Aileen Y.

Maybe it's because I have Vietnamese friends who take me to bomb pho places, but this place was really not good for me. It could also be that I was hungover and preoccupied contemplating the decisions of my previous night. Hah... The noodles were odd-- they tasted starchy, almost powdery. I can't quite remember the broth, which is probably not a good sign. But the thing that threw me off about this place the most was the terrible, terrible water! I admit, I'm a little too picky and demanding when it comes to my water, but wow, even my semi-drunk self noticed that the water tasted nasty! It had a chemical-y after taste which my friend tried to alleviate by putting in some tea... yeah, it just made it worse. Bleh.
(2)
Jenn K.

I am a big fan of Noodle City. Delicious noodles, good vegetarian options, YUM Vietnamese iced tea, and quick service. Saigon In & Out use to be my go-to place in the area for noodles but Noodle City has moved up in the ranks. This place is super low-key, reasonably priced and really good (the food at SIO seems to have slide down a few notches over the past few years, maybe they got too big with there 3+ locations or maybe I've hit them on off days). As others have noted, Noodle City has a crazy-busy lunch hour which can be somewhat avoided if you call in your order ahead of time.
(4)
Charnie D.

This place bring back the memory of pho from my home town El Monte. The pho was better price than New China and Saigon Vietnamese Restaurant. Being Vietnamese, this is legit Vietnamese food cooked to perfection. My friends and I consumed enough pho for a family. I will be back to try all the menu!! :D
(5)
Brian C.

The Vietnamese food is alright, considering we are in white ass Santa Barbara, and delicious Asian food is hard to come across. All I have to say is, yo Vietnamese lady (that is probably the owner of the shop), cheer up a bit, goddamn. She is unbelievably rude, and does not conduct herself like a restaurant owner. I don't speak Vietnamese and I can already tell she is cursing under her breath, which my Viet speaking friends confirm she is. She has the worst attitude ever and will not give you more than 2 seconds to decide if you want "Large or Superbowl", before moving on to other customers, saying "What about you?? What do you want??" What a buzzkill. We come here, knowing its one of the only decent Asian noodle shops in Goleta, and receive really poor customer service. I'll tell you right now, the only person saving her ass is the tall Hispanic dude that seems like he's been working there for quite some time. He's polite and on point with your orders/requests for more water, sprouts, onions, etc.
(2)
Vania W.

I've had better. But considering it's located in Goleta, it's pretty good then. I like the beef ball soup and the chicken soup. If you are not feeling the soups, then try the vermicelli. They are all pretty delicious. Service: the lady is nice to you when the restaurant is not busy, BUT, when it is busy, then she act very annoyed and impatient ;( Overall, if you are craving pho in goleta/SB area, then this is a pretty good place to go to.
(3)
Mindy S.

Very good pho and wonderful service. Owner helped us figure out what we wanted and kept coming back to see if we needed anything. Feels like being at someone's home.
(4)
Amy H.

I come from a city where very good pho is abundant so relatively, this place sucks pretty bad. But for being in Santa Barbara, it's - and I hesitate to say this - the best pho here and I've tried other places too including Saigon Noodle (which is very unfortunate). The service from waiters is extremely poor. Heavy accents and unwillingness to work through it, hastiness, and forgetfulness is why. I've come here with friends as well as my mom, grandma, and brother when they were visiting (they all know what good Asian food is supposed to taste like) and they just pitied the fact that this is the only supposedly good pho place that I have access to. Cleanliness could use some work as well. Other than that, when I crave pho I come here and the sole reason being that there's nowhere else to go. Pros: ok pho compared to the other places Santa Barbara has to offer Cons: service and cleanliness Verdict: Recommended, but don't expect the best pho you've ever had.
(3)
Sarah M.

TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE.I will gladly pay more to eat at Pho Bistro than at Noodle City. Unfortunately the staff could care less about the happiness of the customers-- they refuse to own up to a mistake and are unwilling and unhappy to fix it.. They speak about their customers behind the cash register which is unprofessional, rude, and shocking. I am absolutely appauled at the conversation being exchanged right in front of the customer. One table I sat next to had not decked on their order yet, it was the second time the server came by in the two minutes they were seated. They told her they weren't ready and she walked away and snickered at her coworker sitting behind me. Then she returned back to the table and clapped her hands to get them to order. I could not believe it!!!! I could care less about the food because of this experience
(1)
Olivia L.

If you haven't tried Bun Bo Hue this is the only place you are going to find it in town. It is my favorite soup on the menu. The soup is made with beef stock and flavored with chili oil among other spices. Noodle city prepares theirs so everyone can tolerate the spice level but provides chili oil and jalepenos so you can turn up the heat. Probably one of the most effective cold remedies I've ever tried. All the dishes I've tried there have been great. Crispy fried shrimps, pork chops and rice, egg rolls and the vietnamese coffee are some of my other favorites.
(4)
Landon Drake V.

The reason I give this place 4 stars is for the food alone. Great Pho and noodles alas, the service is what brings it down to 4 from 5. Classic hole in the wall, go enjoy it!
(4)
Ellie W.

I genuinely always get a kick out of the lady/owner hating her life. Also the fact that they close for a month in the summer cuz they just don't give a crap. Best pho in Santa Barbara. It was one of my favs when I lived here and now I come back every time I visit SB.
(4)
Mark G.

Great food, and even better service. My meal arrived within 3 minutes of ordering. If you need a hot, fast, nutritious lunch then Noodle City is the place to go.
(5)
Priscilla C.

One of the better Pho places in SB. Get the spring rolls!
(4)
A. Z.

The restaurant is nice looking, however my experience was very different from those who enjoyed it. The pho here was the worst I've had in my various travels and experiences I have had with pho restaurants. I wouldn't have eaten here had the place down the street not been closed very recently. I ordered Pho and received no mint leaf with the vegetables you add to the soup, there were some ingredients lacking in the broth of the soup. Our server was somewhat terse and sloppy. We were told when we sat down that the tables in the middle were reserved for a large party when we had 6 people coming, we weren't even asked how many we were expecting when we sat down in the first place. We weren't asked if we wanted separate checks, and you have to put all the meal on one card for parties greater than 4 people. In today's restaurant business, the establishment should convenience the customer, not the other way around. I shouldn't have to prepare to go out to eat somewhere, when I go out, I like to know the restaurant can take care of its customers. The tables were sticky. (Clorox wipes go a long way.) I couldn't finish mine due to a lack of flavor in my pho, service was poor, and it felt unsanitary.
(1)
Yuan-Yuan L.

Their pho is by far the best one I've tried in SB. I've tried Pho Bistro in Isla Vista, Saigon Noodle by Kmart, and New China, also on Hollister Avenue. However, none of those places is comparable to the soup at Noodle City! Their broth is so good, and not to mention, the price is pretty reasonable! I have yet to try their egg rolls, but their Thai Tea with boba is amazing! So, Noodle City is better than New China, then it's Pho Bistro, then Saigon Noodle. :)
(4)
Emile I.

The restaurant is very nice. It is one of the cleanest pho restaurants I've been to. The staff was friendly and attentive. I was not happy with the food, however. I recently moved to SB from the Orange County area where there is a large Vietnamese population and many excellent pho restaurants. Relatively speaking, the food here lacked flavor. We had a basic bowl of pho with rare steak and vermicelli noodles with BBQ pork. The pho was bland and watery. The vermicelli dish was similarly flavorless. (the egg rolls were the one redeeming dish) I'm not sure if the flavors were intentionally mellowed for the local population; the restaurant has very good reviews, so maybe my perspective has been skewed by the places I've eaten in Westminster. But personally, I was very disappointed.
(2)
Tanya H.

The pho is good. Their broth isn't as flavorful but of course you add stuff into it. The environment however is not the best. It's not classy or even normal. It's straight up Chinatown status, which can make me nervous sometimes. And it's super small so you can hear everyone's business.
(3)
Woo T.

As long as I have been in SB, Noodle City has been a staple. It is indeed the king of retards, or whatever analogy you may choose. Anyone from San Jose, LA, or a large Vietnamese community will know what I mean. That being said, it is the best Vietnamese food in the area. However, I would like to share this one story with y'all: I went out to dinner with girlfriend and her family (Vietnamese), and the lady who runs the place (boisterous and kind) came out to talk to my girlfriends family. They talked, laughed at the white guy, etc. She ordered Bun bo hue, and OMG was it the nectar of the gods. Pork blood and everything. The family said it was "ok." I went back a few months later by myself, and ordered the same. They gave me pho with about a tablespoon of bun bo hue broth. This was the first time I have experienced this kind of discrimination. Once I got over my indignation, I became depressed. And here I remain, having never tasted ambrosia again.
(3)
Royce G.

So.. my girlfriend and I decided to give this place a try despite the awful reviews about the service, the owner and the unsanitary hair in food. We ordered the chicken pho and fat rice noodles with beef. Half way into the meal, my girlfriend finds a curled up hair in her pho. Keep in mind that we all assume that restaurants serve quality, SANITARY food so we did not sit there and sift through the soup before eating. We calmly brought this to the waiter's attention. This is what this idiot does; he inspects the hair and says, "oh... what should we do..." He then walks to the back and shows the hair to the manager, who is a complete bitch. She squaks in her broken english and does the most outrageous thing. She steps to the register, asks what table we were sitting at, and gives us the eye like we blatantly put hair in our food. The waiter then comes and hands us our bill like the hair wasn't a big deal. We ask "so thats it?" and his little brain could only think to say "ummmmmm, well you can get a replacement... if you want. But you already ate half of your food." I understand that these things happen, but the way management handled this situation was just awful. Why the hell would I want a replacement? Just so I can have another piece of hair and angry look on the side?? Never coming to this place again. Tips? Bring a strainer so that you can sift through your pho before eating because apparently if there is hair in your food, its your fault.
(1)
Khanh P.

I switch off going here and Saigon Noodle for pho. Noodle City offers more of a selection for Vietnamese dishes. I come here if I want something other than pho. The pho is good here though--I think the broth is more flavorful. I usually order their Bun Bo Hue (Spicy Noodle Soup), Broken Rice plates, spring rolls, and egg rolls. The thai tea is really good here. I come here at least once a week.
(3)
Wendy W.

The pho here is decent, but the best in the Santa Barbara area (not much of an accomplishment because of the lack of competition). The price for pho is fairly cheap (about $7), so I highly recommend getting pho here when you are in the area and you cannot go out of your way. I would give this place a star or two more, but the egg rolls we ordered gave my girlfriend a terrible time (I suspect food poisoning). I did not see a sign stating the quality of the food within the restaurant, so I am quite skeptic. So go with caution. I for one probably will not go again because of the unexpected (aka unacceptable) that happened.
(2)
Drew D.

Hands down the best pho in the Santa Barbara area (still li. The only real downside is that they aren't open on Sunday. So Saturday morning tends to be my hungover pho day. Pho and an iced coffee with condensed milk the ultimate hangover cure (if you don't believe me try it. It can take you from dry heaving wanting to die to ready to party again) The owner is pretty funny and a little loud. I remember my first time here she tried pushing me to get a certain pho with a thai iced tea over whatever it was that I was ordering -- my first time here was a while ago so I don't remember. But yes tried a few things here and haven't really been disappointed yet. The banh hoi is a little small though.
(4)
Bekkah L.

Definitely the best Pho in SB!! It has anise or something that just makes the broth so smooth and tasty!! The older lady who works there/owns it is awesome, you guys need to chill out. She's not rude, she's just business like and talks loud. Just because she's yelling doesn't mean she's mad! She's actually really nice if you go a lot and she starts to recognize you. If you order just Pho, you'll get your food really fast (if it's not crowded, the food often comes out in less than 5 minutes) because it's ready to be served, but if you get something else, it'll take a little while for it to be cooked. Pho is about $7 and I usually get a Thai iced tea. They're a little to sweet, but I love them anyway!
(4)
Shraddhanand S.

We went there last night at 8:30pm. They close at 9pm and because of that they were extremely rude to us. Seriously I have never been treated so poorly by any resturant staff in my life! These people have no manner to run a business and I am not sure how they have 4 star ratings with extremely poor and rude service and average food at best!!!
(1)
Liz S.

Best pho in the Santa Barbara/Goleta area., bar none. It may be small and crowded, and the wait staff may be a bit brusque, but boy is the food good! I've tried quite a few of the menu items and haven't hit a dud yet. Well worth a visit.
(5)
Tia P.

Love the noodles! Esp the soup. As good as I had in LA! Reasonable price as well. However, I can't stand the awful attitude of the female owner. I feel extremely sorry for those who have to work for her. Therefore, I don't go during the busy hours when the owner jump out to help serve.
(4)
Camille T.

This is the only place I'll go in Goleta/Santa Barbara for Vietnamese food. The lady speaks Vietnamese to me and she tells me stories about her life, She reminds me of home.... The FOOD is pretty good b/c she's so clean and meticiulous with how she makes everything. I'm not a big fan of Pho other than my mom's (and I'm from SJ/Bay Area, city of a gazillion Pho Restaurants), but Noodle City's wasn't too bad; you just need to know how to order it. I'm craving her #40. The veggies that come w/ her dishes are very fresh and clean. Give her a try b/c Saigon Noodle House is just abysmal.
(4)
Brian A.

Rumour has it that the service here sucks. I'm kind of impartial with that. I've never encountered a Vietnamese restaurant where I had the most amazing service ever, but I don't think the service here is as bad as people say. Unlike some restaurants where it takes 30 minutes to get a damn Heinz ketchup bottle (Elephant Bar in Lakewood, CA), my plate of Bo Luc Lac arrived at my table in 3 minutes. I was surprised by how big the portion of this meal was, good enough for two, just ask for extra rice. At first I didn't love my dish, but when I had it for leftovers for dinner, I was really digging it. Weird. Would I order it again? Definitely. Vietnamese food is arguably the healthiest Asian cuisine, but I feel like I was missing some foliage. I had plentiful caramelized onions, but it would have been nice to have a side salad or something to balance the meal. The 1/2 pound of beef was served with two small slices of tomato, cucumber, and a soggy piece of lettuce holding the beef. Now, for the rumors about the rude Vietnamese older lady. That is so true... As I was enjoying my meal, I could hear her loud voice penetrating my ear drums. She was on a long phone call and I'm pretty sure it disturbed the other 3 tables that were there. When I went, I was the only college student there and other customers were in business attire having small talk. It was relatively quiet. I had the younger server waiting on me, and she was great. I think it's just impolite to hear such noise from management when people are trying to enjoy their meals. I can't rate the pho as of yet, but will soon! PHO!
(4)
Emilio G.

Went here before with a friend, but didn't order anything. I decided to return with my family after my brother and friend raved that it had the best pho in town. Me and my family(mother and brother) walked in to the small restaurant that had a lot of business during lunch hours.We waited to be seated we then had to wait for about a minute to receive our menus. The woman waiting us moved very fast as if she was in a rush. We had to tell her that my mother had not completed her order as she was grabbing our menus. Letting that unpleasantness subside we waited for our pho to arrive. To my surprise the soup came very quickly (within 3 minutes) I ordered the raw steak and cooked steak pho. The raw steak cooked quickly in the piping hot broth of the pho. The broth was had a very nice steak flavor to it (duh) and was quite exquisite. The noodles were perfectly cooked and the steak was tender and delicious. Once I finished eating the soup I felt like I had eaten a three course meal, I was stuffed! For the price (6.95) the soup was well worth it and I am definitely coming back to try it again.
(4)
M M.

The people are SO RUDE that own it and that work their. I have never been so offended at a restaurant in my life. They seriously need to work on their customer service.
(1)
Nick S.

