The New York Steak was average and not worth its value. However, despite this setback, you will not leave hungry. No need for appetizers, just come straight to the main course. The mushrooms were a nice compliment to the beefy flavors. Even if you ask for medium rare, they cook it thoroughly. Next time, we'll have to ask for it rare. The bo luc lac was an oh-my-gosh glorious. The cubed steak sits on top of salad soaked in the same marinated sauce they used to cook it. Every bite was divine. I thought I could eat more afterwards because this dish looked like a generous salad. No. I could barely move at work later that day. The service is so sweet and the restaurant tries to be fancy but it reaches there half way. Regardless, it feels nostalgic, as if your grandparents went here on a fancy date many years ago, and you're reliving some of that experience. As nice as this is, the steak--which I believe is their selling point--isn't as good as I hoped it would be.
(3)
Thuy H.
Had a belated birthday lunch here today. Parking was plentiful and the ambience of the restaurant was nice. Nothing fancy but definitely not your average whole in the wall. Table clothes on the tables? I consider nice.... I checked in on yelp and got my free iced tea. Totally refreshing! I ordered the mushroom steak and it came with a basic lettuce salad appetizer. The dressing came on the side and I thought it was delicious. Italian dressing I would say? The steak came out on a hot sizzling plate with lots of sauce and mushrooms pushed to one side of the plate. I would say it was about 5-6 ounces? The red rice that came with this plate was moist and really added beautifully to my meal. Growing up, I always ate rice or noodles with my steak so this was just icing on the cake for me to be able to eat good steak with good rice! Any who, one bite of this bad boy and I was in love. The sauce is flavorful making the meal good. The steak came out medium close to medium well so if you're okay with that than you wouldn't have much to complain about. Parts of the steak had some fat and it is an overall greasy dish, so if you're ok with oil and grease, you will be fine. I would definitely come back to eat here if I'm in the area!
(4)
Christine V.
Are you looking for a good French and Vietnamese cuisine to dine at? My family and I have came here for lunch and dinner during some occasions before. The service that we have received today was abnormal and poor. We had to continuously remind our waiter to bring us our drinks after forty five minutes have already passed by. The salmon and chicken were good dishes, but the steak was somewhat undercooked. It was asked to be cooked specifically as well done, but we received it as medium. Overall, this restaurant has potential, but sometimes when they are busy, it goes a bit downfall.
(3)
Octavio U.
1st time here! Lots of other things to try but so far so good!! Their nem are awesome.
(4)
Vicky H.
Had one of the worst dining experiences of my life today. Unacceptable! We walk in at 8:15 knowing they close at 9:00 but 45 minutes was long enough for us to eat. Our steaks came out shortly after we ordered and not even ten minutes later our waitress gave us our bill, at 8:30. We felt a little bit rushed then so quickened our pace. She comes back five minutes later and stands there telling us to pay. This outraged me! Why are you in such a rush to kick us out, and the restaurant is not even closed?! If it was already 9:00 and you were closing, sure, Rush us out. But we would never walk into a restaurant knowing it's going to close soon in the first place. But It's f**king 8:40 and we only had ten minutes since our food came out. Why would I tip you.? Instead of the 20% tip you were going to get, now you only get 10%. And you should even consider yourself lucky at all to receive anything from me. On a side note, this was the second time we dined here. Today's steaks were the worst/lowest quality that a restaurant could possibly be allowed to sell. Last time was good but today overall with food and quality of service, this place deserves one star only.
(1)
Amanda N.
Adore this place! I am a big protein person and appreciate some pampering every now and then with a yummy steak outside of the home. Service is always so easy, warm and efficient. There is also a free beverage with Yelp check in that I stumbled upon. Their menu is extensive and seems to be bigger to me than previous for some reason but I always get and would recommend the Mushroom Steak. I haven't tried much else except the Pepper Steak which is similar to the mushroom one but without the mushroom and hence not very special. They must use very similar seasonings overall. Love that it comes out super sizzling hot. I like my food borderline-scorching my tongue :) I always scoop the mushrooms on top of the steak so they don't get overdone. Side dish of salad plus your carb choice complement the steak well. We also tried the Quail for fun and it was super tastey. Had such a nice glaze. Can't say enough positive things about this place! They have a private room in the back which had a large party. Seems like a good time!
(5)
Sarah C.
Came here on New Year's eve. Not busy at all. Was able to get a table for 6 then tack on another easily. The service here is pretty good. The women who work here are pretty attentive. Each of us received a salad that came with our meal. It is nothing special but a nice touch. Most of us ordered the steak - peppered or mushroom. You get your choice of fries, bread, rice, or macaroni. You get a lot of mushroom but the the pepper seem to vary from day to day. One day you might get a lot of pepper and the next day not. I didn't want anything too heavy so I opted for the the cheesy bread (6 pieces - pretty good) and a bowl of pho. The pho was eh. I've had better. Overall, it was a decent dining experience. The prices are a bit high for what they serve but not bad.
My entree came out but it was the wrong entree. I don't really mind because we all have off days when it comes to communication. Why did I get 3 stars then? We paid with a card and cash. The waiter/son charged the full amount on my card and took the cash. Hmmmmm....Luckily I caught it and only caught it because I looked at the price before handing my card over initially. Otherwise I would have just signed and left. To make things more awkward, my friend who was eating w/ me knows the guy. That day must have been a really bad off day. It's not good when I can't even remember what I ate and this is all I remember.
(3)
Jessica B.
I love going here with my boyfriend :) we usually order the steak with rice and steak with mushrooms. Mmmmm :) this will always be a priority steak restaurant for us! Plus, i love their guava candy!
(5)
Joshua T.
WOW!!!! How did I not find this place any earlier. I literally live 4 blocks away from this place and only discovered it last week. Best Vietnamese restaurant in Milpitas fosure. Such a good vibe coming here. Classy and romantic place to dine at. The food is superb and prices are within my pocket. Service was good as it wasn't busy when we visited. Would definitely recommend a first date dinner here. Great food, great feel, great place. If it wasn't in such a hidden location, it would get so much more attention, but I thank god it's not crowded!!
(5)
Mylan N.
This place has been around forever and I've been here a few times. Most recently went back because we were in the area. My daughter loves this place because of the pasta, although I don't care for it. The steak is okay~nothing to write home about. The cheese fondue appetizer is decent and something you don't see often at a Vietnamese restaurant. The tamarind prawns are pretty good but kind of pricey. Good spot for a quiet family dinner if you are in the area, but wouldn't go out of the way to go here. Would only come back because my daughter really loves this place and it's really hard to find a place that she is willing to have some meat (she pretty much only eats veggies everyday).
(3)
Hoa P.
Me and my boyfriend favorite spot. We always goes here during special occasion like celebrating our birthday or anniversary, or just simple craving steak. Good and delicious mushroom steak never disappoint me. Great place for couple!
(5)
Kristine L.
I've been here a couple of times and for some reason, ALWAYS empty. The food isn't bad, I always get the Mushroom Steak. It comes with a marinated piece of steak, peppercorns, and sauteed mushrooms, all on a sizzling plate. The entree also comes with either rice, noodles or bread AND a side of salad. Not bad for the price. Anyway, the steak is so-so, not great, but not bad. Everything else is also just average, nothing too special. Their menu has a lot of fancy dishes and choices but I haven't tried anything else. Service is below average; for a place that is always literally empty, they are slow and are bad at attending to you. If you don't mind that, then give this place a try, you might like it.
(3)
Leanne P.
My last trip to Chez Christina was quite a few years ago. I had a relatively good experience, so when my brother said he was craving it--I went too! We came here with the whole fam (mom & dad, hubby and me, bro and his gf). This place is stylin, but obviously still a mom & pop kinda place. The menu has a great selection of French and Vietnamese dishes, and we had a hard time narrowing down our selection. We decided to start with some spring rolls and the wings. I ordered a cup of French Onion soup and Bo Luc Lac. Hubby ordered the beef stew, The appetizers were wonderful and our main dishes were pretty good. I was a little disappointed with the Bo Luc Lac because I usually get this across town (at Truong Thanh) and the steak is really melt in your mouth awesome. The dish here was not bad, but not on the same level. The French Onion soup was again--just not the best I've ever had. My steak came with the red rice, which was really good, and a small salad, which was not. The viniagrette was okay though. Overall, our dinner was fine, but nothing to brag about. Price
(3)
Cindy T.
I got the bo luc lac and it was bomb! Tender, juicy, all that. Generous portions, too!
(4)
Helen T.
seem's like there are inconsistencies with other yelpers but ive never had any issue here. I'm always happy with my order of mushroom steak, red rice, and my jellyfish salad. It has a "romantic/quiet" feel to it but you can just come get your grub and leave since service is pretty quick.
(4)
Trung N.
Mushroom steak.. mushroom steak... mushroom steak!! I keep reading about having to try the mushroom steak here from all the reviews and goodness.. it seems that it's the most popular thing amongst us yelpers. I came here for lunch today tagging along with my father's craving for the steak and baguette(aka banh mi). Figured I'd pop into yelp and read reviews as well as suggestions on what to eat.. The overwhelming response of mushroom steak was utterly mind boggling. Without much further hesitation, I was convinced to try out this steak with my side being the red rice. Red rice, is rice that's been cooked with some tomato paste that gives it added flavor as well as the color. There's also sesame seed oil I believe. Either way, it's pretty good and it was good here. The mushrooms are your typical white mushrooms cooked in plenty of garlic, butter, and peppercorns. The sizzling plate of steak had those mushrooms, along with a teriyaki type sauce. The steak itself was a decent portion, though I would say it's not really comparable to what most westerners would call a delicious juicy steak. The flavors overall from the steak were pretty much what you'd expect from a Vietnamese restaurant, with that subtle influence of French cuisine that the restaurant advertises themselves as. There was a lot of delicious sauce leftover after I was finished, and kept eyeballing my dad's baguette to be able to sop up the rest. Perhaps I'll take that hint from him and get that next time instead of the rice. Service was on par to what I'd expect... and they certainly made the atmosphere very French with even the typical accordion music you'd hear at a cafe. Probably a good place to take a date.
(4)
C P.
As soon as we walked in, I noticed a "wet dog" smell, which wasn't great. The owner (I think) looked a bit annoyed when we asked for a bigger table or an extra steak knife... The food was flavorful, but nothing from the French-Vietnamese menu really made me think "French bistro", but maybe it wasn't suppose to. It also feel pricier than it should be for what we got. I don't think I will be coming back any time soon.
(2)
Tram N.
I haven't been here in over a year- I think it has been 2-3 years as a matter of fact so I forgot what my expectations were honestly about this place. We walked in and were immediately seated and menus were plopped on the table. Iced water are not brought out automatically but then again we were a party of 8 and a lot of us weren't there yet. The decor is nice but what put the ambiance out of place was the flatscreen on the wall. The menu was extensive.. I did not look at the appetizers but they had vermicelli, broken rice dishes, STEAK, no, I mean SIZZLING STEAK among others. The prices here are very decent.. very cheap rather for a 7-8oz of juicy ass steak. I wanted mine rare and sure enough, it was rare when I got it! The pasta that came w/ my dish was good; I ordered that for my Daughter. I don't think I saw a kid's menu.. anyway.. everyone pretty much ordered mushroom steak w/ a baguette and it looked so good. I did not look at their dessert menu either but that just means I need to pay a visit sometime soon to experience the whole caboodle. My Aunt treated dinner so I did not order at full capacity because that would be inconsiderate and rude. Tip was built into the bill and thanks to Yelp, I got a free soft drink or iced tea (I picked Diet Coke, of course) upon checking-in. Hell-yes!
(4)
Alan D.
You know, I've been coming here ever since I was a kid. My family always came here for the most amazing steak, side dishes and atmosphere. Glad to say that most of that has beat the test of time. I went here again last night and the atmosphere stayed the same, I highly suggest people come here during the evening. The restaurant is somewhat secluded near the hills and it just has this very ambiguous tone to it.. GO DURING THE EVENING!!!!... Moving on, we ordered the chicken wings for appetizers and I got the mushroom steak and my girlfriend got the teriyaki steak, needless to say, we were highly satisfied. I ordered my steak with a side of macaroni (which is cooked in lemon grass, so don't be alarmed when it doesn't have cheese on it, it's delicious!) and my girlfriend ordered a side of fries alongside her steak. Now the chicken wings were sub-par, they smelled of... I don't know, it was just bad, but it tasted good, which surprised me. Oh, and might I mention that they have a complementary salad that comes with your meals. Anyways, the mushroom steak was a bit overcooked, I ordered medium and got about medium well, but it wasn't that big of a deal because the steak tasted delicious. My girlfriend's teriyaki wasn't too bad either, both were new york strips so we loved it all the way. As for desert, I totally forgot what we ordered, but don't worry they only have about 5-6 desert dishes, and we ordered the one with the icecream wrapped in a white chocolate coating, order that! It's freaking amazingly good. Overall, I give this restaurant a 4 star rating, food was delicious, desert was great, and I loved the atmosphere. However, don't expect the servers to care much about you. One of the bussers was texting on his phone right on the floor, c'mon now buddy! Right in front of us too!
(4)
Mark M.
The food is pretty good here, but I feel like I am just paying for overpriced Vietnamese food, with a desperate attempt to make things a bit "fusion." I have some friends who swear by the steaks here, which really isn't bad. They also do a good tomato rice here. But this place is a bit pricey for the food in my humble opinion. Sorry!!!
(3)
Ted C.
3.5 stars. Pepper steak was flavorful. The red rice was bland, but I piled it onto the steak, and it soaked up the sauce. Cubed steak was good too but a little overdone. Fondue was petty good, but I could see a lot of oil in the cheese, I think it's butter. The lemon bomb dessert was so so good. Lemon sorbet with a runny center and crunchy meringue on the outside. Mango panna cotta was good but needed to be thawed a little more.
(3)
Justin N.
A lot of my friends love this place. Steak served on a hot sizzling platter! I love most places that serve that as well. For me though, Chez Christina is overrated. The only thing I really like here is the tomato macaroni side that comes with your steak plate. Although seasoned well, I feel like they serve you the crappy piece of steak. You can buy a better cut from the grocery store and cook it better. And boy is this place expensive for being a hole in the wall.
(2)
Katherine L.
Me and friends came here to celebrate birthdays. First off, the waitress was super nice. We couldn't decide on an appetizer or soup so she helped us decide on chicken wings. The chicken wings had a nice aroma of fried garlic and fish sauce, but it didn't taste like much. There was also barely any meat on it. sad =( We all got mushroom steaks but alternated on rice and pasta. The steaks, medium rare, were deliciously cooked. The mushrooms were yummy and the steak was tender. I felt like I needed to add some flavor by using A1 sauce and tabasco, which was unfortunate because the steak couldn't stand up in taste by itself. Salads that came with the steaks were nothing special. Great idea to put the rice in the sauce with steak!
(3)
Samantha K.
Chez Christina is a neighborhood gem of a Vietnamese restaurant in Milpitas. It is a nicely laid out restaurant with friendly service. We usually opt for their taro salad;their ribs; and macaroni. We have enjoyed many of their dishes - many many options. They have ala carte items as well as full meals such as their cornish game hen. They have beer and wine offerings as well.
(4)
Jenn N.
I tried this place for the first time a few weeks ago with a few gfs & I was pretty excited after reading all the good reviews on Yelp. We came on a Wednesday night at 8:30 & it was pretty dead-- probably cuz they close at 9.. but they still let us in & served us :) We ALL ordered the mushroom steak with red rice & it came out fairly quickly. Our food came out sizzling & it was DELICIOUS. My medium-rare came out perfectly. (I personally hate it when it comes out too cooked or too raw, but it was really good-- pink in the middle!). Everything was good.. especially, the sauce. Mmm :) At the end, we still had some room in our tummy & decided to get the mango dessert, but it was mediocre.. I think I would just come back here for the MUSHROOM STEAK. I was actually back here again this past weekend with my bf & he also loved it. I haven't tried anything other than the mushroom steak so I'm not sure how the other food is.. but I'm sure it's good too. They have other Vietnamese dishes on their menu as well. Anyways, this is a good place for a casual date because the atmosphere is a little dim & cozy, but not too fancy that you have to dress up. My bf & I were already craving it again the day after we ate here.. soo I'm sure we'll be back sometime soon :)
(5)
Wendy T.
When you come to Chez Christine, it doesn't seem like a cozy date kind of atmosphere from the outside, but IT IS! Dimmed lighting and romantic music is the first thing u experience when u first walk in through the doors. The food is good but can't say it's hella good...but it's good. The service is...I have to say not that great hence the 3 stars. My cup is empty and the waiter hasn't come by once to check on us after they served the food (it is a very slow night too). I like their red macaroni but their red rice is yummy too! I have tried the family dishes as well and it's pretty yummy. If u like steak I would get mushroom steak! But ask for a degree lower than u want because they kind of like to over cook it by just a lil.
(3)
Noel M.
I don't know how I missed the other escargot appetizer last time so it had to be tasted. It turned out to be patties, of some sort - I wasn't impressed with it's flavorless, springy presentation. Plus, one came out still wrapped in the plastic that it was rolled/steamed? in. I had been wary of ordering the Cornish hen since it's description specified fried, but it arrived with a light crisp. It was tender, it was delicious. We also asked for the spiciest entree on the menu and the chicken with lemon grass, chili and onions was suggested. I still don't know how to feel about it. They were out of bananas foster. I'll get some...maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but by golly something on the menu cannot elude me like this.
(4)
kim n.
Ewe, the escargots were NOT happening! The butter garlic sauce was fine, but the quality of the snails...gross, it tasted mushy and off putting. As for their steak, it seems their quality has been going down for the past 20 years (yes, I've been going here that long!) The size is smaller, and I ordered medium - it came out practically well done. The marinade seems a bit sweeter nowadays and more drenched in oil. And the macaroni, it's too tomato-saucy. Needless to say, I can't convince my bf to come back here (it's his first time) again.
(3)
Anthony C.
All I have to say is Mushroom steak with red rice. Classic top notch stuff.
(4)
Shawn A.
Yet another place I've frequented for eons, but I'm afraid that the "tide has changed". I've got one of those uneasy feelings in my stomach - not from bad food necessarily - but from BAD SERVICE. In my book, bad service trumps good food any day of the week, and this time, I'm leaving Chez Christina, after many great meals and even one of my birthdays celebrated there. Sigh. My daughters and I happened by on a Saturday night around 7:30 pm. The restaurant was semi-full, with two large tables of patrons, and several couples spread throughout, but nothing that a waitstaff of 4 should have problems with. We were promptly seated and given menus, but, knowing what my girls and I would order anyway, I took their menus and closed them, hoping that this act would send a strong hint that we were ready, and hungry! Boy was I wrong. Only after 15 minutes did someone - I think one of the owners actually - stop by our table to take our order. I did have to wave my hands (one of the servers refused to look our way) and shout, "Excuse me"! I was peeved at this point, because two other tables that were seated AFTER us had already placed their orders and had received their salads that usually accompany any entree. Those tables peered over at us periodically, and in a way, I sensed that they acknowledged my girls and I were being....ahhh, ignored. I nodded at them but knew they were victims of poor service too in varying degrees. Hey, goodness, we've got our salads now, but - WAIT - no dressing! The other tables have dressing for their salads. Not us. I want my dressing! I'm feeling neglected again. I flagged down that server who "refused to look our way" to ask for dressing, and mysteriously, 5 minutes later, a glass jar of their signature Italian dressing appeared. Their salad is usually one of my favorite intros, but at this point, we were headed downhill pretty freakin' fast. I'm going to pause here and note that the large table behind us was never cleaned after the patrons left. A table set for 8 was left untouched, with dirty napkins, plates, and silverware strewn this way and that. My 12-year old noted, "Hey, Dad, look, the lady put more dirty dishes from other tables on the big uncleaned one". C'mon folks, let's have some pride in establishment and not leave us po' folk to view the unsightly mess! Back to the meal. Forty minutes after we were seated we finally received our entrees. Chez Christina is known for their sizzling steaks, and they usually don't disappoint. One of my girls had the Teriyaki Steak, and I had the Pepper Steak, a dish I've feasted on for nearly 20 years. I add copious amounts of tabasco to mine, and I'm set. My younger daughter had the Grilled Sliced Pork, which was fine, but nothing "to write home about". In the end, I give Chez Christina 2.5 STARS. I really wanted to post a higher rating, considering the history I have with them, but the bad service simply did not warrant the gesture. On our way to the car, my 12-year old remarked, "Boy, Dad, the service has gotten really bad, hasn't it?" Yes, it has. And, if the place doesn't clean up their service attentiveness and attitude, I suspect there will be more veteran diners, like myself, who say - "Buh-bye" - and walk away forever. Barracudaman over and out.
My bf and I can always count on Chez Christina to be open and ready to serve when we go there! The staff is super friendly! The food is delish and served fresh! I recommend the cubed steak with tomato rice! Or the Nem Nuong rolls! This place is open till 10pm on weekends which is a huge PLUS!
(5)
Van N.
The bo luc lac is so awesome and the red rice does not compare to regular red rice I've tried at any other vietnamese restaurants. The flavors are so tasty and the food just dances in your mouth. The mushroom garlic steaks are to die for! Flavor explosion! This is THE most popular dish there so if you don't know what to order, you will not go wrong having this. Almost all of my friends visit this location only to have this one particular delicious plate of french vietnamese cuisine!
(5)
Phu H.
OK whoever gives this place anything less then 4 stars wouldn't know a good steak if they were slapped in the face with one. You gotta try the New york steak and you better get the damn mushrooms. While eating your steak or after take the french bread and soak up the steak sauce or oil whatever you wanna call it, and scarf it down because it's soooooo goood. Service is awesome, great place to go for if you're trying to get away from all those other so called fancy top notch steak houses that try to up sell you every chance they get. If you're expecting to impress your date by blowing your dough on $20 appetizers and $50 steaks then you're at the wrong place. Now if you're looking for a well priced fulfilling meal then that's what you'll get. THE BEST mom and pops restaurant in the milpitas area IMO. Wanted to add that they remodeled with a fresh new look and there are a bunch of new items on the menu. We tried the fondue and it was pretty damn good.
(5)
LeeAnn G.
The steak and mushrooms along with the french bread, and limeade is to die for. Me and my husband have been together for 23 years and this is our little romantic place....A lot of memories.
(5)
Jonathan L.
I like this restaurant and have eaten here several times. I must admit that I have not ordered anything but the Peppered Steaks. There are a few variations such as Teriyaki and Mushroom steaks. The steaks come with red rice, macaroni or french bread. They are all nice but the bread is my fav. The restaurant is clean and nice. The service has been good and prompt too.
(4)
Pika C.
I went here today....because people recommended this place. We had some appetizers...fish..noodles..and mushroom steak. The mushroom steak isn't to die for. We asked for it medium rare..yeah..it was more medium or medium well. The flavor was good but I've had better steak. The appetizers..we had the chez christina chicken wings..and then imperial rolls...both pretty decent...the beef noodle soup was good but the beef was too chewy...the catfish had good flavor and the meat was really good..just too many little bones. The service was okay..not the best. We were asking the lady which noodles were dry and which were soup...she just pointed to three on the menu and said some are dry some aren't...we asked her which was which...she just kept repeating some were dry some were soupy..it was weird. She wasn't so friendly at first but throughout the night she got a little better... Overall..it was descent..but pricey for what it is...so I don't think I will go again in the near future...
(3)
Voodoo P.
not bad for the price.....I like the steak and red rice with the French iced coffee. It just feel stuffy sometime but the service is great.
(5)
qirk z.
First time here. My friends were just there the day before, and wanted to go back, so I went. Ordered #35 lunch, lemongrass chicken with rice. I ordered a side of the macaroni. The dish came with the macaroni substituted for the rice, not what I intentionally wanted, but it's ok, there's plenty of food for lunch. I liked the chicken, the macaroni was w/ tomato sauce, and they also gave a small salad with dressing on the side. Not much of a weekday lunch crowd, then again, it's in a semi-residential area. I'll be back.
(4)
Jessica C.
I like to come here when I'm in the area. Food is always consistently good.
(5)
jay d.
I think the review from H N. said it all already... I'll quote his first line.. "Ahhh! This place is hellllllllllllaaaaaa gooooooood!" I too, have been coming here every now and then for a couple years and this place can never get old for me. I love their steak and rice! My friends all like the macaroni but we all can agree about how good the mushrooms are. They give you a salad with some kind of dressing. Sprinkle some pepper on it and wow it tastes hellllllaaaa gooooood!.. haha. I recommend this place to anyone and everyone!
(5)
Christina C.
For a viet restaurant, their steak is good. Mushroom steak, to be exact. Being a namesake is a personal plus, haha.
(3)
Cheryl P.
I've been on somewhat of an Atkins diet lately - all meat, all the time! The weather's been gloomy so instead of traveling around the bay in search of some good steak, I wanted to keep it local. This restaurant is never too busy and on weekdays it's practically empty. I like the fact that it's close and convenient. We started w/the chicken wings which were decent. Same kind you can get at Lee's or any other fast food joint. For our entrees we both ordered the steak. Mine w/mushrooms accompanied by a side salad & red (tomato paste) rice. Nice & tender as always. A reliable (so far), quiet place to have dinner when I'm feeling lazy.
(3)
Peter N.
I used to go to this place a lot because they have the best Cubed Steak around. not anymore. I went there tonight with a party of four and had received the worst customer service in my life thus far (no exaggeration). when we arrived we had to wait a few minutes to be seated. no problem there. after being seated, we watched the servers and waiters walk by many times to clean tables and bring out other tables' orders. this went on for about 20 to 30 minutes. after trying to be patient for someone to come take our order (drink order forgotten, as well) my girlfriend lets a server know that we have not been helped yet. the lady says "okay. i will be right there." by this time another party who came in 10 minutes after us had been sitting by us had been waiting for someone to take their order, too. another 15 minutes goes by and we see her going to turn on a light. we approach her again for service because it was plain to see that she had forgotten about us. by the time she does come over, she goes to help the party that came after us first. we speak up and let it be known to her that we had arrived first. she complies and takes our order first. while we wait for the food to come out we see her and another server helping her bring out salad for the party who came in after us first. by this time 10 minutes had elapsed. they bring out our salad after, so we decide to not make a big deal of it. when we received our salads, our drinks had not come out yet. after finishing our salads, we sit in bewilderment as the servers bring out food for the same table that came in and ordered after us. our food came out finally 10 minutes after that. we were already not too satisfied with the service at this point, but were willing to just let it go once we got our food. before i could take a bite of anything, my cousin's girlfriend drops her untesils and says "is that my hair or someone else's?" we all take a look over and notice that there was no way it could be her hair because it was buried into her Shrimp Scampi. we tell a server and they ask us if we want to-go boxes and we declined. there was no way we were going to eat anything there. all-in-all, this visit has soured my opinion of this restaurant. what began as a night for 4 hard-working people to relax and enjoy quality food and service turned out to be a nightmare. from the servers forgetting about our table for over 40 minutes, as well as 2 others, tables, to the food of a latter arriving party coming out before us, and having hair in our food there is no way i can come back to this restaurant. it is pricey so you would expect above average service, at the least. on this night, we received 10 times better service at a Carl's Jr, thereafter.
(1)
Linda L.
I've been to the restaurant for over 10 years ... and they have changed a lot! Especially in the remodeling part. The wait for the meal to prepare is kind of slow, but the food comes out on a sizzling plate (if you order the steaks) I love the tomato rice that comes with the french-vietnamese infused dishes. All dinner plate comes with a salad with the best vinaigrettes ever! And most meals come with french baguette, not the one you get from Lee's but the nice fluffy one. I enjoy the peppercorn steak because it is very flavorful and has a nice sauce, and as mentioned before comes on a nice sizzling plate so the food is very hot! The juices are nicely retained and it's not too chewy either. the proportions are just right for the price you pay (versus at an american steak house where you pay for the ounces ) the decorations have changed, for the better, and its nice a place to go on a date (its a dark atmosphere ;))
(4)
Julie T.
Cute, Clean, and Food is Great! The owner is super nice! I love this place! Mushroom Steak with Bread for dipping yummy!!
(4)
Unhappy C.
I was invited to attend a birthday party and asked to give an opinion about Chez Christina if this restaurant will be a good place for the next bigger party (50 or more guests). The food wasn't that impressive. The service was horrible. After I told the waitress about her horrible service, she didn't response and walked away. I was unhappy and decided to talk to the owner. At first, I thought the waitress who had an attitude though out the night was just an employee. Oh, boy! I was wrong. When I asked for the name of the owner, she paused, gave me smile, and said: "I'm the owner". What do you think? Is there a reason for us to go back to Chez Christina?
(1)
Aileen A.
I tried the mushroom steak. It was good-that is if you ordered a medium cooked steak, not a meduim well like you had requested. So I guess next time, I should order opposites. Pretty generous size though. The mushrooms were delicious and they gave me a generous amount. I wish the sauce was a little thicker, so that the flavor could stick to the steak. Pouring the sauce over the delicious red rice (I'm from Guam so I got reallllly excited about the rice!) got a little tiring. It came on a hot plate, not a sizzling hot plate. I guess we didn't get any bread, just salad, like the other yelpers who choose the mushroom steak. My boyfriend and I came during dinner hours and guess what? You can still order off the lunch menu as well. He ordered shrimp with imperial rolls or something like that. It was onion strips wrapped in bbq beef. Delicious! Service is awesome and food got to me quickly. The atmosphere? Good place to take someone on a date if you're on a budget. Casual, but not pretentious. White linen cloth on tables, not too dim lights, and food comes in a cute French cart.
(4)
Jessica C.
Tried it, not super impressed but it's a cute establishment if you want sizzling steak and red rice. The restaurant is not super busy so you can take kids here and get a decent steak meal. We had the escargot with wine and butter to start and it was not good. The best dish were our main dishes. No time for dessert but everything on the menu looked frozen and not very appetizing. Overall, quaint family restaurant that's family owned. I would probably come back here if I have another steak craving but it's nothing to rave about.
(3)
Tracy N.
I've only been here once, and I definitely want to give them another shot. Maybe it was what I ordered. Whatever the case, I was definitely not impressed by this place. I had the prawns, which were O-K, and the lemon grass chicken, which was less than O-K, and the shrimp rolls, which were nothing special... It was definitely overpriced for the quality of food it offered. I took my boyfriend there because he really likes French Vietnamese food, but we were pretty disappointed after taking a look at the menu. I live pretty close, and this place has been there for as long as I can remember. If I could describe it in two words, it would be sad and tired. My impression was just that: the waiters are tired, the restaurant is tired, the decor is tired. But then I walked outside and saw a new beamer, and realized this place is probably doing well. Well chops and pops to that, I guess.
(2)
T. T.
I must say the location of this restaurant needs a lot of work. Otherwise, this place has great potentials. First of, the way they marinate their steaks are to-drool-for! Stay away from their tomato macaroni...I would highly suggest you pair your steak with either french bread (with butter of course) or flavorful rice. I would give this place a 4 out of 5 stars if they up the quality of their meat.
(3)
K H.
I went here with my BF and a bunch of his friends a few times. They're known for their steak & mushroom and your choice of red rice or red macaroni. The place has remodeled but still a bit cramp and frankly dirty. But hey, it's an Asian place with pretty good food! -good food -kind of slow service, each time we were here we waiting a while - that's why only 3 stars and not 4 -there was one time where my salad didn't have dressing either (like what the other yelper said!) but the server was really nice and brought me another salad
(3)
J L.
The food was just okay. We ordered steak, fish, lotus root salad with shrimp and pork. No surprise at all. The so-called 'red rice' was just rice mixed with tomato paste. We came at 8 pm on Friday night. The restaurant was not busy, but we had a hard time to get the wait staff to fill us up with water. So, we took the tea pot to the back to refill the water. My friend said 'Are we having dinner at the Fresh Choice? Why are we doing everything?' Basically, we needed to ask for filling up water, desert menu, change for the check, etc.
(3)
Jennifer P.
I remember as a kid always going here with my parents. I love the steak & red rice..mmm...Whenever i go out and dine here thats what i usually get. I usually dont eat the salad that comes with the meal as an appetizer so i tell the waiter that i dont want it so he gives me more rice instead. Its kind of hidden in the area but its a cute restuarunt, a great place for a romantic dinner :]
(4)
Scott M.
This place is tuck away in the corner of Milpitas. The food is awesome and at a great price. I eaten there a few times and they are very consistant. The food is prepared quickly and always tastes great. This place is awesome I highly recommend.
(5)
Vy N.
Ahhh! This place is hellllllllllllaaaaaa gooooooood! Been going here for yearssss n will be going for years to come! The mushroom steak on the sizzling platter is TO DIE FOR! Get the red macaroni on the side and also the bread with the butter. YUMMMM! Their che sung sa hot luu is nasty. Tasted old and the coconut milk was justttt disgusting.
(4)
Immunity B.
I usually order the Mushroom Steak here for dinner. I've had lots of steak in my time, but I must say this tiny little restaurant brings out some good meat. It comes out on a sizzling platter added with flavorful mushrooms and a plate of tomato rice. The accompanying bread and salad is good as well. The decor is dim-lit, with a eurasian style to it. And yes, It is a little odd. You would think food coming out on a cart sounds like a good idea, but it feels just a tad bit eerie. It's not too fancy, and the location is rather off. It's in a corner plaza. But the steak is decent.
(3)
Annie C.
BEST STEAK EVER!!! well as good as you'll ever get for under $20 and not have to buy the cow the mushroom pepper steak is what they're known for, sure the place isn't anything to look at, kinda classic/sappy music..but really who pays attention to that stuff when you've got a hunk of meat sizzling to perfection in from of you with the aroma smells wafting into your nose?!?!?!?! its so hard to choose between bread and the tomatoe rice. the solution? bring a friend and order one of each!
(5)
marian l.
The outer appearance did not impress me, so when i get it i didn't expect too much... I order the steak and mac, when it came out it was better than what i expect... The price is not bad .....one of the thing is they are pet friendly which give me a plus... one of my friend have a small dog with her, we asked the cashier / owner about it, she let us bring it in.... since then we always come once every two weeks
(4)
Quyen N.
The mushroom steak is all I ever order here. I love it! Been eating that same dish here for about 8 years now or so... and it keeps gettin better. The service is ok - nothing to complain but nothing to praise. Overall they're nice and clean with good food!
(4)
linda y.
I've been here probably since i was like in middle skool i believe...i totally love their food. I usually order their teriyaki steak wid rice or french bread...dependin on my mood. But for lunch time i order da same thing but on da lunch menu it just mentions steak but i ask for da teriyaki sauce so i wont get charged dinner price. da only diff is mainly dat its not on da sizzlin plate...which i dont mind....it still tastes damn good. i love their salad dressing. mmmGOOD ^__^
(5)
Chrisjan Y.
One of my fav steak places around. price isn't that bad and service is excellent. I order the steak w/ macaroni, it is excellent. I've tasted more that just steak but my true love is red meat. My 2 cents!
(5)
Tina N.
ive been going to this place with my family ever since i was 13 and its been well over 7 years now. this place isn't all that special but it's a small joint, has a very "home-like" feel. for some good vietnamese style steaks, i love this place.
(4)
Christine T.
Chez Christina has been a restaurant that I've frequently visited since I was 10. It's been one of our family's favorite. The eggrolls are super yummy and usually is just a teaser for me The red rice and steak (com steak) has been my favorite. The steak comes out pretty juicy and not dry and very flavorful. This steak comes out just on a regular plate but there are steaks that come out on a sizzling plate like the mushroom steak! YUM!! The service is usually pretty good, it's a family run restaurant so like James B. said the people who work there are friends and family so you get to know them when you keep going there.
(5)
Sharon T.
their new york steak is to die for... i am a sucker for mushrooms, and they'll serve you up your meal - salad w/ a light vinegrette sauce - then your food... the new york steak is brought out still sizzling from the hot plate it is served on, so i suggest you not wear anything expensive, unless you like that smell on you... and their macaroni is like crack. i used to come here to eat it back in the day as a broke middle/high school student because it was super cheap... then they raised the prices on me... 10 years later, i'm still a starving student... but whenever i find myself around milpitas, hankering for something filling - i stop by chez christina for one of the best steaks good money can buy...
(4)
Olivia H.
No one in my party ordered the sizzling steak platter but it looks like it was popular since almost every other table did. They sure look good but I'm not much of a steak fan. I just ordered the Bun with pork and imperial roll. I thought my dish was good. The pork was nicely grilled and the imperial rolls were crispy and it came in a nice big bowl. Our appetizer of shrimp wrapped on a sugar cane was pretty good. It came with the wrapper that you had to dip in water to soften and plenty of sides like cilantro, mint, cucumber, carrots, and scallions. Service was pretty fast. And prices were reasonable. I guess nothing really stood out so I can't give them more stars.
(3)
Flower P.
I'm never eating here again, which is sad because I loved eating here but tonight changed my mind for good, and I'm telling everyone I know not to eat here either. There was four of us in the group, we were seated quickly, but no one came to ask us what we wanted to drink or to see if we were ready to order. I finally got up went to the front counter and asked to be waited on. We the waitress came she did not know which table to take the order from first, we told her we were first. So she began to take our order. We got our salads and one was missing, and no drinks. Then the table next to us who had arrived later than us received their food first, by this time we had been seating there for more than 50 Minutes, and all we had was a salad and no drinks. Again I got up and went to the front counter, I let her know that we had no drinks and no food. Our food arrived, and still no drinks. When we got our food, my friends order was incorrect, and to top it off there was a hair in my other friends food. By that time I had been there for over an hour, I was pissed, we told another waitress, she said sorry and asked if we wanted another order, we told her no, and that we were leaving, she then asked if we wanted it to go! No, why would I want anything from here to go? The food had hair in it!! I'm very disappointed, Chez Christina is on the expensive side, I expected way better customer service. I have never experienced such awful service until tonight. We got up and left, it was an hour of wasted time and bad service. I will never set foot here again! I promise!
