Huong Tra
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street, Private Lot
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
497 reviews
Neighborhood: Downtown
"Aaah...a Berkeley favorite. Here's how I do the math: good beer+good food+ good prices+live music+chill atmosphere= GOOD TIMES! The…" read more »
56 Reviews for Huong Tra
I used to drive by this place all the time. It's right along San Pablo Avenue. I had no idea that a good Vietnamese restaurant existed until a good friend invited me to lunch here. I was very impressed. Super fast service. Reasonable prices. Great selection of food. Who would have known that this place existed in such a hole-in-the-wall location?
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Thanks Tim C for your review. I'm not sure why we haven't been here for years,. but we had lunch here today.
I asked if they could make me a veggie banh mi sandwich and they did.
They used sauteed tofu with their fillings of cucumber, cilantro and carrots--it was yummy--served in a crunchy French roll.
Hubby and i also shared a tofu salad with cabbage and peanuts and light dressing.--also yummy.
Hubby ordered tofu and veggies plate. Nice selection of veggies.
Ordered a chicken banh mi to go for the teen at home-he loved it.
This is a real down-to-earth restaurant. Loads of regulars.
Staff was very friendly. We'll be back.
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According to yelper Lee H. from El Cerrito, this place was THE place for banh mi sandwiches, which caught my eye. The other Vietnamese sandwich place in El Cerrito is good, and very cheap, but I was looking for a good comparison. First, it's a real restaurant, not a walkup sandwich place. At 12:45 on a Wednesday it was packed, which is always a good sign. The sandwiches were on the appetizer part of the menu, priced at $3.50. BBQ. chicken, pork or beef. Fresh crunchy roll and real pieces of chicken inside, which always seemed to elude me at the other place. Very flavorful. When the bill came, the waitress apologized for not being able to talk about the menu options since it was so busy, and suggested times we should come back when it's quieter.
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This is a regular quick week night dinner spot for me. I probably eat here every week. The food is excellent. Ask your friendly server for suggestions and I guarantee you'll get something fantastic that you never thought about trying.
My favorites are the BBQ tofu (#65), the summer rolls, and I think #39, the grilled pork & prawn noodle soup with the sesame cracker. I also love the fried shrimp with onion and jalapeos.
Eng the waitress is super friendly and very helpful.
These are the sandwiches i WANTED! f'n great bbq chicken, beef and pork sandwiches!!!!!!! $3.50 is worth it for the quality... I've had other dishes here that were pretty good, but it's the sandwiches that make my day... order ahead and grab some to go... I'm working up the nerve to order the Avocado Smoothie. Great Staff too... while paying for my to go order the old lady cook in the back threw my wrapped up sandwich from the kitchen to the cashier, knocking over the to go sauces and napkins. The cashier looked back and the old lady who tossed it said something in vietnamese with a grin, the cashier looked and me and translated "fresh, still alive!" I want to dance with that cook.
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It's all about the happy cakes- the fried crepes stuffed with shrimp and pork served with romaine, cucumber, carrot and fish sauce as an appetizer.
Awesome pho. Awesome grilled shrimp bun. Awesome dude. I know a lot of adjectives . . .
Not to mention humorous, friendly and helpful service, replete with concern over your enjoyment of the . . . you know it's coming . . . awesome avocado shake.
Gotta go now dude. Surf's up.
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Can't remember too many details about this place, but everything I've had here was great and affordable. I try to stop here whenever I am in Richmond.
I'm was so excited to discover a good Vietnamese option in close proximity to our house. What a great find!
The chicken banh mi was good. Chock full of cilantro, pickled daikon and carrots and even cucumbers. The only thing missing was sliced jalapenos, but I can overlook that for a good sandwich. At $3.50 a sandwich, it isn't as inexpensive as some places, but it's close to home, tasty and still a lot less expensive than "western" style sandwiches.
This has to be my favorite Vietnamese Place in the Bay Area.
They have the best tasting Pho (beef noodle soup) I've ever had.
Their Crispy Squid with jalapeno pepper is really good also.
I went there once on a Sunday only to find the place closed on every Sundays. What a let down that was...
Cool staff too with friendly smiles 95% if the times.
Mmmm..... I can taste the Pho and the Crispy Squid dish with jalapeno peppers dipped in sweet sauce as I write this. Too bad it's Sunday. boohoo...
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nice staff cheap always good every time i love the #66 peanut tofu over rice my boyfriend is obsessed with the beef pho he would eat it everyday if he could
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Perfect. Cheap, down-to-earth, and friendly. Crispy Ginger Prawns are spicy and sinful. Lot's to recommend to satisfy the palate.
