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    Saigon Express

    3.8 (516 reviews)
    Closed Closed
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Saigon Express Photos

    SAIGON EXPRESS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Saigon Express

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    beef vermicelli
    Barry W.

    One line review: Solid. This place was a no-frills experience: just a reasonable portion of good food at a decent price. The decor is nothing to speak of. The customer service is a cashier who takes your order and cashes you out. But the food was satisfying. Having been here once, next time I would skip the spring rolls and just order the meat over vermicelli. It looked like my friend got a slightly better portion of meat, and while the spring rolls were fine, I would have preferred that. Customer service was minimal but adequate. Parking stinks in downtown Berkeley, but I parked for free blocks away (near McKinley) and took a walk on a pleasant, sunny day. Bottom line: I would eat here again.

    Food so good I had to draw it. Got the #44 grilled beef + egg roll vermicelli bowl with the thai iced tea
    yunha k.

    My date got cancelled tonight so I treated myself to some good ol saigon express. Never had the vermicelli bowl here before but it hit just right. Tender grilled beef, fresh veg, soft noodles, and crispy egg rolls. Finished off with some thai iced tea and my day's already made better. Def recommend

    Bánh mì
    Angela W.

    Came in for early lunch at around 11am on a Monday - ordering was quick and easy, service was fast! Plenty of seating inside for dine-in, not super busy at the time that I went. I got the Fish ball Bánh mì, and my sister got the tofu vermicelli noodle salad bowl. I enjoyed the Bánh mì - it's affordable, you get what you pay for. The bread was crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, I do wish there was slightly more protein inside. A perfect light lunch, albeit not super filling. My sister's vermicelli noodle salad had a good balance of vegetable, protein, and noodles. The vermicelli noodles were cooked well, tender and springy. Overall, I've had better, but this place will do if you're craving Vietnamese food or a quick meal that isn't super heavy!

    James B.

    I really enjoy eating here and the experience overall each time I come. I've decided that this is my favorite pho shop in downtown Berkeley.

    Pho
    Lainey C.

    I love this place, it's recently become my new favorite in Berkeley! The food is delicious, the prices are great, and the service is friendly and awesome. They're also super fast! Everyone here is super nice, especially the man who usually takes your order. I've tried the spring rolls, banh mi, Thai tea, pho, everything! Super tasty, and my roommates and friends love it too. We come here numerous times throughout the week, and it's one of my go-to's. The restaurant is also always clean, spotless.

    Banh mi sandwiches
    Sabrina M.

    Probably the best tofu banh mi I've had in Berkeley! Service was great, food was super yummy, and was very affordable. I would 100% go back to reorder. They also have rice plates and noodles with good veggie and tofu options for vegans.

    Veggie shredded tofu banh mi
    Sydney J.

    This review is quite late, sorry about that - please note that the price info listed is as of May 2022. I placed an order ahead via phone, and I think at first the staff were a little confused where to find my order when I showed up for pickup, but didn't take long for them to find my order and hand it to me. Prices have definitely gone up over the years so at the time it was $13.75 for the lemongrass tofu, $6.25 for a veggie shredded tofu banh mi, and $4.25 for Thai iced tea (not including tip and tax). The lemongrass tofu was quite salty and slightly spicy, but overall delicious and flavorful. I felt the huge quantity of rice was actually good to help balance out the strong taste and it was a pretty generous portion even if the cost isn't so cheap anymore. The banh mi was also yummy and I felt that was a good portion for the price so it's still a good place to get banh mi in Berkeley. The Thai iced tea was fine, nothing particularly remarkable. It's too bad they're not open on weekends at the moment, but you can stop by for a weekday lunch or dinner.

    Banh mi dac biet
    Katherine G.

    I came here for the banh mi, since I heard this was a great spot for an affordable and delicious meal! I love banh mi, and haven't really found any good ones in the Berkeley area so I was super excited to give this a try. I came around noon on a Wednesday, and there was a good number of people inside. You order at the counter and then pick up your food at the end, and then go sit down. My friend and I both got the #1 banh mi dac biet (combo) which came with a variety of different meats and pickled veggies, all in a nicely toasted bun. The bread was crispy on the outside and nice and fluffy on the inside which is the perfect texture. All of the meats inside, which I honestly cannot name, came together deliciously. For only around $7-8 after tax and tip, this definitely makes a great lunch! If you need something quick and are close by, definitely give this spot a try!

