Terrible terrible terrible. I know this is Walnut Creek, but this is the worst white rendering of Vietnamese food ever. Absolutely motjing authentic about it. My fam of 7 ordered a every appetizer, and were so disappointed we ended up canceling entrees and going somewhere else to eat lunch/real food. If u know and appreciate Vietnamese cuisine do not come here. Ever. read more

I think the concept is intriguing. French with a Vietnamese twist? That got us through the door but after sampling some plates it was lack luster and quite salty. It was also a bit pricey for the small plates that you will be getting. I don't think i'll be back again but it wasn't because of the service which was fine. read more

My wife and I went to dinner there last night....she wanted to me to try it since our company holiday party is going to be there. I have read the other reviews, but I'm sorry I can not give this place a good one. I will say that the service was Great!...That being said I had the Filet Mignon, and it was not good, the steak was in fact touch/chewy, definitely not what it should have been for this cut of steak. I don't like to send food back, so I din't now say anything about it. It wasn't terrible, but I did not finish, which is unusual for me, since I love steak! The WORST thing was I watched the bus boy, take 2 glasses of water from a table, and pour it back in the serving pitcher at the bar. That I did bring up, and the waitress said no one drank them as the people were seated at another table.That may have been true, but it doesn't look good. I found her answer more suspicious, when after she went to the bus boy, who gave me a look, and had him take the pitchers back to the kitchen, then he came back 5 mins later, presumably with fresh water. Now her excuse may have been correct, but it 's the perception that makes it bad. Not to mention its water, so no big deal to throw it out. Like I said the service was good, which is why I didn't give 1 star. read more

Three of us went for our first time. The spicy papaya salad was not only not spicy, it had no flavor at all. The sesame seared rare ahi tuna w/soba noodles was bland. No wasabi-ginger flavor at all, and no veggies or anything else to the entree. The spicy coconut curry chicken was ok, but not nearly as good as other curries we've had elsewhere. How in July 2016 Zagat rated this restaurant's food a 4.4 out of 5 and called its food "imaginative" with "tasty gourmet twists" is beyond us. Either they lost a good chef, or the reviewer wasn't qualified. read more

I have always enjoyed all day Sunday Happy Hour at Vanessa's. The drinks and food are always on point. We went in Memorial Day weekend. There was no air conditioning on, and it was stifling hot. Would have stayed longer, but I was too uncomfortable. Also the bathrooms, were in disarray, dirty and broken items throughout. I will still give them 4 stars, these things can easily be fixed. Fresh spring rolls, and salt and pepper prawns are the best. read more

We love Vanessa's Bistro!! Every time we order the food is impeccable. Everything is cooked perfectly and consistently. When we order something different we are so impressed at how many menu items are so delicious. This restaurant is our top favorite in Walnut Creek. read more

Bar none-the best little place to eat in Walnut Creek. I love this place so much I had my bridal shower and 40th birthday there. The sha-king beef salad and eggplant are off the charts! I love the staff and the owners: Vanessa, Michael and Jimmy all make you feel like family. This place is so addicting, I can't wait to go back! read more

So glad it was finally reopened !!! Food is amazing and I missed it sooooo much!! Can't wait to create new and fun memories at the new location !! Green bean chicken and mojoitos yummy and always the best !! read more

Had lunch there on Friday, December 8th. Had one of the worst waitresses we've ever had at any restaurant. She was rude to us and rushed us. Most of us got the crab salad which was small and had about 3 bites of crab and wasn't even good. Will never go back. read more

It's OK - not the best food but pretty good. The reason for the review- I've never seen a staff so intent on removing your plates and utensils. I mean there must be a plate shortage here - if you hesitate for a second, someone comes out of nowhere and tries to remove your setting. Probably will not return. read more

