Update: I tried two more items last night: Duck confit bao and Clay pot. Both were very good. The bao were soft, flavorful and had a nice combination of duck and (enoki?) mushrooms among other things. The clay pot rice was great! The delicious crispy bottom of the pot rice, delectable chicken and shrimp in a delicious sauce. My only complaint would be that there wasn't enough bok choy, I love bok choy! I can't believe Vanessa's has been around for 20 years, and I just tried it for the first time. I recently moved back to Albany, right off Solano, from North Berkeley, and decided to try all the restaurants I haven't yet tried. In a word, fabulous. The food, vibe, and staff are all amazing. I was there on a Wednesday night (Wine Wednesday, 1/2 off bottles of wine), by myself, about 45 minutes before closing. It was a slow night, with about 6 people at the bar and maybe 2 or 3 other active tables in the dining area. They have a wonderful vibe in there; every member of the staff was über-friendly, accommodating, and patient. I ordered a house-made lemonade, which the bartender brought to me himself with a big smile as I perused the menu. I purposely ordered extra food since my entire kitchen was still in boxes, and I only had access to my new microwave. I had mentioned to my server that I had just moved, and during my meal, Vi (co-owner and daughter of THE Vanessa) came to introduce herself and welcome me to the neighborhood, a very nice gesture, and one that brought me back with friends two nights later, with Vi remembering my name. Anyway, on to the food. French onion soup; nice, was it the best FOS I've had? No, but still solid. The crouton was more like a slice of baguette. Salt & Pepper Calamari; really good! An amazingly light and crispy batter encased calamari strips, loaded with flavor, super tender, delicious dipping sauce, and a very large portion for a "small plate". Vanessa's Spicy Sautéed Lemongrass with garlic, onions & green beans topped with roasted peanuts: I chose chicken for my protein. Again, the meat was extremely tender, the dish very flavorful, much more lemongrass-forward than at other restaurants, which I loved. The staff and Vi kept insisting I take my time and not to worry about the 8:30 closing time. People were still lingering in the bar area, and I did as I was told, relaxed, and enjoyed my meal (thoroughly). Bottom line, I loved it and plan on being a regular fixture :) read more

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I read the good reviews of this place so I was eager to see what all the fuss was about. I was disappointed by the whole experience. 1. The service was poor and the food was "meh." This was 6 pm on a Tuesday, so not that busy. 2. My friend ordered a filet mignon- medium well - it came back rare. We even had a discussion about it with the waiter. The waiter forgot about us after dropping off the food, so it took a very long time to get his attention and get the order corrected. 3. I ordered a lychee cocktail and it tasted like dirty water! It was terrible so I returned in and got a margarita instead. That too, was very sub par and made me immediately sleepy. This usually means they use really low-quality alcohol and ingredients. 4. I ordered Pad Thai- how can that go wrong? Well it did. It just had no flavor and was rather bland. I've never had bland Pad Thai, but now I can cross that off my bucket list. I actually had to ask for soy sauce to give it some kind of flavor, and still it was meh. In conclusion: Vanessa's Bistro and I will never cross paths again. I prefer to spend my hard-earned money elsewhere. read more

Great Food and Service as always! We don't get to come in as often as we live further away and now have two little ones, but we always love the experience when we are able to pop in. Vanessa and Vi and the whole crew are the best! read more

Enjoyed a group gathering for happy hour here. My first time, but some friends recommended it. We ordered a bunch of happy hour snacks and drinks. I really loved the beet salad with goat cheese and the crispy fried tofu sticks. The pork dumplings were good but somewhat tough. We ordered some fresh rolls and they were out of the little noodles to go inside, so they loaded up with extra cilantro and mint leaves. With the sauce, these were very tasty. Can't remember everything we had. The cocktails are tasty. I had wine. The service was just right, easy to get their attention but not bothering us too much. Definitely want to return. read more

Vanessa's is back and we're so glad! We enjoyed a wonderful Happy Hour with delicious tapas . Garlic noodles, peppered prawns, wontons, chipotle pork. On this warm evening the gin and tonic and margaritas were " delish ." read more

Lots of space in here so the wait wasn't long. We were able to pick out our own table. Service was ok, they seemed really busy after we sat and had to be flagged down if we needed anything or wanted to order. The salad I got was ok. Missing something, just wasn't quite my taste, kind of plain tasting. I enjoyed the little dessert we shared. Lovely presentation. I'd probably order something different if I were to visit again. read more