(1)
Party R.
2 1/2 stars. For the price you pay $15 a plate, you get one side and a small side salad. Not impressed. The steak was tasty but a bit fatty. Also, after I had dinner I had a huge headache and got nauseous. That happens to me when I have too much MSG. Their dinner menu is too much money for what they offer you. It is a bit ghetto and awkward how they serve you on rolling carts. No point They try to have a nice ambiance but some of the things are contradictory on what they're trying to show. Ie.. paper napkin folded like a cloth napkin, soda served in a can etc. What they need to do is lower their prices, replace the NY steak with top sirloin and offer 2 sides not one. If they do that the older Vietnamese customer will come in more. For me, I won't be going here. This is for people who don't know what good steak is. It was just mehh....
(3)
Taun T.
The food is so-so. The service is okay. I guess the only thing that makes this place great is that there's not very many places like this in Milpitas. This place tries to be fancy, doesn't do that well, but at least they try. Maybe I'm just grumpy because they always make me wait so long for food.
(3)
Jenina S.
it used to be a lot better (i used to order the cordon bleu or mushroom steak) this trip i had #28 which came with grilled beef, imperial roll, fried shrimp, red rice. fried shrimp was dry (overdone) & all batter. imperial roll was overcooked as well and lacked filling. beef had a good flavor but was cooked medium well, i like medium rare (i didn't get an option/choice). the garlic cheese fondue appetizer is good. i remember the steaks used to be a lot better but i had a bite of my friend's and it was rubbery. +1 star for having "maggi!"
(2)
Karen S.
Nothing remarkable. The food is ok. I had the Mushroom steak. It was good but not memorable. The service is very slow, so not somewhere you want to visit if you're in a hurry. It was quiet while we were there which was nice. A nice family restaurant, a nice place to meet friends and actually have a conversation. My friends got the korean bbq which did look quite tasty, but it is hard to get those wrong. The prices were reasonable, the korean bbq would be the better buy I think.
(3)
Ms K.
I agree, let's get real folks. Most Vietnamese restaurants aren't known for their customer service skills. Chez Christina is one of the better Vietnamese restaurants that you will find out there full of rushed pho noodle soup and wannabe upscale 4 star Asian fusion places. Why? Their food is fantastic -- their specialty is mushroom steak and filet mignon. They're yum-O! With their costs so low compared to some of the high-end steak places, you can't beat it. I've tried many places around the bay, and still haven't found a place that compares to Chez Christina's flavor & price. I've visited this place a number of times now and the food has been awesome every time. If you're not in the mood for heavy protein (like Korean beef, steaks & rack of lambs), then go for their salmon/chicken dishes or family dinner. Recently, they've undergone remodeling, both the look and menu. I like the new look, much better than the cheezy fake French style that they had going -- black & white checkered floors, rude unhappy servers. The place looks warm and inviting now with much friendlier staff. I'm giving this place 5 stars mainly because of their food and cost. If this had been pricey, then I'd give it 4 stars.
(5)
lani h.
My bf and I went to Chez Christina yesterday night after my yoga class. He was craving for steak, and steak is supposedly their specialty. I wasn't feeling well so I didn't get the steak. I had a piece of my bf's and it was okay. What can I say? the food is merely passing grade. The steak meals come w/ a side salad which is basically maybe about 4-5 big pieces of lettuce and one thinly slice tomato and cucumber. The worst thing is the dressing. It was toooooo sweet. To top it off, we were seated in the corner, and as soon as the waitress brought over the salad, several gnats started to gather. I was grossed out and asked to be moved. The waitress said that it was because they had the door open, didn't even offer an apology. Anyhow, I don't think I'll return to Chez Christina anytime soon.
(1)
hailun g.
Wow. If I can give it a negative, I would. I came here four years back had a weird papaya salad of some sort (I don't remb, it was a long time ago and i didn't pay for the meal so perhaps that's why I don't recall it being this awful). Nobody was there at 6pm that should've been a suresign this place was bad. my tab came to be over 30 and we did not even want to take leftovers home (i'm not one to waste either) the waiter was terrible I guess he was 'too ashamed' of his own restaurant (no business, terrible dirt food) to give us our money back or at least reimburse us for part of the meal. He didn't even offer to make us a better dish! wow when we asked him questions, he wasn't accommodating we only tipped 2 dollars, shouldve given him a penny to show the lack of service!!! itwas themost awful place I've dined in please do not go I had rice with maggie sauce b/c our food was that terrible! I was hungry too
(1)
Beini Q.
So this place does have great food, but I have had so many bad experiences there that I will never go back again. The servers are not only awful but really rude. We always order the escargot and it comes with 4 tiny pieces of bread. Last time we asked if we could get more bread, they ignored us and when my bf got his steak which he had ordered with some French bread, they told us to just eat that, even though it was supposed to be for his meal! We went with one of our friends, who gave us $40 cash and we put that towards the bill and the rest on our credit card, and then left a cash tip. When we checked our credit card statement, they had charged us the whole amount on the credit card and kept the $40 as tip! Even though we had a receipt only authorizing $45, they charged us a total of $90! That is the most dishonest thing that has ever happened to me at a restaurant and I refuse to go to a place where they treat you like dirt and then try to rip you off! If you go there I definetely suggest you check to make sure they charge you the correct amount!
(1)
Long H.
greatest restaurant ever made. they even remodeled!
(5)
Hilda W.
Looks like an insane asylum to me. they bring your food on carts...its a kinda cutesy french/vietnamese place. the macaroni is kind of addicting. ive only had the steak and it was okay. other than that...nothing much to say about it.
(3)
Mimi C.
I'll give it a 5 stars because I have nothing to complain about =). I really love this restaurant and they do give me the feeling like I can't wait to come back for more! Someone took me here on a date and we came back again on Valentines day. The service is very good for a vietnamese place. I love the little fondue appetizer, they serve it with bread and apple and its yummy! The first time we came, my date and I both ordered the mushroom steak. It was deliciouss! The second time we came back, my date loves the mushroom steak and he told me hes been craving it for some time now so he order that once again. I couldn't decide because I love the mushroom steak but I felt like being adventurous... my date assured me that he'll share the mushroom steak with me so I can go ahead and order the lamb and it turned out soooooo goood. The lamb was tender and juicy and the marinate sauce was very tasty.I really really like it =). I will def order that again when I come back... chez christina is now my fav restaurant!
(5)
Nancy D.
Good customer service. I guess the only thing that makes this place worth coming back are their STEAKS. Their interior design are pretty modern, simple. Music was a bit loud. There's no need for reservation, this place is usually empty. Overall, I would only recommend their steaks.
(3)
Peter L.
just thought i update since i went here last week. the steak and tomato rice was good like before. i did see some other table getting huge sizzling steaks that looked very enticing. too bad no hotties came in with the viet biz owners on this trip. we were half expecting it since it was a friday. there was a mix girl that was pretty cute when we were done though. total damage was around $15 per person i think. well, thats how much i chip in. also had a cafe sudai. ---old review --- use to go to this place alot for the steak and rice for lunch for $10. never order anything else here. the service is excellent and again, its CLEAN. allright, this is the place where all the old viet biz owner take their girlfriends to. i mean, i see so many old viets with coffee shop girls, viet karaoke waitress, and various young hottie at this place. this is a restaurant in the middle of nowhere. yet, one time i saw 2 brand new hummers and always see mercedez on the parking lot. funny thing was one time i was eating lunch with my buddy, and in comes this old dude with a little hottie. turns out the little girl is my buddy's gf's little sister, i think she was barely 18. it was a little awkward... at least it wasnt his gf...lol
(4)
Doug V.
Always a pleasure to be at Chez Christina! Great place for a date.
(5)
georgina w.
The food here is horrible. Asked for medium rare because I know the hot plate will continue cooking it. The meat came out medium well and with the hot plate, by the time I manage to eat half of it, it was well done. Had the mushroom steak and came away with a bad case of food poisoining. The Flan was tough and chewy. A pity though because the staff is nice and friendly.
(1)
Fiel R.
mmmmmm.. mushroom steak... mmmm.. tomato fried rice... mmmm.. chicken wings... mmmmm food.. everything is great at this place... highly recommend!
(5)
Jack C.
Chez Christina is an interesting restaurant, a nook hidden at the top of Milpitas. The pricing like everyone else has mentioned is roughly under $20 per person. The tomato rice and macaroni is excellent! I usually order the cube steak or the mushroom steak. You wouldn't expect this from this small restaurant but they do provide excellent mouth watering steak at an affordable price
(4)
Steely K.
Vietnamese-French food, with surprisingly good steaks! I lived within 200 yards of this family-run place for over 6 years and never noticed it, until a visiting friend asked me about it, and we decided to give it a try. We both ordered the sizzling mushroom steak (served on a cow-shaped cast iron platter, along with a small loaf of French bread and a salad), and agreed that we had found a gem of a restaurant tucked away in this little corner of Milpitas. The steak was very tender, juicy and savory, cooked perfectly to order. The atmosphere and decor of the restaurant is casual and unremarkable, but the prices are reasonable: for dinner, Vietnamese dishes like Pho and "Dry" rice noodles dishes are in the $4.95 to $6.50 range; the Mushroom Steak is $12.75, Pepper Steak is $11.75, Chicken Cordon Bleu is $10.50. They have a cheaper lunch menu of about 20 selections, all include a simple salad with Italian dressing; prices range from $4.95 to $7.95. UPDATE: As of January 2008 this place has been redecorated, so it looks a lot better inside. There's nifty floor tile in the entryway and chair mouldings, if you notice those kind of things :-B, and the neato pendant lighting and fresh coat of paint make the place a lot more inviting than it used to be. I think the prices have been cranked up a couple of dollars for the main entree items since my 2005 review (above) was written. Oh -- If you like savory chicken, then you _must_ try the Roasted Cornish Hen. I've ordered it on 3 or 4 different occasions, and the flavor and moistitude (moistosity?) of the meat is awesome. It's roasted to a dark golden brown color with a lightly-sweet (honey or brown sugar maybe?) & savory sauce that really makes me wanna YELP for more! I forget the price for the dinner, but think it was around $13, which includes a small salad and a rice plate.
(4)
Linda Y.
No....don't go here. Last time I was there I found a hair in my rice and since I didn't want to ruin the meal for the people I was with, I discreetly told the cashier after the meal. She gave me a curt "I'm sorry" and then didn't do anything about it. The least she could have done was taken a few dollars off my meal or something. Practically every time I go there I'm disappointed, so I won't be going back. Their only redeeming grace is the Korean beef ribs. They're pretty thin, but have great flavor. For me, one dish is not enough to go back.
(2)
amber T.
Besides the French dishes, you should try their COM TAM BI THIT NUONG. It is actually better than VUNG TAU. Pepper and Mushroom steaks are to die for during dinner and only if you are really hungry. It is a bit heavy for me.
(4)
Phuc L.
i like it
(5)
Chrislong C.
best vietnamese/french restaurant in the world! person below me doesn't know what they're talking about. the mushroom and pepper steak is the best!
(5)
B. T.
Sure it's not the best steak, as compared to Forbes or anything. But this no frills restaurant has me leaving satisfied. Peppered mushroom steak and bread is the best and it seems this is the only place to have such an item. Definitely a repeat dining experience to go on the list.
(4)
Frank L.
I like that this is a Vietnamese french restaurant. The menu variety is also really good. However, I felt the execution was a lil off keeping this place from 4 stars to 3. We all ordered the lunch steak, which is the same thing as the dinner cept its a smaller steak and no mushrooms. Also, it doesnt come on a sizzling plate. The steak itself was a lil overcooked but was still ok. Only thing I didnt like was all that fatty chunks in the steak, but I guess you cant really complain if ur gettin steak for 11 bucks. Next thing is that ive had better macaroni pasta so i wasnt really impressed by the macaroni pasta in terms of flavor and tenderness. For dessert, we got the banana foster and the gelato. Bother were good but i liked the banana foster better and the portion was better as well. The gelato portion is actually noticeably smaller than i imagined. Overall i was slightly let down by my dish but im definitely tempted to try something else and would come back.
(3)
Jim D.
FOOD WAS EXCEPTIONAL. Language barrier not helpful and the people there didn't seem to care much if I was there of not. I was with a large group, and I wanted Iced Coffee - so they wanted me to drag out the money out front even though it was included with out dinner and others got it no charge.. I would take someone here for dinner if I were in the area, but not a group.
(4)
Lucy D.
Pros Food: depending on what you order, their steaks are hella bomb. Their steaks are seasoned very nicely and garlicky, where there is absolute no need for A1 steak sauce or other condiments. Don't worry about the steak being dry because each steak is accompanied by plenty of sauce. Try their steak with a side order Vietnamese red rice or macaroni, it's just bomb. If it's your first time, get both the Vietnamese red rice and macaroni as your side items. Service: really nice people working that check up on to make sure you're okay. Cons: Seafood: One of my girlfriends that doesn't enjoy meat opted for their seafood entrees and after taking just a small bite, I can see why they are just known for their steaks.
(4)
Tiffany W.
I would say this is one of Milpitas' Best Restaurants! Everyone talks about it, and I finally had the chance to try it. $20 dollars can a person one nice delicious slab of meat. I ordered the mushroom steak with red rice. The mushrooms aren't bothersome either, they go really well with the steak hence the name. The steak comes out on a sizzling plate, and it's probably about 10 oz? It's not too big, but boy, does it have LOTS OF FLAVOR to it. It's enough to get me full, but not the boyfriend. Boyfriend got the peppered steak with macaroni, and it was definitely peppery with loads peppercorns on it. Meat wise, the steaks were juicy and tender, and you get to pick how well you want your meat done. I usually go for medium rare. Everything was delicious. However, I do prefer the macaroni over the red rice. The macaroni is with tomato sauce, and it's dry, but not in a bad way. It's not saucy, but the sauce covers all the macaroni, if that makes sense. I find that the red rice gets kinda of tiring half way through the meal. It's really good still, and there are no weird white clumps, lol. Either way, you would be happy with either one. There are other options instead of the macaroni or red rice, I believe there are also steak fries (the thicker fries), regular/white rice, and I don't remember the others. This meal did also come with a salad, and I don't know the name of the dressing, lol. It was good though. When you check in, you get a free drink! Service here was great. Our server was a sweet lady, and she was very accommodating to our needs. She also checked in on us every now and then, and suggested things to us incase we weren't satisfied. Chez Christina is actually a really good date place, hehe. The lights are dim, and the setting is adorable. I believe there's a flower on the table too. The table setting kind of reminded me of a scene you would see on a first date. They definitely stick to the French theme at this restaurant. There is always some melodic French music playing. I can't wait to come back, because I keep thinking about that steak!
(4)
Edison N.
This is a very simple Vietnamese restaurant. It's not one of those typical viet restaurant where they are only based on quantity over quality. Their services is pretty good and the lovely waitress usually checks up on us if we were doing well with our food. The only dish that I order here is the mushroom steak and Macaroni. The chef cook my steak just the way I like it.....medium rare and his marinating, definitely has a great amount of flavor. This is my second time coming here and they never disappoint me.
(4)
Jacqueline H.
This place is the best!!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! Today i came back after a while... And thank the lord I did! I got the the garlic cheese fondue, filet wrapped bacon with macaroni, and the nouc mam wings! All my cheese lovers - the garlic cheese fondue is a MUST TRY!!! Comes with toasted cubed steak and apples (apples sounds weird, but it's actually pretty good) Nouc mam wing - pretty decent! Better than all of the other places I've tried! Really crispy and well flavored! Filet wrapped bacon - I'm weird and I like my meat well done-ish, not too pink... I asked for medium and it was medium rare!!! So if you're a weirdo like me who likes their meat cooked I suggest you get medium well! The meat was soft and the sauce it's cooked in was sooooooo good!
(5)
Emily H.
This is one of my favorite restaurants. I'm a huge fan of vietnamese food and this place has never left me disappointed. I almost always get their lemongrass pork chop rice plate when I go. I like it so much I haven't really tried as many of their other dishes. Their curry chicken and potato is good as well. So are some of their other rice plates. Personally, service and decor aren't a big deal to me at restaurants, as long as the waiters aren't rude, the food doesn't take too long and the place is clean. I found Chez Christina's service just fine, and the waitress helping me has always been quite nice. Anyways, highly recommend this place. Their food is delicious and reasonably priced.
(5)
Bryan R.
Mmmm..., Mushroom Steak! Not saying it's the most prime of cuts, but the marinade, chunks o' garlic, aroma & presentation of the steak on a sizzling platter make for quite a magnificent site... The meal starts off with a chilled/fresh/crisp salad paired with their tasty vinaigrette dressing. Shortly afterwards, you'll hear the server coming from a mile away with a nice, juicy, sizzling steak. The mushroom steak here is quite good, though may want to ask to "hold the peppercorn" if you're not too big a fan. Reason being, it's not just sprinkled with peppercorn, it's practically coated... Made a rookie mistake on my first visit & though still enjoyable, I felt like I was playing operation trying to carefully extract peppercorn, without scraping off the precious seasoning & garlic. Mushrooms are very tender as well & quite generous. Perfect accompaniment to the steak along with the red rice (though macaroni is also an option if that's your thing). Whatever seasoning they use btw, I'm guessing could probably make an old shoe taste good... I've been here multiple times, each visit polishing off literally everything on the plates, salad, rice grains, gristle & all (dipped/soaked into the remaining marinade on the sizzling platter). Even ordered a fresh/warm side of french bread as well to soak up even more of the remaining sauce... Yes, It's quite addictive... Cà phê sua đá (Iced Coffee) is very good here as well & even better since it's DIY (my fave) with the french drip filter. I haven't tried any of the other items outside of the steak, though the sizzling steak platters are Chez Christina's signature dishes. As mentioned prior, if you're expecting a prime cut of beef with extensive fat marbling, you WILL be disappointed... If you however want to experience a very well prepared, Asian-style NY Steak done unlike anything you've ever had, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised...
(4)
Linda T.
The service was fantastic. Got us everything we need. On point. All four of us got the same thing mushroom pepper steak is was delicious. The escargot was not that great. Tasteless. The red rice and macaroni was bomb. I was so hungover needed some soup. So I ask for a cup of clear soup. Amazingly is was so good. I has to order another one. End my meal with guava gelato. Is wasn't what I expected. Is was on the very very sweet note. With mango sauce. Not my kinda thing.
(4)
Cheryl Y.
Great food! Surprising find! All the dishes we tried had extreme depth of flavor intricately plated by a talented Chef Christina. I will definitely be returning and recommending this place.
(5)
Tom S.
Nice little restaurant that serves that really ambiguous Vietnamese/French fusion cuisine that no one really knows about. It's like yeah people know about it, but when you ask them in depth about the origins and all they're all like "I don't know..." It's like why am I getting macaroni with my bo luc lac, that's not even really French that's like Italian actually. I mean it's good but what's going on? See what I mean? The ambiguity. The mushroom steak is pretty good, but the portion size leaves you wanting more. Couple of gripes I have is that the meat tends to come out couple notches more cooked than you requested. It's like embedded in Vietnamese-style cooking. Ask them for your meat to be rare, they'll probably manage to fuck it up to medium just because. I grew up eating at these kinds of establishments and I've observed this pattern all the damn time. If you like meat on the more rare side, you'd better clear that up with them. Although the place has been here for quite some time, I think it'd benefit them to refurnish and update the look of the place. It's not bad, but like I said it's that ambiguous Viet-French fusion cuisine (more Vietnamese though) and it could be hit or miss depending on your expectations.
(3)
Mark H.
Nice little restaurant had the pepper steak delicious comes on a sizzling platter friendly service very good will return many times
(5)
Kris I.
I'm so amazed that this place is still around! Chez Christina is definitely a little gem hidden away in Milpitas, with pretty good Vietnamese cuisine at a decent price. I remember going with here with my parents during my childhood and during a recent visit, I was happy to see it's still doing well and thriving. The mushroom steak is pretty good, and the fluffy french bread be overflowing.
(4)
Diana B.
two stars for effort. Minus 3 because the food was less than appetizing and the service was less than hospitable. The waitress never paid any attention to us when we needed refills on water, when we needed the check, or just to check on us. The food was poor in standards. I do not see the French anywhere in this whole restaurant. The steaks were soggy and not cooked very well. The well done and medium rare came out both squishy and smothered in large chunks of garlic and whole peppercorns....it was just a big disappointment and in my opinion, waste of hard earned money.
(2)
Good L.
I had the pepper steak, it was ok, and cooked just how I liked it (medium cook). Salad was good, and friendly customer service. Then again I can practically cook a rib eye steak much better :).
(3)
Rochelle E.
Chez Christina is our family favorite Vietnamese French Cuisine in Milpitas. You can dine in or take out, we usually order to go and eat at home. They have the fastest service!!! The inside is decorated with a sleek and classy feel to it and the hostess' are all super sweet! They have great customer service! The food; My favorite is the 16. Bun Thit Nuong Cha Gio- Rice noodle with grilled pork and imperial rolls, but instead of the pork I ask for grilled shrimp!!! It is so BOMB. COM - The imperial rolls are unique and unlike any other I have had. Crunchy on the outside, mouth watering on the inside. - shrimp is always awesome - fish sauce( I don't know if I am biased, but its my favorite) - rice noodles and veggies are always fresh * They serve large portions for the take out, my mom and I usually share one order and it is just right! I have also had friends rave about the mushroom steak and macaroni! They also have more pricey and classy food that I have heard is really awesome! Overall, Chez Christina is the perfect spot to get French Vietnamese food =)
(5)
Chuck N.
This place has one of the most unique part Vietnamese, part French dishes: filet mignon or mushroom steak over red rice. It's the must get dish. I've been here a bunch of times and nothing can top it. The red rice is the kicker, nobody else does it. It's a mix of tomatoes, ketchup, garlic and some other magic ingredients. If I could i'd eat this red rice or coconut rice with all my meals. The only reason it isn't 5 stars is the price is a bit high on some dishes, but the steak and red rice I mentioned above is well worth the price!
(4)
Suzanne V.
I just went here yesterday for a bday lunch. We tried a lot of different dishes and all of them were just ok,,, definitely not French or Vietnamese.
(2)
Cheryl N.
Great vietnamese style steaks on a sizzling skillet! Ive been going here for years and they have been consistently doing things right and no one else can compare!
(4)
Catherine T.
Mushroom steak with red rice - okay, not that great. That only waitress in the restaurant was nice and accommodating. Sweet lady. The owner is a stank-faced lady who seems like she has never been asked a question in her entire life. Completely took a good experience and made it go down the shithole. Not coming back.
(2)
Suzanne J.
Delicious Food, great service, clean beautiful relaxing restaurant! Our favorite is the Mushroom Steak and Chicken Chez Christina. Also had the sweet and sour shrimp soup, perfect for cold weather, and sizzling beef platter. . For dessert, had the mango Panna cotta, so refreshing and perfect tartness, boyfriend had the chocolate gelato cake (forgot the name, but it's the last one on the dessert menu), it was decadent!! This restaurant is a hidden gem near my house. My favorite go-to spot for delicious food and awesome atmosphere!
(5)
Allen C.
We came on Valentine's day without a reservation. Luckily, the wait was only about 20 minutes. The servers were doing their best to handle the crowds. They had two escargot items on the menu. We opted to try the one with ginger fish sauce just to break out of the norm. We were surprised to see a plate of meatballs when the escargot arrived. What a let down. Not only was the flavor missing, there were chewy bits in very bite. On the other hand, the short ribs were brilliantly marinated. Unfortunately, every piece had a fatty and sinewy part attached to it. So, only half was edible. The Cordon Bleu looked and tasted like it was the same recipe from the 70's. There may be other really good dishes but, we were really hoping they would have updated the food for the palate of today's patron.
(3)
Kelly T.
This place is pretty standard when it comes to their sizzling steak platter. It's accompanied by mushrooms, a salad, and either red rice or red pasta. It's good but nothing spectacular. And over the years, the price has increased. Don't expect too much when it comes to the service.
(3)
Angela C.
This Vietnamese-French restaurant wasn't "all that". I've had better... way better... I've heard so many good things about this place so my boyfriend and I wanted to try it out. It was really disappointing. The egg rolls were okay but I wasn't satisfied by the taste. The fish sauce chicken wings were flavorful and crispy so I definitely enjoyed this the most. The bacon wrapped filet mignon was a little overcooked from what we asked. I think it was overcooked only because it came out on a sizzling plate and so it continued to cook at our table. The string that wraps the bacon around the filet mignon was still there and we were surprised to find it because every other place I've been to, takes the string off before serving the food. The red garlic rice was decent. I've had better red garlic rice from Pho Cong Ly. The banh canh cua was awfully oily and plain. The soup was bland, no real taste to it. The bowl offered tons of noodles, two shrimps and one crab claw. It was a complete waste of money. Lastly we had to order dessert. We ordered the banana foster which is fried rum banana over vanilla ice cream. This was actually really good. So simple yet so satisfying. The banana was so ripe and so sweet. The banana and rum sauce oozed over the vanilla ice cream and it was all delicious! I probably won't be coming back here because I wasn't at all pleased with my entrees. If I do ever decide to come back, it'll be for the banana foster dessert.
(2)
Loan N.
This place is very interesting. It's almost a hole in the wall that gives you a feeling of old school cafe. They present things in a romantic way but it's just not right. My first here two years ago with a friend. She was very excited of telling me about this place. I think I had the mushroom steak. The steak was well seasoned, although you can tell the taste is Vietnamese. It comes with a side of salad, and choice of fries, red rice or macaroni. I picked red macaroni, and it was great. The salad was just a plate of Costco mixed greens, and the dressing is just probably Kraft vinaigrette, nothing special. My boyfriend got the lamb. It was a little burnt, but still edible. The seasoning and the cut were alright. We also got the squid salad as an appetizer, which I thought was a little expensive for the price and the portion. Overall, this place is nothing special. I have had better. If I was in the area, I would come but definitely, I wouldn't go out of my way just to come here. P.S: If you check in on yelp, you get a free soft drink.
(3)
Angeline H.
Cut to the chase: Ordered the Mushroom steak w/ red pasta & Peppercorn Steak w/ red rice. Super juicy and tender. I HIGHLY and I mean listen to what I say kinda thing, suggest that you order your meat one level on the rare side than you normally eat because it comes on a sizzling plate which will cook it even more. I ordered my steak Med Rare and it came out sizzling but by the time I started knifing it to eat, it was more medium well. My buddy had his done Medium and it ended up being a well done steak after the sizzle went away. The mushrooms were so delicious. Plenty on my plate and it's a good thing my friend doesn't like mushrooms because I don't like to share! The red rice and pasta was ordinary. Nothing amazing and not that great but edible to finish halfway to say the least. I would definitly come back. Steaks were $16 a pop which includes your choice of side and a small salad.
(4)
Jessica H.
Very reasonable pricing for the quality of food you get! I love ordering either the pepper steak or cornish hen here. Entrees come with a small salad that I am guilty of drowning with dressing. The dressing is just so tasty I can't help it. The hen is so crisp and flavorful that I'm amazed it could ever be this delicious. A bit messy to eat due to it being a whole hen with bones and all, but never a regrettable experience. The steak comes out on a sizzling platter. I enjoy getting the red rice with it, as it accompanies the steak sauce really well. I believe each dinner entree comes to under $20, which is awesome for the quality of food you get. I wish more people knew about this place, as it truly is a very unique, delicious, and reasonable treat. They offer special lunch pricing that makes for a great lunch experience too. The only reason for a 4-star rating is that the decor does not match the taste. This place will totally look like a hole-in-the-wall outdated joint, but do not let that turn you away! DELICIOUSS french-styled Vietnamese dishes for very reasonable prices!!
(4)
Desmond F.
Came in with some friends and had the Chicken cordon bleu. Wasn't expecting much but decided to try see how well the French portion of the cooking was seeing how the proprietors were primarily Vietnamese. Not bad, but nothing mind blowing either. Friends who had the mushroom steak felt similarly about the place, not bad, but nothing special. The chocolate coffee truffle ice cream was pretty good.
(3)
mong linh n.
heard so many great reviews about this place over the years... been meaning to check it out, but for whatever reason never got to try it up until last night! i had the mushroom steak med/rare w/red rice. the bf had it with the pasta so i was able to try that as well. i'd like it to be a little more rare. guess it cooked a lot more as it comes out on a sizzle plate. next time, ill order it a little more raw. anyway, this isn't a place with the greatest quality steak. it was obviously chewy, but the flavors were great. the delectable sauce it comes in makes the low quality steak a whole lot better. plenty of sauce on that platter. you could probably order an additional bread to soak up all that goodness. not too bad of prices either. think it was 15? maybe ill try the filet mignon here next time...service was outstanding as well.
(4)
Yao Z.
I tried the red rice and the famous mushroom steak. It wasn't wowing. The Sizzling steak with mushroom and heavy garlic sauce give it a good aroma but it lacked taste once you bite into it. In my pinion, if the steak can be aged and marinated a bit more with less intense butter mushroom sauce, it would be a better dish.
(3)
Renee M.
We went there for Valentine's Day dinner and were disappointed that none of their Vietnamese specials were offered. We haven't been there for quite a while so not sure if something has changed. The food was ok but nothing spectacular.
(3)
Michelle R.
Writing this as I'm leaving the restaurant. The New York steak here w French bread is bomb, I like it better the steak with nui. Don't be mistaken and get the 46, get the 78 with the sizzling plate, you're welcome. A must try!! And people are so nice here.
(5)
Nancy K.
Came here last weekend... Ordered the NY mushroom steak with red rice. The steak and mushrooms are served on a sizzling platter and the rice is served shortly after. Steak was flavored very well and the poration size was good. The rice was also well flavored, but it wasn't served nearly as hot as the steak. Other than that... I wouldn't mind coming back again.
(4)
Joe N.
This Vietnamese/French restaurant has been around for as long as I could remember, and I have been here numerous times for birthdays, celebrations, lunch dates, or even for no reason at all except being hungry. 9 times out of 10, I order the mushroom steak which comes out on a sizzling hot platter along with a salad and you could choose either macaroni, red or white rice, or french bread. I've tried other things such as the noodle soups and chicken and salmon entrees, and they were all delicious, but if it's your first time, you gotta try their sizzling steak.
(4)
An N.
I have been here a couple times with my girlfriends, it's a good place to have big parties. The steaks here are pretty good and flavorful. They come out on a sizzling plate. You get a choice when you order the steak of the side you want, you can choose either red rice, macaroni or french fries. The cheese fondue is really good. Even though it may seem like a small place but it is actually pretty huge, they got rooms in the back for private parties or for just big parties.
(4)
Ro P.
Love this place! Second time. But only had dessert today. My gf order it for me. Not sure what it was called but it was very good!
(5)
Joz T.
This used to be a childhood favorite, but as a grow older I find it rare that I return. I'm not sure if I've become pickier, or the quality has diminished. I always order my steak medium rare on the sizzling plate with break and pasta. The past 3 times I have gone here, they have ran out of bread. I don't even eat late! I'm usually there at 6:30. How do you run out of bread?! Make more! My steak is ALWAYS overcooked. I ask for medium rare and always receive a well done piece of steak. The aroma of the sizzling meat smells great, but it's so chewy. It's not worth the drive from San Jose in my opinion. I rather eat home made steak.
(1)
R V.
I was introduced to Chez Christina by one of my bestie. I was hooked on how flavorful their red rice was and their mushroom & steak. I came 2 out of 2 times and still have no clue why its so empty every time i come. Kinna awkward. Every entree you order it comes with a side of salad and their own unique dressing. I am guilty of drowning the dressing all the time =X Their Ca Nuong was actually pretty good, The slice of fish was just enough for 1 person and it comes with all the veggies you need. What they didn't have was mam nem which i thought was odd, maybe cause of the smell? But their vinaigrette dressing wasn't so bad either. It was more on the plain side. Bo luc lac does come w/ rice so you would have to order that additionally.
(4)
Holly V.
you know i heard soo many things about this place that i didnt think i would want to try it. my friend invited me to eat here yesterday.. man! how i regret not knowing this before! the mushroom steak is soooo good drenched in the garlic sauce.. yummy in my tummy. they even have their own house dressing which looks like italian dressing. the ladies walking around serving us were very nice and polite too. chez christina.. you won my heart :)
(5)
Karen M.
I've been here twice now and the filet mignon (medium rare, with red rice) is pretty amazing. Hot, sizzling tender steak with mushrooms and peppercorns, and that delicious red rice! :) Their salad dressing is also a winner. However, I think it's a bit pricey. My filet mignon came out to almost $30. Also, the service and ambiance could be much improved. It's a dark, mostly empty restaurant with framed dollar bills and dollar bills hanging from a plant. When we asked the waitress to split our bill, she didn't give us separate receipts or anything-- she just walked up to each us and told us what we owed. Then, she ended up charging the wrong meal on the wrong card, so so one person ended up being charged $10 extra than the meal she ordered. The lady didn't do anything about it, and just told my other friend to pay $10 to the person whose card got overcharged. Overall, good food, but bad service.
(3)
Tutu B.
A little overpriced but their service is so worth it. You'd don't have any attractive waiters or waitresses but the rather older people. They're so considerate and sweet that it makes you want to each everything they have to other! Their food is a hit or miss, mushroom steak is awesome as well as shaken beef, however teriyaki chicken is something to avoid.. Unless you're into that healthy thing that has no seasoning whatsoever.
(5)
Cynthia A.
First time here and it was OK. Not good..not bad. Walked in around 6:30 on a Sat night and less then half of the restaurant was occupied. Took a bit to get service. I wasnt expecting too much in that department anyways because well it is a vietnamese establishment. No offense of course but you know what I mean. Anyways, we ordered the asparagas, crab,shark fin soup. Typical soup. If youve ever had this, its really hard to mess up. New york mushroom steak with the red rice. That was ok, mushrooms were a bit undercooked. Vietnamese shaking beef with red rice. This was ok too, nothing special. Tamarind shrimp with white rice. I liked this dish. Thought it was flavorful. I thought it was better then their beef dishes. Bill came out to about $60 plus I tipped 15%. Would I come again? Probably not. Vung Tau has the same dishes for the same price but executed better. 3 stars
(3)
Michael D.
Had an awesome sizzling garlic and mushroom steak on a cast iron skillet. Service was the best I've had in Northern Cali. They try hard here and it shows. Hidden gem on the back streets of Milpitas!
(5)
Sharon W.
I have seen this place around for years, but have never eaten here until a close friend brought me here. We checked in on yelp, and there was a coupon for a free soda. We showed this to the waiter but the free beverage was never brought out to our table. (-1 star) We started with the escargot (baked and Served with Ginger Sauce) which was delicious! My 2 friends ordered the Mushroom Steak, and I ordered the Bo Luc Lac. We all had the Fried rice, which I usually call red rice. This is white rice which is sauteed with garlic, butter, tomato paste. This meal was satisfying but my only complaint is the portions are a little small. I will be back again!
(4)
Jennifer N.
Came here for lunch with a friend and found a piece of wire/foil (it's the piece where you rip off an unopened bottle or container) was in my salad. Told my waiter- and only received an apology. I'm sorry but I almost put that in my mouth!!!! And that's all I get? Goodbye Chez Christina....
4 for food it was pretty good but there was mostly one server for all tables which made it a little slow but overall I was happy with the place
(4)
Roselina R.
It just gets better every time. We tried the **Cheese and Garlic Fondue** appetizer, and OMG . . . heaven. My BF wanted to try it, and I wasn't expecting much, but we absolutely loved it! Wonderful cheesy flavor coupled with a subtle taste of garlic. The bread and apple slices that come with it are perfect with the fondue. This time around I tried the **Korean Short Ribs**. it was good, but slightly too sweet/tangy for me. My BF ordered the **New York Steak w/ French Bread**. It was very juicy and he thought it was great. He likes to dip his bread into the juices and this was the perfect dish to do so. Definitely a great spot to try!
(4)
Ajoni R.
The food here is ALWAYS amazing. The fondue is SOOOOO good. It's definitely something I crave frequently. Their house dressing is my absolute favorite.
This place was alright. They give you a salad in the beginning with only a few pieces of lettuce. I ordered the mushroom steak and tried the red macaroni and the red rice. The steak had a weird texture it didn't taste like real steak it almost had the same texture as chicken which really weirded me out. Plus you have to be careful eating the steak because you might get chunks of the un-ground pepper. The rice and macaroni was pretty dry as if it had been made a few days before and re-heated a few times. The only good thing about this place was the service. Not sure if I'll try this place out again.
(2)
Dung N.
3.5 STARS Everyone and their moms have been talking about this place and their item of choice is the mushroom steak. I got to pick the place for lunch so I decided to come by. The ambiance is in between your regular Vietnamese establishment and a fusion type restaurant. Their service is definitely more attentive than your typical Vietnamese restaurant and way more polite. To start, we ordered the escargot cooked with a ginger sauce. This was OK. Good to try but probably not something I'd order again. Escargot is great steamed and paired with the right dipping sauce. I just wasn't a huge fan of how it was done here but I did enjoy dipping my bread into it. At last, the mushroom steak. I ordered my piece of meat, medium rare and it came out just like I'd asked. The steak was juicy and flavorful, and for the price, there's really nothing to complain about.
(3)
Minh V.
