Saigon Express

BEST SANDWICH IN DOWNTOWN BERKELEY FRIENDLY STAFF AND THE FOOD IS GREAT if you have diabetes the sandwich 1 is great low sugar and the bread is healthy as it's closer to a French bread rather than an American one full of sugar

The combo pho was delicious here. We also ordered fresh spring rolls and they were also fantastic. They do not skimp on their spring roll fillings here and it is much appreciated. The banh mi's are reasonably priced so next time I've having a banh mi craving I am absolutely going here!

Great portion size and taste for the price (generally under $10/person).

Amazing food and prices. A nice place to visit during non-peak hours, get some lunch, and do work. The lady at the counter remembers my regular order and I have a bowl of pho waiting for me by the time I pay at the counter :) Note that takeout containers cost 50cents, so bring your own if you have a small stomach.

I ordered the Claypot with Shrimp. A few minutes later it arrived at my table steaming hot, yet the vegetables had a crisp al dente texture - just the way I like it.

The food was great and a very reasonable price, especially for Berkeley and especially given the large portion sizes. Also, the experience was awesome thanks to the wonderful service: food came out super fast and fresh, and the owner was extremely nice!

The Bahn Mi sandwiches are what makes me keep coming back. While the bahn mi are tasty (they have vegetarian option) the price is what gets me, $4.50 each! Can’t find that cheap anywhere else in Berkeley (I’ve looked). Even when they’re busy the line goes quick. Just make sure to bring cash for orders under $8

absolutely love it! Great food, recommend the brisket pho, and overall good atmosphere. I admit that its not the most aesthetically pleasing place, but i like the vibes, very night time soldiery vibes.

this is my favorite lunch spot around campus. the food is soooo good and the owners are very friendly. the service is super quick.

This place is so good, I’ve had the beef pho twice and it’s hits every time. Truly so good. The gentleman at the front welcomes everyone and is very nice. Extremely fast service. You should take your friends and coworkers here for lunch :-)

The people here are so nice, and the service is amazing! The food is super good, and they have some vegetarian options as well, which is rare to find with Vietnamese places. Overall amazing!

I was feeling kind of sick and really craving some pho and this was the only place near campus, I’m so glad I went! The pho here is really delicious I came back the next day to get more. I’ve never been a big fan of pho but this was game changing. The workers entertained my different questions about the various dishes and checked in with me to make sure I like it. Highly recommend :)

When I received my sandwich I accidentally dropped my napkins and my kind server dropped to one knee, gathered my napkins, threw them away, and handed me new ones, all in one swift movement. Chivalry is not dead. Very caring staff. The banh mi is light and tasty

The pho here is really delicious and the portion sizes here are fantastic. The shrimp spring rolls were also really delicious. Prices are very reasonable and the food comes out pretty quickly.

What they call the Salad Bowl is pretty good. The chicken salad bowl is my favorite. For me, it’s a sort of Bún Chà, but already mixed. And you can choose the protein. It’s scrumptious. In general you will have big portions and intense flavors. In short: Quality and quantity here are outstanding. And the best thing: it’s cheap. At least for Berkeley standards. (8-10 usd). And if you buy Banh Mi, it’s actually much cheaper. Do yourself a favor and come here.

So good!!! The price is super reasonable and the food is great!!! I recommend the banh mi if you're low on cash--it tastes amazing and it's only $3.45 while being really filling! The staff is super nice as well. I definitely need to go here more often!!

This is one of the best Vietnamese restaurant i've ever been to. Great food and great services.

Danielle Pente

This place is so good, I’ve had the beef pho twice and it’s hits every time. Truly so good. The gentleman at the front welcomes everyone and is very nice. Extremely fast service. You should take your friends and coworkers here for lunch :-)

Diva Shah

The people here are so nice, and the service is amazing! The food is super good, and they have some vegetarian options as well, which is rare to find with Vietnamese places. Overall amazing!

Kayla van Kooten

I was feeling kind of sick and really craving some pho and this was the only place near campus, I’m so glad I went! The pho here is really delicious I came back the next day to get more. I’ve never been a big fan of pho but this was game changing. The workers entertained my different questions about the various dishes and checked in with me to make sure I like it. Highly recommend :)

Joy Liu

When I received my sandwich I accidentally dropped my napkins and my kind server dropped to one knee, gathered my napkins, threw them away, and handed me new ones, all in one swift movement. Chivalry is not dead. Very caring staff. The banh mi is light and tasty

Victor

The pho here is really delicious and the portion sizes here are fantastic. The shrimp spring rolls were also really delicious. Prices are very reasonable and the food comes out pretty quickly.

Julián Niño

What they call the Salad Bowl is pretty good. The chicken salad bowl is my favorite. For me, it’s a sort of Bún Chà, but already mixed. And you can choose the protein. It’s scrumptious. In general you will have big portions and intense flavors. In short: Quality and quantity here are outstanding. And the best thing: it’s cheap. At least for Berkeley standards. (8-10 usd). And if you buy Banh Mi, it’s actually much cheaper. Do yourself a favor and come here.

