Deliciously authentic (I'm vietnamese and grew up on homemade pho and other viet dishes)!! I ordered Pho Suong Bo (bone-in short ribs soup) and my husband got the garlic noodles with ribeye. We also got the butterfly prawns. My soup was so flavorful, I only added the sliced jalapeno for some heat and a squeeze of lime. I didn't need to add Sriracha or hoisin sauce. The meat was fall of the bone tender--excellent quality and definitely worth the $. My husband LOVED his garlic noodles. That's his go-to dish. The prawns were tender and lightly crispy with the panko. They have THE BEST Vietnamese iced coffee, but I unfortunately can't have caffeine anymore. Now, I order their coconut juice, and I could've drank 5 more!! It's so fresh and you get a couple of pieces of fresh coconut in it. Yum! read more

Rice And Roots - Must try the Pho Suong Bo!! SO FLAVORFUL! - Vietnamese Near Me - Monterey, California

One of our new favorites in Monterey! Small Vietnamese sit down restaurant, we ordered the grilled pork banh mi to start. Flavorful and good blend of vegetables, but would have liked more veggies. Them OMG we ordered the papaya shrimp salad and the flavor and heat was perfect. I will be back for this dish! Shrimp was cooked perfectly, and the umami was off the chart. My only recommendation would be to make the salad larger by simply adding more lettuce, and there could have been more shrimp or larger shrimp. The fish sauce wings were nice and crispy with the perfect amount of fish sauce marinade to make it cravable. We also tried the basil garlic wings, but thought the fish sauce wings were the clear winner. Is it a first date place, possibly, but not sure a person love or dislike of fish sauce would come up prior to the first date. Probably would need to know someone longer, but atmosphere is nice. Atmosphere: 4 of 5 Updated seats and tables, clean, and modern. I would replace the outdoor awning, that is a little worn. First impressions are a lot. Food: 5 of 5 perfect blend of flavors with that umami you crave, without being overpowering. Value: 4 of 5: pricing is appropriate for the flavor, and umami. Service: 4 of 5. Very attentive to the tables, food takes a little longer to come out, but they have only been open a month, so this is to be expected as the ramp up. read more

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This is a relatively new hole in the wall pho shop located near downtown Monterey. I've eaten here a couple of times now and would say it's the best pho in town! The broth is super clean but also full of flavor. The meat is tender and the noodles are appropriately cooked (just make sure to stir it right away to break the noodles up). The R&R egg rolls (Chả Giò) are crispy and flavorful, but be sure to ask for lettuce if you want to eat them properly. The signature papaya salad is light, tangy and refreshing. It comes with comes with chips for a nice crunch. The dining room is on the smaller side, but tables can be moved around to accommodate different sized parties. The service has been a bit slow both times I've visited, and I had to ask multiple times for items like napkins or another spoon. Everyone is very friendly though, and the food has been worth it. I wish they would stay open until at least 9pm on weekends, especially in the summer season. I'm excited to go back and try more delicious food! This is definitely my go-to now when I need a comforting bowl of pho to heal my soul. read more

Rice And Roots - Phở Tái (pho with rare steak). Includes basil, bean sprouts, fresh jalapeño, and lime on the side. - Vietnamese Near Me - Monterey, California

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amazing. we tried the garlic noodles, with shrimp, and the pho tai, both were perfect. one waitress but she did great. always busy, but still managed to be attentive. read more

Rice And Roots - garlic noodles with shrimp - Vietnamese Near Me - Monterey, California

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Disappointed! Food is ok but customer service and service needs work! TLTR: decent tasting food, lackluster service. Banh mi needs more filling! Fruit tea too much syrup & ice. No greeting upon entering. Took 15 mins to take our order and 20 to just get waters. People that came after us were served before we were... The young waitress that mostly tended to our table was nice but the older lady (she was giving owner vibes) really needs to improve on her customer service. She wasn't friendly or attentive to us but we noticed that she was w/ 2 other tables. We wanted to order the garlic fries but they didn't have it. We got banh mi, the strawberry green tea, and the tropical tea. The banh mi tasted decent but needed more filling. They only put 1 sad strip of cucumber in our sandwiches and were stingy with the pickles and cilantro. The baguette was good. The strawberry green tea was good but tasted more like a sweet strawberry fruity drink (think, fruitopia). The tea to syrup ratio is off but we like how they added fresh fruit pieces. Be aware that the tropical fruit tea has tajin (I think) at the bottom of the drink. Overall, the issues we faced could possibly be due to this being a newer business but won't be returning for a while. read more

