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Xin Chao Eatery

4.1 (287 reviews)
ModerateVietnamese
Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

Xin Chao Eatery Photos

Business Info

XIN CHAO EATERY ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Trendy
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - Xin Chao Eatery

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Visit April 2026: bar seating available
Jeff R.

Visit April 2026 Located in the Del Mar Highlands shopping center in the upper lot from Sky Deck. Tiny but popular little pho shop. Came here on a Saturday night and all the tables were in use so we settled for bar seating. I've never eaten inside truth be told and we had only stopped here for egg rolls to munch on whenever we head up to the OC or LA lol. Their fried egg rolls are really good so of course we started off with them, an order of 9. I do wish they had given more lettuce to wrap them in. More of a kitchen prep issue. There menu is fairly small, at least compared to other Vietnamese spots I have been to. I was torn between "The TCN", tai chin nam, which is rare steak, brisket, and flank, and the "The TNG", tai nam gau, which comes with rare steak, flank, and fatty brisket. I'm a nerd so TNG caught the attention of my Starfleet tricorder but lost me at fatty brisket. I liked my dish. The portion size to price ratio was fairly good. I've had similar size bowls at other places and they were $20+ while this was less than. Broth was bright and not too greasy. Tender pieces of beef. A good stop when you're in the area and craving pho.

Ryan S.

Still our go-to place for delicious Vietnamese food. Love their Vermicelli noodle bowl. Lettuce and noodles very refreshing on a hot day. Lots of grilled pork. This dish fills me up. They have the best Vietnamese iced coffee around!! Our server Maya is very friendly. We like that she recognizes us and says hello when we come in. Great service! Restaurant always clean. Love open feel. There is outside seating also.

Vermicelli Bowl
Katherine S.

Good Viet place for non-Viet people; adequate for Viet people. Food: 3.5/5 I'm Viet, and it's really hard to impress me when it comes to Viet food. This place is not bad! But I've had better in my family's dining room. For the San Diego area, this is a solid pick for phở. The broth is decently flavorful. I understand this is for food waste, but I do wish the phở herb dish had more basil by default. The bún is fine, too. My asian friends like this place, and their standards for Viet food are more normal than mine. Service: 4/5 The workers are nice, and they are very attentive to fulfilling special requests. They were not distant or overbearing. Atmosphere: 4/5 It's a clean, nice place that is as it claims to be: a casual eatery. The music is not overbearing. I would recommend this place for a family meal, a lunch with friends, or a date for an established couple. Final rating: 3.83 (rounding up to 4 on Yelp)

House Special
Dung N.

My friend was raving about this spot, so we finally checked it out on a chilly night back in May of 2024. I got the House Special and they got a bowl of pho tai chin nam. I also ordered their Hawaiian Sunset mocktail. My bowl of pho was loaded with filet mignon, back ribs, brisket and meatballs. The broth was lacking flavor, so I was a bit disappointed in my bowl. Their bowl came with rare steak, brisket, and flank. Their bowls come with generous portions of meat, but lack a hearty broth. My drink was a little to sour for me, but still refreshing. Overall, a decent place for pho- maybe it was an off day for them.

Dining area
David W.

Xin Chao Eatery is a casual Vietnamese spot in Del Mar. This visit was characterized by friendly, attentive service and comforting food. THE FOOD * Chicken Banh Mi ($12): A well-constructed sandwich. It started with light, warm, and fluffy bread filled with moist grilled chicken. The cilantro, jalapeños, onions, and carrots were bright and fresh. * Next time, I will ask for extra pickled vegetables to better balance the ratio of bread to filling in each bite. * The Sides: The banh mi was accompanied by warm shrimp chips and a flavorful side of bone broth, which was a nice touch. ATMOSPHERE & LOGISTICS * Vibe: A relaxed environment with modern decor, featuring neon accents and clean, round light fixtures. * Seating: The space is functional. There are about 35-40 seats total, including an 8-seat bar and some limited outdoor seating. SERVICE The hostess set the tone with a kind greeting and it continued with friendly, attentive service throughout the visit. OVERALL A great spot for a comforting Vietnamese meal with family or friends.

Faye L.

I took my mom here today for first time as we nearby . Hot pho and rice plates are always welcomed on a rainy day . I usually adore the service as the staff has mostly been amazing. Today our server was lackluster. Took our order and never came back to check on us so it was me getting up to get things . I asked a helper if our rice plate came with soup and she said no but then our server came up to set down the side of soup . Water refills weren't offered until we asked at the end along with to go boxes and the check . The House special Pho $18 is small but the filet mignon slices and rib bone are the best components . Broth wasn't very hot . The rice plate $20 had three items which were generous and tasted pretty good . My pet peeve is when a server stands there with the tablet for you to pay and tip. It's awkward especially when service wasn't very good . Tip options are automatic 18/22/25 post tax here . Hoping to return with family another time when the usual staff works .

View from front door
Fred S.

