Saigon Star is the standard. Period. This is the best pho I've had -- not just "good," not just "solid" -- the best. Every time I think about trying another pho spot, I don't. Why would I downgrade? THE BÁNH MÌ BREAD IS REALLY CRISPY (NOT SOGGY). some of the less-than-5-star reviews are @#%% RIDICULOUS! People complain about the smallest, most ridiculous things. One night I was having dinner there and a "KAREN" was complaining because the credit card machine temporarily wasn't working. What exactly were they supposed to do -- magically fix technology on the spot? s**** happend! Meanwhile, another guy stepped in trying to calm the situation down and be the peacemaker. Honestly, that moment said more about the complaining than it did about the restaurant. Maybe I should leave a review on the behavior of some customers instead. This isn't fast food -- this is culture, tradition, and hard work! I love Vietnamese people in general and employ some of them . Their families take pride in what they do, and it shows.!!! If you're looking for authentic, high-quality Vietnamese food made with care, this is it. I'll keep coming back. Every time. read more

I'm so upset!! They got rid of the salt and pepper calamari...which was the BEST. My coworkers and everyone I have brought here were HOOKED when they tried it. But now it's been replaced by onion rings and calamari rings...basic and boring. It wasn't even updated on the menu so we ended up ordering it and getting this monstrosity. Maybe I'm dramatic, but it's not the same at all. I hope they bring it back because this made me come here over other places. read more

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I came in tonight thinking the restaurant closed at 10pm, so I arrived around 8:40pm. I ordered my food, and about 10 minutes later the staff started mopping the floors with a very strong cleaning solution, turned on a large fan facing my direction (which made me cold), put all the tables up, and turned off the lights for half of the dining area by 8:55pm. That's when I realized they actually close at 9pm. One of the employees sat in the booth right next to me with her keys and belongings, staring at me, which made me extremely uncomfortable. I genuinely didn't know they closed at 9, and I felt bad for coming so close to closing, if I had been told at the door, I would have happily gone somewhere else. I ended up leaving around 9:10pm, so I was only about 10 minutes past closing. I've worked in the restaurant industry for years and completely understand wanting to wrap up and go home, especially when customers come close to closing time. But there are respectful ways to communicate that without making someone feel unwelcome or uncomfortable. Eating in a half lit dining room with staff cleaning all around me felt awkward, and I wish I had known beforehand. I do apologize for coming late, and my recommendation would be to simply give guests a heads up before seating them or let them know when closing time is approaching so this doesn't happen and both ends are happy! On a positive note, my server was incredibly sweet and never made me feel uncomfortable. The food was good as well. I would have returned, but the overall experience with the rest of the staff left me feeling unsure about coming back. I still would recommend for people to try it out just don't came late like me! read more

Love coming to Saigon star for a quick and easy dinner in my neighborhood. I've ate here many times and the food and service are both always consistent. The pho broth is well flavored, not too fatty or greasy, the noodles are always cooked perfectly and they do not hold back when it comes to the serving of meat in your bowl. The ambiance is really cute and homey as well. There's always many people eating but it's never packed/never has a wait. There servers are always so sweet. They come by to check on you and as soon as your water is empty they bc old around with a new one. read more

Saigon Star - Rare Steak and Well Done Steak Noodle Soup (Ph Ti Chn) - Vietnamese Near Me - San Diego, California

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We came on a Friday around 5:30 pm and were seated promptly. Clean and super spacious inside with lots of tables and cute Valentine's Day decorations! I got the house special combo crispy egg noodles, which is one of my usuals at Viet restaurants. It was tasty, crispy, loaded with toppings and the sauce was hot and nicely savory. Service was pretty quick and attentive. read more

Saigon Star - House special combo crispy egg noodles - Vietnamese Near Me - San Diego, California