Vanessa's Bistro - Flan - Vietnamese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Wonderful fun restaurant. Delicious food, good value, full bar and great service. Good for dates, family, or celebrations. read more

They got a lease and are back in business !! Pad Thai with Miso Salmon. Campfire Rice Killer cocktails and Happy Hours. Back to have the best BACK read more

First time eating at the popular Vanessa's Bistro. Enjoyed my refreshing Mint Cucumber Martini and the piping hot French onion soup the most. We ordered the Garlic Noodle Stir fry from the specials menu because of the low price and comes with 2 proteins and vegetables. Sadly the garlic noodles didn't have any garlic and it was lacking flavor over all. The chicken lettuce wraps were good but could use a little more sauce or vinegar to liven it up. Overall the service was fast and food tasted fresh. The bar was packed as we just missed happy hour (4-6pm) and the staff seemed to know a lot of the regular customers which is always a good sign. We will come back and try again! read more

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Everyone is sleeping on Vanessa's and I honestly don't know why. Happy hour EVERYDAY?! $10 cocktails and $10 select apps, including spicy crispy tofu? You'll want 2 spicy crispy tofus, it's THAT GOOD. Options for kids (garlic noodles and potstickers) that keeps them happy and excited to visit. My husband said the steak was the best he's ever had. So many specials that made us want to visit again very very soon. Honestly everything was so incredibly good, it was the best meal we've had in a looong time. Service was great, very sweet towards my kiddos. We will be back and you should go too!!! read more

Vanessa's Bistro - Vietnamese Near Me - Berkeley, California

As in all the years we come there the cocktails and the snacks are still delicious AND, in this time, still very affordable!! So glad they considered to stay open...let's help them to stay that way!!!! read more

Excellent Staff, Service, Ambience and Culinary Cuisine is what to expect when you frequent this local mother/daughter restaurant. Unfortunately, rumor has it that they are closing at the end of the year so make sure to try before then!!! read more

Fantastic food, great service and drinks! Quiet enough to talk without feeling stuffy. read more

Very unique and flavorful menu. Great customer service. Always fresh, consistent and delicious food. Highly recommend.

Very yummy food! Service was decent and very friendly. We sat outside with our dog (patio is very tight but it works). We will definitely be back. read more

Still wonderful after going there two or three times a month. Prices are reasonable and the staff attentive and friendly.

It was a little pricey but the food was superb (crispy quail was hands down my favorite) and beautifully presented. The outdoor seating is really pleasant, but inside is just as great -- fun and friendly. The staff is super helpful and always willing to lend a hand with ordering. One tip we got from our waiter was if Vanessa's in the kitchen, you have to order something stir fried! read more

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A nice family run restaurant with a good vibe and pretty decent food. I must say that the Filet mignon they serve is very good quality not exactly melt in your mouth quality but still very good. I ordered the surf and turf which was a nice 8oz. Filet and 2 jumbo grilled shrimp. It was cooked perfectly as ordered medium rare. I felt that it could have been better seasoned but I think they're relying on you to use the jus that came with it but I wasn't particularly fond of it so I was left with an under seasoned filet grilled veggies and somewhat dry mashed potato tower. The shaking filet salad did have a nice flavor though as it was bathed in a garlic brandy butter sauce with nice fresh greens. My wife ordered the lightly battered crispy pork loin salad was pretty good too. The sauce on the fried pork is sweet but the vinaigrette dressing tames the sweetness nicely. The star of the show for this meal though was the salt and pepper crispy garlic fried tofu. The pieces are perfectly sized and fried to perfection that only a deep fryer can render. The tofu was garnished with jalapeño slices, green onion and red pepper and a bit of savory sauce that finished off what we agreed was the best fried tofu that we've been served a a restaurant. Seriously and I'm Asian and have eaten a ton of fried tofu! lol. I had a pear drop which was nicely made and a Vietnamese coffee martini to finish off my meal and it was enjoyable as well. The flan was of good quality and my wife gives it a thumbs up for flavor even though the caramel was a bit thick and was sticking to the plate. If we lived closer we'd prolly frequent this place but it's not a place that we will go out of our way for. read more

