Traditional homestyle Vietnamese cooking, including noodle soups.
This is my go to Hue restaurant. Best Banh It Ram in Orange County! Banh It Ram is this stuffed sticky ball on top of a crispy fried base and is usually dipped in nuoc mam. The base is thicker than most other places and is fried to perfection.
Fair warning: They are made to order so it does take a while to cook. If you plan on getting Banh It Ram, it should be the first thing you order so they could get started on it.They also have great bun bo hue (vermicelli soup) and banh beo ( mini flat cakes topped with shrimp). Other items are pretty on par with other hue restaurants.
-Janiqua
Service is 5/5, even for a Vietnamese place. They’re ready to help if you just wave. So don’t sit there like a dummy expecting them to read your mind.
To what I know, my standards, the food was consistently bland all across the board. So maybe this is there style of cooking, or this is how the people of this specific town in Vietnam are used to. If that’s the case, they hit the nail right on the head. As for my standards, it was too bland for me personally.
Bun Bo Hue (To Nho/Small) Non-Spicy had all the goodies like pork leg, sliced tender beef, etc. however the broth was super bland. I added about 2 soup spoons of fish sauce, and 4-5 scoops of chili oil to make it a little more my taste. So for what it was, they did really great, but broth was lacking.
Banh Beo was great. Came out extremely fresh compared to Quan Vy Da over on Brookhurst/Bolsa, BUT the fish sauce is what makes this dish so good, and it was super bland .
-Elvis
This is my second attempt to dine at this restaurant. The first time was a rookie mistake… I stopped by at 8:10pm thinking most Vietnamese restaurants closes at 9pm, but I was wrong.. This restaurant closes at 8pm!
Well, I learned my lesson and my boyfriend and I came here at 7pm on a Thursday night. Upon entering, there was a woman who sold mochi desserts (durian, custard, taro, and peanut). There are 4 mochis in each container and they’re 2.50 per container. It was actually pretty tasty!
Okay, so when we entered, we noticed it wasn’t too packed and we were seated immediately. My boyfriend and I both ordered the bun bo hue with less spice! The waitress was extremely nice, informative, and attentive! It did help that I spoke to her in Vietnamese so there was no language barrier. I also wanted to order the banh beo and banh bot luc combo as an appetizer, but she said it’ll be too much food for us. I really appreciated her honesty! I’ve been to sooo many restaurants where they rather up sell you on food than be honest about the portion size and ability to finish it.
When we received our food, it was absolutely delicious!! It was the best bun bo hue I’ve ever had and that says a lot since I’m originally from San Jose. AND it also came with A LOT of veggies! YESSSS!
Keep in mind, this place is cash only!!
Verdict: I will return!! Hopefully soon!!
my first time here & I will definitely be back. I’m not Vietnamese, but a lot of my friends are. They were shocked I’ve never been here. Anyways, I’m so glad someone in our group suggested this place, I enjoyed my entree so much!
I got the #2, MILD. It was 5/5, super flavorful, not too spicy, and very filling. I love noodle dishes and this is something I’ll prob crave, especially when it’s cold outside!
Most of my friends got the #16, I didn’t try it but it looked really good. I will have to try it next time.
THE BANH BEO IS A MUST MUST MUST! I’ve had a lot of these in my life, and this place has the best. The crunchy pork on top was soooo good!!! A must must, MUST TRY!!!
-Monica
If you come here at the right time, you can avoid the long, monotonous wait (usually on the weekends for lunch and early evenings).
I recommend ordering yourself a hearty, large bowl of bun bo hue. The broth is spicy and infused with all sorts of fixings like brisket, pigs blood, flank, etc. Add the sprouts, cilantro, onions, lettuce and lime to enhance the tasty experience.
This is by far my favorite Vietnamese noodle dish!
The service is quick for this bowl of richness because it’s one of their most coveted menu items!
There is a parking lot, but the search for parking can be quite unsatisfactory during peak eating hours.
-An Thien
If you’re looking for authentic bun bo hue (spicy beef noodle soup), Ngu Binh is the spot. Always crowded during peak times, there is a reason why it’s beloved… it’s delicious!