Twee

So good!!! The price is super reasonable and the food is great!!! I recommend the banh mi if you're low on cash--it tastes amazing and it's only $3.45 while being really filling! The staff is super nice as well. I definitely need to go here more often!!

Viet Khuyen Bui

This is one of the best Vietnamese restaurant i've ever been to. Great food and great services.

This is a casual restaurant with all the classic Vietnamese dishes. The staff is very friendly and the food is made very quickly. Everything is reliably really good and comforting. I highly recommend the tofu bahn mi, which is a quick, filling lunch for just $7.25.

Absolutely the best authentic Vietnamese pho ga I have ever tasted. I live in San Jose, but commute to Berkeley for school and was looking for soup because it is pretty cold today. You’ve got to try it! Delicious, steaming hot and fresh. Make to your liking. Will come again!

Best Pho and authentic Vietnamese cuisine in the heart of downtown Berkeley. Super friendly service and quality healthy food. Excellent and highly recommended!

Excellent place!! I had the grilled pork banh mi, it was absolutely delicious. The meat was really well marinated with lemongrass and fish sauce, by the taste of it, and it wasn't too fatty. The banh mi had the right amount of pickles and cucumbers, and the service was quick and amiable. I intend to make this a regular spot for me.

Every time I get the vermicelli noodle salad bowl I black out and come to 15 minutes later having inhaled 90% of it and using the wrong side of the chopsticks the whole time. It is so so good, the beef is so well marinated and they put such a nice mix of veggies in there and it is such a satisfying and healthy meal. My boyfriend really likes their banh mi as well and they are very reasonably priced!! The servers are so kind and personable. I love this place out of all the changes in downtown Berkeley I'm glad Saigon express has stayed ❤️

I always get their grilled pork bahn mi. It is so so good and reasonably priced. The bread is always perfect. They are my preferred spot for lunch in the downtown Berkeley area.

Olivia Simons

This is a casual restaurant with all the classic Vietnamese dishes. The staff is very friendly and the food is made very quickly. Everything is reliably really good and comforting. I highly recommend the tofu bahn mi, which is a quick, filling lunch for just $7.25.

Justin Hughes

Best Pho and authentic Vietnamese cuisine in the heart of downtown Berkeley. Super friendly service and quality healthy food. Excellent and highly recommended!

Sarah Thomas

Absolutely the best authentic Vietnamese pho ga I have ever tasted. I live in San Jose, but commute to Berkeley for school and was looking for soup because it is pretty cold today. You’ve got to try it! Delicious, steaming hot and fresh. Make to your liking. Will come again!

Christian Burke

I always get their grilled pork bahn mi. It is so so good and reasonably priced. The bread is always perfect. They are my preferred spot for lunch in the downtown Berkeley area.

Soraya

Excellent place!! I had the grilled pork banh mi, it was absolutely delicious. The meat was really well marinated with lemongrass and fish sauce, by the taste of it, and it wasn't too fatty. The banh mi had the right amount of pickles and cucumbers, and the service was quick and amiable. I intend to make this a regular spot for me.

Abby Ilan

Every time I get the vermicelli noodle salad bowl I black out and come to 15 minutes later having inhaled 90% of it and using the wrong side of the chopsticks the whole time. It is so so good, the beef is so well marinated and they put such a nice mix of veggies in there and it is such a satisfying and healthy meal. My boyfriend really likes their banh mi as well and they are very reasonably priced!! The servers are so kind and personable. I love this place out of all the changes in downtown Berkeley I'm glad Saigon express has stayed ❤️

Very nice lunch place, I could go here often. There are plenty of tables, in a nice environment. The food is tasty. There are several good selections of banh mi, pho, and a buffet, with a line going out the door when I went there. It is popular with college kids and old-timers alike.

Amazing cuisine, I phone ordered my food and it was ready as soon as I arrived. It was nice and hot and serving size was big and filling. The price was very reasonable and the food was absolutely delicious. People were kind and welcoming. I would recommend Saigon Express to those looking for a quick, delicious and inexpensive meal. I will definitely be back to try other dishes in the near future.

Just tried this place for the first time today. I got the Spicy Beef, which is beef stir-fry with a combo of veges. This dish was very tasty. The beef was tender and the vegetables were colorful and fresh tasting. I will most likely go back because I have friends urging me to try a type of PHO next. I didn't give 5-stars because I'm thinking they might be stingy with the meat. I do feel for the price I paid, there should be a little more meat. But, for the most part, its a pretty good dish.

I'm convinced this is the most affordable spot in downtown Berkeley. Service is quick & there are many affordable options to choose from. I always end up buying the steak bahn mi with a Mexican coke & it comes out to $6. My coworkers were spending $10 on a sandwich alone til I introduced them to Saigon Express.