I think this place is highly overrated and over priced. Don't get me wrong the food is okay but it's nothing fantastic...and the portions are way too small for what they are charging. We had the garlic noodles ($7) which I thought were pretty plain...and to be honest, I can make it better. We also had the Duck confit...not the one with the lettuce wrap, but the one from their entree menu ($15) and it was one small leg...come on now, $15 for that thing?? We also had the claypot chicken which I thought was good...again, nothing spectacular and a bit small ($12), last but not least, we had the shaking beef salad ($10)...small but I thought the pricing was priced right on it. The shaking beef was the highlight of our dinner...but I've definitely had best. I wouldn't recommend this place, nor will I be going back. Thank goodness I had restaurant.com or else I would've given them a 1 star. Oh one more thing...the coupon said 18% gratuity would be added, our waitress added 20%...how SHADY is that???? Not that it's that much more...honestly, it's only a dollar and I could care less...but it's the principle that she tried to sneak it in there and that she would do it in the first place....a big no no Vanessa's Bistro 2.....just SHADY. read more

I wasn't expecting much, since my wife had already eaten here a few times before and she didn't brag about it. But i Wanted to try it. Started off with Thinly Sliced Filet Mignon Carpaccio and their Duck Lettuce wrap. Small portions for $8 each. Wife had Sole w/ stuff crab and I tried the Coconut Curry Chicken. Both main dishes were good, but for $13-$15 entrees you would think it comes with rice. Dessert was very small which was banana foster, coconut & ice cream. Where we were seated looked like they just renovated. Paint wasn't complete and bathroom access was blocked by a chair to hold the drapes, tables were very close to one another and the chairs did not fit into the table, due to the round base. So it forced you to lean forward, just to eat. Food taste was rated B. Serving size D. Ambiance F. Service B. As I suspected it was vietnamese food made to look pretty in Walnut Creek. Hard to say if I would come back or try Vanessa Bistro in Berkeley instead. read more

Service was fine but food was under seasoned and cold. I had an issue with the food coming out within 5 Minutes of it being ordered. You can taste that the food wasn't fresh either. I was initially Intrigued to find a Vietnamese tapas place but quickly disappointment. I probably won't be recommending this place to friends. read more

I have lived in Walnut Creek all my life. I work in the City. I could pretty much eat any where I want. I do eat out a lot. I have tried all the Walnut Creek restaurants. Vanessa's Bistro is on my top 5, besides SaSa, Flemming, Scotts, Prima's. Service, food, drinks and parking has never been a problem at Vanessa's. (large city parking garage across the street @ .50 cents an hour). The drinks are very good. read more

I had heard great thing about VB2's sister store(I actually think it is a Brother Sister team) in Berkeley for years now. However, I am not much of one to drive so I never made it out to Berkeley. When I found out that a second location had opened and was right near my house I had to see what the hype was all about. Keep in mind a am a natural skeptic and don't stray far from my normal steak dinners. I was promptly greeted when I entered by a young lady who just seemed to love her job(only later did I find out that this was Vi the owner of the Berkeley location) she greeted me and my guest with a smile and sat us down right away. Despite it being a crowded weekend night our waiter was quick to serve us and the reccomendatations were spot on. I of course had the ribeye sandwitch as my main course and i must say it was excellent. I am not one who tends to look at prices until it is time to sign the check and I must say that I was shocked at how reasonable the check was. For the same kind of decor, food and no where near as good of service I am used to paying at least twice as much. With the extra money I saved I vowed to make a return the following month and was not let down when I came. All in all I would reccomend VB2 as the insiders call it to anyone who is looking for a great meal, perfect atmosphere and a good time. read more

Happy Hour is the best! Been there for dinner a while ago and very disappointed. Have now been to Happy Hour at least 6 times, and have tried almost everything on the menu - many are not offered outside of Happy Hour. Love their papaya salad and fish tacos. Only complaint is the seating for Happy Hour - choice is either at the bar (fine if there are only two of you) or the uncomfortable stools/bench with a box for a table where you have to bend way down to eat. Choices are $6 each - usually 2-3 appetizers are enough for two people to share. We have pigged out and ordered more, but regretted it afterwards (uncomfortably full). Staff very good and friendly enough. Heard they are moving to a new location on Locust, but not sure. Tuesday they have Taco Tuesdays - 3 tacos and a margarita for $10 - will try that next. read more