    August 2021 menu
    Karen C.

    Saigon Express is a locally owned vietnamese restaurant serving up a variety of noodle plates, phos, banh mis, and more. They are currently open for indoor dining and have a surprisingly spacious seating area towards the back. There are extra squeeze bottles of sriracha and hoisin(?) sauce to season your food to taste, not that it's needed - I just like my food spicy enough to clear my sinuses for the rest of the week. I always get the beef ball pho here because that's my go-to at any restaurant that serves pho. The servings are plenty generous and last me a minimum of 1.5 meals. I wish I had my own rice noodles so I could reheat the leftover broth for a full second meal. The people who run the restaurant are so kind and grateful every time I patronize their business. Although you pay when you order at the front, if you specify that you're dining in, they will take note of where you sit and bring your food to you. The pho isn't the best I've ever had but it hits the spot when I'm craving some piping hot noodle soup. I look forward to trying their banh mi someday!

    Beef Stew Pho with Egg Noodle
    May K.

    I've been craving Beef Stew Pho so I decided to come here this morning as it's open for business @ 10am and decided to dine in there. My bowl came piping hot with my special request for egg noodle instead of the typical rice noodles. Now everyone knows a good bowl of pho requires a tasty soup base full of flavor and having depth in flavor of spices and this met all my expectations. The beef was very tender and had very little fat on it and was accompanied with the usual chunks of carrots! I must say I found another great Pho place in town! Food=A+ Full of Flavor Service/Staff=A+ Super Nice Cleanliness=A+ Price=A+ Very reasonable If you're looking for a no frills tasty place for a quick bite to eat, this is the place! Another Keeper!!! Big Thumbs Up!!!!

    Veggie with Shredded Tofu Banh Mi (Front) and BBQ Chicken Banh Mi (Back)
    Kyra K.

    My friend and I decided to come here to pick up Banh Mi's for our picnic! This is my friends go to for Banh Mi's so I was excited to try it. I ordered the Veggie with Shredded Tofu Banh Mi, which was light yet filling. The bread was soft, flaky, and had a nice crunch to it! There was a decent amount of veggies in the Banh Mi. Although I wish there was more tofu, which was really delicious! Service was good and we were in and out in no time. We were able to walk in, order at the register, and receive our Banh Mi's relatively fast. The restaurant is counter service and there wasn't any seating indoors. My friend told me they raised their prices for Banh Mi's. Honestly, for $5 and the amount and quality you get I'd say it's still a good deal!

    Menu 6 of 6 as of 3/23/2023
    Kin L.

    Small hole in the wall in downtown Berkeley. Close to campus. Hours are 10-7 so limited time to visit if you work a 9-5 and not in the area. I stopped in after work for a quick sandwich to go. There's a few tables in the back and what was a hot food bar up front. I was greeted immediately and order taken quickly.b the staff were friendly. Food was ready really quickly too. Got the pork combo (#1) bahn mi. The sandwich wasn't too big but the head cheese and pate were real good. I would definitely want to try other items there. Didn't like that they have an extra charge for using a card but at least it was posted.

    Saigon Combo Plate.

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    3 months ago

    Fantastic service & consistently great food- the chicken banh mi is absolutely delectable

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    8 months ago

    Love this place, they have the best sandwiches in Berkeley. Owners are always very nice, and the restaurant is always very clean

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    2 years ago

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    8 months ago

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    1 year ago

    Food is so good especially the coffee and man at the cash register is so nice! I loved it I will be back

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    5 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Best service with the kindest people. With even better food. My favorite spot in Berkeley!!!

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    7 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Best pho in berkeley hands down. I highly recommend this place on a cold day. The staff are very friendly too, and prices are reasonable.

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    1 year ago

    The food here is really good. And i really recommend the lemonade here. It tastes homemade and very delicious.

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    Crave Subs

    Crave Subs

    4.3
    (284 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    2/21/26- Very tasty sandwich. Employees very friendly. Place looked and smelled very clean…read more Small sandwich shop at the Berkeley BART Station on Shattuck. Sandwiches named after cartoon/comic characters. Comic themed and comics for sale. There is a sweets and coffee shop inside also called Scoop N Chill. Restroom available for customers which closes about 30 min before the shop closes. BART station is underground for easy access. Got there about 7pm and it wasn't very bust so quiet and relaxing. There is a "lounge" area right outside the entrance.

