-1 star for the rude bartender last night. We've decided to never come here again. Condescending and very mean bartender guy. There is no excuse for being mean in the hospitality industry. read more

Last night there was a table for 4 outside, but they wouldn't let the 2 of us have it. It wasn't reserved. It was around 7:30 so not the peak time. They were not even nice about it. We went down the block and dropped almost a hundred dollars for dinner and wine, and generous tip. Walking back to the car, the table was still empty. I will never go back again. I used to like them. read more

Nice outdoor area, especially on a warm evening, fab service. Potentially a little slowish, but well worth it. Waited a little bit for an outdoor table, not bad at all. The food is great, many terrific small plate options, happy hour is very good, and the drinks are super great. read more

Interior - Cramped, intimate, and cozy, depending on where you sit. The bar seemed more spacious and visually appealing. The chairs and tables area felt too cramped. Service - Nice but slow. Had to be reminded we were sitting around for a while before we were noticed. Our waitress made good recommendations and made up for the slower service afterwards. Salt & pepper fried tender calamari ~ spicy lime dipping sauce $8 - Few pieces, simple flavors, thin layer of crisp, light breading. Claypot rice with chicken & prawns ~ fresh seasonal mushrooms ~ baby bok choy $11 - Basic flavors, savory, and decent amounts of meat and ingredients. Five spices Maple Leaf Duck confit with garlic bok choy & duck beurre rouge $17 - Two decently sized pieces of soft, savory duck. read more

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My friend and I have been coming here for years. I like the food which is why I come back. I ordered the green beans which I've ordered many times. When they arrived it was clear that the portion was much smaller than usual. When I asked about the portion the waiter went back to the kitchen and asked the owner/chef about it. He came back and said the owner said that is how it is and walked away. We went about eating and when the owner's daughter came to serve us, we said nothing about it. However, she began telling us that her mom knows what she's doing and has been doing it for years. We listened and only said it seemed the portion was smaller this time. At which point, she said "My mom said that if you don't like it you don't have to come back." and walked away. My friend and I were stunned. We have been regulars here for years and should have gotten up and left but we were too shocked to do anything. We quietly finished our meal. No one came to explain or apologize. We paid our bill, which included the green beans, and needless to say will not be coming back. Very disappointing. read more

All of the food was amazing, and the service was attentive. Extra thanks to the waiter who found my phone under a napkin, and ran over to our car to give it to us just before we drove off. read more

Had high hopes given the menu and reviews here on yelp and other sites. Food was very good. 4.5 stars. Service was fine, a little pushy about clearing plates that we were still working on but overall 3 stars. Then, I went to the ladies room. Whoa. There is a crude sign about not throwing your used toilet paper with fecal matter into the container where the paper supplies are kept. Ummmmm. Whoa. So, if people are mistaking this hamper/trash bin looking container as the trash, spend $50 at Cost Plus and get a cabinet that NO ONE will mistake for a trash bin. I was repulsed when I saw the sign. So tacky and unnecessary. I had just eaten a lovely meal and now I am thinking about getting sick from poop. (Yep, the sign references people getting sick from dirty paper that has been used to wipe.) read more

Our party of four showed up for a reservation for 6:00 pm on October 13. I made the reservation through Open Table and even confirmed through Open Table. When we arrived we were told that Open Table no longer served the restaurant and had "cancelled their system fo this restaurant." They offered to seat us outside on a rather cool night, but we declined. Why would Open Table "cancel' their system with the restaurant? At the time I made the reservation there was neither a notice on Vanessa's website OR on Open Table. In fact on Vanessa's site there was an indication that you could still make reservations on Open Table. Tonight there is a notice on Open table website that they are no longer taking reservations NOW.. Vanessa told us they take reservations through Yelp now, but I do not see any indication of that. read more

I have eaten at Vanessa's Bistro multiple times. Tapas at the bar and dinner, too. Good drinks, good service and excellent food. I've tried several menu items, too many to name. Consistently worth repeating as I explored the menu. All reasonably priced. read more

