The Asian Bistro
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It's nice that it's open late! The customer service was great. Not crazy packed (1:30am so I would hope not but you never know) but still plenty of customers coming in. Ambience is cute. We order the shrimp wonton soup, tom yum with chicken, and the beef gyoza. Taste of the food was so-so. If I came back I would not order any of the same items. I would give them another chance and try something different. The only reason I think I would come back is if I really wanted Asian food late at night. This scratches an itch.
I arrive, admire the murals on the wall and notice the coziness in the Asian decor. I'm greeted by the server from all the way in the back. I did take out for this order and give her my name. I ask for an extra bag because it's going on the plane back home with me. She laughs and accommodates my request. I'm in and out in no time as I ordered ahead online. When I finally take the first bite, it's just like it's always been, SCRUMPTIOUS & bursting with flavor. The duck is SO GOOD. This is the only place I know that does Roasted Duck Drunken Noodles and they do it WELL. Save it on your list for places to go in San Diego!
Among the list of things I have low expectations for, Thai food at 2AM is up there. I've only ever known this time of the night to belong to halal stands and taco trucks. I stopped by with a group of 7 to end the night after bar hopping, and we all enjoyed our dishes. I opted for a basic thai basil beef fried rice at a spice level of 4 out of 5. It was quite literally exactly what I needed after a night out. Additionally, the Tom Kam soup has a uniquely savory taste to it that contrasts the spice of the basil fried rice. I can't speak on this fusion restaurant's more ambitious dishes (such as pho or roasted duck noodle soup) since I didn't want to take that risk, but they certainly hold their own in terms of Thai cuisine. Bonus points for the beautiful wall decor and open layout! The interior felt very welcoming despite being the one of the only restaurants open in all of Hillcrest.
Located in hillcrest I had a great experience here overall. The waitress with short hair and sleeve tattoos was incredibly sweet and welcoming. Service was fast, attentive, and made the whole meal enjoyable. I love the fact they had their thai tea wirh the option of half and half or coconut milk. They're open till 2:00 am which was a plus for me since we're traveling-- craved thai food. The restaurant interior was also very cool! Great service guys!
I wish I could give half stars I would give 4.6 stars for two reasons: 1) The paper towel dispenser was broken and it was a known issue but no alternative was provided. And 2) the Roasted Duck Noodle Soup didn't have as much Duck or as much flavor as k expected. It was still very good, the portions are generous when you order a soup or a curry - it's just the protein that seems a bit scanty. I have been coming here for about 28 years. It's definitely changed over time and I believe changed owners at some point too, It is a great late night option but do call ahead if you will arrive after midnight, They used to be open until 3 am. Last night when I called, it was a Saturday and they were doing last seating at 2:00 am with an official close time of 2:15 am. The Roasted Duck Noodle Soup was huge. I ate a lot and still had most of a standard large soup container to take home. The spinach and bean sprouts were extremely fresh. They put in a single mostly boneless duck thigh. It could have used more for the volume of broth provided. My husband ordered the Panang Salmon. He enjoyed it and the salmon filet was of a good size. However, it was also out of proportion to the amount of curry it was served with. The Bulgogi Pot Stickers are delicious! Definitely a must order item, They are greasier than other pot stickers due to the nature of the bulgogi, The atmosphere is nice. People are friendly. When it's busy you are definitely close to the other patrons and conversations are easily overheard. The hot Chrysanthemum Tea was very good but did taste like it arrived presweetened. The coconut ice cream is fabulous and made in house. This is definitely one of my top 3 go to places for late night dining in San Diego.