Cute homey neighborhood Vietnamese restaurant! Came on a Friday dinner around 5:30PM and it wasn't too busy but more people came in as we ate. I got the sizzling steak (Bo luc lac) and it came out sizzling hot! The steak was tender and I liked the flavor and onions, but it was a small portion for the price and I wish it included some more veggies like bell peppers. I also didn't like the sauce on the salad. It was nicely decorated for Valentine's Day and there were string lights and decorations on the walls. Service was fast and decent. I would come back to try their other dishes! read more

Saigon Star - Sizzling Steak Filet Mignon (Com Bo Luc Lac) - $18.50 - Vietnamese Near Me - San Diego, California

My first time here was to go just spring rolls and Thai tea. This is my first time for dine-in. There's plenty of seating and I love that There's a big parking lot. The menu is also really big. I got the number 1 pho Which was also good, however, it did seem like there was not that much meat. I did like the broth. My boyfriend got the sizzling fish fillet. He liked it, I'm not sure if it's turmeric or some other kind of spice on it. The Thai teas were good just a little bit on the sweeter side . Service was good. The man who helped us was kind of quiet, but he was polite. Overall, I would come back to try other dishes. If this is your first visit here, check in on Yelp to get 10% off. read more

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Came here for dinner on a Monday evening and it wasn't busy, so we were seated right away. The place was clean and the service was excellent from start to finish. I ordered the Vegetable Delight with chicken, and it was fresh, flavorful, and cooked perfectly. read more

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Service was good.. food was fast... but quality was not what I remembered (lived in Grantville area years ago). Ordered spring rolls and #45 pho. Broth wasn't super flavorful and light on meat... I don't eat pho as much as I'd like to but I'm used to getting huge portions of meat. Maybe it's the appropriate portion to fit this current economy, not mad just bummed on a very lackluster meal. read more

Visited 5/17/2025 This is one of the best Vietnamese Restaurants I've been to. Nice setting with lots of indoor seating and Easy For San Diego lots of free parking. The owner and staff are Top Notch. Great Menu with great Recipes. Family Run great service. Food was original Family recipes. I give it Five Stars for a job well done by the Owner Haley Ngoc. Worth a visit. read more

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Solid Vietnamese restaurant. The char-grilled pork continues to be outstanding. The eggrolls still taste predominantly of carrot , but we tried the salt and pepper chicken wings app. It came out fresh, hot and delicious. We also got a char-grilled pork bahn mi. Very taste and a good value. Looking forward to left overs tonight! read more

Saigon Star has some seriously YUMMY pho. I ordered the half rare steak half steak (cooked) combo & it was more than enough for me. Ordered this via GrubHub & the broth still had some heat to it by the time I got to enjoy-made fast & fresh! I've been to the location once & it is a relaxed environment. Very nice service overall. read more

I love this place. Staff are always polite and service is always quick. Every dish we've ever gotten has been delicious! Great date night or casual hang out with friends. read more

Saigon Star - Vietnamese Chicken Curry - Vietnamese Near Me - San Diego, California

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Okay service, not okay food. First I walked in and was ignored when I waited by the "please wait to be seated" sign. After I was seated the service was very friendly. I ordered a Vietnamese coffee that was $6.50, and the size of it was ridiculous. It was so small it might as well have been a shot of coffee. I also ordered pho and it came in the smallest size of pho I have ever had in a restaurant. There was no choice of size, the broth was very bland, and it almost tasted burnt. I try a LOT of Pho restaurants in SD area and this is by far the worst, and there are plenty that charge less, are in better areas, and provide much bigger portions. read more

Saigon Star - $6.50 coffee, Smaller than any coffee I've been served at any coffee shop or restaurant, and more expensive than. - Vietnamese Near Me - San Diego, California

Great service. Cute atmosphere. Delicious food. My boyfriend is super picky and he loved it. Well definitely be back. read more