Where do I begin? Let's start with saying that this is the best pho in Santa Barbara. I have had better in LA and SF, but that is beside the point. If you want the best pho in the Santa Barbara area, this is the place to go. Plus it is cheaper than the other places. To address some concerns that you may be having if you are reading reviews from some of the stuck-up restaurant snobs who have given this place a bad review, I will start with this. This is a family run business in a small location with a limited number of tables and a strong following. So in order to get everyone served, they may sacrifice customer service to a point. I don't go to Noodle City to be wined and dined. I come for the best pho in town. Seat yourself if they are unable to get to you. Grab a menu from the register if they have not given you one (or just order what you want because they probably have it). Grab condiments from another table if yours does not have any. Go up to the register to pay for you bill if they have not brought it to your table. You are not spending $50 per plate here, so stop acting like it. Another common complaint is about the woman who owns and runs the place. These negative comments are actually reason I initially tried this place. Let's say I was not disappointed. She gives the place an authentic feel. She can come off as very abrasive and mean. Trust me, she is very friendly, and if she is not too busy, spend some time talking to her. She is actually very funny and has great stories. Even when she is joking around with you, she sounds mad. That is just her accent, so don't feel like she is yelling at you. That's just the way she talks. Let her know how much you like the place because I know that she gets pretty bummed out when she reads some of these negative reviews because she is trying her best to keep the place running smoothly. She takes pride in her family owned and run business. I actually laughed a lot reading all of these bad reviews because there is a lot of truth to them. I just do not really care about what these people are complaining about. For $6.50 for a large bowl of pho, I'm happy to eat that out on the sidewalk. Bottom line is that Noodle City has a strong following of loyal customers. What many people complain about is what people like about the place, an authentic feel and a truly friendly staff. To top that all off, the food is delicious and cheap. If you want to be wined and dined, I suggest going somewhere else.
(5)
Rich H.

The food was cheap and generally very tasty. We came at a slow time in the late afternoon, and our meals came out accordingly fast. The service was inattentive at times, though we didn't have much to ask for. We would definitely return.
(4)
Gina N.

Santa Barbara has a surprisingly decent number of Vietnamese restaurants. Unfortunately, none of them can really compare to food in the Garden Grove/ Little Saigon area. But, if there's one place in Santa Barbara that I would go to at all, it's Noodle City. I've tried every other place in town and this one is just consistently the best. I've had their pho, vermicelli noodles, and rice dishes. When I'm craving Vietnamese food, it gets me by and tastes alright. I usually get the egg rolls as an appetizer and it reminds me of the ones my mom makes. (mom's are still better) but Noodle City makes a close substitute. Anyway, if you're looking for Vietnamese food in SB, go to Noodle City. Just keep in mind that they're not open on Sundays.
(3)
Sid H.

Noodle City definitely has the best pho in SB, perfect after a heavy night of partying. That being said, it doesn't really have that much competition. I prefer this place over Saigon Noodle House, as their broth is far less delicious. It's a tad expensive for pho, but still reasonable for Santa Barbara. If you're from SGV looking for a five dollar pho, you're out of luck. The pho portions can be pretty inconsistent. There's a regular size and a "large" size, but sometimes I can't tell if there is any difference at all. Other times, the large size pho actually lives up to its name; it's really just hit or miss. I don't usually order anything besides pho. I get the Large #6, Pho Dac Biet, which has rare steak, brisket, bible tripe, tendon, and beef balls. If you're not a fan of tripe or tendon, just go for the Pho Tai, which only has rare steak. As for the other dishes, I like the spring rolls and egg rolls, and will sometimes order them for an appetizer depending on how hungry I am. The vermicelli dishes and rice dishes are okay, but the one other dish I really like is their crispy chow mein. They give you quite a lot, and have a vegetarian option if you don't eat meat. I forget which number it is, but I recommend it if you don't feel like getting pho. The owner is nice and has good intentions, but not exactly the best at service. Make sure if you're ordering pho, tell her specifically which size you want. If you don't, I'm pretty sure she'll just give you a large. She's pretty funny though and is really friendly, albeit hard to understand at times. This place is small and can be pretty packed during lunch time, but rarely do I ever have to wait for a table. TL;DR: Good place to grab a quick Vietnamese meal.
(4)
Andy S.

Great tasty food. Super fast service. Cheap eats. Start at the Mercury Lounge then stumble over for some good eats. I love the spunky character of the lady in charge. Pho with red chili oil. Yes!
(5)
Notintohype N.

It's about the food and it's pretty darn good!!
(4)
Val B.

Not bad for Santa Barbara. The broth is tasty, the portions are good, and the prices are decent. I would go back, but if I wanted REALLY good pho, I will make the drive to LA for it.
(3)
Felicia C.

Closed Sundays. Who closes on Sundays?? especially after Halloween weekend when pho is the best hangover cure!
(1)
Diana L.

My friend & I come here between 2-3 times a week, not exaggerating. Maybe once a week during the school year though. It's definitely the best pho in SB. And the lady that owns the place is really really funny! I like their egg rolls, spring rolls, pho, the spicy pho, vermicelli, and fried rice. The rice plates are the only thing that's kinda ehh. Their Thai Iced Tea boba is my faaaavorite. Too bad they don't have boba in the summer -______-. During the school year, they only have boba on Fridays and Saturdays, so I try to go on those days JUST for those stupid pearls, sigh.
(4)
Twee T.

I'm from Lil' Saigon and my mom is a Top Chef in her own right. So my Vietnamese food expectations are pretty high! I must say, that Noodle City handles almost every dish quite well so far!! I was very happy when we discovered this place after moving here!! The tau hu ky (deep fried shrimp paste wrapped in a paper-thin sheet of tofu) is quite good. In fact, it surpasses Com Tam Thanh, Tran Quy Cap and Com Tam Thuan Kieu's versions in OC to some extent. The pho is pretty good compared to all the other pho places in town and the bun (vermacelli) bowls are a good choice too. I simply adore the owner Yen! She's the arch-typical southern Vietnamese who is straight-forward to everyone who passes through her door--but deep down inside, she's a real sweetheart! Really! Just don't get on her bad side... Overall, this is the only Vietnamese restaurant worth going to in all of SB area. Update 8/3/2012: I think some of the dishes have gone downhill, so let me just give a heads up about which dishes to pass on: the wonton noodle soup (the wontons are now undercooked and tasteless), the vegetarian pho (it just doesn't capture the idea of pho), and anything with grilled beef (it's on the dry side, however, the shaking beef isn't bad). Other than that, I think the rest of my comments above is pretty much true!
(4)
Jeff B.

For all the negative reviews on service, what do you expect? It is a vietnamese hole in the wall. I was surprised at how yummy the pho was, especially the broth. Comparable to the bay area.
(5)
Joselyn W.

I was expecting a lot more from this place. I ordered the #6 pho house special and it was just OK. Nothing special about the broth. But, the staff are nice and the place is very clean, just a tad bit warm, especially when eating hot noodles!
(2)
Joe W.

I am a fan of some well-made pho, and Noodle City definitely makes pho that fits that description. I've tried many a pho joint in my day, living close to Little Saigon in Fountain Valley and Noodle City's pho can definitely compare to those from Little Saigon. It delivers on all the things I look for in a good bowl of pho: good, fresh ingredients in a broth thats both tasty but not overpowering. Pho should always come with a plate served with bean sprouts, basil, lime, and jalapenos and Noodle City does just that. The egg rolls served here are also a worthy purchase. Served nice and hot, they are made in the traditional Vietnamese style and also come with its own side plate of lettuce and other goodies including a delicious dipping sauce. Though this is a Vietnamese restaurant [mostly-they serve Chinese dishes too], they make some really good Thai Iced tea, make sure to order that with your pho and egg rolls. I think the thing that makes Noodle City so good is it's authenticity. If I were Vietnamese, I think I would feel right at home with the Asian mom and pop style management and their Vietnamese home-style cooking. I have since become a regular at this place and if you haven't tried this one legitimately good Asian restaurant with reasonable pricing in Goleta, I suggest you go out and try it!
(4)
Barbara O.

Although this small gem is tucked away in Hollister, old town goleta, its quite popular with the locals and students. The prices aren't to bad and always include a good amount of food for 7-9$ or so. The first thing I ever tried here is the Pho. I actually thought the flavorings held up on their own so well that I didn't have to add anything to make it tastier. Another thing I love to get here is the "Com buc loc" something (Im not even sure that's how you spell it). It includes a full plate of sauteed beef, with lots of flavor, carmelized onion, and a side of tomato and lettuce. Its not on the menu because its a newly added dish, but if your interested, I found this option last time on the mirror on the left side of the restaurant. If you're new to SB, this place is a MUST taste.
(5)
Vivian D.

I'm from the Bay Area. Noodle City compared to Pho restaurants in the Bay or perhaps SoCal, too, is nothing. Buuuut this is Goleta/Santa Barbara. When I come back to SB or Goleta for school, this is the Pho place I would go to. It's the best so far in SB/Goleta. I would come here if I want to eat Pho out of the other pho restaruants. The place is small but very homely and clean. Reminds me of home because the workers there seem to speak mostly Vietnamese. :) They have a variety of pho and other noodle dishes, dry or soupy. That's a plus. The price is alright. And the portions are alright, too. I come from cheap prices but big portions. But again, this is SB/Goleta. The prices are reasonable, if not, cheaper than most pho places around. Taste. Not the best but good enough for me. :) I would come back here again. There's a mini Asian super market near by, too! That made me happy when I saw it. :D A mini Asian town!
(4)
Michelle C.

I'm not a super food critic and don't know anything about distinct flavors and all i ever eat here is number 9, well, maybe i'm not the best person to give a review. oh well! sometimes, I think of my mom and I get these strong cravings for pho. This is where I go and it gets the job done. It makes me happy and I'm not upset if they trick me into paying for a large, because I don't have a car so by the time I walk to campus, take the 11, and get into the restaurant, I need a large. I always want to try their vermicelli and other stuff they have, but I can't help it, I always just want pho. I like the restaurant, it's simple, and I couldn't ask for anything more. hence, the five stars, i'm not much of a complainer. Service is pretty fast, probably cause they just cook noodles and put broth on it and meat. The owner reminds me of my aunt, they are both unintentionally hilarious and charming.
(5)
David J.

The pho was good, but the mean lady yelling from the kitchen who denied my wife the opportunity to order a side of fried rice (had to order a full plate to get fried rice), coupled with the dingy/dirty atmosphere completely ruined the experience. I can understand the policy of only making fried rice by the full order, but there is no excuse for sending an incompetent pre-teen out to convey the message while the mean old lady in the kitchen is still yelling at him. I feel sorry for the kid and I feel slighted by the rude old lady. We will never go back there again. Saigon noodle house has pho just as good, but the service is faster and friendlier and the place is cleaner. If anyone from this restaurant happens to read this review, get rid of the rude old lady!
(2)
Grant V.

Last night we made a spur of the moment decision to find pho, and a quick yelp search pointed us toward Noodle City. It didn't disappoint. It was a Friday night, so the place was relatively busy, but there were still plenty of tables available. Service was extremely quick, efficient, and friendly. The menu was quite comprehensive for noodle dishes, even including some vegetarian and Chinese options. We opted for the spring roll appetizer, well-cooked beef pho, and a crispy noodle dish with shrimp. All of our choices were great, and they arrived at our table almost unnecessarily fast. The two of us were left feeling full (in a good way, not a food-coma way), and didn't quite finish either of the entrees. When we paid the tab, we were happily surprised - the aforementioned food and a soda cost us less than $20. Is there better pho out there? Yes, but not in Santa Barbara. For a great Vietnamese meal that's not going to break the bank, hit up Noodle City. You won't be disappointed.
(4)
Sandra S.

best pho in sb! go here instead of saigon
(4)
Erin C.

We were on our way back from Solvang and stopped by this place for dinner. We relied on Yelp and the first place that came up was Noodle City. The server was nice and quickly took our order. The spring rolls and our pho (I had the shrimp while my husband had the chicken) were both great and totally satisfied our craving!
(4)
Michelle L.

This place isn't the best pho you'll ever have, but it's still good. I'd come back. We ordered Pho Tai (my regular pho order) and I was satisfied. Not anything that makes this place stand out really, but good for a hot bowl of soup. Also, the egg rolls are smaller, but crispier than most other places which I rather liked. Flash deep fried?
(3)
Sarah C.

Noodle city is very homely. You can always get a table. Offers vegetarian dishes and Chinese dishes too. You get a good amount of food and the price is decent. The owner has a really deep voice and she tries to be funny but most of the time you just don't know what she is saying. One time she rushed my friend and I out cause they were close to closing.
(4)
cheng k.

The lady owner is a riot. What on earth is she saying and in what language? Her voice is straight out of a bad cartoon. Well, the pho is somewhat ok, but the broth is a bit too sweet in my opinion. The meat is also not quite ghetto enough and they don't give you enough mystery meat in the super mega combo bowl of pho. Sadly, it did nothing for my hangover.
(3)
Zoe L.

This will be forever remembered as the restaurant that got me into pho. The shrimp and chicken pho are delicious. My significant other loves their combination fried rice and swears that they know to leave out the onions whenever he comes (he has never asked for this but probably pushed the onions to the side the first time). The service is incredibly quick and I honestly think this owner is awesome and is not trying to be rude (as noted by several other yelp reviewers). Finally, the prices are great. I highly recommend Noodle City!
(5)
Huyen N.

Only Vietnamese restaurant in town to carry delicious spicy beef soup aka Bun Bo Hue. It's not as popular or common as pho, but so so delicious. Stew cut beef, thicker noodles than the pho rice noodles, and a generous serving. Add the basil, bean sprouts, jalapenos and limes..divine. Traditionally it is served with pigs feet too, but I don't see that being successful in the US, lol. I highly recommend it if you want to try something new. I had it a year ago here, and it wasn't as good - broth was a bit sweet, but went again this weekend and it hit the spot! Place was packed with happy eaters. Service was 4 stars as the waiter got our appetizer order confused and my friends card was charged twice instead of 1/2 on mine and 1/2 on his..no biggie.
(5)
Karissa W.

I really enjoyed my meal (forget the name of the dish) on one visit & my fiance always loves the pho. The young coconut juice (milk?) is amazing. The fried rice however, is rather underwhelming. All in all, a fun and authentic hole-in-the-wall; there seem to be many asian patrons which tends me mean it's legit, and I love to stop by the asian market next store. Reasonably priced.
(4)
Christian D.

OH BOY!!!! How come I did not know about this when I lived in SB? This is such tasty food, it is my new favorite restaurant anywhere. I stuck to the Special Pho (#6) the first two times I came in for lunch. With it's softened tendon, tripe, brisket and other steak, and meat ball, all in a wonderful broth, I was overwhelmingly happy. Yesterday, I sat down and looked at what other people were ordering. I asked my neighbor what he was eating. Bun Dac Biet, order #41. Special combo rice vermicelli w/ charbroiled chicken, beef, shrimp, and egg roll, tossed with all kinds of tasty crunchy veggies (carrots, cucumber, onion, cilantro, etc.) and then you throw on some tasty fish sauce, spices, etc. WOW!!!! I will be coming here everytime business brings me to town. So many other dishes to try.
(5)
Jessica P.

Edward Norton stopped by this delicious little store last Saturday for some yummy chicken chow pan. It was so good there wasn't a single noodle left! I personally enjoy the ban hoi selection with coconut juice. You definitely get your money's worth at Noodle City.
(5)
litho g.

Broken rice dishes are good. Bun bo Hue is good too. The lady owner is harmless.. She is just funny. Go try it
(4)
Megan H.

Hands down the best Pho in the Santa Barbara area! Beef, Shrimp or Chicken and they even have vegetarian Pho with tofu or fake beef/chicken. Excellent, the noodles are always cooked perfectly and it is served with a generous platter of bean sprouts,jalapeno pepper, lime and cilantro. One of my favorite spots to get food in SB.
(5)
Ken L.

Probably some of the most authentic Pho in the SB area (actually Goleta), but I agree with Sunny L that they're not up to the standards of cities with big Vietnamese populations. Nice family run hole in the wall atmosphere. When I go to a Vietnamese place,it's always for for the Pho (beef noodle soup) so I can't comment on anything else. Having said that, the Pho is totally authentic though I've had more flavorful soups. Service was fine and nothing bad to say at all but it takes a lot to get a 4 or 5 stars out of me.
(3)
Alice L.

this is definitely the best pho place in Santa Barbara. the size is definitely enough to full you for a very reasonable price (~7). the lady owner often comes and socialize with the customers, if you come often enough she'll talk to you as if she's your mom, constantly asking about school, life, etc. pho, probably about 3 stars. another star for the comfortable, at home type of environment here.
(4)
Bri'ta'ti H.