The short: Nice ambiance, good service (but they do get very busy at dinner time), and the food is always good and out quickly. Bahn mi is a winner; pho serviceable; milk and Thai teas are worth it during happy hour only -- half off. Classy and trendy, perfect spot for a dinner date in Del Mar. The long: I have been to this restaurant over a dozen times and surprised I hadn't reviewed it yet. Pho tai 4/5. My kid says 5/5 and me and my wife rate it a bit lower 3.5/5, but my daughter loves the pho here. For a family night out you can't go wrong as there are plenty of options that are delicious. Bahn mi w/ grilled chicken is 4.5/5 this is as close as a place will get to perfection. The sandwich is delicious and they are mostly generous with the chicken. On an occasion or two, the produce was sub par and they immediately made things right if you talk to management. If you order extra chicken, $5 bucks will more often than not get you a second generous serving. On rare occasion, they'll be more stingy w/ the extras. (Probably depends on how busy they are and staff) Pork bahn mi 3.5/5 it's good, not memorable. I prefer the grilled chicken, personally. If you don't want chicken though, the pork sandwich isn't going to disappoint. Drinks. They look pretty, but they aren't competitive with the milk teas across the lot. For $6 bucks, your money goes further at omomo and happy lemon just a stones throw away. They have happy hour.. apparently only for high school and college kids; (silly distinction... bad management decision imo.) so if you can get the teas for 3 bucks I guess it's worth it. Else, do yourself a favor and save the money or spend it at Omomo. I order water when they ask full price; try it for yourself and you'll understand why. Service is generally nice here, but it can be a mixed bag. I don't think I've gotten the same wait staff once, but for the most part they are all friendly... just overworked and maybe the place is understaffed at times. Presentation 5/5 the food is prepared and presented beautifully; sometimes it doesn't come out piping hot.. which I always expect, that would be my only complaint. Overall 4.5/5, I'll round it up because yelp doesn't allow for 1/2 stars (it's more 5 than 4 in my book). One final point, the place is trendy and a nice place for a date, don't expect authentic convoy like experience. I'm rating the experience and restaurant for the clientele they cater to and on that end they hit the mark... one of the better eateries in Del Mar.

Nicole T.

This place is amazing for asian food for the area, since Del Mar does not have many choices when it comes to this cuisine! If you're looking for a very authentic rich broth in your pho, this is not the place for you as the broth on the pho is lighter and not as heavily seasoned. But it does satisfy any craving and is a quick stop when you're in the area I highly recommend their chicken egg rolls. I was surprised at how juicy they were, and they were fried to perfection! Would definitely come back specifically for this The rice plate was good, but part of the rice was a bit stale (im assuming they dont sell many rice plates daily as most all tables had pho) but I took the leftovers home to recook the next day and it was great

Shrimp pho
Margo C.

The pho is very good here--serving portions are generous and the broth is tasty. The bubble tea is also decent. Service the first time I was here was better than during my second visit. I am not a big fan of the seating here, which is limited and not super cozy or comfortable. I noticed their take out is pretty busy and might prefer that next time,

Hair on tofu?!?
Robyn S.

I really deliberated for a long time about posting this one for so many reasons. I had been wanting to try Xin Chao for a while now because I live in the area and it looked really cute and tasty. I love supporting local businesses. Let me start by saying that had this not happened, I would have given them a solid 4 stars. The service is friendly and attentive. The atmosphere is warm and inviting with cute decor and serveware. Had just the hair on the tofu (which looks from the photo like maybe it was just a crack or possibly a string from corn or the bean sprouts due to my old camera, which I assure you was in fact a hair), I might have "swept it under the rug" and not mentioned it because everything was so beautifully presented and I noticed it instantly and was able to remove the piece of tofu from my plate easily and I didn't see any more tainted pieces, I may have still given them the 4 stars. However, as I was eating the chicken eggrolls, I noticed an uninvited visitor crawling around on my plate. Actually, to be more specific it dropped off of the piece of lettuce that I had wrapped around the egg roll I was actively eating onto my plate. As hard as I try, I cannot unsee this. In fact it makes me weary of eating out in general these days. I get a bit queasy when I think about it. I would have loved to have embraced it and been like, "Bonus! Added protein," but I just can't get there in my mind. I was there on a Tuesday and they had mentioned when I arrived that things were slower than usual because the head chef was off that day. Not sure if that had anything to do with it. And I understand when you are using the freshest ingredients this could happen, but usually aren't there washing protocols in place? Hopefully this was just an off-night. I'm sad that I will not be returning as this is the type of place I would have frequented regularly. You can see the food looks beautiful and from what I tasted before I noticed, I definitely would have returned had this not occurred.

Caili C.

We came by craving something comforting for dinner when we found this spot for pho. The pho itself was solid, I liked the broth and the house special comes with a nice variety of brisket, beef rib, flank steak and meatballs. The beef rib was a bit difficult to eat but pretty tender. My friend got the oxtail pho and while we were both excited to oxtail, the meat was a bit tough and the wide noodles here were a bit off and too chewy. We also ordered the spring rolls to share which were good but I wish the peanut sauce had more kick to it.

oxtail pho
Molly Z.

