we made to have dinner. Highly recommended! read more

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Went in Sunday night close to closing, but got excellent service! I was even given free flan on the house that I ordered, and it did not disappoint, absolutely delicious. The pho special is great, came with different kinds of meat, even a rib. I got take out but the restaurant looked clean and had an elegant set up. Def recommend and will come again, thank you! read more

We ate at this restaurant twice. Here are my thoughts: LOCATION: Le Bambou is conveniently located within a large shopping center in Del Mar, CA. There are several other restaurants, shops, etc here, including Vons and CVS. ATMOSPHERE: The ambiance is pretty nice. Very casual. A little outdated, but comfortable and warm nevertheless. SERVICE: The service is pretty good. The servers have been very nice both times I ate here. The last time I had dinner here, they seemed to be a little short staffed, but the service was still not bad. FOOD: The first time I ate here, we ordered the Charbroiled Chicken on a Skewer. It looked terrific, but it was not cooked all the way through. The inside was completely raw, which is very dangerous. The manager took it off the menu and was very apologetic, but it wasn't the best experience. We also ordered the Cook It Yourself Beef, which I did like. The raw chicken incident really turned me off to the restaurant, so I left thinking I'd not ever return. However, a year or so later, I was in the mood for some Pho, so I decided to give Le Bambou another chance. I got the filet mignon pho and the rolled beef appetizer. The appetizer was really good, but the pho wasn't. It simply lacked in flavor. I am a big pho fan and have experienced many terrific ones--this was definitely not one of them. As much as I hate writing negative reviews, especially when it's a family-owned business, I have to also be honest on Yelp. Unfortunately, I will not be returning to Le Bambou. read more

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Extremely rude and NOT family friendly. We have experienced this twice which is why I'm writing the review. The first time we dined here, it was a large group and we stumbled upon it and overall had an okay experience. Food was good but a bit overpriced. When my husband and I decided to return with our son, who is 3, we were told that they couldn't seat us even though the restaurant was empty and it just turned 5. The hostess was extremely rude and after we asked to make a reservation so we could return later, she walked away and acted as she didn't hear us. We tried to dine there again this evening and it was even worse. She barely addressed us (too busy on her phone?) and a waiter offered us a table. When I asked for a booster seat, they gave attitude but then handed me one that was covered in black gunk. I asked for a towel to wipe it down and he said he'd have to go find one... what? By this time, we were picking up the message again that they did not want us there. They ended up not coming to our table after we sat there for ten minutes so we got up and left. If you do not want families or children to come to your restaurant, just say it. Don't pull a charade of ignoring the people in front of you. We ended up going next door for sushi (which was amazing!) and the service was night and day, with the staff being overly welcoming to our son and us. I don't care if the food is good - if the service is unacceptable, you shouldn't be in the business. read more

Very good ingredient driven Vietnamese style food. Typically pho can be overpowering with strong cues of spices, fish, and marrow in their dishes and I appreciate LBBs attenuated profiles. Their use of high quality ingredients really comes out, and although their seasoning is on the milder side, I find it's easy to eat especially when I'm sick or in need of substantial but digestible meal. Being sensitive to MSG (I get eye socket migraines when I consume too much MSG), I really appreciate operators that focus on the ingredients vs spice bombing their dishes. read more

Service and ambience is excellent with outside seatings, white table cloth and candlelight. read more

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The best pho I ever had. Not too fond of the thick noodles but that broth was exquisite. Staff was superb. The imperial roll was was delicious. But I can't get over that broth! The restaurant is so pretty inside as well very upscale amazing Vietnamese food read more

Le Bambou - 30. Pho Special Soup - Vietnamese Near Me - Del Mar, California

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Very good Vietnamese fusion restaurant! Pho has a lot of meat and each dish surprises me. Will come again. read more

Le Bambou - Pho special - Vietnamese Near Me - Del Mar, California

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A neighborhood gem! Great food and service. We live around the corner and always wanted to try it. Came here for lunch and we were not disappointed. The lunch specials are great! Chicken and rice soup was delicious. The stir fry beef and shrimp were both very yummy! Will definitely hav to come back and try some different dishes! read more

The food was amazing! Imperial rolls and traditional fish soup with sole were our favorites! One of the best spots to eat in Del Mar and one paseo area. read more

This restaurant has amazing food that amazing crisis with a beautiful quiet ambience with white tablecloths. The owner is beyond lovely and the prices are incredible. Don't miss the eggplant with Basil and the Cornish hen . We split a glass of wine and it didn't look like a split at all. We each had a full glass read more

This restaurant is is a gem in San Diego, simple and elegant decors. Great service, I have requested and verified no MSG soup and Mimi came back with honest update that their Chicken Pho soup is non MSG, it was delicious and fulfilling. We also had the special pho which is delectable and just the right saltiness and the steak was tender. The fried tofu is perfection when it was served warm with peanut sauce. We also had the stir fried beef with vegetables. Everything is good the service, cleanliness, food price,wine selection and menu. It was a good dinner over all. Cheers to Mimi and Nia. read more