Wow, it was so good to be back. You were missed!! On my return the food was as wonderful as I remember, service lagged a bit, but that was to be expected as the only face I recognized was Vi, the owner, and she of course was pleasant and polite. Looking forward to my next trip to continue exploring the wonderful menu and of course Taco Tuesday and the great margaritas. WELCOME BACK, so glad you survived!!!! read more

I am dedicating this review to the wonderful Dee C, who recommended Vanessa's Bistro to me. (I'm a poet!) This restaurant was a delicious adventure. People with Food ADD (like me) cannot go wrong with tapas, especially at a cute trendy place like Vanessa's. It was easy to taste the quality in each dish, and the elegant presentation didn't hurt either. Even more impressive was the lightning fast speed at which each dish came. You don't get that much at classy places...and Vanessa's happened to be packed when we came too. We ended up with two orders of garlic egg noodles (decent) and four dishes between the four of us. 1. Soft Shell Crab Salad: http://static.px.yelp.com/bphoto/AMn1NlJj82Rr5phPdEupeQ/l. As good as it looks. Crisp and tasty fried soft shell crab over a bed of greens in a yummy sauce. 2. Shaking beef (filet mignon) http://static.px.yelp.com/bphoto/s-A8TznZBgjhfavRoo4SWw/l. We ordered this because of rave reviews by other Yelpers. To our disappointment, the beef was not shaking at all. A more accurate description would probably be "Shaken beef." This was a salad made with tender cubes of filet mignon. 3. Garlic eggplant: http://static.px.yelp.com/bphoto/tbLzH8_0-xzx_TQEpNuc3g/l. If you like eggplant, then you'll like this. 4. Alaskan Salmon with Vegetable Pad Thai: This came in two dishes. The salmon was perfect, tender, and flavorful. The vegetable pad thai did not disappoint. Downside would definitely be the price--it's hard to fit a meal at Vanessa's into a student's budget except during special occasions, which may be better reserved for quieter and more romantic and spacious restaurants. Lucky for me, I have a non-student bf so we eat well. The damage was about $20/person this night, but we weren't that full. Admittedly, most of the eating was done by the bf and me too... Verdict: Vanessa's definitely has a place on my Favorites list at Berkeley. Creativity and food go well together. read more

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"Small" plate? Oh no honey, these are "Big" plates! These generously sized small plates are high quality and oh so tasty! Sunday night, 6:30pm, two-people, no reservation was necessary. Service was friendly informative, cheerful, and just plain lovely. Food: Saigon style noodle salad--$9 with honey lemongrass marinated grilled filet mignon with, vermicelli noodle, bean sprouts, lettuce, cucumber, pickles, roasted peanuts. This could have been a stand alone meal! This was an amazing high quality vienamese vermicelli salad. The filet mignon was seared and almost rare in the middle. I'm only eating organic beef and the waiter had no problems informing me of it's origins for guilt free cow munching! Tuna & salmon poke--$9 with ginger, avocado, mango, English cucumber, and tomato salsa Oh I really liked this! The sashimi was the highest quality and in sizable chuncks. The sesame seed oil based salsa was light, cool, and crisp. This diet friendly and oh so tasty dish is well worth it! Shredded Maple Leaf Duck Strudel--$11 with wild mushrooms, basil risotto, mozzarella cheese, Maui Pineapple, and Gewurtztraminer beurre blanc While this sounded delicious, it was a bit confused. It just didn't fit in with the rest of the dishes. It was heavy, buttery, cheesy, and lacked the light brightness of the other dishes. You could not taste the mushroom. The beurre blanc saved the dish from being to dry, but in general it was the low note of the meal. Wok fried garlic green beans & tofu--$8 The green beans were perfection. Not stringy. Perfect crunch but not raw. The sauce was flavorful and rich in flavor without being overpowering. Simple yet elegant. The presenation left something to be desired here though. Looked simply like stir-fry just got dumped in a bowl. A little garnish would have been nice. I was really sad I had no room for the banana fosters dessert (one of my favs) I'm going to have to return soon! read more