3.5 stars. I've been to Xin Chao twice and my first visit was much better than the second. Service, ambiance and portion size are all solid, but my review comes down to the pho. I got the House Special Pho during my first visit and this was good. The broth could've been more rich, but I was happy with the amount of meat and the texture of the thin noodles. We also got the Chicken Egg Rolls to share, which I enjoyed! I decided to be a bit experimental during my second visit and opted for the Oxtail Pho with wide noodles. Unfortunately the oxtail was pretty tough, and the wide noodles were falling apart in the broth. The summer rolls were average, but overall was pretty disappointed by my second visit. I'd probably still come back if I'm in the area and craving pho, but would stick to the thin noodles.

Marissa N.

Pretty bummed. Ordered tofu spring rolls, like it says on the receipt, and when I got there I reminded them that I ordered a large thai tea because they didn't bring out a drink with my pick up order. The host/server tells me they don't have Thai tea and proceeded to set up the credit card machine. The receipt shows I was charged for a large Thai tea so I asked if I could get some kind of drink since I was charged and they came back with a small milk tea which at the time I didn't realize was not a size large. When I got home and opened my food it was shrimp spring rolls, not tofu spring rolls and I can't eat shrimp. So I had to toss my order. Disappointed!!!

Phi tai with extra meatballs

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5 months ago

Delicious rare steak pho with flavorful broth. Crave this on the weekly!! And excellent, quick customer service

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2 months ago

Jennifer was our server and provided excellent service, it's very rare to see this kind of customer service. Food was delicious as always.

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Ask the Community - Xin Chao Eatery

Can they accommodate for a gluten allergy?

Hello! We have quite a few gluten-free options, and our pho, which is our specialty, is gluten-free.

I msg used? I have msg migrane allergy

thank you for contacting us about your dietary restrictions. MSG is a naturally occurring byproduct in many of our key ingredients like soy sauce, and it is also used as a flavoring in some of our dishes. We can do our best to communicate dishes… 

Do you have many vegetarian dishes? Do you offer Vietnamese pancakes?

On their menu they have a green leaf near their vegetarian options. Which all seem to have a theme of tofu in them. I wouldn't say it's diverse, but it's available. (Since they are fairly new, the menu is small).… 

When will they open?

They opened this week (9/12/2022). 🎉👍

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

Kingfisher

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4.4
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Kingfisher serves some genuinely delicious food. The scallops were outstanding, the fried rice was…read moreflavorful, and the black cod was also excellent. The kitchen clearly knows how to prepare quality dishes, and the food is the reason I'm giving this restaurant 4 stars instead of less. That said, I deducted one star because of the location and overall environment. I chose Kingfisher because I was looking forward to Vietnamese cuisine, but when I arrived, my first impression was disappointing. Right by the entrance there was a strong urine smell, and because the restaurant has an open-air layout, it affected the dining experience. I also found myself concerned about the surrounding neighborhood and the overall setting. For me, a great restaurant is about more than just the food--it's also about feeling comfortable, relaxed, and enjoying the atmosphere. Even if a restaurant serves amazing food, the experience isn't complete if the location makes guests feel uneasy. I understand that Kingfisher has earned Michelin recognition, and the quality of the food certainly shows why. However, I hope the overall dining environment can improve because the talented kitchen deserves a setting that matches the excellent dishes they serve. I would gladly return if this establishment were located in a cleaner, more welcoming area without the homeless encampments nearby.

Photos
Interior
Interior
Hokkaido scallops $39
Hokkaido scallops $39
Crispy chicken wings

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Crispy chicken wings
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4.5
(329 reviews)
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This is our spot whenever we need party trays of bánh cuốn / banh ướt. The banh cuốn is fresh,…read moresoft, and perfectly balanced with toppings (bean sprouts, sliced cucumbers), making it ideal for gatherings or potlucks. Their bún riêu is also good - it comes with a mountain of fresh vegetables, and the broth leans on the sweeter side, which I personally enjoy. Comforting, flavorful, and hits the spot. The inside of the restaurant isn't much but let's be rieu (haha) you're not here for the vibe or decor.

Honestly, this is the best bánh ướt spot in San Diego in my opinion. I eat Vietnamese food pretty…read moreoften and have tried a lot of places, but this one is hands down my favorite for bánh ướt. The menu is super simple and straightforward, and I love that you can order extra fried pork by the half pound or full pound -- it's my favorite part. The place is not like crazy cute but i'm there for the food so it doesn't matter much to me. They also do party trays and to-go orders, which I always take advantage of. Whenever I'm craving it, I just call ahead, and by the time I get there, my order's ready for pickup. Super convenient and always delicious. note: in the picture i ate a good amount before taking a pic because i was so hungry but the portion is really good and much more.

Photos
Entrance Altar
Entrance Altar
Bún Riêu
Bún Riêu
Giò Chiên, Fried Pork Paste and #1 Bánh Cuốn, Ướt Đặc Biệt

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Giò Chiên, Fried Pork Paste and #1 Bánh Cuốn, Ướt Đặc Biệt

Xin Chao Eatery - vietnamese - Updated July 2026

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