Great and inexpensive and of course nice sized portions. Im am a fan and most likely will be returning for a yummy bowl if pho. loved it. Its so nice having good pho in SB.
(5)
Turkey B.

Great broth. No sake :(
(4)
Lindsay R.

The pho is always hot and delicious. It may be a little hole in the wall and the owner is not always the most pleasant woman to be around but the soup is AMAZING! Whether its a cold and rainy day or a really hot day I am always in the mood for their pho with rare steak, brisket and their beef balls :) Also very good friend rice and egg noodle soup. Prices are incredibly affordable ($6.50-$9) and portions are very good. I would highly recommend Noodle City to anyone looking for a warm and delicious bowl of pho to warm their tummy
(4)
Daiki M.

I really like this place. I think it is the best Vietnamese in Santa Barbara. Chicken soup is really good. Therefore, I could give 4 stars. The worst thing is that their service. It's annoying and soooo rude. I can't 100% enjoy meal. I recommend to take out.
(2)
Pilar M.

Terrible service! Absolutely rude and what kind of pork chop rice doesn't come with an egg. Asked an egg but was abruptly told "No! The kitchen is too busy"
(1)
Robert G.

This is my favorite Vietnamese place in town - good prices and great food. Its a low-key place great for lunch. Service is fast if not always with a smile. I especially like the Bun - great for lunch on a hot day. I'm not an expert on Vietnamese, but I think this is the best in Goleta/SB.
(4)
Janelle H.

If I were to ever eat pho you'd find me here at Noodle City. I used to go to the one near Kmart called Saigon Noodle House but the pho at Noodle city is a lot better and tastier. The Lady (owner) is so funny. I guess I come here a lot because she always pats my back and laughs and then rubs it a little (?) And no one understands her! She speaks in english and throws in some viet every now and then. Even my vietnamese friends have no idea what she says. But try their appetizer sampler! Fried egg rolls, fresh Spring rolls, and Fried Shrimp wontons all on one plate.
(3)
Brittany B.

Best take out. Ever. I had a vegetarian style pho, and even though it was take out it was still phenomenal. Cheers to Noodle City! My friends had a spicy beef with sprouts, carrots and cilantro, and a fried rice shrimp dish. We took it back to our camping grounds and enjoyed it by the fire.
(4)
Sie B.

Noodle City is the best place around to get noodles, with out any doubt! It's relaxed and mellow with fast, good service. They have a really awesome vietnamese iced tea. It's just overall a really good place to get some Pho. If you're debating between Saigon and Noodle City.... Do The Noodle!!
(4)
Chi T.

This place has great food but average service. The waitresses are friendly, can't really say the same for the owner. Overall it earns four stars.
(4)
Cricket C.

Good rice vermicelli. Good coffee. Friendly employees. Prices are reasonable. All around a wonderful place!
(5)
Sarah R.

Yeah, I crave this place like once a week. It's next to my favorite bar which is perfect! That's not the only reason I like it. The beef tastes REALLY good. Much better than other Pho I've had. It's thin, and flavorful, not overcooked or "pot-roasty." The broth is delicious too. I've also been indulging in the beef Bun lately, and it is amazing. It's especially good on a hot day. If you ever want lots of different, interesting flavors, I recommend this place. Also, the lady is awesome! She just sounds angry but she's super great and funny. Get the vietnamese coffee!!
(5)
Carli V.

I will greatly miss this place when I move back to LA. Even when it's a packed house, the servers stay on top of their tables needs. Thai Iced Tea is amazing after a large bowl of spicy Pho. Only problem: During the warmer months, it gets really hot in there (even with all of the fans on). It has never stopped me from coming in on the regular.
(5)
Anne B.

Probably the best pho you can get in this area. Bowls are about $6-7 and service is pretty quick and attentive but sometimes the older lady who works here can get rude. I do get my pho cravings and would choose this place out of all the other pho places in the area.
(3)
Mike S.

I've lost 35lb on the Noodle City diet. I eat here most days for lunch and get the #14 pho. It's incredibly delicious and, mostly noodles, broth and chicken. For weight watchers fans, this is a 6-point meal that leaves you full most of the days. On the days that I get it to go I will often empty my remaining broth into a coffee cup and drink the rest of the afternoon - fantastic!
(5)
Scott B.

Best Pho in Santa Barbara.
(4)
Allison W.

When I feel like I'm getting sick I get a hot bowl of pho noodles here and everything is better. This place feels like home and it got me into Vietnamese. It's reasonably priced too. Love it!
(4)
Teresa R.

Pretty good pho for Santa Barbara. It's got everything I like: affordability, bountiful pho and bun, thai iced tea, quick service. This is a mom/pop joint on the old Hollister strip, so if you're looking for someplace clean with polite service, you should probably go to the other pho-lite establishment in Goleta (the one next to K-mart). If you want something cheap, tasty and fast, then Noodle City. I usually get the pho with everything in it. Of course, they serve it with a good amount of thai basil, lime and bean sprouts on the side. They don't serve long coriander like other Vietnamese restaurants do in LA. On hot days, I like the bun, a bowl full of thin rice noodles with slices of grilled meats, cilantro, cucumber, carrots all drowned in fish sauce. It's served cold (or room temp) and not a soupy thing, so it's perfect for warmer days. Their thai iced tea is on the sweet side, but I like mine a little stronger. Beggars can't be choosers when it comes to pho in SB. And when it come to pho in SB, I'll go to Noodle City again and again.
(4)
Jason L.

The primary criteria for any Pho restaurant is the broth. Noodle City's broth is flavorful and aromatic, and it's probably the best you'll find in Santa Barbara. The broth is served hot, so the meat cooks nicely. The noodles are never clumped together (a good thing). I recommend the #7, Pho Tai, for beginners. I love the spring rolls because the rice paper is moist, not dried out like other places. While they have Chinese food on the menu, you're better off getting Vietnamese dishes. Why would you go to a Vietnamese place to order Chinese food?
(4)
Sasha Z.

cheap and tasty (SB standard... no LA/BAY standard in sb) i hate the water... it taste so nasty. but i guess the food makes up for it. combination fried rice, pho, rice plates, bun, etc. they are all pretty good. i do hate the fact that they are not open on sunday and they only accept credit card if it's 10+.
(4)
Dean L.

Located where once Asian Cafe was located. Completely remodeled with different owners. To be honest, I miss the old atmosphere where it felt more "authentic". No offense if more authentic means dimmer lights and a bit more raunchier feeling. The new atmosphere is a lot more brighter and cleaner. I must say that I miss the old service. The previous owner was very friendly by nature, the new owner isn't as pleasant, and the service is slower. Most tables, like mine, were missing napkins. In terms of food alone, the soup is a bit on the sweet side, but the portions are a lot more than any of the other Pho restaurants in Goleta. They give you much more amounts of beef, and the noodles is above par. Would give it four stars, but the service killed it for me. Maybe this will change as time progresses.
(3)
mark b.

who cares about the pho. i sort of feel that soup is poor food. like, "hey there's 3 people but we only have 2 pieces of meat, i know, let's add water". I'm sure it's decent or better than that because so many people order it here. But the real action is on the pork chop and rice dish. it's comes with something that is sort of like a salad (well lettuce and some shredded radish and carrots) shredded pork, pork egg cake, and the aforementioned pork chop and rice. pretty perfect. the only downside is that it's popular and low staffed so it can be a few minutes before they fill your drink up, but if you're a camel then you should be fine. plus if you go in their bathroom they have a hilarious horse painting that is so big it doesn't make sense to have it in there.
(4)
Skyler V.

HAHA! Boy oh Boy, I was a regular here when I was a student at UCSB! Nearly every single Saturday, I would be hungover from a night of drinking. I would always order the same thing, the super size pho dac biet or just the large pho before the super size came in! The broth is just so delicate and refreshing. I usually add a buttload of the chili oil and the fresh chili to make my broth have an extra kick to wake me up. The bean sprouts...I fu%^in pour that in as well as the jalapenos. No basil cuz I hate it. The meat is so delicious as well. They do not skimp on the portions. A double plus. I never really had a bad service here before. I mean, I don't expect a 5 star service. It's a small restaurant and the owners are just trying to do their best. The vietnamese lady owner knows my friend and I. She would always make fun of us and stuff like that! "ALWAYS WITH THE TO GO BOX!" LOL! What?! It's so good and delicious I have to take some home for Sunday morning when I need to recover cuz you guys close Sundays! I'll always have fond memories here at Noodle City! When I visit Santa Barbara, I'll be sure to pay a visit to my favorite pho place. Oh, and their Chow Fun isn't that bad either. Its deeelicious! :)
(5)
Jin K.

best pho in the santa barbara area. i get their #11 which has rare steak, tripe, and well done flank. their small portions of pho is smaller compared to other pho restaurants so their large size is perfect for me. the bad things about noodle city is that it is closed on sundays, parking sucks, water tastes too much like tap water, and the place is small.
(4)
Lisa I.

My family and I drove down from Arroyo Grande to see my nephew and his gal, and to have some Vietnamese grub. This is a good little mom and pop type noodle house. The flavors and presentation are simple yet adequate. I did not expect hardcore vietnamese food that you get in the bigger population centers... everything was tasty and prepared well... go and enjoy! This is a basic, all purpose Vietnamese cafe and does the triick nicely.
(4)
Leticia M.

We love this place. The owner could appear to be rude, but once you go few times you will see her laugh with customers and be friendly. If there is just two people in your partyTRY not to sit at a table that seats 4, we have had to move to a smaller table at times...now we just know and sit at a 2 person table when possible. The portions are decent and if your on a lunch hour you are sure to get in and out in under 35 min. There is always plenty of sauces and the White Pho spoons already on the table. It is a seat yourself and closed on Sunday.
(4)
N. H.

I used to get the pho here because it was the best in town, but recently I've found the broth to be murky and more tasteless. Knowing that, I always order non-noodle dishes from the menu and have always been pleased. I like that their fish sauce is unabashedly tangy and salty, this is definitely not a watered down sauce. I like that they offer traditional Vietnamese dishes such as banh hoi (grilled meats served with rice noodle sheets) and banh canh cua (vietnamese style crab udon). I like that they don't skimp on the veggies that accompany main dishes. Alas, I don't love their pho, but I'm willing to overlook that because their other menu offerings are just that good. I also love the proprietor, she is a riot. She comes off as rude, but if you understand that in Vietnam people speak loudly and quickly, you'll see past that and actually hear what she's saying. She's quite a nice woman and I find her very motherly, in that Vietnamese mom kind of way.
(4)
hong h.

the lady (owner?) is a bit scary. you'll know what i mean if you ever go. but the food is good every time i go. they have a whole variety of food. (yes, there's a lot more than pho in vietnamese food!) * i wish they would have cheaper lunch menus and open on sundays.
(4)
Kate S.

Noodle City's pho is the best pho I've ever had. The eggrolls are also amazing, as is their marinated meat (I don't understand how it's so good). Their prices are reasonable, the food is amazing, and the woman who runs the place is a total sweetheart (and quite the character).
(5)
Ben L.

It gets a "4" for being the only decent Vietnamese restaurant in the SB area. I got the usual Pho, and the beef didn't taste freezer burned like it does at the other Vietnamese place by K-Mart. Portions were good, but I'll go again soon to see how consistent their food quality/service is.
(4)
Nath C.

their pho is pretty good. It's probably the best in SB. My biggest complaint is their price and portions. I eat a lot, and their large bowls don't fill me up.
(3)
A H.

This is most def the best Pho restaurant in Santa Barbara. The quality of food is a lot better than Saigon In n Out and the other places in the area. It's cheap, and the best meal you will find in Santa Barbara for the price.
(4)
Jon T.

Excellent! Well, excellent considering this place is in Santa Barbara (Old Town Goleta) I went today and had the banh hoi(thin vermicelli cake) with nem nuong, tau hu ky, egg roll, and chao tom, along with a cafe sua da on the side. It all was very authentic, and a hell of a lot better than any Vietnamese food that I've found in the SB area. The owner is Vietnamese, which probably helps. I'm from Westminster/Little Saigon, and the food here is at least as good as anything I could find there. I'll definitely come back, because I miss Vietnamese food like no other, and the pho didn't look half bad. Prices are decent, food is authentic, and it's open 6 days a week. What else could you ask for?
(5)
Rick M.

Went here for the 2nd time the other night. The food was awesome. I wish I could tell you what I had but I basically pointed at the menu and ate what they brought me. It was a noodle dish (not a soup) with tons of veggies and chicken in a sweet fish sauce. My wife had what I would guess were Vietnamese spring rolls that you roll yourself. Shrimp, basil, veggies, rice noodles. She loved it. We had a fried shrimp appetizer that could've done without b/c it was way too greasy. Also the dinner portion sizes are HUGE, so didn't really need the app. The menu's a bit overwhelming and staff - although super sweet and friendly - were not helpful in explaining certain items. Little language barrier. But as long as there isn't anything you don't want and are willing to try stuff its not a problem. Support this place because a) its good and b) we need something other than burritos and burgers in Old Town.
(4)
Catherine B.

What the F is up with the bad reviews?! This place has HUGE portions for a VERY LOW PRICE and the food is DELICIOUS. There is nothing wrong with the service. The food comes out quickly. The owner is spunky, so what? Get over it.
(4)
Chris S.

I think it's hilarious that the place is known as much for the food as it is the angry owner. My "problem" is continuously ordering the #31 - bbq pork on noodles dish - and the owner pointing this out to me. Maybe it's just her voice, but it definitely was freaky. My favorite was when I asked her if she was having a good day - her reply "No chit-chat, you just order!" Always happy with the quality and quantity of the food, prices seem right... Don't let the owner intimidate you - try it out! And tip your waiter/waitress well - they have to work with the owner!
(3)
Aubrie A.

Yum! The pho was flavorful and the noodles were good! I'm not sure why people complained about the service - I thought it was great! I would go here again!
(4)
Michael I.

There is a decent amount of controversy that surrounds Noodle City. Asian people raised in areas with an abundance of more "authentic" Vietnamese restaurants argue that NC is a very average/poor Pho spot while others claim for it to be the best in the greater SB area. The bottom line is, in comparison to the Pho restaurants in San Jose, SF, or anywhere else with a decent Vietnamese population, Noodle City is probably average.. Nothing special or extraordinary. However, for what it is- a reasonably priced family-run Vietnamese owned restaurant in Goleta, it's magnificent. I don't care if people cry and wine about how much better the Vietnamese food is in San Jose. In the SB area, a good and cheap Asian place is one in a million. I've tried the Pho, Bun, and Broken Rice plates here, and it is honestly the best Asian food in SB in my opinion. When I need that fix of Asian food after being stuck with the wonderfully diverse selection of food in IV (A burrito, sandwich, or burger??), Noodle City does the job more than adequately. Maybe not the BEST, but I think their food is pretty damn good. Recommend to anybody. Yes, the water is foul. And yes, they do need to be open on Sundays.....
(4)
Stephen M.

I'm a big PHO fan, and this little place takes the cake for me in SB. The Thai tea was also very good compared to other Thai teas made in town. Will come back again, and again.
(5)
Youri Y.

C'mon this is the best pho in Santa Barbara.
(5)
Jackie V.

My boyfriend who is pho lover, actually thinks this is the best place for pho although he does like new china too. For VEGETARIANS, the kung pao soy chicken is really good, very flavorful and delicious. My boyfriend who is a meat eater, also loves eating it too. They also have other options soy beef and soy pork or just tofu. I haven't tried the rest of the options yet. These options for vegetarians are really great though :) I also love the vegetarian/vegan crispy noodle, its the largest basket of crispy noodle I have had, so it is really worth it! I hate that this place only has thai tea with boba on weekends, friday and saturday. The rest of the days its without boba. Their thai ice tea is REALLY good!
(4)
Michelle H.