If I could rate just the bar, I would give 4 or 5 stars. We showed up at 7:40 for our 8pm reservation. I understand no tables were ready since we were early, so we offered to sit at the bar and get some drinks in the meantime. By 8:15 (and 2 drinks later), we were getting antsy as a 2 person table was open and the hostess was still ignoring us. By 8:30, 3 tables were open (and no one was waiting) and the hostess was still ignoring us at the bar. We left a nice big tip for the bartender (who was on point and great), and walked out. For some reason, the hostess looked shocked to see us leaving. read more

Mediocre would be a compliment. We ordered 6 dishes for 2 of us and the best dish was the white rice topped with the sauce from the $19 curry shrimp and scallop dish that had precisely 2 tiny scallops and 2 shrimp in it. When we mentioned it to the server, she said she'd talk to the cook and he "might" give her more, BUT he was "busy". The other dishes were uninspiring and over cooked. When we asked the server to talk to the manager, she came back with a $6 adjustment to our bill -- pathetic! The manager couldn't even come out and apologize for our experience. I can't even remember the last time I complained about a restaurant, but this place is horrible! read more

I went yesterday with women friends. Food was just OK. Service was terrible. Only one very rude waiter. Don't know why they don't hire more help??? Won't be going back. We left him a very small tip. read more

This is the kind of place that is fairly expensive, but you get what you pay for. They make really high quality food, and the restaurant has quickly become one of my favorites. There are dishes for all manner of palates, whether you're looking for something like a big meaty sandwich, or more traditional French-Vietnamese food. Highly recommended. Check it out if you have a few extra bucks lying around. read more

The service was very very good. We did tapas and 2 choices were good, that being the salt and pepper prawns and the crispy chicken Saigon rolls. @ choices not good were the potstickers (overcooked in my opinion) and the salmon with pad thai noodles (dry). We will go back and know what we won't order this time. Prices were reasonable and wine list good. read more

The food was excellent! Ordered the garlic noodles and french onion soup. Our waitress Karina was adorable! Great atmosphere, it's not a super loud annoying restaurant, you can actually have a conversation. I recommend this place. read more

Great food! Awesome customer service! Their coconut chicken curry, fish tacos and Bloody Mary martini are my favorite on the menu!

First, I want to apologize for this long review. I just want everyone to know what I have gone through in this restaurant. If you want to know what my experience is, read on. If you don't want to read, then my overall rating would be 1 star for bad customer service, long wait, but good food. My friend and I gave it a try here last Friday. We asked if we may get a table for two and the hostesses' initial response was we are full. I then asked her if I could put my name on the waiting list and she told us they had a round table that seated five but she wasn't sure if it was appropriate to offer to us. She then asked her manager if we were able to get it. Hostess came back, and said her manager said no but there's a lounge table just opened up. Hostess made us feel like we we were not wanted. She should have known the restaurant's procedure for these kinds of situations. She could have told us to wait a few minutes and figure out how long the wait would be. Although it was a bad start, the food was really good and the names of their menu items were creative. The waitress was attentive and on point, just a little robotic with a annoying laughter and the end of each sentence. After the first time, I thought to myself that I would probably come back and take my girlfriend here since the setting was hip and mostly young people. My girlfriend and I have been searching for a restaurant to have her grandfather's retirement party, so I decided to take my girlfriend there the next time we dine out so that I can get her advice to see if the restaurant is good enough. We went there a few days later, (9/14/2011) hostess was dead-faced when greeting us and told us there's no tables available for the night because they were all reserved for 7:30pm and it was about 6:50pm when we arrived with all but two tables were taken. She then offered us seats at the bar, we accepted and sat down. The wait to order was about 15-20 minutes, which wasn't too bad, then appetizers came 15-20 minutes later, which was average. 50 minutes after having my appetizers, I asked the waiter (Anthony) if he could check on my entree. He walked to the bartender and whisper to her while looking at me. I then saw the bartender putting in my order because she forgot to put it in the system the first time. While the waiter was walking back towards me, I asked him how much longer the wait would be. He responded "it's coming" and with the look on his face like 'AND!?!?' There was no apology from him as for the long wait and then he gave me attitude by looking at me as if I did something wrong!? I then turned to my girlfriend and told her we had to leave right this second because I will never tolerate paying for a service that is crappy and rude. As a consumer I will go spend my money somewhere else that treats me the way a customer should be treated. We waited another 20 minutes to get the bartender's attention so that we can get the bill and leave. As soon as we got her attention, my entree arrives (1 HOUR 20 MINUTES after we ate our appetizers). I quickly asked the bartender for the check and to get a box to take my entree home because I could no longer tolerate the rude behavior. We waited for another 15 minutes to get the check and she forgot our takeout box. Anthony walked by so I asked him to get me a box. He then grabbed my plate as if he was going to bag it up for me. I asked him to leave me entree on the counter but to get me a box so I can do it myself. I do not doubt for one bit he would spit in my food back in the kitchen. Day after, I gave the owner a call to give him feedback about my experience at his restaurant. Owner was reasonable, he told me he had family emergency and could not be there, and there wasn't a manager on duty that night. He did offer me to come back and that he'll take care of me and that he's sorry. I really appreciate him taking time out to talk with me but I believe I will never come back to his restaurant again. He did not only lost all of my future business, but also all of the potential business in my network. The choice is yours! read more

