Ôngbà Vietnamese Eatery

I'm absolutely in love with their 'Saluted Foam Vietnamese Coffee. ' The first sip has a delightful hint of saltiness that becomes addictive as you taste the rich, foamy coffee—it disappears so quickly because it's that good! Additionally, the 'Peachy Iced Tea' is incredibly refreshing, and I loved chewing on the actual pieces of peach. Their signature beverages are simply amazing!

A cheerful ambience brightly lit, tables side by side. Seats thirty or so.
Service prompt. The beef pho was good. Deep flavour in the broth if a too salty. A small dish to hold condiments, hot sauce, chili oil, housing would be useful.
Noise level acceptable.

Great customer service, no reservations, got a table for 8 people pretty quickly on a Sunday afternoon. Food was good, I think I expected it to be way better. Iced coffee wasn't the best. Recommend chicken wings, pho broth is nice and clear.

Harlyn attended us and everything was very delicious, tremendous attention from her and an excellent atmosphere

We ordered? ? ? ? ? (? ? ? Ấ?). We could get creative by wrapping the vermicelli and deep-fried fish in lettuce or dunking everything into that special tomato broth with their homemade pork meatballs. It’s a unique and fun experience!

Next, we enjoyed the? ? ? (? ? ?). They served the chicken broth on the side with the quail eggs. The pho is not too heavy, making it the perfect amount for lunch.

The food is served in a gorgeous Vietnamese dining set; even the tea is brought in a beautiful Vietnamese teapot. They have a condiment set in a glass jar on every table, complete with their housemade chilli oil, hoisin, and hot sauce. It’s all about the experience! Super nice presentation!

There aren’t too many Vietnamese restaurants in the West End district, and Ôngbà Vietnamese Eatery has a modern Vietnamese vibe and cozy atmosphere, making it a hidden gem worth discovering.



Food: 4/5 Should Try!
Service: 5/5
Kids: 3/5
Price: $30-$50 for two (lunch)
Presentation: 3/5
Parking: Paid street parking
Tips:
is a small restaurant with limited seating.has a few vegan options
Would I Return: Yes ‍

I absolutely had to write this review regarding how amazing the staff is at this restaurant. Last night I walked past a man on Denman down on his luck cold and hungry. It was cold and late. Ongba was pretty much closed for the night. I thought I would try my luck and ask the staff if I could purchase a hot bowl of soup for the gentleman down on his luck outside the restaurant. They informed me that they were closed and they had already cashed out. The young female inside the restaurant told me to hold on a minute and her and other staff members went to the kitchen area and returned with a large bowl of hot soup for the man outside. When I offered to pay, they told me not to worry about the payment at all. I thought this act of kindness was beyond AMAZING and I needed to write a review. Not only are they kind and amazing but their food is delicious also. Thank you again to all the amazing staff

Food tastes amazing, if you craving savory and flavourful food this is a great place for you to try!
Restaurant vibe is chill and relaxing, service is wonderful.
I will definitely be back to try more dishes!

The food is great but the service is terrible. Waited 15 minutes to order, had to ask for a cup for the pot of tea 3 times, did not clear the plates after the meal and had to ask for the bill after 20 minutes of trying to get a server's attention. I'll order take out but do not recommend dining in the restaurant.

I went to try Ong Ba restaurant and was really satisfied with their dishes. However, I have suggestions for Bun Bo Hue and Pho dishes. Although both dishes were fresh and the dishes are beautifully presented, I feel the flavor of the dish is a bit weak for my taste. However, the Bo Ne Sizzling dish is very good, the beef is evenly cooked and full. I really like the space of Ong Ba restaurant, which has traditional decoration, but there are few seats. Very friendly staff

So glad to have found this Vietnamese restaurant on Denman St! They don't have many tables so expect to wait if you come a bit late. Appetizers like the spring rolls and wings are perfect for sharing for the table?

I've tried:
- Sizzling Beef On Skillet (4.5/5)
- Special Beef Phở (4/5)
- Fall Off The Bone Beef Rib Phở (4/5)
- Veggie Spring Rolls (4/5)
- Fish Sauce Glazed Wings (4/5)

My hubby and I went to downtown. Saw some positive review online and want to try it out. The line up never stops, so better go early like 11: 30am or 12: 00pm. My hubby ordered the bone beef rib pho and I ordered the sizzling beef on skillet. The bone beef rib is so delicious, and tender. The one I ordered is quite salty but eating together with the bread will be better.