My family has been coming to Ngu Binh for years and I don’t see that changing. The broth here is really flavorful and delicious. There is a good amount of toppings in the bowl (beef, pork, pork blood, etc…) and I cannot think of one negative thing to say about this place other than the wait. It’s not like the restaurant is tiny either. It’s a good-sized restaurant that just gets so packed because everyone else knows how good the bun bo hue is here!
I’m just thinking about the next bowl of bun bo hue that I’ll be getting here!
-Jason
Very friendly service. Bun bo hue is spicy and off the chain! Servers were attentive and were polite.
-Jamie
I have no clue what I ate, but it was amazing!! The rice cakes and topping were so flavorful and I loved the chewy consistency.
I also got some sort of noodle dish. The sauce was rich and flavorful. The toppings were cooked perfectly. I added the fresh vegetables on top of my noodles, and it took me straight to heaven. Omg. The things that I would do to be back in OC, eating this amazing food!! FMUF
-Amy
Authentic Vietnamese restaurant popular among Vietnamese people. Move aside, pho, it’s all about the bun bo hue here. Slightly spicy but distinct pork broth served with a well-simmered pork feet and pork blood. I’m not really a bun bo hue eater, so I tried the banh canh tom cua ( crab meat and shrimp soup). The broth was thick when it first came out, not sure if it’s because they add corn starch or because of the type of noodles they use. A little grossed out at first, but the flavor of the soup was great! Not much solid pieces of crab meat though, mostly scraps and shreds that’s there to give the soup the flavor. I liked it more than the bun bo hue. Just be prepared for the consistency !
Oh, there’s likely going to be a wait, but the line moves fast!
-Cindy
Came in after attending the Tet festival at Mile Square Park. There were a few parties ahead of us when we arrived, but the wait staff was very efficient in moving people.
I came with regulars to the restaurant and ordered the Banh Beo (steamed rice cakes) and Banh Bot Loc ( Shrimp dumplings is rice paper), and the Bun Bo Hue. When my food arrived, the Banh Beo and Banh Bot loc were nice and warm so I know that it was freshly steamed! Also, the Bun Bo Hue was steaming!
Banh Beo combo dish came with a classic fish sauce, this dish was very filling and top notch in authenticity. The Bun Bo Hue was very rich and meat in flavor which was very similar to Cal De Res soup (Mexican Beef Soup). The noodles were thicker than normal vermicelli noodles and felt the same texture of Udon noodles.
Overall I highly recommend this spot to anyone who wants some authentic Vietnamese dishes for a fair price point! ($7.95- $8.95).
-Noah
I really enjoy the bun bo hue here, the broth is seasoned well with a little bit of a kick. It’s not too salty or sweet like a lot of places. The banh beo is pretty good as well. They give you a ton of them and you dont have to scrape them out of the little plates they cook them in. As a lazy eater, I always enjoy not having to work for my food.
-Michelle
Came here so many times. Love their Bun Bo which is their signature. And also tried their special combination all kind of rice cake. Always busy so when you come here, bring a bottle of water and some friends to talk for killing time. If you come alone, the better way is calling for order to-go then pick it up at the cashier. Lol.
-Ai Nhi
This review is solely for their Bun bo hue soup. Ohhhh mah gahhhhh…Deeeeelicious slurp slurp goodness right here! I was in the dark for so long about this soup thinking it was solely made of coagulated blood. But man, where have I been??!!?? My friends from work have been talking about this place for so long, I’m glad I finally joined in on the yummy BBH lunches! This is one of my fave soups now and I’ve even got my non-vietnamese soup eating husby addicted to it!
The spicy broth is so flavorful..and it has the perfect amount of kick to it. If the chunks of coagulated blood freak you the -f out, then you don’t have to get it! But try a small bite…at least once=P. The soup also comes with yummy pork sausages and some slices of beef as well. And the noodles, they give you SO many noodles!!! My kiddos can’t get enough of these rice noodles. I enjoy the lettuce & other leafy greens as well as the bean sprouts that they include as well.
All in all, a delicious bowl of soup that I’d be happy to recommend to anyone and everyone!!!
Y’know the mantra:
yummy food + deeeelicious bbh = a winner is you Ngu Binh!
-Belle