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In an attempt to show my cousin the charming qualities of Berkeley, I took him here for his birthday after reading all the great reviews on this place. Sadly, I think he's going to stay a NorCal hater for a little while longer. Pros: - Classy ambiance w/ the mom & pop feel. - The super adorable executive chef Vanessa, who served us the appetizers herself. - Well-presented tapas in large portions (for tapas). - Doesn't require reservations; they're just highly recommended. Cons: - Uncoordinated service. - Rude waiter (linked w/ aforementioned uncoordinated service). After patiently waiting 20 minutes for my entree to arrive so that we could eat at the same time, my cousin flagged down the waiter and asked him about the salad I ordered as an entree. The waiter gave him major attitude about how he was waiting for us to finish our appetizers before bringing out the entrees. Yet, my cousin's entree had already been sitting on our table for a while and we were completely done with the starters. The waiter then said we should have told him earlier that we were finished with our appetizers. What? When? When he was waltzing by our table without stopping? The Middle Ground (aka the food): - Appetizers were salt and pepper fried calamari and prawns. Just your average tempura seafood. - Shaking filet mignon salad in garlic brandy butter sauce. Juicy and flavorful. Definitely a good pick! - Garlic noodles. Overly greasy, but it really satisfied my craving for carbs. Made for good leftovers the next day. It would have been the birthday celebration I had hoped for, if not for the shockingly rude waiter. I'll keep Vanessa's Bistro next time I feel like paying someone to act snippy and condescending to me. read more

I love this place! Amazing food, good service, and a heck of a lot of class for a small restaurant with a homey feeling. I've been here a handful of times--family dinners, date night--and could not be more impressed or satisfied with the experience. Get reservations for Vanessa's--you will not regret it. read more

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

Had a nice dinner here last night with my chubi's. They stumbled upon the place while strolling along Solano. The ambiance and decor are nice, but I felt like this restaurant was the brain child of someone who graduated with a marketing degree and this was the end of semester project for Advanced Applied Marketing 101. It's the sort of place that trys to mesh hip with classy and bring attitude to the mainstream - but underneath it all, it feels like an insecure blonde during rush week thats just screaming "please like me!" This isn't a bad thing by the way ...college can be scary. The menu had a lot of delicious sounding food but I wasn't blown away by anything. I knew when I was falling victim to fancy marketing like the "sticky mushroom rice on banana leaf" which was way too gooey for a Chinese girl like me. Really the only thing I can think to comment on was the dessert menu which was very adamant about 2 scoops of ice cream of the SAME FLAVOR. It was weird to draw so much attention to this policy and when I asked about it, clearly this is a sore spot with employees as well. He promptly informed me that soon, ice cream would be entirely removed from the menu. The creme brulee was yummy though ... albeit very very small. In any case, like my insecure blonde friend, she seemed "nice" and "sweet", but not very memorable. read more

My friend & I met here for the Happy Hour. We ordered Tuna Carpaccio, Sweet potato fries & two Beet salads. Tuna was a little overdressed, but other than that everything tasted delicious. We also had some red wine. For dessert I had a Pecan Pie which was amazing. I even took a slice to go for my husband. My friend had ice cream. Overall very pleasant experience. Will definitely come back to try other things on their very interesting menu. read more

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

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Interesting Vietnamese restaurant. I had expected normal stuff like Pho, but the menu was original. I had ginger chicken with rice noodles. It was good. I was so thirsty after backpacking at more than 85F for 2 days. I got 4 cups of water (a bit embarrassed) but the waitress kept poring water, which was great. read more