Atmosphere is warm and cozy with the low light at night. Service is good. Waiters are attentive. Unfortunately, the food is just average. The location is also kinda off. It's tucked away in a small, old plaza that when you drive by you just don't expect there'd be food in there. The restaurant's name doesn't help either. I had the Hu Tieu Ba Nam Sa Dec and it was ok. My dad had the special, Mushroom Steak upon the waiter's recommendation. The cut of the meat was just not of very good quality. Though it was pretty well seasoned and they got medium-rare cooked right. My brother had the Macaroni Steak (Nui Steak), the macaroni was cold. I'm willing to come back to try something else since it's so close to my place. The food, by all mean, is pretty decent for the fairly cheap price.
(3)
Jerry M.
I went here with my friend of a work break and had the 'Peppercorn Steak' with a side-dish of macaroni. I have had better steaks in the past but for a Vietnamese restaurant, it was good. I had mine cooked medium-rare and the taste was perfect. It came out sizzling, and looked really good. And it did turn out to be good. The service there was fair. I wouldn't say it is the best. To me, they seem like they are in a rush with taking your order. But overall, they were friendly. It did take a while to for them to cook and serve my meal. The restaurant has a nice and cozy feeling. It would be a good place to get a quick lunch. It wouldn't be a place to have private meetings or anything. The tables are covered with butcher paper. The place has a fancy name, but not so fancy at some parts. & The parking is not bad, it has a lot. Nothing fancy about this place, but like I said, it's a good place to grab some lunch. I did notice that after eating from this place, you will leave smelling like food. It has never happened before when I went other places. When I left from this place, I smelled like steak for the rest of the night. My friend even had a order for take out, and when he arrived home and checked it, they gave us the wrong order. He ordered the banana foster and instead, they gave him roasted quail. Overall... Pros+: 1. Good Food 2. Good place for lunch 3. Price is good. (Compared to other restaurants) Cons-: 1. Service is slow and takes a while until you receive your order 2. Not a lot of privacy at the table. 3. For whatever strange reason, you will leave smelling like steak ( If you order steak) 4. They need to pay attention more on the customer. Maybe then they will get the correct order for my friend when he ordered take-out. -- Chez Christina is definitely a place I would come back and eat, however I wish they improve on a few things.
(4)
Jay H.
Ate lunch there and it was very tasty. I had the chicken skewers with the peanut sauce and it was amazing. Tried the short ribs and mushroom steak and they were fantastic too. Good service and a very clean restaurant made for a great meal.
(5)
Steven N.
This place makes the best steaks in the Bay Area for under $20 dollars! I am amazed that this place is so empty b/c their steak is so delicious and at a very reasonable price. There most popular dish is the sizzling steak dish so I just had to give it a try. I got the sizzling steak dish with mushrooms and side of red noodles! The steak was cooked perfectly to a medium rare and there is a special sauce poured on top of the steak that makes your mouth water. The special sauce has bits and pieces of garlic in it. Mushrooms are the best choice with the steak b/c not only does it compliment the steak, but they also give you a lot of mushrooms! Once I got it with the bellpepper and they literally just gave me 1 slice of bellpepper so mushroom is the way to go! The Red noodles are my personal favorite, but I see many people order the sizzling steak with french bread as well so you can dip the french bread into the sauce. In additional to the steak they give you a small side salad with a house made dressing which is delicious! I always end up using a lot of dressing b/c it is very savory and stimulates my appetite. Only downside of this place is the service, but I guess most asian places don't have good service so I wouldn't let the bad service deter you away from a great steak!
(5)
Thomas C.
I hate to give a bad review, and I really wanted to like this place. I was so excited to try this "upscale-ish" Vietnamese restaurant but was totally disappointed. Nothing really special about the food here. Service was sub-par and maybe language barrier caused orders to be wrong amongst a party of 8. On top of that, found a strand of hair in my red rice (and I love rice). They replaced it, but by then damage has been done. The steak I had was okay, but nothing special. Something I could prepare myself had home. I probably wouldn't make an effort to go back especially when there are so many good spots to eat out here. Hate writing these and maybe it was just one bad experience... I always say to try it for yourself. Cheers, -T-Chung
(2)
Jon W.
Went back again and they definitely upped their steak game. Hole in the wall treasure!! Service is as always impeccable.
(5)
Rainman J.
Come here for the food not the service The food here is real deal Vietnamese and frankly if you've ever been to Vietnam so is the service. The owner should just remove the non-vietnamese dishes from the menu (except for the steaks) The good: Pretty much every Vietnamese item on the menu is tasty The bad: The service is not that great The side salad served with the steaks is kind of lame Desserts are terrible If you want a better tasting fresher alternative to 'Vung Tau' this is the place If you're expecting upscale Vietnamese - keep looking
(4)
Lily D.
Love love love their mushroom steak with macaroni !! ;D and their homemade salad dressing is soooooo bomb. I use half the bottle when I'm here haha ;X
(5)
Betty A.
Steak for lunch? Oh yeah! I was recovering from a recent surgery and needed extra iron. We ordered the mushroom steak as other yelpers have recommended. The steak was cook a perfect medium and the sauce tasted amazing! My suggestion will be asking for an extra plate to avoid the sizzling plate over cooking the steak if you are sharing. We also had the combination vermicelli and enjoyed it very much. Price was reasonable. Definitely will come back again to try other dishes. Service was excellent too.
(5)
Colleen C.
I'm giving 3 stars for my sizzling steak and red rice. I really enjoyed my meal. My hubby on the other hand ordered a hieu tieu nam vang I think and he said that it wasn't great and the side veggies that came with it were all wilted especially the cilantro it was brown around the edges (gross).
(3)
benji b.
I had the mushroom streak; this seemed to be a really popular dish here as i looked around to see what everyone else is having. My bf had the filet minion wrapped in bacon; this was cooked in a similar fashion as mine on a hot plate. each entree came with a salad and your choice of plain rice, red rice or red macaroni. Everything was delish. The service was good; the restaurant needs to be updated but it was clean at least.
(5)
Thao T.
Anh's family owns this place and the Phu with a review below me is my friend. The Vietnamese food I had was good. It was as if Mom made it, and Mom's cooking is great. I'm not a big fan of steak but I'm sure I'm missing out on their famed New York Steak. I haven't been back since they began to remodel so I don't know what this place currently looks like. It's about time I go back! ...and Anh's Mom is cute and stuff.
(4)
John Y.
Oh my... the Pepper Steak is too die for. I order a couple of Saigon beers and hit that steak as the sizzling platter keeps it piping hot for the duration of the meal. Order it medium rare and they'll cook it to perfection. But don't wait to dig in cause that plate will take it to medium/medium-well pretty quickly. I'd give it a 5, but the atmosphere/decoration leaves a little to be desired.
(4)
tony b.
Great food and our waiter Huy was the best! Highly recommended!
(5)
Isaiah N.
Vietnamese cuisine with a French twist? Yeah, I was a little skeptical of that claim, so I had to try out this restaurant for myself. I went to this place with some family members as part of an important occasion. One of them had this place in mind, so we went in and ordered whatever we wanted. I got item #80, a filet mignon with mushrooms. A salad was included, and the choice of sides included either steamed rice, red rice (sort of like a fried rice), macaroni, or French bread. I also got the lychee drink. While the drink tasted like canned lychees in syrup with ice (come to think of it, that's what it actually was, given how difficult it is to find fresh lychees here in the US), the filet was AWESOME. They served it, along with the mushrooms, on a sizzling plate, and both items tasted great! The steak had peppercorns and garlic on top along with some type of brown sauce. Must be the butter as well, given the French influences. That same item in a regular American steakhouse could easily cost $50 or more. I also got the French bread as my side...mmm, tastes freshly baked and goes great with butter. Given the size of the bread, I shared it with the rest of my family. Everything served here is in a reasonable price range (mostly under $17). The other members of my family tried fresh rolls, crab claws, chicken with broccoli, and seafood kabobs. I was able to try out the first two items (appetizers), which all tasted great and was a delight to eat. Service was prompt and friendly to us as well, making it a great experience. So, would I recommend this place to anyone looking for great fancy food at a good price? Absolutely 100 percent YES! :) Get the filet mignon if you can (or if you can't afford that because of the economic times, get the New York steak or other beef dish). If you're not a big beef fan, the other choices are good too.
(4)
Dan H.
The place is kinda tucked away near Golf Land and not flashy at all. I live less than a quarter mile from the place and didn't know about it till I saw it on yelp. Saw all the good reviews for the mushroom steak so I had to try it. The steak comes in a sizzling plate with mushrooms and its sauce/marinade over it. Not really like a traditional American steak if that makes sense. I also tried my GF's korean BBQ and it was great as well. Definitely will come back to this place again.
(4)
kenneth y.
I'd have to agree with other Yelpers that for the under $20 price range, you can't get a better steak. Their mushroom steak is a suculent cut of New York / filet that is served to you on a sizzling hot plate. Their french onion soup is also chock full of gooey cheesy goodness at the bottom that sticks to your belly like glue. Even their seafood skewers are decently sized and is packed with a good grilled flavor - just enough to know it's been grilled, but not overpowering. One thing I don't like bout the place though is the decor. It may have been trendy for the 80s when Chez Christina opened, but the black and white tiles with the office building ceiling is just really tacky. It's time for a remodel. Bottom line is that they have really good French/ Vietnamese food, but when I go back I am defeintely going to have to take my food to go.
(4)
Emily D.
They have the best mushroom steak and red rice. One of my favorite restaurants.
(5)
Nelitta C.
Their exceptional customer service and attentiveness never fails!!! My favorite dish: #78: New York steak and mushrooms :) The steak comes out sizziling on a skillet topped with fresh crushed garlic, peppercorn and mushroom slices!!! Yummy!!! For a side: I would recommend their red rice. Idk if it brings me back to my childhood of eating my white rice with ketchup, lol, but it's quite tasty!
(5)
Katherine L.
3.5 stars Everytime I come through, it's always empty, and I don't understand why, considering the food is pretty decent. They have a lot of options on their menu, from traditional Vietnamese dishes to French dishes to French inspired Vietnamese dishes. I always order the mushroom steak. All their steaks some on a sizzling plate, so order one level rarer than you would normally prefer, as the meat continues to cook as you eat. It comes in a steak sauce that could be more flavorful than it is and a handful of mushrooms and more whole peppercorns than I care to have. All steak entrees also come with a side of salad and either rice, steak fries, macaroni noodles, or bread. Considering all of this, it's definitely worth the price. Service is meh. They are neither super attentive or complete jerks. Despite the fact that this restaurant doesn't wow me in any way, I find that I do continue to come back every so often so I guess it's worth a try, you might like it, lol.
(3)
Jamie Y.
Was looking for a vietnamese cuisine that is different from the typical restaurants in San Jose. I went along and ordered the garlic mushroom steak with a macaroni salad. Glad to say I came here because they made it fresh sizzling hot, and plus the steak was pretty big!
(4)
DEE N.
yelp had a "check in here - get 1 free soda/drink" i did just that and i told the waiter when he was about to bring me my bill, he said it wouldn't apply because i didn't notify him of it in the beginning when i placed my food&drink order. Which i did tell him and showed him when i placed the order with him but his english wasn't great so he didn't get what i was saying or showing him. When he told the lady to come talk to to me she explained that i was suppose to show him and tell him prior to placing my order. Again, i explained to her i did and my boyfriend was sitting across the table from me was vouching that we did but he didn't understand it. she said "ill make the exception this time.." which is bullshit because its your deal with YELP, if we check in and we show you prior to placing our order AND prior to us requesting the check/bill.. how is it making an exception? I told my BF that we were never coming back after the crappy service. also, when we requested the bill.. i was still eating my entree, and my bf was done.. the server started to take away his finished plates and asked if i was done, i said "still working on mine. thank you" and as i continued to talk to my bf , he then took my plates even AFTER i said "still working on mine, thank you".. english isnt his first language.. and after the whole fiasco, we walked out feeling like this restaurant was crappy with crappy people and service. I'm never coming back.
(1)
Tony T.
The quality of the New York steak seems to go down pretty badly now. First of all, it gets thinner and it doesn't look like fresh anymore. I always order mine as medium rare but the last time it came almost well done. The meat is not juicy anymore and it taste funny. Looks like the raised the price to $16 a piece but the quality is not getting better. I wouldn't recommend this place anymore if they plan to cut cost.
(2)
Landon N.
I think this is a decent place for Vietnamese/French cuisine. However, I prefer authentic Vietnamese or authentic French so my review might be bias. Mushroom Steak - The steak was too thin to make it medium so recommend asking for rare if you actually prefer medium. If you like your steak with rice then the heavy sauce would work great. Would probably not go back for the steak again but willing to try other items. Good for large groups or birthday gatherings.
(3)
Celly R.
Chez Christina was a nice surprise. My family and I were in the area when we came across this restaurant. We were so hungry and Yelped this place since we do not live in the area. The service was friendly and helpful. The restaurant was very spacious, which is good for groups. The menu was nicely detailed and made all dishes sound appealing. It was reasonably priced for the big portions given. I highly recommend the following: Imperial rolls, chicken wings, onion rolled beef/battered shrimp over red rice, grilled pork with rice noodles...the short ribs over rice...All the food was delicious. We'll definitely come back if we do come back to Milpitas.
(5)
Jeffrey M.
I go here almost once a week because I love the Lemon Grass BBQ chicken. The chicken is so moist and flavorful. When I do go, the place doesn't seem to be busy only a handful of patrons eating. I'll be trying something else in the near future and update my review.
(4)
Micah Anne M.
Went here a couple nights ago with my bf and it was pretty empty. We were the only ones there when we walked in but then a few more people came in after us. We decided to get the mushroom steak since it seemed like it was a popular choice and also ordered chicken with red rice. We got our food quick so that was a plus. The steak came out on a hot sizzling plate and MMM it looked so tasty! When I took a bite it was actually quite disappointing.. The steak was thin, very chewy, and kinda fatty - let's just say I've had had better steak at home! No wonder why it was so cheap. The mushrooms and sauce on it was ok. It was just the kind of meat that I didn't really like. The chicken and red rice was good though. Service, not so great. We got seated at a table with two seats which looked too small so we decided to do what the couple two tables down did. They probably thought it also was small and went for the table with four seats. The waiter came back to see that we moved and kinda just shrugged. He said he was worried about not having a table for a group of four. But we didn't think it mattered since there was a lot more seats in the room left. Eventually four people did come in, then the waiter made a comment and was just straight up rude about it! EHHH not so sure I wanna come back, it was more like a one time thing!
(3)
Nancy O.
yummmmm
(4)
allan s.
Place is amazing! =) its a hidden gem in Milpitas. The owners of this place are really nice and friendly. The food is super delicious! =) i ordered the number 29 today and it was soooo good! I have been here a few times and the one thing i love about this place is the consistent great food and customer service, the food is always fresh no matter what you order and always taste amazing! Thank you again and i'll be back soon!
(5)
Vivi V.
First of all, if you wanted to go here for a date, you better blindfold your girl until inside. The outside looks so sad and depressing but the interior is quite clean and almost romantic. I was disappointed. My dad loved this place over BoTown when he was alive, but I think there were many changes over the years. My family ordered each of the steaks; with red rice, mushrooms, macaroni. I ordered medium-raw. The first thing i noticed was the portion. There was little rice and the steak was small and thin. When i cut into it; it was a cute pink but after 5 mins it became "well done". The first bite was an explosion of garlic. Other than that it was okay. Until I reached the middle. The disappointing steak was burnt bitter. It was the same for the other steaks. Bitter and full of chopped up garlic. I would not pay $11 for this 1/5 star steak. In the pictures, the steaks look better, Thicker and Bigger. That looks a lot better than what my family was served, but unfortunately we had about 3/4 of that size. I`m sorry I didn`t take any pictures; I honestly wanted to love this place. I also ordered a thai tea. It was wonderful. Other places ruined it by putting too much sweetener. Thai tea here is much more flavorful in terms of tea. I love tea and I'll give it a 4/5. It's $3.50 and I think its worth it. According to my sister, the coconut juice there was good as well, sweet, and looked more appealing as it wasn't cloudy like some other places we`ve been to. They gave us a small plate of salad and dressing in a really cute pitcher. Your female friends would love it. The salad was small too, but tasty. I especially liked the tomato---crisp and yummy with a sweet taste to it. I normally toss out tomatoes in salad because of their wet slimy feel. However, they only gave us one slice of tomato with about half a handful of lettuce. Little..so I considered it as an appetizer. The waiter was a bit depressing. No smile; just took out order and left. I was expecting a bit more cause the restaurant was EMPTY when we arrived. Another family arrived afterwards but that was it. The waiter was polite despite his sad anti-social first impression, 3/5 im sorry for judging you. This place would get a 1 because I was really looking forward to the STEAK; but its nice-cozy interior, delicious tea, and super cute dressing pitcher raised it by one. I'm sorry everyone else who once knew Cristina's. This places standards have dropped. I expected much more from here. I mean seriously? 5 chances to cook a steak right and all of them turned into well-done and even burnt? That doesn`t make sense to me.
(2)
Mimi T.
Mushroom Steak! One of my favorite places to go for steak. I recommend this place to everyone actually, or else i'd take them there myself. Their service is a 5 stars alone. It's a homey restaurant with really good food. Their steaks come with a salad and their homemade dressing. yummm! its a MUST TRY place. :)
(5)
Allison C.
We came here because a coworker said the steak was the dish to get, and we wanted to try a new Vietnamese place. Let's just say the photos on this yelp of the place makes it look nice and modern. However, the place is a little run down but its looks cleaner the other places. The food was okay, not that great. As we were waiting for our food another table got their order of "sizzling" steak. Wow, that looked and sounded so good. But as we watched it looked like the steak was difficult to cut, at the time we just thought that the person did not know how to cut into meat. GOOD: BUN CHA - the meat was nicely marinated and grilled, had a nice smoky flavor. Just a little concerned with a slight sour taste in the meat, don't now if it was from the marinate or chili sauce was included in the dish. OKAY: PEPPERCORN STEAK - when the steak came out the plate was not "sizzling", the color on it was "gray" they did not sire it. It was cooked at the right temp of medium rare. So our guess is that the pan was not hot enough. The meat was a bit tough, not one of the better cuts of meat, maybe equal to a Safeway level of "Select" meat. SAD: NOODLES WITH SHRIMP AND CRAB - there were 3 shrimps and 1 small claw from a poor baby crab. The amount of noodles was not that much either, it just had a lot of broth to make it seem like more. I would have given them 3 stars, but the service was very poor. Once they served the dishes they never came back. We had to walk over and get our missing utensils and go thirsty without refills of water. But a good thing is they accept Credit Cards.
(2)
Lyn C.
Who knew that across the street from Golfland would be a HELLA ELEGANT restaurant?! Very fancy French-Viet place with good food. We came for the sizzling plate of steak & mushrooms, but I ended up just getting shrimp & beef. It came with the special red rice (not mexican rice lol) and an egg roll. Everything was very filling. I wouldn't get the same order next time because I'd want to try out the other foods they have to offer. I had some of the steak and I do recommend ordering it medium rare (maybe even rare?) cause it will cook more on the plate when they bring it out. Check in and get a free drink. Yeee! Free tea ftw!
(4)
Brittany B.
A great place to have big party's. they have a room in the back that can hold at least 25-30 people. Good quality food. The escargot is tasty. I usually order the filet mignon wrapped with bacon or the steak with mushrooms. Both are delightful. Customer service is good.
(4)
Hoai C.
I have not been to this restaurant for close to 20 years. Decided to give it a try again this past weekend because of a friend's recommendation and because of the good reviews on Yelp. The restaurant has been remodeled since I was there last. It is bigger and lighter. But the decor is STRANGE. It is not Vietnamese and not French. I believe that the owner wanted to make it look hip by adding colorful lamp shades and vases. To me the effect is not hip, just strange. The food is just so so and a little over priced. -Squid salad: Just OK- -Steak with mushroom: big disappointment. Nothing to write home about. Lots of fat and not that flavorful. -Hu tieu ba nam sa det: bland -Cornish hen: bland - Banana Foster - pleasant
(2)
Jenny Y.
I can't even remember when I started coming here because it's been SO long. This place has been around for many years and 'til this day, the 'com steak' is still as good as I remember. Dishes I would really recommend are : 1.Steak with red rice 2.Steak with mushrooms 3.Steak with french bread ^I give all three of those dishes 5 stars. The salad dressing is super good - I always have to drench my salad in the vinaigrette, which is not a smart idea considering dressings are high calorie based. The red rice is a must-try, it's packed with tomato flavor. The steak has a lot of flavor and the sauce with it is REALLY good. Not to mention, the sauce from the steak makes the red rice taste even better! Since this restaurant is aging, so are their decor. Although it's not too shabby, it's still a nice place for lunch or dinner. Cheap too! $10.95(lunch) for steak? Not bad! I'll continue being a regular here for sure, I just hope they will never disappoint.
(4)
Tuyet N.
3.5 stars I came here with three other friends. Our order was: 3 Mushroom Steak & 1 Teriyaki Steak w/ Red Rice. Only one of the four steaks was cooked the way it was ordered. The other three were overlooked. I always enjoy the salad here because it's fresh, the red rice is good, & the server was nice.
(3)
Joanna Q.
This restaurant is located in a plaza with not really much else. They was only one other business opened when we came here for dinner on at Saturday night. I been here a few times and must admit their sizzling mushroom steak and red rice is pretty solid! I ordered a medium rare steak and it came out perfectly - juicy and flavorful. I also like the salad dressing they had for the salad. Not sure if it's it homemade, but it was pretty tasty. The escargot that we ordered as an appetizer, however, were not so good. The sauce was fine, but when I bit into the actual escargot I got a nice mouthful of sand! It was kind of disgusting. Overall, the family enjoyed their food and the staff was friendly so maybe it was just a fluke that we had a bad experience with the escargot. | would definitely return for the steak, but will stay away from the escargot next time!
(4)
Angelic L.
I finally got a chance to come to Chez Christina with my wonderful friends, Katherine L. and Johnny N to celebrate some birthdays! The food was good, and the service was great. Our server was extremely friendly and attentive. I just wish she picked a better appetizer for us when we told her to surprise us. She chose a fried chicken appetizer, and it smelled awesome. For some weird reason though, it tasted like nothing. I think it was supposed to be one of the house specials, so that was pretty much a let down. Everyone in our party had mushroom steaks with either red rice or macaroni. I normally like to eat my steaks medium, but knowing that the steak comes out on a sizzling plate, I went with medium rare, and I'm glad I did. It was perfect for my taste and everyone else as well. Keep in mind, it's not going to be the best steak of your life nor is it the best cut of meat, but for the price you pay, it's a decent steak. I would definitely go with the red rice over the macaroni though because then you can mix the rice with the steak sauce. It's not your typical red rice from regular Vietnamese restaurants--it seems like they use a thick tomato paste to make it or something. It's not different in a bad way... just not normal? The salads were extremely plain, but they come with the steaks, so I'm not complaining. I really think that if Chez Christina was located somewhere else, they would get so much more business! Not to mention, they wouldn't have the horrible stench of Milpitas right outside its doors or the occasional Milpitas dump flies all over your dinner table.
(4)
Lena H.
We were in the area and decided to come here for lunch. I ordered number 12 - Bun Cha Gio (Vermicelli noodles with imperial rolls). I was really happy with their imperial rolls. I hate it when they get soggy really fast. Since I'm a slow eater it was nice to have crispy rolls by the end of the meal. The portion is just right. The noodles are freshly cooked and are still warm when served. Some places have it already made so it's cold by the time you get it but not here! I also took a bite of the other 3 dishes that were ordered. I reeeaaally liked the mushroom steak. I saw it in the reviews and immediately suggested that it be ordered. I was so glad the reviews were spot on! I also liked the charbroiled pork. It was juicy and tender. One thing that stood out was the french onion soup. Normally, I'm not fan because I think it's too salty but their version was really yummy and cheeeeesy. I love cheese!! I ordered the Che Dau Xanh. Did I spell that right? lol. It's the green jelly stuff with the mung bean in coconut milk. I loved the flavors but I didn't like that the ice they used was super chunky. It was hard to enjoy it while having to crunch on such big chunks of ice. I will definitely be back for the mushroom steak and to try their version of shaking beef.
(4)
Timmy T.
The food is always amazing here, I come here to eat amazing steak, never to be let down. From the way they cut their mushrooms to the red rice, its all salivating in my mouth right now. Hands down best cheapest price steak out there!
(5)
Patti L.
First and last time here! My maid of honor decided that this would be a great place to start our bachelorette outing. She has raved about the restaurant since her boyfriend's family frequents this place. The restaurant is known for their steaks but I was surprised to find out that their sides were not up to par compared to other steak restaurants. I was given the choice of rice, French fries, macaroni or a French roll. I could understand how rice and French fries may complement the steak but a French roll? Macaroni? I was unsure of how the roll and tomato pasted macaroni would taste with the steak especially since both sounded bland. I was still optimistic that the steak would be as good as she raved. We had the cheese fondue for appetizer which tasted ok but I prefer La Fondue. We got our steaks and sides. The French roll was literally a French roll with nothing to go with it. The macaroni was literally macaroni with slight tomato sauce. My steak had a side of mushrooms which had good flavor and worked great together until the aftermath. 2/3 of the attendees were endlessly running to the restrooms throughout the rest of the evening and didn't recover until 24 hours later. Thank you for making my outing as memorable as it can be and once at this place was enough for me to keep me out the door.
(1)
Joe O.
This place is a hidden treasure... Vietnamese cooking with French influence or vice versa... Been a fan of Chez Christina since it opened its doors eons ago. Steak with mushrooms in a sizzling plate, served with a warm baguette... greatness!
(4)
Minh T.
This place is a guilty pleasure for my hubby. He craves the mushroom steak. It's OK. The free French bread and salad they give you complete the meal but I think I've had better steak at home. The escargots are also just OK. Maybe a pesto sauce instead of the onions they use...
(3)
Jimmy Y.
I remember coming here at least once a month when I was a lot younger and always looked forward to it. The atmosphere is pretty fancy and the food is amazing! I finally came back to this place after years of not going (college) and the place is still great with the same workers. As for the food, I personally always order the Mushroom Steak. It comes with a nice small salad and the best red rice you will ever have! I seriously cannot reproduce the red rice they serve. The steak may come a bit more cooked than you ordered so order a bit lower because it comes out on a sizzling plate (my medium rare was a medium well) but it still tastes amazing anyways. I always recommend the Roasted Cornish Hen though! It comes with a salad and red rice as well. The hen comes out with a nice crispy skin and tender meat. It is definitely to die for! Definitely get it if you are not up for steak. Also, check-in for a free soft drink!
(5)
Vi Y.
One of my favorite Vietnamese restaurants. What puts it above the rest is their American (they call it French, but it's really just steaks, etc) is really good too. My husband is Korean, so Chez Christina is always a good compromise for us. My favorite things on the menu: Goi Nem Chau - Soooo addictively good with the crispy rice in it, but they've been out of it the past 3 times I've gone there. I hope they don't discontinue it! :( BunThit Nuong Cha Gio - Everything about this dish is perfect. The eggrolls are perfect, veggies are sliced perfectly thin, meat is grilled and seasoned to perfection. I'm quite OCD on this dish alone. Filet Mignon (rare) - The biggest Filet Mignon you can find for $20. Never crowded, with a private dining room in the back. I held a big family dinner here a few years back and the kitchen was not able to keep up with our orders. So yes, good food, but not for big groups.
(5)
Katherine N.
I actually came here for a big dinner which included 30 people. Luckily, there was a separate room in the back and we all sat in there. There was actually a karaoke machine in the room, but it mostly had vietnamese songs. Even with a party of 30 people, the staff was attentive and nice. I ordered the mushroom steak and it was pretty good. Their red rice was pretty good too. I would come here again, esp since I live nearby.
(4)
Johnny T.
I haven't been back here for awhile but there was a time when I would have to come multiple times a week. I really like the mushroom steak there and it's done just right. Kind of odd, I know.. go to a vietnamese/french place and order STEAK!? WTH right? But you know what.. they have it down and I keep coming back. I like the setting and I enjoy the food. I need to go back soon. -=)
(4)
Jim C.
We were heading to our favor chinese restaurant across the street, my friends were ahead of us in another car, they called saying the place was closed and need an alternative, before I can get yelp on my phone, they said to meet them across the street, fine, we drove up and saw chez christina, alright, a new place to try, bring it! I didn't know this place existed, it was nice inside, table clothe and everything, we gathered around a large table and were offered menus. The lady was very helpful with the selections, kept pushing the steak lunch, which a few of us ordered, as I checked in on yelp, I found they offered a free drink with your lunch, score! But as soon as i mentioned it to her, her expression and mood changed, she quickly asked me "Did you really checked in?" It took me by surprised, I almost blurred out "Nah I don't even have a phone, I do fake check in everywhere I go" But I didn't. I thought to myself, why put up the offer and get unhappy when someone call you on it? I kept my mouth shut, I would not break the cardinal rule, remember the movie "Waiting"? DON'T F@CK WITH PEOPLE THAT HANDLE YOUR FOOD!" Don't need them giving me the thumb down. The place maybe nice, and the food maybe good, but come on, having an attitude over a drink which you offered for free? it left a bad taste in my mouth. would have gotten 4 big shiny stars, but no, sorry, I have to take away one.
(3)
Alvin T.
#18 or #29 can't go wrong with either! Get #29 with the red rice instead of regular.
(4)
Fraulein C.
I came here with two friends of mine for a late lunch and I had no idea that Milpitas would have a Vietnamese-French style restaurant that serves sizzling hot platters of STEAK! Yes, I said steak guys! Tucked away in a small complex next to Golfland, you'll find a cheap yet a tasty place that will serve a good size of some yummy food! I wouldn't have discovered this place if it wasn't for my good friend. You'll find on their menu a good variety of Rice noodles, Savory soups, Vegetarian platters, and their specialized french-vietnamese gourmet dishes. I have yet to wonder why it's considered french...I didn't see much on the menu that associates anything with French except for Vietnamese food and steak...so beats me....oh well. I ordered myself a Mushroom Steak (Beouf Aux Champignons) which is a grilled new york steak served on a sizzling platter with sauteed mushroom. My entree is also served with their house salad and also comes with any choice of your side order...I ordered the Macaroni sauteed with garlic and butter, but it's cooked like spaghetti with red tomatoe sauce. Did I enjoy my meal, somewhat! The macaroni was a plenty and I scarfed it down like a hungry animal with the garlic, onion, peppercorn, mushroom flavored steak...MmmmMmm!!! Although, the steak didn't come out as I had thought. I asked for Medium Rare and they came back with it well-done. Plus, my steak was tough, not as tender and juicy as I had hope. Salad isn't much to be shared, but it's quite filling before receiving your entree. A lot of the menu items ranges between $8-15 a dish. Which isn't bad for my total. Yay! Would I mind coming back for more....Yes because it's cheap! Oh...you might want to wave your hand down for another filling of water, because they don't come back to your table until they leave you with the check. So, that's a negative star for poor service. Considering that this place serves French but also Vietnamese (known for CASH ONLY)...they DO ACCEPT CREDIT and DEBIT CARDS!
(3)
chris s.
I was really impressed with this place. I wasn't expecting much when i stepped into the restaurant because of the exterior decor. We ordered the mushroom steak with red rice and the Korean BBQ. I thought it was a terrible idea since i'm korean and am stuck up towards non korean restaurants serving korean food, but they said it was good so whatevs. I have to say i was quite surprised with the Korean BBQ they have. It was actually better than some of the Korean restaurants I've been to. Their mushroom steak was also superb, cooked exactly to order. The fat kid in me told me to mix the rice with the butter sauce on the plate and ooooh boy was i glad i did that. the red rice and the beefy buttery goodness was just the thing i needed along with my steak. The service was prompt and my drinks were always refilled without my asking. 5 million stars
(5)
Lynn V.
I'd hate to do this to Chez Christina, but I must be honest. The last 2 times I've been here, I had a bad experience. The service was slow and although they were friendly, it didn't make up for poor service. Our food took a long time to come out and when it did, we didn't have any utensils. So we sat there as our dinner plates cooled down to an unappetizing temperature. I would have asked someone to bring us utensils, but no server was anywhere near. After I was done being patient, I walked up to the kitchen door where the staff was hanging around and got utensils myself. That was just the least of it! I hate complaining, so I'll keep it short. It truly tasted like something I could make at home. And trust...I have no skills in the kitchen, but I know for sure it would have been better than dinner @ Chez Christina. Again, poor service. Took FOREVER to get the bill so we just walked up to the counter and paid there.
(2)
DAN N.
I tried this place just because friends were ranting and raving about the mushroom steak dish. Just as most guys I like steak ALOT! It was little disappointing to tell the truth. I asked for medium rare and got medium to well...wth?? Meat itself was little tough too. Service was attentive but that may be because there was only one other table at that time of the evening (early dinner). Anyways, a friend order the cubed-steak and it was way more tender and cooked just right. However I did go a second and time and steak was great second time around....so consistency maybe the the problem here. What I do like the setting. The place it cozy, especially since I have always liked Vietnamese-French music.
(3)
Shamaen O.
I went to Chez Christina for my birthday and had reservation for 9. We spent 175.00 and we all order some type of steak. I ordered the fillet mignon and was disappointed in the way the chef prepared it. I asked for medium rare it was well done. It wasn't tied properly the juices from the steak flow out and didn't taste juicy and tender. It wasn't a special place to eat I thought it would be excellent choice b/c all the good reviews. The service was just OK. they did accommodate my cake service which was nice but I won't go back to this restaurant again. The waitress was slightly rude to my friend who asked for a special dish and she was treated with disregard. I was embarrass to bring her to Chez and have poor service. The male waiter was polite and kind and tried to serve our table request in a timely matter.
(3)
Angela W.
I went here a while back with a Vietnamese friend. He seemed to know what was good and did all the ordering. I'm glad he did, because honestly, I never know what to get at these places. The waitress was super nice and kept looking at me after everything they talked about and nodded, like I had a clue what they were saying! At one point my friend wanted me to try some watermelon with salt on it. The waitress ran right back to the kitchen to check and see if they had any, even though it wasn't on the menu. They didn't have any but I thought it was nice that she'd try. The food was good and even though the decor was a little bit cheesy, the checkered floor was cool. I'd go back.... As long as I had someone with me to order for me! haha
(3)
Jonathan T.
Their food is amazing! I absolutely love their New York Steak with tomato macaroni!
(5)
Nancy C.
The owner is mean and rude to her employees and customers.
(1)
Cheralyn H.
3.5 Stars I came with a coworker for lunch for my first taste of "French Vietnamese" food. I was excited to try something new but worried they'd have a limited menu full of stuff that didn't look good. The good news is I read Yelp before we left and knew if all else failed I could order steak. Hello Yelp people! There is a HUGE menu! It's not all about the steak, there is SO much more to choose from! I did go for something that looked familiar just to be safe - #35a, Chicken Satay with peanut sauce and rice. First we were brought a small salad with one cucumber slice and one tomato slice. A bottle of house dressing (a type of oil & vinegar) was brought to pour on our salads. It was pretty good, but a little sweet for my taste. The presentation of the satay was very nice, two big skewers of chicken on a bed of fresh lettuce, a pile of yellow (safron?) rice, and a dish of peanut sauce. I finished everything on my plate! It was similar to Thai satay, except the for the yellow rice. I can't wait to go back to try something new, and then go back again for the satay!
(3)
Apple F.
This place is like a family owned business so customer service was just OK but their food was good.... definitely come back :)
(4)
Kim L.
Delicious food in a great atmosphere what more can you ask for?!?! We always order the mushroom steak with red rice. Omg it's sooo juicy and flavorful. The portions are pretty good too. The steaks are cooked perfectly! The service here was excellent! They are very friendly and tentative :) I would definitely recommend this place to anyone that wants a good and satisfying meal! Yummy in my tummy!!
(5)
Cathy P.
when your side dish and your drink tastes better than your meal, you have to ask yourself "what. the. bleep". i ordered the beef stroganoff and shaken beef with macaroni with a side of french fries. for a beverage, soda lemonade. i also had the manna cotta, and coffee gelato. shaken beef was pretty good, but instead of grounded pepper, they actually give you the pepper seeds which are often hidden in the cracks of the beef. watch out before you bite. beef stroganoff, three words, WHAT THE HECK. not what the heck, that's amazing! but a what the heck am I eating? not the good kind either where you forget the question and start chowing down. i'm talking about the what the heck is wrong with me for choosing this. the manna cotta & coffee gelato were good, but not enough to break even with the price. $6 for dessert the size of half an apple? bite me. this place gets a two instead of a one for it's beverages, good service from 2 out of 3 waiters, and the one hot waiter.
(2)
Jenn P.
I came here with my mom and brother and even though we all ordered our steaks 'medium,' they came out three different ways. My brother's mushroom steak was 'well done' (they should probably under cook it since it's on a sizzling platter). My mom's steak and red rice was on the rare side so I traded steaks with her (mine was less rare). This happens pretty often. Regular steak dinners are $11 and sizzling steak dinners are $16. Mushroom steak comes with your choice of side (rice, macaroni, or fries) or bread. I would suggest if you want both, get the side and order the bread separate. If you order the side alone, it's $3 whereas the bread would just be $1 alone. Dinner also comes with a starter salad and Italian dressing, but the salad is nothing too special, it's is just to warm up your tummy for steak. My grandparents, who are pickier eaters, have had non steak dinners and have complimented their non steak entrees: chicken satay (a little dry) and duck l'orange. I've tried the flan dessert here once and it was ok; the rum was a bit overwhelming but the presentation was nice. I've always found the service to be decent. At times, it can be it's hit or miss regardless of how many other patrons are in the restaurant. Some days it's quick and attentive, some days it's a bit on the slow side and you have to keep asking for things. Another negative thing: you will smell like the food, no way around it. Chez Christina is a family favorite so I always look forward to having dinner here. It's also a great place for dates because it's a simple, casual restaurant that doesn't try to be what it's not. It's no Alexander's but it's not exactly Denny's either. The best way I can sum it up is that it is what it is.