Got the fish sandwich and was told it was going to be a fish fillet instead I got three tiny pieces of stale cut up fish in each half of the bahn mi.

Gouging customers.
This place used to be good before covid but then they did a little renovation closed up for a little bit reopened charging unjustified higher prices.
Fake inflation! Greedflation!

Nice Vietnamese restaurant in the west end, the prime rib pho is massive and could probably be split by 2 people. Flavours were good

Unprofessional and rude staff. Waitress was complaining that she is tired at 12: 30 pm
Very poor customer service
I gave this place 1 star because there is no zero star

I went out for lunch with my husband and our daughter at Ongba Eatery on Denman St. It's a whimsical little restaurant that's full of charm both in the decor and in the menu. Their menu is so different from any other Vietnamese restaurant I've ever been to. I love that they offer tater tots with a lot of their dishes. Tater tots are not a traditional Vietnamese food item but that really doesn't matter to us. All three of us love tater tots and found them to be a wonderful addition to our lunch that day!

Aside from tater tots we ordered Special Beef Pho, Meatless Platter on Skillet, and Avocado Banh Mi.

Special Beef Pho: The soup was flavourful and there were different types of meat in the bowl. The thin slices of meat were overcooked (which is what tends to happen when thin slices of meat are immersed in hot broth). There were also thicker slices of meat which came with bone and these slices of meat were fall off the bone tender. Overall,  my husband was very happy with this dish.

Meatless Platter on Skillet: Skillet is not a word that I expect to see on a Vietnamese menu; much less a meatless one. This wasn't a Vegan dish but it did include a Vegan pate. This was my first time trying a Vegan pate and I have no idea what they used to make it but whatever it was, it was tasty. Included was a basket with several pieces of baguette for me to spread the Vegan pate onto. The baguette was toasted and wonderfully crisp when I sunk my teeth into it. I loved every part of my Meatless platter and would happily order it again!

Avocado Banh Mi: This was our daughter's first time eating a Banh Mi sandwich and it was a marvelous introduction to Banh Mi for her. Avocado Banh Mi is such a brilliant idea. I always see things like Lemongrass Tofu Banh Mi or "Vegetarian" meat Banh Mi on other restaurant menus. Avocado isn't exactly an exotic ingredient so I don't understand why such a simple combination of ingredients hasn't become a more common Vegetarian offering on Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwich menus. This Avocado Banh Mi was fantastic. The Baguette was perfectly crisped just like the ones I had for my Vegan pate. Avocado slices were well portioned which made it easier for our daughter to eat it together with the pickled veggies. Not being accustomed to pickled veggies she might have complained about having to eat them if the avocado had been too sparse, but she loved this Avocado Banh Mi and very happily devoured it!

Service: Good
Parking: Paid parking on the streets or in a paid parking lot.
Location: On Denman St.  @ Ted Northe Ln.

Amazing food and super friendly staff. The space is small but they take names down for tables! Must try!

Vietnamese restaurant. Nicely decorated and wonderful menu, different from the typical pho and vermicelli… must try. Try to avoid rush hour.

Food is good but be mindful this place is not for takeout! I was surprised to see in addition to the mandatory paper bag fee (0.15), my one dish was packed in 2 boxes at 0.25ea - which was included in the tip suggestion amount. Sure it's not that much, but it's not disclosed, and is also not a requirement of Vancouver City bylaws. Seems like gouging as this place is already not the cheapest. Will reconsider before choosing again for a quick dinner

Food was great- Service was subpar. Seating is limited. Family of 4 or more expect to wait longer….

Wanted to give this place a try as I’ve heard great things and love Vietnamese food. The service was good and the decor was very cute and fun, however my sautéed beef special banh-mi did not really hit the mark for me compared to some other Vietnamese sandwiches in the city. I felt that there wasn’t much flavour in the beef, and the tater tots were an interesting accompaniment that didn’t quite work for me. However I’m still interested to try some of the other dishes on the menu and hopefully will enjoy those more.

I always get the classic ham sliced viet sub and their pho is always top tier! Highly recommend

Worst dining experience in Vancouver. The food seems good but each person at the table is served at intervals of 45 minutes while the other watches and waits. Avoid this place.

Delicious, fresh & authentic vietnamese food with gorgeous decor inside, clean bathrooms and fantastic service! Had the prawn salad rolls, lemongrass bahn bi & honey garlic bahn mi.would order again.we’ll be back!

