Ben Tre Restaurant - Vietnamese restaurant in South San Francisco - 398 Grand Ave, USA

Was visiting from out of town, and it was a cold, windy day, we were tired from visiting and walking around Golden Gate. As soon as we sat down, a friendly Aunty gave us the menu, and I ordered Crispy Noodles, Bo Kho (Beef Stew Noodle), and Combination Pho. The friendly Aunty said they don't have Crispy Noodles but recommended their Garlic Noodles instead with Pork Chop and Chicken. Oh man, it was GOOOOOD! The pork chop and chicken were slightly sweet and salty, with extra umami. Everything was perfectly seasoned, the beef stew noodle and the pho were hot, it warmed up my bones, and suddenly the outside wind wasn't a problem anymore. I had a scratchy throat before eating, but after eating, my scratchy throat went away! Delicious food. Very friendly and warm service from the Aunty who was our server (Did I mention the food was good? 😆) and we ordered a garlic noodle and beef stew noodle to-go, to eat for breakfast after our long drive. 10/10 would eat here again. Good pricing too!

My partner & I were craving Vietnamese food a few days ago and decided to try this place for an early dinner. Ben Tre is authentic, from the family who owns and operates it to the food that is served there. My partner is first generation Vietnamese and values a truly authentic dining experience. But our overall experience was mixed, with both highlights and lowlights. We ordered #12 Muc Chien Don (Crispy Salted Pepper Calamari), #29 Bun Rieu (Tomato Crab & Pork Vermicelli Soup), and #64 Bo Luc Lac (Shaking Beef). Though we had ordered the calamari as an appetizer, it was the Bon Rieu that came out first, and quickly. When asked if we should still expect the calamari appetizer, the waiter said yes. You could tell he had been asked that question many times before as he went on to explain that soups like Bun Rieu were prepared ahead of time and come out faster. The disappointing dishes: My partner had ordered the Bun Rieu, one of his favorite dishes, because it received so many compliments in online reviews. He said that it was ok, but lacked flavor. And the lowlight among the dishes was the calamari. Rather than being "crispy" as the menu described, these were very lightly-battered longer strips of rubbery calamari served on a thin bed of what looked like chopped iceberg lettuce with salted, peppered, and very lightly sauteed green bell peppers, onions, and julienne carrots. And this $13.50 appetizer was served with no sauce. At the end of the meal the waiter noticed that we had hardly touched the calamari, and he seemed surprised when we declined the offer to box it up for us. The clear highlight of the meal was the shaking beef, starring as described "very tender cubes of filet mignon" sauteed with garlic, bell pepper, and onion, served with the garlic noodle option, and all topped with cilantro. I have ordered Bo Luc Lac at nearly a dozen restaurants over the years, and this was one of my favorites. I was glad the portion was family sized because the leftovers also ate well the next day.

Haven’t been here since pre pandemic. Not close by anymore. Forgot how yummy all the food is! Had the catfish stew and asked them to add pho and it was the perfect combination of sweet and sour. I have enough for my next meal. Service is super fast! Have to make my way back more often.

I went to Ben Tre yesterday and sat on the outside patio for afternoon lunch. I ordered an appetizer and main dish knowing that I was going to bring some of the food back home with me. My meal included the Ben Tre appetizer combo and the two meat (5 spice chicken and pork) with garlic noodles. Overall, the meal tasted great! The meat was tender, had good flavor, and large portion for noodles. I would come back here again. If you found my review helpful, follow my local guide profile to see my experiences with other destinations!

Clean & well-lit. A little chilly sometimes with all the doors & windows always open. You kinda forget about that when the food comes. Chicken was perfectly cooked & flavor was on point. Going back ASAP for the yellow rice clay pot. One of the best I've ever had. Service is fast & friendly. Prices are reasonable. You may have to wait for a table, but it's worth it.

Good food and great variety, fast service, friendly staff, metered Street parking.

One or the best Vegetarian Hot and Soups I've had. Lots of great Vegetables.

Amazing experience and great food. The dishes as shown on Pic are huge! They tasted so good and the staff were really nice!