Gayle and I had a wonderful time here. It's also a handsome space, so much so that I completely forgot that I used to come here when it was the Chinese Restaurant Shin Shin. From the start, the waiter was very responsive to our seating request (within usual limits of course). Service was friendly and knowlegable. Having Vanessa herself working the place was an added bonus. The place was busy, but quiet enough that good conversaton was possible. There was also a interesting and tasty list of wines by the glass (at reasonable prices). The Vietnamese pale ale was also quite good. The food was fresh, hot and delicious. In particular, the dipping sauce for the pot stickers was a foodie's wet dream. We'll be back. read more

I came here for lunch. I ended up overeating. They have cold draft beer and a nice big bar to eat at. Of course I violated my company's no alcohol at lunch policy. Of course I spent 2 hours here shooting the shit with the staff. Of course I ordered appetizer, main, and dessert...for lunch! Of course my boss asked me where I'd been, arriving back at 2:30. Of course I told him I took 3 hours to have lunch with friends. I was planning on giving him my resignation at a 4:00 meeting anyway. Vanessa is a sweetheart and her restaurant reminds me of Vietnam so I'll be back.....unemployed......but I'll be back.....and this time there will be no rushing. read more

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

This place is a local gem!! Paul was my bartender/server and he is a wealth of information. Happy hour is from 4-6pm everyday. My menu consisted of the following. Green Papaya Salad with Sauv Blanc. Folowed by maple farms duck strudel and homemade garlic noodles. I couldn't stop and continued with the Saigon Chicken rolls and then finished off with hot Vietnamese Coffee. Service=Great, Food=Off the charts, Ambiance=Local Chic!! A must try if you are in Berkeley, CA. read more

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Very good entrees and offers Vegan entrees that my soul son looks forward too when he come home. The Front somewhat subdued- perhaps this is what makes enjoyable experience. read more

How have I missed this local neighborhood gem all this time!!! How many times have I driven by Solano Ave and completely missed Vanessa's?! Well I'm so happy to have found it now! Came in on Sunday night and it was lively and full of patrons. 5 stars for food! We ordered the French onion soup. Not too salty and apparently they use a vegetable base instead of a beef. Couldn't tell the difference. Still rich and good! Shaking filet mignon: you can never go wrong with this dish and Vanessa's makes it with the right combination of sweet and flavorful. I love the lemon dip with salt and pepper. The special sole fish tacos were decent. Crispy fried fish fillets. Nothing out of this world. The salmon stew in clayplot was probably the highlight dish. So sweet and savory, the broth is to die for. For dessert, the Vietnamese coffee and oreo cheesecake was a great way to end the meal. Not overly sweet, but still so good! - which I always look for in desserts. Portions are on the small side, but it is a tapas place so it's great for trying a variety of dishes. The hard part will be deciding what to get because everything looks so good. Service was 5 stars. Definitely sit by the bar so you can get served by V. She makes bombass drinks. I had the most drinkable Manhattan in my life. And V is awesome as well. It's great to be talk to restaurateurs who are excited by what they do and it's evident in this family owned business. Will come back! read more

Vanessa's Bistro - Yummy Vietnamese coffee and oreo cheese cakge - Vietnamese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Really fantastic place in Berkeley. Vietnamese with a French twist. We ordered tapas style for dinner. We really enjoyed the crispy quail, fish tacos, calimari, duck pastries and sweet potatoes. Atmosphere was casual and comfortable. Regulars were at the bar watch the Golden Warriors game cheering them on. Definitely give this wonderful place a try! read more

This is an outstanding find for upscale Vietnamese food. I've tried the following and have found them marvelous: Salt&Pepper Fried Calamari Crispy Saigon Pork Rolls Sauteed Prawns and Scallops with Coconut Curry Spicy Lemongrass Chicken Saigon Style Vietnamese Coconut Curry Chicken Claypot Rice with Chicken and Prawns Wok-fried Garlic Green Beans and Tofu I don't remember ever making it to dessert, but now you must excuse me. I just ate dinner, and now I'm hungry again. Nothing like the thought of salty, spicy, aromatic or fried food to dupe the body into serving the will of the hypothalamus. read more