The Asian Bistro is a Thai, Asian fusion restaurant in the Hillcrest area of San Diego. There isn't a dedicated parking lot for the restaurant, but there is street parking all over the area. What led us to visit The Asian Bistro Saturday night was the fact that they didn't close until 2:30AM, which was rather surprising. My boyfriend and I parked our car about a block away and walked over. There were multiple parties already seated, but we were seated shortly after arriving since no one else was waiting in line to be seated besides us at the time. The menu has a variety of Asian dishes and lots of drinks, non-alcoholic and alcoholic! We ordered a small portion of the House Fried Chicken, Chicken Pad See Ew, Joy Luck Club (crispy roasted half duck tossed with their house garlic sauce, served on a bed of spinach and choice of rice), Emerald Iced Tea, and Taro Iced Tea. The drinks were great and refreshing. They were served in pretty large glasses. The House Fried Chicken was HOT (temperature wise) and delicious. The entrees were a bit of a miss for both of us though. The Pad See Ew was too sweet and the Joy Luck Club was overly saucy it was hard to enjoy. It helped to have the rice to balance out the sauciness of the roast duck at least. The service was good for the most part. It did get very busy for the restaurant after we were seated. There was a line formed out the door and lots of to-go orders waiting. The restaurant itself is pretty small, but they decorated for Halloween, which was cute!
I've been wanting to try this place for so long! But honestly it fell pretty short for me.. It feels like once places get hype or a lot of social media acknowledgment, they don't try as hard anymore.. We parked down the street and had to pay so keep that in mind when going to Hillcrest. There was a lot of beautiful art on the wall and rainbow decorations because of the restaurant being in Hillcrest. We walked in and waiting about 3 minutes for someone to come out from the back and seat us. I was concerned so I called the place to tell them we were waiting to be seated like their sign said but then the server came out and seated us. We started with a Thai Ice Tea and an Emerald Ice Tea. We ordered them with coconut milk and I think the coconut made the teas taste with little watered down. They were both pretty decent though. We ordered a Seaweed Salad, the Butterflied Garlic Shimp Skewers, the E-Sarn Sausage, the Krah Pow and the Roasted Duck Noodle. The Seaweed Salad had a lot of citrus in it but it was okay and still refreshing. The Garlic Shrimp Skewers were grilled nicely and had a really nice fish sauce that came with it. Honestly I was using the sauce for everything because it was pretty good. The E-Sarn Sausage was pretty good also, it was served with sticky rice in foil that was hard to eat with chopsticks or a fork. The sausage was pretty good too, but it was honestly the only thing I ate.. The Krah Pow taste like it was made with sugar and soy sauce and that's it.. it tasted really cheap and not worth the $16.. it had too much suger honestly which gave the impression that they were trying to make up for a lack of something.. I took one bite and didn't eat anymore. The Roasted Duck Noodle was super bland.. I have had Duck noodles before and I know it is a subtle taste but there's still flavor. This one was so bland.. I was pretty upset because of the $18 price tag on it. I was waiting for the server to ask for salt or soy sauce but after five minutes of no one coming out from the kitchen I just got up and grabbed a soy sauce from the table with condiments. The soy sauce didn't help.. the noodles were good quality and the Duck was very tender but it also lacked flavor. I ended up just eating the Seaweed Salad, two shrimp skewers and the sausage with the sauce from the shrimp skewers. It was pretty disappointing.. Overall, Asian Bistro was a let down, flavors lacked, service lacked and prices weren't justified. I would skip it and try somewhere else.. It truly broke my heart to waste my money like this..
I have been ordering DoorDash from Asian Bistro for years and good reason... their food quality is ALWAYS consistent and has the best flavor. So good that I'll be at a bar 1:30am and order before I leave so it's waiting for me when I get home I highly recommend the Mother Chili wings pictured here. 10/10 always along with the BBQ chicken which is my other fav
I have eaten here several times already. Whenever my wife craves Thai food late at night, this is where we go when other Thai restaurants are closed. This Restaurant closes late every day. Sunday through Thursday, they are open until 12 a.m., and Friday and Saturday until 2 a.m. That's what I was told by our server when we dined in there. My wife always gets her Lychee Palmer drink, she said she loves it. We recently tried their Chicken Tom Yum, Fried rice, Yellow Chicken Curry, and Drunken noodles. The tom yum was alright, but there was not much of ingredient on it. I hope they added a few more of veggies. Their Fried rice was good, and their Yellow Curry Chicken tasted just okay. The staff are nice and with cool decor inside.