I love it here. Anything on the menu is good, you can't go wrong. Usually I get the rare steak pho, appetizer sampler, or vermicelli with egg rolls. ONLY THING bad, which is the reason I took off a star, is when the owner is there. She is so loud and she'll give you shit if you don't eat it the "authentic" way. I put 4 limes in my pho and she wouldnt stop yelling at me saying I'm destroying the flavor. First of all, IM paying for my food. So I'll eat it however I want. I've had better pho in LA of course but noodle city is DECENT compared to other pho. So yeah i have to put a lot of lime in there to cover all the crap they put in the soup.
(4)
Joanne S.

Out of the few vietnamese places in SB, this place is the best but that still doesn't mean this place is good. The food comes out quick and is cheap but the service isn't great; especially the Asian lady who always shoots daggers out of her eyes. Also, the portion is way too small compared to other pho restaurants. But I guess for poor college students who can't afford any better, this is fine.
(3)
Amanda E.

Where to begin? This was my go-to place for pho when I lived in SB. As soon as you walked in, you could smell all the amazing spices and it just made you hungrier. It's definitely one of the best pho places I've been to and I admit I make the occasional long distance trip to eat here. :) They have decent portion sizes for the prices listed. A large bowl is about $7-8 and you get what you pay for in the amount of food and taste. I have yet to have a disappointing meal here and am not holding my breath for that to happen.
(4)
Olga Z.

Yum! Delicious fresh and fast... Only thing... Sodas 3 bucks a pop! Next time I would rather have water and an extra serving of spring rolls...
(5)
Rae C.

This is an excellent place for fast, cheap, and delicious noodles. I've been here twice, but am sure to come back once I move down south. Their menu has a variety of different styles of noodle and rice dishes, with handy explanations of the features of each in the margins of each page. Good thing, because I don't know what "broken rice" is without it! Both times I came here I had vermicelli rice noodles with prawns that comes with an egg roll. I can't remember exactly what the category was called, but it came with a sauce to pour over the bowl of noodles, veggies, etc. Really good for only about $7 a bowl, and it will fill you up. I can't wait to try more here! The service is extremely fast, but don't expect any conversation or even a hello from the staff. I don't mind at all, somebody might. An apparent regular cam in while we were there, and was greeted with only "Same thing?" Haha! Two of us came in at about 11:30 on a Thursday, and we were the only ones in there so food came in about 5 minutes. By 12:15 it was packed though! It's delicious!
(4)
Heather W.

This is one of our newly discovered restaurants. Affordable, filling, and fast. Great food. Discovered by the recommendation of a friend on a rainy day. I know we will be back often. Close to the airport, when you get off the plane and not sure what to eat but are starving & tired. One less star because, as others have mentioned staff can be gruff sometimes. But they are always packed, so maybe they are just exhausted after a long day/week.
(4)
Phuong L.

I love Noodle City!!! The owener is also my favorite, she is hilarious. When she talks she sounds like she is mad but she is not, it's just her voice. I love #42, Bun Bo Hue. It's sooooo good!!! If you love spicy food, this is a must-try. Thai ice tea is good too.
(4)
Stacy K.

One of the best pho places I've had in goleta..... one of the worst services ever. The asian lady owner, literally scares me. One time, she put her hand on my bowl, and said "you done?".. when I wasn't... RUDE!
(3)
Madeline T.

Moving out to Santa Barbara was great. Really, it was. But after you've lived in both Los Angeles and San Diego city proper, you just expect ethnic food of all kinds to be abundant, authentic, and delicious (and if not, there's another one that is just as accessible). This, Santa Barbara, you can not give me. But I need to get my Pho/Vietnamese craving fulfilled somehow. I've tried the other Viet place in Goleta (the one in the KMart plaza) and found it to be alright, but I like Noodle City's menu way more. A ton more items to get than just pho (though...if you're at Vietnamese place, more often than not you're probably getting soup). It was expansive enough for me to get something that wasn't pho... the #55. A dark, flat noodle dish VERY reminiscent of Pad See Ew. And even if I wasn't at a Thai place...it was delicious. My boyf had a large Pho, and it was pretty darn good too. The cuts of meat were perfectly tender, the noodles not too mushy, and the bowl was definitely a large. The place is a little dingy, but eh, it reminds me me of my metropolitan homes. I'd come here again. And word to the wise: yes, the lady who works/owns this place has a very intimidating voice. It sounds like the lady from the '90s anti-cigarette commercials that smoked out of her throat. If anyone remembers...
(4)
Cory S.

I am not sure how anyone could rate anything less than five stars after lastnights experience. The Pho is wonderful. The broth is so clean and delish I will be going back weekly. Our female server was wonderful and so attentive. Perfect pricing vs amount of food. FIVE stars pho sho!
(5)
Christopher L.

Santa Barbara has some atrocious pho, but this is the spot for a good hangover cure. I've had both bad and good spring rolls here (it's hit or miss) and the service is almost comically rude. If you don't like pho, combo fried rice is really good. One of the few dishes I miss from this restaurant. Well priced and the broth is good enough. It's not LA or OC pho, but for Santa Barbara it's damn good.
(4)
Mike N.

My gf and I moved to the SB area a month ago and This is the closest thing to good Vietnamese food that Santa Barbara county has to offer. The prices are fair and not inflated due to the area and there's a great variety on the menu. Service was actually very good tonight and that is why I nudged the 4th star. The remainder of the reason is the food. It's fresh, authentic and isn't some washed out version of authentic vietnamese food. It was nice to see a full menu that ranged from pho to mi xao (fried crispy noodle) to com tham bi cha ta (broken rice w/ shredded pork). We will definitely be back.
(4)
Jenn C.

best viet food in santa barbara. if you don't believe me, go inside and look around. ALL THE ASIANS GO THERE. the owner is vietnamese and is speaking vietnamese constantly so you know the food is legit. there's a wait if you go during peak hours. its effing delicious.
(4)
Arthur D.

Good food. Reasonable prices. Speedy services. The lady owner does not like to smile, appears like she's angry all the time. But deep down, if you chat with her, she's friendly in her own way. Still ... that kind of angry face takes away two stars from this review. Recommended dish: shrimp fried rice. Also: Pho soup is delicious, and I don't even like Pho in general but I still find it delicious here.
(3)
Gantsa Maven Z.

I eat here most times I'm in the Santa Barbara area unless I'm in the mood for American-style Cantonese in which case I go to China Pavilion. This is the best Vietnamese place I've been to between San Jose & LA- at least along the coast. The broth from the pho or egg noodle soups are very tasty and not some soup powder mixed with hot water. The few non-soup dishes I had were tasty too including the beef chow fun. I will say the few times I ordered the fresh spring rolls they were bland and not bursting with the mint and basil flavors I'm used to in other places. While I think this place is less than 4 stars in the larger CA cities it easily deserves 4 stars given its location. It's
(4)
Will L.

This is probably the best Vietnamese food you'll find in Santa Barbara, hands down. Oh wait.. it's the ONLY place with edible Vietnamese food in all of Santa Barbara. Little more on that later. I've tried just about half their menu here, and I must encourage everyone to stick to their Vietnamese menu, because their Chinese food is more or less glorified Panda Express. You can't go wrong with their traditional Pho, or Bum Bo Hue (spelling?), but if you're a big eater, I'd suggest you order extra noodles for another whopping $1.25. Some downsides to this place is that they don't give you all that much meat and their soup tastes kind of MSG heavy, but then again my standards are pretty high for Pho since my home is within walking distance of Pho 24, 37, 84, 86, 87, 89, 93, 999, and all the other millions of great-tasting mom and pop Pho shops with amazingly unique names. Another major downside to this place that the water they serve you tastes like liquid cholera, and no matter how much lime they add to their water pitcher, it still just ends up tasting like liquid cholera with a hint of lime. So you'd definitely want to consider ordering a Thai Ice Tea or go next door to buy a bottled drink, or you're left to drink their MSG soup or their rancid drinking water. Alas, I forgot to mention what a great hangover food Pho is, which makes Noodle City such a great place to go to after a long Saturday night of doing shit you don't remember the next morning. So in your hungover state of half-consciousness, you drive over to Noodle City the next morning only to find out that THEY ARE F*CKING CLOSED ON SUNDAY. If I wrote this review on such a Sunday, I would give this place one star.
(2)
Tuyet T.

Okay, I do not know where to START!!! I came here a few months ago to try this place and my goodness.... WHAT CRAP! I ordered pho and there was hair in it.... okay not a big deal because shit happens sometimes so I waived down the non-asian waiter guy and told him there's hair in my pho. This FOOL....was like "uhmmm what do you want me to do?" ARE YOU EFFIN KIDDING ME? I told him that I wanted a new replacement (duh?!!!) I mean what was he thinking. Was the hair suppose to be an extra noodle? Idiot. So instead of asking for a replacement I told him if I could just get a different dish instead (you know...incase they just pick out the hair and hand the same pho bowl back to me). Then I guess the waiter dude told the asian lady owner what happened and she gave me an evil eye. Wtf???? she's lucky that she actually had other customers cause I would have been flippin them tables and chairs! Now to rating the food... I ordered the bun tom thit nuong( dry vermicelli noodle dish with pork and shrimp) because my friend ordered it and it looked appetizing....but man... looks sure can be deceiving. The meat was tasteless and just grossssss! Just go with pho instead, can't go wrong with msg broth and noodles.
(1)
Laurence L.

I've been hearing rave reviews about this place's food so I ventured over with a friend 2 times to see what all the hype was about. 1st Time: Apparently we walked in 15 minutes prior to closing, so the lady (owner) rudely yelled at us to get out. Definitely left me a bad taste in my mouth but I kinda get it since most places need you to come in 30 mins prior to closing. Whatever. 2nd Time: We came in an hour or so prior to closing time. Lady let us sit down but blurted that we had to hurry and order....no idea why that is so since we gave them more than 30 mins of preparation time. Anyways, I ordered my usual at Vietnamese places - charboiled beef over broken rice. I don't know if it's because they were rushed to close or what, but I received the smallest portion of beef ever - literally thin slices (6 max or so) over a large bed of rice. Are you serious? And to bring back the bad taste in my mouth from my first visit, the lady rushed us once again, rudely asking us to hurry up. I barely set down my chopsticks after sifting through what was good on my plate when the lady made a beeline for my table, grabbing my plate away while curtly asking, "You done? Done eating?" YEAH, I AM DONE....SINCE YOU JUST GRABBED THE PLATE FROM ME. Taste of the food is alright, not too sure about the actual pho vermicelli/noodle stuff since I'm not a fan of traditional pho cuisine. However, the stingy portions put me off and the attitude of the owner here is in dire need of a change. You won't draw in diners with that type of attitude. Overall though, I don't get why people rave about this place. I guess since it's SB and there's no legit Asian food around, everyone goes bananas. Either that or I'm spoiled for having grown up in the 626 area. Whichever way it goes, I won't be coming back here. If you are a UCSB student, I reckon you find a time or weekend to make a day trip to LA - get some legit Asian food or pho (whatever you want) - I guarantee afterwards, you will never come back to this place!
(1)
Esther K.

BEST TASTING PHO EVER (better than the ones in the San Fernando Valley and K-Town). Only reason why I took off a star was because of the service. The old Viet lady with the thick accent can be intimidating at times, "ARE YOU READY TO ORDER?" and has no manners "HERE!" (and practically slides our plates onto the table). Sometimes she's indirectly funny. Like one time when my boyfriend and I went, she asked "Are you ready to order? Because I have other things to do." He busted out laughing after she took our order. Nonetheless, one of my favorite places to eat in Santa Barbara.
(4)
Davyana S.

Noodle City is the only place I go to get pho in Santa Barbara. Nowhere else can compare to how great their pho is. I've been going here for the past 6-7 months once or twice a week! It's that great. They also have an amazing thai tea with boba (only served on the weekends). Their service is always fast and never disappoints. It does get fairly busy sometimes, but I've never had to wait very long for a table.
(5)
Sean C.

If I want Pho or Crispy noodle, this is my goto place. I don't particularly like their rice plates or other stuff compared to what I have experienced in the Bay Area. Sitting is crowded in there as they try to maximize the amount of bodies they can put in there. The place is also a bit stuffy when it is a hot day. You can join tables for a group of people if needed. I would definitely recommend people to go if they are looking for Pho (compared to neighboring Vietnamese place).
(3)
Justin V.

If you are looking for the most legitimate Vietnamese spot in Santa Barbara or Goleta, this is the place. And to be honest, it isn't even that great but you can't really ask for more in such an area where there are so few Asian people. While I cannot comment on their service as I only get take out, I can already feel the same vibes many fellow yelpers are commenting about in terms of service and attitude. The lady who owns the place isn't very friendly but I could attribute that to her being a snotty old asian woman who just isn't happy with life and is there to make money. Whatever though, the food there is decent and it fills my fix for some "home" food.
(3)
Dare H.

I had the pho and it was terrible. I have also never been treated so rudely in my life. The tall waiter "served" us and was absolutely miserable. I live in Goleta and I will never go there again and I will tell all my friends never to go there.
(1)
Theresa V.

If you are looking for authentic Vietnamese food, then this is the place to go. Since there's not much of an asian presence in SB in general, I find that the asian food restaurant options are lacking. This is the first place that I go to when I crave a Vietnamese meal. Having been born and raised in Bolsa, little Vietnam pretty much, in orange county, I have had good authentic Viet food at my fingertips most of my life - I almost went into withdrawl after moving to SB! This place brings back a piece of home for me. They don't have all the Viet dishes, but most of the popular ones like pho, bun bo hue, and com tam. The service isn't the best... who am I kidding, it's typical asian non-service really, but I don't expect extraordinary service at this place - it's the food that I keep coming back for again and again.
(5)
Melissa H.

Are they still open?? We went there three times (on different time slot) and they're always closed. Agreed. In Santa Barbara area, this place has more better pho than others.
(4)
Diana N.

3.5 stars So they definitely do make pretty good pho and so much better than Pho Bistro in Isla Vista. Also it's cheaper, it's just a huge bummer that they're not exactly close and from what I can tell there's no back lot you can park in, so it's just street parking; I've been fortunate enough with my friends to have always found a parking spot right in front of Noodle City. So aside from the quality and the price, which are good, this place is only getting 3.5 because the definitely do need to work on their customer service. We've gone when they're busy and when we're the only customers. When it's busy, they forget to bring things even when we constantly ask for it (I literally asked for a plate of the basil and bean sprouts five times before he finally gave it to me) and don't exactly check on your order often. And when you're the only one there they just take your order and leave and don't really put in an effort to make it a good and personal experience. I don't expect a bouquet of roses or anything but it would be nice if they stopped by to check to see how the food was, came by to refill my water without me having to ask, and just smiled. I've gotten the number 6 which is the pho that comes with like everything and I do recommend it if you go.
(3)
Marly H.