Tasty, fresh Vietnamese food with a wide cocktail/alcohol selection. Friendly service and dog-friendly outdoor patio with heaters. We got the special chicken salad (yum), duck wraps (yum), and chicken fried rolls (very good)- plus the Vietnamese coffee and Oreo cheesecake with fresh whipped cream- YUM! We've been before and will be back. read more

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I'm not sure whats going on with this place. I had a nice dinner with a friend all ready to happen. And well...The first thing we noticed is the website was somewhat misleading. It really is a tacky 'tiki-bar' set up - not what was expected. We had made a reservation, but decided we wanted to sit in the bar area. The waiter was a little confused but dealt with it ok. We got to sit in a nice, quite, dim, corner by the window. All the food was all really nice. Tasty and beautiful. It was very good. However, the waiters well....they were just off. The food just kinda came out when it came out , with no rhyme or reason. Towards the end of the meal, the two of us were leaning over the table, deep in conversation and the waiter just comes up, interrupts us, says 'sorry i just wanna clear this table' and removes the plates. It was really weird and kinda sealed our welcome. They weren't closing and the place was half full. It seemed odd they'd interrupt an apparent conversation. So we left and found dessert down the street. I'm not sure what's up with the staff; I'd go back to see if it was just an off night for them. read more

Family-run Vietnamese/French/tapas bar? That in itself sounded like an interesting combination worth trying, so we decided to go ahead and make a reservation for our friend's birthday dinner last night. Since it was a Monday night, it wasn't too crowded so a reservation probably wasn't necessary, but we were seated right away and given the happy hour menu in addition to the regular menu. Seriously though, take advantage of the happy hour menu! Your stomach and wallet will thank you. Everyday from 4-7pm they have a wide variety of cocktails, beers, and wines to choose from that range from around $4-6, and all the small plate appetizers (which are actually pretty big for a tapas plate) are $6 which is such a steal. Coincidentally, it was also Mojito Monday and the $4 mojitos were a perfect pairing for the tapas plates. We split 4 of the small plates between 3 people and were almost too full to order actual entrees. The ahi tuna carpaccio was my favorite because it cut thin enough that it melted in your mouth and had a good balance of ginger and soy. The tomato salsa on top was also a nice touch. The spicy oven roasted pork plate was flavorful and tender, but the fried calamari wasn't anything out of the ordinary since it came with the usual sweet chili sauce. But I did enjoy the green papaya salad with poached shrimp as it was quite refreshing to eat. As for entrees, some choices seemed to be a bit pricey but they all sounded so delicious that we had to splurge. The birthday girl had the jumbo prawn with garlic noodle entree which she loved and which I stole a bite from. The garlic noodles had a hint of sweetness which was nice. I had the miso glazed salmon with vegetable pad thai which I thought was just mediocre. The salmon was cooked well, but the vegetable pad thai didn't taste much like pad thai to me, but more like a simple vegetable stir fry. The sad part was not having any room for dessert. But I guess that means I'll have to come back again to try some! read more

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Five start to Vanessa and Vi for high standards and service in these difficult pandemic times! We can still get our taco Tuesday and Happy Hour specials to go. Nothing substitutes for the incredible in person experience, but we're getting through this together. They will still give you their best and value their customers highly. The food and drinks are still excellent! Salute! read more