Thai tea 5/5 Pad thai w chicken (got medium but should've gotten hot) 4/5 Drunken noodle 5/5 Overall very cute small business in hillcrest in a great area to walk around! Came here specifically for the fried ice cream and it didn't disappoint;however, the only thing I would mention is it's more American level spicy and not thai spicy right when ordering. Workers were nice and we got seated right away!
Food was amazing! Their whole fried chicken is tender, juicy and crispy with delicious marinate! You guys should try it! Our Salmon Panang Curry was bomb as well! Yummy curry sauce and perfectly cooked salmon! We also had a Duck Pho which was rich in flavor! Must try! Great place to go after a night of drinking in Hillcrest! Service is Fast. There could be a short wait on a busy weekend night but once you're seated you'll be serviced right away. It's a small location too so it can really be packed. Also, try their Thai tea! Yumm!!
After our trip to the San Diego Zoo with the boys, it was time for dinner! I tried the crab fried rice, which was good (I couldn't even finish it, haha!). My husband enjoyed his drunken noodles with a nice kick of spice, just the way he likes it. There's so much to try here, and I'm glad we gave it a shot. The place is busy, in a great location, and the server was really nice. Definitely worth it!
2 months ago
Nice place to be after a night out. Welcoming and warm staff. Been here twice and enjoyed both. Thanks! read more
It's nice that it's open late! The customer service was great. Not crazy packed (1:30am so I would hope not but you never know) but still plenty of customers coming in. Ambience is cute. We order the shrimp wonton soup, tom yum with chicken, and the beef gyoza. Taste of the food was so-so. If I came back I would not order any of the same items. I would give them another chance and try something different. The only reason I think I would come back is if I really wanted Asian food late at night. This scratches an itch. read more
5 months ago
I arrive, admire the murals on the wall and notice the coziness in the Asian decor. I'm greeted by the server from all the way in the back. I did take out for this order and give her my name. I ask for an extra bag because it's going on the plane back home with me. She laughs and accommodates my request. I'm in and out in no time as I ordered ahead online. When I finally take the first bite, it's just like it's always been, SCRUMPTIOUS & bursting with flavor. The duck is SO GOOD. This is the only place I know that does Roasted Duck Drunken Noodles and they do it WELL. Save it on your list for places to go in San Diego! read more
Among the list of things I have low expectations for, Thai food at 2AM is up there. I've only ever known this time of the night to belong to halal stands and taco trucks. I stopped by with a group of 7 to end the night after bar hopping, and we all enjoyed our dishes. I opted for a basic thai basil beef fried rice at a spice level of 4 out of 5. It was quite literally exactly what I needed after a night out. Additionally, the Tom Kam soup has a uniquely savory taste to it that contrasts the spice of the basil fried rice. I can't speak on this fusion restaurant's more ambitious dishes (such as pho or roasted duck noodle soup) since I didn't want to take that risk, but they certainly hold their own in terms of Thai cuisine. Bonus points for the beautiful wall decor and open layout! The interior felt very welcoming despite being the one of the only restaurants open in all of Hillcrest. read more
8 months ago
Located in hillcrest I had a great experience here overall. The waitress with short hair and sleeve tattoos was incredibly sweet and welcoming. Service was fast, attentive, and made the whole meal enjoyable. I love the fact they had their thai tea wirh the option of half and half or coconut milk. They're open till 2:00 am which was a plus for me since we're traveling-- craved thai food. The restaurant interior was also very cool! Great service guys! read more
5 months ago