I wish I could give this place a zero star rating. It makes me SO sad that this is what people in Santa Barbara are exposed to as the "best" pho in the area. Pho is an amazing thing and should be done right! The one star rating is not just for the food, but the overall experience. Now I know that you do not go into a place to have pho for an amazing dining experience (think of the Pho houses with big long tables, packed to the brim. They move people in and out of there like nobody's business). I showed up one Saturday morning, and to be fair I was getting over a cold. There was a large group of kids from UCSB that were leaving. I stood and waited patiently. I was ignored. I waited for them to clean off all of the tables. Once they were clean, still I was ignored. Two girls walked in and the waiter acknowledged them. Now, I don't know what it is that people have against someone that is dining alone, but really? I told these ladies I wasn't standing there for my health. They suggested I might just seat myself... I found a table and sat down. Still nothing. Then this rude lady, I think she's the owner, said "just one?!" and I said yes, she then moved my table away from everyone else as if 1. I set the table up there in the first place and 2. I had a disease. Neither of these things is accurate. The table didn't have any condiments on it, probably because it had been pushed together with so many others for the large group that came before me. Instead of one being brought over to me, after I hat awkwardly say there for a while I got up and got one myself. When the waiter finally took my order he was short with me and quite rude. When my food came (pho and egg rolls) it was unceremoniously dumped on my table. No napkins. Not spoon. Of course I requested these items, as it is unclear to me how one is to eat noodle soup without a spoon. I asked twice actually, no three times. They continued to help other customers and again I was ignored. More food coming out, people being served and I just waited patiently. It took about 5 minutes for them to bring a spoon. "Sorry for the wait". The wait? How fucking hard is it to bring me a spoon? Really? I should not have had to wait. I jumped in. The egg rolls were crisp, but greasy. Overall not something I'd go back for. The broth for the pho was lacking taste. The noodles were clumped together like they had been in a to go box. They were gummy and not delicious. NOT DELICIOUS. One of the best things about pho is that it is a delicious large bowl of fantasticness. You breath it in. You slurp the broth. Enjoy the various additions. I love pho. It's a fantastic bowl of soup for not very much money. I'm not looking for a fine dining experience, but please, PLEASE it'd be nice to be treated like a customer. I'm not asking for much. I have money to pay you for your soup just like everyone else in there. Checking out was the best part of the meal, and still the lady was quite rude. Suffice it to say I will not be going back. I will just have to hold off my pho cravings until I'm back in LA or somewhere else instead of Santa Barbara. Terrible. TERRIBLE.
(1)
Ada C.

Hands down the best pho in santa barbara. (JUST in santa barbara though) The broth has a nice consistency and taste to it. Not too salty and there isn't an overwhelming msg in it that leaves u thirsting for hours later. The lady that serves the pho is actually quite the entertainment in addition to a good meal. She's loud and has character. Definitely one.. (well my ONLY) favorite pho place to go to when i'm in santa barbara
(4)
Linda T.

visited santa barbara for the weekend and a friend brought us all to this pho place since it was raining outside. small vietnamese restaurant serving a decent bowl of pho. definitely not as good and tasty as ones in orange county/LA region or even SF, but something to go to when one is craving pho. heard there isnt many vietnamese cuisine in sb.
(3)
Aaron R.

hit it on the road the broth was good but the service was just OK and they only take cash for $10 or less nothing to write home about but I would come again pho sho :-)
(3)
Matthew L.

In Santa Barbara you will experience long nights of drinking..... as a student. And usually nothing compares to pho to remedy your late nights of binge drinking. With that said, this place is perfect for those days where you don't give a F about service or anything and you just need a bowl of this holy juice to save your life. The pho is good for Santa Barbara standards, it does the trick. But to be honest, I wouldn't go here intentionally, the pho is expensive in comparison to REAL pho, but who am I kidding it's Santa Barbara. What makes this place get a two star rating is because of the crazy Asian lady that owns it. You know... that one lady that rocks that blinged out buddah... She is by far one of the rudest business owners I have ever seen and met. I understand it can get busy, but to literally kick people off their tables in mid-conversation is plain RUDE! And because of her, I always hate my terrible drinking habits, because I find myself still coming back and giving money to this horrid woman. But hey who am I kidding, when a man is dying he needs his pho.
(2)
Bob L.

Go for the food, not the service. Good food trumps good service in my book....and it's not that their service is bad, it's just "you came to eat, what would you like?"...no frills. Their Vietnamese food is obviously their best. Their crunchy noodle dishes with stir-fries on top are SOLID!! And you can't beat the value-for-money proposition either!! ENJOY!!
(4)
Kay L.

You really have to lower your standards for Asian food while you're living in SB. Born and raised in the San Gabriel Valley, I live right next to a city called Rosemead where pho restaurants are on almost every block. The first time I came here, I thought it was the most disgusting (and expensive... used to paying a maximum of $6) pho I've ever had in my life. After two years of living in SB and adjusting my standard of eating to compensate for the lack of good Asian food here, it is now the best thing ever. If you're here for the ride, you'll come to love this place because it is WAYYYYY better than Pho Bistro or Saigon Noodle House. In times of desperation, this is YOUR PLACE TO BE.
(3)
Alisa P.

The Pho is so good! Great comfort food at a great price, served quickly.
(4)
Elliott H.

++ easily the best pho in Santa Barbara, which, admittedly, isn't the biggest compliment but you really can't go anywhere else within a few miles and find a better bowl + as far as Asian restaurants go, the place is clean and there are no linguistic obsta
(4)
Dazz W.

I tried it once. Then I tried it again. I wanted to like this place but coming from the NW great pho and Vietnamese food is on every block. The competition there is fierce and in order to survive, you have got to be on top of your game!!! From cheap plastic bowls to plastic used Sriracha bottles that you reuse over and over again to fill with Hoisin sauce to pre-made iced cafÃ© sua--again in cheap plastic "to-go" cups to the watered down soap (if it is even soap) in the dirty bathroom. Everything was cheap and watered down or frozen food-like substance--as in your egg rolls. And really your food is not that cheap in price. What amazes me is the lack of competition here in Goleta and SB. In that, no one has to strive to have anything better than "D" grade Vietnamese food or in the case of pizza as one reviewer said, "hot circles of garbage!" You certainly do good with good patronage but your food could be much better. I am sorry for the harsh review but I assure you it is highly accurate. My advice is to travel to places where Asian cuisine is highly competitive and come back with improved cleanliness and pho that rocks.
(1)
Jeniffer L.

This is the only place in Santa Barbara that has decent pho.
(3)
Hanhie D.

A bowl of pho is under $7 bucks. Which is pretty cheap compared to other places in Santa Barbara - Pho is not bad. Better then any place in SB but definetly does not compare to places outside of SB - Banh Hoi is pretty good. They don't give you that much of the chairbroiled meat or bean turd shrimp thing so it is not that filling. They give you more lettuce and vegetables if you ask for more. so that is kinda nice. - the crispy noodles were pretty good. They give you a lot of it. the lady is pretty funny, but she can be a little rude sometimes.. this place is closed sunday! ]]: Overall, a good place to get pho!
(4)
Helen D.

The food here is good and at prices comparable to Garden Grove or Monterey Park. Mostly Vietnamese noodle dishes and some Banh hoi and rice dishes like com bo luc lac and com tam (broken rice). I had the bun thit nuong cha gio... Vermicelli with grilled pork and cut up egg rolls. Very good with the fish sauce. Ordered the fried shrimp wrapped in won ton for $5.75.... Was delicious with their sweet dip. My BF ordered the combo Pho with rare beef on the side since he forgot to tell them so they put the the original beef right in the hot soup. We like to eat it on the side like sashimi with sriracha and hoisin sauce. His mom had vegetarian fried rice and vegetarian egg rolls which she really enjoyed. I think there were five vegetarian dishes on the menu. Good sized dining area. So casual. Came to eat straight after a shower. Was awesome.
(5)
Angela R.

When you come to Noodle City there are a few things you must know that I feel are important. - Street Parking can be hit or miss since it is pretty limited and they have no parking lot so come with patience as you may have to circle the block a few times. - Waiting Game - If you come at noon during a weekday expect to wait a few minutes but usually it's not more than 10 minutes. - Customer Service - Don't expect a warm welcome! You will be asked how many and it might be by the lovely lady with a deep strong voice yelling at you. Don't take it personal that is just her mannerism LOL. This is pretty much the only place in town aside from Saigon that serves Pho. The food here is very reasonably priced and the taste is pretty good from what I've had. The beef dishes tend to be on the chewy side so if you order anything with beef don't expect it to be good quality. I've had the pho, crispy soft shrimp appetizer, soft noodles, and flat noodles. None of them have disappointed me except again for the beef. They are very flavorful aside from that. Sure the workers here yell back and forth from across the room and are running around like chickens with their heads cut off, but it's funny to me! They are just trying to keep up with the crowd constantly coming in to eat and not have to wait long. In a nutshell this place is A-OK! Give it a try.
(3)
Karen W.

SERVICE: After reading all the those horror stories about the service, I went to Noodle City prepared that I'm gonna get yelled at. But to my surprise, the service was EXCELLENT (at least when I went)! The two male waiters were super attentive and polite! They were very accommodating when my party wanted to switch tables. FOOD: The pho was great, even better than some pho places I've been to in LA. I got the #1 and the sampler. The soup is definitely the spotlight of the pho. One possible improvement though, is the size of the bowl. The regular pho is small compared to all the pho places I've been to. It doesn't necessarily mean that they serve less food, but sometimes presentation is important too.
(4)
Hannah C.

I'm really hoping that after I leave ucsb, someone will open up a good Vietnamese restaurant around here. But for now, Noodle City is the only decent Vietnamese restaurant around here. I ordered the bun thit nuong cha gao and it was a little less than ok, actually. What made the dish so disappointing was that the noodles weren't even cooked all the way. I feel like this problem shouldn't even be the main issue at an Asian restaurant. Most of the times, when people complain about Asian food, it's usually that it doesn't taste the same as the authentic dish. But something as simple as cooking the noodles all the way shouldn't be an issue. I've also had their pho and that definitely isn't up to par, either. The soup tastes watered down and, if you are a true pho lover, you know that their broth isn't cooked as long as it should be. Also, service is terrible. The lady is frightening and I am too scared to talk back to her, lol. Pray that Goleta gets a good Asian restaurant!!
(3)
AJ R.

Downgrade; the crazy lady yelled at me several times in my last two visits for things like my chair being in the wrong place or (my new favorite) not having ordered yet. Still the best pho and vietnamese food in town, just be ready to be yelled at for pretty much anything (except paying)
(3)
Michelle C.

This place was interesting. Saturday night. Pretty full, but I got a seat. Service was super brief and fast. You have a few options to choose from, quickly scan the menu, place the order in a hurried fashion, and the food comes out in roughly 5 minutes. The decor is mediocre. Very plain. The food: Chicken pho- $7- like, wow I paid $7 for glorified cup noodles? Tiny slices of chicken, some noodles, some broth. It was a small portion. (For $7!!!). It was ok. Egg rolls $5- basically 4 skinny, minimally-filled lumpias with some kind of mush filling served with a vinegar sauce. They were crispy, but nothing great. Definitely overpriced. It should've cost $2 max. Thai tea- $3- they ran out of tapioca. Boohoo. I still got a Thai tea since I haven't had one in ages . I asked for less cream, which made the drink wayyyy too sweet. I had to water it down. It probably would've been better with tapioca. Service- kind of awkward to hear the workers and owner interact... Plus everyone is so ridiculously fast paced. The waiter was very pleasant though. He had a positive attitude despite running around. Conclusion: it's sad that this is the best SB has to offer. It's O-K. The end.
(2)
Allison F.

The place was dingy and sort of dirty looking. I'm Chinese and grew up eating at Asian restaurants but I draw the line at being unsanitary. There was a fly that just kept buzzing around and landing on our water cups and on the open caps of the Sriracha and oyster sauce ...ugh Pho tai - I got the regular size and it was tiny! Noodles were ok; some strands were super hard. I wasn't really feeling the beef and just had a bad experience with Korean BBQ in LA a couple days before so I left it alone. Boyfriend got a pork and charbroiled chicken broken rice dish and cleaned it. Neither of us touched the bean sprouts/leaves/etc dish ...the leaves were drying up and the sprouts were turning brown :( The Thai tea was good tho! And the host/waiter was super hardworking and attentive. The female owner was the least friendly person I ever met who owned an establishment that relied in part on customer service -- she was cleaning the table next to ours and didn't bother to say anything after we paid and left.
(2)
Kenny P.

I don't think it was possible for me to give a place 1 star. I would give this place negative stars if I could. Let's start with the service. The service is terrible. The moment we walked in we were rushed by a Latino waiter. The Vietnamese woman behind the register was yelling at us telling us to order. There were open tables, no one was waiting, and yet we were rushed. In the middle of our meal the waiter came and put the bill on the table. WE DIDNT ASK FOR IT. When we went to pay the bill the lady charged us for an extra order. We confronted her after looking at the receipt but she said she already ran our card. She started raising her voice and rushing us to leave cause other people were in line. Are you serious?! Let's get to the food. I'm Vietnamese and have eaten this food my whole life. The pork ramen I got was super plain. It's like they used water for the soup. There was barely any pork also. My friends got broken rice and the proportions were laughable. I posted pictures. Judge for yourself. We also ordered egg roll and spring roll. The egg rolls were small and had no stuffing whatsoever. The spring roll was dry, it was like they premade these rolls and left it in the fridge all day. How hard is it to roll fresh spring rolls? Overall, the food was mediocre at best. The crappy service just killed the experience. Would never come back to this place.
(1)
Shivam P.

HORRIBLE!!!!!! Every time I go I get yelled at or just experience hilarious Asian attitude but yesterday was different. It was busy and I had called my usual order of chicken pho, I've been getting the same thing for the past four years I'm definitely a loyal customer haha. HOWEVER last night was the last straw I usually brush off them being extremely rude as a joke and don't care too much but when I went to go to pick up my food it was disgraceful. The Asian guy that's tall and looks are a giant nerd shoves me out of the way. Doesn't say anything just shoves me while I'm waiting to pay and get my food but I'm like okay whatever. He doesn't say sorry but I still shrug it off. Then he just stands there and I'm like okay, and then yells "YOU KNOW THE DRILL ARE YOU GONNA PAY FOR IT" I'm like how much is it? "IT HASNT CHANGED YOU COME ALL THE TIME" I hand him a $10 in my defense it's nice to see how much he is going to charge me on the register and make sure I'm not getting charged extra since I was going to pay with credit card but payed cash just in case. He then yells at me again for standing at the cash register because I was in the way of a busser "CANT YOU SEE THERE ARE PEOPLE WORKING FAST BEHIND YOU" I was standing at the cash register to pay?!?!? What the what?!?!? So I asked for my money back and I'm requesting all gauchos and just everyone to never go to this god forsaken dump. They treat people horribly and I work hard to make money and after a long day of work I shouldn't be yelled at for paying to get my food. Not one more dime from me or anyone should go to this family business. Please boycott this place it's horrible. I for sure am going to make sure gauchos/UCSB students don't go here and that will teach them a lesson.
(1)
Jen N.

Two Words: Noodle Sh*tty I have been here ten times - never by will. I am from SoCal and there are tons of Pho joints. This place could only make it in LA or OC if they made Pho a $2.99 special. Entrees are served with the standard vegetable dish which comes with mint, lettuce, bean sprouts. They are definitely not fresh because they are withered. The bean sprouts are sometimes brown. I am not down with the brown. Out of the 5 times, I have ordered pho. It is either too watery or too salty. The meat is either overcooked or slightly raw. This place feels unsanitary. Sometimes, I'll draw out some chopsticks and they are crusty! It is kind of unfortunate for me to admit this: This is the best Pho you can find in Santa Barbara. Maybe I should open up my own Vietnamese restaurant here!
(2)
Ian M.

Come to Noodle City for the food. Sure, it's warm inside and sometimes the service isn't the most attentive, but you're here for the food, not to have a conversation with the waiter. I think this is seriously some of the best bun I've had. The pork is very falvorful and the noodles are firm. The vegetables are fresh and firm, not floppy/soggy. One of the only places I've found that does the Vietnamese "meatball" thing right! Definitely my favorite spot for Vietnamese food in town.
(5)
Navkiran K.

Not the greatest pho in CA but it does the trick for those living in Isla Vista/Goleta. In my opinion, the pho here is better than Saigon or Pho Bistro. Do
(4)
Jessica N.

My favorite Asian restaurant in SB/Goleta area thus far! I'm from the Bay Area and I'm used to eating very good Asian/Vietnamese food and nothing around IV seems to compare. But Noodle City has really great BÃ¡nh Canh and they're Thai tea is BOMB. Bost of which are the best I've had anywhere, including my hometown in San Jose. Would recommend! esp the Thai tea lol
(4)
Jasmine P.