I love this place! The Vietnamese coffee is fantastic. I'm a creature of habit, so I usually order the vermicelli bowl. It's always perfect. Always fast. The folks who run this place are awesome and friendly. I always bring my friends. The phô is epic

Had two clay pots, one vege and the other beef. They tasted good but not too flavorful. Also I don’t know if it’s just me but they look and tasted quite similar to each other lol. The owner is very nice, service is fast.

Nice clean Vietnamese restaurant in the college town. . Pho was very good. The chicken salad bow was fresh and lean and flavorful. Good option for lunch !

The owner is super friendly. I enjoy his hospitality of his restaurant he is very kind. I understand that it is the very heart of Berkeley and I do come here a lot now but $10 flat is just a little high but I understand. I will continue to come back. Its very delicious pho and he is willing to do ajustments for you

R L (Froyo)

Had two clay pots, one vege and the other beef. They tasted good but not too flavorful. Also I don’t know if it’s just me but they look and tasted quite similar to each other lol. The owner is very nice, service is fast.

Jenn Z

Nice clean Vietnamese restaurant in the college town. . Pho was very good. The chicken salad bow was fresh and lean and flavorful. Good option for lunch !

Lance Moreno

The owner is super friendly. I enjoy his hospitality of his restaurant he is very kind. I understand that it is the very heart of Berkeley and I do come here a lot now but $10 flat is just a little high but I understand. I will continue to come back. Its very delicious pho and he is willing to do ajustments for you

Ordered the stir fry noodle with beef. Came out really fast, although the place was pretty empty, weekday 3pm. The dish had a good flavor, some mixed veggies, the beef was light. Decent pricing for the area. Overall a decent meal at a decent price. I seen on the menu the sandwiches are really cheap if your looking for a bargain. Please tap the thumbs up icon below if this review helped thank you.

The food is standard, banh mis are at a good price, Pho is okay, but sometimes the ppl servicing you arent very helpful. I thought there was something wrong with my order and when I asked the man that brought me the order he didnt even bother to check just said yeah yeah its the right one. I didnt appreciate that, when he should have double checked with kitchen to make sure.

Delicious sandwich. But today the content of the sandwich is less than I remember it being previous times.

Their pho dish is pretty tasty and is at a reasonable price. The service is quite fast too. It is kind of cheap and cheerful place. If you like pho, that would be a good place to go. I tried their grilled pork over rice. The pork is incredibly dry and hard. It is not fresh either. So are their egg rolls-very old and tasteless. I would say just stay with their phos.

We ordered the rare beef and brisket pho. The pho broth was good, but the toppings plate was a bit meager. There was a nice quantity of beef, but it came to the table a bit overcooked for rare. It tasted like something was missing. The atmosphere wasn't great, though it was clean. Just a lot of design elements that didn't match, and a bit spartan. The service was great, polite, and prompt.

Alex Vinogradov

I visited this restaurant because of its convenient location, and no one stayed in line at that particular time. I am not a regular eater of pho soup, but this time I decided to eat here. My reaction to this food is not very impressive because there is not really much to eat for the price I paid, about $18 dollars together with tax and tip. Furthermore, I wish they could add something else extra for that price, just like Mexican restaurants do(nachos, salsa and some veggies). Unfortunately, after this restaurant, I had to go to another place and buy a humburger so that I would not be hungry and be able to last till dinner. There were about eight people inside. Overall, the experience was acceptable.

Michael Salaverry

We ordered the rare beef and brisket pho. The pho broth was good, but the toppings plate was a bit meager. There was a nice quantity of beef, but it came to the table a bit overcooked for rare. It tasted like something was missing. The atmosphere wasn't great, though it was clean. Just a lot of design elements that didn't match, and a bit spartan. The service was great, polite, and prompt.

The only reason why I come here is because of their coffee, but that's pretty much it. Recently, my boyfriend got food poisoning from the Bahn Mi here, so be careful if you decide to eat here. Also, the pho is mediocre, quite bland.

The Banh Mi is probably the best thing here. Unfortunately my $16 Chicken Udon Pho came with rubberized, overcooked, bland chicken. And I suspect the broth too was nothing more than cheap store-bought broth :/ I told the owners about the chicken but they tried to play it off as if it is completely normal. Very disappointed by that.

Sharan Gala

The Banh Mi is probably the best thing here. Unfortunately my $16 Chicken Udon Pho came with rubberized, overcooked, bland chicken. And I suspect the broth too was nothing more than cheap store-bought broth :/ I told the owners about the chicken but they tried to play it off as if it is completely normal. Very disappointed by that.

This place is geared to towards college kids. You'll find what you would expect at a Vietnamese restaurant. If you want it your way this isn't the place for you. I wanted to add an item from one sandwich to another and they were not willing to do it even though I wanted to pay for the extra stuff. The price looks like a great deal until you see the portion size. The service was lacking. But I should have known that from the name. They want to push you through like a cafeteria line.

Threw up 4 times. One of the worst food poising I've ever had. Ate 3 of the veggie spring rolls at 4pm, threw up between 2:15 and 3:15am. Wish I could give 0 stars