I wish I could give half stars I would give 4.6 stars for two reasons: 1) The paper towel dispenser was broken and it was a known issue but no alternative was provided. And 2) the Roasted Duck Noodle Soup didn't have as much Duck or as much flavor as k expected. It was still very good, the portions are generous when you order a soup or a curry - it's just the protein that seems a bit scanty. I have been coming here for about 28 years. It's definitely changed over time and I believe changed owners at some point too, It is a great late night option but do call ahead if you will arrive after midnight, They used to be open until 3 am. Last night when I called, it was a Saturday and they were doing last seating at 2:00 am with an official close time of 2:15 am. The Roasted Duck Noodle Soup was huge. I ate a lot and still had most of a standard large soup container to take home. The spinach and bean sprouts were extremely fresh. They put in a single mostly boneless duck thigh. It could have used more for the volume of broth provided. My husband ordered the Panang Salmon. He enjoyed it and the salmon filet was of a good size. However, it was also out of proportion to the amount of curry it was served with. The Bulgogi Pot Stickers are delicious! Definitely a must order item, They are greasier than other pot stickers due to the nature of the bulgogi, The atmosphere is nice. People are friendly. When it's busy you are definitely close to the other patrons and conversations are easily overheard. The hot Chrysanthemum Tea was very good but did taste like it arrived presweetened. The coconut ice cream is fabulous and made in house. This is definitely one of my top 3 go to places for late night dining in San Diego. read more
1 year ago
The Asian Bistro is a Thai, Asian fusion restaurant in the Hillcrest area of San Diego. There isn't a dedicated parking lot for the restaurant, but there is street parking all over the area. What led us to visit The Asian Bistro Saturday night was the fact that they didn't close until 2:30AM, which was rather surprising. My boyfriend and I parked our car about a block away and walked over. There were multiple parties already seated, but we were seated shortly after arriving since no one else was waiting in line to be seated besides us at the time. The menu has a variety of Asian dishes and lots of drinks, non-alcoholic and alcoholic! We ordered a small portion of the House Fried Chicken, Chicken Pad See Ew, Joy Luck Club (crispy roasted half duck tossed with their house garlic sauce, served on a bed of spinach and choice of rice), Emerald Iced Tea, and Taro Iced Tea. The drinks were great and refreshing. They were served in pretty large glasses. The House Fried Chicken was HOT (temperature wise) and delicious. The entrees were a bit of a miss for both of us though. The Pad See Ew was too sweet and the Joy Luck Club was overly saucy it was hard to enjoy. It helped to have the rice to balance out the sauciness of the roast duck at least. The service was good for the most part. It did get very busy for the restaurant after we were seated. There was a line formed out the door and lots of to-go orders waiting. The restaurant itself is pretty small, but they decorated for Halloween, which was cute! read more
3 months ago
1 year ago
I've been wanting to try this place for so long! But honestly it fell pretty short for me.. It feels like once places get hype or a lot of social media acknowledgment, they don't try as hard anymore.. We parked down the street and had to pay so keep that in mind when going to Hillcrest. There was a lot of beautiful art on the wall and rainbow decorations because of the restaurant being in Hillcrest. We walked in and waiting about 3 minutes for someone to come out from the back and seat us. I was concerned so I called the place to tell them we were waiting to be seated like their sign said but then the server came out and seated us. We started with a Thai Ice Tea and an Emerald Ice Tea. We ordered them with coconut milk and I think the coconut made the teas taste with little watered down. They were both pretty decent though. We ordered a Seaweed Salad, the Butterflied Garlic Shimp Skewers, the E-Sarn Sausage, the Krah Pow and the Roasted Duck Noodle. The Seaweed Salad had a lot of citrus in it but it was okay and still refreshing. The Garlic Shrimp Skewers were grilled nicely and had a really nice fish sauce that came with it. Honestly I was using the sauce for everything because it was pretty good. The E-Sarn Sausage was pretty good also, it was served with sticky rice in foil that was hard to eat with chopsticks or a fork. The sausage was pretty good too, but it was honestly the only thing I ate.. The Krah Pow taste like it was made with sugar and soy sauce and that's it.. it tasted really cheap and not worth the $16.. it had too much suger honestly which gave the impression that they