    I don't really enjoy writing negative reviews of restaurants, especially smaller businesses but…read moretoday's visit to Crave really left a bad taste in my mouth. One of my biggest pet peeves is when restaurants reduce the guality or quantity of their meal to cut costs while charging premium prices. I will say I didn't mind paying a few dollars more for their subs in the past. I went there today for the first time in a couple of years, ordered a regular size basic ruben sandwich (no add-ons) and was ok paying nearly $18 dollars for just the sandwich until they handed it to me. what I got was a small 6" sub. When did their subs shrink?? in this economy we are all struggling. I get it, things cost more but Craves' owner is not doing his patrons a service by charging them premiums while cutting back on the meals. If you're ok paying that much for a shrunken sub, more power to you. I l, however, will not be going back there.

    Photos
    Chips
    Chips
    Steak Storm Fries ($16.99- weekend special!)
    Steak Storm Fries ($16.99- weekend special!)
    Patrick Star ($14.99)

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    Patrick Star ($14.99)
    Mezzo

    Mezzo

    4.2
    (1.1k reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$

    Uhmmm yessss No…read morenotes, line always goes by quicker than you think. Gigantic portions, I always have leftovers and back in the day I would just order mezzo for my weekly meal prep if I knew I was going to be on a crunch that week. I love how open and spacious the restaurant is. Patio is very nice and air feels fresh. Hard to find parking in the area but it's so worth the extra search and walk over

    first time here and they been popping on my fyp on tiktok, finally had the chance to try it before…read moreheading to a concert! line was by the door was it was moving fast. Reminds me of chipotle, poké, subway etc but healthy version! soooo many options to choose from so I went for the combination (half sandwich and soup or salad) : marinated tofu sando and thai chicken coconut curry on my marinated tofu sando I chose honey wheat bread with everything on it along with the pickles and onions. It was very big and generous for a half sandwich (love it!) but I do wish they can toast or warm up the sandwich because I like my sandwiches warm. thai chicken coconut curry was sooooo delicious I would come back for a big bowl of that! Taste very coconutty and creamy, not too sweet or spicy! I am not a picky/germaphobe customer but my friends and I noticed they dont change gloves for each orders they are in the making touching all of the toppings, meats, and vegetables. I don't mind it but I am sure if other customers have certain food allergens or germaphobe I would be more cautious and do cross contamination . Provide tongs for the workers. can't wait to come back and try other sandwiches on the menu!

    Photos
    Entrance
    Entrance
    Veggie delight salad
    Veggie delight salad
    Chef's Salad

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    Chef's Salad
    Star Meats

    Star Meats

    4.1
    (299 reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$

    Discovered their sandwiches when we were having coffee next door and kept seeing ppl walk by with…read morebutcher paper pink sandwiches in their hands. Glad we were able to track them down cause their sandwiches look so basic in pics but are so darn good. The market is cool too but I'm always gonna start by bee lining it to the deli in back of the shop to order one of their daily sandwiches. They make 3 flavors each day. 18$ a pop. Delicious.

    This review isn't based off of one interaction that I've had, but several in which I felt Star…read moreMeats customer service was non existent. Awhile back, I tried to bring as much business to Star Meat as I could because 1. it's a small business and 2. it's inside Star Grocery (which I LOVE, so it's convenient). When I would go there, there would often be 2 or 3 people behind the counter and oftentimes I would be the only customer. I felt like I had to stand there forever before anyone even acknowledged I existed. Each person would be busy doing something, but there was no "I'll be with you in 2 minutes." Finally, I went one day and there were 3 workers behind the counter chatting with each other. I was the only customer and was standing around 6 feet away from them, looking right at them. They went on with there conversation (not doing any other work) for a full 5 minutes. Finally I thought, "OK, they really don't seem to want my business, so I can go to any one of 4 other places and get what I want." That was a year or two ago. So, today I thought, why not give it another try, it's certainly convenient. Again, I'm the only customer at the counter. One guy is washing equipment and two guys are making sandwiches. I know that they know that I'm there, there are mirrors all along the back wall exactly for the purpose of seeing the customers. After around 4 minutes I think, who knows how long I'm going to be standing here. Maybe they have to make 20 sandwiches and I'll be here for a half hour. So, I left. I don't have anything like this experience at the 4 other meat counters I go to in the area. I'm totally fine waiting if I have some sense that I'm waiting for a purpose and that the worker will get to me as soon as they can. But at Star Meat, it feels like I'm more of an inconvenience than a customer. "Hi, I'll be with you as soon as I can," goes a long way.