(4)
Julia C.
came here on recs from a few friends, but guards were slightly up due to bad vietnamese/french combos in the past. liked the cozy non pretentious atmosphere of this place. service was attentive and the staff was super sweet! prices were also very reasonable. fondue is to die for! still can't figure out the exact type of cheese, but it's absolutely delicious. we ordered extra bread in place of fruit at no extra charge. steak and red rice was one of the better steaks i've had as well. beats out some of the rather pricer steakhouses out there. we were too full for dessert, but there's always next time! returning to this spot is a must!
(5)
Daisy T.
I love the mushroom sizzling steak they have here! They cook the steak with a lot of garlic, some peppercorns and I think a good amount of butter (wouldn't be French influenced without the butter!). Comes with a small salad and with your choice of either red rice, pasta, french fries or bread. I personally love the rice and the pasta. I've been coming here ever since I was a kid with my family. It's definitely a great deal if you want to have steak but don't want to spend the big bucks. The steaks are under $20 except maybe for the filet mignon wrapped in bacon. This place also offers family style Vietnamese dishes and noodle soups. I've tried a few dishes and they were only okay (reason for the 4 stars instead of 5). Nothing too memorable. I'd rather save my stomach for the steak. This is definitely a good place to stop by if you're a steak lover on a budget! =)
(4)
Loan T.
I came here today with my husband, my friend, and my little son. There was only 2 tables (us and another table). I ordered mushroom steak (med-rare) with a side of macaroni cooked with tomato paste and garlic, and a side of french bread. My husband order rice noodles with grilled pork and my friend ordered chicken curry with rice. The waiter who took my order didn't inform me that my mushroom steak came with macaroni/red rice and the salad (I saw this on the menu but not the macaroni/red rice). If I knew I would have not order an extra side of macaroni. . The food came out quick since there was only 2 tables to serve. First, they brought out the salad. The vinerette for the salad was a lil too sweet. The 2 macaroni plates was brought out next and you can imagine how shock I was to see two plates coming out at once. Oh well, so I bought home one of the plate of macaroni home for dinner. Their timining in bringing out the main dish was excellent. Right when I finish my salad, my sizzling steak was bought out. My steak was cook right, the french bread is crispy and delicious with butter (needs to give more butter), and the macaroni was too oily. My husband said his rice noodles was alright and my friend said her chicken curry is good.What bothered me was that, I can hear the waiter talking to the cashier about the other table that was previously there. Saying that he over ordered and didn't even finish half of his steak and other foods. That was annoying to me since the customers are the ones who bring them business, they shouldn't talk trash about them. Overall is pretty good place to eat but the waiter and cashier need to realized that they have customers in the restaurant that can hear what they are saying and it doesn't have a good impression to customer seeing this.
(3)
Jimmy H.
This place is in a business like plaza. It is kind of an odd place to be. It seemed to be out of place. This is a french/Vietnamese place. Well, to explain it better, it is vietnamese food with french influence. I ordered a pepper steak which was pretty decent. The sauce that came out of the steak is really good, especially if you eat it with rice and with bread that they give you. Pricing is a tad bit pricey for what you get. I know at other places I went to, the price wasn't as high, but the pepper steak wasn't as good though. A nice place, just not too gong-ho about it.
(3)
Joe S.
I was not impressed by this place. Have only been there once but the pricing was more French than the food was. Our steak dish came with fries and they were the cheap frozen kind. Expected better.
(2)
Huy P.
Been here at least 5+ times now, and I can't stop ordering the red rice and steak with a side of fries!
(5)
Huong L.
My boyfriend and I came here on a Friday night and we were seated immediately. Yay for no waiting!! The servers were really nice and gave me a free drink for checking in (they had a check-in deal). We both ordered the mushroom steak and the sauce it comes with is absolutely delicious! I asked for A1 sauce on the side, because I ALWAYS use A1 with all steaks, but with their sauce, there was no need for it at all! The only suggestion I would make is that when you order steak, order it one level rarer since it cooks a little bit more being on the hot plate. My medium rare turned out to be medium. But, overall, good food, good service, and not too pricey. We will definitely be coming back!
I've seriously been to this restaurant for ages. Their steak is always pretty good and usually comes out the way you order it(medium, medium rare, etc). One time my friends and I decided to come here for a group dinner and the waitress refilled our drinks for free! We were the last ones out of the restaurant and did not feel rushed by the staff at all! we rushed ourselves!
(4)
John D.
Wow....4 star...not bad....I do not like to give 5 stars....this is what 5 stars mean to me... 1 star, for cleanliness...( what you see is what you eat...) 2 star, great services.. 3 star, excellent food... 4 star, for the price that we paid.... 5 star, nothing to be said..over all if my tummy is happy and my wallet isn't drained then im a happy customer. You got to try this place out....I really like the food here ( TRY THE MUSHROOM STEAK )..........THIS IS THE BEST PLACE TO TAKE YOUR DATE...CAN' T GO WRONG...MAKE SURE YOU CALL IN FIRST ....FOR ALL THE GUY'S....Valentine's Day IS COMING UP...HINT HINT...
(4)
James B.
Chez Christina is not a fancy joint. It is a family run place; the waiters and hosts are friends and family of the owner. If you're looking for the type of service like Slanted Door etc, you're at the wrong place. What they are good at is cooking delicious steaks. Mouth watering peppered steaks that come literally sizzling off a hot plate (shaped like a cow). It comes with a side of salad and fries. The classic Parisian steak frites dinner. Steak frites in my thing. I've had it all over, even in Paris. This is as authentic as it come. The restaurant it self is hidden in the corner of a Milpitas strip mall, on the foothill. The decor is not impressive, but clean and simple. There has always been an understated charm to it. The subtle classic french tunes playing in the background sets the mood. It is my default for a low key dinner on a given weekend in Milpitas. Chez Christina is a great find that exceeds its value. Nice people, delicious food, calming atmosphere; give it a try.
(5)
Dorothy N.
I've only had their mushroom steak with macaroni and have yet to be disappointed. The prices for the steak/chicken dinners are decent, nothing over $17, except for the Filet Mignon (which is also wrapped in BACON, omg!). I've had bites of the aforementioned Filet Mignon, which is delicious if you want to fork over $20 bucks. Basically all the steaks are good. My mom had the Cordon Bleu; it was so-so. The roasted cornish hen is HUGE so it'd be best to share or split this dish. It also has nice, crispy skin. I would recommend just sticking to their steak/dinner/fish dishes (#73 - 89). They give you good portions and I love how the steaks come out in sizzling plates. But avoid their Vietnamese appetizers and dishes because they' are overpriced and only average. As for service, its a typical Aisan restaurant so don't expect the world. It could probably improve, but for the most part they give you what you ask for. The only problem is that sometimes it may take awhile. I haven't had any issues with their service so I can't complain.
(4)
Brian C.
Take your cheap date out for a night and get a steak dinner. The dim lighting sets the atmosphere for a romantic date. Look through the menu and you find a fusion of French food with a Vietnamese twist. For the price you pay the you can't complain at all for the steak here. This is a great place to get a slab of beef on your plate without having to empty out your wallet. Time to get your steak on!
(4)
Wing Man C.
The steak smelled good, but it was too large of a portion for lunch. I ended up getting the grilled onion rolled beef which was good, but nothing to die for. I wouldn't go back unless I happened to be in the area.
(3)
Kathryn L.
I love the whole Vietnamese-with-a-little-French-influence thing they have going on here. It's different and good. I like their fresh french bread, tender T-bone steaks (topped with sauteed mushrooms if you like), red rice, and spring rolls. The last time I was there, I asked the waitress what she'd suggest and she suggested the shrimp on sugar cane skewers. You're also given these dry rice roll wrappers and hot water to soak yourself. You take the moistened rice roll wrapper, put shrimp and other veggies (provided with the shrimp), roll yourself, and devour. Different, fun, and yummy! This is one my favorite Aunt & Uncle's local go-to places, so I've come here with them for years and will definitely continue.
(4)
David T.
This place has really gone down the drain over the years. It use to be one of my favorite steak places to eat at. The setting is really nice and peaceful and their staff and service is great but the food could be better. I usually get the filet mignon when I go here. It comes with either red rice or their macaroni and a side salad. The pricing is fair for the steak. The quality of the steak is a hit or miss. You can tell its been frozen before and it's not a high quality steak but it is what it is. Definitely don't pass up on this place if you're in the area.
(3)
Elaine N.
A great little vietnamese and french cuisine restaurant in milpitas. I ordered the mushroom steak and garlic fondue. The garlic fondue is a cheese dip appetizer and it was very tasty. The steak was well cooked and tasty, but I expected a better cut for the price. I would definitely come here again and try their other entrees.
(4)
Joseph A.
The mushroom steak with red rice was pretty good here, although I can't compare since this is the only French-Vietnamese place that I've gone to. The portions are reasonable for the lunch menu, but they can be pricier than expected for dinner. Although the restaurant is kept pretty clean, I've gone there a couple times when there were a couple fruit flies buzzing around. Also, for a small place, it's somewhat difficult to get service, especially when you're seated where they can't see you from the kitchen. All in all, I'd come back to this place and will tell friends, but only for their lunchtime specials.
(3)
Steven N.
great place! this place was very friendly and attentive. It is a family operated restaurant so when you walk in, you feel like family. I always order the mushroom steak and red rice. The steak is very delicious and it goes so well with the red rice. I dont know what more you can ask for out out a simple steak. They make it so well here. It comes out on a sizzling plate so the steak is always hot. Just keep in mind the longer you leave it on, the more your steak will cook through. I also enjoy the house salad that they provide with their house dressing. The restaurant has a nice quiet atmosphere, so this is a perfect place to bring a date.
(5)
Enza P.
This restaurant has really good food for a decent price. Being a french/vietnamese fusion, I thought that the prices would be higher than what I saw. I ordered diced steak with red fried rice. It was fulfilling as well as tasty for about 11 dollars. The only thing I wasn't a fan of was the dessert. Some of the desserts went up to 6 dollars but honestly were not that great. The salad appetizer has yummy dressing and the flan there is pretty good as well. The restaurant is clean and the owner/servers periodically come by to make sure you are satisfied. 4 star for great service and yummy food at a decent price =]
(4)
Allison T.
I've been here twice, once three years ago, and once again recently because I just remembered it was in the area. The first time I came here I had the marinated beef atop of vermicelli. Yum. The second time, I had the Korean style ribs, salt and peppered prawns, another marinated pork plate, and something else i don't remember. It seems to me that any meats that they marinate and season were very good. The prawns? not so good. they were over-cooked and the shells stuck to the shrimp and were hard to peel off. But really? the real reason i'd love to come back here? the steaks. Is it possible to want to write a review about food that you've never eaten? If so, I'd want to write a review about their steaks. Every time i come here, I order something, think, "wow... not bad!", then a waiter or waitress rolls out a tray on which they've got fantastic smelling, sizzling steaks sitting on a hot plate, and I spend the rest of the meal watching their steaks =P Ok to the boring stuff: Service: We came 7pm on a Thursday night. Not too many people, which was fitting for the restaurant's intimate ambiance, and we were seated right away. Waiter: Ok service. Came when we asked and waited politely for our orders. Had to ask for water refills even though there were only like seven other people in the restaurant. Facilities: The restaurant itself was clean, but not too crazy about the restroom's cleanliness... it's on the lower end of my mr. clean scale. Ambiance: I like the somewhat low hanging lights. It always gives a more intimate feel to the tables. The restaurant reminds me a new restaurant constructed within an old facility. Overall, the ambiance is sweet, and they did well with what they had to work with. Overall: I would definitely come here again... and I must try the steaks!
(4)
Ronald A.
the food is ok.the service is bad.the waiter is rude and shake his head alot with every order we make,asking for water and serving our food.im from the east coast and used to courteous waiters.or this is the norm in the west coast.we will not come back.
(1)
Dianna N.
This place is a family favorite. There's never a wait, but that's just due to its random location. We've never had bad service here. They're good at bringing everyone's food out at the same time. They usually play French music in the background, but it's still pretty quiet. So this is a good place to go for conversation without all the hustle and bustle of restaurant noise. Even though we come here a lot, I usually get the same thing. French Onion Soup $6.95 - So far this is my favorite place for French Onion Soup. Cheesy, savory, yummy. Garlic Cheese Fondue $9.75 - Today was my first time trying it. It comes with bread and apples. it was ok. It wasn't that flavorful, so I'll probably just stick to my soup from now on. Mushroom Steak $15.95 - Nice and juicy, tender. I don't like red rice, but i get it with plain rice and let it soak up the sauce and it's oh so good!
(4)
Pauline L.
3.5 This place is usually our family default dining destination. While not the creme de la creme of restaurants, it's been a dependable and familiar place for us - especially when we're in the mood for meat. I must have eaten here a hundred times and our family always orders the same thing: NY steak with tomato flavored macaroni. Sometimes we'll mix it up and get the plate with NY steak and sizzling mushrooms, but those are for days when we feel adventurous. Just recently though, I've begun to notice that the steak is not always consistent. For the most part, it's flavorful with pepper, bbq marinade, and juicy. There have been some instances where it's been a bit rubbery, so I'm not sure what's going on there. That's when you just lay on the bbq sauce thick and eat. Rubbery or not, it's a lot more flavorful than most chain steak places anyway. The menu is fairly extensive with traditional Vietnamese dishes with some Western fusion entrees. Meals are served with a salad and vinaigrette dressing. The decor is simple, clean and service is usually friendly - or friendlier than your usual Vietnamese restaurant. It's a solid place to go, especially if you happen to be in the Milpitas area in search of semi-casual Vietnamese dining. Or after a long, frustrating day at Golfland nearby.
(4)
Nina B.
I do like this place and have frequented it over the years since it opened many years ago. Decor is nice and simple, def the family run kinda place. They do several dishes very well and consistently..the imperial rolls are always excellent and the lettuce,mint,cilantro they serve with it is SO fresh. The steaks served in the sizzling platters (can be ordered smothered in mushrooms, onions or teriyaki) are what lots of people go there for...the sauces they use to cook them in are very tasty and the meat cut is average(possibly sirloin of NY)..not the worst, but don't expect kobe beef! Of course that's also why its pretty reasonably priced too. I love their french onion soup, but it's not the best I've ever had. I like having the variety on their menu to choose vietnamese dishes as well as classic french fare. I'd like to try their fondue someday...and their escargot.
(3)
Amber H.
This is my first try! The service was so nice that I would give them 5 stars by itself. I took 1 star out because of my Teriyaki steak was so dry that i couldnt finish my meal! My boyfriend Mushroom steak on the other hand was so good! Will be back to try difference dishes!
(4)
Karen L.
I like the sizzling steak idea and for $16 bucks you really can't complain about it. The peppercorn is my favorite and the sauce is really good. You get red rice (yum), salad, and soup for all that! If you want a cheap meal that tastes good and has a somewhat casual romantic atmosphere then I'd come here for dinner. They also have a private room for you to hold parties. 3.5 stars.
(4)
jen l.
They only thing I get is the new york steak w/ the macaroni and an EXTRA side of macaroni. My boyfriend always gets the steak w/ the side of red rice. Every once in a blue moon they will over cook it even though we ask for medium. Service: attentive and not over bearing. Food comes out pretty quickly.
(5)
Andrew Y.
This restaurant has been a favorite of mine since I was a little kid. Nothing would be more enjoyable then to come here for a special occasion and chow down on one of their yummy steaks. In response to P L. and some of the lower-starred reviews, they fail to realize that this is not one of those $$$ pricey restaurants like Alexander's or Birk's. One should not come here expecting escargot or amazing prime rib, or fondue that rivals those of a restaurant that caters to fondue-lovers only. Yes, the steaks are not of the quality of the best steak-houses, and the rolls might not come with a deluge of toppings, but come on. This is a hole-in-the wall restaurant. Just enjoy their mushroom steak and quit complaining about the lack of fancy sides and options.
(5)
Eric T.
Came here with a couple friends and they suggested I try the mushroom steak... It was freaking amazing! I use to drive by this place 2-3 times a week and never knew it existed, its kinda tucked away in a small plaza. Anyway the service is great and the restaurant was clean. If you come here try the mushroom steak you won't be disappointed!
(5)
Debbie T.
Ive been here a couple of times and Ive never been disappointed. I love coming here for the mushroom steaks and bread. The steak marinate is so yummy has a touch of vietnamese flavor just like mom's cooking. The steak comes out on a hot sizzling plates, makes it taste even better. I love the cheese fondue served with bread and apples, it's delicious. Definitely will be coming back!!!!!!
(5)
James N.
I had the mushroom steak on a hot plate. The steak was good but only after I scooped off all the burnt garlic. The salad that came at the beginning was actually very good, wish they gave us more of it. I came during lunch with my friend who recommended this place. He told me that it taste a lot better during dinner. Hopefully he's right and I get to come during dinner stead of lunches.
(3)
Lien T.
Instead of ordering three steaks, my friends and I decided to order different things and share--family style. We got the escargot appetizer ( yelp.com/biz_photos/cNKu… ), steak and mushrooms with two plates of red rice, grilled fish on a sizzling hot plate, and tamarind shrimp. Sad to say, my favorite was not their infamous steak and mushrooms. The steak wasn't very well marinated and it was very chewy for medium rare. The wine in the steak was very overwhelming too. I just wasn't impressed. On a lighter note, everything else was wonderful. The escargot appetizer came with crispy slices of bread, which went very well with the thick buttery sauce that the escargot was bathed in. The grilled fish came out on a sizzling hot plate with a few other side ingredients--rice paper, vegetables, vermicelli noodle, and a dip. Basically all of the necessary ingredients for a spring roll. It was really good! I know a few other places that serve the same dish, but this place has got to be the best. The fish was succulent and was very easy to eat, since the bones were taken out. It was probably my favorite dish of the night. The tamarind shrimp ( yelp.com/biz_photos/cNKu… ) was also very good. The hint of tangy tamarind in every bite was great. The shrimp was saucy and perfectly cooked. I could probably eat the rice and sauce alone. Our waiter was very kind and friendly. I think our tab came to about $60, which wasn't bad at all for three people. The restaurant had a very casual atmosphere and was worth the visit. Can't go wrong with casual Vietnamese/French food for an affordable price.
(3)
Anne P.
This is now my new favorite joint to go to. It is actually a Vietnamese-French cuisine that also serves korean soju, kind of a weird mixture huh? The decor was clean and pleasant. I got the mushroom steak with red rice (with complimentary salad), while my friend ordered a Mi Vit Tiem (egg noodle with duck). Both of us really enjoyed our dishes. My only complaint is that they ran out of escargot for us to order. I will have to make another trip just to try it.
(4)
Kim D.
Saturday night at 8:00pm, not much action here but... -Friend got the mushroom steak since it's so popular, and it was not disappointing. Juicy, tender, and delicious! -Decided to go with the Bo Luc Lac (cubed New York steak) for myself. I actually prefer this than the mushroom steak...so yummy! -For the sides we got the red rice and the macaroni.. the macaroni is basically made the same way as the rice. I preferred the mac. -Service was friendly and dependable. -Only thing for me was..............DON'T GET THE FLAN! :( -super bland and the sauce tasted like alcohol... -better off going to those asian bakeries and buying one for half the price..
(4)
Viet N.
Steak Steak Steak. the salad that comes out before ur entree is pretty bombskeee too. Service is excellent. Food is delicious. Asian Restaurant with a lil bit of class..
(5)
Michael C.
The restaurant is located in a random plaza. The food is here very good. Steak is yummy. Good service. Lots of French Vietnamese dishes.
(4)
Ann N.
totally forgot about this place until my friend asked to to meet her for lunch here. I already had my order ready at 10:00am hahaha. it's not that busy at lunch. went there and plenty of tables left. we were seating and menu provided. no need to wait, i knew what I wanted. steak (rare) and red macaroni. it's exactly the way my parents made it when we were younger - vietnamese way. ordering the steak rare means it will be medium rare. there's a nice sauce on it as they cook it with garlic. the boiled macaroni is then stirfry with ketchup and soy sauce or so. it's perfect in my eyes. you get a side salad with your order = ~$11. so worth it for steak and a carb w/ salad. if you check in at the restaurant and show it to them, you get a softdrink for free. the bill for both of us was $21... I'll take it! will definitely be back.
(4)
jason g.
As I glance through the menu, my friend Tony adamantly said there is nothing else you should order here except for their signature filet mignon on a hot skillet. So, I did. Beef was very tender, moist and cooked to perfection. It was well seasoned and the bacon wrap around the beef gave it that extra salty kick that made it that much better. It came with mushrooms and your choice of red rice, white rice, macaroni, or a baguette. This place reminds me of a place where you go with your family on those monumental moments in your life when you were a kid. However, as you grew older, it just seems like a dated restaurant that needed to update their menu. Or............is this place and oldie but goodie? I think I would choose the latter.
(4)
Thomas N.
So who would have thought, a restaurant like this would be located in a random strip mall in the Milpitas foothills. Really? I make the above statement as a compliment. The caliber of food that comes out of the Chez Christina kitchen is really really good. The food is more French inspired Vietnamese than true Vietnamese food, and it is always on the spot. The item to get here is the steak with read rice. Any incarnation of the steak is delicious. You definitely cannot go wrong with the basic NY medium rare, but to kick it up a notch in terms of flavor and mouth-gasm, try the pepper or the mushroom steak (always medium rare please). Even though the location is nondescript, give this place a try. Chez Christina is a must if you live anywhere within 5-10 miles of this place. The food you get for the price you pay is awesome.
(4)
Michelle D.
Eaten here a couple of times. "Vietnamese-French" fusion. Basically pricey Vietnamese food. Nothing spectacular, but if you do want to try it, the sizzling mushroom steak is okay.
(3)
Leah B.
My first French-Vietnamese restaurant that I've been coming to for about over 10 years now. It's where I first tried their Red-Rice, which I find it a little similar to the one you get at a Mexican Resaturant. Love the Sizzling NY Steak Plate for dinner. It's probably the only thing I ever order from here. Heads up don't ever come here on Valentine's Day...as any other restaurants that day it's packed, and it's not that big inside...so wait can be long.
Mmmmmm.... I like this place. I ordered the the Cornish hen with red rice. Which is highly recommended on the reviews. It was delicious!!! There red rice and macaroni was the bomb.com ! Most places don't make red rice this good. Love it! My husband ordered the sizzling steak. It was #77 and the Cornish hen was #76. Everything was good. I'm not a big fan of onions but I saw a lot of ppl ordering the french onion soup. I guess it must be really good!
(4)
Steve V.
I was very excited to go here because it would be my first opportunity to use a Yelp check-in offer: a free soft drink! I held up my smartphone to the Vietnamese waiter and showed him my coupon. With a clear look of confusion on his face, he said he had no idea what Yelp was and didn't know anything about this check-in offer. He made no attempt to ask anyone, such as the manager, about it and just blew me off. On top of that, the food wasn't good and extremely pricey....for no reason. Granted there were a lot of meat-based dishes...but the steak I was eating was not worth $20+. Came with a side - an attempt at elbow macaroni with spaghetti sauce. Waiter had no personality at all. To give them a second chance - at the end of my meal while I was walking out the door, I bypassed the waiter and approached a women who looked like she could be the manager. She seemed more familiar with Yelp and told me I could get my free coke next time. I asked if I could take it to go and she gave me a can. Sorry, Chez Christina....lower your prices, enhance your food quality and if you are going to post coupons for your customers (which is great!), make sure all your employees know about it! I won't be back here again if it's up to me.
(1)
Nina M.
I always come here for the mushroom steak and it has yet to fail me. The ambiance is nice. It is always quite empty and the light is always dim. Sort of romantic like... Their mushroom steak has been superb everytime! I've never had steak like this, where your side dish could either be banh mi or rice and I always get the banh mi. The sauce is soooooo good with the banh mi. I dip the banh mi in the sauce. It comes with salad and the steak come out sizzling everytime. Last time I was here even tho the place wasn't pack but I felt like I had to wait a bit too long so -1 star for for the wait.
(4)
K P.
I've come here several times for the steak and red rice or macaroni (with a side of their mushrooms of course) and have never been disappointed. I've also had a luncheon here after my kid's 1st communion with some extended family and everyone loved everything they've ordered. They even allowed us to bring our own cake and let us use their plates and utensils without charging extra or complaining that we weren't ordering from their dessert menu.
(4)
Johnny N.
Nom nom mushroom steaks so yummy. Reminds me of my childhood where I ate mushroom steaks at a now-closed restaurant almost every month. Ah, the nostalgia.. Came here on a Monday night with kind of good friends. It was pretty dead, but the waitress that served was very kind and enthusiastic. I thought it was pretty funny when she mixed some Vietnamese in her English. We all ordered mushroom steaks and had our waitress surprise us with an appetizer (because none of us are decisive). The fish sauce coated chicken wings was not too bad. They came out very hot. There wasn't much meat on them unfortunately but I suppose I can't complain eating skin soaked in flavor. With our mushroom steaks came little salads and red rice/macaroni. As other people have noted, the red rice and macaroni are A-OK. Nothing special. Actually, I should have went with one suggestion to grab white rice and have it soak in the steak juices because the steak was damned good. All of us had medium rare steaks which came sizzling on a platter. True to our order, there was much much pink inside. Steak and mushrooms; simple to make, and perfect when not overcooked. It was delicious. I felt the glory of my past coming back to me. Great steak ($16), okay sides, and friendly service. 'Twas a fun night.
(4)
Marie L.
Hubby loves the steak which is great but the meal could be a little bigger for the price. The menu was a little exotic for my palate and I stuck with the steak. We gave it another try and all in all pleased with our meal. The downside is our so little english was spoken we had a hard time communicating. And the gentleman who I presume was the owner sat at the table next to us and made us uncomfortable staring throughout the meal. Being the only customers at the time, it didnt really encourage us to come back. We're probably heading to Liou's next time.
(3)
CJ C.
I feel like some of the Milpitians writing reviews for places in town are all high. I just wanted to get that off my chest. On to the review. I order a da chanh. It was tasty, all too often do I get them with either too much sugar or too sour. Ordered escargot for an appetizer. It was served with butter and shallots and some lightly toasted bread. I was pleasantly surprised at how well they were cooked. Not chewy at all, but nice and soft. For the entree I had the steak and mushrooms with a side of the macaroni. The steak was cooked right and the sauce reminded me of an adobo. I may be wrong, but it tasted like vinegar, soy sauce, and peppercorns. Where I'm from that's an adobo... The macaroni was bland. I didn't expect anything great there though. Overall it was a good meal, not great. The way people rave about this place I expected a lot more. It is way over priced. It's one of those places I am glad to try once and never come back to.
(3)
Aldouse H.
A friend of mine recommended that i try this place. I've heard of it before but never gave it a try because its located in a plaza that i've never really bothered to go to. But i gave it a try and ordered the steak with the red rice. and WOW, i was left speechless as i devoured my meal without uttering a word until i finished. My mom, joked once by saying you can tell how good a meal is by how much conversation takes place during the course the night. Well then, needless to say, the food was superb! I will definitely come back here more often. **MUST ORDER::: STEAK W/ RED RICE** You will not be disappointed!!
(5)
Minty O.
This was a great place because I got to have dinner with some family and friends. The food on the other hand...meh. They had an extensive Vietnamese food menu and some French-type food. APPS/DRINKS I don't know if they had an off day but the food was mediocre at best. The garlic cheese fondue was oily and was curdling. The special drinks, cosmo and screwdriver, tasted artificial. The escargot had the basics, of snail, butter and garlic, but was lacking in flavor. The Cha Gio was pretty good, however. Crisp and flavorful, a bit on the oily side though. ENTREES I had their signature Mushroom Steak. The steak was overdone and smothered in garlic and the mushrooms were basically quartered, sauteed slightly and put on the skillet next to the steak. It had tons of flavor compared to the Chez Christina Chicken (?), however. The cream sauce for the chicken was extremely bland. The chicken itself seemed as though it was boiled and then just smothered in bland white cream sauce. I know this is a favorite spot for some of my friends and family. I'll have to pass though. Sorry!
(2)
Vivian L.
I had the garlic cheese fondue for starters and it was pretty good. The flavor was nice and light. It came with apples and bread, but they should consider adding more variety to the dippers. For my entree, I had the ca nuong (sizzling fish plate). You have the option of either rolling it in rice paper or eating it with vermicelli and I chose to roll it. It was really good and the dipping sauce is unique, unlike the typical fish sauces. The portion was good for the price too! I also ordered the lychee drink but it just tasted like they took canned lychee and added ice to it. Overall everything was good and the service was nice.
(4)
Emmi M.
The 4 stars is only for their mushroom steak and filet mignon. I haven't tried anything else. I come here a few times a year and for the most part I always get the same thing.. their mushroom steak with macaroni on the side. Oh and I had the filet mignon the last time I was there. That was melt-in-your-mouth goodness. They start off serving you a salad. I must say, I tend to opt out of salads wherever I go but this is the one place that I actually enjoy having some. I love their vinaigrette dressing and the salad is always nice & crisp... a refreshing way to start off a meal. The steaks are brought out on a sizzling platter. My mouth is salivating just thinking about it. Yum. I love dipping my steak/mushroom in A1/Tabasco sauce ..just to add a bit of a kick! I even add a dash of Tabasco on my macaroni. =) I've been here on several occasions and its never packed. So the service is always attentive. This is my go-to place for yummy steaks that doesn't cost an arm & a leg!
(4)
Stephanie B.
This place is damn good. Very clean. Nice atmosphere. Very romantic & date-like on half of the restaurant and family oriented on the other side. Dim lighting, modern furnishings, definitely cute. I usually get the mushroom steak (~$16) with red rice or red macaroni. Then I asked for bread and butter as an appetizer. The bread and butter is soooo good. I've tried a few other vietnamese entrees on the menu and it's also very good. Then I top the night off with a Banana Froster. Wee! Very very delicious. I'm definitely having my graduation dinner here with the family ('cause they have a banquet room that seats up to 40).
(5)
David T.
3.5 Stars For the price this place is great! The mushroom steak lived up to expectation. The red rice however, was disappointing. Definitely worth a visit if your ever craving Viet/French food in Milpitas for a reasonable price.
(3)
Mi V.
This restaurant is a hidden GEM! I love their ambiance, their karaoke machine (in a separate room), their big screen tv, and ESPECIALLY their food. You cannot go wrong with any item on the menu. My friends and I always come here if we're craving some good and wholesome food. We always start off with the 4 CHEESE FONDUE...sooo good...creamy, cheesy, and garlicky. I recommend this fondue for appetizer, definitely. Along with this appetizer, they serve a complimentary salad. The dressing is homemade, and I bought a bottle from them since it's so good. It's a vinegar-sugar-garlic dressing--BOMB. My friends usually get their peppercorn steak and mushrooms...it comes out sizzling hot, looks good, smells good, and SOUNDS good (referring to the sizzling). It comes with its famous red rice. If I went to Chez Christina and could choose only one side dish, it would be the red rice--savory and delicious. mmMMMM!! I ALWAYS get the cornish hen. You canNOT go wrong with this dish. The hen's skin is crispy and sweet with its garlic sautee sauce drizzled all over its golden brown skin. I know you're not supposed to eat the chicken skin, but under these circumstances, you HAVE to eat it. The meat is so juicy and tender...and you get ONE whole hen (there is an option with just one half of a hen too) and choice of macaroni, red rice, or bread. Like I said, go with the red rice. I recommend this place if you want some good home cookin'. Afterwards, you can karaoke with your friends to TODAY'S hit music...ranging from pop music to rock music. REALLY fun. You can reserve the room for just you and your friends, or you can just watch a game on the big screen TV. I also would recommend the flan. I believe it's homemade because the sauce has a wine-touch to it. Very different, very exotic.
(5)
Dto T.
The Bad: The ambience and decor scream "low rent!", there is a beer cooler where the wine rack should be, the waiter is practically incomprehensible, and their salads are almost airplane-food cheap. Anybody arriving in a silver mercedes will have a bad first impression, which tends to flavor their reviews of their food. Perspective is everything. The Good: Bring good friends, skip the salad, order hot french bread, and just review the food- you'll realize there's some real magic happening in the kitchen. Perfectly cooked steaks arrived quickly, sizzling in a dark mushroom gravy with peppercorns. The aroma alone was a feast, and we found ourselves closing our eyes to breathe in the savory scent. Two bites in, and we were nodding silently in blissful approval. The Result: This roughcut diamond still shines with 4 stars. A bit of polish, and she'd be the talk of the town.
(4)
Betty N.
If you have no clue what crappy steaks tastes like, then please come here. In fact, suggest this restaurant to someone you really hate. It works like a charm. If anyone suggests, "Hey Betty, what about Chez Christina"?, my response is usually, "Is swallowing razor blades the second option?" All right, I am exaggerating, it's not the worst steak I have ever had (thinking Madonna Inn, omg, gag), it's a close second. Granted, I will be married to a man who makes the best steaks EVER, so I can compare the best to the worse easily. I have tried the "chicken cordon bleu" (laughing hysterically) and the "mushroom steak". Both entrees were below average. The chicken was dry and the steak cut was crap. I've had better skirt steaks at home. Of course, the old man always want to go here because there are no Vietnamese chop houses close by. But seriously, why this place? Can't we eat at Vung Tau or something? Thanks a lot, dad. I love how the service is sporadic, too. It's so choppy. I guess you really can't complain having a $16 (?) steak but then again, you can. Good luck with your CC experience!
(2)
Emmie N.
3.5 stars Heard a lot of good things about their steak and red rice so I finally checked this place out. I wasn't disappointed but I wasn't impressed either. My boyfriend had the steak & mushroom with red rice, I had the bacon wrapped filet mignon with macaroni. Please do not order the macaroni, it is flavorless, their red rice is much better. My steak came out medium rare, just the way I ordered it. But for some reason it was really really salty? The mushrooms were good though. I wouldn't mind coming back to this place for the mushroom steak and red rice (not the filet mignon)
(3)
Khanh C.
Please Christina remains Viet if you want to survive in this current recession economy, your WESTERN MENU sucks: filet mignon or steak are not edible and were sent back to kitchen for reheating because the meat was still cold on the plate and not sizzling as it should be and your salad is monochromatic only green iceberg and nothing else, on 9/28/12 when I was entertaining a party of 12 people on a recommendation of a resident of Milpitas who was also disappointed. P.S.. Your cook may have sweet tooth.[every thing is rather sweet]
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Sally D.
This was.. (and I think we should re-visit as a family again) our family's go-to restaurant. When my grandma was still here with us, her two favorite restaurants were Chez Christina and Sizzler. My family comes to Chez Christina for their amazing steak and signature macaroni (sautéed with garlic, butter, and tomato paste). What's so great about this place? The consistency... Like I said, I've been coming here as a kid and recently revisit this place a few years ago, and came back for my friend's birthday dinner 2 days ago.. And wow.. We were still shocked at how great the food it. This place is a French/Vietnamese cuisine, semi-high-end, but not really. The quality of the steak and food is mediocre, but the sauce, flavor, and just everything and how they put everything together is just ..so comforting. The offer the lunch portion size steak during dinner as well, which is serve on a plate instead of the sizzling hot plate. This dish is less pricey than the dinner plates. I've never tried this before as I always come here for dinner and order from the dinner section (larger). Dishes I recommend: -Mushroom Steak: My FAVORITE dish. Order this is medium or medium rare, since it's serve on the sizzling hot plate and can be a bit overcook -Pepper Steak: This is ok, steak is also smaller than the Mushroom Steak, IMO -Macaroni: MUST TRY. May be a little dry, but the flavor is great itself and amazing compliment to the steak -Lettuce Wraps: Something about the flavor that is combined, makes this dish unique Verdict? I'll be back in a few with my family!
(4)Ee Vonn Y.
The New York Steak was average and not worth its value. However, despite this setback, you will not leave hungry. No need for appetizers, just come straight to the main course. The mushrooms were a nice compliment to the beefy flavors. Even if you ask for medium rare, they cook it thoroughly. Next time, we'll have to ask for it rare. The bo luc lac was an oh-my-gosh glorious. The cubed steak sits on top of salad soaked in the same marinated sauce they used to cook it. Every bite was divine. I thought I could eat more afterwards because this dish looked like a generous salad. No. I could barely move at work later that day. The service is so sweet and the restaurant tries to be fancy but it reaches there half way. Regardless, it feels nostalgic, as if your grandparents went here on a fancy date many years ago, and you're reliving some of that experience. As nice as this is, the steak--which I believe is their selling point--isn't as good as I hoped it would be.
(3)Thuy H.
Had a belated birthday lunch here today. Parking was plentiful and the ambience of the restaurant was nice. Nothing fancy but definitely not your average whole in the wall. Table clothes on the tables? I consider nice.... I checked in on yelp and got my free iced tea. Totally refreshing! I ordered the mushroom steak and it came with a basic lettuce salad appetizer. The dressing came on the side and I thought it was delicious. Italian dressing I would say? The steak came out on a hot sizzling plate with lots of sauce and mushrooms pushed to one side of the plate. I would say it was about 5-6 ounces? The red rice that came with this plate was moist and really added beautifully to my meal. Growing up, I always ate rice or noodles with my steak so this was just icing on the cake for me to be able to eat good steak with good rice! Any who, one bite of this bad boy and I was in love. The sauce is flavorful making the meal good. The steak came out medium close to medium well so if you're okay with that than you wouldn't have much to complain about. Parts of the steak had some fat and it is an overall greasy dish, so if you're ok with oil and grease, you will be fine. I would definitely come back to eat here if I'm in the area!