Rice And Roots - Pork loaf banh mi - Vietnamese Near Me - Monterey, California

Finally, a good pho place in Monterey! I grew up spoiled with homemade pho, as well as San Jose and OC pho, so was very sad when I moved to Monterey and none of the pho I've tried was good enough to satisfy my cravings. Not anymore! I ordered the grilled pork banh mi and combination pho. The grilled pork was flavored well and balanced well with the fresh veggies, pickled carrots and daikon, and the fluffy baguette. I will say the kitchen went a little light-handed on the fillings but the flavors were all there, so I can't complain. Onto the pho dac biet: the broth is hearty and packed with with SO much meat. Super tender tendon, flank, and brisket. The bowl looked a small at first glance but there was so much protein I ended up stuffed! Very comparable to SJ-style pho, which the owner mentioned was her goal! 10/10 would recommend and I will slowly be coming back to try all the menu items! read more

Rice And Roots - Grill pork banh mi (banh mi thit nuong) - Vietnamese Near Me - Monterey, California

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It must be disheartening for the owners to read some of the early reviews, especially knowing how much effort and excitement went into bringing authentic Vietnamese cuisine to Monterey through this brand-new establishment for the owners. I visited on opening day with a group of 6, and the place was already nearly full. Understanding it was their first day, we didn't expect flawless service and don't think anyone should for at least the first few months. I encourage others to be patient and use this early period as a chance to provide constructive feedback, rather than prematurely writing them off. FOOD: We ordered the cánh gà nước mắm (fish sauce fried chicken) and spring rolls to share, followed by individual orders of lemongrass chicken, two pork chop plates, phở đặc biệt (combo pho), gà rô-ti (roti chicken), and phở xương bò (short rib pho). The wings were fantastic! Crispy, flavorful, and served in a generous portion (see photo). We're already craving another round and looking forward to trying the other flavors. I didn't try the spring rolls, but I sampled the peanut sauce. Personally, it wasn't my favorite, but my friends enjoyed it, so it may come down to preference. I had the phở xương bò, and the bone-in short rib was incredibly tender. The broth leans on the sweeter side--something many will enjoy, though I prefer a more savory profile. That said, I'm used to homemade pho, so take that with a grain of salt. DRINKS: The Vietnamese iced coffee and salted iced coffee were both solid. I appreciated the authentic presentation (of ice and a half-filled cup) true to what you'd find in San Jose or Viet Nam. Vietnamese iced coffee around here is often mistaken for a Spanish latte just because it includes condensed milk, so it's refreshing to see it done properly. My partner has returned a few times for milk tea and fruit tea, but the drinks have consistently been too sweet and packed with too much ice. I recommend offering sweetness and ice level options to better tailor to individual preferences. read more

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This is my first Yelp review even though I am a foodie. I have a lot of respect for this restaurant. We are having our vacation in Carmel by the sea and wanting to have some pho. My husband found this place in Monterey and I was very impressed by this restaurant. I grew up eating authentic pho and I also cook, so I am bit picky about pho. The food here was much better than what I expected in Monterey. I truly appreciate that the food is authentic and the chef does not try to modify the dishes too much. I tasted the beef flavor in the pho broth. My 2 year-old son also approved the pho broth. My husband had the garlic noodle with beef and it was yummy. The beef was slightly marinated with lemon grass and it was just enough to enhance the flavor. The crispy tofu was bomb. One big thing I want to share is the rooster image on the plates, bowls and the chopstick cup. It says a lot about this restaurant. The owner values and keeps the Vietnamese culture very well through this piece of detail. I was very happy to eat here. Thank you for making me proud of Vietnamese food and Vietnamese culture in the US. read more

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One of the best Pho places on the peninsula not up for debate! The Pho with beef bone in mouth watering amazing. Definitely a great place to go for breakfast lunch and or dinner. It is always busy so be patient with the servers that are working extremely hard and know that the food is always consistently great. read more

Might be the best Vietnamese I have had. Had the shrimp spring rolls, mango salad, and Pork vermicelli. Will definitely be here on the regular. My lady loved it just as much as I did. read more

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Wish I got photos! Ordered a vegetable banh mi, grilled pork banh mi and shrimp spring rolls. All were absolutely scrumptious! Very big sandwiches read more

