Good Morning Viet Nam Restaurant Review

It was late and the other Vietnamese place down the street had closed already; Thank goodness they were! I've easily eaten at 50+ Vietnamese restaurants across the country and this place is THE BEST PHO AND VIET FOOD YOU WILL EVER HAVE :) The ingredients are so fresh and of such high quality that there is no need to add any sauce etc to your food. On top of that, the service and love that goes into each dish by the owner/chef makes it that much better. Enjoy!

Amazing food, so delicious. Highly recommend this small place.

That was one of the best Vietnamese sandwiches I ve ever had. Spring rolls too!

Love the Vietnamese sandwiches and the Buddhist statues, also there is a nice lil park next to it. Cool spot and the beach is a few blocks down we all could use that walk after lol

Very well kept and accessible place. They serve generous portions and for affordable prices. I loved the food very much and the staff were very attentive and chatty. I recommend this place.

Excellent ambiance. Head out back for a very relaxed, romantic setting

I wasn't super hungry when I came here but I ended up devouring my plate and likely would have eaten more.

Let me preface the rest of this by saying that I grew up with Vietnamese food cooked by extended first-generation family and friends I've had the pleasure of dining with. I'm not sure I would really categorize this as traditional Vietnamese food BUT...that doesn't necessarily equate to being a bad thing!

Food:
I ordered the BANH XEO (VIETNAMESE CREPE), and while having expected leafy greens, vegetable sides, fish sauce, bean sprouts, etc; the marriage of all of these ingredients was really quite unlike anything I've ever experienced in traditional Vietnamese cuisine (hence the preface). That sounds hyperbolic, for sure, but the complexity of flavors (for me, and this is obviously my subjective p.o.v.), were hard to identify each specific contribution. While they're subtle and almost unidentifiable, prove greater than the sum of each part. Whereas my traditional, family-oriented experience is a far more straightforward flavor faire.

My partner ordered a chicken banh mi sandwich and the few bites I tried, I had a similar experience with how the meat was marinated -- it had this perfectly paired Brie cheese/fresh garlic aioli flavor, even though I'm certain it didn't have those exact ingredients to achieve that effect. I really wanted to eat more, but it wasn't my order. :)

Drinks:
Hot tea was pleasant and welcome since it was fairly chilly. Filtered water was also strangely pleasant without employing any lemon wedges.

Iced coffee was great, wasn't watered down, and the fact that it comes freshly brewed with condensed milk that you manually add to a cup of ice speaks to its freshness.

Service:
We were the only ones there so service was prompt, courteous, attentive -- with friendly chatter that wasn't intrusive, mid-bite interruptions.

Location:
Small, cozy, but not for a super large group. There's a beautiful gigantic waterfall statue positioned behind the indoor area where the semi-outdoor, clear-vinyled walls and painted art (maybe local) both inside and outside. It can be chilly on cold days, so bring a jacket/sweater.

Bathroom was very clean but single-person only. Due to the small dining-area size, I don't believe there'd be a waiting problem.

Parking:
There's a narrow dirt driveway that leads to the back with some comfortable parking facing the marsh.

Price:
Part of the reason why I even subtracted a star. It does pack a punch but if you're willing to splurge a bit, I'd recommend it at least once. The other reason I subtracted one star is because I only tried two entrees and one drink, so I don't feel me experience is reflective of everything this place provides as a whole. I'm very optimistic about the quality of the food I would need to try but I'll leave that to a future visit.

Hope that review is informative!

I am a pho-natic and this is BY FAR the BEST PHO ever! The chef really takes pride in the ingredients (organic grass fed beef) and the exquisite flavors that are the result of a lot of love that goes into not only the pho but all of the dishes. The chef and his wife are the owner/operators and I love supporting a local family business like this!

Had a great experience welcoming staff very friendly and attentive jasmine tea is extraordinary ll be back to try more see u soon

Now that's five stars! Incredibly, friendly! Rained like mad, lights went out, candles delivered and we had a great time! Check the pic! Nothing left!

Little pricy side, but the food is good and the chef is very mindful of the clients. He even started adding ginger to pho because he saw many of his customers were sick.

Hidden gem on the side of the road. Really good food and very attentive staff.

Vegetarian Banh Mi! Nom nom. Nice toasted buns with fresh ingredients shiitake mushrooms and fried tofu. Can ask for the tofu not to be fried.

I really wanted to try this restaurant. I live locally and have tried multiple times to catch them open. I FINALLY had the chance today, but made the mistake of going in with my son. This neighborhood restaurant would not serve anything not printed on the menu and would not accommodate a child's request for rice with chicken -- two things that are both on the menu, just not listed as a line item. I'm heartbroken that they would not help us and it forced us to have to leave without trying any food. I'm super duper sad and disappointed because I'm sure the food is amazing. From a momma bear though, if you put your restaurant next to a beach in a family community, you might want to consider your little neighbors as well. My son cried on our way out and they still did nothing. Boo and shame on them.