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A ton of friends always suggest to come here for pho! I love pretty close by, so I have been coming here for a while now and I can definitely say it always hits the spot! Their shrimp spring rolls are to die for as well. Staff is very friendly and it usually is always empty Thanks for coming. I'm glad I got to convince you guys. so there's always plenty of space. Im always satisfied here! read more

My family insisted I leave a review (we never do this)...but it was that bad. We ordered the egg rolls they came with no mint leaves only some lettuce that wasn't fresh. I got pho and it was watery and nothing special. In this city- there's so many better options. w. All the vegetables tasted dry and old like they'd been sitting out. My son ordered the shrimp and rice. The shrimp were not chargrilled, they were quite small, like frozen bulk grocery shrimp. And my husband got the seafood combo stir fry- it was soupy, nothing great and he's still hungry. Even the plain rice was just wrong. Worse part is we paid a lot for embarrassing food and left dissatisfied. Go to El Cajon blvd for good Vietnamese food. read more

My spoiled tongue might hold vietnamese cuisine to a higher standard because I know what I should expect. The was not it. The pork spring rolls flavors were a little off. It tasted more Americanized. I also ordered bun bo hue, &I was a little sad. The broth wasn't as deep&hearty like it should be. It was more of the watery bone broth used for pho. I'm not sure if I would come back, but it was okay, nothing to rave about. read more

Saigon Star - Vietnamese Near Me - San Diego, California

My favorite go to for pho soup, especially on cold days! I also always order the fried tofu! Which is the best in town! Very friendly service and meals are served quickly. Very spacious dining area and nice decor. read more

Never disappoints! We love coming here! My favorite drink by far is the kiwi lemonade!! Crispy eggrolls as an appetizer is a must! I don't eat seafood but my sisters get the combination plate with shrimp and beef and they love it! I stick to orange chicken or a great bowl of Pho! Either way they have a great menu to choose from!! read more

First of all, the restaurant is beautiful inside! It's a big space with plenty of tables. I did a pick up order for my first time here and the service was friendly. I ordered wonton soup and 2 types of spring rolls. The rolls were nice and plump with a good ratio of meat to veggies. They came with a generous portion of peanut sauce. The wonton soup was the star for me. The broth tasted like rich and buttery chicken with a nice cilantro garnish. The wontons were cooked perfectly as they did not fall apart. I only wish that the portion was bigger because it was delicious. I will be back to try the pho and chicken wings next! read more

A restaurant we wanted to go to for dinner nearby was closed but Saigon Star saved the day! Everything we ordered was perfect in every way. The prices were also amazing and service was fast and friendly. My favorite thing was the salt and pepper wings! I will definitely be back. read more

Saigon Star - Vietnamese Near Me - San Diego, California

We came to have food right after the doctor appointment. They open at 10:30AM and we walked in around 10:35, all of the chairs are still on top of the table and we ask the guy mopping the floor the time they open and he confirmed at 10:30AM and then he ask us to wait for 10 minutes for him to set up. When we ordered food, we ordered crispy egg noodle and I confirmed twice with him, then when they bring the food out, it's a soft stir fried noddle. We let them know and then they switch it. The crispy noodle is not crispy but it's a little hard. With the sizzling fish filet, it said serve with fresh herb, lettuce, mints, wraps with rice paper and rice and salad. We did not see the fresh herb with lettuce and rice paper. They only bring with the rice and salad on the side. The fish fillet is salty and the rice go with it is very dried. Coconut jelly is good. I also got the almond jelly but it took them very long time to bring it out and we end up pack it togo. Not very good experience here. read more