Came here yesterday 10-29-2015 at around 9pm from San Francisco to make it to happy hour from 9-11pm. I even called the place hours before to make sure of the time and once we got there after so much traffic the host told us that since it was slow they weren't accepting any customers. It was only 9:10pm. I am very disappointed because it was such a waste of time. I was really looking forward to eating here because my friend recommended the place. What kind of place doesn't take customers in 2 hours before the close!!!!!!!!!! Workers shouldn't be lazy to serve the customers!! Management need to do something about this.. If i could give no stars I would!!!!!! read more

Delicious food excellent service & I love that they offer Sunday all day happy hour! We went there a few times for lunch during a busy time & always got seated and served in a timely manner. read more

I've come eat at Vanessas many times now and I always receive the best customer service. I LOVE their calamari and beef caparccio! I moved to Walnut Creek last year from Sac and whenever one of my friends come to visit I take them here to eat and they all enjoy the food. It's also nice that they have happy hour all day on Sundays read more

Consistently great food and great service at a reasonable price in a lively, vibrant atmosphere. Highly recommended!

After reading great reviews I visited last night with a friend. While every place we passed was hopping, Vanessa's had less than 10 people in it. Seems the hostess would have been happy to see us but instead just told us to "sit anywhere" while she chatted wit a server. A waiter came and he too was less than enthusiastic or helpful. We wanted to enjoy a fun celebratory meal in a happy place so we left and found that experience around the corner. A customer never wants to feel like they are interrupting staff when attempting to dine out. This staff needs a polish or overhaul. read more

I hosted a work dinner party for 22 people on February 7th and it was a huge success due to the great care and attention to detail Vanessa's Bistro provided. The quality of the food and service was superb and Alan the server's timing was impeccable which is not an easy task for a group our size. As a value add, there is a private room upstairs which was perfectly suited for our event. Lastly, the menu has something for everyone and prices are more than reasonable. I would definitely use them again ..... Bravo! read more

One of my favorite places to eat in Walnut creek. They also have a berkeley location but i have never been there before.The sweet and sour prawns are to die for. The spicy lemon grass tofu bahn mi is bomb as well. Highly recommend this place and make reservations if you come here. read more

While I'm hesitant to give only two stars to a restaurant we've enjoyed so much in the past I just feel it has gone downhill too much to warrant anything better. Let me qualify our visits to only being for lunch and not dinner. On our recent visit I suggested the French Onion Soup to a friend, recalling that it was quite a wonderful rendition that I always enjoyed. Their Vietnamese clear broth has always been great and not having had it for a while it is what I ordered. Well, my soup was just about undrinkable . It was horribly salty, had no flavor and consisted of nothing more than over boiled celery and two pale boiled prawns. My query of the onion soup brought a similar response. Salt was the primary flavor coming thru. He didn't care a bit for it. We then had the pork tacos which totally fell apart. Usually a soft taco is served with two shells to prevent this. The filling was OK, but nothing unique. The other tapa was the Calamari which was simply some deep fried, rather tough pieces dropped over a bit of fresh lettuce. A thin, rather flavorless dressing at the side. I doubt more than five small bits of Calamari or five bites. The tapas came just minutes into the soup and were quite cool by the time we got to them. We had little room on the table as the soup bowls were never cleared. I will say that the staff is quite nice tho as has been the case in the past, but that's not quite enough to say we want to go back. read more