Check in before you go. Was closed this Sat around 1500.

Adorable space, friendly and involved proprietor and tasty food.

My husband and I come here regularly. We love this place! It s pricey but worth every penny. The ingredients are fresh, rich flavors. Nothing is over salty or too greasy or heavy on sauces like most restaurants now a days. Everything is light and healthy tasting, spring rolls are to die for.

It takes a while to get the food but we actually love the wait. We sip on tasty hot tea, enjoy the atmosphere, have time to talk and built our appetites. We love the ambience, romantic, zen, relaxing environment and music is always great.

The chef is the nicest guy and seems very passionate about his craft. I m so happy this place exists. More places like this please. We always recommend it to everybody we know. We have taken our friends here and they all love it. This place is awesome.

Excellent pho with a healthy sized portion. The quality of the ingredients shows in the flavor. I am not one to reach for the chilli sauce when eating pho, the complex flavors from the broth and herbs are more than enough for me and this blend more than satisfied.

The food was excellent. Definitely the best Pho you'll find within 20 miles of Playa del Rey, in fact it's one of the best bowls of beef Pho I've had in LA/OC or anywhere for that matter. Prices are a bit high compared Vietnamese restaurants in OC, but not out of the ordinary for the area. There's only one chef so service will be slow if it's busy, but the food is worth it.

It's good but the restaurant itself and menu aren't inspiring. If the food isn't elevated then the prices should reflect that but it feels more expensive than it should be. There is parking which is a great perk. The West side lacks great Vietnamese so this does fill that craving but leaves you wanting a little more. It's probably a 3.5 but that's not an option.

The fried egg banh mi is the best thing you will ever eat!!! This place is amazing.

Food is really good unfortunately staff is very slow so if you want to eat this place make the phone call make the order and Camden Place half hours after

This is a great place to eat pho! Better than Kevin's Noodle house!!!! This place actually lives up to it's name!!!!!!!

Be prepared to wait for the food, but once it comes out...delicious!

I got the vegan pho and it was ok. My friend got a beef pho and said the quality of the meat was really high. We waited about AN HOUR to get our pho. There were two other tables occupied so they weren't busy. About 30 minutes after we ordered the patio (it's the only seating area) became engulfed in smoke and the customers had to prop the back door open for ventilation. It was also expensive and the portions were small for pho. The waiter was really nice and the food was fine so I don't want to give a 1 star but it was a bizarre experience and I won't be going back.

Amazing food, great ambiance- excellent preparation and service.

The owners? /waitstaff were friendly and the dishes were nicely presented. We unfortunately came in late on a Friday night and a few dishes were not available. The dishes were more authentically prepared than the restaurants I frequent in Northern California.

Excellent spot to have some food when in a rush. The service is efficient, prices are fair, fantastic mood. I highly recommend this spot.

Very good veggie spring rolls and veggie pho. Massive portions, fresh, and flavoursome. The pho noodles had nice bite to it.

Fantastic service and simple but lovely ambience.

Would definitely return.

Only thing I would say is that we thought it's a place for a quick bite, but it's not that quick. This is not a criticism but just don't expect them to serve you in minutes when you're in a rush.

Pretty good pho and the price was reasonable. I got the pho ga with broiled chicken and it was $10.50. Tasty and light- exactly what i was looking for! Also got the banana cake which was like a bread pudding with a purple banana in the middle. Very moist and not too sweet

Omg! The pork sandwich is amazing! In the words of the Terminator... I ll be back

Great food , enchanting atmosphere... The waiting was around 40 minutes after we place the order, but it is justify because it's definitely far a way to be fast food restaurant. If you are in a rush, it maybe not the best option, but if you are in the mood to enjoy great food and a very zen atmosphere, then this is the place you are looking for. The place reminds me an authentic Vietnamese restaurant, but with an upscale food. The flavors in the food are complex, it's a combination of spices, broth and meat. Great experience.

Awesome lunch today. I have driven by for about a year and Finally stopped in to have lunch!
Very interesting building in a suprising spot on Culver Blvd in Playa Del Rey. Right next to a beautiful little park with the Preserve behind it!
It was pouring down rain and made for an even more awesome experience. Another patron said it looked and felt like being in Vietnam.
Super cute place place with a lot of Character. Owners are a very nice couple and very Gracious hosts. The Chicken Pho was incredible and other dishes I saw looked fantastic. Prices very reasonable and good size portions.
If you haven't eaten here you are truly missing out on a wonderful experience. I will be back!

Great food, service and ambiance within walking distance

Easily the best Pho I've ever had! Super fresh ingredients and an attention to detail. Awesome service too! Look forward to coming back soon!

This is the best example of an amazing mom and pop that puts love into their food. Had a great meal, everything came out mouth watering and delicious, and it s about as fresh as can be. Keep up the good work guys the food is amazing