Wow! Terrific! Love the food...I basically take out...not much of sit down and enjoy your meal kinda' of place. But the food is Delish! There is rarely a week....I don't stop.
I continue to try new items as I notice them being dished out while I wait to pick up my food. Never had a unpleasant visit!
timber
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This is my favorite Vietnamese restaurant in the East Bay.
The shrimp with lobster sauce, mussels with fried garlic and crushed peanuts, and beef salad are incredible values and very delicious! I've also had all sorts of Pho, rice plates, and even their sandwiches. The quality was always good and I was never disappointed, even with their vegetarian dishes.
There should be no wondering why there is always a line during lunch. If you come for dinner, it's hit or miss if you're going to have to wait.
Expect nothing fancy here, but you'll receive some of the best home made cooking there is. I would start a family tradition by taking them here.
Excellent food
Excellent menu
Excellent service
Excellent prices
The five stars say it all.
This place has everything to satisfy the veggie heads to the animal eaters of the bay.
Yes it is in Richmond, no you wont get robbed.
Every item in their extensive menu is outstanding, drop by get a bite or 2.
I have to say I go back here all the time and you can order to go if your a busy bee. I love this place. Though this isn't the only vietnamese restaurant I go to. It's the only one that has their infamous spicy chicken and spicy beef rice plates. It delicious. The service is great. Friendly people and your order comes quick. But if you do come for the pho it is very tasty, but they don't give you as much noodles as other places do. But it's still enough to fulfill your tummy. I strongly recommend this place. There thai ice tea and various other pearl drinks are delicious. Their location is not bad either. I luckily always get parking there though the plaza's parking lot is pretty small. I am sad that they are not open on Sundays. So on a Sunday I suggest going to Saigon in Pacific East Mall.
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The first time I had pho at this place, I swore I'd dump my boyfriend and marry the noodle bowl. For some reason, it's never been as good after that. Sigh, I guess getting to know your partner is what kills the spark.
The quail is yummy.
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This is the kind of place you'd pass right by unless someone you know brings you here. My friends brought me, I brought my family...All passing along the good word... Lots of good things here, everyones always happy. Good tofu dishes...Im currently obsessed with their tofu summer rolls with peanut sauce. I go there just for these at least twice a week.
What the Hell happened to Houng Tra? This used to be one of my favorite Vietnamese restaurants in the area, then sometime about a year or so ago the prices started creeping up and the quality took a serious plunge. The nuoc mam got watery, the amount of meat in the vermicelli dishes became miniscule, (and frequently overdone and tough) and the bouquets of essential herbaceous greenery (mint, holy basil, cilantro) that once graced their dishes all but disappeared.
I'm guessing there was a change in ownership. I kept going for a while, but nothing I got really showed much promise that they might return to form, and so I haven't been back in quite some time.
I'm giving 3 stars because they used to earn 4 easily, but it was strictly 2 star cut-rate mediocrity the last few times I was in there.
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Don't see what the big deal is. Boring pho, and the combination clay pot was just rice and assorted stuff served in a clay pot -- not baked in the pot itself. I mean, if you don't get the "burniness" what's the point? To eat a rice plate in a bowl?!?
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Hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese joint that was bustling on Saturday afternoon. Flavorful and intoxicating seafood, chicken & rice clay pot. Heavenly addicting broth in the seafood soup. Refreshing and sweet lemon iced tea. Cheap, fast, delicious. I'm one of those examine-the-silverware-and-plates-to-see-if-they're-clean-before-eating-type folks, so I experienced a bit of sanitary euphoria when I saw that they had neatly and tightly wrapped their silverware and chopsticks with white paper napkins.
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Excellent!! I'd been looking for tasty Pho and found it. Try the scallions wrapped in beef. maybe. Delightful server. $66 including tip and beers for four people. ES will be back -- sooner the better.
Really good food. A bunch of Vegetarian options. My fav is the BBQ tofu rice plate. The one downside is that there isn't any true vegetarian soups, but they will give you a vegetable soup in a chicken broth, so I say that's cheating if you eat it. Their Pho Ga (chicken noodle soup) is what has nurtured back to health ever since I was young. It's the best for when you've got a cold. Love those not-fried spring rolls (I think they call them summer rolls?)
Oh, and the lemonade is SO good! Hella sweet. but I love it anyways!
Not much in the way of romantic decor, but the price is right and the food is hexa good!!
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Authentic, Yummy, Cheap Vietnamese hole-in-the wall located in a very nondescript strip mall. I was in heaven.... The extensive menu pretty much gives a huge array of traditional Vietnamese food including rice dishes, claypot dishes, pho, and noodle dishes.