(4)Christine V.
Are you looking for a good French and Vietnamese cuisine to dine at? My family and I have came here for lunch and dinner during some occasions before. The service that we have received today was abnormal and poor. We had to continuously remind our waiter to bring us our drinks after forty five minutes have already passed by. The salmon and chicken were good dishes, but the steak was somewhat undercooked. It was asked to be cooked specifically as well done, but we received it as medium. Overall, this restaurant has potential, but sometimes when they are busy, it goes a bit downfall.
(3)Octavio U.
1st time here! Lots of other things to try but so far so good!! Their nem are awesome.
(4)Vicky H.
Had one of the worst dining experiences of my life today. Unacceptable! We walk in at 8:15 knowing they close at 9:00 but 45 minutes was long enough for us to eat. Our steaks came out shortly after we ordered and not even ten minutes later our waitress gave us our bill, at 8:30. We felt a little bit rushed then so quickened our pace. She comes back five minutes later and stands there telling us to pay. This outraged me! Why are you in such a rush to kick us out, and the restaurant is not even closed?! If it was already 9:00 and you were closing, sure, Rush us out. But we would never walk into a restaurant knowing it's going to close soon in the first place. But It's f**king 8:40 and we only had ten minutes since our food came out. Why would I tip you.? Instead of the 20% tip you were going to get, now you only get 10%. And you should even consider yourself lucky at all to receive anything from me. On a side note, this was the second time we dined here. Today's steaks were the worst/lowest quality that a restaurant could possibly be allowed to sell. Last time was good but today overall with food and quality of service, this place deserves one star only.
(1)Amanda N.
Adore this place! I am a big protein person and appreciate some pampering every now and then with a yummy steak outside of the home. Service is always so easy, warm and efficient. There is also a free beverage with Yelp check in that I stumbled upon. Their menu is extensive and seems to be bigger to me than previous for some reason but I always get and would recommend the Mushroom Steak. I haven't tried much else except the Pepper Steak which is similar to the mushroom one but without the mushroom and hence not very special. They must use very similar seasonings overall. Love that it comes out super sizzling hot. I like my food borderline-scorching my tongue :) I always scoop the mushrooms on top of the steak so they don't get overdone. Side dish of salad plus your carb choice complement the steak well. We also tried the Quail for fun and it was super tastey. Had such a nice glaze. Can't say enough positive things about this place! They have a private room in the back which had a large party. Seems like a good time!
(5)Sarah C.
Came here on New Year's eve. Not busy at all. Was able to get a table for 6 then tack on another easily. The service here is pretty good. The women who work here are pretty attentive. Each of us received a salad that came with our meal. It is nothing special but a nice touch. Most of us ordered the steak - peppered or mushroom. You get your choice of fries, bread, rice, or macaroni. You get a lot of mushroom but the the pepper seem to vary from day to day. One day you might get a lot of pepper and the next day not. I didn't want anything too heavy so I opted for the the cheesy bread (6 pieces - pretty good) and a bowl of pho. The pho was eh. I've had better. Overall, it was a decent dining experience. The prices are a bit high for what they serve but not bad.
(3)Loving Life ..
We always drive by here on our way home from work. Finally decided to come and try it out once and for all. I would say it's ok and I've had better. The beef was undercooked and a little salty. My fiancé couldn't even chew it :( Was hoping it would be great but unfortunately, it's just so so. I guess I'm a regular yelper now. Lol. I feel it's important to give my two cents since I am a HUGE foodie. This is supposed to be French fusion, we didn't taste any French. Just regular Vietnamese. Honestly, I could have went to pho Mai nearby and had the same beef cubes for more than half the price. I will add that the place is Very clean and cute. Not sure If we will return though. However, I'm glad we gave it a try because now we know. My motto in life. Don't knock it till you've tried it. :)
(3)Franklin C.
My entree came out but it was the wrong entree. I don't really mind because we all have off days when it comes to communication. Why did I get 3 stars then? We paid with a card and cash. The waiter/son charged the full amount on my card and took the cash. Hmmmmm....Luckily I caught it and only caught it because I looked at the price before handing my card over initially. Otherwise I would have just signed and left. To make things more awkward, my friend who was eating w/ me knows the guy. That day must have been a really bad off day. It's not good when I can't even remember what I ate and this is all I remember.
(3)Jessica B.
I love going here with my boyfriend :) we usually order the steak with rice and steak with mushrooms. Mmmmm :) this will always be a priority steak restaurant for us! Plus, i love their guava candy!
(5)Joshua T.
WOW!!!! How did I not find this place any earlier. I literally live 4 blocks away from this place and only discovered it last week. Best Vietnamese restaurant in Milpitas fosure. Such a good vibe coming here. Classy and romantic place to dine at. The food is superb and prices are within my pocket. Service was good as it wasn't busy when we visited. Would definitely recommend a first date dinner here. Great food, great feel, great place. If it wasn't in such a hidden location, it would get so much more attention, but I thank god it's not crowded!!
(5)Mylan N.
This place has been around forever and I've been here a few times. Most recently went back because we were in the area. My daughter loves this place because of the pasta, although I don't care for it. The steak is okay~nothing to write home about. The cheese fondue appetizer is decent and something you don't see often at a Vietnamese restaurant. The tamarind prawns are pretty good but kind of pricey. Good spot for a quiet family dinner if you are in the area, but wouldn't go out of the way to go here. Would only come back because my daughter really loves this place and it's really hard to find a place that she is willing to have some meat (she pretty much only eats veggies everyday).
(3)Hoa P.
Me and my boyfriend favorite spot. We always goes here during special occasion like celebrating our birthday or anniversary, or just simple craving steak. Good and delicious mushroom steak never disappoint me. Great place for couple!
(5)Kristine L.
I've been here a couple of times and for some reason, ALWAYS empty. The food isn't bad, I always get the Mushroom Steak. It comes with a marinated piece of steak, peppercorns, and sauteed mushrooms, all on a sizzling plate. The entree also comes with either rice, noodles or bread AND a side of salad. Not bad for the price. Anyway, the steak is so-so, not great, but not bad. Everything else is also just average, nothing too special. Their menu has a lot of fancy dishes and choices but I haven't tried anything else. Service is below average; for a place that is always literally empty, they are slow and are bad at attending to you. If you don't mind that, then give this place a try, you might like it.
(3)Leanne P.
My last trip to Chez Christina was quite a few years ago. I had a relatively good experience, so when my brother said he was craving it--I went too! We came here with the whole fam (mom & dad, hubby and me, bro and his gf). This place is stylin, but obviously still a mom & pop kinda place. The menu has a great selection of French and Vietnamese dishes, and we had a hard time narrowing down our selection. We decided to start with some spring rolls and the wings. I ordered a cup of French Onion soup and Bo Luc Lac. Hubby ordered the beef stew, The appetizers were wonderful and our main dishes were pretty good. I was a little disappointed with the Bo Luc Lac because I usually get this across town (at Truong Thanh) and the steak is really melt in your mouth awesome. The dish here was not bad, but not on the same level. The French Onion soup was again--just not the best I've ever had. My steak came with the red rice, which was really good, and a small salad, which was not. The viniagrette was okay though. Overall, our dinner was fine, but nothing to brag about. Price
(3)Cindy T.
I got the bo luc lac and it was bomb! Tender, juicy, all that. Generous portions, too!
(4)Helen T.
seem's like there are inconsistencies with other yelpers but ive never had any issue here. I'm always happy with my order of mushroom steak, red rice, and my jellyfish salad. It has a "romantic/quiet" feel to it but you can just come get your grub and leave since service is pretty quick.
(4)Trung N.
Mushroom steak.. mushroom steak... mushroom steak!! I keep reading about having to try the mushroom steak here from all the reviews and goodness.. it seems that it's the most popular thing amongst us yelpers. I came here for lunch today tagging along with my father's craving for the steak and baguette(aka banh mi). Figured I'd pop into yelp and read reviews as well as suggestions on what to eat.. The overwhelming response of mushroom steak was utterly mind boggling. Without much further hesitation, I was convinced to try out this steak with my side being the red rice. Red rice, is rice that's been cooked with some tomato paste that gives it added flavor as well as the color. There's also sesame seed oil I believe. Either way, it's pretty good and it was good here. The mushrooms are your typical white mushrooms cooked in plenty of garlic, butter, and peppercorns. The sizzling plate of steak had those mushrooms, along with a teriyaki type sauce. The steak itself was a decent portion, though I would say it's not really comparable to what most westerners would call a delicious juicy steak. The flavors overall from the steak were pretty much what you'd expect from a Vietnamese restaurant, with that subtle influence of French cuisine that the restaurant advertises themselves as. There was a lot of delicious sauce leftover after I was finished, and kept eyeballing my dad's baguette to be able to sop up the rest. Perhaps I'll take that hint from him and get that next time instead of the rice. Service was on par to what I'd expect... and they certainly made the atmosphere very French with even the typical accordion music you'd hear at a cafe. Probably a good place to take a date.
(4)C P.
As soon as we walked in, I noticed a "wet dog" smell, which wasn't great. The owner (I think) looked a bit annoyed when we asked for a bigger table or an extra steak knife... The food was flavorful, but nothing from the French-Vietnamese menu really made me think "French bistro", but maybe it wasn't suppose to. It also feel pricier than it should be for what we got. I don't think I will be coming back any time soon.
(2)Tram N.
I haven't been here in over a year- I think it has been 2-3 years as a matter of fact so I forgot what my expectations were honestly about this place. We walked in and were immediately seated and menus were plopped on the table. Iced water are not brought out automatically but then again we were a party of 8 and a lot of us weren't there yet. The decor is nice but what put the ambiance out of place was the flatscreen on the wall. The menu was extensive.. I did not look at the appetizers but they had vermicelli, broken rice dishes, STEAK, no, I mean SIZZLING STEAK among others. The prices here are very decent.. very cheap rather for a 7-8oz of juicy ass steak. I wanted mine rare and sure enough, it was rare when I got it! The pasta that came w/ my dish was good; I ordered that for my Daughter. I don't think I saw a kid's menu.. anyway.. everyone pretty much ordered mushroom steak w/ a baguette and it looked so good. I did not look at their dessert menu either but that just means I need to pay a visit sometime soon to experience the whole caboodle. My Aunt treated dinner so I did not order at full capacity because that would be inconsiderate and rude. Tip was built into the bill and thanks to Yelp, I got a free soft drink or iced tea (I picked Diet Coke, of course) upon checking-in. Hell-yes!
(4)Alan D.
You know, I've been coming here ever since I was a kid. My family always came here for the most amazing steak, side dishes and atmosphere. Glad to say that most of that has beat the test of time. I went here again last night and the atmosphere stayed the same, I highly suggest people come here during the evening. The restaurant is somewhat secluded near the hills and it just has this very ambiguous tone to it.. GO DURING THE EVENING!!!!... Moving on, we ordered the chicken wings for appetizers and I got the mushroom steak and my girlfriend got the teriyaki steak, needless to say, we were highly satisfied. I ordered my steak with a side of macaroni (which is cooked in lemon grass, so don't be alarmed when it doesn't have cheese on it, it's delicious!) and my girlfriend ordered a side of fries alongside her steak. Now the chicken wings were sub-par, they smelled of... I don't know, it was just bad, but it tasted good, which surprised me. Oh, and might I mention that they have a complementary salad that comes with your meals. Anyways, the mushroom steak was a bit overcooked, I ordered medium and got about medium well, but it wasn't that big of a deal because the steak tasted delicious. My girlfriend's teriyaki wasn't too bad either, both were new york strips so we loved it all the way. As for desert, I totally forgot what we ordered, but don't worry they only have about 5-6 desert dishes, and we ordered the one with the icecream wrapped in a white chocolate coating, order that! It's freaking amazingly good. Overall, I give this restaurant a 4 star rating, food was delicious, desert was great, and I loved the atmosphere. However, don't expect the servers to care much about you. One of the bussers was texting on his phone right on the floor, c'mon now buddy! Right in front of us too!
(4)Mark M.
The food is pretty good here, but I feel like I am just paying for overpriced Vietnamese food, with a desperate attempt to make things a bit "fusion." I have some friends who swear by the steaks here, which really isn't bad. They also do a good tomato rice here. But this place is a bit pricey for the food in my humble opinion. Sorry!!!
(3)Ted C.
3.5 stars. Pepper steak was flavorful. The red rice was bland, but I piled it onto the steak, and it soaked up the sauce. Cubed steak was good too but a little overdone. Fondue was petty good, but I could see a lot of oil in the cheese, I think it's butter. The lemon bomb dessert was so so good. Lemon sorbet with a runny center and crunchy meringue on the outside. Mango panna cotta was good but needed to be thawed a little more.
(3)Justin N.
A lot of my friends love this place. Steak served on a hot sizzling platter! I love most places that serve that as well. For me though, Chez Christina is overrated. The only thing I really like here is the tomato macaroni side that comes with your steak plate. Although seasoned well, I feel like they serve you the crappy piece of steak. You can buy a better cut from the grocery store and cook it better. And boy is this place expensive for being a hole in the wall.
(2)Katherine L.
Me and friends came here to celebrate birthdays. First off, the waitress was super nice. We couldn't decide on an appetizer or soup so she helped us decide on chicken wings. The chicken wings had a nice aroma of fried garlic and fish sauce, but it didn't taste like much. There was also barely any meat on it. sad =( We all got mushroom steaks but alternated on rice and pasta. The steaks, medium rare, were deliciously cooked. The mushrooms were yummy and the steak was tender. I felt like I needed to add some flavor by using A1 sauce and tabasco, which was unfortunate because the steak couldn't stand up in taste by itself. Salads that came with the steaks were nothing special. Great idea to put the rice in the sauce with steak!
(3)Samantha K.
Chez Christina is a neighborhood gem of a Vietnamese restaurant in Milpitas. It is a nicely laid out restaurant with friendly service. We usually opt for their taro salad;their ribs; and macaroni. We have enjoyed many of their dishes - many many options. They have ala carte items as well as full meals such as their cornish game hen. They have beer and wine offerings as well.
(4)Jenn N.
I tried this place for the first time a few weeks ago with a few gfs & I was pretty excited after reading all the good reviews on Yelp. We came on a Wednesday night at 8:30 & it was pretty dead-- probably cuz they close at 9.. but they still let us in & served us :) We ALL ordered the mushroom steak with red rice & it came out fairly quickly. Our food came out sizzling & it was DELICIOUS. My medium-rare came out perfectly. (I personally hate it when it comes out too cooked or too raw, but it was really good-- pink in the middle!). Everything was good.. especially, the sauce. Mmm :) At the end, we still had some room in our tummy & decided to get the mango dessert, but it was mediocre.. I think I would just come back here for the MUSHROOM STEAK. I was actually back here again this past weekend with my bf & he also loved it. I haven't tried anything other than the mushroom steak so I'm not sure how the other food is.. but I'm sure it's good too. They have other Vietnamese dishes on their menu as well. Anyways, this is a good place for a casual date because the atmosphere is a little dim & cozy, but not too fancy that you have to dress up. My bf & I were already craving it again the day after we ate here.. soo I'm sure we'll be back sometime soon :)
(5)Wendy T.
When you come to Chez Christine, it doesn't seem like a cozy date kind of atmosphere from the outside, but IT IS! Dimmed lighting and romantic music is the first thing u experience when u first walk in through the doors. The food is good but can't say it's hella good...but it's good. The service is...I have to say not that great hence the 3 stars. My cup is empty and the waiter hasn't come by once to check on us after they served the food (it is a very slow night too). I like their red macaroni but their red rice is yummy too! I have tried the family dishes as well and it's pretty yummy. If u like steak I would get mushroom steak! But ask for a degree lower than u want because they kind of like to over cook it by just a lil.
(3)Noel M.
I don't know how I missed the other escargot appetizer last time so it had to be tasted. It turned out to be patties, of some sort - I wasn't impressed with it's flavorless, springy presentation. Plus, one came out still wrapped in the plastic that it was rolled/steamed? in. I had been wary of ordering the Cornish hen since it's description specified fried, but it arrived with a light crisp. It was tender, it was delicious. We also asked for the spiciest entree on the menu and the chicken with lemon grass, chili and onions was suggested. I still don't know how to feel about it. They were out of bananas foster. I'll get some...maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but by golly something on the menu cannot elude me like this.
(4)kim n.
Ewe, the escargots were NOT happening! The butter garlic sauce was fine, but the quality of the snails...gross, it tasted mushy and off putting. As for their steak, it seems their quality has been going down for the past 20 years (yes, I've been going here that long!) The size is smaller, and I ordered medium - it came out practically well done. The marinade seems a bit sweeter nowadays and more drenched in oil. And the macaroni, it's too tomato-saucy. Needless to say, I can't convince my bf to come back here (it's his first time) again.
(3)Anthony C.
All I have to say is Mushroom steak with red rice. Classic top notch stuff.
(4)Shawn A.
Yet another place I've frequented for eons, but I'm afraid that the "tide has changed". I've got one of those uneasy feelings in my stomach - not from bad food necessarily - but from BAD SERVICE. In my book, bad service trumps good food any day of the week, and this time, I'm leaving Chez Christina, after many great meals and even one of my birthdays celebrated there. Sigh. My daughters and I happened by on a Saturday night around 7:30 pm. The restaurant was semi-full, with two large tables of patrons, and several couples spread throughout, but nothing that a waitstaff of 4 should have problems with. We were promptly seated and given menus, but, knowing what my girls and I would order anyway, I took their menus and closed them, hoping that this act would send a strong hint that we were ready, and hungry! Boy was I wrong. Only after 15 minutes did someone - I think one of the owners actually - stop by our table to take our order. I did have to wave my hands (one of the servers refused to look our way) and shout, "Excuse me"! I was peeved at this point, because two other tables that were seated AFTER us had already placed their orders and had received their salads that usually accompany any entree. Those tables peered over at us periodically, and in a way, I sensed that they acknowledged my girls and I were being....ahhh, ignored. I nodded at them but knew they were victims of poor service too in varying degrees. Hey, goodness, we've got our salads now, but - WAIT - no dressing! The other tables have dressing for their salads. Not us. I want my dressing! I'm feeling neglected again. I flagged down that server who "refused to look our way" to ask for dressing, and mysteriously, 5 minutes later, a glass jar of their signature Italian dressing appeared. Their salad is usually one of my favorite intros, but at this point, we were headed downhill pretty freakin' fast. I'm going to pause here and note that the large table behind us was never cleaned after the patrons left. A table set for 8 was left untouched, with dirty napkins, plates, and silverware strewn this way and that. My 12-year old noted, "Hey, Dad, look, the lady put more dirty dishes from other tables on the big uncleaned one". C'mon folks, let's have some pride in establishment and not leave us po' folk to view the unsightly mess! Back to the meal. Forty minutes after we were seated we finally received our entrees. Chez Christina is known for their sizzling steaks, and they usually don't disappoint. One of my girls had the Teriyaki Steak, and I had the Pepper Steak, a dish I've feasted on for nearly 20 years. I add copious amounts of tabasco to mine, and I'm set. My younger daughter had the Grilled Sliced Pork, which was fine, but nothing "to write home about". In the end, I give Chez Christina 2.5 STARS. I really wanted to post a higher rating, considering the history I have with them, but the bad service simply did not warrant the gesture. On our way to the car, my 12-year old remarked, "Boy, Dad, the service has gotten really bad, hasn't it?" Yes, it has. And, if the place doesn't clean up their service attentiveness and attitude, I suspect there will be more veteran diners, like myself, who say - "Buh-bye" - and walk away forever. Barracudaman over and out.
(2)Tina B.
We've been here a couple of times and the food is really good. For an appetizer, we like GI NEM CHUA (cured pork served with rice crispies, mint, & diced onions). However, we like to order it without the jalapenos since it's really spicy. He likes the ROASTED CORNISH HEN (whole Cornish hen marinated in our special sauce and deep fried to a crisp). I like the MUSHROOM STEAK (grilled New York steak served on a sizzling platter with sautéed mushrooms). Tonight, we came fifteen minutes before closing and they didn't mind - which was really nice. We were finished rather quickly, but they wanted to make sure that we're done. Everything adds up, but it's a nice outing every now and then.
(4)Julie L.
My bf and I can always count on Chez Christina to be open and ready to serve when we go there! The staff is super friendly! The food is delish and served fresh! I recommend the cubed steak with tomato rice! Or the Nem Nuong rolls! This place is open till 10pm on weekends which is a huge PLUS!
(5)Van N.
The bo luc lac is so awesome and the red rice does not compare to regular red rice I've tried at any other vietnamese restaurants. The flavors are so tasty and the food just dances in your mouth. The mushroom garlic steaks are to die for! Flavor explosion! This is THE most popular dish there so if you don't know what to order, you will not go wrong having this. Almost all of my friends visit this location only to have this one particular delicious plate of french vietnamese cuisine!
(5)Phu H.
OK whoever gives this place anything less then 4 stars wouldn't know a good steak if they were slapped in the face with one. You gotta try the New york steak and you better get the damn mushrooms. While eating your steak or after take the french bread and soak up the steak sauce or oil whatever you wanna call it, and scarf it down because it's soooooo goood. Service is awesome, great place to go for if you're trying to get away from all those other so called fancy top notch steak houses that try to up sell you every chance they get. If you're expecting to impress your date by blowing your dough on $20 appetizers and $50 steaks then you're at the wrong place. Now if you're looking for a well priced fulfilling meal then that's what you'll get. THE BEST mom and pops restaurant in the milpitas area IMO. Wanted to add that they remodeled with a fresh new look and there are a bunch of new items on the menu. We tried the fondue and it was pretty damn good.
(5)LeeAnn G.
The steak and mushrooms along with the french bread, and limeade is to die for. Me and my husband have been together for 23 years and this is our little romantic place....A lot of memories.
(5)Jonathan L.
I like this restaurant and have eaten here several times. I must admit that I have not ordered anything but the Peppered Steaks. There are a few variations such as Teriyaki and Mushroom steaks. The steaks come with red rice, macaroni or french bread. They are all nice but the bread is my fav. The restaurant is clean and nice. The service has been good and prompt too.
(4)Pika C.
I went here today....because people recommended this place. We had some appetizers...fish..noodles..and mushroom steak. The mushroom steak isn't to die for. We asked for it medium rare..yeah..it was more medium or medium well. The flavor was good but I've had better steak. The appetizers..we had the chez christina chicken wings..and then imperial rolls...both pretty decent...the beef noodle soup was good but the beef was too chewy...the catfish had good flavor and the meat was really good..just too many little bones. The service was okay..not the best. We were asking the lady which noodles were dry and which were soup...she just pointed to three on the menu and said some are dry some aren't...we asked her which was which...she just kept repeating some were dry some were soupy..it was weird. She wasn't so friendly at first but throughout the night she got a little better... Overall..it was descent..but pricey for what it is...so I don't think I will go again in the near future...
(3)Voodoo P.
not bad for the price.....I like the steak and red rice with the French iced coffee. It just feel stuffy sometime but the service is great.
(5)qirk z.
First time here. My friends were just there the day before, and wanted to go back, so I went. Ordered #35 lunch, lemongrass chicken with rice. I ordered a side of the macaroni. The dish came with the macaroni substituted for the rice, not what I intentionally wanted, but it's ok, there's plenty of food for lunch. I liked the chicken, the macaroni was w/ tomato sauce, and they also gave a small salad with dressing on the side. Not much of a weekday lunch crowd, then again, it's in a semi-residential area. I'll be back.
(4)Jessica C.
I like to come here when I'm in the area. Food is always consistently good.
(5)jay d.
I think the review from H N. said it all already... I'll quote his first line.. "Ahhh! This place is hellllllllllllaaaaaa gooooooood!" I too, have been coming here every now and then for a couple years and this place can never get old for me. I love their steak and rice! My friends all like the macaroni but we all can agree about how good the mushrooms are. They give you a salad with some kind of dressing. Sprinkle some pepper on it and wow it tastes hellllllaaaa gooooood!.. haha. I recommend this place to anyone and everyone!
(5)Christina C.
For a viet restaurant, their steak is good. Mushroom steak, to be exact. Being a namesake is a personal plus, haha.
(3)Cheryl P.
I've been on somewhat of an Atkins diet lately - all meat, all the time! The weather's been gloomy so instead of traveling around the bay in search of some good steak, I wanted to keep it local. This restaurant is never too busy and on weekdays it's practically empty. I like the fact that it's close and convenient. We started w/the chicken wings which were decent. Same kind you can get at Lee's or any other fast food joint. For our entrees we both ordered the steak. Mine w/mushrooms accompanied by a side salad & red (tomato paste) rice. Nice & tender as always. A reliable (so far), quiet place to have dinner when I'm feeling lazy.
(3)Peter N.
I used to go to this place a lot because they have the best Cubed Steak around. not anymore. I went there tonight with a party of four and had received the worst customer service in my life thus far (no exaggeration). when we arrived we had to wait a few minutes to be seated. no problem there. after being seated, we watched the servers and waiters walk by many times to clean tables and bring out other tables' orders. this went on for about 20 to 30 minutes. after trying to be patient for someone to come take our order (drink order forgotten, as well) my girlfriend lets a server know that we have not been helped yet. the lady says "okay. i will be right there." by this time another party who came in 10 minutes after us had been sitting by us had been waiting for someone to take their order, too. another 15 minutes goes by and we see her going to turn on a light. we approach her again for service because it was plain to see that she had forgotten about us. by the time she does come over, she goes to help the party that came after us first. we speak up and let it be known to her that we had arrived first. she complies and takes our order first. while we wait for the food to come out we see her and another server helping her bring out salad for the party who came in after us first. by this time 10 minutes had elapsed. they bring out our salad after, so we decide to not make a big deal of it. when we received our salads, our drinks had not come out yet. after finishing our salads, we sit in bewilderment as the servers bring out food for the same table that came in and ordered after us. our food came out finally 10 minutes after that. we were already not too satisfied with the service at this point, but were willing to just let it go once we got our food. before i could take a bite of anything, my cousin's girlfriend drops her untesils and says "is that my hair or someone else's?" we all take a look over and notice that there was no way it could be her hair because it was buried into her Shrimp Scampi. we tell a server and they ask us if we want to-go boxes and we declined. there was no way we were going to eat anything there. all-in-all, this visit has soured my opinion of this restaurant. what began as a night for 4 hard-working people to relax and enjoy quality food and service turned out to be a nightmare. from the servers forgetting about our table for over 40 minutes, as well as 2 others, tables, to the food of a latter arriving party coming out before us, and having hair in our food there is no way i can come back to this restaurant. it is pricey so you would expect above average service, at the least. on this night, we received 10 times better service at a Carl's Jr, thereafter.
(1)Linda L.
I've been to the restaurant for over 10 years ... and they have changed a lot! Especially in the remodeling part. The wait for the meal to prepare is kind of slow, but the food comes out on a sizzling plate (if you order the steaks) I love the tomato rice that comes with the french-vietnamese infused dishes. All dinner plate comes with a salad with the best vinaigrettes ever! And most meals come with french baguette, not the one you get from Lee's but the nice fluffy one. I enjoy the peppercorn steak because it is very flavorful and has a nice sauce, and as mentioned before comes on a nice sizzling plate so the food is very hot! The juices are nicely retained and it's not too chewy either. the proportions are just right for the price you pay (versus at an american steak house where you pay for the ounces ) the decorations have changed, for the better, and its nice a place to go on a date (its a dark atmosphere ;))
(4)Julie T.
Cute, Clean, and Food is Great! The owner is super nice! I love this place! Mushroom Steak with Bread for dipping yummy!!
(4)Unhappy C.
I was invited to attend a birthday party and asked to give an opinion about Chez Christina if this restaurant will be a good place for the next bigger party (50 or more guests). The food wasn't that impressive. The service was horrible. After I told the waitress about her horrible service, she didn't response and walked away. I was unhappy and decided to talk to the owner. At first, I thought the waitress who had an attitude though out the night was just an employee. Oh, boy! I was wrong. When I asked for the name of the owner, she paused, gave me smile, and said: "I'm the owner". What do you think? Is there a reason for us to go back to Chez Christina?
(1)Aileen A.
I tried the mushroom steak. It was good-that is if you ordered a medium cooked steak, not a meduim well like you had requested. So I guess next time, I should order opposites. Pretty generous size though. The mushrooms were delicious and they gave me a generous amount. I wish the sauce was a little thicker, so that the flavor could stick to the steak. Pouring the sauce over the delicious red rice (I'm from Guam so I got reallllly excited about the rice!) got a little tiring. It came on a hot plate, not a sizzling hot plate. I guess we didn't get any bread, just salad, like the other yelpers who choose the mushroom steak. My boyfriend and I came during dinner hours and guess what? You can still order off the lunch menu as well. He ordered shrimp with imperial rolls or something like that. It was onion strips wrapped in bbq beef. Delicious! Service is awesome and food got to me quickly. The atmosphere? Good place to take someone on a date if you're on a budget. Casual, but not pretentious. White linen cloth on tables, not too dim lights, and food comes in a cute French cart.
(4)Jessica C.
Tried it, not super impressed but it's a cute establishment if you want sizzling steak and red rice. The restaurant is not super busy so you can take kids here and get a decent steak meal. We had the escargot with wine and butter to start and it was not good. The best dish were our main dishes. No time for dessert but everything on the menu looked frozen and not very appetizing. Overall, quaint family restaurant that's family owned. I would probably come back here if I have another steak craving but it's nothing to rave about.
(3)Tracy N.
I've only been here once, and I definitely want to give them another shot. Maybe it was what I ordered. Whatever the case, I was definitely not impressed by this place. I had the prawns, which were O-K, and the lemon grass chicken, which was less than O-K, and the shrimp rolls, which were nothing special... It was definitely overpriced for the quality of food it offered. I took my boyfriend there because he really likes French Vietnamese food, but we were pretty disappointed after taking a look at the menu. I live pretty close, and this place has been there for as long as I can remember. If I could describe it in two words, it would be sad and tired. My impression was just that: the waiters are tired, the restaurant is tired, the decor is tired. But then I walked outside and saw a new beamer, and realized this place is probably doing well. Well chops and pops to that, I guess.
(2)T. T.
I must say the location of this restaurant needs a lot of work. Otherwise, this place has great potentials. First of, the way they marinate their steaks are to-drool-for! Stay away from their tomato macaroni...I would highly suggest you pair your steak with either french bread (with butter of course) or flavorful rice. I would give this place a 4 out of 5 stars if they up the quality of their meat.
(3)K H.
I went here with my BF and a bunch of his friends a few times. They're known for their steak & mushroom and your choice of red rice or red macaroni. The place has remodeled but still a bit cramp and frankly dirty. But hey, it's an Asian place with pretty good food! -good food -kind of slow service, each time we were here we waiting a while - that's why only 3 stars and not 4 -there was one time where my salad didn't have dressing either (like what the other yelper said!) but the server was really nice and brought me another salad
(3)J L.
The food was just okay. We ordered steak, fish, lotus root salad with shrimp and pork. No surprise at all. The so-called 'red rice' was just rice mixed with tomato paste. We came at 8 pm on Friday night. The restaurant was not busy, but we had a hard time to get the wait staff to fill us up with water. So, we took the tea pot to the back to refill the water. My friend said 'Are we having dinner at the Fresh Choice? Why are we doing everything?' Basically, we needed to ask for filling up water, desert menu, change for the check, etc.
(3)Jennifer P.
I remember as a kid always going here with my parents. I love the steak & red rice..mmm...Whenever i go out and dine here thats what i usually get. I usually dont eat the salad that comes with the meal as an appetizer so i tell the waiter that i dont want it so he gives me more rice instead. Its kind of hidden in the area but its a cute restuarunt, a great place for a romantic dinner :]
(4)Scott M.
This place is tuck away in the corner of Milpitas. The food is awesome and at a great price. I eaten there a few times and they are very consistant. The food is prepared quickly and always tastes great. This place is awesome I highly recommend.
(5)Vy N.
Ahhh! This place is hellllllllllllaaaaaa gooooooood! Been going here for yearssss n will be going for years to come! The mushroom steak on the sizzling platter is TO DIE FOR! Get the red macaroni on the side and also the bread with the butter. YUMMMM! Their che sung sa hot luu is nasty. Tasted old and the coconut milk was justttt disgusting.
(4)Immunity B.
I usually order the Mushroom Steak here for dinner. I've had lots of steak in my time, but I must say this tiny little restaurant brings out some good meat. It comes out on a sizzling platter added with flavorful mushrooms and a plate of tomato rice. The accompanying bread and salad is good as well. The decor is dim-lit, with a eurasian style to it. And yes, It is a little odd. You would think food coming out on a cart sounds like a good idea, but it feels just a tad bit eerie. It's not too fancy, and the location is rather off. It's in a corner plaza. But the steak is decent.
(3)Annie C.
BEST STEAK EVER!!! well as good as you'll ever get for under $20 and not have to buy the cow the mushroom pepper steak is what they're known for, sure the place isn't anything to look at, kinda classic/sappy music..but really who pays attention to that stuff when you've got a hunk of meat sizzling to perfection in from of you with the aroma smells wafting into your nose?!?!?!?! its so hard to choose between bread and the tomatoe rice. the solution? bring a friend and order one of each!
(5)marian l.
The outer appearance did not impress me, so when i get it i didn't expect too much... I order the steak and mac, when it came out it was better than what i expect... The price is not bad .....one of the thing is they are pet friendly which give me a plus... one of my friend have a small dog with her, we asked the cashier / owner about it, she let us bring it in.... since then we always come once every two weeks
(4)Quyen N.
The mushroom steak is all I ever order here. I love it! Been eating that same dish here for about 8 years now or so... and it keeps gettin better. The service is ok - nothing to complain but nothing to praise. Overall they're nice and clean with good food!
(4)linda y.
I've been here probably since i was like in middle skool i believe...i totally love their food. I usually order their teriyaki steak wid rice or french bread...dependin on my mood. But for lunch time i order da same thing but on da lunch menu it just mentions steak but i ask for da teriyaki sauce so i wont get charged dinner price. da only diff is mainly dat its not on da sizzlin plate...which i dont mind....it still tastes damn good. i love their salad dressing. mmmGOOD ^__^
(5)Chrisjan Y.
One of my fav steak places around. price isn't that bad and service is excellent. I order the steak w/ macaroni, it is excellent. I've tasted more that just steak but my true love is red meat. My 2 cents!
(5)Tina N.
ive been going to this place with my family ever since i was 13 and its been well over 7 years now. this place isn't all that special but it's a small joint, has a very "home-like" feel. for some good vietnamese style steaks, i love this place.
(4)Christine T.
Chez Christina has been a restaurant that I've frequently visited since I was 10. It's been one of our family's favorite. The eggrolls are super yummy and usually is just a teaser for me The red rice and steak (com steak) has been my favorite. The steak comes out pretty juicy and not dry and very flavorful. This steak comes out just on a regular plate but there are steaks that come out on a sizzling plate like the mushroom steak! YUM!! The service is usually pretty good, it's a family run restaurant so like James B. said the people who work there are friends and family so you get to know them when you keep going there.
(5)Sharon T.
their new york steak is to die for... i am a sucker for mushrooms, and they'll serve you up your meal - salad w/ a light vinegrette sauce - then your food... the new york steak is brought out still sizzling from the hot plate it is served on, so i suggest you not wear anything expensive, unless you like that smell on you... and their macaroni is like crack. i used to come here to eat it back in the day as a broke middle/high school student because it was super cheap... then they raised the prices on me... 10 years later, i'm still a starving student... but whenever i find myself around milpitas, hankering for something filling - i stop by chez christina for one of the best steaks good money can buy...
(4)Olivia H.
No one in my party ordered the sizzling steak platter but it looks like it was popular since almost every other table did. They sure look good but I'm not much of a steak fan. I just ordered the Bun with pork and imperial roll. I thought my dish was good. The pork was nicely grilled and the imperial rolls were crispy and it came in a nice big bowl. Our appetizer of shrimp wrapped on a sugar cane was pretty good. It came with the wrapper that you had to dip in water to soften and plenty of sides like cilantro, mint, cucumber, carrots, and scallions. Service was pretty fast. And prices were reasonable. I guess nothing really stood out so I can't give them more stars.
(3)Flower P.
I'm never eating here again, which is sad because I loved eating here but tonight changed my mind for good, and I'm telling everyone I know not to eat here either. There was four of us in the group, we were seated quickly, but no one came to ask us what we wanted to drink or to see if we were ready to order. I finally got up went to the front counter and asked to be waited on. We the waitress came she did not know which table to take the order from first, we told her we were first. So she began to take our order. We got our salads and one was missing, and no drinks. Then the table next to us who had arrived later than us received their food first, by this time we had been seating there for more than 50 Minutes, and all we had was a salad and no drinks. Again I got up and went to the front counter, I let her know that we had no drinks and no food. Our food arrived, and still no drinks. When we got our food, my friends order was incorrect, and to top it off there was a hair in my other friends food. By that time I had been there for over an hour, I was pissed, we told another waitress, she said sorry and asked if we wanted another order, we told her no, and that we were leaving, she then asked if we wanted it to go! No, why would I want anything from here to go? The food had hair in it!! I'm very disappointed, Chez Christina is on the expensive side, I expected way better customer service. I have never experienced such awful service until tonight. We got up and left, it was an hour of wasted time and bad service. I will never set foot here again! I promise!