The idea of Vietnamese tapas is intriguing and based on the reviews here, something I definitely had to try. My wife and I shared four dishes and a limeade (virgin mojito) for $43, not including tip. That's tremendously expensive for the size of the portions (small), but that's the only negative thing I can say about this restaurant. The food is top-notch. We had an eggplant dish that was simply amazing. It didn't even need rice, it was that good. The shaking beef is as good as everyone says it is, as is the beef noodle salad. We also had the fried chicken rolls (time out! Not fried chicken, but rolls that were deep fried, but you knew that...). They were decent - nothing to write home about - but the accoutrements (pickled veggies, dipping sauce) were fantastic. Each dish we had was scrumptious in its own right and impressed us. The place has a nice atmosphere. I was expecting trendy, meat market (in Albany/Berkeley?), hip scene, but it wasn't that. Okay, in all fairness, we went on a Sunday at 6pm, but still. It was relaxed and the service was pleasant and fast. Five stars if they knocked the prices down about 20%. read more

I had a special appetizer Maple leaf duck confit lettuce wraps, mushroom basil, roasted peanuts, which was flavorful, but I couldn't really taste the maple leaf duck. The shaking beef salad was good. Not as good as some of the shaking beef I've had, but still pretty good. The salad itself wasn't anything spectacular. The garlic noodles (shrimp) was my favorite dish here. The jumbo shrimp was absolutely amazing. It was well cooked and retained all the moisture. The noodles were cooked to perfection, chewy yet tender like steak. TL;DR; This place is overpriced for what they provide and seems a little too hyped. The only dish I truly enjoyed was the garlic noodles and I just happened to have a chance to sample it. read more

This place is great! Excellent customer service and delicious food! We have been here a handful of times and always have a wonderful experience. Our go-to app is the tuna and salmon poke. But this last time we got the fried tofu, which was really good. I got the lamb chops with vegetables and mashed potatoes and a side of some blueberry sauce thing. Not a big fan of those sauce things but tried a little of it with the lamb and it was pretty good. I loved my dish. It was a special, so it's not alwyas available. Husband got the shrimp and garlic noodles. I tried a little and it was delicious. Had a delicious sweet light sauce, and big size shrimps. I also love their extensive bar. Lots of options. I always get a martini and the size is hefty. Always leaving a happy customer. Almost forgot to mention that their outdoor patio seating is dog friendly! :) read more

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Hidden gem in the East Bay. This place has won tons of awards but it's never known due to being in North Berkeley/Albany which does not draw that much attention. However, if you are ever in the area, DEFINITELY give this location a try. It's small and hidden but the staff is attentive while the food gets the personal touch of the chef. I was blown away as I thought it might be overhyped by small biz & local supporters but boy was I wrong. MUST TRY. read more

If you are in the area- hell- even if you're not... You NEED to stop at Vanessa's bistro. The food was absolutely delectable. We ordered 7 dishes and each of them were knock outs. This is definitely a destination to add to your itinerary. Staff was so gracious, friendly, and fun. They decorated for Halloween for an added touch. Can't wait til I'm back in the bay to come back! read more

Good food but they dont turn on heat -even on cold winter nights. All customers were jackets inside when we came in January. I will do take out till Summer! read more

I was thrilled when they let me and my boyfriend in right before closing. I never have Thursday nights free and we were set on trying a new restaurant. I feel like I've passed by other days and its not open whenver I happen to walk by. So I guess Thursday night was the night! After walking up Solano, we decided to stop in, even though I had technically been there once before and sat at the bar with my parents. The service was impeccable, the food was so tasty and the presentation made it even better, with creative dishware and little boxes. I mean, it was just an overall delicious experience. I absolutely recommend this place. I'll be back one day soon to try the deserts. read more