Come to this restaurant for the food, and not for the service (isn't the greatest)! Place was packed when I arrived with my boyfriend, which is usually a good sign for a restaurant. We had to wait behind 2 other parties until we were seated, so approx. 10-15mins. Ordering took a while too, but there were only one main person working the front so we didn't mind. After finally taking our order, our food was served within minutes! I had the #6 Pho (House Special) and my boyfriend ordered the #9 Pho (Well Cook Beef). DELICIOUS! Right amount of meat and noodles, but the only thing I would complain about is the undercooked tendons. Since it was around 8pm they were out of spring rolls, so instead ordered the #3 Appetizer (Egg Rolls). The egg rolls were fresh and hot, and definitely satisfied my craving for rolls! I would highly recommend this place, but only if you need a fix for Pho. If you're sensitive about customer service, don't bother coming. (Place an order for take out over the phone, and that should do the trick!)
(5)
Chelsea B.

I'm glad I ignored the reviews about the bad service and gave this place a shot. Everything we got was delicious, which usually means the whole menu is quality. We visited at lunch time on a Saturday and it wasn't overly crowded. We started with the #2 spring rolls, which came with an awesome peanut dipping sauce. I'm not a fan of shrimp so I took the shrimp out of mine, and if you are like me this is an easy fix because the shrimp are whole and right near the surface. We got the #44 (basically a broth soup with chicken, green onions, small white onions, a bit of cilantro and lots of noodles) with egg noodles and the #49 (basically a chicken and noodle stir fry in a light sauce) with the big flat rice noodles. Both were awesome. I'm not a fan of all of the bean sprouts in pho so the #44 was an awesome alternative. We ended the meal with a Thai iced tea, which they are happy to do to go. It was super sweet so next time I might see if they can do it less sweet. The whole thing came out to a little over $20 so it's a good place to go for a cheap lunch. We had zero problems with bad or pushy service. Note: They are closed on Sundays!
(4)
Ines C.

Tastiest pho in Santa Barbara! Folks who complain about the prices haven't lived in the area for long. This place is cheap ($7 for a bowl of pho.) The service is fast and it may seem hurried to many but they have to be. This place get packed fast! Take out is fast too!
(5)
William M.

Not many choices for good Pho in the area, but Noodle City is by far the best, quick and easy, the perfect lunch spot. The servers can be a little blunt sometimes, but who cares, awesome food.
(5)
Frankie G.

I have never been to this place before, and was told they are better than Saigon Noodle house. I have a 30 min lunch so I called to see if they have Pou Soup. Than man who answered stated that they do carry it, but pricing depends on which option. He recommended coming in to look at a menu. I asked if there is a menu online and he stated: "We don't pay for advertising." I asked what the options were, since I have a 30 minute lunch and would have to order ahead of time, and he said: "Honestly, we make the order very fast when you come in, and you'd be better off just coming in and looking at a menu." He then ended with: "I'm only one person running around and it's very busy so I can't spend anymore time on the phone so I'm going to hang up now. Ok, Bye bye." REALLY???? I understand if you don't have time in the moment and need to put me on hold, but this place needs to get some more staff then! I'm sure he was doing the best he could with the situation he was placed in, but I will be sticking with Saigon Noodle this time. I will still try this place in the future, but when I have more time to meet their needs.
(2)
Timeo R.

The best noodle this side of Santa Barbara. I don't live close to the restaurant but always make it a point to go out of my way for something as good as this.
(5)
Van B.

Best pho place in SB, which is barely an accomplishment because SB Pho Game ain't that strong. Comparing this to the O.C would be a sad, sad defeat. The cinnamon in the pho is overwhelming, to say the least. But the flavors is significantly better than Saigon Noodle House, and it's also cheaper, so I'll definitely be coming when I have cravings. But, it's just ok.
(3)
Tiffany W.

Tldr: only come here if you're literally about to die from your pho craving I didn't come here with high expectations but I thought I'd give it a try anyway. I ordered vermicelli (32) and the boyfriend ordered pho (12). We tried to order spring roll appetizers but they were out at around 7:00. It took a while to get our orders in, but I didn't mind too much since there were only two waiters and they looked really busy. The pho tasted average, which is sadly the best Santa Barbara can offer. The noodles were a little hard to bite off and tasted a little jelly-like with a weird back flavor. The beef was hard to chew and overall unappetizing. The vermicelli came around 5-10 minutes after the pho. It was about 50% noodles, lettuce, meat, etc. and about 50% bean sprout. The noodles were dry and stringy, and tasted a bit undercooked. The meat was okay, a little dry. The sauce they provide was good in the beginning, but by the end was really, REALLY salty. I ended up playing noodle treasure hunt with my food since there was an overwhelming amount of vegetables. 4/10 would not recommend. The second star is only out of leniency, since SB has virtually no Asian food at all.
(2)
Terrance P.

Not good but not too shabby. They're the only ones around so what choice do you have? Get your Pho fix and move on. When did Pho become so expensive? $10 for a large bowl? Come on owners let's keep the prices down. Keep raising the price and you'll lose costumers. Won't be back unless I'm desperate and need a fix.
(3)
Riz R.

Today, my partner and I tried Noodle City for the first time. The waiter was knowledgable about what was vegan and what wasn't, which is always worrisome when going to a new restaurant. When I asked if I could add the soy beef as well as the soy chicken the waiter denied me. He told me no one has ever done that before and that it wouldn't be done. It wasn't in a rude tone either.. I asked if he was joking because I couldn't tell by his facial expression. He said no and told me to just get the vermacelli salad instead of the soup. I love vermacelli salad so I went with it. I was shocked that I was denied adding the extra soy meat, I've never experienced that before at a restaurant. Unless they specified in the menu that there were no substitutions. The owner is loud and sassy. The relationship between the waiter and the owner was so interesting to watch. They were snappy with each other but seemed to get along well. Maybe I'm giving them too many stars for the not so great customer service but the food was outstanding and it came out so quickly. I appreciated that every table had a variety of different sauces to choose from. It is most definitely worth trying if you're in the Goleta/Santa Barbara area. Also, a tip... The bathroom door didn't close all the way.
(4)
A C.

I've tried all of the few pho places Santa Barbara has to offer and I think Noodle City is the best one. The pho is consistent in taste and is always filling. My favorite is the #8 (well-cooked beef). The beef is flavorful, chewy, and not too thin or thick. I recommend getting the size large because it is only 35 cents more than the regular size. The service is extremely fast, so if you're hungry and you want your food out ASAP, this is the place to go. I don't recommend getting the egg rolls because they are small, not very good, and do not have much to it but the egg roll wrapper. However, the spring rolls are decently sized and pretty yummy.
(4)
Greg K.

OK, I know that you generally don't need air con in SoCal, but this place was a bit HOT inside on an 82 degree day. Yet, after an afternoon at the beach with a bunch of friends, we decided to try out Noodle City and it was a pleasant overall experience: a. Ambiance - We went at 2:45 pm on a Monday, who would have thought it would be SO busy. We were in fact lucky that a rather large group was leaving so getting a table for 10 was timely! Place was busy with regulars and locals, so this was a good sign for us tourists! b. The Noodles - Plenty of Pho, egg noodles and your standard choices in dishes. The Crispy Noodle with chicken was ordered by some of the youngsters and it was an amazingly large dish with a TON of crispy noodles. We had Shrimp with egg noodles, Pho with beef, Pho with Chicken, Egg noodle with won ton. All was good. My standard measure was Bun Bo Hue. Not sure if I pronounced this properly to the waiter, as what I was asking for and what he was talking about was clearly missing. c. The Bun Bo Hue - Since this is my go to dish, I am not sure why he was talking about me pronouncing this incorrectly. But here is where the facts lie. The amount of meat in the regular size dish is just a bit more than sparse. Thinly sliced been, some tendon, and other bits. I asked if they serve it with the pork hock and they said no. There was no liver or blood that I could detect. For me wanting a bunch of meat, this was not very satisfying. However, the soup was fantastic and that was well worth it. Overall the prices were great, the service great and the atmosphere was just right. We all enjoyed our food. I would give it a four star if it weren't for the near vegetarian Bun Bo Hue..... If you are in the area, check it out.....
(3)
Cathy K.

My go-to Pho place in SB. The owner lady is scary but pho comes closest to the ones in Garden Grove/Westminster. Compared to Pho Saigon or Pho Bistro, if you are the type that really likes tasty broth, go here. I have ordered egg rolls and spring rolls, they are tasty as well. It gets pretty packed during lunch/dinner hour.
(4)
Amanda T.

A small Vietnamese restaurant with pretty good pho. Don't come here if you want a relaxing meal, the place is small and usually very busy . You get a good amount of food for the price.
(4)
Ellen S.

Pretty good for when I want comfort food fast service and very fresh! The food is great and authentic
(5)
Shawn Z.

Food taste is fine but the cleanness is really a problem. I did not visit this restaurant for almost 2 months because my friend saw someone in the kitchen pick vegetable plates for noodle soup without washing hands (there was foam on hands- probably from the detergent used to wash bowls and plates). Today I went here again with 3 of my friends. One of them and me went to bathroom more than 3 times because of stomachache. Alright I am heading for the 4th.
(2)
Jessica C.

Good pho. This was my first time eating Vietnamese food and I had a really good experience. The only bad part of the visit was when I got home, my clothes and hair smelled like smoke and cooked food.
(4)
Michael K.

5 star rating cause I grade on a curve. pho is aight. about as good as its gonna get in this waspy-ass county.
(5)
Roi F.

Pho was good. The service was horrible. The waiters rushed us. The Owner, older Vietnamese lady with a scary voice, is extremely rude. She wouldn't want to compensate to her customers needs. I overheard her yell at a customer saying "Hellooo?? Can you order please? We're really busy!!" I saw the disgusted look of the customers face. I'm surprised he didn't say anything back. Soon after, she yelled at me and my group of friends for not paying together. She forcefully took my card and said "Okay! You're paying with one card! Thank you!" Then she handed me back the wrong credit card. After a few seconds she asked why I was still there and I told her I need my credit card. Bad service I've been to in a long time. I wouldn't wanna go there when she's working, especially if she's working and it's busy. 1 star.
(1)
Joanne S.

I give them 3 stars for being quick and efficient. They bring the food out fairly quickly and everything I've had there has been good (pho, fried rice, vermicelli, spring rolls, egg rolls, and thai ice tea). I'd give them a 1 for customer service if I could. When they're not busy, they tend to provide customers,with decent customer service, but when they're busy they're just focused on getting customers out and getting new customers in.
(3)
Vivian L.

Best pho in Goleta. I'm from LA, so I have high standards for pho, and there have been times when Noodle City is on par with where I'm from! However, there might be times when it's a bit off. Probably depends on the chef! Overall attentive and quick service + good pho!
(4)
Michael J.

Sitting here closing my eyes, I'd swear that I was in some city smack dab in the middle of Vietnam. There was some loud chatter coming from the female owner and foreign tongue spoken all around us. The clientele was 90% asian, and to me, that's a good sign. If only the prices were Vietnam prices! But alas, we were in beautiful, downtown Goleta so the prices reflected that fact, but still were reasonable. And the food...delicious! I had a large Pho and this place kills Saigon noodle house in both flavor and service. We'll be back.
(4)
Pulin T.

If you're not eating pho here, then eat somewhere else. Besides their pho, their food is bland and boring and portions are disgustingly tiny. Horrible experience and the food that's not pho costs WAY more too. Did I mention that all I got was rice and a few scant amounts of meat that couldn't feed a toddler? Pho and soup is fine. Everything else though... trash. What a rip off...
(1)
Sydney Z.

I called ahead for a takeout order and I have to say, I was extremely impressed with the speed of the delivery! By time I got there (hardly 10 minutes later) it was still piping hot. Although I was not greeted or even acknowledged until they were good and ready to get my order, it barely took a minute or two. Honestly when is the last time you were treated with impeccable service at an Asian restaurant....? Not a huge problem as long as they are cordial, in my opinion! By time I got home I was ready to chow down on some fresh Vietnamese food. And boy, did they go the extra mile to make sure the veggies were fresh and crisp. I ordered pork vermicelli and chicken pho. The ingredients were kept separate until I threw them together, which made the dishes really come together. The pho broth was excellent, and the pork was incredibly seasoned. I am honestly so surprised it was this cheap and delicious! Will be returning.
(4)
Stephanie E.

This place was the closet Vietnamese restaurant with good reviews from Downtown Santa Barabara that we found worthy. It's actually pretty good.
(5)
Peter C.

This place is good enough that I'll be back. Way better than the only other place in the SB area that I have tried (Pho Bistro). I just got a large #10 pho. The meat was a little tough but the broth was really good. Also, as other reviewers have noted, the "regular" size is quite small. If you have a decent appetite you will definitely want to get a large, which is what most places would call a regular. It's still reasonably priced, at $7.25 for the large.
(4)
Stacey D.

For what it is, it's A-OK. Wish it were a little cleaner and the servers could use trays instead of allowing their thumbs to touch the soup in the bowls while they're serving you...but other than that, I appreciate the authenticity. The owner, kind of known as the crazy vietnamese lady, is actually really nice. So, don't be so hard on her. Anyway, Noodle City does not meet my expectations of pho from living in the bay area and frequently visiting San Jose for my pho cravings. But, I'll take it.
(3)
Greg W.

Noodle City gets the job done for pho in Goleta. It's cheap as well and frequented by the college students so it gets pretty busy.
(3)
Danielle R.

Noodle City, why so sh*tty!! I know you don't have a lot of competition in the area, but it doesn't mean you have to be SO rude! While your pho is one of the better spots in town, you have an employee who consistently is rude, and not to mention dirty in his food handling practices. One star for fair pricing and another for fast ticket times.
(2)
Dr P.

Worst customer service ever! Wish there was another place in town to eat at. Owners are old and bitter.
(1)
Matt U.

I don't know how this place has only 3 and a half stars. I came here with my girlfriend at least once a week when I lived in SB because the food was sooooo good, we mainly ordered the #7 pho, the beef flat noodle, spring rolls, and crispy shrimp. Besides the food being the greatest the staff and service was just as good, and let's not forget the price is right too. Overall a solid 5 star place.
(5)
Cynthia Y.

I am so addicted to this restaurant. I absolutely love their pho soup. I have tried all the other pho in town and theirs is the best. I get my pho with broccoli and book choy. Yum. The head waiter John, just might be the best waiter in all of Santa Barbara. There is usually a line, but once you get in the food come out lightning fast. I go there several times a week. I love this restaurant.
(5)
Elisian L.

Noodle City is awesome! I have been coming here for the past four years to fill my pho fix. The male waiter was always attentative and refilled water and asked if we were ok. It might seem annoying but i never felt rushed. Came in around 6PM. It is dinner time. Located near UCSB so expect to see most of time, exchange students. Free parking available on the street and on the curb. Street is a main road so be careful. Located in between the Asian Market and a jazz club/bar. Very clean although no AC. There are fans. Very quick service. Maximum wait time 5 minutes. Interior is up to date and has neutral and earthy tones. Large arrangements of food and minimal beverages. I had the #6 pho soup. It has all the meats including tendon and tripe and meatballs. Had the thai ice tea too. A little bit too much milk though. The broth is not salty at all. It's cool.
(5)
Sandra C.

If I could I would give it a negative star. First off, the lady is incredibly rude. She had horrible attitude when we ordered . Then, to top it of bean sprouts and lime we old, yellow , and soggy. There was no meat on our pho. I had to get up and ask her for fork and she yells across the kitchen "what do you want"??!! I asked for fork and soda , (she never took the soda) by the way. This wasn't the first time I noticed that this place is unsanitary. Prior to this incident, I had dipped my clean spoon into the hot sauce , tans used it, I then noticed she put my used Spoon and put it back into the hot sauce. I would suggest that a health inspector goes to check this place out. Not sure if ownership has changed, they definitely lost a customer.
(1)
James W.

First, let me say that the food is great. Now that that's out of the way...The service is terrible, and the place is dirty. It is impossible to get a water refill at lunch time, you should just bring your own large water bottle. I've personally seen the owner take a spoon from a used plate, wipe it with the paper towel that she cleaned the table with, and put the spoon back in the Chilli jar. I also had some kind if small pebble in my noodles once, and the server told me that there was no way that it came from their kitchen...
(1)
Ariel Y.