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Always appreciate going to Vanessa's walking distance and in our neighborhood. Tasty food and drinks that hit the spot. Service is friendly and attentive. We sat at the bar this time. A staple go to is the chicken wings and this time we tried the salads and sweet and sour soup. Salads were large portions and soup made for a nice warm meal on a cold rainy day. Inside there's enough seating for 1-2 larger groups and then mostly tables for 2-3. We'll be back! read more

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How have we never been here??? AMAZING FOOD! Good service, ample wine and beer selections, and great selections on the main menu PLUS a full list of specials. Come here quick! Pleasant surroundings and you can watch them lovingly prep each dish. Nothing is prefab here. read more

Consistently fresh, delicious and fairly priced. I've tried their shaking filet mignon salad, vermicelli noodle salad, crispy quail, and garlic butter egg noodles - all excellent. I also appreciate how they accommodate special requests like adding chicken to the garlic noodles. It's a small detail but one that makes such a big difference. I've only ordered takeout over the phone, and experienced friendly service each time. Looking forward to trying their desserts in the future. Their bread pudding and Vietnamese coffee cheesecake sounds tasty. If they ever add fried bananas and vanilla ice cream to their menu, I'd be there multiple times a month. read more

One of the best restaurants in the Bay Area. The Berkeley location just hits different! When we walked in I saw Ms. Vanessa and her daughter sitting down, having a meal before the dinner rush. Ms. Vanessa dressed to impress and a glass of wine (how you will find her anytime she's at either location). We had the pleasure to have Ms. Vanessa and her daughter chef it up for us on our Saturday date. We arrived during Saturday happy hour! The food was amazing, the ambiance was elegant, drinks strong (forgot to photograph the drinks), and hospitality 100%. The food is always flavorful and well plated. This is a true gem! Thank you for the delicious food and wonderful food experience. I love Vanessa's Bistro read more

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Super delicious Vietnamese fusion restaurant in a quaint and safe Berkeley neighborhood! I've been coming here for over 10 years. Tasty dishes and I've never had a bad meal here. Their appetizers and main dishes are so tasty and hits the spot! Their salt and pepper fried calamari or prawns are a must order. So freshly battered, not heavy or overly oily. Love the salt and pepper flavor every time. I also love their crispy quail and shaking beef salad. Their spring rolls and lettuce wraps are also very good. To be honest, I haven't had a chance to explore the other parts of their appetizer menu because I always go to my favorites! For main dishes, I love the garlic noodles and prawns. That's my go to. Their clay pots and filet mignon are also very nice. You really can't go wrong with what you order, it's just about picking what you are in the mood for and pacing yourself! Cocktails are also really good and they have a full bar with an excellent wine list. The owners are incredible and genuinely care about building relationships with their customers. Vanessa is so friendly and an amazing chef! Vi is so sweet and hospitable, she will make sure you have a good time! They can get quite busy because they have regular patrons who love their food as much as me. I would recommend to try to get a reservation if you can. However, they do take walk-ins. Ample street parking. Bonus: They are dog friendly and have an outdoor area as well! Your dog will be treated like a king or queen because they love dogs. I recall there were heat lamps too to keep you warm. They were also so sweet to make our pup some unflavored chicken. He ate the whole thing in a gulp! read more

The food is outstanding, the service is 5 + and above....mom & daughter in the kitchen ( feels like home!) The ambiance is cozy,clean and beautiful. Vietnamese/French fusion. My fiance and I walking along just shopping and we wanted a cocktail and ever since we've been coming here for sometime now...you're missing out!!! read more

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Very welcoming place with excellent food. We had the vermicelli, the beef salad, the yellow curry, and the eggplant. I especially loved the beef salad. The servers were really nice when I asked about gluten in the dishes (and they said there wasn't any), but I am pretty sure there was soy sauce in the eggplant. Maybe they used tamari but I wasn't sure so I stopped eating it. Would definitely be 5 stars if they would label their menu for the main allergens. read more

My husband and I tried Vanessa bistro. Overall everything was very tasteful. Drinks were made really good as well. I would have given 5 stars but only thing is portions are a bit small. Also we went during dinner time at 5pm and people were there for some drinks and I feel like they are missing some music for a sensible environment especially for those that go for happy hour. Overall I recommend you try Vanessa's bistro. read more