Love this classy little joint :) It is so nice on the inside with big screen t.v. on the wall, high backed dark leather chairs, dark wooden tables and floors, and large bar area. I had always heard great things of their tapas so I couldn't wait for a night when I was hungry enough to try most of them! For dinner, I started with a glass of their sparking Sofia Coppola wine for $10. It is light and crisp and I knew would go well with the fish and noodles I was planning on ordering for dinner. For dinner, I decided to try their Ahi Tuna Carpaccio, Oven Roasted Chicken and Vegetable Potstickers, Saigon Style Noodle Salad, and Maple Leaf Duck Confit Lettuce Wraps. So good! The tuna carpaccio was lightly seasoned with green onions, pepper, and lime juice. It was delicious and fresh! The potstickers come on a plate of 3 and they were slightly crispy on the outside but the meat was very flavorful and tender on the inside. The noodle salad is huge and comes with scallions, mint leaves, lime juice, carrot shreds, cucumber shreds, and peanuts. The maple leaf duck comes with shittake mushrooms in a dark maple sauce. There are accompanying lettuce wraps and vegetables to wrap with the duck. All four dishes were enough to feed two people. The portions are decent and the food tasted amazing! The noodle and potsticker dishes were my favorite! I love carbs! Overall very satisfied with my meal! Will return again because service is excellent too! read more

I absolutely love this place!!!!! Perfect atmosphere and the food OMG is so delicious. I have tried almost everything of the menu and let's say I haven't been disappointed yet. I love it and keep up the good work!!! From you loyal customers Mechelle and Ding!!! read more

went there for the first time following a concert at the Hoffman theater. excellent experience. from the pleasant host who kept refilling my water (even though she kept spilling on the floor :), to the friendly bus boys and our server. the choice of tapas were great, and we sampled about 5 plates..everything was great tasting, and the service was 5 stars. new to the area and will definitely be back. tv showing bball was a plus too! read more

Everything was great other than the portion size.. I definitely enjoyed everything I had but I was still hungry when I left the restaurant :( read more

It was my first time here last night and it was a great experience! We were 30 mins early for our reservation but we got seated within 5 mins. We weren't sure what to order because this is tapas but our waitress helped us out. It was a very flexible menu - you could do tapas or have your own dishes. We ordered the quail - I heard this is a must try and it didn't disappoint. It was juicy and the right amount of spice. We also ordered to garlic noodles with chicken and beef - soooo delicious!! I will definitely order this again. Then we finished off with a filet Miglin banh mi sandwich. It was a good French twist to the traditional Vietnamese sandwich but I wish I ordered the more traditional one to try. This one was really good though. We had the Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc which went perfectly with our dishes. I definitely highly recommend Vanessa's if you ever find yourself at Walnut Creek. read more

We just used Vanessa's for two events in one week and they did not disappoint. The crispy chicken rolls and chicken wings were awesome, the garlic noodles were also a hit. Ordering, delivery, and set-up were a breeze. Thanks for making our events great! read more

I love Vanessa's! The food is delicious! Everything I've tried I've loved. The pecan pie is to die for! Seriously, the best pie I've ever had. read more

This is my favorite Vietnamese restaraunt yet. I've been to alot of hole in the wall vietnamese restaraunts and this knocks everyone of those out of the ball park! Their food is outstanding. Happy hour is great too! ( I recommend going to it so you can save a few bucks and then you can try more of their items) My husband and I usually order these few staples-- chicken spring roll wraps, I'd use all the toppings they give you for that one, their salt & pepper prawns, filet mignon vermicilli noodle salad, and filet mignon carpaccio!! (that last one is my favorite off the menu!) -- There tuna carpaccio is also great too. I love having this spicier food with their happy hour Gewurztraminer!(white wine) There service is always good too, however, we tried to do a private party there once and the manager wasn't the most helpful or inviting. Etiher way, that won't stop us from coming back for their food! We usually go there for lunches/lunch time happy hour-- I can't remember our servers name but he's usually the only server there (during that time frame) and he's always really helpful & nice! read more