were trying to make up for a lack of something.. I took one bite and didn't eat anymore. The Roasted Duck Noodle was super bland.. I have had Duck noodles before and I know it is a subtle taste but there's still flavor. This one was so bland.. I was pretty upset because of the $18 price tag on it. I was waiting for the server to ask for salt or soy sauce but after five minutes of no one coming out from the kitchen I just got up and grabbed a soy sauce from the table with condiments. The soy sauce didn't help.. the noodles were good quality and the Duck was very tender but it also lacked flavor. I ended up just eating the Seaweed Salad, two shrimp skewers and the sausage with the sauce from the shrimp skewers. It was pretty disappointing.. Overall, Asian Bistro was a let down, flavors lacked, service lacked and prices weren't justified. I would skip it and try somewhere else.. It truly broke my heart to waste my money like this.. read more
9 months ago
I have been ordering DoorDash from Asian Bistro for years and good reason... their food quality is ALWAYS consistent and has the best flavor. So good that I'll be at a bar 1:30am and order before I leave so it's waiting for me when I get home I highly recommend the Mother Chili wings pictured here. 10/10 always along with the BBQ chicken which is my other fav read more
2 years ago
I have eaten here several times already. Whenever my wife craves Thai food late at night, this is where we go when other Thai restaurants are closed. This Restaurant closes late every day. Sunday through Thursday, they are open until 12 a.m., and Friday and Saturday until 2 a.m. That's what I was told by our server when we dined in there. My wife always gets her Lychee Palmer drink, she said she loves it. We recently tried their Chicken Tom Yum, Fried rice, Yellow Chicken Curry, and Drunken noodles. The tom yum was alright, but there was not much of ingredient on it. I hope they added a few more of veggies. Their Fried rice was good, and their Yellow Curry Chicken tasted just okay. The staff are nice and with cool decor inside. read more
1 year ago
Thai tea 5/5 Pad thai w chicken (got medium but should've gotten hot) 4/5 Drunken noodle 5/5 Overall very cute small business in hillcrest in a great area to walk around! Came here specifically for the fried ice cream and it didn't disappoint;however, the only thing I would mention is it's more American level spicy and not thai spicy right when ordering. Workers were nice and we got seated right away! read more
29 days ago
3 months ago
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1 year ago
Food was amazing! Their whole fried chicken is tender, juicy and crispy with delicious marinate! You guys should try it! Our Salmon Panang Curry was bomb as well! Yummy curry sauce and perfectly cooked salmon! We also had a Duck Pho which was rich in flavor! Must try! Great place to go after a night of drinking in Hillcrest! Service is Fast. There could be a short wait on a busy weekend night but once you're seated you'll be serviced right away. It's a small location too so it can really be packed. Also, try their Thai tea! Yumm!! read more
After our trip to the San Diego Zoo with the boys, it was time for dinner! I tried the crab fried rice, which was good (I couldn't even finish it, haha!). My husband enjoyed his drunken noodles with a nice kick of spice, just the way he likes it. There's so much to try here, and I'm glad we gave it a shot. The place is busy, in a great location, and the server was really nice. Definitely worth it! read more
3 months ago
7 months ago
6 months ago
D'lish! our server Estela was friendly and helpful, the tea selection was tasty the parking is super close across the read more
7 months ago
Service was very fast and good. The ambience was really nice and chill. The food was bussing. read more
1 year ago
Food was good, service was just a little slow but very attentive and lots of options! Ambiance is very casual with walk in and wait to be seated service. We had a table of 3 and ordered won ton soup, bulgogi gyoza, veggie egg rolls, pad kee mao, cashew chicken and salmon. read more
1 year ago