I came during peak dinner time (around 7-8pm). I was lucky because I had seats right away. So, please make reservation ahead of time if you want to ensure seats for your party. LOCATION 5/5: The restaurant doesn't locate next to so many restaurants. It's great for business of course. Such a strategic choice! Parking, however, is a little tricky. There are always street parkings. Depending on what time and day, you may have to park a little far away from the restaurant. A little walking doesn't hurt! It can be your ultimate excercise to feel hungry! SERVICE 5/5: The minute I walked in the restaurant, a friendly waitor came to ask whether I had any reservation. Shortly, he sat us down near the bar. Throughout the whole dining experience, all employees were very nice and welcoming. What I appreciated were their smiles!!! It can be very smoothing for those who had a long day at work! FOOD 3/5: In total, we ordered Saigon salad, spicy tuna tartare, crispy Saigon rolls and chicken curry. The presentation was undoubtedly eye-catching. The food, on the other hand, did not excite my tongue with exotic fusion flavors. Because I grew up in Saigon, I was expecting distinguished southern flavors. I appreciated the idea of combining flavors between Vietnamese and French culture, some dishes were not up to par. For example, an authentic Saigon salad usually serves with grilled pork on the stick. Chef Dang replaced with bland roasted filet mignon. The crispy Saigon rolls share more similarities with the Filipino lumbia than an authentic Vietnamese roll. As my expectation for Vietnamese-related food is high, I do recommend trying the spicy tuna tartare and the curry. Both dishes guarantee to explore your palate with a fusion of the East and West! I will come back for more dishes that sound more French than Vietnamese next time. As for now, I will keep longing for the chicken curry and a bowl of jasmine rice! read more

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(3.5 Stars) Vietnamese food with a French Twist? Eh.... I was skeptical from the beginning. I knew it was going to be hella good, or just not worth the drive out to Solano. The host/proprietor is really really pretty. She was nice and had a great personality so I liked the vibe of this restaurant a lot. The "western" people around me were raving about how good all their small plates were. I guess that maybe hyped it up for me before I even ordered. The roast chicken, fried calamari, and quail were good and crispy, but every thing else left much to be desired. However, I must blame myself for ordering risotto and scallops from a French Vietnamese place eh? My gripe with the dish was the green peas. I really don't think they belong in risotto at all... The combination was just beyond strange to me. The pork loin was okay, but tasted a little too much like cha siew (Chinese BBQ pork) for the price. My friend's gnocchi was not good, but then again gnocchi isn't my cup of tea to begin with. This place is worth a shot honestly only for the small plates and appetizers. Sit at the bar, the bartenders are very socialable! Also, the bathroom was really pretty and smelled nice. I would go back, but the food wasn't that impressive for the price. I think fusion food tends to lose the essence of the food. For example, I think Vietnamese food and French food can be very very soulful and comforting, but when you fuse them together to be hip and trendy, you don't feel really warm and satisfied after eating it. I felt like I was full but still hungry and just not as happy as I would have been if I ate a steamy bowl of pho or something. read more

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Had Vanessa's Bistro delivered and WOW! - everything I ordered was delicious! This is the way I want to eat all of the time: fresh ingredients beautifully prepared with a delicious balance of both heat and acid. The Asian and French influences are both apparent and make Vanessa's Bistro so unique! Highlights include: - Fresh spring rolls with vermicelli noodles - Ahi Tuna Carpaccio, Ginger Soy, Onion, Cilantro, Tomatoes - Spicy Vietnamese Green Papaya Salad with seared ahi tuna I can't wait to enjoy the cuisine of Vanessa's Bistro again! read more

North Berkeley's best kept secret. I feel so lucky to have a neighborhood spot this good. Great community vibe and the food and drinks here are top notch. Happy hour is an incredible bargain. Vanessa is such a great cook with modern twists on classic dishes and she's a warm and friendly host to boot. The French inspired Vietnamese food is fresh and flavorful. We have been coming here for over a decade and have never been disappointed. The cocktails and wines are reliably delicious. Oh yeah, the prices are more than reasonable. read more

My absolute favorite place in Albany/Berkeley. I am surprised I have not reviewed them! Everything is incredible here! I recommend the salmon in a clay pot, salmon with miso glaze pad Thai, scallops prawns with yellow curry, pork chop, beef carpaccio and bananas foster for dessert. This place has not let me down ever; I am a regular here. They have specials for weekdays such as taco Tuesdays, wine Wednesdays, thirsty Thursdays. read more