(1)Party R.
2 1/2 stars. For the price you pay $15 a plate, you get one side and a small side salad. Not impressed. The steak was tasty but a bit fatty. Also, after I had dinner I had a huge headache and got nauseous. That happens to me when I have too much MSG. Their dinner menu is too much money for what they offer you. It is a bit ghetto and awkward how they serve you on rolling carts. No point They try to have a nice ambiance but some of the things are contradictory on what they're trying to show. Ie.. paper napkin folded like a cloth napkin, soda served in a can etc. What they need to do is lower their prices, replace the NY steak with top sirloin and offer 2 sides not one. If they do that the older Vietnamese customer will come in more. For me, I won't be going here. This is for people who don't know what good steak is. It was just mehh....
(3)Taun T.
The food is so-so. The service is okay. I guess the only thing that makes this place great is that there's not very many places like this in Milpitas. This place tries to be fancy, doesn't do that well, but at least they try. Maybe I'm just grumpy because they always make me wait so long for food.
(3)Jenina S.
it used to be a lot better (i used to order the cordon bleu or mushroom steak) this trip i had #28 which came with grilled beef, imperial roll, fried shrimp, red rice. fried shrimp was dry (overdone) & all batter. imperial roll was overcooked as well and lacked filling. beef had a good flavor but was cooked medium well, i like medium rare (i didn't get an option/choice). the garlic cheese fondue appetizer is good. i remember the steaks used to be a lot better but i had a bite of my friend's and it was rubbery. +1 star for having "maggi!"
(2)Karen S.
Nothing remarkable. The food is ok. I had the Mushroom steak. It was good but not memorable. The service is very slow, so not somewhere you want to visit if you're in a hurry. It was quiet while we were there which was nice. A nice family restaurant, a nice place to meet friends and actually have a conversation. My friends got the korean bbq which did look quite tasty, but it is hard to get those wrong. The prices were reasonable, the korean bbq would be the better buy I think.
(3)Ms K.
I agree, let's get real folks. Most Vietnamese restaurants aren't known for their customer service skills. Chez Christina is one of the better Vietnamese restaurants that you will find out there full of rushed pho noodle soup and wannabe upscale 4 star Asian fusion places. Why? Their food is fantastic -- their specialty is mushroom steak and filet mignon. They're yum-O! With their costs so low compared to some of the high-end steak places, you can't beat it. I've tried many places around the bay, and still haven't found a place that compares to Chez Christina's flavor & price. I've visited this place a number of times now and the food has been awesome every time. If you're not in the mood for heavy protein (like Korean beef, steaks & rack of lambs), then go for their salmon/chicken dishes or family dinner. Recently, they've undergone remodeling, both the look and menu. I like the new look, much better than the cheezy fake French style that they had going -- black & white checkered floors, rude unhappy servers. The place looks warm and inviting now with much friendlier staff. I'm giving this place 5 stars mainly because of their food and cost. If this had been pricey, then I'd give it 4 stars.
(5)lani h.
My bf and I went to Chez Christina yesterday night after my yoga class. He was craving for steak, and steak is supposedly their specialty. I wasn't feeling well so I didn't get the steak. I had a piece of my bf's and it was okay. What can I say? the food is merely passing grade. The steak meals come w/ a side salad which is basically maybe about 4-5 big pieces of lettuce and one thinly slice tomato and cucumber. The worst thing is the dressing. It was toooooo sweet. To top it off, we were seated in the corner, and as soon as the waitress brought over the salad, several gnats started to gather. I was grossed out and asked to be moved. The waitress said that it was because they had the door open, didn't even offer an apology. Anyhow, I don't think I'll return to Chez Christina anytime soon.
(1)hailun g.
Wow. If I can give it a negative, I would. I came here four years back had a weird papaya salad of some sort (I don't remb, it was a long time ago and i didn't pay for the meal so perhaps that's why I don't recall it being this awful). Nobody was there at 6pm that should've been a suresign this place was bad. my tab came to be over 30 and we did not even want to take leftovers home (i'm not one to waste either) the waiter was terrible I guess he was 'too ashamed' of his own restaurant (no business, terrible dirt food) to give us our money back or at least reimburse us for part of the meal. He didn't even offer to make us a better dish! wow when we asked him questions, he wasn't accommodating we only tipped 2 dollars, shouldve given him a penny to show the lack of service!!! itwas themost awful place I've dined in please do not go I had rice with maggie sauce b/c our food was that terrible! I was hungry too
(1)Beini Q.
So this place does have great food, but I have had so many bad experiences there that I will never go back again. The servers are not only awful but really rude. We always order the escargot and it comes with 4 tiny pieces of bread. Last time we asked if we could get more bread, they ignored us and when my bf got his steak which he had ordered with some French bread, they told us to just eat that, even though it was supposed to be for his meal! We went with one of our friends, who gave us $40 cash and we put that towards the bill and the rest on our credit card, and then left a cash tip. When we checked our credit card statement, they had charged us the whole amount on the credit card and kept the $40 as tip! Even though we had a receipt only authorizing $45, they charged us a total of $90! That is the most dishonest thing that has ever happened to me at a restaurant and I refuse to go to a place where they treat you like dirt and then try to rip you off! If you go there I definetely suggest you check to make sure they charge you the correct amount!
(1)Long H.
greatest restaurant ever made. they even remodeled!
(5)Hilda W.
Looks like an insane asylum to me. they bring your food on carts...its a kinda cutesy french/vietnamese place. the macaroni is kind of addicting. ive only had the steak and it was okay. other than that...nothing much to say about it.
(3)Mimi C.
I'll give it a 5 stars because I have nothing to complain about =). I really love this restaurant and they do give me the feeling like I can't wait to come back for more! Someone took me here on a date and we came back again on Valentines day. The service is very good for a vietnamese place. I love the little fondue appetizer, they serve it with bread and apple and its yummy! The first time we came, my date and I both ordered the mushroom steak. It was deliciouss! The second time we came back, my date loves the mushroom steak and he told me hes been craving it for some time now so he order that once again. I couldn't decide because I love the mushroom steak but I felt like being adventurous... my date assured me that he'll share the mushroom steak with me so I can go ahead and order the lamb and it turned out soooooo goood. The lamb was tender and juicy and the marinate sauce was very tasty.I really really like it =). I will def order that again when I come back... chez christina is now my fav restaurant!
(5)Nancy D.
Good customer service. I guess the only thing that makes this place worth coming back are their STEAKS. Their interior design are pretty modern, simple. Music was a bit loud. There's no need for reservation, this place is usually empty. Overall, I would only recommend their steaks.
(3)Peter L.
just thought i update since i went here last week. the steak and tomato rice was good like before. i did see some other table getting huge sizzling steaks that looked very enticing. too bad no hotties came in with the viet biz owners on this trip. we were half expecting it since it was a friday. there was a mix girl that was pretty cute when we were done though. total damage was around $15 per person i think. well, thats how much i chip in. also had a cafe sudai. ---old review --- use to go to this place alot for the steak and rice for lunch for $10. never order anything else here. the service is excellent and again, its CLEAN. allright, this is the place where all the old viet biz owner take their girlfriends to. i mean, i see so many old viets with coffee shop girls, viet karaoke waitress, and various young hottie at this place. this is a restaurant in the middle of nowhere. yet, one time i saw 2 brand new hummers and always see mercedez on the parking lot. funny thing was one time i was eating lunch with my buddy, and in comes this old dude with a little hottie. turns out the little girl is my buddy's gf's little sister, i think she was barely 18. it was a little awkward... at least it wasnt his gf...lol
(4)Doug V.
Always a pleasure to be at Chez Christina! Great place for a date.
(5)georgina w.
The food here is horrible. Asked for medium rare because I know the hot plate will continue cooking it. The meat came out medium well and with the hot plate, by the time I manage to eat half of it, it was well done. Had the mushroom steak and came away with a bad case of food poisoining. The Flan was tough and chewy. A pity though because the staff is nice and friendly.
(1)Fiel R.
mmmmmm.. mushroom steak... mmmm.. tomato fried rice... mmmm.. chicken wings... mmmmm food.. everything is great at this place... highly recommend!
(5)Jack C.
Chez Christina is an interesting restaurant, a nook hidden at the top of Milpitas. The pricing like everyone else has mentioned is roughly under $20 per person. The tomato rice and macaroni is excellent! I usually order the cube steak or the mushroom steak. You wouldn't expect this from this small restaurant but they do provide excellent mouth watering steak at an affordable price
(4)Steely K.
Vietnamese-French food, with surprisingly good steaks! I lived within 200 yards of this family-run place for over 6 years and never noticed it, until a visiting friend asked me about it, and we decided to give it a try. We both ordered the sizzling mushroom steak (served on a cow-shaped cast iron platter, along with a small loaf of French bread and a salad), and agreed that we had found a gem of a restaurant tucked away in this little corner of Milpitas. The steak was very tender, juicy and savory, cooked perfectly to order. The atmosphere and decor of the restaurant is casual and unremarkable, but the prices are reasonable: for dinner, Vietnamese dishes like Pho and "Dry" rice noodles dishes are in the $4.95 to $6.50 range; the Mushroom Steak is $12.75, Pepper Steak is $11.75, Chicken Cordon Bleu is $10.50. They have a cheaper lunch menu of about 20 selections, all include a simple salad with Italian dressing; prices range from $4.95 to $7.95. UPDATE: As of January 2008 this place has been redecorated, so it looks a lot better inside. There's nifty floor tile in the entryway and chair mouldings, if you notice those kind of things :-B, and the neato pendant lighting and fresh coat of paint make the place a lot more inviting than it used to be. I think the prices have been cranked up a couple of dollars for the main entree items since my 2005 review (above) was written. Oh -- If you like savory chicken, then you _must_ try the Roasted Cornish Hen. I've ordered it on 3 or 4 different occasions, and the flavor and moistitude (moistosity?) of the meat is awesome. It's roasted to a dark golden brown color with a lightly-sweet (honey or brown sugar maybe?) & savory sauce that really makes me wanna YELP for more! I forget the price for the dinner, but think it was around $13, which includes a small salad and a rice plate.
(4)Linda Y.
No....don't go here. Last time I was there I found a hair in my rice and since I didn't want to ruin the meal for the people I was with, I discreetly told the cashier after the meal. She gave me a curt "I'm sorry" and then didn't do anything about it. The least she could have done was taken a few dollars off my meal or something. Practically every time I go there I'm disappointed, so I won't be going back. Their only redeeming grace is the Korean beef ribs. They're pretty thin, but have great flavor. For me, one dish is not enough to go back.
(2)amber T.
Besides the French dishes, you should try their COM TAM BI THIT NUONG. It is actually better than VUNG TAU. Pepper and Mushroom steaks are to die for during dinner and only if you are really hungry. It is a bit heavy for me.
(4)Phuc L.
i like it
(5)Chrislong C.
best vietnamese/french restaurant in the world! person below me doesn't know what they're talking about. the mushroom and pepper steak is the best!
(5)B. T.
Sure it's not the best steak, as compared to Forbes or anything. But this no frills restaurant has me leaving satisfied. Peppered mushroom steak and bread is the best and it seems this is the only place to have such an item. Definitely a repeat dining experience to go on the list.
(4)Frank L.
I like that this is a Vietnamese french restaurant. The menu variety is also really good. However, I felt the execution was a lil off keeping this place from 4 stars to 3. We all ordered the lunch steak, which is the same thing as the dinner cept its a smaller steak and no mushrooms. Also, it doesnt come on a sizzling plate. The steak itself was a lil overcooked but was still ok. Only thing I didnt like was all that fatty chunks in the steak, but I guess you cant really complain if ur gettin steak for 11 bucks. Next thing is that ive had better macaroni pasta so i wasnt really impressed by the macaroni pasta in terms of flavor and tenderness. For dessert, we got the banana foster and the gelato. Bother were good but i liked the banana foster better and the portion was better as well. The gelato portion is actually noticeably smaller than i imagined. Overall i was slightly let down by my dish but im definitely tempted to try something else and would come back.
(3)Jim D.
FOOD WAS EXCEPTIONAL. Language barrier not helpful and the people there didn't seem to care much if I was there of not. I was with a large group, and I wanted Iced Coffee - so they wanted me to drag out the money out front even though it was included with out dinner and others got it no charge.. I would take someone here for dinner if I were in the area, but not a group.
(4)Lucy D.
Pros Food: depending on what you order, their steaks are hella bomb. Their steaks are seasoned very nicely and garlicky, where there is absolute no need for A1 steak sauce or other condiments. Don't worry about the steak being dry because each steak is accompanied by plenty of sauce. Try their steak with a side order Vietnamese red rice or macaroni, it's just bomb. If it's your first time, get both the Vietnamese red rice and macaroni as your side items. Service: really nice people working that check up on to make sure you're okay. Cons: Seafood: One of my girlfriends that doesn't enjoy meat opted for their seafood entrees and after taking just a small bite, I can see why they are just known for their steaks.
(4)Tiffany W.
I would say this is one of Milpitas' Best Restaurants! Everyone talks about it, and I finally had the chance to try it. $20 dollars can a person one nice delicious slab of meat. I ordered the mushroom steak with red rice. The mushrooms aren't bothersome either, they go really well with the steak hence the name. The steak comes out on a sizzling plate, and it's probably about 10 oz? It's not too big, but boy, does it have LOTS OF FLAVOR to it. It's enough to get me full, but not the boyfriend. Boyfriend got the peppered steak with macaroni, and it was definitely peppery with loads peppercorns on it. Meat wise, the steaks were juicy and tender, and you get to pick how well you want your meat done. I usually go for medium rare. Everything was delicious. However, I do prefer the macaroni over the red rice. The macaroni is with tomato sauce, and it's dry, but not in a bad way. It's not saucy, but the sauce covers all the macaroni, if that makes sense. I find that the red rice gets kinda of tiring half way through the meal. It's really good still, and there are no weird white clumps, lol. Either way, you would be happy with either one. There are other options instead of the macaroni or red rice, I believe there are also steak fries (the thicker fries), regular/white rice, and I don't remember the others. This meal did also come with a salad, and I don't know the name of the dressing, lol. It was good though. When you check in, you get a free drink! Service here was great. Our server was a sweet lady, and she was very accommodating to our needs. She also checked in on us every now and then, and suggested things to us incase we weren't satisfied. Chez Christina is actually a really good date place, hehe. The lights are dim, and the setting is adorable. I believe there's a flower on the table too. The table setting kind of reminded me of a scene you would see on a first date. They definitely stick to the French theme at this restaurant. There is always some melodic French music playing. I can't wait to come back, because I keep thinking about that steak!
(4)Edison N.
This is a very simple Vietnamese restaurant. It's not one of those typical viet restaurant where they are only based on quantity over quality. Their services is pretty good and the lovely waitress usually checks up on us if we were doing well with our food. The only dish that I order here is the mushroom steak and Macaroni. The chef cook my steak just the way I like it.....medium rare and his marinating, definitely has a great amount of flavor. This is my second time coming here and they never disappoint me.
(4)Jacqueline H.
This place is the best!!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! Today i came back after a while... And thank the lord I did! I got the the garlic cheese fondue, filet wrapped bacon with macaroni, and the nouc mam wings! All my cheese lovers - the garlic cheese fondue is a MUST TRY!!! Comes with toasted cubed steak and apples (apples sounds weird, but it's actually pretty good) Nouc mam wing - pretty decent! Better than all of the other places I've tried! Really crispy and well flavored! Filet wrapped bacon - I'm weird and I like my meat well done-ish, not too pink... I asked for medium and it was medium rare!!! So if you're a weirdo like me who likes their meat cooked I suggest you get medium well! The meat was soft and the sauce it's cooked in was sooooooo good!
(5)Emily H.
This is one of my favorite restaurants. I'm a huge fan of vietnamese food and this place has never left me disappointed. I almost always get their lemongrass pork chop rice plate when I go. I like it so much I haven't really tried as many of their other dishes. Their curry chicken and potato is good as well. So are some of their other rice plates. Personally, service and decor aren't a big deal to me at restaurants, as long as the waiters aren't rude, the food doesn't take too long and the place is clean. I found Chez Christina's service just fine, and the waitress helping me has always been quite nice. Anyways, highly recommend this place. Their food is delicious and reasonably priced.
(5)Bryan R.
Mmmm..., Mushroom Steak! Not saying it's the most prime of cuts, but the marinade, chunks o' garlic, aroma & presentation of the steak on a sizzling platter make for quite a magnificent site... The meal starts off with a chilled/fresh/crisp salad paired with their tasty vinaigrette dressing. Shortly afterwards, you'll hear the server coming from a mile away with a nice, juicy, sizzling steak. The mushroom steak here is quite good, though may want to ask to "hold the peppercorn" if you're not too big a fan. Reason being, it's not just sprinkled with peppercorn, it's practically coated... Made a rookie mistake on my first visit & though still enjoyable, I felt like I was playing operation trying to carefully extract peppercorn, without scraping off the precious seasoning & garlic. Mushrooms are very tender as well & quite generous. Perfect accompaniment to the steak along with the red rice (though macaroni is also an option if that's your thing). Whatever seasoning they use btw, I'm guessing could probably make an old shoe taste good... I've been here multiple times, each visit polishing off literally everything on the plates, salad, rice grains, gristle & all (dipped/soaked into the remaining marinade on the sizzling platter). Even ordered a fresh/warm side of french bread as well to soak up even more of the remaining sauce... Yes, It's quite addictive... Cà phê sua đá (Iced Coffee) is very good here as well & even better since it's DIY (my fave) with the french drip filter. I haven't tried any of the other items outside of the steak, though the sizzling steak platters are Chez Christina's signature dishes. As mentioned prior, if you're expecting a prime cut of beef with extensive fat marbling, you WILL be disappointed... If you however want to experience a very well prepared, Asian-style NY Steak done unlike anything you've ever had, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised...
(4)Linda T.
The service was fantastic. Got us everything we need. On point. All four of us got the same thing mushroom pepper steak is was delicious. The escargot was not that great. Tasteless. The red rice and macaroni was bomb. I was so hungover needed some soup. So I ask for a cup of clear soup. Amazingly is was so good. I has to order another one. End my meal with guava gelato. Is wasn't what I expected. Is was on the very very sweet note. With mango sauce. Not my kinda thing.
(4)Cheryl Y.
Great food! Surprising find! All the dishes we tried had extreme depth of flavor intricately plated by a talented Chef Christina. I will definitely be returning and recommending this place.
(5)Tom S.
Nice little restaurant that serves that really ambiguous Vietnamese/French fusion cuisine that no one really knows about. It's like yeah people know about it, but when you ask them in depth about the origins and all they're all like "I don't know..." It's like why am I getting macaroni with my bo luc lac, that's not even really French that's like Italian actually. I mean it's good but what's going on? See what I mean? The ambiguity. The mushroom steak is pretty good, but the portion size leaves you wanting more. Couple of gripes I have is that the meat tends to come out couple notches more cooked than you requested. It's like embedded in Vietnamese-style cooking. Ask them for your meat to be rare, they'll probably manage to fuck it up to medium just because. I grew up eating at these kinds of establishments and I've observed this pattern all the damn time. If you like meat on the more rare side, you'd better clear that up with them. Although the place has been here for quite some time, I think it'd benefit them to refurnish and update the look of the place. It's not bad, but like I said it's that ambiguous Viet-French fusion cuisine (more Vietnamese though) and it could be hit or miss depending on your expectations.
(3)Mark H.
Nice little restaurant had the pepper steak delicious comes on a sizzling platter friendly service very good will return many times
(5)Kris I.
I'm so amazed that this place is still around! Chez Christina is definitely a little gem hidden away in Milpitas, with pretty good Vietnamese cuisine at a decent price. I remember going with here with my parents during my childhood and during a recent visit, I was happy to see it's still doing well and thriving. The mushroom steak is pretty good, and the fluffy french bread be overflowing.
(4)Diana B.
two stars for effort. Minus 3 because the food was less than appetizing and the service was less than hospitable. The waitress never paid any attention to us when we needed refills on water, when we needed the check, or just to check on us. The food was poor in standards. I do not see the French anywhere in this whole restaurant. The steaks were soggy and not cooked very well. The well done and medium rare came out both squishy and smothered in large chunks of garlic and whole peppercorns....it was just a big disappointment and in my opinion, waste of hard earned money.
(2)Good L.
I had the pepper steak, it was ok, and cooked just how I liked it (medium cook). Salad was good, and friendly customer service. Then again I can practically cook a rib eye steak much better :).
(3)Rochelle E.
Chez Christina is our family favorite Vietnamese French Cuisine in Milpitas. You can dine in or take out, we usually order to go and eat at home. They have the fastest service!!! The inside is decorated with a sleek and classy feel to it and the hostess' are all super sweet! They have great customer service! The food; My favorite is the 16. Bun Thit Nuong Cha Gio- Rice noodle with grilled pork and imperial rolls, but instead of the pork I ask for grilled shrimp!!! It is so BOMB. COM - The imperial rolls are unique and unlike any other I have had. Crunchy on the outside, mouth watering on the inside. - shrimp is always awesome - fish sauce( I don't know if I am biased, but its my favorite) - rice noodles and veggies are always fresh * They serve large portions for the take out, my mom and I usually share one order and it is just right! I have also had friends rave about the mushroom steak and macaroni! They also have more pricey and classy food that I have heard is really awesome! Overall, Chez Christina is the perfect spot to get French Vietnamese food =)
(5)Chuck N.
This place has one of the most unique part Vietnamese, part French dishes: filet mignon or mushroom steak over red rice. It's the must get dish. I've been here a bunch of times and nothing can top it. The red rice is the kicker, nobody else does it. It's a mix of tomatoes, ketchup, garlic and some other magic ingredients. If I could i'd eat this red rice or coconut rice with all my meals. The only reason it isn't 5 stars is the price is a bit high on some dishes, but the steak and red rice I mentioned above is well worth the price!
(4)Suzanne V.
I just went here yesterday for a bday lunch. We tried a lot of different dishes and all of them were just ok,,, definitely not French or Vietnamese.
(2)Cheryl N.
Great vietnamese style steaks on a sizzling skillet! Ive been going here for years and they have been consistently doing things right and no one else can compare!
(4)Catherine T.
Mushroom steak with red rice - okay, not that great. That only waitress in the restaurant was nice and accommodating. Sweet lady. The owner is a stank-faced lady who seems like she has never been asked a question in her entire life. Completely took a good experience and made it go down the shithole. Not coming back.
(2)Suzanne J.
Delicious Food, great service, clean beautiful relaxing restaurant! Our favorite is the Mushroom Steak and Chicken Chez Christina. Also had the sweet and sour shrimp soup, perfect for cold weather, and sizzling beef platter. . For dessert, had the mango Panna cotta, so refreshing and perfect tartness, boyfriend had the chocolate gelato cake (forgot the name, but it's the last one on the dessert menu), it was decadent!! This restaurant is a hidden gem near my house. My favorite go-to spot for delicious food and awesome atmosphere!
(5)Allen C.
We came on Valentine's day without a reservation. Luckily, the wait was only about 20 minutes. The servers were doing their best to handle the crowds. They had two escargot items on the menu. We opted to try the one with ginger fish sauce just to break out of the norm. We were surprised to see a plate of meatballs when the escargot arrived. What a let down. Not only was the flavor missing, there were chewy bits in very bite. On the other hand, the short ribs were brilliantly marinated. Unfortunately, every piece had a fatty and sinewy part attached to it. So, only half was edible. The Cordon Bleu looked and tasted like it was the same recipe from the 70's. There may be other really good dishes but, we were really hoping they would have updated the food for the palate of today's patron.
(3)Kelly T.
This place is pretty standard when it comes to their sizzling steak platter. It's accompanied by mushrooms, a salad, and either red rice or red pasta. It's good but nothing spectacular. And over the years, the price has increased. Don't expect too much when it comes to the service.
(3)Angela C.
This Vietnamese-French restaurant wasn't "all that". I've had better... way better... I've heard so many good things about this place so my boyfriend and I wanted to try it out. It was really disappointing. The egg rolls were okay but I wasn't satisfied by the taste. The fish sauce chicken wings were flavorful and crispy so I definitely enjoyed this the most. The bacon wrapped filet mignon was a little overcooked from what we asked. I think it was overcooked only because it came out on a sizzling plate and so it continued to cook at our table. The string that wraps the bacon around the filet mignon was still there and we were surprised to find it because every other place I've been to, takes the string off before serving the food. The red garlic rice was decent. I've had better red garlic rice from Pho Cong Ly. The banh canh cua was awfully oily and plain. The soup was bland, no real taste to it. The bowl offered tons of noodles, two shrimps and one crab claw. It was a complete waste of money. Lastly we had to order dessert. We ordered the banana foster which is fried rum banana over vanilla ice cream. This was actually really good. So simple yet so satisfying. The banana was so ripe and so sweet. The banana and rum sauce oozed over the vanilla ice cream and it was all delicious! I probably won't be coming back here because I wasn't at all pleased with my entrees. If I do ever decide to come back, it'll be for the banana foster dessert.
(2)Loan N.
This place is very interesting. It's almost a hole in the wall that gives you a feeling of old school cafe. They present things in a romantic way but it's just not right. My first here two years ago with a friend. She was very excited of telling me about this place. I think I had the mushroom steak. The steak was well seasoned, although you can tell the taste is Vietnamese. It comes with a side of salad, and choice of fries, red rice or macaroni. I picked red macaroni, and it was great. The salad was just a plate of Costco mixed greens, and the dressing is just probably Kraft vinaigrette, nothing special. My boyfriend got the lamb. It was a little burnt, but still edible. The seasoning and the cut were alright. We also got the squid salad as an appetizer, which I thought was a little expensive for the price and the portion. Overall, this place is nothing special. I have had better. If I was in the area, I would come but definitely, I wouldn't go out of my way just to come here. P.S: If you check in on yelp, you get a free soft drink.
(3)Angeline H.
Cut to the chase: Ordered the Mushroom steak w/ red pasta & Peppercorn Steak w/ red rice. Super juicy and tender. I HIGHLY and I mean listen to what I say kinda thing, suggest that you order your meat one level on the rare side than you normally eat because it comes on a sizzling plate which will cook it even more. I ordered my steak Med Rare and it came out sizzling but by the time I started knifing it to eat, it was more medium well. My buddy had his done Medium and it ended up being a well done steak after the sizzle went away. The mushrooms were so delicious. Plenty on my plate and it's a good thing my friend doesn't like mushrooms because I don't like to share! The red rice and pasta was ordinary. Nothing amazing and not that great but edible to finish halfway to say the least. I would definitly come back. Steaks were $16 a pop which includes your choice of side and a small salad.
(4)Jessica H.
Very reasonable pricing for the quality of food you get! I love ordering either the pepper steak or cornish hen here. Entrees come with a small salad that I am guilty of drowning with dressing. The dressing is just so tasty I can't help it. The hen is so crisp and flavorful that I'm amazed it could ever be this delicious. A bit messy to eat due to it being a whole hen with bones and all, but never a regrettable experience. The steak comes out on a sizzling platter. I enjoy getting the red rice with it, as it accompanies the steak sauce really well. I believe each dinner entree comes to under $20, which is awesome for the quality of food you get. I wish more people knew about this place, as it truly is a very unique, delicious, and reasonable treat. They offer special lunch pricing that makes for a great lunch experience too. The only reason for a 4-star rating is that the decor does not match the taste. This place will totally look like a hole-in-the-wall outdated joint, but do not let that turn you away! DELICIOUSS french-styled Vietnamese dishes for very reasonable prices!!
(4)Desmond F.
Came in with some friends and had the Chicken cordon bleu. Wasn't expecting much but decided to try see how well the French portion of the cooking was seeing how the proprietors were primarily Vietnamese. Not bad, but nothing mind blowing either. Friends who had the mushroom steak felt similarly about the place, not bad, but nothing special. The chocolate coffee truffle ice cream was pretty good.
(3)mong linh n.
heard so many great reviews about this place over the years... been meaning to check it out, but for whatever reason never got to try it up until last night! i had the mushroom steak med/rare w/red rice. the bf had it with the pasta so i was able to try that as well. i'd like it to be a little more rare. guess it cooked a lot more as it comes out on a sizzle plate. next time, ill order it a little more raw. anyway, this isn't a place with the greatest quality steak. it was obviously chewy, but the flavors were great. the delectable sauce it comes in makes the low quality steak a whole lot better. plenty of sauce on that platter. you could probably order an additional bread to soak up all that goodness. not too bad of prices either. think it was 15? maybe ill try the filet mignon here next time...service was outstanding as well.
(4)Yao Z.
I tried the red rice and the famous mushroom steak. It wasn't wowing. The Sizzling steak with mushroom and heavy garlic sauce give it a good aroma but it lacked taste once you bite into it. In my pinion, if the steak can be aged and marinated a bit more with less intense butter mushroom sauce, it would be a better dish.
(3)Renee M.
We went there for Valentine's Day dinner and were disappointed that none of their Vietnamese specials were offered. We haven't been there for quite a while so not sure if something has changed. The food was ok but nothing spectacular.
(3)Michelle R.
Writing this as I'm leaving the restaurant. The New York steak here w French bread is bomb, I like it better the steak with nui. Don't be mistaken and get the 46, get the 78 with the sizzling plate, you're welcome. A must try!! And people are so nice here.
(5)Nancy K.
Came here last weekend... Ordered the NY mushroom steak with red rice. The steak and mushrooms are served on a sizzling platter and the rice is served shortly after. Steak was flavored very well and the poration size was good. The rice was also well flavored, but it wasn't served nearly as hot as the steak. Other than that... I wouldn't mind coming back again.
(4)Joe N.
This Vietnamese/French restaurant has been around for as long as I could remember, and I have been here numerous times for birthdays, celebrations, lunch dates, or even for no reason at all except being hungry. 9 times out of 10, I order the mushroom steak which comes out on a sizzling hot platter along with a salad and you could choose either macaroni, red or white rice, or french bread. I've tried other things such as the noodle soups and chicken and salmon entrees, and they were all delicious, but if it's your first time, you gotta try their sizzling steak.
(4)An N.
I have been here a couple times with my girlfriends, it's a good place to have big parties. The steaks here are pretty good and flavorful. They come out on a sizzling plate. You get a choice when you order the steak of the side you want, you can choose either red rice, macaroni or french fries. The cheese fondue is really good. Even though it may seem like a small place but it is actually pretty huge, they got rooms in the back for private parties or for just big parties.
(4)Ro P.
Love this place! Second time. But only had dessert today. My gf order it for me. Not sure what it was called but it was very good!
(5)Joz T.
This used to be a childhood favorite, but as a grow older I find it rare that I return. I'm not sure if I've become pickier, or the quality has diminished. I always order my steak medium rare on the sizzling plate with break and pasta. The past 3 times I have gone here, they have ran out of bread. I don't even eat late! I'm usually there at 6:30. How do you run out of bread?! Make more! My steak is ALWAYS overcooked. I ask for medium rare and always receive a well done piece of steak. The aroma of the sizzling meat smells great, but it's so chewy. It's not worth the drive from San Jose in my opinion. I rather eat home made steak.
(1)R V.
I was introduced to Chez Christina by one of my bestie. I was hooked on how flavorful their red rice was and their mushroom & steak. I came 2 out of 2 times and still have no clue why its so empty every time i come. Kinna awkward. Every entree you order it comes with a side of salad and their own unique dressing. I am guilty of drowning the dressing all the time =X Their Ca Nuong was actually pretty good, The slice of fish was just enough for 1 person and it comes with all the veggies you need. What they didn't have was mam nem which i thought was odd, maybe cause of the smell? But their vinaigrette dressing wasn't so bad either. It was more on the plain side. Bo luc lac does come w/ rice so you would have to order that additionally.
(4)Holly V.
you know i heard soo many things about this place that i didnt think i would want to try it. my friend invited me to eat here yesterday.. man! how i regret not knowing this before! the mushroom steak is soooo good drenched in the garlic sauce.. yummy in my tummy. they even have their own house dressing which looks like italian dressing. the ladies walking around serving us were very nice and polite too. chez christina.. you won my heart :)
(5)Karen M.
I've been here twice now and the filet mignon (medium rare, with red rice) is pretty amazing. Hot, sizzling tender steak with mushrooms and peppercorns, and that delicious red rice! :) Their salad dressing is also a winner. However, I think it's a bit pricey. My filet mignon came out to almost $30. Also, the service and ambiance could be much improved. It's a dark, mostly empty restaurant with framed dollar bills and dollar bills hanging from a plant. When we asked the waitress to split our bill, she didn't give us separate receipts or anything-- she just walked up to each us and told us what we owed. Then, she ended up charging the wrong meal on the wrong card, so so one person ended up being charged $10 extra than the meal she ordered. The lady didn't do anything about it, and just told my other friend to pay $10 to the person whose card got overcharged. Overall, good food, but bad service.
(3)Tutu B.
A little overpriced but their service is so worth it. You'd don't have any attractive waiters or waitresses but the rather older people. They're so considerate and sweet that it makes you want to each everything they have to other! Their food is a hit or miss, mushroom steak is awesome as well as shaken beef, however teriyaki chicken is something to avoid.. Unless you're into that healthy thing that has no seasoning whatsoever.
(5)Cynthia A.
First time here and it was OK. Not good..not bad. Walked in around 6:30 on a Sat night and less then half of the restaurant was occupied. Took a bit to get service. I wasnt expecting too much in that department anyways because well it is a vietnamese establishment. No offense of course but you know what I mean. Anyways, we ordered the asparagas, crab,shark fin soup. Typical soup. If youve ever had this, its really hard to mess up. New york mushroom steak with the red rice. That was ok, mushrooms were a bit undercooked. Vietnamese shaking beef with red rice. This was ok too, nothing special. Tamarind shrimp with white rice. I liked this dish. Thought it was flavorful. I thought it was better then their beef dishes. Bill came out to about $60 plus I tipped 15%. Would I come again? Probably not. Vung Tau has the same dishes for the same price but executed better. 3 stars
(3)Michael D.
Had an awesome sizzling garlic and mushroom steak on a cast iron skillet. Service was the best I've had in Northern Cali. They try hard here and it shows. Hidden gem on the back streets of Milpitas!
(5)Sharon W.
I have seen this place around for years, but have never eaten here until a close friend brought me here. We checked in on yelp, and there was a coupon for a free soda. We showed this to the waiter but the free beverage was never brought out to our table. (-1 star) We started with the escargot (baked and Served with Ginger Sauce) which was delicious! My 2 friends ordered the Mushroom Steak, and I ordered the Bo Luc Lac. We all had the Fried rice, which I usually call red rice. This is white rice which is sauteed with garlic, butter, tomato paste. This meal was satisfying but my only complaint is the portions are a little small. I will be back again!
(4)Jennifer N.
Came here for lunch with a friend and found a piece of wire/foil (it's the piece where you rip off an unopened bottle or container) was in my salad. Told my waiter- and only received an apology. I'm sorry but I almost put that in my mouth!!!! And that's all I get? Goodbye Chez Christina....
(1)Renée T.
4 for food it was pretty good but there was mostly one server for all tables which made it a little slow but overall I was happy with the place
(4)Roselina R.
It just gets better every time. We tried the **Cheese and Garlic Fondue** appetizer, and OMG . . . heaven. My BF wanted to try it, and I wasn't expecting much, but we absolutely loved it! Wonderful cheesy flavor coupled with a subtle taste of garlic. The bread and apple slices that come with it are perfect with the fondue. This time around I tried the **Korean Short Ribs**. it was good, but slightly too sweet/tangy for me. My BF ordered the **New York Steak w/ French Bread**. It was very juicy and he thought it was great. He likes to dip his bread into the juices and this was the perfect dish to do so. Definitely a great spot to try!
(4)Ajoni R.
The food here is ALWAYS amazing. The fondue is SOOOOO good. It's definitely something I crave frequently. Their house dressing is my absolute favorite.
(5)Erica C.
I've been hearing about this place but never knew where it was or what it was. Since we were in the area, I joined some friends for dinner after shopping at Great Mall. The location was surprising because I never knew there was a plaza there. The décor is not that impressive. It looks like your typical Asian restaurant that's trying too hard to be fancy. Low lighting, French music in the background, colored walls, and then you have the cheap paper napkins with paper table covers, unorganized storage that is visible to patrons, etc. I was not impressed. The food was worse. I felt it was overpriced for what I got. My order was the Bo Luc Lac - it's basically a small portion of seasoned beef cubes on a bed of lettuce and red rice. Beef was extremely chewy and it hurt to finish my meal. "Red Rice" really? Couldn't think of a better name? It's just white rice with tomato paste and garlic butter.......which didn't have much flavor. The service was decent. The guy took our orders, brought out all of our foods in a timely manner and refilled our drinks. I can't say I would be back, nothing about it interested me. *Yelp check-in offer: free iced tea or soda*
(2)Danyelle P.
This place was alright. They give you a salad in the beginning with only a few pieces of lettuce. I ordered the mushroom steak and tried the red macaroni and the red rice. The steak had a weird texture it didn't taste like real steak it almost had the same texture as chicken which really weirded me out. Plus you have to be careful eating the steak because you might get chunks of the un-ground pepper. The rice and macaroni was pretty dry as if it had been made a few days before and re-heated a few times. The only good thing about this place was the service. Not sure if I'll try this place out again.
(2)Dung N.