While in San Diego for a huge conference, I wanted to avoid the crowds in the Gaslamp District--so I Lyfted out to Hillcrest. Best decision ever. That's where I found The Asian Bistro, and wow, what a gem! First, the vibe: The Hillcrest neighborhood is fantastic--very LGBTQIA+ friendly, which meant a lot to me, especially given today's political climate. The restaurant's interior is super cool and welcoming, with a calm energy that made me want to settle in and stay a while. Now the food... I'm still dreaming about it. I started with the Tom Ka soup, and let me say this: I try Tom Ka in every city I visit, and this was hands-down the best I've ever had. Packed with tender chicken, beautiful mushrooms, and a rich, creamy broth. I went with spice level 1 out of 5--it was the perfect gentle kick. The chicken satay was tender and juicy, and the peanut sauce was next-level delicious. You could tell it was house-made and crafted with care. For my entree, I had the mandarin chicken with brown rice. The batter was light and crispy, the chicken was perfectly cooked, and the sauce struck a beautiful balance--flavorful but not overpowering. Even the rice was exceptional! If I lived in San Diego, I'd be a regular. If you're looking for flavor, quality, and a welcoming vibe, don't miss this spot. Five stars isn't enough. Bravo, Asian Bistro! read more
1 year ago
Asian Bistro used to be one of my favorite spots before COVID. The portions were generous, the food quality was excellent, and the prices made it a no-brainer. Dishes like the fried rice and honey walnut shrimp were packed with flavor and filled the plate. I understand that prices need to rise with inflation--that's fair. But what's disappointing is that while prices have gone up, both the quantity and quality have noticeably gone down. The photo I posted shows it clearly: less than half the portion they used to give, and the flavors just aren't the same. Service is still friendly, and the ambiance is clean and comfortable. But overall, it no longer feels like a good value, and that's what made it special in the first place. read more
10 months ago
Had a craving for food late night and this place was open ordered for Pick Up. Fried rice was amazing so were the spring rolls now I'm here for the second time actually dining in the restaurant ordering appetizers at 20% off because that's what the deal is right now come read more
5 months ago
6 months ago
3 months ago
10 months ago
I walked up before they were entirely open. It was recommended by family. I was greeted very friendly and accommodated immediately. The server gave me time to review the menu and told me his favorite which I decided to take the suggestion. Everything looks amazing. Ambiance is nice.the food is amazing read more
10 months ago
Great late night spot in the heart of Hillcrest. They have a variety of delicious Asian food, fast and friendly service! read more
They say that the "freaks come out at night, " but I mostly find that it's actually really HUNGRY people! Lol! Open since the 1950s, The Asian Bistro ( @theasianbistrosd ), in San Diego, CA stays open, until 12:30am, so it's a great spot to grub out, on late at night! You'll see all different types of people rolling in there. All we want is a taste of their delicious Asian fusion cuisine. They offer tasty appetizers, like Thai-style E-Sarn Sausage, Chicken Satay. Hearty soups, like their Wonton Soup and a variety of Curries. Noods, like Phad Thai and Pad See Ew. Plus, the most delicious Coconut Ice Cream!!! From regular dinner, to late night dinner, this is your spot! #TheAsianBistro #SanDiegoCA #Hillcrest #1950s #AsianFusion #LateNightEats #foodiefriends #BFFventures #lovetogrub #supportlocal Instagram: @NelzLovesIt read more
6 months ago
3 months ago
6 months ago
Ambiance is very good. Good service. Awesome food . The servers are amazing drunken noodle & fried basil rice are amazing read more
4 months ago
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More info about The Asian Bistro
414 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92103
Hillcrest
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(858) 727-3070
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https://theasianbistro.com
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Ask the Community - The Asian Bistro
Will you be open on Christmas Eve 2024?
Yes, we only close for Thanksgiving. We stay open everyday
Are they open on Christmas Day 2021?
Yes, we will be open for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day from 4PM-11AM. We will have a first come, first serve basis due to the volume of customers.
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108 reviews that are not currently recommended
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