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I came here for lunch on Labor Day with my mom and my grandma. It was a recommended spot-- my grandma heard about it from a friend. The inside was spotless and they had many tables/seating. I liked the left side of the space because it was more light than the right. It felt a bit dimmer on the right side of the restaurant, that could be from the way the sun was entering through the windows as well. They are big on cleanliness; after a customer leaves, they wipe down the tables and sweep under the tables. They have hoisin and sriracha condiments in refillable bottles. Their sriracha is a bit more orange than usual so it must be one of the newer bottles. They supply the table with individually packaged wooden chopsticks which is nice. They are on the circular side which I like because it's easier to pick up food. The workers were really kind and friendly, smiling, and held great conversations about the restaurant. To eat we ordered: grilled pork spring rolls, pho tai, and 2 che desserts. The spring rolls were really good, freshly rolled. It had a nice balance of noodles to veggies. Inside it had lettuce, carrots/daikon, crispy egg roll wrapper, beansprouts, and nem nuong. The peanut sauce was more on the lighter side, so barely any hoisin mixed in. And it was quite thin, but overall very much enjoyable. You get two rolls and it's cut in half-- so you get 4 pieces! A great sharing starter. The pho tai...It was decent. I don't think the broth tasted particularly clean and the rare steak was overcooked by the time it came to us (my mistake, I forgot to ask for it on a side plate). We were given a small plate of veggies such as beansprouts, sliced jalapeno, lemon, and basil. But I feel like they should have given us a bit more than that one small plate since 3 people were eating pho. Personally, I wouldn't get the pho again...perhaps try something else on the menu! For the che, I forget the name of which it was called on the menu. But one of them came out and it reminded me of che thai-- it had red rubies (aka water chestnuts), banh lot (pandan jelly), sweet mung bean paste, and coconut milk. This looked amazing. But the red rubies were overcooked and very clumped together. It was still warm, the red rubies have to be dunked in a cold water bath to be separated before being added into che thai. And the banh lot was tasteless and too soft. The coconut milk was thin and not very sweet. Because most aspects of the dessert drink went in while still warm it had melted the crushed ice and made it quite watery. This che thai, in my opinion, was not good. I wouldn't get it again. The other che was my grandma's choice and it had colored milk jelly, slivered almonds, longan, and crushed ice. It was refreshing, but not much flavor. Overall, a good restaurant. (3-4 stars). There are a few things I'd skip next time coming here. But the menu is a few pages and they have different dishes so I am open to trying more of the menu on my next visit. In comparison, the prices here were much more affordable than other restaurants. Hopefully, next time they will take the time to make their che thai better (: read more

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Every single time I ask for vinegar onions and raw beef. I never get the onion and always overcooked beef. On the last visit lady behind me said she was vegetarian and three times they brought her a meal with beef. Don't offer vegetarian if you can't accommodate. Won't be back. read more

Great folks. Always fast either take-out or dine in. Very clean restaurant. Lots of options. We always find new things we haven't tried before and yet always order the pepper wings as an appetizer as well. read more