3.5 STARS Everyone and their moms have been talking about this place and their item of choice is the mushroom steak. I got to pick the place for lunch so I decided to come by. The ambiance is in between your regular Vietnamese establishment and a fusion type restaurant. Their service is definitely more attentive than your typical Vietnamese restaurant and way more polite. To start, we ordered the escargot cooked with a ginger sauce. This was OK. Good to try but probably not something I'd order again. Escargot is great steamed and paired with the right dipping sauce. I just wasn't a huge fan of how it was done here but I did enjoy dipping my bread into it. At last, the mushroom steak. I ordered my piece of meat, medium rare and it came out just like I'd asked. The steak was juicy and flavorful, and for the price, there's really nothing to complain about.
(3)Minh V.
Atmosphere is warm and cozy with the low light at night. Service is good. Waiters are attentive. Unfortunately, the food is just average. The location is also kinda off. It's tucked away in a small, old plaza that when you drive by you just don't expect there'd be food in there. The restaurant's name doesn't help either. I had the Hu Tieu Ba Nam Sa Dec and it was ok. My dad had the special, Mushroom Steak upon the waiter's recommendation. The cut of the meat was just not of very good quality. Though it was pretty well seasoned and they got medium-rare cooked right. My brother had the Macaroni Steak (Nui Steak), the macaroni was cold. I'm willing to come back to try something else since it's so close to my place. The food, by all mean, is pretty decent for the fairly cheap price.
(3)Jerry M.
I went here with my friend of a work break and had the 'Peppercorn Steak' with a side-dish of macaroni. I have had better steaks in the past but for a Vietnamese restaurant, it was good. I had mine cooked medium-rare and the taste was perfect. It came out sizzling, and looked really good. And it did turn out to be good. The service there was fair. I wouldn't say it is the best. To me, they seem like they are in a rush with taking your order. But overall, they were friendly. It did take a while to for them to cook and serve my meal. The restaurant has a nice and cozy feeling. It would be a good place to get a quick lunch. It wouldn't be a place to have private meetings or anything. The tables are covered with butcher paper. The place has a fancy name, but not so fancy at some parts. & The parking is not bad, it has a lot. Nothing fancy about this place, but like I said, it's a good place to grab some lunch. I did notice that after eating from this place, you will leave smelling like food. It has never happened before when I went other places. When I left from this place, I smelled like steak for the rest of the night. My friend even had a order for take out, and when he arrived home and checked it, they gave us the wrong order. He ordered the banana foster and instead, they gave him roasted quail. Overall... Pros+: 1. Good Food 2. Good place for lunch 3. Price is good. (Compared to other restaurants) Cons-: 1. Service is slow and takes a while until you receive your order 2. Not a lot of privacy at the table. 3. For whatever strange reason, you will leave smelling like steak ( If you order steak) 4. They need to pay attention more on the customer. Maybe then they will get the correct order for my friend when he ordered take-out. -- Chez Christina is definitely a place I would come back and eat, however I wish they improve on a few things.
(4)Jay H.
Ate lunch there and it was very tasty. I had the chicken skewers with the peanut sauce and it was amazing. Tried the short ribs and mushroom steak and they were fantastic too. Good service and a very clean restaurant made for a great meal.
(5)Steven N.
This place makes the best steaks in the Bay Area for under $20 dollars! I am amazed that this place is so empty b/c their steak is so delicious and at a very reasonable price. There most popular dish is the sizzling steak dish so I just had to give it a try. I got the sizzling steak dish with mushrooms and side of red noodles! The steak was cooked perfectly to a medium rare and there is a special sauce poured on top of the steak that makes your mouth water. The special sauce has bits and pieces of garlic in it. Mushrooms are the best choice with the steak b/c not only does it compliment the steak, but they also give you a lot of mushrooms! Once I got it with the bellpepper and they literally just gave me 1 slice of bellpepper so mushroom is the way to go! The Red noodles are my personal favorite, but I see many people order the sizzling steak with french bread as well so you can dip the french bread into the sauce. In additional to the steak they give you a small side salad with a house made dressing which is delicious! I always end up using a lot of dressing b/c it is very savory and stimulates my appetite. Only downside of this place is the service, but I guess most asian places don't have good service so I wouldn't let the bad service deter you away from a great steak!
(5)Thomas C.
I hate to give a bad review, and I really wanted to like this place. I was so excited to try this "upscale-ish" Vietnamese restaurant but was totally disappointed. Nothing really special about the food here. Service was sub-par and maybe language barrier caused orders to be wrong amongst a party of 8. On top of that, found a strand of hair in my red rice (and I love rice). They replaced it, but by then damage has been done. The steak I had was okay, but nothing special. Something I could prepare myself had home. I probably wouldn't make an effort to go back especially when there are so many good spots to eat out here. Hate writing these and maybe it was just one bad experience... I always say to try it for yourself. Cheers, -T-Chung
(2)Jon W.
Went back again and they definitely upped their steak game. Hole in the wall treasure!! Service is as always impeccable.
(5)Rainman J.
Come here for the food not the service The food here is real deal Vietnamese and frankly if you've ever been to Vietnam so is the service. The owner should just remove the non-vietnamese dishes from the menu (except for the steaks) The good: Pretty much every Vietnamese item on the menu is tasty The bad: The service is not that great The side salad served with the steaks is kind of lame Desserts are terrible If you want a better tasting fresher alternative to 'Vung Tau' this is the place If you're expecting upscale Vietnamese - keep looking
(4)Lily D.
Love love love their mushroom steak with macaroni !! ;D and their homemade salad dressing is soooooo bomb. I use half the bottle when I'm here haha ;X
(5)Betty A.
Steak for lunch? Oh yeah! I was recovering from a recent surgery and needed extra iron. We ordered the mushroom steak as other yelpers have recommended. The steak was cook a perfect medium and the sauce tasted amazing! My suggestion will be asking for an extra plate to avoid the sizzling plate over cooking the steak if you are sharing. We also had the combination vermicelli and enjoyed it very much. Price was reasonable. Definitely will come back again to try other dishes. Service was excellent too.
(5)Colleen C.
I'm giving 3 stars for my sizzling steak and red rice. I really enjoyed my meal. My hubby on the other hand ordered a hieu tieu nam vang I think and he said that it wasn't great and the side veggies that came with it were all wilted especially the cilantro it was brown around the edges (gross).
(3)benji b.
I had the mushroom streak; this seemed to be a really popular dish here as i looked around to see what everyone else is having. My bf had the filet minion wrapped in bacon; this was cooked in a similar fashion as mine on a hot plate. each entree came with a salad and your choice of plain rice, red rice or red macaroni. Everything was delish. The service was good; the restaurant needs to be updated but it was clean at least.
(5)Thao T.
Anh's family owns this place and the Phu with a review below me is my friend. The Vietnamese food I had was good. It was as if Mom made it, and Mom's cooking is great. I'm not a big fan of steak but I'm sure I'm missing out on their famed New York Steak. I haven't been back since they began to remodel so I don't know what this place currently looks like. It's about time I go back! ...and Anh's Mom is cute and stuff.
(4)John Y.
Oh my... the Pepper Steak is too die for. I order a couple of Saigon beers and hit that steak as the sizzling platter keeps it piping hot for the duration of the meal. Order it medium rare and they'll cook it to perfection. But don't wait to dig in cause that plate will take it to medium/medium-well pretty quickly. I'd give it a 5, but the atmosphere/decoration leaves a little to be desired.
(4)tony b.
Great food and our waiter Huy was the best! Highly recommended!
(5)Isaiah N.
Vietnamese cuisine with a French twist? Yeah, I was a little skeptical of that claim, so I had to try out this restaurant for myself. I went to this place with some family members as part of an important occasion. One of them had this place in mind, so we went in and ordered whatever we wanted. I got item #80, a filet mignon with mushrooms. A salad was included, and the choice of sides included either steamed rice, red rice (sort of like a fried rice), macaroni, or French bread. I also got the lychee drink. While the drink tasted like canned lychees in syrup with ice (come to think of it, that's what it actually was, given how difficult it is to find fresh lychees here in the US), the filet was AWESOME. They served it, along with the mushrooms, on a sizzling plate, and both items tasted great! The steak had peppercorns and garlic on top along with some type of brown sauce. Must be the butter as well, given the French influences. That same item in a regular American steakhouse could easily cost $50 or more. I also got the French bread as my side...mmm, tastes freshly baked and goes great with butter. Given the size of the bread, I shared it with the rest of my family. Everything served here is in a reasonable price range (mostly under $17). The other members of my family tried fresh rolls, crab claws, chicken with broccoli, and seafood kabobs. I was able to try out the first two items (appetizers), which all tasted great and was a delight to eat. Service was prompt and friendly to us as well, making it a great experience. So, would I recommend this place to anyone looking for great fancy food at a good price? Absolutely 100 percent YES! :) Get the filet mignon if you can (or if you can't afford that because of the economic times, get the New York steak or other beef dish). If you're not a big beef fan, the other choices are good too.
(4)Dan H.
The place is kinda tucked away near Golf Land and not flashy at all. I live less than a quarter mile from the place and didn't know about it till I saw it on yelp. Saw all the good reviews for the mushroom steak so I had to try it. The steak comes in a sizzling plate with mushrooms and its sauce/marinade over it. Not really like a traditional American steak if that makes sense. I also tried my GF's korean BBQ and it was great as well. Definitely will come back to this place again.
(4)kenneth y.
I'd have to agree with other Yelpers that for the under $20 price range, you can't get a better steak. Their mushroom steak is a suculent cut of New York / filet that is served to you on a sizzling hot plate. Their french onion soup is also chock full of gooey cheesy goodness at the bottom that sticks to your belly like glue. Even their seafood skewers are decently sized and is packed with a good grilled flavor - just enough to know it's been grilled, but not overpowering. One thing I don't like bout the place though is the decor. It may have been trendy for the 80s when Chez Christina opened, but the black and white tiles with the office building ceiling is just really tacky. It's time for a remodel. Bottom line is that they have really good French/ Vietnamese food, but when I go back I am defeintely going to have to take my food to go.
(4)Emily D.
They have the best mushroom steak and red rice. One of my favorite restaurants.
(5)Nelitta C.
Their exceptional customer service and attentiveness never fails!!! My favorite dish: #78: New York steak and mushrooms :) The steak comes out sizziling on a skillet topped with fresh crushed garlic, peppercorn and mushroom slices!!! Yummy!!! For a side: I would recommend their red rice. Idk if it brings me back to my childhood of eating my white rice with ketchup, lol, but it's quite tasty!
(5)Katherine L.
3.5 stars Everytime I come through, it's always empty, and I don't understand why, considering the food is pretty decent. They have a lot of options on their menu, from traditional Vietnamese dishes to French dishes to French inspired Vietnamese dishes. I always order the mushroom steak. All their steaks some on a sizzling plate, so order one level rarer than you would normally prefer, as the meat continues to cook as you eat. It comes in a steak sauce that could be more flavorful than it is and a handful of mushrooms and more whole peppercorns than I care to have. All steak entrees also come with a side of salad and either rice, steak fries, macaroni noodles, or bread. Considering all of this, it's definitely worth the price. Service is meh. They are neither super attentive or complete jerks. Despite the fact that this restaurant doesn't wow me in any way, I find that I do continue to come back every so often so I guess it's worth a try, you might like it, lol.
(3)Jamie Y.
Was looking for a vietnamese cuisine that is different from the typical restaurants in San Jose. I went along and ordered the garlic mushroom steak with a macaroni salad. Glad to say I came here because they made it fresh sizzling hot, and plus the steak was pretty big!
(4)DEE N.
yelp had a "check in here - get 1 free soda/drink" i did just that and i told the waiter when he was about to bring me my bill, he said it wouldn't apply because i didn't notify him of it in the beginning when i placed my food&drink order. Which i did tell him and showed him when i placed the order with him but his english wasn't great so he didn't get what i was saying or showing him. When he told the lady to come talk to to me she explained that i was suppose to show him and tell him prior to placing my order. Again, i explained to her i did and my boyfriend was sitting across the table from me was vouching that we did but he didn't understand it. she said "ill make the exception this time.." which is bullshit because its your deal with YELP, if we check in and we show you prior to placing our order AND prior to us requesting the check/bill.. how is it making an exception? I told my BF that we were never coming back after the crappy service. also, when we requested the bill.. i was still eating my entree, and my bf was done.. the server started to take away his finished plates and asked if i was done, i said "still working on mine. thank you" and as i continued to talk to my bf , he then took my plates even AFTER i said "still working on mine, thank you".. english isnt his first language.. and after the whole fiasco, we walked out feeling like this restaurant was crappy with crappy people and service. I'm never coming back.
(1)Tony T.
The quality of the New York steak seems to go down pretty badly now. First of all, it gets thinner and it doesn't look like fresh anymore. I always order mine as medium rare but the last time it came almost well done. The meat is not juicy anymore and it taste funny. Looks like the raised the price to $16 a piece but the quality is not getting better. I wouldn't recommend this place anymore if they plan to cut cost.
(2)Landon N.
I think this is a decent place for Vietnamese/French cuisine. However, I prefer authentic Vietnamese or authentic French so my review might be bias. Mushroom Steak - The steak was too thin to make it medium so recommend asking for rare if you actually prefer medium. If you like your steak with rice then the heavy sauce would work great. Would probably not go back for the steak again but willing to try other items. Good for large groups or birthday gatherings.
(3)Celly R.
Chez Christina was a nice surprise. My family and I were in the area when we came across this restaurant. We were so hungry and Yelped this place since we do not live in the area. The service was friendly and helpful. The restaurant was very spacious, which is good for groups. The menu was nicely detailed and made all dishes sound appealing. It was reasonably priced for the big portions given. I highly recommend the following: Imperial rolls, chicken wings, onion rolled beef/battered shrimp over red rice, grilled pork with rice noodles...the short ribs over rice...All the food was delicious. We'll definitely come back if we do come back to Milpitas.
(5)Jeffrey M.
I go here almost once a week because I love the Lemon Grass BBQ chicken. The chicken is so moist and flavorful. When I do go, the place doesn't seem to be busy only a handful of patrons eating. I'll be trying something else in the near future and update my review.
(4)Micah Anne M.
Went here a couple nights ago with my bf and it was pretty empty. We were the only ones there when we walked in but then a few more people came in after us. We decided to get the mushroom steak since it seemed like it was a popular choice and also ordered chicken with red rice. We got our food quick so that was a plus. The steak came out on a hot sizzling plate and MMM it looked so tasty! When I took a bite it was actually quite disappointing.. The steak was thin, very chewy, and kinda fatty - let's just say I've had had better steak at home! No wonder why it was so cheap. The mushrooms and sauce on it was ok. It was just the kind of meat that I didn't really like. The chicken and red rice was good though. Service, not so great. We got seated at a table with two seats which looked too small so we decided to do what the couple two tables down did. They probably thought it also was small and went for the table with four seats. The waiter came back to see that we moved and kinda just shrugged. He said he was worried about not having a table for a group of four. But we didn't think it mattered since there was a lot more seats in the room left. Eventually four people did come in, then the waiter made a comment and was just straight up rude about it! EHHH not so sure I wanna come back, it was more like a one time thing!
(3)Nancy O.
yummmmm
(4)allan s.
Place is amazing! =) its a hidden gem in Milpitas. The owners of this place are really nice and friendly. The food is super delicious! =) i ordered the number 29 today and it was soooo good! I have been here a few times and the one thing i love about this place is the consistent great food and customer service, the food is always fresh no matter what you order and always taste amazing! Thank you again and i'll be back soon!
(5)Vivi V.
First of all, if you wanted to go here for a date, you better blindfold your girl until inside. The outside looks so sad and depressing but the interior is quite clean and almost romantic. I was disappointed. My dad loved this place over BoTown when he was alive, but I think there were many changes over the years. My family ordered each of the steaks; with red rice, mushrooms, macaroni. I ordered medium-raw. The first thing i noticed was the portion. There was little rice and the steak was small and thin. When i cut into it; it was a cute pink but after 5 mins it became "well done". The first bite was an explosion of garlic. Other than that it was okay. Until I reached the middle. The disappointing steak was burnt bitter. It was the same for the other steaks. Bitter and full of chopped up garlic. I would not pay $11 for this 1/5 star steak. In the pictures, the steaks look better, Thicker and Bigger. That looks a lot better than what my family was served, but unfortunately we had about 3/4 of that size. I`m sorry I didn`t take any pictures; I honestly wanted to love this place. I also ordered a thai tea. It was wonderful. Other places ruined it by putting too much sweetener. Thai tea here is much more flavorful in terms of tea. I love tea and I'll give it a 4/5. It's $3.50 and I think its worth it. According to my sister, the coconut juice there was good as well, sweet, and looked more appealing as it wasn't cloudy like some other places we`ve been to. They gave us a small plate of salad and dressing in a really cute pitcher. Your female friends would love it. The salad was small too, but tasty. I especially liked the tomato---crisp and yummy with a sweet taste to it. I normally toss out tomatoes in salad because of their wet slimy feel. However, they only gave us one slice of tomato with about half a handful of lettuce. Little..so I considered it as an appetizer. The waiter was a bit depressing. No smile; just took out order and left. I was expecting a bit more cause the restaurant was EMPTY when we arrived. Another family arrived afterwards but that was it. The waiter was polite despite his sad anti-social first impression, 3/5 im sorry for judging you. This place would get a 1 because I was really looking forward to the STEAK; but its nice-cozy interior, delicious tea, and super cute dressing pitcher raised it by one. I'm sorry everyone else who once knew Cristina's. This places standards have dropped. I expected much more from here. I mean seriously? 5 chances to cook a steak right and all of them turned into well-done and even burnt? That doesn`t make sense to me.
(2)Mimi T.
Mushroom Steak! One of my favorite places to go for steak. I recommend this place to everyone actually, or else i'd take them there myself. Their service is a 5 stars alone. It's a homey restaurant with really good food. Their steaks come with a salad and their homemade dressing. yummm! its a MUST TRY place. :)
(5)Allison C.
We came here because a coworker said the steak was the dish to get, and we wanted to try a new Vietnamese place. Let's just say the photos on this yelp of the place makes it look nice and modern. However, the place is a little run down but its looks cleaner the other places. The food was okay, not that great. As we were waiting for our food another table got their order of "sizzling" steak. Wow, that looked and sounded so good. But as we watched it looked like the steak was difficult to cut, at the time we just thought that the person did not know how to cut into meat. GOOD: BUN CHA - the meat was nicely marinated and grilled, had a nice smoky flavor. Just a little concerned with a slight sour taste in the meat, don't now if it was from the marinate or chili sauce was included in the dish. OKAY: PEPPERCORN STEAK - when the steak came out the plate was not "sizzling", the color on it was "gray" they did not sire it. It was cooked at the right temp of medium rare. So our guess is that the pan was not hot enough. The meat was a bit tough, not one of the better cuts of meat, maybe equal to a Safeway level of "Select" meat. SAD: NOODLES WITH SHRIMP AND CRAB - there were 3 shrimps and 1 small claw from a poor baby crab. The amount of noodles was not that much either, it just had a lot of broth to make it seem like more. I would have given them 3 stars, but the service was very poor. Once they served the dishes they never came back. We had to walk over and get our missing utensils and go thirsty without refills of water. But a good thing is they accept Credit Cards.
(2)Lyn C.
Who knew that across the street from Golfland would be a HELLA ELEGANT restaurant?! Very fancy French-Viet place with good food. We came for the sizzling plate of steak & mushrooms, but I ended up just getting shrimp & beef. It came with the special red rice (not mexican rice lol) and an egg roll. Everything was very filling. I wouldn't get the same order next time because I'd want to try out the other foods they have to offer. I had some of the steak and I do recommend ordering it medium rare (maybe even rare?) cause it will cook more on the plate when they bring it out. Check in and get a free drink. Yeee! Free tea ftw!
(4)Brittany B.
A great place to have big party's. they have a room in the back that can hold at least 25-30 people. Good quality food. The escargot is tasty. I usually order the filet mignon wrapped with bacon or the steak with mushrooms. Both are delightful. Customer service is good.
(4)Hoai C.
I have not been to this restaurant for close to 20 years. Decided to give it a try again this past weekend because of a friend's recommendation and because of the good reviews on Yelp. The restaurant has been remodeled since I was there last. It is bigger and lighter. But the decor is STRANGE. It is not Vietnamese and not French. I believe that the owner wanted to make it look hip by adding colorful lamp shades and vases. To me the effect is not hip, just strange. The food is just so so and a little over priced. -Squid salad: Just OK- -Steak with mushroom: big disappointment. Nothing to write home about. Lots of fat and not that flavorful. -Hu tieu ba nam sa det: bland -Cornish hen: bland - Banana Foster - pleasant
(2)Jenny Y.
I can't even remember when I started coming here because it's been SO long. This place has been around for many years and 'til this day, the 'com steak' is still as good as I remember. Dishes I would really recommend are : 1.Steak with red rice 2.Steak with mushrooms 3.Steak with french bread ^I give all three of those dishes 5 stars. The salad dressing is super good - I always have to drench my salad in the vinaigrette, which is not a smart idea considering dressings are high calorie based. The red rice is a must-try, it's packed with tomato flavor. The steak has a lot of flavor and the sauce with it is REALLY good. Not to mention, the sauce from the steak makes the red rice taste even better! Since this restaurant is aging, so are their decor. Although it's not too shabby, it's still a nice place for lunch or dinner. Cheap too! $10.95(lunch) for steak? Not bad! I'll continue being a regular here for sure, I just hope they will never disappoint.
(4)Tuyet N.
3.5 stars I came here with three other friends. Our order was: 3 Mushroom Steak & 1 Teriyaki Steak w/ Red Rice. Only one of the four steaks was cooked the way it was ordered. The other three were overlooked. I always enjoy the salad here because it's fresh, the red rice is good, & the server was nice.
(3)Joanna Q.
This restaurant is located in a plaza with not really much else. They was only one other business opened when we came here for dinner on at Saturday night. I been here a few times and must admit their sizzling mushroom steak and red rice is pretty solid! I ordered a medium rare steak and it came out perfectly - juicy and flavorful. I also like the salad dressing they had for the salad. Not sure if it's it homemade, but it was pretty tasty. The escargot that we ordered as an appetizer, however, were not so good. The sauce was fine, but when I bit into the actual escargot I got a nice mouthful of sand! It was kind of disgusting. Overall, the family enjoyed their food and the staff was friendly so maybe it was just a fluke that we had a bad experience with the escargot. | would definitely return for the steak, but will stay away from the escargot next time!
(4)Angelic L.
I finally got a chance to come to Chez Christina with my wonderful friends, Katherine L. and Johnny N to celebrate some birthdays! The food was good, and the service was great. Our server was extremely friendly and attentive. I just wish she picked a better appetizer for us when we told her to surprise us. She chose a fried chicken appetizer, and it smelled awesome. For some weird reason though, it tasted like nothing. I think it was supposed to be one of the house specials, so that was pretty much a let down. Everyone in our party had mushroom steaks with either red rice or macaroni. I normally like to eat my steaks medium, but knowing that the steak comes out on a sizzling plate, I went with medium rare, and I'm glad I did. It was perfect for my taste and everyone else as well. Keep in mind, it's not going to be the best steak of your life nor is it the best cut of meat, but for the price you pay, it's a decent steak. I would definitely go with the red rice over the macaroni though because then you can mix the rice with the steak sauce. It's not your typical red rice from regular Vietnamese restaurants--it seems like they use a thick tomato paste to make it or something. It's not different in a bad way... just not normal? The salads were extremely plain, but they come with the steaks, so I'm not complaining. I really think that if Chez Christina was located somewhere else, they would get so much more business! Not to mention, they wouldn't have the horrible stench of Milpitas right outside its doors or the occasional Milpitas dump flies all over your dinner table.
(4)Lena H.
We were in the area and decided to come here for lunch. I ordered number 12 - Bun Cha Gio (Vermicelli noodles with imperial rolls). I was really happy with their imperial rolls. I hate it when they get soggy really fast. Since I'm a slow eater it was nice to have crispy rolls by the end of the meal. The portion is just right. The noodles are freshly cooked and are still warm when served. Some places have it already made so it's cold by the time you get it but not here! I also took a bite of the other 3 dishes that were ordered. I reeeaaally liked the mushroom steak. I saw it in the reviews and immediately suggested that it be ordered. I was so glad the reviews were spot on! I also liked the charbroiled pork. It was juicy and tender. One thing that stood out was the french onion soup. Normally, I'm not fan because I think it's too salty but their version was really yummy and cheeeeesy. I love cheese!! I ordered the Che Dau Xanh. Did I spell that right? lol. It's the green jelly stuff with the mung bean in coconut milk. I loved the flavors but I didn't like that the ice they used was super chunky. It was hard to enjoy it while having to crunch on such big chunks of ice. I will definitely be back for the mushroom steak and to try their version of shaking beef.
(4)Timmy T.
The food is always amazing here, I come here to eat amazing steak, never to be let down. From the way they cut their mushrooms to the red rice, its all salivating in my mouth right now. Hands down best cheapest price steak out there!
(5)Patti L.
First and last time here! My maid of honor decided that this would be a great place to start our bachelorette outing. She has raved about the restaurant since her boyfriend's family frequents this place. The restaurant is known for their steaks but I was surprised to find out that their sides were not up to par compared to other steak restaurants. I was given the choice of rice, French fries, macaroni or a French roll. I could understand how rice and French fries may complement the steak but a French roll? Macaroni? I was unsure of how the roll and tomato pasted macaroni would taste with the steak especially since both sounded bland. I was still optimistic that the steak would be as good as she raved. We had the cheese fondue for appetizer which tasted ok but I prefer La Fondue. We got our steaks and sides. The French roll was literally a French roll with nothing to go with it. The macaroni was literally macaroni with slight tomato sauce. My steak had a side of mushrooms which had good flavor and worked great together until the aftermath. 2/3 of the attendees were endlessly running to the restrooms throughout the rest of the evening and didn't recover until 24 hours later. Thank you for making my outing as memorable as it can be and once at this place was enough for me to keep me out the door.
(1)Joe O.
This place is a hidden treasure... Vietnamese cooking with French influence or vice versa... Been a fan of Chez Christina since it opened its doors eons ago. Steak with mushrooms in a sizzling plate, served with a warm baguette... greatness!
(4)Minh T.
This place is a guilty pleasure for my hubby. He craves the mushroom steak. It's OK. The free French bread and salad they give you complete the meal but I think I've had better steak at home. The escargots are also just OK. Maybe a pesto sauce instead of the onions they use...
(3)Jimmy Y.
I remember coming here at least once a month when I was a lot younger and always looked forward to it. The atmosphere is pretty fancy and the food is amazing! I finally came back to this place after years of not going (college) and the place is still great with the same workers. As for the food, I personally always order the Mushroom Steak. It comes with a nice small salad and the best red rice you will ever have! I seriously cannot reproduce the red rice they serve. The steak may come a bit more cooked than you ordered so order a bit lower because it comes out on a sizzling plate (my medium rare was a medium well) but it still tastes amazing anyways. I always recommend the Roasted Cornish Hen though! It comes with a salad and red rice as well. The hen comes out with a nice crispy skin and tender meat. It is definitely to die for! Definitely get it if you are not up for steak. Also, check-in for a free soft drink!
(5)Vi Y.
One of my favorite Vietnamese restaurants. What puts it above the rest is their American (they call it French, but it's really just steaks, etc) is really good too. My husband is Korean, so Chez Christina is always a good compromise for us. My favorite things on the menu: Goi Nem Chau - Soooo addictively good with the crispy rice in it, but they've been out of it the past 3 times I've gone there. I hope they don't discontinue it! :( BunThit Nuong Cha Gio - Everything about this dish is perfect. The eggrolls are perfect, veggies are sliced perfectly thin, meat is grilled and seasoned to perfection. I'm quite OCD on this dish alone. Filet Mignon (rare) - The biggest Filet Mignon you can find for $20. Never crowded, with a private dining room in the back. I held a big family dinner here a few years back and the kitchen was not able to keep up with our orders. So yes, good food, but not for big groups.
(5)Katherine N.
I actually came here for a big dinner which included 30 people. Luckily, there was a separate room in the back and we all sat in there. There was actually a karaoke machine in the room, but it mostly had vietnamese songs. Even with a party of 30 people, the staff was attentive and nice. I ordered the mushroom steak and it was pretty good. Their red rice was pretty good too. I would come here again, esp since I live nearby.
(4)Johnny T.
I haven't been back here for awhile but there was a time when I would have to come multiple times a week. I really like the mushroom steak there and it's done just right. Kind of odd, I know.. go to a vietnamese/french place and order STEAK!? WTH right? But you know what.. they have it down and I keep coming back. I like the setting and I enjoy the food. I need to go back soon. -=)
(4)Jim C.
We were heading to our favor chinese restaurant across the street, my friends were ahead of us in another car, they called saying the place was closed and need an alternative, before I can get yelp on my phone, they said to meet them across the street, fine, we drove up and saw chez christina, alright, a new place to try, bring it! I didn't know this place existed, it was nice inside, table clothe and everything, we gathered around a large table and were offered menus. The lady was very helpful with the selections, kept pushing the steak lunch, which a few of us ordered, as I checked in on yelp, I found they offered a free drink with your lunch, score! But as soon as i mentioned it to her, her expression and mood changed, she quickly asked me "Did you really checked in?" It took me by surprised, I almost blurred out "Nah I don't even have a phone, I do fake check in everywhere I go" But I didn't. I thought to myself, why put up the offer and get unhappy when someone call you on it? I kept my mouth shut, I would not break the cardinal rule, remember the movie "Waiting"? DON'T F@CK WITH PEOPLE THAT HANDLE YOUR FOOD!" Don't need them giving me the thumb down. The place maybe nice, and the food maybe good, but come on, having an attitude over a drink which you offered for free? it left a bad taste in my mouth. would have gotten 4 big shiny stars, but no, sorry, I have to take away one.
(3)Alvin T.
#18 or #29 can't go wrong with either! Get #29 with the red rice instead of regular.
(4)Fraulein C.
I came here with two friends of mine for a late lunch and I had no idea that Milpitas would have a Vietnamese-French style restaurant that serves sizzling hot platters of STEAK! Yes, I said steak guys! Tucked away in a small complex next to Golfland, you'll find a cheap yet a tasty place that will serve a good size of some yummy food! I wouldn't have discovered this place if it wasn't for my good friend. You'll find on their menu a good variety of Rice noodles, Savory soups, Vegetarian platters, and their specialized french-vietnamese gourmet dishes. I have yet to wonder why it's considered french...I didn't see much on the menu that associates anything with French except for Vietnamese food and steak...so beats me....oh well. I ordered myself a Mushroom Steak (Beouf Aux Champignons) which is a grilled new york steak served on a sizzling platter with sauteed mushroom. My entree is also served with their house salad and also comes with any choice of your side order...I ordered the Macaroni sauteed with garlic and butter, but it's cooked like spaghetti with red tomatoe sauce. Did I enjoy my meal, somewhat! The macaroni was a plenty and I scarfed it down like a hungry animal with the garlic, onion, peppercorn, mushroom flavored steak...MmmmMmm!!! Although, the steak didn't come out as I had thought. I asked for Medium Rare and they came back with it well-done. Plus, my steak was tough, not as tender and juicy as I had hope. Salad isn't much to be shared, but it's quite filling before receiving your entree. A lot of the menu items ranges between $8-15 a dish. Which isn't bad for my total. Yay! Would I mind coming back for more....Yes because it's cheap! Oh...you might want to wave your hand down for another filling of water, because they don't come back to your table until they leave you with the check. So, that's a negative star for poor service. Considering that this place serves French but also Vietnamese (known for CASH ONLY)...they DO ACCEPT CREDIT and DEBIT CARDS!
(3)chris s.
I was really impressed with this place. I wasn't expecting much when i stepped into the restaurant because of the exterior decor. We ordered the mushroom steak with red rice and the Korean BBQ. I thought it was a terrible idea since i'm korean and am stuck up towards non korean restaurants serving korean food, but they said it was good so whatevs. I have to say i was quite surprised with the Korean BBQ they have. It was actually better than some of the Korean restaurants I've been to. Their mushroom steak was also superb, cooked exactly to order. The fat kid in me told me to mix the rice with the butter sauce on the plate and ooooh boy was i glad i did that. the red rice and the beefy buttery goodness was just the thing i needed along with my steak. The service was prompt and my drinks were always refilled without my asking. 5 million stars
(5)Lynn V.
I'd hate to do this to Chez Christina, but I must be honest. The last 2 times I've been here, I had a bad experience. The service was slow and although they were friendly, it didn't make up for poor service. Our food took a long time to come out and when it did, we didn't have any utensils. So we sat there as our dinner plates cooled down to an unappetizing temperature. I would have asked someone to bring us utensils, but no server was anywhere near. After I was done being patient, I walked up to the kitchen door where the staff was hanging around and got utensils myself. That was just the least of it! I hate complaining, so I'll keep it short. It truly tasted like something I could make at home. And trust...I have no skills in the kitchen, but I know for sure it would have been better than dinner @ Chez Christina. Again, poor service. Took FOREVER to get the bill so we just walked up to the counter and paid there.
(2)DAN N.
I tried this place just because friends were ranting and raving about the mushroom steak dish. Just as most guys I like steak ALOT! It was little disappointing to tell the truth. I asked for medium rare and got medium to well...wth?? Meat itself was little tough too. Service was attentive but that may be because there was only one other table at that time of the evening (early dinner). Anyways, a friend order the cubed-steak and it was way more tender and cooked just right. However I did go a second and time and steak was great second time around....so consistency maybe the the problem here. What I do like the setting. The place it cozy, especially since I have always liked Vietnamese-French music.
(3)Shamaen O.
I went to Chez Christina for my birthday and had reservation for 9. We spent 175.00 and we all order some type of steak. I ordered the fillet mignon and was disappointed in the way the chef prepared it. I asked for medium rare it was well done. It wasn't tied properly the juices from the steak flow out and didn't taste juicy and tender. It wasn't a special place to eat I thought it would be excellent choice b/c all the good reviews. The service was just OK. they did accommodate my cake service which was nice but I won't go back to this restaurant again. The waitress was slightly rude to my friend who asked for a special dish and she was treated with disregard. I was embarrass to bring her to Chez and have poor service. The male waiter was polite and kind and tried to serve our table request in a timely matter.
(3)Angela W.
I went here a while back with a Vietnamese friend. He seemed to know what was good and did all the ordering. I'm glad he did, because honestly, I never know what to get at these places. The waitress was super nice and kept looking at me after everything they talked about and nodded, like I had a clue what they were saying! At one point my friend wanted me to try some watermelon with salt on it. The waitress ran right back to the kitchen to check and see if they had any, even though it wasn't on the menu. They didn't have any but I thought it was nice that she'd try. The food was good and even though the decor was a little bit cheesy, the checkered floor was cool. I'd go back.... As long as I had someone with me to order for me! haha
(3)Jonathan T.
Their food is amazing! I absolutely love their New York Steak with tomato macaroni!
(5)Nancy C.
The owner is mean and rude to her employees and customers.
(1)Cheralyn H.
3.5 Stars I came with a coworker for lunch for my first taste of "French Vietnamese" food. I was excited to try something new but worried they'd have a limited menu full of stuff that didn't look good. The good news is I read Yelp before we left and knew if all else failed I could order steak. Hello Yelp people! There is a HUGE menu! It's not all about the steak, there is SO much more to choose from! I did go for something that looked familiar just to be safe - #35a, Chicken Satay with peanut sauce and rice. First we were brought a small salad with one cucumber slice and one tomato slice. A bottle of house dressing (a type of oil & vinegar) was brought to pour on our salads. It was pretty good, but a little sweet for my taste. The presentation of the satay was very nice, two big skewers of chicken on a bed of fresh lettuce, a pile of yellow (safron?) rice, and a dish of peanut sauce. I finished everything on my plate! It was similar to Thai satay, except the for the yellow rice. I can't wait to go back to try something new, and then go back again for the satay!
(3)Apple F.
This place is like a family owned business so customer service was just OK but their food was good.... definitely come back :)
(4)Kim L.
Delicious food in a great atmosphere what more can you ask for?!?! We always order the mushroom steak with red rice. Omg it's sooo juicy and flavorful. The portions are pretty good too. The steaks are cooked perfectly! The service here was excellent! They are very friendly and tentative :) I would definitely recommend this place to anyone that wants a good and satisfying meal! Yummy in my tummy!!
(5)Cathy P.
when your side dish and your drink tastes better than your meal, you have to ask yourself "what. the. bleep". i ordered the beef stroganoff and shaken beef with macaroni with a side of french fries. for a beverage, soda lemonade. i also had the manna cotta, and coffee gelato. shaken beef was pretty good, but instead of grounded pepper, they actually give you the pepper seeds which are often hidden in the cracks of the beef. watch out before you bite. beef stroganoff, three words, WHAT THE HECK. not what the heck, that's amazing! but a what the heck am I eating? not the good kind either where you forget the question and start chowing down. i'm talking about the what the heck is wrong with me for choosing this. the manna cotta & coffee gelato were good, but not enough to break even with the price. $6 for dessert the size of half an apple? bite me. this place gets a two instead of a one for it's beverages, good service from 2 out of 3 waiters, and the one hot waiter.
(2)Jenn P.