The restaurant is spoiled by the fact that they never close the door, even if it's cold out or even when people are smoking directly outside the doorway. It's a very cold and a very smelly restaurant as a result.

I've been going to this place for years. It recently reopened after a lengthy renovation and it was worth the wait.

I'm a vegan. They have a wide selection of options, so you don't feel like a second class citizen.

I really like the fact that they make the effort to produce a vegetable broth for their soups. It's the only place I've found in the neighborhood that does it and it's really good.

The service is very good. The staff really care.

I had one of the most regarding experience trying out a new place.
The food is pretty good.
The staff always took care of our service and they were so friendly with explanations and recommendations in the menu
The spot has beautiful decorations inside.

Is a must when looking for new experiences

Quality food, fair pricing and attentive, friendly service are the hallmarks of this clean and classy family-run Vietnamese eatery. The venue's been tastefully decorated since they've reopened and their menu's expanded, offering tasty additional vegetarian and dessert options. Their Creme Brulé. OMG!
Wonderful place and people.

Food is excellent. The stocks are all made in house and are well crafted. The staff is eager to please. The atmosphere is warm and inviting. The food is top notch and nicely presented. I come here regularly because the food and service are consistently good. It's obvious that they really care about their customers and want you to have an enjoyable experience.

Coming from Toronto we were looking for some good Vietnamese food and we were super happy that we found such a hidden gem! Ongba had really delicious and authentic food and the customer service was fantastic. Both servers were really friendly and attentive. I recommend their fish dish (CÁ BA SA CHIÊN XÙ SỐT CÀ CHUA) and their Bò Né!

Amazing owner and staff who make you always feel welcomed. The interior design is newly renovated which adds to enjoyment of the amazing food

Didn't last long enough for a picture but that was a really good Banh Mi! Bread wasn't too thick, fresh vegetables and the best spiced pork belly. All for 8$! Not a bad deal in my opinion. They worked pretty quick considering it was only 2 of them

Absolute favourite place for Banh Mi Vietnamese subs. The bread always seems freshly baked. Next time I'll have the Pho. The staff here are so kind.

The best salad rolls I have ever had.i have had every vegetarian dish here and I can never decide what is best but lately I have loved the tofu sub or avocado salad roll soooo tasty and the homemade chili oil I could eat by the spoonful yummmm plus the owner is a very good person and his employees are the same. It's like home here

A family-run business with affordable prices, huge portions, and tasty food. Happy to have them in the neighborhood

Amazing Bahn mi. A little bit more pricy but the quality is top. Get the Traditional Ham or Lemongrass Tofu.

Very good fo I love that they have the real pho noodles the flat noodles they always give me plenty of meat the soup is excellent

Absolutely love this place. Spent a fair amount of time in Vietnam and this is still the best Vegan Pho I've ever had. Their tofu is to die for and they make an amazing in-house vegetarian mock fish sauce to go with. Pho bowls are huge and the broth is so flavourful. Not only that, but staff are warm and friendly and give excellent service. Best kept secret in Vancouver.

The food is good, but the customer service is just horrible. The girl who takes orders at the front is consistently condescending and rude to her customers. There are so many other delicious places on Denman Street who actually respect their customers. After my visit today I won't be returning to Ongba Vietnamese.

This place used to be good, before they changed their name and probably management too. I've been here twice since the name changed thinking it might have improved the second time but I was wrong, the food was very bad and the service was super rude shoving past people and yelling at them and acting as if they are too good to be there. If you want good Vietnamese food look somewhere else, there are lots of better places around here.

Loved it! Great family run Vietnamese food! My daughter who has plenty of allergies enjoyed her pho noodles here.

My favourite local Pho joint. The staff are lovely and friendly, and the food never disappoints.

Best banh mi on this side of town! Delicious and fresh ingredients. Only giving four stars because they charged me for avocado the last two times but didn't put it on my sub. Check your order before leaving!

Charged me double the amount as they said they processed the initial as a refund - felt very scammy. That aside, the 2 subs were tiny, lacked ingendients, over mayoed at 8$ each. Will be going back to Viet subs, around the corner, on Robson instead - where 6$ gets you a hearty sub you'd expect

The ratings don’t do this place justice. I travelled from Toronto and I will say this spot has great food. Yes it’s tiny with limited seats - but that’s the appeal. A rare family run business that doesn’t compromise quality. The broth is delicious and the beef is tender and well cooked. Would recommend to friends and family!