Okay quality, okay quantity, okay value. The quality of the food and quantity are quite unremarkable and the price is pretty high for the food and service presented. I'm pretty disappointed in my experience as the Yelp reviews I read set my expectations quite high. I came here for an early dinner with my girlfriend excited to try some of the restaurants around the area that she just moved into. This location caught my eye and I wanted to try it out. We ordered the following: Pho Dac Biet (Special Combination): Mild, aromatic, light. I consider the Pho Dac Biet as a litmus test for every pho restaurant; if they can make this dish well, then they have a skilled kitchen. Unfortunately, the Pho Dac Biet I ordered was quite disappointing. They had very little meat for how much they charged per bowl and there was not a lot of vermicelli noodles. But the biggest factor to me was the broth. Upon first whiff, I smelled a nice aromatic broth which got me excited but when I took a sip of the broth I was utterly disappointed with how mild in flavor and how bland it was. In simple dishes like pho where flavor and taste are heavily derived from the broth, it is so imperative that the restaurant has a great broth to work with and Saigon Star absolutely fumbled that. On top of that, pho restaurants often serve their dishes with a side of vegetables that include thai basil, mint, and bean sprouts at the very bare minimum and often include other things like jalapenos, lime, other herbs. However, Saigon Star only offered the thai basil and bean sprouts with lemons. When I asked about the mint giving the benefit of the doubt assuming it may only be available on request, I was disappointed to hear that they don't offer it at all. While not all restaurants can meet excellent standards, this is the first time I had a bowl of pho that not only didn't meet standards but actually disappointed me. Pho Tai Chin (Rare Steak and Well Done Steak): There isn't much of a difference between the Pho Tai Chin and Pho Dac Biet aside from having a smaller variety in protein in the bowl. The same comments that applied to the Dac Biet also apply to this dish. The volume of meat and vermicelli noodles left for more to be desired while also having an extremely mild and flavorless broth. Banh Hoi Thit Nuong (Fine Rice Vermicelli with Grilled Pork): Refreshing, crispy, light. The Banh Hoi picture on Yelp is what originally got me to try this location and fortunately that didn't disappoint. This Banh Hoi dish is composed of some vermicelli sheets, fried garlic, crushed peanuts, pickled radish and carrots, cucumber, shredded lettuce, and grilled pork. I enjoyed filling the Banh Hoi with a combination of the veggies and topping that with grilled pork and dipping all of that into the sweet and spicy fish sauce or a very refreshing, tasty, umami bite. Personally, I really enjoy this dish with some vietnamese peanut sauce but it also works well with the nuoc mam cham. This dish met all expectations and had me wishing there was more. Although I will be honest, I was quite disappointed in the quantity served for a near $20 dish, I feel quite bad for this restaurant and want to give them some points for what they do serve well. The restaurant was quite empty when I went but the decor was beautiful and definitely resembled the pho restaurants that I grew up eating at. The service was left to be desired. The restaurant was not busy when I visited but it took a second and some added effort to grab the attention of the staff for requests and help. I feel like if I had not spoken Vietnamese to the server, it would've taken even more time to grab her attention to get help which would be more of a problem for people who don't speak the language. Some other small things are that the tables don't have a napkin dispenser and the only sauces offered at the table are Hoisin Sauce and Sriracha. If the rest of my experience were better, I feel like these things wouldn't be as big a deal but altogether this made my dining experience here quite disappointing as it felt like the restaurant was cutting every single corner possible in quality, quantity, and taste of the food and also of the smaller services that are often a given. All in all, I cannot recommend this restaurant to anyone as they don't excel in quality, quantity, or value so unless you really don't want to drive another few minutes, there isn't a reason to come here. read more

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Service was great. My dish, not to my liking. I should have stuck with my original choice which were spring rolls and fried rice.

Great food! Nice atmosphere, it's cozy and they will turn on the tv's for you! People are pleasant service is good!

Pleasantly surprised. Really good spot nestled in mission gorge. Hidden gem. Authentic flavors and dishes. Pho broth isn't water down and packs a lot of flavor. Wanted to try the turmeric catfish because I had that in Vietnam but was too hungover. Don't have to go to convoy or city heights for viet food. Ample parking. Quick and friendly service. read more

I was getting a pedicure next door so I thought I'd jump in here for lunch. I was excited to see they had bahn mi on the menu. I was disappointed in my meal, for one it was a very dry sandwich, I had to request more mayo. One reason it might have been dry is that it lacked ample veggies. The best part of the bahn mi is the pickled veggies and other than a few shredded carrots on top and a slice of cucumber on the bottom, there was nothing else but meat! Where's the veggies?? Also disappointed my sandwich came in a wicker basket that had mold on the brim - yes, the basket had mold/dirt on the entire brim of basket. I don't understand why use wicker when they clearly have metal baskets also. read more

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I hate that I even have to write this review, but I'm hoping it will help in the long run. I love the spot. I go to it actually pretty frequently with my family but they have dropped the ball. The last few times we have gone in ordered from there. It seems like they're skimping on the meat portion now and whenever we do delivery or pick up, we always ask for just a few more extra sauces and they say they put them in there but we get home and there's only one hoisin for four people. Yeah, we went and bought our own because it's gotten to the point where when we're in there and we asked for more they give us a packet of each. I'm hoping when they read this review they just kind of snapped out of whatever funk they're in because I love this place and it's extremely convenient for me and my family. I love to give them my business, but if this keeps up, I guess I will have to find a new Pho spot. read more