Great interesting, tasty food. Big portions. Not full of sugar. Fair price. Great value. I warmly recommend.
(5)
Kat D.

The space was clean and not too warm for the 88f day. It is not "fancy" inside but i wasn't expecting anthing more than a clean table. Service was prompt and friendly enough - I don't expect restaurant owners or workers to be my buddy - just be professional curteous and get me my food and we're cool. I'm not hard to please. Since it was so warm and the sun was beating down, I ordered a charred chicken vermicelli bowl with eggroll. Chicken was dark meat, juicy and well seasoned. The "dressing" was tasty too. Pleanty of bean sprouts. I was bummed there wasn't any cucumber or carrots in the bowl or herbs like cilantro/mint - just bean sprouts, shredded lettuce and green onion. Still, refreshing on a hot day. The eggroll was really boring tasting... not even a hint of black pepper or garlic inside. Maybe previously frozen? I had a Vietnamese style iced coffee that was more sweet and milky, less pungent coffee than I'm used to. I like inky dark coffee flavor. If I'd read more of the reviews first, I'd have tried their Thai iced tea instead. Why the 4 stars? Lack of herbs/ veggies in the bowl, boring egg roll and lack of what I reall was hoping they'd serve - bahn xeo! Doesn't anyplace in this town make bahn xeo? Finally - I was given a fork right off the bat to eat with, while the other customers were assumed to be chopstick users (they were obviously Asian, I'm seemingly white). It is 2014 - let us seemingly white folks ask for a fork if we want one.
(4)
KC R.

My new go to place for Pho.....it's the best!! The place is always busy...and hot inside. The Thai Tea is so tasty, I wish it came in a bigger to-go cup!! I've tried the curry chicken soup and it was not so good. Everything else is pretty good I must say.
(4)
Sarah S.

Feeling like Pho? Go here! All their food is delicious and there's lots to choose from. It is also very affordable. It's a family run restaurant and they are fast paced and business-like, so be prepared. I love it because you hardly have to wait for your food! And they bring your check right out so you don't have to wait around once you're done eating.
(5)
Lynda T.

I will only go to this place for the Pho and Thai Tea. I am an Orange County girl living in Goleta so I may be a bit more cynical about this place. The broth is the best I've had in all of Goleta/Santa Barbara. For some reason, most of the other places are just plain bland. Obviously, it's not as great as highly populated Asian areas like Orange County; however, it will have to do while I'm in Goleta. The thai tea is pretty delicious. Although, it is pretty hard to screw it up unless you just make it watery somehow. The service isn't too bad. Some reviews talk about how the lady is rude. I really think she just has that low voice with an accent that may sound a bit rude. She's completely nice and even jokes with me all the time. Here are my opinions on the other things I've tried here. "bun bo nuong" or vermicelli with beef I always like to get this dish everywhere and it was okay here. Their beef is a big strange and it doesn't taste very delicious. I think the kind of beef they use is very different from what you'd get at a Vietnamese restaurant in Orange County. The fish sauce, noodles, and veggies were just fine. "com bo luc lac" or rice with shaking beef This was actually very tasty. I typically like to eat it with salt, pepper, and lemon juice as a dipping sauce. The meat was not chewy when I ordered it and it's a good type of beef. "com tam bo nuong" or broken rice with beef Their beef was not very tasty (same as that which came with the vermicelli) and the rice tasted burnt so I wasn't a very big fan of this dish. "hu tieu xao" or chow fun noodles I forgot which meat I had this with but the noodle tasted very plain. I even asked for lemon just to add a little flavor to it but that did not help at all. "goi cuon" or spring rolls These are just not good. The shrimp looks like it was frozen and just microwaved. I couldn't even taste my pork. Also, they are wrapped poorly and are tiny.
(3)
Ryan C.

I have been going to this place for years. Now that I live in Newport beach, close to Westminster I have a lot of options on where to get pho. Despite all of that, this place still has one of the best bowls of pho I have ever had. I usually get the large bowl with shrimp, I know it's not the real way to get it but it how I like it. I see a lot of people complaining about the service haha. To be honest no matter what Vietnamese restaurant you go to they never seem happy to see you. And if you want to go somewhere else to eat its not going to be as good as this place so just suck it up.i actually think the rude service is entertaining. I highly recommend you eat here and then go home and take a nap.
(5)
Tuan P.

I love bun bo hue. It's easy to make, but hard to make well. The bun bo hue here was alright. The noodles were a little soggy, it was on the spicier side of the spectrum, and the beef is alright. However, this restaurant has a very authentic Vietnamese feel. By that, I mean it is ridiculously humid and stuffy inside of the restaurant, which is crazy cause it's always 70 degrees in SB (if you've ever been to Vietnam, you'll know what I'm talking about). It is also not the cleanest place in the world either, although I wouldn't say it's dirty. They even have an Asian lady who sounds like one of my aunts when she tries to speak English. The service is good though.
(3)
Vouy N.

By some account, this is suppose to be the better pho joint in Santa Barbara. I like to pay for my pho and enjoy it. But Because the people working were so rude, it was impossible. Will not be back.
(1)
Lily Z.

I am not fond of Noodle City, but they do have very good bo luc lac, aka French style beef, aka shaking beef. This dish uses French influenced main ingredient, diced beef, Vietnamese seasoning, and Chinese wok technique to achieve a mouth watering fusion creation. You can order this at Noodle City, just point to the picture on the wall since it is not listed in the menu. This is the first time I found a Vietnamese dish in Santa Barbara/Goleta that is comparable to what I used to get at Eden Center. The beef was tender, marinated with sweet soy and fish sauce, and best of all, the wok hei imparted the meat with a wonderful aroma and caramelization that simply can't be achieved in anything but a smoking hot wok. PS. The rumor about the female owner is true. Her mannerism was so bad that it was almost comical. She dropped off my food without saying a word and then proceeded to take order from the table behind me. "yes that's beef" "yes that's chicken" "what do you want, you order now ok?" "that's what you want, ok?" I am sure part of it is due to the language barrier since my mom also speaks in choppy sentences that sound more rude than she intended, but at least she does it with a smile on her face.
(4)
Sarah C.

I've been wanting to try this place for awhile and finally decided to since the weather has been a lot colder than usual. The atmosphere is like your typical pho place in the bay, but a lot smaller. The waiter/hostess was friendly, but seemed a little stressed. To start, I ordered four egg rolls and it came with lettuce wraps, cucumbers, and pickled ginger and carrots. They were a little smaller than what I'm used to, but still pretty good. For pho, I ordered a large #6: house-special beef rice noodle soup with eye round steak, well-done flank, brisket, soft tendon, bible tripe and beef meat ball. The small was $6.95 and the large was $7.25. Why not pay an extra $0.30 to fill you up? My friend had the same, but she also ordered the thai tea. It was good, but a lot sweeter than most places probably. I thoroughly enjoyed my pho and finished all of it and most of the broth. Of course, it's not as good as pho from the Bay Area, but it's probably the closest you can get around Santa Barbara. The prices here are similar to Pho Bistro in Isla Vista and maybe a little cheaper than places like Saigon in Santa Barbara (from what I remember). But I think you get a lot more for your buck from Noodle City than you would at Pho Bistro, and Saigon is kind of just a rip off--their portion sizes for pho are ridiculously small. So for now, this is my go-to spot for pho!
(4)
Mike F.

Ok this is actually the best pho in town period I meant this place when I said pho cafe before. That was the last place and they weren't as good even though I love them!!!!! Pho with the tai on the side. You haven't lived...
(5)
Sophia B.

Fast and friendly service. Best Vietnamese food I've ever had. I recommend #41. Regular here :)
(5)
Melissa G.

Great pho. Portions were perfect. Flavor was great. Small cramped space. No room to move.
(4)
Donny C.

This mom and pop shop is probably the only pho shop around that taste like pho. It is always packed and seating is very limited. There's barely any room to walk down the aisle and it seems like the pho bowls can be dropped by the waiters at anytime. Definitely a fire hazard for sure. The food isn't spectacular; neither good or bad. I ordered the Super Bowl which was filled with noodles and very little meat. Broth wasn't that great either but it doesn't really matter much since people drown it in sauce anyway. They are also very stingy on the veggies but don't be afraid to ask for more. My brother was right when he said "Noodle Shitty would go out business in a heartbeat if it was opened in SD" Also, don't order a a cup of vietnamese coffee here unless you want a cup of disappointment. Minimum purchase on card is $10 or they will add a fee
(2)
Joseph Y.

Hands down the best place for pho in SB. But beware, the owner's Asian. Like the old school grandma Asian that has no qualms yelling at the customers. But sometimes she's not yelling. She's just talking to the customers. But it sounds like yelling because we Asians don't have volume control. "Why is she so angry? -- oh no, she's just thanking them for coming." It gets packed easily -- small restaurant. And the ventilation isn't that great. So, it gets hot quickly too. The servers -- they try their best, and at times, that's all you can ask for. Fairly cheap, considering this is Santa Barbara. I haven't tried anything else besides their Pho (I get the large one with everything but tripe. I don't even know what tripe is, I just know it looks weird and feels weird) and their spring rolls. But, I don't really anything else BUT their pho and spring rolls -- especially on those blistering cold days in Santa Barbara where the entire female population don on yoga pants wit ugg boots.
(4)
LaCoure B.

Noodle city has got to be one of the fastest service restaurants I've encounter. New to the Goleta area, I wanted to find a good place for Pho. I was in luck because this place is in walking distance. I was seated quickly and also received my food in almost minutes. Fresh and hot are always two qualities I look for in a great dining experience and I believe I found it here. I'll have to say it's my new secret little lunch spot...
(4)
Xiuqi H.

My friend and I come to visit UCSB. This is a restaurant nearby with a higher than average review. We tried their pho and Thai iced tea. The Thai iced tea is good but a little bit too sweet. As for their pho, I have to say the rice noodle is too sticky and the soup is just ok. And for the service, I think the old lady in this restaurant is a little rude because she shouted at the customers sometimes. I would not recommend this restaurant. The Pho Brothers in Seattle is much better than this one.
(3)
David V.

First time here was served by a guy named John with glasses. Great! that I was seated right away but waiter was very rude I had to repeat myself twice that I need a glass of water. Never asked me if I needed anything or checked up on me, most of the things that I requested like utensils, sauces and the check were from other employees. The food was okay, the spring rolls were premade and hard, I had to send it back. Never will I come back here.
(1)
EJ M.

I came into noodle city expecting nothing but the worst service because that's all I've got from this place. This time was no exception, although on this day the taller Asian gentlemen"waiter" insulted and offended me . I'm not sure if he actually works there or brought in as a temp based apon his attire and lack of hygiene. On a lighter note, the pho is exceptional ! Don't forget to order the egg rolls. I won't be back !
(2)
Victoria C.

3.5 Stars Best pho place around UCSB. Always consistently good. can't say the same for the com tam (broken rice); it doesn't taste authentic and the egg quiche was so small and just whatevers no one knows how to make it right around here. Vietnamese coffee was good but watered down from how it's supposed to be. Cons: $10 minimum to use card, I had to order a Thai tea and didn't want it but I must admit it tasted pretty good. Bean sprouts are not always fresh and the lemon they put in their water makes it taste like you're drinking moldy lemon water, just saying.
(3)
Nicole F.

The Pho is amazing, the service is quick. The staff isn't the most friendly and not anything special as far as ambiance.
(4)
B C.

Kinda of like the tallest midget (sorry, I mean "little person") in the room, Noodle City is the best vietnamese place in the entire Santa Barbara area. But it is unfair to make a comparison to what you can get in any major metro area in California with a decent S.E. Asian population. The atmosphere is just funky enough to feel authentic, the prices are inexpensive (unlike Saigon In-n-Out), and the service is generally very speedy. They cater mostly to a collegiate crowd and weekday office-escapers looking for quick and cheap eats that are healthy and flavorful and if you go during lunch, it will be busy. The pho recipe here isn't my favorite, but that is a matter of taste. I usually get the "little noodles" (the flat vermicelli patties with grilled meat) or the bÃ¹n (grilled meat over cold noodles and veggies). The service can be brusque, but hey for $6 the food is good and you won't leave hungry. I have a feeling the people complaining about the matron of this place have never actually taken the time to chat with her, and are probably unfamiliar with this sort of setting in the first place. Its an odd juxtaposition; in Vietnam, I have found the people to be warm, genuinely friendly, and helpful, but when they are running restaurants, its BUSINESS TIME and speed and efficiency take precedent over friendliness. (unless you are in a ch-chi place in the old quarter with white table cloths and european prices!). If you come here with the right expectations, you won't be disappointed!
(4)
Ye K.

I will make this short. The lady seems rude but in fact she's totally harmless and kind. The last time I went I made a mistake and ordered a wrong one, which I couldn't eat at all, so I decided to make another order . While I asked her that I wish to order something else, she asked for the reason and did an exchange for me for free, what a kind lady. The foods here are always good, just like the others have said. Get #42 if you like spicy.
(5)
Clara D.

The best pho in sb/goleta but the worst service. The service is almost so bad its kind of comical..like something out of Seinfeld . My main complaint is that you can't really ask about dishes because they will just kind of stare at you and roll their eyes, but if you know what you like it's the place to go.
(3)
Alex G.

When you come to Noodle City you come for the food. It's always great. The problem is people coming to this tiny restaurant in Old Town Goleta and expecting a fine dining experience. The wait staff is friendly and helpful but if they are a little short it is because they are hopping. And why are they hopping? Because the food is damn good. You will not find a better Vietnamese spot anywhere near here. Highly recommend this place!
(5)
Sam Y.

The pho is tasty but very poor service. They gave 3 pieces of dried up lime and the waiter came back with 2 more pieces and said "No more." Honestly the pho is delicious in comparison to the two other pho restaurants in town, but if we were to compare its quality with that of LA or any big city, they would lose business. Anyways, the fact that a customer politely asks for more lime and the waiter immediately responds in such a rude and cheap (how much profit are you really going to make from saving a few pieces of lime?) manner was ridiculous and I was so offended I didn't even finish my food. Don't go here.
(1)
Phi V.

Unfortunately, there aren't many vietnamese places to choose from in the SB area, so if you can deal with the disrespectful server (tall guy), higher prices, smaller portions, and being nickel&dimed for adding a few pieces of bok-choi to your pho, then this may be your only shot at subpar pho. If you can wait until you get to an area with more vietnamese restaurants (LA/OC/IE), then you should probably hold off as it's not worth tainting the wonderful experience that is eating pho with so many flaws. Seriously, they should fire that tall server (the others are fine).
(1)
Rey V.

Food was decent... Ordered rare beef pho and beef was poorly trimmed with a large piece of inedible cartilage served. Broth was good. Noodles were good but not great and the portion was reasonable. The service was no nonsense and prompt. Restaurant looks clean and kept a steady trade. C+ overall
(3)
Poyu K.

Terrible restaurant! I ordered a combination fired rice with extra fried rice. It has few piece of meat, chicken and shrimp and it costs me 14 dollars include tax and tip. I can pay 50 more cent to eat all you can eat buffet in Ming dynasty. I will never come here again. Additionally, they don't have a air condition. The environment is worst than Saigon noodle city.
(1)
Angie H.

I live really close to this place but had never gone in. So glad I did! Best pho I've had, try the #8 :) also had the shrimp fried rolls with their sweet and sour sauce. Delish.
(5)
Reno K.

Best pho in town. Period. Quick service and reasonable prices. What's not to like? I live downtown and drive out to Goleta for their food. Totally worth it.
(5)
J K.

One star for the disrespectful waiter. The food is five stars but the service is extremely bad! The waiter (tall guy with glasses) was horrible and rude. I wonder is he still in training or he just like that without the Asian lady owner around.
(1)
Jay K.