    Photos
    Brian Allen 18$ yes.
    Brian Allen 18$ yes.
    Brian Allen on the Beach
    Brian Allen on the Beach
    Brian Allen Sandwich

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    Brian Allen Sandwich
    Roast & Toast Cafe

    Roast & Toast Cafe

    4.7
    (135 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Boutique

    Perfect brunch place for a group, many menu options and seats! My party got a caramel macchiato,…read morehot chocolate, green tea and a chai latte, all turned out great. Everyone loved what they got, croissant sandwich, egg/avocado toast, bagel sandwich (pictured). So nice to see they have gluten-free toast available! Service was quick especially for the amount we ordered. Everyone was nice, especially the worker that hand scooped our Booza icecream at the end. Didn't even get a picture because we were too excited to try it!

    I've become a regular at Roasted and Toasted because it's a great place to grab a coffee, get some…read morework done, or just relax. They have plenty of seating, and one of the biggest advantages is their excellent Wi-Fi speed, which makes it a reliable spot for remote work or studying. The atmosphere is enjoyable as well. There's usually music playing or a sports game on the TV, creating a comfortable, laid-back environment without being distracting. Their food selection is also better than you'd expect from a coffee shop. In addition to coffee and pastries, they offer cakes, breakfast items, and a variety of other snacks and treats, so there's always something to pair with your drink. Their hours are convenient, making it easy to stop by throughout the day. The only area where I think there's room for improvement is cleanliness. I've noticed on several occasions that when I arrive shortly after opening--sometimes within 30 minutes to an hour--there are still crumbs on the chairs, tables, and floor, even when there haven't been many customers yet. First impressions matter, and the café should be fully cleaned and ready for guests before the doors open. Customers shouldn't have to wipe down their own tables before sitting. Overall, I really enjoy coming here and would absolutely recommend it for the atmosphere, Wi-Fi, seating, and food options. With a little more attention to cleanliness before opening each day, it would be an even better experience.

    Photos
    Original Knafeh Nabulsiyeh
    Original Knafeh Nabulsiyeh
    Arabic booza with pistachio/phyllo dough & rose petals topping
    Arabic booza with pistachio/phyllo dough & rose petals topping
    Arabic booza witb pistacho topping

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    Arabic booza witb pistacho topping
    Picnic

    Picnic

    4.5
    (74 reviews)
    2.2 mi
    $$

    I really wanted to love this place. Very small and quirky, limited menu. I'm not really a "salad is…read morea meal" person, although my two best friends are. They were very happy with their arugula salads. I ordered the mac n cheese which was okay. Even though I grew up in El Cerrito, I sometimes feel like my NorCal green card has expired. I've lost touch with my small batch, organic self. (Although I have never liked arugula) This store is adorable and just the kind of independent neighborhood place that should be frequented and appreciated. Unfortunately I also had to use the bathroom and they don't have one for customers. So they recommended walking a block away to the BevMo. So I guess that added some negative feelings.

    A true hidden gem right at the bottom of Solano Ave in Albany!…read more I'm embarrassed to admit that Picnic has been around for about 5 years in the east bay and I've just tried it for the first time this week. But I'm so glad I was finally introduced to it. The staff greet you promptly when you enter and you can even watch them work effortlessly together in the open prep-station behind the counter. They have a gorgeous display of deli items, wines, cheeses, cold sides, and even some cute candles & house made croutons. They've got everything you would need for an elevated picnic or even a barbecue with the family. They have an intriguing selection of house made sausages-- the Chicken Tikka Masala sausage caught my eye and I can't wait to try it. They also sell whole smoked quail that are seasoned heavily yet each bite has just the right amount of smokiness, spices, and salt. Their hot food items and sandwiches are perfect for a quick lunch during your break from work or on your way home. There are also a few counter seats if you want to enjoy your meal there. So far I've tried the smoked quail, the Muffaletta sandwich, and their green lentil soup with chicken + veg. The sandwich was filled to the brim and each bite was a flavor bomb. The lentil soup was very comforting & paired well with the smoked quail. I'm looking forward to trying everything they have to offer.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Braised Italian beef panini on Feb 17th
    Braised Italian beef panini on Feb 17th
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    Holiday Makers Market

    Saigon Express - vietnamese - Updated July 2026

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