I didn't come in with high expectations since we're from the Bay Area but Rice and Roots was actually solid choice by the hubby. Even my mom approved of the pho & I feel like she's a tough pho critic. Other items we ordered included the lemongrass chicken rice plate, char-grilled sliced pork rice plate and grilled pork vermicelli. On the vermicelli, I mentioned an allergy but the kitchen forgot so they remade it quickly. The grilled pork tasted much better than it looked so we were pleasantly surprised. The lemongrass chicken looked spicy but my dad said it was just coloring and lacked lemongrass flavor. The egg roll from the vermicelli also could've used more flavor but I guess that's what the fish sauce on the side can be used for too. My little ones enjoyed their lunch so that says a lot plus service was super friendly! The ladies checked in on us several times and were always smiling from when we walked in to when we left. I'd definitely come back here if we're in the area. They also gave us hi chews at the end :) read more

Fast service, everyone was friendly.. my food was delicious I would definitely come back again and order the same thing. Our boba drinks were not as tasty, drinks a little watered down, wouldn't recommend them.. read more

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5 stars! Rice and Roots was phenomenal! Food came out fast, looked amazing, and tasted even better. We had two appetizers and the beef pho. The place is super clean, service is great, and everyone was really attentive. One small suggestion: it would be nice to have a few high chairs for kids/babies . Just something to consider! Definitely coming back! read more

Rice And Roots - Pho Tai beef Shrimp spring rolls Garlic butter wings - Vietnamese Near Me - Monterey, California

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There are very few Asian noodle soup options in the Monterey area, and this is one of them. Got the pho and the garlic noodles, and they were both not bad. The meat in the pho was very tender, and the veggie garlic noodles came with plenty of veggies. read more

Tried Rice and Roots for the first time for lunch takeout and it was solid! I got the shaken beef plate and the flavor was really good-- even down to the veggies. Portion size wasn't huge, which was a bummer, but maybe that's just because it was lunch. That said, I'd go back to try it again or order something different. The flavors are there, so I'm excited to see what else they have to offer. read more

Hands down, Rice and Roots has the best Vietnamese coffee that I have ever had. I also order 2 Banh Mis to go, the Cha Lau and Lemongrass chicken. The sandwiches were very average with not much flavor. To be honest, I had it way later, so don't use my judgement. The service was incredible, because I ordered for to go, but they still offered me a glass of iced water. That was fantastic. I was shocked. Maybe it was by accident, but well appreciated. They serve about 10 tables and every table was taken up with the exception of the table, I sat down at to wait for my order. read more

We only came to take out dinner, but the place is cozy. Good size portion. The dishes were good but not exceptional.

Awesome food! Lemongrass chicken was so tender and flavorful with grilled onions and lots of real fresh lemongrass in the dish. Garlic noodles were delicious and the milk tea was also excellent, rich but not overly sweet. Got takeout so can't speak to the atmosphere, but our food was ready for pickup fast. Excited to eat here again soon! read more

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Restaurant is extremely understaffed compared to how many customers come and go, plus the area is small so only a few people can be seated at a time. Food took maybe 40 minutes to almost an hour to come out. When the food was finally served, it was obvious it was sitting because it wasn't as warm. The portions also weren't enough for the price. But overall, the flavor of the pho was good, although it would've been 10x better if the broth was hot. read more

This is the best pho in the area besides Congo Go, but that is a bit of a further drive. It's authentic Vietnamese food, and also has Banh mi & vermicelli options. Boba tea was also really good, and not overly sweet like a lot of American boba tea places. Boba was also the right consistency. Because this is the best pho in Monterey, I really wanted to rate 5 stars, but the service is a bit unorganized. I understand they are new and just recently opened up so I was patient. However, I was charged for two bowls of pho when I only got one. Thankfully asked for a receipt and noticed otherwise it wouldn't have been caught. They did refund me for the extra bowl and said it was a glitch in the system, but I would still suggest checking your receipt when going there. I do plan on coming back though, and if service is more organized I'll change my rating to a 5 star. read more

Rice And Roots - Receipt of charges - Vietnamese Near Me - Monterey, California

Wonderful, authentic, homemade, and delicious. First visit here so we thought we would try the basics, chicken pho, and veg rolls. The broth was rich, smoky, deep, and full of umami, no clear broth here. Next the chicken was grilled and flavorful. The vegetarian roll was tightly packed with textured soy protein which took in the flavors really well. Super impressive sauces at the table. Food was hot, service was fast, and the restaurant was comfortable. Can't wait to go back. So happy to have them here. read more

This place is so awesome! Authentic Vietnamese food that makes me miss SF a little less. The food is super flavorful, portions are good. Staff is super friendly and professional. I didn't order more than one dish as I plan to come back soon...like maybe tomorrow it was that good! read more