Unfortunately the best Vietnamese food in town. But the bar is set extremely low. I get pho ga(chicken noodle soup) and spring roll. The broth could be stronger, and add more noodles and chicken please! The peanut sauce is not the best I've had. I've been here numerous times and the stories of the rude owner are true. Sheesh! Just a smile once in a while would be nice.
(3)
Sarah D.

Food is delicious!!! But customer service is HORRIBLE. Our waiter yelled at us and had a rude attitude towards us when we asked about the menu! His name was John btw! I asked for a chili sauce & didn't no the name so I pointed at another table and he grabbed it and slammed it on ur table!! If it wasn't for the service I would have given this place a 5!!
(1)
Raj R.

I've heard about this place for some time, so I was intrigued. I was warned that it is a hole in the wall place, so I was prepared. SO most hole in the wall places that have a lot of fame are: - inexpensive - great food - great service ...this place is none of this, AND still looks like a hole in the wall. Ended up spending about $10 for pho and a soda. Pho was avg at best. Felt like I overpaid for it. The lady that works there was rude too.
(2)
Jacqueline T.

best vietnamese in santa barbara!
(5)
Jerry P.

I love pho ...this place is really good but the customer service sucks it makes me not want to go back the prices are really good just need to work on the services
(3)
Dan W.

Started coming to this place years ago, and being a Goleta local, it's certainly the best pho you can get in the area. The service is blunt yet charming and effective, so if you're looking for an American-style greeting you won't get it here and that makes it all the more endearing. My favorite is the #7 pho beef bowl, comes with all the traditional ingredients and the broth is truly amazing. They have other great options as well, and this tiny spot really has a place in my heart as a solid establishment.
(5)
Janine K.

I used to live in Huntington Beach, a mile or two from Little Saigon. Needless to say, I love me some authentic Pho. Noodle City isn't quite little Saigon, but it's relatively close considering this is Santa Barbara. Prices were a little more but not by much. I think it was $7.50 for a large. Broth was good. The only bad thing was they weren't super generous with their beef portion in the pho. I'll be back for sure.
(4)
Bianca W.

The pho here isn't going to rock your socks off. However, if you're craving a little taste of home (San Francisco, of course), then noodle city might just do the trick for you. Rice plates are also decent, I love broken rice. Service is incredibly lacking, which is why I'm giving three stars. But what am I expecting from a pho joint?
(3)
Paulina A.

Delicious, hearty, and comforting pho. Great place to chill with friends and devour some tasty Vietnamese food. Chicken and beef bbq plates with rice and veggies are yummy as well. Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk is amazing. Definitely one of the best Asian restaurants in Santa Barbara / Goleta. Friendly, down to earth, and welcoming environment and staff.
(5)
ReGina N.

NOT KID FRIENDLY!! Although the food was good, the service was terrible! I went to meet up with my sister, brother, father and two nieces and left shocked at what the waiter said to us. He pushed us to order quickly, told us exactly where to sit, specific seating, and reprimanded us because my 3-year old niece got up to switch seats. He also told us that next time it's busy, we need to not bring the stroller. How is my sister supposed to do that when she walked to the restaurant? I was infuriated and there even was another couple at the restaurant that heard this waiter's comment and was in as much disbelief as we were. Long story short, eat the food, but don't bring kids and know what you want to order... Better idea, order to go!
(1)
Jenny K.

Good place for pho! The soup really hit the spot, and the portion was pretty large. I had the #9 pho and crispy egg rolls. Both tasted good. Didn't get to meet the notorious owner, the guy who waited our table was nice.
(4)
Brandon L.

How the heck did I end up at this crappy joint? Because of inaccurate Yelp reviews unfortunately. When I recently came to this place, the Yelp rating was 4.5 stars. Looking back, how can this place be anything but a one star joint?! My guess is that either a whole bunch of poor college kids with nothing else to eat from nearby UCSB are bumping up the ratings artificially or most people coming to this place has no idea what a decent restaurant should be. When we sat down, the Vietnamese female owner came by and snatched away one of the menus in my kid's hands saying "give it to your parents, you don't know how to order, let your parents order." In my mind instantly I was like "What the f_ck?" Next I proceeded to read the menu while putting my elbows on the table. Oh sh_t, what a mistake. My elbows stuck to the table surface. The hygiene at this place was so poor that the table was sticky to the touch from insufficient cleaning between customers. My stomach was already in the pits by that time. Ultimately the grand finale involved small portions, below average food and just overall poor service. This place is for the dumps. They should rename this joint to "Noodle Ghetto" instead.....much more fitting.
(1)
Christine G.

Come in and you get great food with fast service. Not always super friendly but always courteous. This is a family run place and the matriarch is in charge, no doubt about that. One of the few places in town with great Vietnamese food. The students from UCSB flock here for the same reasons I do. Fast, good and affordable food. The end!
(4)
Sarah S.

My husband and I stopped into this dirty little dive for a quick bite and they turned us away. When we walked in we were ignored, then the server looked at the clock, rolled his eyes and said, "You take to go." Apparently twenty-five minutes before closing is too late for them to seat. We could tell they didn't want us there because we weren't of Asian descent. Don't go here if you don't enjoy being treated like crap -- they don't respect their customers at all.
(1)
Nicole C.

Decent food, super skimpy on the toppings, but I came here a lot because it was so close to my house. The lady and young man who run the place are really impatient and rude. It didn't bother me too much until the last time I went there, and the young man was so rude to me when I asked him what was in a dish. He said, "I already told you before when you came here with your friends", and after a long uncomfortable fight, he told me what was in it, and left. I wanted to get up and leave but I really wanted Pho. When I got the dish, it was missing all the veggies he said would be in it, but I didn't put up a fight because there's no point in fighting with someone so rude, it just fuels their fire. Growing up in San Jose, I've been to a lot of Pho places, but never to one with such a rude and awful staff. I left a few coins for the busboy, because he was so nice, and I felt bad that he must be so desperate to have to work for such awful people. As much as I love Pho, I'm never coming here again!
(1)
Dee R.

as good as it gets for pho in santa barbara.
(5)
Esther L.

I guess it will semi-satisfy my pho cravings. The soup is actually pretty good but their beef seems like it's low quality and their fried eggroll fillings are minuscule. At least it comes with the proper lettuce leaves and veggies. Every time I go, I feel like it's a place that barely passed the health inspection to stay open but I go anyway cause I must have pho and I'm a risk taker.
(3)
Sebastian M.

I came here on Monday night, I ordered the meatball pho. I asked for extra meatballs and they chopped up the balls smaller so they looked like there was more. The place was steaming hot like a sauna in the Saharan desert full of dirty draws. Omg I had to split and ran out, the old lady chased me down and was screaming at me at the top of her lungs, never again going there. Over prices Thai ice tea too.
(4)
Vivian H.

This place has pretty good pho compared to Saigon noodle house My friends and I always come here the morning after to get something quick to eat The only thing holding me back from giving this place five stars is the service The older asian lady is pretty rude and tried to overcharge us but other than that it's pretty good
(4)
Lisa K.

I understand why people would review Noodle City below 4 star due to the lady-owner's customer service. However, it's so hard to find good pho in Goleta/IV! I'd say rate Noodle City purely based on taste so other fellow Gauchos can find this hole-in-the-wall Pho joint. :) Noodle City isn't as good as all the pho restaurants in SGV area but it still hits the spot when you're craving that authentic pho taste. It's not watered down like Saigon Noodle House or Pho Bistro. You can actually taste the beef broth and the noodles are also above average for sure. All in all, if you're deseperate for some pho when you're stranded in Goleta that has barely any good asian food, Noodle City is definitely the way to go!
(4)
Marquese H.

I was visiting the area and wanted some pho. I saw reviews of this place and decided to give it a shot. Normally, I only like pho from a local eatery near my house. To me the broth is everything. The type of broth used could make the bowl tasteless. Anyhow, the broth as this place was great. The broth was savory with a hint of sweetness. I read some other reviews about their lack of customer service. I didn't experience this at all. Great customer service and quality broth. I didn't give it five stars because they charge extra for everything. Extra for onions, extra for green onions, extra for jalapeÃ±os, etc. I under stand that these items cost money, but so does ketchup with fries or soy sauce with fried rice. My two cents.
(4)
Nick J.

Love this place. Eat here once a week and it never disappoints. Also the Aunty is classic!
(5)
Tita T.

The best pho restaurant in Santa Barbara county. My friends and I have gone regularly for the past few years. The soup broth is good and the other items in the menu are great as well.
(5)
Michael M.

Excellent take-out pho and other meat dishes. Reasonably priced. Surprised to see the amount of styrofoam used for a single order.
(4)
Alan T.

Best Vietnamese food in Santa Barbara? I guess so. That's like taking first place at the special olympics. I grew up with access to the best Vietnamese food (my mom's, duh) and now that I'm in Santa Barbara, I have cravings. Noodle City will certainly appease these cravings but it's not anywhere near what Vietnamese food could be.
(3)
Alyx P.

I come here all the time. It's actually the only pho place that changed my mind about pho.
(5)
Narek Z.

The service here is great. As I lost myself in the maze that they call their menu, I was luckily rescued by a well informed waitress. She helped me chose my dish and even brought me a free bowl of their broth so I could taste their Pho. I am very pleased with the food and experience.
(5)
Whitney C.

I have had pho at a couple other places in town... and nothing compares. The noodles are great and it is the best pho in the Santa Barbara area by far!
(5)
Sam M.

My wife and toddler stopped here as we wanted pho as we were driving down from norcal on a road trip. Big mistake. I have been to a lot of pho places run by all types of personalities but the lady (Owner I am guessing) was extremely rude. She refused to give our toddler a water cup because she didn't want him to spill water on her table. My wife had to reason with her that, yes, toddlers need to drink too. We get our waters (never refilled or even offered) and we get one straw. I didn't notice we only had one straw because the server took my cup as I was drinking it and swapped it for my toddlers cup without a straw. Pho was mediocre and overpriced for what was provided. If they are that penny pinching about straws and water what is going on behind the curtain?? I would never eat there again.
(1)
Mark F.

Always packed at lunch but quick service inside gets you in and out lickity split. The basic and cramped dining room which seats 50 is full at lunch. I like to get there at 12:30 for the second rush of lunch goers. Most of the staff is friendly and as others have commented, the owner can come across mean but that's just not the case. The menu offers some pictures for those not familiar with Vietnamese food so you have a good idea of what will come out. Whatever you order it will be a big bowl of goodness. I like the rice noodles with chicken. It's #44 I think. Kick it up with some hot sauce and jalapeÃ±os for a darn good time. Lunch and a drink for under $10.00 I enjoy Noodle City and it's a fun lunch date with friends. Something different from the taquerias and burger plates. No frills just good food. The lack of ambiance drops the overall rating to a 3 but the food is a solid 4.
(3)
Katie M.

Unfortunately, this is the only place in Santa Barbara to get decent pho and the owner knows it. She is openly rude to customers, but not in an overly offensive way if that makes sense. Try not to order the spring rolls after lunch time because they usually come with the rice paper very dried out. I had to witness my friend who had never eaten here before try to tell the owner lady that the spring rolls were too dried out, upon which the owner feigned not being able to speak english. The sanitary conditions are questionable here...you kind of just dont look behind the counter and hope for the best. The thai tea with boba is usually pretty good, and the spring rolls are good if you order them early enough. I only tried a few of the other dishes, but I would stick with the rare steak pho!
(2)
Arezou G.

Best Vietnamese restaurant in town. It's the best place to get pho and their #35 is my favorite! Very nice staff with quick service. Better to find in than take good to-go.
(4)
Mike S.

The Pho here is one of the best in town, however the service is one of the worst. When Noodle City first opened the service was great, however over the time they don't seem to care. Today I ordered the House Special Pho and the both was good--little fat, good body and a little sweet. The side of spouts, limes and jalapenos were lacking. I only got two slices of peppers! There was only ONE table besides mine and none of us got offered any water or checked on. I'm glad it wasn't just me... After I payed for the food the owner didn't even look at me when she said thanks. She simply said "sign, thanks" while she walked away--just plain sad. I love the food here but I won't be coming back. I've been here way too many times to be treated like this over and over again. You can't have a restaurant business that doesn't put any effort on service. The whole point on eating out is to chill and not trip on anything.
(3)
Dan K.

Good food, but terrible service. Rarely do I ever not tip, but today was an exception. I went out to lunch with some of my coworkers, and we ended up at Noodle City because our preferred Pho place had a wait. A waiter brings water to the table, which tastes like it has soap in it. They either didn't wash the cups out all the way or their tap water is just terrible. Also, it was never refilled at any point during the meal. Strike one. Waiter comes back and takes our order. I'm trying not to eat carbs, so I ask if I can get the vermicelli dish with vegetables instead of noodles. I got a weird look and the guy responds with "I don't think we can do that". First time I've ever heard a restaurant say that, except when they have an explicitly stated no substitutions policy. I explain that I'm trying to not eat carbs and the guy says something to the effect of "oh come on" which I found quite rude. He then informs me that it will be $2 extra on top of the $7.25 for the addition of vegetables. At this point I'm just hungry, so I say that's fine. Before he left he double checked with me to make sure I actually wanted a dish with no noodles, and then warned me that they might not do it. Strike two. Food comes, the lady asks who got the vegetable beef bowl, which turns out is basically a salad. It's the normal vermicelli toppings over bean sprouts and lettuce. Not what I ordered, but again, I'm hungry and hate causing a scene so I just eat. The food was actually pretty tasty (that's where the second star came from) so at least not all was lost. Check comes, we put down three cards and some cash (typical at any other place we frequent for lunch). Waiter comes back after a decently long time, says "so $10 on each card, then the cash?", we say no, cash first please, to which he says "there's a $10 minimum on cards", puts the check back onto the table and walks away. Again, very rude. I understand minimums $10 or less are OK nowadays, but I have never seen it before at a restaurant. It wasn't mentioned anywhere on the menu that I could see either. It was probably 5 minutes or so before a different waitress happened to walk by and ask us if we were ready to pay. Strike three. I hate to be a stickler, but the service was just plain terrible. The place was pretty full so I could understand being bit short, but I feel we were treated very rudely. Doesn't look like I'll be coming back here again.
(2)
Dyniece A.

If your looking for good pho this is your place. The veggie crispy noodle dish was perfect.
(4)
Andy D.

Delicious food and reasonably priced - gets a four star easily. However, the attitude of the owner and service is a 1.5 star. They always appear tense and nerve-wrecked. Worth a visit or two for the food - but the environment is rather unfriendly.
(3)
Carrie D.

Bomb food. Good prices especially for us students. Quick service. A woman who I believe is the owner seems kind of rude but I think she just wants each customer to have a great food experience. She brought my table a special oyster sauce once cause she said it tasted much better with what we got. I would go here everyday if I could
(5)
Chris P.

This place is good for a quick lunch / dinner. I usually go there once a week. I like their egg noodles quite a bit. The price is reasonable.
(4)
Shirley W.

My go to place for hangovers! I have probably been here at least like 50 times throughout my 2 and a half years in college and I am not even kidding! I also think it is because this is one of the fewer Asian restaurants we have in Santa Barbara so EVERYONE literally comes here for their Asian cravings! The only CONS is that this place is pretty small, so it is always very crowded and hot. I do not think they have an AC installed, they just leave their doors open. RECOMMENDATIONS: Whatever you order, you MUST order the THAI TEA because they have the BEST THAI TEA ever! After falling in love with their Thai Tea, every other Thai Tea at different restaurants will never taste as good to me!
(4)
Kim V.

I came here with a coworker and had the pho. It wasn't too bad. Actually, it passes for decent. (Full disclosure, I'm Vietnamese...) So far, it's the best place for Vietnamese food that is close to authentic that I've found in the SB area. Nothing will ever beat my mom's pho, so it will be a tough sell, anyway.
(3)

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Address : 5869 Hollister Ave
Goleta, CA, 93117
Phone (805) 683-6818
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :10:00 am - 9:00pm

Specialities

Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No

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Noodle City

5869 Hollister Ave, Goleta, CA, 93117

Noodle City Menu

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