More a 3.2 - I really wanted to like this place... but the food was mediocre at best. Ribs were dry and needed flavor. The garlic noodle (on the special menu) was just okay, not garlicky enough per my husband. Soup I ordered had so many croutons that they basically soaked up all the soup and became a pool of soggy bread pieces... Aioli separated as well as the jus for the steak. Service was good and according to my kids, the panda cotta was good. Other than that, just okay... read more

Great food and exceptional prices. Vanessa's is a real treat--excellent menu with several daily specials. Beer selection is good and so are prices compared with other restaurants. We ordered three dishes to share--all under $20. Garlic noodles with filet mignon and chicken was a special, as was a salad with snow crab. The crispy pork loin was a unique and tasty menu item. There are many restaurants on Solano Ave, but Vanessa's is a real stand out for taste and reasonable prices. Service is laconic but they get the job done without any rush. You can enjoy an exceptional meal here for prices that don't really exist elsewhere. Better than trying to find someplace good near the Berkeley campus and no hassle parking. read more

Food was amazing! Service was incredible! The stir fry noodles were so flavorful and delicious the chicken was so tender. The sticky ribs had a crunchy exterior while the meat fell off the bone...never in my life have I had better ribs read more

Best place on Solano Avenue. Food, service, ambiance, and bartender are all outstanding.

TLDR: very pleasant experience sitting outside but food and drinks were thoroughly mediocre. Staff were very friendly and helpful. ------------------------------------------------ We were there with another couple. Sat outside. Staff helped set up the umbrella to shade from the sun and later the heater. Server was friendly and helpful. Food came out quickly. Arrived for happy hour: ordered 4 items from the bar food: papaya salad, roasted beets salad, chicken wings and chipotle pork. Beet salad was the best of them. The papaya salad and chipotle pork were flavorless. The wings were so deep fried that they were assigned to me, the others refusing to eat them. Yes, too fried, but meat OK, sauce unnoticeable. We got the Pear Drop and Mojito cocktails. Didn't like them. 3 stars bc we had an enjoyable, relaxed time with our good friends-our main purpose for getting together--sitting outside and helped along by the friendly staff. Food and drinks were a definite disappointment. read more

Wanted to eat at a restaurant that offered indoor seating and stumbled upon this gem in the Oakland/Berkeley area. They had a nice outdoor set up outside with lights and heat lamps but also allowed indoor seating at 25% capacity. There was a bar area where a couple people sat but other than that we were the only table. Every table inside was separated by more than 6 feet and each table had hand sanitizer so we felt safe even indoors. We ordered the calamari, chicken curry and chicken and shrimp clay pot rice and everything was fresh and tasty. The calamari was piping hot when it came which made it all the more enjoyable to scour down quickly and it was gone within minutes. Thought there would be more considering the price but the taste made up for the small portion. The chicken and shrimp clay pot rice was my absolute favorite, it came sizzling and all the ingredients were so fresh i couldn't stop eating it! I rarely finish my food (bad habit of mine) but this was so delicious i ate every bite of this. It came with chicken, shrimp, mushrooms, bok choy, lettuce and carrots and it was the perfect balance of veggies and meat. The curry on the other hand was just ok, definitely had better at other Thai restaurants but it was very filling and flavorful nonetheless. Overall definitely recommend! Delicious and fresh southeast asian food and with a great happy hour menu too. read more

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This such a great, family run restaurant, we are glad to have this option in our area. Staff are always nice and provide good service. The food and beverages are great. I sometimes have a tough time choosing from among the menu options. Great wine options at reasonable prices, as well as delicious cocktails. Check out their happy hour options, too. We brought a friend here recently for his first visit and he definitely will come back as well. And so will we!! read more

Absolutely 100% recommend this place! Great for: Happy hour drinks Happy hour menu Friendly service (won't kick you out!) Accommodating service (put three tables together for my group) We had G&Ts, mojitos, and pear drops. YERM. We also had the chicken wings, garlic noodles, garlic fries, beet salad... Everything was delicious! Can't wait to go back again! read more

A Diamond in the Rough. This was my first time visiting Vanessa's. Jenny and I thoroughly enjoyed our meal. I had their Surf and Turf with a fine glass of wine "Cabernet" that Andrew recommended. Andrew was the star of the evening. His service and recommendations were spot on. Thanks Andrew. We are coming back very soon. Keep our table warm. Cheers. read more

Vanessa's Bistro - Surf and Turf. 8oz Filet Mignon with tasty Prawns. - Vietnamese Near Me - Berkeley, California