I came here with my mom and brother and even though we all ordered our steaks 'medium,' they came out three different ways. My brother's mushroom steak was 'well done' (they should probably under cook it since it's on a sizzling platter). My mom's steak and red rice was on the rare side so I traded steaks with her (mine was less rare). This happens pretty often. Regular steak dinners are $11 and sizzling steak dinners are $16. Mushroom steak comes with your choice of side (rice, macaroni, or fries) or bread. I would suggest if you want both, get the side and order the bread separate. If you order the side alone, it's $3 whereas the bread would just be $1 alone. Dinner also comes with a starter salad and Italian dressing, but the salad is nothing too special, it's is just to warm up your tummy for steak. My grandparents, who are pickier eaters, have had non steak dinners and have complimented their non steak entrees: chicken satay (a little dry) and duck l'orange. I've tried the flan dessert here once and it was ok; the rum was a bit overwhelming but the presentation was nice. I've always found the service to be decent. At times, it can be it's hit or miss regardless of how many other patrons are in the restaurant. Some days it's quick and attentive, some days it's a bit on the slow side and you have to keep asking for things. Another negative thing: you will smell like the food, no way around it. Chez Christina is a family favorite so I always look forward to having dinner here. It's also a great place for dates because it's a simple, casual restaurant that doesn't try to be what it's not. It's no Alexander's but it's not exactly Denny's either. The best way I can sum it up is that it is what it is.
(4)Julia C.
came here on recs from a few friends, but guards were slightly up due to bad vietnamese/french combos in the past. liked the cozy non pretentious atmosphere of this place. service was attentive and the staff was super sweet! prices were also very reasonable. fondue is to die for! still can't figure out the exact type of cheese, but it's absolutely delicious. we ordered extra bread in place of fruit at no extra charge. steak and red rice was one of the better steaks i've had as well. beats out some of the rather pricer steakhouses out there. we were too full for dessert, but there's always next time! returning to this spot is a must!
(5)Daisy T.
I love the mushroom sizzling steak they have here! They cook the steak with a lot of garlic, some peppercorns and I think a good amount of butter (wouldn't be French influenced without the butter!). Comes with a small salad and with your choice of either red rice, pasta, french fries or bread. I personally love the rice and the pasta. I've been coming here ever since I was a kid with my family. It's definitely a great deal if you want to have steak but don't want to spend the big bucks. The steaks are under $20 except maybe for the filet mignon wrapped in bacon. This place also offers family style Vietnamese dishes and noodle soups. I've tried a few dishes and they were only okay (reason for the 4 stars instead of 5). Nothing too memorable. I'd rather save my stomach for the steak. This is definitely a good place to stop by if you're a steak lover on a budget! =)
(4)Loan T.
I came here today with my husband, my friend, and my little son. There was only 2 tables (us and another table). I ordered mushroom steak (med-rare) with a side of macaroni cooked with tomato paste and garlic, and a side of french bread. My husband order rice noodles with grilled pork and my friend ordered chicken curry with rice. The waiter who took my order didn't inform me that my mushroom steak came with macaroni/red rice and the salad (I saw this on the menu but not the macaroni/red rice). If I knew I would have not order an extra side of macaroni. . The food came out quick since there was only 2 tables to serve. First, they brought out the salad. The vinerette for the salad was a lil too sweet. The 2 macaroni plates was brought out next and you can imagine how shock I was to see two plates coming out at once. Oh well, so I bought home one of the plate of macaroni home for dinner. Their timining in bringing out the main dish was excellent. Right when I finish my salad, my sizzling steak was bought out. My steak was cook right, the french bread is crispy and delicious with butter (needs to give more butter), and the macaroni was too oily. My husband said his rice noodles was alright and my friend said her chicken curry is good.What bothered me was that, I can hear the waiter talking to the cashier about the other table that was previously there. Saying that he over ordered and didn't even finish half of his steak and other foods. That was annoying to me since the customers are the ones who bring them business, they shouldn't talk trash about them. Overall is pretty good place to eat but the waiter and cashier need to realized that they have customers in the restaurant that can hear what they are saying and it doesn't have a good impression to customer seeing this.
(3)Jimmy H.
This place is in a business like plaza. It is kind of an odd place to be. It seemed to be out of place. This is a french/Vietnamese place. Well, to explain it better, it is vietnamese food with french influence. I ordered a pepper steak which was pretty decent. The sauce that came out of the steak is really good, especially if you eat it with rice and with bread that they give you. Pricing is a tad bit pricey for what you get. I know at other places I went to, the price wasn't as high, but the pepper steak wasn't as good though. A nice place, just not too gong-ho about it.
(3)Joe S.
I was not impressed by this place. Have only been there once but the pricing was more French than the food was. Our steak dish came with fries and they were the cheap frozen kind. Expected better.
(2)Huy P.
Been here at least 5+ times now, and I can't stop ordering the red rice and steak with a side of fries!
(5)Huong L.
My boyfriend and I came here on a Friday night and we were seated immediately. Yay for no waiting!! The servers were really nice and gave me a free drink for checking in (they had a check-in deal). We both ordered the mushroom steak and the sauce it comes with is absolutely delicious! I asked for A1 sauce on the side, because I ALWAYS use A1 with all steaks, but with their sauce, there was no need for it at all! The only suggestion I would make is that when you order steak, order it one level rarer since it cooks a little bit more being on the hot plate. My medium rare turned out to be medium. But, overall, good food, good service, and not too pricey. We will definitely be coming back!
(4)Nathalie N.
My family and I have been to this restaurant for years (literally). Décor has dramatically changed from an art deco black and white theme to a warmer, definitely-more-modern-French styling. I was afraid going in that we'd have to wait a long time for service...It wasn't too bad! Our entrees came out before we had even finished our salads. The salads did come bare as our server brought out bottles of dressing earlier. We all had the mushroom steaks. They all came out on a sizzling plates - one well done, one medium, and three medium rare. Each steak was juicy and prepared perfectly! Sides for the steaks ordered were the baguette, red macaroni, and red rice. The bread even came with my favorite buerre de France! (Hint: there is no butter like French butter!) I will be coming back again...and soon! The prices here are much better than that of American restaurants where the meat usually lacks seasoning, is hard and dry. The steaks here are so flavorful and juicy...so juicy you will definitely want to dip your bread in the sauce or pour it over your macaroni or rice! I definitely recommend this place for a date or just for some good grubbing!
(4)Tiffie P.
I've seriously been to this restaurant for ages. Their steak is always pretty good and usually comes out the way you order it(medium, medium rare, etc). One time my friends and I decided to come here for a group dinner and the waitress refilled our drinks for free! We were the last ones out of the restaurant and did not feel rushed by the staff at all! we rushed ourselves!
(4)John D.
Wow....4 star...not bad....I do not like to give 5 stars....this is what 5 stars mean to me... 1 star, for cleanliness...( what you see is what you eat...) 2 star, great services.. 3 star, excellent food... 4 star, for the price that we paid.... 5 star, nothing to be said..over all if my tummy is happy and my wallet isn't drained then im a happy customer. You got to try this place out....I really like the food here ( TRY THE MUSHROOM STEAK )..........THIS IS THE BEST PLACE TO TAKE YOUR DATE...CAN' T GO WRONG...MAKE SURE YOU CALL IN FIRST ....FOR ALL THE GUY'S....Valentine's Day IS COMING UP...HINT HINT...
(4)James B.
Chez Christina is not a fancy joint. It is a family run place; the waiters and hosts are friends and family of the owner. If you're looking for the type of service like Slanted Door etc, you're at the wrong place. What they are good at is cooking delicious steaks. Mouth watering peppered steaks that come literally sizzling off a hot plate (shaped like a cow). It comes with a side of salad and fries. The classic Parisian steak frites dinner. Steak frites in my thing. I've had it all over, even in Paris. This is as authentic as it come. The restaurant it self is hidden in the corner of a Milpitas strip mall, on the foothill. The decor is not impressive, but clean and simple. There has always been an understated charm to it. The subtle classic french tunes playing in the background sets the mood. It is my default for a low key dinner on a given weekend in Milpitas. Chez Christina is a great find that exceeds its value. Nice people, delicious food, calming atmosphere; give it a try.
(5)Dorothy N.
I've only had their mushroom steak with macaroni and have yet to be disappointed. The prices for the steak/chicken dinners are decent, nothing over $17, except for the Filet Mignon (which is also wrapped in BACON, omg!). I've had bites of the aforementioned Filet Mignon, which is delicious if you want to fork over $20 bucks. Basically all the steaks are good. My mom had the Cordon Bleu; it was so-so. The roasted cornish hen is HUGE so it'd be best to share or split this dish. It also has nice, crispy skin. I would recommend just sticking to their steak/dinner/fish dishes (#73 - 89). They give you good portions and I love how the steaks come out in sizzling plates. But avoid their Vietnamese appetizers and dishes because they' are overpriced and only average. As for service, its a typical Aisan restaurant so don't expect the world. It could probably improve, but for the most part they give you what you ask for. The only problem is that sometimes it may take awhile. I haven't had any issues with their service so I can't complain.
(4)Brian C.
Take your cheap date out for a night and get a steak dinner. The dim lighting sets the atmosphere for a romantic date. Look through the menu and you find a fusion of French food with a Vietnamese twist. For the price you pay the you can't complain at all for the steak here. This is a great place to get a slab of beef on your plate without having to empty out your wallet. Time to get your steak on!
(4)Wing Man C.
The steak smelled good, but it was too large of a portion for lunch. I ended up getting the grilled onion rolled beef which was good, but nothing to die for. I wouldn't go back unless I happened to be in the area.
(3)Kathryn L.
I love the whole Vietnamese-with-a-little-French-influence thing they have going on here. It's different and good. I like their fresh french bread, tender T-bone steaks (topped with sauteed mushrooms if you like), red rice, and spring rolls. The last time I was there, I asked the waitress what she'd suggest and she suggested the shrimp on sugar cane skewers. You're also given these dry rice roll wrappers and hot water to soak yourself. You take the moistened rice roll wrapper, put shrimp and other veggies (provided with the shrimp), roll yourself, and devour. Different, fun, and yummy! This is one my favorite Aunt & Uncle's local go-to places, so I've come here with them for years and will definitely continue.
(4)David T.
This place has really gone down the drain over the years. It use to be one of my favorite steak places to eat at. The setting is really nice and peaceful and their staff and service is great but the food could be better. I usually get the filet mignon when I go here. It comes with either red rice or their macaroni and a side salad. The pricing is fair for the steak. The quality of the steak is a hit or miss. You can tell its been frozen before and it's not a high quality steak but it is what it is. Definitely don't pass up on this place if you're in the area.
(3)Elaine N.
A great little vietnamese and french cuisine restaurant in milpitas. I ordered the mushroom steak and garlic fondue. The garlic fondue is a cheese dip appetizer and it was very tasty. The steak was well cooked and tasty, but I expected a better cut for the price. I would definitely come here again and try their other entrees.
(4)Joseph A.
The mushroom steak with red rice was pretty good here, although I can't compare since this is the only French-Vietnamese place that I've gone to. The portions are reasonable for the lunch menu, but they can be pricier than expected for dinner. Although the restaurant is kept pretty clean, I've gone there a couple times when there were a couple fruit flies buzzing around. Also, for a small place, it's somewhat difficult to get service, especially when you're seated where they can't see you from the kitchen. All in all, I'd come back to this place and will tell friends, but only for their lunchtime specials.
(3)Steven N.
great place! this place was very friendly and attentive. It is a family operated restaurant so when you walk in, you feel like family. I always order the mushroom steak and red rice. The steak is very delicious and it goes so well with the red rice. I dont know what more you can ask for out out a simple steak. They make it so well here. It comes out on a sizzling plate so the steak is always hot. Just keep in mind the longer you leave it on, the more your steak will cook through. I also enjoy the house salad that they provide with their house dressing. The restaurant has a nice quiet atmosphere, so this is a perfect place to bring a date.
(5)Enza P.
This restaurant has really good food for a decent price. Being a french/vietnamese fusion, I thought that the prices would be higher than what I saw. I ordered diced steak with red fried rice. It was fulfilling as well as tasty for about 11 dollars. The only thing I wasn't a fan of was the dessert. Some of the desserts went up to 6 dollars but honestly were not that great. The salad appetizer has yummy dressing and the flan there is pretty good as well. The restaurant is clean and the owner/servers periodically come by to make sure you are satisfied. 4 star for great service and yummy food at a decent price =]
(4)Allison T.
I've been here twice, once three years ago, and once again recently because I just remembered it was in the area. The first time I came here I had the marinated beef atop of vermicelli. Yum. The second time, I had the Korean style ribs, salt and peppered prawns, another marinated pork plate, and something else i don't remember. It seems to me that any meats that they marinate and season were very good. The prawns? not so good. they were over-cooked and the shells stuck to the shrimp and were hard to peel off. But really? the real reason i'd love to come back here? the steaks. Is it possible to want to write a review about food that you've never eaten? If so, I'd want to write a review about their steaks. Every time i come here, I order something, think, "wow... not bad!", then a waiter or waitress rolls out a tray on which they've got fantastic smelling, sizzling steaks sitting on a hot plate, and I spend the rest of the meal watching their steaks =P Ok to the boring stuff: Service: We came 7pm on a Thursday night. Not too many people, which was fitting for the restaurant's intimate ambiance, and we were seated right away. Waiter: Ok service. Came when we asked and waited politely for our orders. Had to ask for water refills even though there were only like seven other people in the restaurant. Facilities: The restaurant itself was clean, but not too crazy about the restroom's cleanliness... it's on the lower end of my mr. clean scale. Ambiance: I like the somewhat low hanging lights. It always gives a more intimate feel to the tables. The restaurant reminds me a new restaurant constructed within an old facility. Overall, the ambiance is sweet, and they did well with what they had to work with. Overall: I would definitely come here again... and I must try the steaks!
(4)Ronald A.
the food is ok.the service is bad.the waiter is rude and shake his head alot with every order we make,asking for water and serving our food.im from the east coast and used to courteous waiters.or this is the norm in the west coast.we will not come back.
(1)Dianna N.
This place is a family favorite. There's never a wait, but that's just due to its random location. We've never had bad service here. They're good at bringing everyone's food out at the same time. They usually play French music in the background, but it's still pretty quiet. So this is a good place to go for conversation without all the hustle and bustle of restaurant noise. Even though we come here a lot, I usually get the same thing. French Onion Soup $6.95 - So far this is my favorite place for French Onion Soup. Cheesy, savory, yummy. Garlic Cheese Fondue $9.75 - Today was my first time trying it. It comes with bread and apples. it was ok. It wasn't that flavorful, so I'll probably just stick to my soup from now on. Mushroom Steak $15.95 - Nice and juicy, tender. I don't like red rice, but i get it with plain rice and let it soak up the sauce and it's oh so good!
(4)Pauline L.
3.5 This place is usually our family default dining destination. While not the creme de la creme of restaurants, it's been a dependable and familiar place for us - especially when we're in the mood for meat. I must have eaten here a hundred times and our family always orders the same thing: NY steak with tomato flavored macaroni. Sometimes we'll mix it up and get the plate with NY steak and sizzling mushrooms, but those are for days when we feel adventurous. Just recently though, I've begun to notice that the steak is not always consistent. For the most part, it's flavorful with pepper, bbq marinade, and juicy. There have been some instances where it's been a bit rubbery, so I'm not sure what's going on there. That's when you just lay on the bbq sauce thick and eat. Rubbery or not, it's a lot more flavorful than most chain steak places anyway. The menu is fairly extensive with traditional Vietnamese dishes with some Western fusion entrees. Meals are served with a salad and vinaigrette dressing. The decor is simple, clean and service is usually friendly - or friendlier than your usual Vietnamese restaurant. It's a solid place to go, especially if you happen to be in the Milpitas area in search of semi-casual Vietnamese dining. Or after a long, frustrating day at Golfland nearby.
(4)Nina B.
I do like this place and have frequented it over the years since it opened many years ago. Decor is nice and simple, def the family run kinda place. They do several dishes very well and consistently..the imperial rolls are always excellent and the lettuce,mint,cilantro they serve with it is SO fresh. The steaks served in the sizzling platters (can be ordered smothered in mushrooms, onions or teriyaki) are what lots of people go there for...the sauces they use to cook them in are very tasty and the meat cut is average(possibly sirloin of NY)..not the worst, but don't expect kobe beef! Of course that's also why its pretty reasonably priced too. I love their french onion soup, but it's not the best I've ever had. I like having the variety on their menu to choose vietnamese dishes as well as classic french fare. I'd like to try their fondue someday...and their escargot.
(3)Amber H.
This is my first try! The service was so nice that I would give them 5 stars by itself. I took 1 star out because of my Teriyaki steak was so dry that i couldnt finish my meal! My boyfriend Mushroom steak on the other hand was so good! Will be back to try difference dishes!
(4)Karen L.
I like the sizzling steak idea and for $16 bucks you really can't complain about it. The peppercorn is my favorite and the sauce is really good. You get red rice (yum), salad, and soup for all that! If you want a cheap meal that tastes good and has a somewhat casual romantic atmosphere then I'd come here for dinner. They also have a private room for you to hold parties. 3.5 stars.
(4)jen l.
They only thing I get is the new york steak w/ the macaroni and an EXTRA side of macaroni. My boyfriend always gets the steak w/ the side of red rice. Every once in a blue moon they will over cook it even though we ask for medium. Service: attentive and not over bearing. Food comes out pretty quickly.
(5)Andrew Y.
This restaurant has been a favorite of mine since I was a little kid. Nothing would be more enjoyable then to come here for a special occasion and chow down on one of their yummy steaks. In response to P L. and some of the lower-starred reviews, they fail to realize that this is not one of those $$$ pricey restaurants like Alexander's or Birk's. One should not come here expecting escargot or amazing prime rib, or fondue that rivals those of a restaurant that caters to fondue-lovers only. Yes, the steaks are not of the quality of the best steak-houses, and the rolls might not come with a deluge of toppings, but come on. This is a hole-in-the wall restaurant. Just enjoy their mushroom steak and quit complaining about the lack of fancy sides and options.
(5)Eric T.
Came here with a couple friends and they suggested I try the mushroom steak... It was freaking amazing! I use to drive by this place 2-3 times a week and never knew it existed, its kinda tucked away in a small plaza. Anyway the service is great and the restaurant was clean. If you come here try the mushroom steak you won't be disappointed!
(5)Debbie T.
Ive been here a couple of times and Ive never been disappointed. I love coming here for the mushroom steaks and bread. The steak marinate is so yummy has a touch of vietnamese flavor just like mom's cooking. The steak comes out on a hot sizzling plates, makes it taste even better. I love the cheese fondue served with bread and apples, it's delicious. Definitely will be coming back!!!!!!
(5)James N.
I had the mushroom steak on a hot plate. The steak was good but only after I scooped off all the burnt garlic. The salad that came at the beginning was actually very good, wish they gave us more of it. I came during lunch with my friend who recommended this place. He told me that it taste a lot better during dinner. Hopefully he's right and I get to come during dinner stead of lunches.
(3)Lien T.
Instead of ordering three steaks, my friends and I decided to order different things and share--family style. We got the escargot appetizer ( yelp.com/biz_photos/cNKu… ), steak and mushrooms with two plates of red rice, grilled fish on a sizzling hot plate, and tamarind shrimp. Sad to say, my favorite was not their infamous steak and mushrooms. The steak wasn't very well marinated and it was very chewy for medium rare. The wine in the steak was very overwhelming too. I just wasn't impressed. On a lighter note, everything else was wonderful. The escargot appetizer came with crispy slices of bread, which went very well with the thick buttery sauce that the escargot was bathed in. The grilled fish came out on a sizzling hot plate with a few other side ingredients--rice paper, vegetables, vermicelli noodle, and a dip. Basically all of the necessary ingredients for a spring roll. It was really good! I know a few other places that serve the same dish, but this place has got to be the best. The fish was succulent and was very easy to eat, since the bones were taken out. It was probably my favorite dish of the night. The tamarind shrimp ( yelp.com/biz_photos/cNKu… ) was also very good. The hint of tangy tamarind in every bite was great. The shrimp was saucy and perfectly cooked. I could probably eat the rice and sauce alone. Our waiter was very kind and friendly. I think our tab came to about $60, which wasn't bad at all for three people. The restaurant had a very casual atmosphere and was worth the visit. Can't go wrong with casual Vietnamese/French food for an affordable price.
(3)Anne P.
This is now my new favorite joint to go to. It is actually a Vietnamese-French cuisine that also serves korean soju, kind of a weird mixture huh? The decor was clean and pleasant. I got the mushroom steak with red rice (with complimentary salad), while my friend ordered a Mi Vit Tiem (egg noodle with duck). Both of us really enjoyed our dishes. My only complaint is that they ran out of escargot for us to order. I will have to make another trip just to try it.
(4)Kim D.
Saturday night at 8:00pm, not much action here but... -Friend got the mushroom steak since it's so popular, and it was not disappointing. Juicy, tender, and delicious! -Decided to go with the Bo Luc Lac (cubed New York steak) for myself. I actually prefer this than the mushroom steak...so yummy! -For the sides we got the red rice and the macaroni.. the macaroni is basically made the same way as the rice. I preferred the mac. -Service was friendly and dependable. -Only thing for me was..............DON'T GET THE FLAN! :( -super bland and the sauce tasted like alcohol... -better off going to those asian bakeries and buying one for half the price..
(4)Viet N.
Steak Steak Steak. the salad that comes out before ur entree is pretty bombskeee too. Service is excellent. Food is delicious. Asian Restaurant with a lil bit of class..
(5)Michael C.
The restaurant is located in a random plaza. The food is here very good. Steak is yummy. Good service. Lots of French Vietnamese dishes.
(4)Ann N.
totally forgot about this place until my friend asked to to meet her for lunch here. I already had my order ready at 10:00am hahaha. it's not that busy at lunch. went there and plenty of tables left. we were seating and menu provided. no need to wait, i knew what I wanted. steak (rare) and red macaroni. it's exactly the way my parents made it when we were younger - vietnamese way. ordering the steak rare means it will be medium rare. there's a nice sauce on it as they cook it with garlic. the boiled macaroni is then stirfry with ketchup and soy sauce or so. it's perfect in my eyes. you get a side salad with your order = ~$11. so worth it for steak and a carb w/ salad. if you check in at the restaurant and show it to them, you get a softdrink for free. the bill for both of us was $21... I'll take it! will definitely be back.
(4)jason g.
As I glance through the menu, my friend Tony adamantly said there is nothing else you should order here except for their signature filet mignon on a hot skillet. So, I did. Beef was very tender, moist and cooked to perfection. It was well seasoned and the bacon wrap around the beef gave it that extra salty kick that made it that much better. It came with mushrooms and your choice of red rice, white rice, macaroni, or a baguette. This place reminds me of a place where you go with your family on those monumental moments in your life when you were a kid. However, as you grew older, it just seems like a dated restaurant that needed to update their menu. Or............is this place and oldie but goodie? I think I would choose the latter.
(4)Thomas N.
So who would have thought, a restaurant like this would be located in a random strip mall in the Milpitas foothills. Really? I make the above statement as a compliment. The caliber of food that comes out of the Chez Christina kitchen is really really good. The food is more French inspired Vietnamese than true Vietnamese food, and it is always on the spot. The item to get here is the steak with read rice. Any incarnation of the steak is delicious. You definitely cannot go wrong with the basic NY medium rare, but to kick it up a notch in terms of flavor and mouth-gasm, try the pepper or the mushroom steak (always medium rare please). Even though the location is nondescript, give this place a try. Chez Christina is a must if you live anywhere within 5-10 miles of this place. The food you get for the price you pay is awesome.
(4)Michelle D.
Eaten here a couple of times. "Vietnamese-French" fusion. Basically pricey Vietnamese food. Nothing spectacular, but if you do want to try it, the sizzling mushroom steak is okay.
(3)Leah B.
My first French-Vietnamese restaurant that I've been coming to for about over 10 years now. It's where I first tried their Red-Rice, which I find it a little similar to the one you get at a Mexican Resaturant. Love the Sizzling NY Steak Plate for dinner. It's probably the only thing I ever order from here. Heads up don't ever come here on Valentine's Day...as any other restaurants that day it's packed, and it's not that big inside...so wait can be long.
(4)Patricia L.
I decided to take the boyfriend here for dinner because he said he felt like eating steak and I know he has never been here. The restaurant is located in an unassuming strip mall down the street from Golf Land in Milpitas that is usually pretty dead. Don't let that stop you from trying this place though. The décor is also nicer than most Vietnamese restaurants. The bf ordered the teriyaki steak with macaroni and I ordered the shrimp scampi with red rice. Both dinners came with a salad. I think the salad dressing is just Italian dressing. The teriyaki steak comes out on a sizzling platter, so if you don't want your steak to be overcooked, order it more rare than you normally would. I liked the flavors of the teriyaki steak, but it really didn't taste anything like Japanese teriyaki. It's not as sweet. The macaroni was just ok. It's just macaroni cooked with some tomato paste. My shrimp scampi wasn't cooked like I'm normally used to (butter and garlic), the sauce was creamier. I think I'll stick with steaks when I come here. Red rice is one of my favorite things to eat and I thought it was just ok here as well. I've also tried the mushroom steak and the pepper steak before and both are also really good choices. I loooove mushrooms, so I usually order that. I love the sauce that the steak is cooked in...buttery garlic goodness! If you do get the pepper steak, beware that there are chunks of whole peppercorns in the sauce. I hate biting into peppercorns! The taste is way too strong so I usually try to eat around them. I think it's cool/funny that they bring all the food to your table on a cart. I guess it's more efficient since they can roll all the stuff over at once.
(4)Koy S.
Mmmmmm.... I like this place. I ordered the the Cornish hen with red rice. Which is highly recommended on the reviews. It was delicious!!! There red rice and macaroni was the bomb.com ! Most places don't make red rice this good. Love it! My husband ordered the sizzling steak. It was #77 and the Cornish hen was #76. Everything was good. I'm not a big fan of onions but I saw a lot of ppl ordering the french onion soup. I guess it must be really good!
(4)Steve V.
I was very excited to go here because it would be my first opportunity to use a Yelp check-in offer: a free soft drink! I held up my smartphone to the Vietnamese waiter and showed him my coupon. With a clear look of confusion on his face, he said he had no idea what Yelp was and didn't know anything about this check-in offer. He made no attempt to ask anyone, such as the manager, about it and just blew me off. On top of that, the food wasn't good and extremely pricey....for no reason. Granted there were a lot of meat-based dishes...but the steak I was eating was not worth $20+. Came with a side - an attempt at elbow macaroni with spaghetti sauce. Waiter had no personality at all. To give them a second chance - at the end of my meal while I was walking out the door, I bypassed the waiter and approached a women who looked like she could be the manager. She seemed more familiar with Yelp and told me I could get my free coke next time. I asked if I could take it to go and she gave me a can. Sorry, Chez Christina....lower your prices, enhance your food quality and if you are going to post coupons for your customers (which is great!), make sure all your employees know about it! I won't be back here again if it's up to me.
(1)Nina M.
I always come here for the mushroom steak and it has yet to fail me. The ambiance is nice. It is always quite empty and the light is always dim. Sort of romantic like... Their mushroom steak has been superb everytime! I've never had steak like this, where your side dish could either be banh mi or rice and I always get the banh mi. The sauce is soooooo good with the banh mi. I dip the banh mi in the sauce. It comes with salad and the steak come out sizzling everytime. Last time I was here even tho the place wasn't pack but I felt like I had to wait a bit too long so -1 star for for the wait.
(4)K P.
I've come here several times for the steak and red rice or macaroni (with a side of their mushrooms of course) and have never been disappointed. I've also had a luncheon here after my kid's 1st communion with some extended family and everyone loved everything they've ordered. They even allowed us to bring our own cake and let us use their plates and utensils without charging extra or complaining that we weren't ordering from their dessert menu.
(4)Johnny N.
Nom nom mushroom steaks so yummy. Reminds me of my childhood where I ate mushroom steaks at a now-closed restaurant almost every month. Ah, the nostalgia.. Came here on a Monday night with kind of good friends. It was pretty dead, but the waitress that served was very kind and enthusiastic. I thought it was pretty funny when she mixed some Vietnamese in her English. We all ordered mushroom steaks and had our waitress surprise us with an appetizer (because none of us are decisive). The fish sauce coated chicken wings was not too bad. They came out very hot. There wasn't much meat on them unfortunately but I suppose I can't complain eating skin soaked in flavor. With our mushroom steaks came little salads and red rice/macaroni. As other people have noted, the red rice and macaroni are A-OK. Nothing special. Actually, I should have went with one suggestion to grab white rice and have it soak in the steak juices because the steak was damned good. All of us had medium rare steaks which came sizzling on a platter. True to our order, there was much much pink inside. Steak and mushrooms; simple to make, and perfect when not overcooked. It was delicious. I felt the glory of my past coming back to me. Great steak ($16), okay sides, and friendly service. 'Twas a fun night.
(4)Marie L.
Hubby loves the steak which is great but the meal could be a little bigger for the price. The menu was a little exotic for my palate and I stuck with the steak. We gave it another try and all in all pleased with our meal. The downside is our so little english was spoken we had a hard time communicating. And the gentleman who I presume was the owner sat at the table next to us and made us uncomfortable staring throughout the meal. Being the only customers at the time, it didnt really encourage us to come back. We're probably heading to Liou's next time.
(3)CJ C.
I feel like some of the Milpitians writing reviews for places in town are all high. I just wanted to get that off my chest. On to the review. I order a da chanh. It was tasty, all too often do I get them with either too much sugar or too sour. Ordered escargot for an appetizer. It was served with butter and shallots and some lightly toasted bread. I was pleasantly surprised at how well they were cooked. Not chewy at all, but nice and soft. For the entree I had the steak and mushrooms with a side of the macaroni. The steak was cooked right and the sauce reminded me of an adobo. I may be wrong, but it tasted like vinegar, soy sauce, and peppercorns. Where I'm from that's an adobo... The macaroni was bland. I didn't expect anything great there though. Overall it was a good meal, not great. The way people rave about this place I expected a lot more. It is way over priced. It's one of those places I am glad to try once and never come back to.
(3)Aldouse H.
A friend of mine recommended that i try this place. I've heard of it before but never gave it a try because its located in a plaza that i've never really bothered to go to. But i gave it a try and ordered the steak with the red rice. and WOW, i was left speechless as i devoured my meal without uttering a word until i finished. My mom, joked once by saying you can tell how good a meal is by how much conversation takes place during the course the night. Well then, needless to say, the food was superb! I will definitely come back here more often. **MUST ORDER::: STEAK W/ RED RICE** You will not be disappointed!!
(5)Minty O.
This was a great place because I got to have dinner with some family and friends. The food on the other hand...meh. They had an extensive Vietnamese food menu and some French-type food. APPS/DRINKS I don't know if they had an off day but the food was mediocre at best. The garlic cheese fondue was oily and was curdling. The special drinks, cosmo and screwdriver, tasted artificial. The escargot had the basics, of snail, butter and garlic, but was lacking in flavor. The Cha Gio was pretty good, however. Crisp and flavorful, a bit on the oily side though. ENTREES I had their signature Mushroom Steak. The steak was overdone and smothered in garlic and the mushrooms were basically quartered, sauteed slightly and put on the skillet next to the steak. It had tons of flavor compared to the Chez Christina Chicken (?), however. The cream sauce for the chicken was extremely bland. The chicken itself seemed as though it was boiled and then just smothered in bland white cream sauce. I know this is a favorite spot for some of my friends and family. I'll have to pass though. Sorry!
(2)Vivian L.
I had the garlic cheese fondue for starters and it was pretty good. The flavor was nice and light. It came with apples and bread, but they should consider adding more variety to the dippers. For my entree, I had the ca nuong (sizzling fish plate). You have the option of either rolling it in rice paper or eating it with vermicelli and I chose to roll it. It was really good and the dipping sauce is unique, unlike the typical fish sauces. The portion was good for the price too! I also ordered the lychee drink but it just tasted like they took canned lychee and added ice to it. Overall everything was good and the service was nice.
(4)Emmi M.
The 4 stars is only for their mushroom steak and filet mignon. I haven't tried anything else. I come here a few times a year and for the most part I always get the same thing.. their mushroom steak with macaroni on the side. Oh and I had the filet mignon the last time I was there. That was melt-in-your-mouth goodness. They start off serving you a salad. I must say, I tend to opt out of salads wherever I go but this is the one place that I actually enjoy having some. I love their vinaigrette dressing and the salad is always nice & crisp... a refreshing way to start off a meal. The steaks are brought out on a sizzling platter. My mouth is salivating just thinking about it. Yum. I love dipping my steak/mushroom in A1/Tabasco sauce ..just to add a bit of a kick! I even add a dash of Tabasco on my macaroni. =) I've been here on several occasions and its never packed. So the service is always attentive. This is my go-to place for yummy steaks that doesn't cost an arm & a leg!
(4)Stephanie B.
This place is damn good. Very clean. Nice atmosphere. Very romantic & date-like on half of the restaurant and family oriented on the other side. Dim lighting, modern furnishings, definitely cute. I usually get the mushroom steak (~$16) with red rice or red macaroni. Then I asked for bread and butter as an appetizer. The bread and butter is soooo good. I've tried a few other vietnamese entrees on the menu and it's also very good. Then I top the night off with a Banana Froster. Wee! Very very delicious. I'm definitely having my graduation dinner here with the family ('cause they have a banquet room that seats up to 40).
(5)David T.
3.5 Stars For the price this place is great! The mushroom steak lived up to expectation. The red rice however, was disappointing. Definitely worth a visit if your ever craving Viet/French food in Milpitas for a reasonable price.
(3)Mi V.
This restaurant is a hidden GEM! I love their ambiance, their karaoke machine (in a separate room), their big screen tv, and ESPECIALLY their food. You cannot go wrong with any item on the menu. My friends and I always come here if we're craving some good and wholesome food. We always start off with the 4 CHEESE FONDUE...sooo good...creamy, cheesy, and garlicky. I recommend this fondue for appetizer, definitely. Along with this appetizer, they serve a complimentary salad. The dressing is homemade, and I bought a bottle from them since it's so good. It's a vinegar-sugar-garlic dressing--BOMB. My friends usually get their peppercorn steak and mushrooms...it comes out sizzling hot, looks good, smells good, and SOUNDS good (referring to the sizzling). It comes with its famous red rice. If I went to Chez Christina and could choose only one side dish, it would be the red rice--savory and delicious. mmMMMM!! I ALWAYS get the cornish hen. You canNOT go wrong with this dish. The hen's skin is crispy and sweet with its garlic sautee sauce drizzled all over its golden brown skin. I know you're not supposed to eat the chicken skin, but under these circumstances, you HAVE to eat it. The meat is so juicy and tender...and you get ONE whole hen (there is an option with just one half of a hen too) and choice of macaroni, red rice, or bread. Like I said, go with the red rice. I recommend this place if you want some good home cookin'. Afterwards, you can karaoke with your friends to TODAY'S hit music...ranging from pop music to rock music. REALLY fun. You can reserve the room for just you and your friends, or you can just watch a game on the big screen TV. I also would recommend the flan. I believe it's homemade because the sauce has a wine-touch to it. Very different, very exotic.
(5)Dto T.
The Bad: The ambience and decor scream "low rent!", there is a beer cooler where the wine rack should be, the waiter is practically incomprehensible, and their salads are almost airplane-food cheap. Anybody arriving in a silver mercedes will have a bad first impression, which tends to flavor their reviews of their food. Perspective is everything. The Good: Bring good friends, skip the salad, order hot french bread, and just review the food- you'll realize there's some real magic happening in the kitchen. Perfectly cooked steaks arrived quickly, sizzling in a dark mushroom gravy with peppercorns. The aroma alone was a feast, and we found ourselves closing our eyes to breathe in the savory scent. Two bites in, and we were nodding silently in blissful approval. The Result: This roughcut diamond still shines with 4 stars. A bit of polish, and she'd be the talk of the town.
(4)Betty N.
If you have no clue what crappy steaks tastes like, then please come here. In fact, suggest this restaurant to someone you really hate. It works like a charm. If anyone suggests, "Hey Betty, what about Chez Christina"?, my response is usually, "Is swallowing razor blades the second option?" All right, I am exaggerating, it's not the worst steak I have ever had (thinking Madonna Inn, omg, gag), it's a close second. Granted, I will be married to a man who makes the best steaks EVER, so I can compare the best to the worse easily. I have tried the "chicken cordon bleu" (laughing hysterically) and the "mushroom steak". Both entrees were below average. The chicken was dry and the steak cut was crap. I've had better skirt steaks at home. Of course, the old man always want to go here because there are no Vietnamese chop houses close by. But seriously, why this place? Can't we eat at Vung Tau or something? Thanks a lot, dad. I love how the service is sporadic, too. It's so choppy. I guess you really can't complain having a $16 (?) steak but then again, you can. Good luck with your CC experience!
(2)Emmie N.
3.5 stars Heard a lot of good things about their steak and red rice so I finally checked this place out. I wasn't disappointed but I wasn't impressed either. My boyfriend had the steak & mushroom with red rice, I had the bacon wrapped filet mignon with macaroni. Please do not order the macaroni, it is flavorless, their red rice is much better. My steak came out medium rare, just the way I ordered it. But for some reason it was really really salty? The mushrooms were good though. I wouldn't mind coming back to this place for the mushroom steak and red rice (not the filet mignon)
(3)Khanh C.
Please Christina remains Viet if you want to survive in this current recession economy, your WESTERN MENU sucks: filet mignon or steak are not edible and were sent back to kitchen for reheating because the meat was still cold on the plate and not sizzling as it should be and your salad is monochromatic only green iceberg and nothing else, on 9/28/12 when I was entertaining a party of 12 people on a recommendation of a resident of Milpitas who was also disappointed. P.S.. Your cook may have sweet tooth.[every thing is rather sweet]
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