Solid spot with great food. The Bánh mì was full of fresh ingredients, down to the tender chicken and perfectly crisped bread. The rare steak pho was a staple. Best pho in the area imo. Will definitely be back. read more

Rice And Roots - Vietnamese Near Me - Monterey, California

I thoroughly enjoyed the cuisine when visiting this spot. One notable dish was the pho, for its flavor profiles leaping onto my tongue after every bite. read more

Omgggg everything here is so good. I ordered a Pho, Bun Thit Nuong, and A Taro sticky rice. Tropical Fruit Tea. 10/10 Love it so much. The Pho broth is authentic cause Im a Saigonese. Also the servers are friendly :) read more

So so good!! What a find. I had the pho tai chin Bo vien (rare steak, flank, and meatball) pho. The meat was super soft and delicious! I was pleasantly surprised. It was so good, I almost forgot to take a photo (: I also had the shrimp and pork spring rolls. They were very fresh and the peanut sauce was flavorful. Nice, friendly, welcoming staff. I enjoyed my meal very much and I would definitely return! read more

Rice And Roots - Pho tai bo vien - Vietnamese Near Me - Monterey, California

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Had the pleasure of eating here while going to a conference. The rain gave me a craving for some comfort Vietnamese food. I got a vermicelli bowl, springs rolls and everything was flavorful and a great temp. Will definitely come back. read more

Knock out good ! Pricey but good . Parking not so good. Take a friend , phone it in, drop him off, circle the block, pick him up go and pound some great food . Between good and great . read more

This restaurant is AMAZING!! We had chicken banh-mi and vegetarian Pho and it was so delicious!! Moana and Bella are amazing!! Don't miss this restaurant when you visiting Monterey read more

Rice And Roots - Vegetarian pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Monterey, California

We had a big group have dinner here which included kids and the wait was an hour to get our food. This was quite long as the parking surrounding the restaurant was 60-90 minutes or 24 min. Good luck finding parking. When we asked for water all around, we assumed water would be given for the kids too, but I guess it's adults only. Ordered the pho which wasn't too bad, about 7/10 rating. Overall, probably would not recommend for a group bigger than 8 ppl. read more

We wait for almost one hour to get our food. Food portion is small. Need to ask for plates for the appetites , never returned for water. Pho soup tasted a little bit off . read more

So good!!!! The best pho restaurant in the area. Closest to what we are used to in the San Gabriel Valley.

Waited 25 minutes at 2pm on a Sunday then left. Not a good system yet- very bad business decision to make all large tables 6 tops and all 2's sitting there, you're losing money. Also did not feel seen or cared about. When someone comes in after 25 minutes and says just take my name off the list- that's your sign to say something apologetic at least. In my day I'd probably give a free appetizer card or something. work on that customer service guys I hate leaving a 1 star so hopefully I'll be back to change it soon! read more

Excellent, authentic Vietnamese food. This is from the perspective of a Vietnamese-American family. The dishes tasted like what we've had in Vietnam and Little Saigon in Orange County. So good! We were nervous about having Vietnamese food in Monterey, but so glad we took a chance because Rice & Roots really hit the spot. We had a chance to chat with the owner. She was wonderful and explained that she wanted to open a restaurant with the authentic flavors of Vietnam, unaltered for the American palette. She so succeeded! read more

Got the rare beef pho, fried tofu, and Thai iced tea. Pho is fantastic, ordered it to go and they packed everything separately and it was also very fresh. Tofu was super yummy and fried in a different way than I'm used to and really good. I could definitely taste the black tea in the Thai iced tea and liked it a lot. Didn't try their boba but willing to give it a try next time! read more

Excellent food and service! The restaurant was packed and worth the wait. Once seated, the food came out fairly quickly. It was fresh and delicious. We'll come back every time we're in Monterey! read more

The folxs at Rice and Roots are locals, friendly and warm. The bread for the Banh mi is crunchy and soft, shipped from sj, (they pay premium, for a special order of bread). The deep fried breading on the appetizers is perfect. Delicious place to eat. read more

Rice And Roots - Grilled pork belly Banh mi. - Vietnamese Near Me - Monterey, California

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exception food and wait time for a thursday afternoon! the lemon grass tofu and garlic noodles is my go-to. beautiful ambiance and friendly staff:-) read more

Food was actually pretty good, the service was very basic. Ambiance was somewhat odd since the TV was playing nonstop videos of cooking food in Asia. The video was a genuine video but the food was sort of thrown together with no aesthetic regard. This was a strange video to play, it was almost meant to be background noise and reveals a low quality product and cafe as a result. read more