I loved coming at night seeing the lights in the restaurant and the outdoor seating. I wanted to try a variety of things (as you can see by too much food haha) instead of the vermicelli noodle salad that I had eaten before. They were all good, but my favorite was the Shaking Beef Salad and the lemon type dressing on the side. Definitely adding that to my new favorites list and coming back. Staff was fun and chill, good service fir me, so no complaints. read more

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We love to eat here whenever we are in the Berkeley / Albany area. Super sweet family owners, nice bar in front and tasty food. Easy parking out front & it's a nice area to walk around. Now that it's shelter in place, we called in for take out to go eat at Berkeley Marina for a scenic meal. Shrimp garlic noodles, fish taco, papaya salad were delicious we ate every bit, ready exactly on time as promised. There's happy hour ( even on Sunday! And to-go!) read more

Vanessa's Bistro - Cocktails at happy hour to-go! - Vietnamese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Strong $8 cocktails during happy hour (4-6pm on weekdays). This is a cute and cozy spot. It's not very crowded and I appreciated the easygoing environment. You get a lot of individualized attention and care from the staff since it's not busy. Honestly, the food is so good that you can't go wrong with anything! The bar bites do run on the smaller side so you'll probably need a few to fill yourself up, but it's a great strategy to taste multiple items on the menu. The calamari came in strips, instead of the typical rings I'm used to, but it was still hot and fresh and delicious. The shrimp was also very fresh and juicy. The garlic noodles were thick and hearty, with a perfect dose of garlicy goodness. I liked that all of the fried food was crisp, but not greasy. This is definitely a little hidden gem in the middle of Berkeley and you should check it out! read more

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The place is cute and has very limited outdoor dining. They have a bunch of small plates to share, we ordered garlic noodles, egg rolls, shrimp, pork loin (strips?), and bok choy. Everything we had was more on the salty side but everything was flavorful. We finished most of our dishes since the portions were small enough for two people. The establishment is more of an upscale western Vietnamese spot, not your traditional pho or vermicelli items are on the menu. read more

Well what can a man who loves Thai food say! I've driven by this place thousands of times. I kept hearing the HH was the bomb. I also heard the dishes were Thai fusion-ish. Which may have influenced my tardy attendance to check it out. My loss! The place was busy on a Friday night post HH. But immediately Vi, the bar tender/owners daughter apologized up front that they were short staffed. All that means to me is we are taking our time and enjoying watching the warriors beat up on the star-less 76'ers to snap a home loosing streak. A great game where I knew none of the warriors except Andrew "rock chalk" Wiggins, and none of the sixers! We got a free entree for our trouble, not because the slowness of the service but apparently"Vanessa" the owner "is too vain to put on glasses and messes up orders" according to Vi. All of it was so tasty, creative and filling. Vi said jokingly, well I'm really glad you like it, we are open tomorrow!. I will be here in a shift and hopefully all the staff shows up as well.". I said we were going to dinner with my brother Saturday so you never know. What helped sell us was her conversation about how so many regulars come in 1-2 times a week but due to the Corona Virus things had slowed. That's when a regular and his wife ambled in sat at the bar. Vi, without a word mixed and served his favorite cocktail then hers were promptly placed in front of them. Then "hey how are you guys!" She nodded with aplomb to us to offer validation of fact there are regulars. Bae commented half singing it a bar "where everybody knows your name". I sent a yelp link the next day to my bro and he immediately said thumbs up to the suggestion. We got there 10 minutes to 6 for a 6 pm reservation in order to get a couple of drinks under our belts as my brother doesn't imbibe. The look on Vi's face when we walked in less than 24 hours later, was priceless! She said "wait... you know I was joking... right?" She obviously thought her mere suggestion was enough to hypnotize us back in. We reassured her it was the food, and my brother who is persnickety about where he eats agreed to meet here for dinner. She looked at the reservation and called out his name. Yep I said' "Wow that's never happened! We are certainly grateful and appreciate the opportunity to serve you again so soon! " she said with palatable humility. My persnickety brother was blown away with everyone's orders that we ate and shared .He too said he would be back. Well maybe not tomorrow...but soon for sure. Why not, great food great ambience, awesome cocktails friendly fun in the neighborhood... maybe Vi will start serving us our favorite cocktails upon arrival soon too! read more

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