This place definitely reminds me of my mom's home cooking upped a few notches in deliciousness. This is like my version of a fresher and much less trendy/hyped Tu Lan right here in my neighborhood.
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My star rating is based mainly on the food and pricing because the service we received was somewhat indifferent and lukewarm. Our male server was pretty unremarkable. Maybe the female waitresses are the ones providing all of this friendly service that most other reviewers seemed to get? When you factor in that they left us standing awkwardly near the cashier, waiting for a table to open up, it was pretty disappointing.
The beef noodle pho was tasty. The spring rolls were just average, and they came with sweet chili sauce rather than the traditional dipping sauce. I'll probably give this place another shot, though, mainly because I've been looking for a decent Vietnamese restaurant that's not too far from home
When we come here, we don't get our usual Vietnamese restaurant dishes like pho and bun... We get quail, clay pot rice, springs rolls, etc.
Reasonably priced, delicious, an easy crowd pleaser. Come here, leave happy.
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This is a great place for lunch! I love their pho. It's unpretentious, a hole-in-the-wall, as others have said, but it's tidy, clean and pretty much always crowded, whether week day or weekend. Last time my husband and I shared a table w/ another couple at the waitress' request and it turned out to be an interesting, pleasant experience.
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Our favorite, we jsut live up in the Arlington and come down to enjoy the great fast and wonderful local service.
Try their Island Chicken Salad and their Spicy Beef.
I wouldn't leave here without grabbin' a Bubble Tea, Mango is my favorite!
Cheers!
I decided to come here for lunch one day after reading all the rave reviews on Yelp and I must say, it did not dissapoint. I got the Bun Thit Nuong with egg rolls and it rocked my world.The atmosphere was lively and it was filled with offiice workers who were taking their 30 minute lunches, so I felt right at home.
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Okay so I went here because I was craving a vietnamese sandwich so I looked it up on Yelp. I must say I agree with the 5 star ratings. I ordered the shrimp on sugar cane (YUMMY), BBQ Chicken Sandwich (YUMMY) and the Chicken Curry on Garlic Rice (EVEN YUMMIER). It was all SO good. The place is always busy, so I always order the food to go. But overall it is really great.
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Authentic Vietnamese cuisine that is actually good. The location in a run down strip mall was iffy at first, but once through the door the establishment was bustling with customers. This joint draws the local crowd as half of the people eating there were wearing attires that represent the nearby business.
The savory meal I order reminds me of my mom's cooking... Food was very affordable and brought out promptly. I definitely recommend this place and will come back in the future...
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Superb Vietnamese food! Dinner for four for only a bit more than what you'd spend at Wendy's hamburgers a few doors down, and that's including tip. My favorite kind of restaurant, a hidden gem in a low rent strip mall.
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Tasty, cheap and very unique Vietnamese food with quick and pleasant service. Not your standard Pho or even standard Vietnamese style sit-down restaurant. They had clay pot dishes exploding with flavor, sugar cane sticks with shrimp and pork wrapped around it, crisp and perfect rice flour spring rolls...we are definitely coming back! Located in a nice and cozy strip mall with parking spaces, just before you get to the scary part of Richmond (Iron Triangle).
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I like this place, good food not fancy not expensive. I really like the soups and the ginger chicken and the spicy beef are quite tasty and they will customize dishes if you ask. only downer not open Sunday.
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Yelp.com helped me find this great Vietnamese place in my neighborhood!
A nice dining room that reminds me of one found in a friend's house. Clean, well-lit, light pink walls, and many framed pictures.
I had the combo mixed pho and it was 6.25 and it was a big bowl of noodles, lots of beef (too tough), beef balls, a little tendon and a little tripe. I would appreciate more tendon as they were small pieces I had to fish for. The beef pho was too salty and I was thirsty hours later. I liked the seafood rice noodle soup much better. If you like pho, the seafood rice noodle soup is healthier and the broth has much more depth. The seafood itself in the soup will not impress -- fish balls, fake crabmeat, three shrimps, and one piece of squid but overall a much better dish than the beef pho.
The Crispy Shrimp and Pork pancake (6 dollars) is a giant orange rice crepe deep fried and stuffed with shrimp and sprouts. Cucumbers, lettuce, herbs, and other veggies accompanied it. It had a nice crunchy texture and tasted great with the sweet fish sauce it came with. The only problem was that it was so oily that the bottom of the crepe was soaked soggy with oil. I recommend trying this once just because it's something you likely never had and it's impressive looking.