Le Bambou - Soup menu - Vietnamese Near Me - Del Mar, California

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Had a great experience doing take out. Went in yelp, and was able to use grub hub. Surprisingly fees were low/non existent. I was pleasantly surprised with the food, fried rice was good, the egg rolls very good, pho was pretty tasty as well. I would have liked a little bit more flavor in their broth. One thing to point out is the quality of the meat, definitely better than your typical place. They use higher quality meat, and real crab. Sure it's a little higher than going to convoy but beats paying $15-20 in fees or driving 30 minutes when you have a good place in Del Mar Heights for locals. read more

Le Bambou - 64a. Sauteed Eggplant with Fresh Basil - Vietnamese Near Me - Del Mar, California

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cute place in the corner and they have outside seating. we got the vegetable soup..vietnamese coffee..chicken curry..chicken and ginger. they give alot of food and fast. first time having vietnamese coffee and it was so good..not bitter at all. service..fast ans friendly read more

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The service and food here is great. Really enjoyed the pho. The beef broth is spectacular. I had the imperial vegetarian spring rolls and really enjoyed the way you wrap lettuce over them. They're huge and the sauce is soo good. I am not bothered by them being burnt a bit on some sides. It's the kind of burnt that tastes good, like the burnt ends of a beef roast. Anyway, dig the atmosphere. We'll be back. Might be a new go-to. read more

The ambience is nice. It's white and feels cosy in the evening. There was only one server who was run ragged most of the evening. I tried to order fried rice as a side but he said it was not possible only white or brown. I wanted to pay for it but he didn't seem to understand what I wanted. I ordered the lacque duck. It was supposed to be half a duck on greens with rice. They brought the remains of a duck. There was no breast, no wing and no thigh. It was a leg and a bunch of bones. You maybe would have made soup with it. When I asked the manager where the breast was he said it was cut up in there. The duck breast is large. There was no breast. They took half off that entree. The whole thing should have been removed from my bill. We actually got the breast BONE on the plate with no meat on it. We even got the NECK. Very disappointing. I would rather have been told there was no duck that night, rather than have been duped with the scraps. read more

Quaint nice ambiance. Different Pho beef than I'm used to but it was tasty and clean.

I have CELIAC DISEASE and the staff here are knowledgable about this disease and are aware of cross contamination. They can also tell you off the top of their head which dishes are and aren't gluten free. I rarely eat out at restaurants that aren't 100% gluten free because I am that kind of sensitive. But this is one restaurant I trust. I've never had any problems here. I bring lots of people here since it's one of the only restaurants in North County I can eat out at, and everyone has a positive experience. A lot of times I've been chatting away past closing and they NEVER ONCE have rushed me out the door. They are always so patient and that patience goes a long way. Thank you guys! read more

White tablecloth restaurant, and still reasonably priced. The vegetable ambrosia is so delicious. It's deconstructed fresh rolls that you get to make yourself. I love the spicy chicken soup and the seafood clay pot is the bomb. read more

This is a gem hidden in the Von's shopping center on Del Mar Heights Rd. It is such a great restaurant. It is family run and It feels like you are in someone's comfortable but nice home. I'm not knowledgeable about Vietnamese food. I can say that the food in general is just delicious. It's always wonderfully fresh and very tasty. I have ordered many things; all of which are done to perfection. It's probably best to make a reservation but if you don't have one, you can just walk in-they usually are clearing the next table just for you. The staff is kind and respectful and hard-working. They have wonderful photos of Vietnam on the walls. It's a warm and inviting ambiance. A small place with seemingly plenty of room. Don't hesitate-go and try this. I don't think you'll be disappointed. I face I think you'll love it and want to go back. read more

We got the Pho Special, the Pho Shrimp and the Golden Coin for takeout and they were all SOOO good, we are considering making this a weekly dinner, we loved it so much!! We both preferred the shrimp pho over the special, but both amazing still. The build your own spring roll is such a cute, yummy and easy idea I definitely recommend !! The staff was very nice as well:) read more

Order takeout and it was on time. The pho was very good and tasty. The two other entrees were vegetarian dishes and they were very good, flavorful. The amount of food was a good size. I would go back for more and try their other dishes. read more

We were in the mood for Pho and Le Bambou did not disappoint. The food was phenomenal. The service was fantastic. The atmosphere was home town warm and inviting. I will be going back again and again.. Just love this place. read more

Make a reservation as they'll turn you away even though the 1/2 the restaurant is open. Still want to try it though.