As someone who eats a lot of Vietnamese food all over the lower mainland this is the best downtown. Their veggie pho is consistently amazing, their Banh Mi always fresh. Highly recommended

Delicious food, efficient service. Feels like a mom and pop shop. It’s a great neighborhood resto I keep coming back to.

Best Rare beef pho around! Perfect broth, tender rare beef, with a thicker rice noodle. Loved it! Will definitely order more. Great quality & ingredients- not cheaply made. Salad roll and peanut sauce fantastic as well.

Cafe Phin used to m be my absolute fave in town. The new ownership has totally ruined it. My last 3 foodora orders have been cancelled after 30 mins. They no longer answer their phone and the quality has gone down hill. I’m so disappointed!

I love the food here! I have been there many times now and thier banh mi is delicious. But I somehow feel the staff is a bit cold here. I appreciate they bring you food to the table and all, but I always feel they are selectively nice to people. At least to me, no greetings whatsoever. Especially a guy who works there, who doesn’t even bother to say thank you, welcome or anything at all, to me. But i saw him being nice to others though. To give him the benefit of doubt, I observed three times when I went in for now. And I see this selectively nice behaviour in him. However, the female staff who work there seem to be ok. They don’t smile either, but they aren’t as uptight as the guy is (I’m just talking my case here). They exchange greetings. The female staff usually say thank you when I walk out, for some reason the guy does not. May be he hates me for some reason idk lol. I even tip them well as far as I know. As much as love the food there I feel business needs to be respectful to customers irrespective of who they are. I probably won’t go there again to be disrespected like that. But I’ll miss the food:)

My first pho in Vancouver and really liked it! Found the taste I love so much in their broth. Portion is huge so that's great! My bf took the lemongrass chicken, it was good too but not enough chicken for us!

It was an okay place.you go up and order and they bring you your food. I had the lemongrass chicken rice and avocado shake. I could tell the rice was a bit old though. You get chopsticks and a spoon to eat with. The chicken seemed like a small piece but it was flavourful, the soup that comes with it was a bit salty. Would i come here again? Probably not. The name is cute though

The food is ok. I ordered the the prawn salad roll feels and rice wrap doesn't feel fresh. The texture felt like it was made a day before as it was a bit hard to chew. The triple beef was ok too. Better than 4 other Vietnamese noodle soup from other restaurants. The best I had was Saigonese at Lethbridge.

Only had Delivery but the food is packed well and very tasty.
I think it's my favorite for quality, value and that it's a somewhat new cuisine for me.
Vietnamese food agrees with me.
I hope to visit the Country one day.and come back 40 pounds heavier.

The pho is just alright. I guess when you don't have much choices for pho in the area.otherwise. I would prefer almost any other places.portion is also very small. Bowl is big and filled with a lot of soup. But the substance is limited.

I was here last Saturday, and had a beef pho, and stole the spring roll from my bf. The soup is good, and the spring roll is soooo good! Make sure you add $1.5 to get the spring roll. Worth it!

I recently went here and ordered a rare beef pho. I believe the price was around $10.50. To my surprise, the portion was very small and the broth was a bit too sweet for my liking. I even asked the establishment about the unusual portion and they claimed it was correct. I would rather go eat at any other pho restaurants that charge the same price with standard pho portions.

Love this little place on Denman, love their iced coffee with condensed milk - a must try! Also the best spring rolls I've had in a long time, delicious and crispy and massive in size. It's the only Vietnamese place left on Denman so I'm glad to have this nearby whenever I fancy it!

Love this place! As a local, I come here all the time. Above average service and after trying almost everything on the menu it’s delish! You can’t go wrong here.

The food was good and big portion, except one thing that I had a diarrhea after an hour from finishing my meal at this place, I hope I didn't end up eating something unclean or bad

Everytime I can, I order the veggie pho or seafood pho with chicken broth. I like the sweet coffee milk they serve and the staff (Sarah) is the sweetest everytime I visit the place.

The food is really tasty. Unfortunately every time I call they say they’re closing and if I can’t pick up in 5 mins then they can’t take my order. Third time. I’m done. Obviously they have too much business and don’t want or need mine. Too bad

I ordered the 5 spices pork and in addition to that a spring roll. It was so good and portion wise quite big! One of the best vietnamese places here in vancouver:)