All their pork rice dishes are perfect. I recommend the sliced pork over rice or pork chop with curd roll and egg.
Also try their fried quail (perfectly fried and delicious), BBQ chicken sandwich (best I ever had and no chiles!), and summer rolls.
The smoothies (3.75) have real fruit in it and it's not too sweet, it's got tapioca balls and little vietnamese jellies in it making it an interesting drink. Definitely try it. We had the mango smoothie and it was not a disappointment. The taro smoothie is too sweet. Tthe house ice green tea is very refreshing and strong --only 60 cents?
The chow fun is passably good ( I don't recommend it) and definitely less oily than the Chinese version.
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Have visited this place a few times the past couple weeks and I am happy to report I have finally found a place in the east bay(Richmond, Pinole, El Cerrito area) that serves good Viet cuisine. My gf lives in the South Bay so we eat alot of Viet and alot of good Viet at that, so when I come back to the east bay I am usually disappointed that there isn't alot of good Viet places to eat out here. Well I finally found one.
The fried egg rolls are ok, mainly because the last few times I have gone the eggrolls were luke warm when I got them. I also had a beef and green onion appetizer topped with minced peanuts which I really liked.
I gave the chicken curry a swing, since I've been on a hardcore curry kick lately, and it was ok, nothing special. I think maybe I've been eating too much Thai curry and have been spoiled by it.
The Spicy Chicken dish is very good, probably the item I will order more often than not. Haven't tried the Pho, though I have a feeling this place isn't a Pho House so I'll stick with Rice dishes for now. I also tried the sliced pork rice plate. Nothing spectacular.
Service is very nice and polite.
Update: Recently had the Spicy Beef rice plate and it was very good. I might even prefer it more than Spicy Chicken as far as flavor.
I am all about #39- Charbroiled Sliced Pork and Spring Roll on Vermicelli. Been eating eat now for at least 4 years... recently, I branched out and tried the chow fun which was also good...
But #39 is a square meal in a round bowl. You've got lean (white) meat (if you consider pork the other white meat), rice noodles, greens, and some FRY (the spring roll)- just enough so that you don't feel guilty about it. Throw on the vinegary dressing and some of the hot sauce and you are good to go with a humongous smile on your face.
A plus--- when I was pregnant with son #2 and very close to being gestationally diabetic, I asked for less noodles and more greens and they happily obliged. I've also asked for variations on their regular menu items (like adding in veggies, or giving me more veggies, etc.) and they do it with nary a sideways glance. So, have it your way (Burger King reference before they were BK and had that scary King mascot- eek! he gives me the heebie-jeebies!)
The lemon iced tea is tasty and refreshing- mmmmmmmm!
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I'm Vietnamese and I like this place. 'Nuff said.
My father-in-law introduced me to this place, although my hubby ate here a few times back in the day when he was a Public defender.
It's a hole in the wall, so don't expect Le Cheval, but the food is cheap and so good. I'd recommend the canh chua (sour soup), as well as the banh hoi (vermicelli, steamed, with onions) with the grilled pork. The Hanoi pork is also great. You'll leave with a full tummy and, best yet, you won't break yor bank account. If you're snooty and don't like holes in the wall, go elsewhere. Puhlease!
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Great Vietnamese food -- yummmm!!!! Fresh ingredients, pleasant service. Even tho' last week we were already seated and the other waitress tried to have us move. Anyway...love this restaurant. Take friends for good conversation, don't mind the surroundings, it's basic, and dig into your pho, noodles or delicious drink!
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Generally, I'm used to going to Vietnamese restaurants to eat food that is either too hard or too time-consuming to make at home (pho, banh hoi, hu tieu, etc.) so I was surprised when I opened the menu to discover that most of the food items was stuff that Vietnamese people eat at home on a regular basis. Still though, having been away from home for 3 years, the bowl of canh chua ca (sweet and sour fish soup) poured over rice really hit the spot. They even brought out a plate so I can take out the fish and pour nuoc mam (fish sauce) over it the way it's supposed to be eaten.
The people who work there are very nice. I overheard them making small talk with other customers and actually sounding genuinely interested in how people are doing (instead of the generic "how are you?" with a fake smile). One of the waiters brought out the rice a few minutes before they brought out the soup; the guy behind the counter actually told him to take it back and to bring me another bowl so that the rice wouldn't cool before the actual food came out. When they found out I was Vietnamese, they came up and chatted with me while I was eating while I concentrated on only speaking between bites so I wouldn't spit food all over them.
The prices are awesome too. I ordered a small bowl for $8.25 expecting only enough for one meal; the resulting bowl that I got is enough to fill me up for 3 meals!
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