How have I only tried this for the first time even tho I've lived in Del Mar for 3 years?! We ordered for takeout and it was easily the best takeout we've gotten in San Diego in a long time. We will definitely become regulars moving forward. Everything we ordered was so flavorful and I would definitely order again. We ordered the rolled beef appetizer (an absolute must!), vegetarian imperial rolls and crispy ginger sole fish. I can't wait to try more items on their menu as their flavors are on point!! Thank you for an amazing meal :) read more

Seriously, I couldn't wait to write my review before even eating my food. This has been the most racist discriminating restaurant I've ever eaten. To the point that its an asian restaurant and it belonged to Asian people, it truly hurts me a lot. I went there around 6:50pm to order something quick and easy to eat as I was hungry. I was only wearing a black top, joggers and sneakers. As soon as I walked it, I was pretty surprised and impressed of the restaurants lay out and ambience. It has its fancy feel, kinda semi upscale kind of vibe which is something rare for every pho places I've been at. There's one lady before me waiting to get seated and I was welcomed by the hostess with a simple, " hi, I'll be with you in a moment . " which was normal. I sat on the other chair while waiting to get attended to. Couple minutes after more customers comes and goes. I still patiently waited. Until the hostess goes by name " Sharida " removed her masked trying to sus talked to me and said , " Are you sure you wanna wait coz it's gonna take probably 15-20mins. Depending what you wanna order. I responded and said, yeah it's okay I'll wait. She keeps removing her mask while talking to me which I did not mind and first thing she asked me was, Okayyy... " HOW MANY Would you like to order? " I'm like talking to my brain like, " what does she meant how many would I like to order? Isn't it supposed to be, " what would you like to order? " I still did not give it an attention and answered, just one. She said, okay... just ONE??? Yeah... and shes like, okay what do you want? She wrote it down and charged me for my bill right there and then without even getting me seated first. I'm kinda like confused coz it was weird. I excused myself and asked her if I could use the restroom. As soon as I get back from the restroom , was also a perfect timing I saw her had one female lady she just brought to the table to get seated. I walked back to the waiting chair and still waiting. Few minutes later I asked her, " excuse me.... How long more is the waiting? She's like, probably couple more minutes. Let me check for you. " without even asking me if I want to eat at the restaurant or I want my order to go, never had an intention of giving me a table to sit and eat. She then pretends wiping the pens. One pen fell so I picked it up and she looked at me sus, so weird. Finally, my order came in a To-Go box. I was like; I did not order my food to go. I came here coz I want to eat. I walked here because I'm hungry and I want to eat! They're be like, ohhh... you want to eat here? I'm like, yes please. Why would I'd walked and wait that long if I had no reason to eat? It felt like, she purposely never wanted me to get served but just want me to order to go. Why is that? Because I don't look rich, or it's because I'm eating alone by myself? How come the other client who also walked in by herself, she got her seated right away? While I have to sit at the chair next to her while waiting until I wished to get seated on one of the tables so I can properly eat. I was angry but I was also hungry so I still go on and finally get to eat. I felt like, they don't even want to give me service, that I don't matter at all. It's like, they're choosing their customers base on status, looks and for high profile customers only? And because I only ordered one entree, their " house special pho ", they do not bother wanting to serve me but rather assume to have my order to go? Their seats and tables are for customers of their choice only or it's because I did not ordered a lot of meal? For one person, I did not even finished my food. I only eat half of it. Is that how this restaurant works and how it's run? I tried taking a picture of her and some of the employee noticed it I think and probably told the owner coz few minutes later she came to my table to apologize and offered me a 20% discount of my food which I refused as I already paid anyways. I don't think any customers should be treated that way! Regardless of how she look, rich or poor, race, age and color or how much she would want to order and spend. It's a restaurant for people to go and eat. Why I'm being denied of the service just coz I don't pass their quality check? Or There's a quantity limit I need to order before I can get seated on their tables? She served other people before me, why is that? What is in your table that I cannot sit and also enjoy my meal without being mistreated? I will NEVER forget nor recommend this restaurant at all. Food is only okay and to get treated poorly on top of that too? No way! She automatically changed her attitude towards me while I was walking out the restaurant as if she truly cares. From being snob to a quick friendly tone switch , calling me on my name waving goodbye? Like we become friends all of a sudden? I will NEVER recommend this place. It's a shame there are really some people who are actaully like SHARIDA.. read more

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The chicken curry and imperial rolls are a definite favorite! The staff is so friendly and food has been 10/10 every time.

Neighborhood gem. Tucked into s corner of strip mall. Tasteful decor with linen tablecloths. Good vegan accommodation. Plenty of parking. read more

Le Bambou - Vietnamese Near Me - Del Mar, California

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The food is absolutely delicious and so amazingly fresh! A must try. They have indoor and outdoor options. Inside is nice and very quiet so you can actually hear each other in conversation. read more