Absolutely delicious and fresh! Errands really work up an appetite. I was in the area and remembered this gem! The parking lot is always so full. The restaurant wasn't busy, many tables avail around 1pm. We ordered salt and pepper calamari to share and each ordered a vermicelli bowl. I ordered the Saigon Star special vermicelli bowl which comes with chicken, pork, shrimp and egg rolls. Friend preferred the pork and egg roll vermicelli bowl. We always ask for extra sauce for the vermicelli bowls to really drench the flavors. Food turnaround was fast and water is served iced. read more

Chef executed his craft lightly seasoned and so authentic. So nice to see our waitress Mai dressed in her lovely lovely pastel pink dress on Chinese New Years. I made prayer at their exquisite traditional shrine. Reminiscent of the Shrine my Grandmother decorated. The service accommodated my request to eat our meal family style. read more

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This is a case of wishing I would have ordered something different, but what I did prefer was good, but not great. I ordered two things, one Vietnamese the other Chinese. Let's start with the first - shrimp spring rolls in rice paper. Classic Vietnamese appetizer and this one done well, fresh ingredients and the peanut sauce perfect. For the main dish I ordered Orange chicken with white rice and while it was really good, I just think their strength might lay with things like Pho, stir fry, Vermicelli rice dishes, etc. I guess the best way to prove that theory is to come back and give the menu a run down. Which I fully intend to do. As an aside, the ambiance is warm, restaurant is clean, and service is good. read more

Saigon Star - Orange Chicken with Spring roll - Vietnamese Near Me - San Diego, California

The food here is good. I like to order the Phở Dặc Biệt with a side of satay chili oil, and my daughter always has to have an order of egg rolls and pho with meatballs. Service is hit or miss. There are also times that our order comes out fairly quickly, but other times, it takes a while. The restaurant is clean and never busy enough to fill up both sides of the restaurant when we've gone. read more

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Pho is bland, i came here with my family around an he before close and you couldnt tell if the ppl that worked there were workers or customers. server gave all of us all large size without even asking (even the children) then when i asked why she did that we didnt order this big bowl and if there's only one size, she confirmed there is a small size and then they acted l like it was an accident. I'll never go here again. Also the eggrolls are mid and very small for what they're charging. read more

Food was good. However when I ordered a to go item, they shrunk the size by 50%. Obviously the owners are not honest. I felt totally ripped off. Do not recommend ! read more

Damn! I was not expecting this place to be as good as it was. I walked in on a Monday before noon and it looked a little empty. The service was stellar and the food was BOMB! I had the green papaya salad with the beef jerky in it. Soooooo savory and tangy it was divine! Also had the fried spring rolls and pork sandwich. The music was also hitting! I was dancing in my seat the whole time looking crazy. I will gladly travel from poway to this spot because everything was 10/10! read more

The food was amazing but that's just the beginning. There were so many tempting items on the menu that it was hard to choose but I finally got the crispy noodles with tofu and the vegetarian spring rolls. The waiter was very kind and engaging and he told me about the restaurant. The owner is a Buddhist and there is a shrine in the restaurant where they make offerings every day. That made the atmosphere so nice. And the whole place is beautiful. There are beautiful pictures on the wall made with shells and showing scenes like lakes and birds, and an amazing picture of a girl walking on a rope bridge, and a fountain by the door. The fountain is a rock with the water coming out the top and just sheeting down and I just looked at it and looked at it. The restaurant is almost like eating in a museum exhibit, it's so pretty. The whole vibe is friendly and peaceful and I am very happy to have found a place that has good food, a great staff, and a beautiful background. read more