The call
Start with bun Bo Hue #1 (with meatballs), and check the restaurant’s current menu before you go.
What to order
- Bun Bo Hue #1 (with meatballs)
Best for
- The best Bun Bo Hue Roger has found in San Diego
Vietnamese
Hoai Hue Restaurant
A City Heights Vietnamese spot Roger calls the only place in San Diego with a truly rich, decent Bun Bo Hue, its specialty, best ordered as the #1 with extra pork and shrimp meatballs.
From Roger’s camera roll
More photos from Hoai Hue Restaurant
Posted 2012-06-24 
Posted 2012-09-23 
Posted 2013-06-07 
Bun bo hue!
Posted 2014-07-19
Despite it being 90 degrees outside, Bun Bo Hue hits the damn spot every time!
Posted 2014-10-03
#1
Posted 2015-04-15
Posted 2015-11-19 
Posted 2023-04-27 
Posted 2012-02-02 
Posted 2012-08-07
From Roger’s Foursquare
Roger’s tips on Hoai Hue Restaurant
Always get the #1!
Posted
best bun bo hue in town!
Posted
On Roger’s lists: Guide to San Diego's best spots, Must-visit Vietnamese Restaurants in San Diego.
Source-backed notes
Visit history
Checked in 51 times on Yelp and Swarm, most recently Nov 3, 2025. See the check-in log
2015-04-15day precision · source explicit
“This is the only spot in SD with a decent tasting Bun Bo Hue”
Says the broth and flavor here beat other San Diego spots claiming to serve it. For the most wholesome bowl, order the #1, which adds pork and shrimp meatballs and a larger portion than the regular #3; add chili paste from the table if you want more heat, and don't skip the bean sprouts, lettuce and lemon wedges on the side. Parking lot is always full, so expect street parking, and bring cash — there's a $10 minimum for card transactions.
Stay in the neighborhood
More in City Heights.
Roger’s pickPrice varies
City Heights
YOHED Coffee
Coffee
A small-batch roaster where, in Roger’s words, Ethiopian coffees are imported straight in and roasted in-house — and should be drunk black.
- From the order notes
- Black coffee, no sugar or milk
- Go for
- Coffee people · A good conversation at the counter
Latest recorded visit2025-02-18
RecommendedPrice varies
City Heights
Tom's Chinese BBQ
CantoneseChinese BBQ
Roger’s pick for Cantonese roast meats in town: roast duck and char siu, bought early and paid for in cash.
- From the order notes
- Roast duck · Char siu (BBQ pork)
- Go for
- Siu mei to take home
Latest recorded visit2020 · approx.
RecommendedPrice varies
City Heights
Trieu Chau Restaurant
Chinese
Roger rated this 5 stars, saying that if you're looking for something different from the standard Asian restaurant fare in town, this place is a good change of pace.
- From the order notes
- Go for
- A change of pace from standard Asian restaurant fare
Latest recorded visit2019-12-06
Keep exploring
More like this.
Browse the Vietnamese page, or continue to another place with a matching cuisine.
Roger’s pickPrice varies
Kearny Mesa
Mien Trung Restaurant
Vietnamese
One of Roger’s favorite spots for bún bò Huế and bún riêu, with seafood dishes he says you rarely see at typical pho houses. Cash only.
- From the order notes
- Bún bò Huế with everything · Bún riêu · The clam dish with shrimp crisps
- Go for
- Getting past the default pho order · A hot, spicy bowl
Latest recorded visit2019-08-25
ClosedPrice varies
Hillcrest
Saigon on Fifth
Vietnamese
A longtime late-night default that lost Roger after new management: a bland $13 noodle soup and frozen fish sold as sea bass.
- From the order notes
- Go for
- A cautionary tale
Latest recorded visit2018 · approx.