Anivii D.

my husband and I have been coming here for years and finally decided to write a review. okay, so if you're looking for a fancy place with excellent customer service then this is not the place for you. if you're a germaphopic then this is not the place for you. However, with that aside if you're looking for an authentic chinese noddle house then trieu chau would meet that need. Their service is fairly quick and fast so dont sit around and chick chat with your friends bc there are hungry customers waiting outside. I recommend coming early in the morning for the best selection.
(4)
Eatosaurus R.

Trieu Chau is a popular Vietnamese/Chinese/Cambodian (yeah, all three!) restaurant in Santa Ana that specializes in Hu Tieu Nam Vang. And I say popular only because more than a couple Vietnamese people have said that they've been coming to this place since they were kids. Well that, and also because there was a huge line when I ate there, which was something like 2:30pm on a weekday. They close at 5pm, so it's pretty much just a lunch joint unless you happen to eat your dinners super duper early. In which case you're probably about 80 or so years old, so congratulations on successfully using your computer and getting on the Internet. High five! Hu Tieu Nam Vang - Not sure what Hu Tieu Nam Vang is? Me neither, but it sure does sounds Vietnamese-y doesn't it? Well turns out it is. It's basically clear glass noodle soup, though apparently there are a few different varieties when it comes to what goes in it. My exposure to Vietnamese noodle soup is basically pho, so I wasn't really sure what to expect. While it was good, it was also way more bland than I was expecting. I think I need to come here with somebody who can teach me how to eat it properly. There were a variety of condiments on the table, so I suspect I probably should've thrown some of them in my soup. All of them in my soup? Look, all I'm asking is for a sexy Vietnamese girl to teach me how to eat noodle soup. Is that too much to ask? And if she also has huge boobs and is kind of slutty, so be it.
(3)
Reiko n.

I F**** LOVE THIS PLACE. Ive been going here since i was a child and the noodle soups and the fried noodles are so good i swear to god im turned on everytime i eat this. The soup they have here is so flavorful i can't even explain, its not greasy, has chopped up fried garlic and pork bits, and w/e noodles and fixings you have. My FAVORITE thing to get is is getting chowfun ( flat rice noodles) stir fried, with shrimp, squid, this white sausage thing, and chinese broccoli. This place has the best stir fried noodles in orange county. Ive been to so many places and order the same thing and it never compares. the noodles have the best chewy but soft consistency, the gravy is gooey and flavorful. - cheap prices, heaping loads of food, and best noodles ever!
(5)
Richard T.

I usually go here once or twice a year and usually it's with my dad either for his birthday or because he is just craving it and when we go I consider it to be a treat. That being said, the Hu Tieu here is just amazing! I usually order the Hu Tieu Bo Vien Kho (translation: Dry noodles with Beef Balls...no it's not what you think it is so get your mind out of the gutter, its meatballs) and it is accompanied with the soup broth on the side that way you can control the amount of liquid you want with your soup. The proper way of eating this particular style of noodles is to take a couple of bites of the noodle and then sip the broth as you go. Personally, I think it's best to eat it this way. Anyway, the broth itself is so full of flavor and very hearty. The noodles and meatballs are covered in this soy base, with shaved fried onions, green onions, and cilantro. To add to it, you have a condiment platter. I usually add the red chili oil (sate), finely ground black pepper, some bean sprouts, squeezes of lemon juice, and some red chili paste along with some pickled serrano chillies. Combine all the ingredients together and you have THE perfect Hu Tieu Bo Vien Kho...just thinking about it right now makes me wish I could go there and order me a bowl.
(4)
Harry P.

What in HEAVEN would make me ever decide to come here? Its not the cleanest, the wait is psychotic, on top of that, they barely care about you, and they try to rush you to leave after you sit down. Anyone in their right mind would turn around and run as fast as possible, but if you don't mind the things I listed above, by all means sit down and enjoy a delicious bowl of noodles. I went in with my cousins and friends and we ordered. Hell I remember what they ordered, I just remember I had a really good dish and I was over joyed. I ordered the Duck Noodle Soup with white pho noodles and it was magnificent, the noodles wasn't too soft or hard, the soup wasn't to salty or bland, and the duck was amazing. Maybe I love duck too much, but nonetheless it was delicious. Yes, you got it, I dinged a star based on the restaurant cleanliness, wait and service. Whatchu gon' do bout that?
(4)
Bruce N.

4.5 stars I have been going here since I was a kid, the food is amazing. It's a hole in the wall by all means. It's gotten a little pricier, but the amount of food you get is still worth it. Their won-ton used to be amazing but i feel like its not as loaded as it used to be. The noodle soups here are the best (especially on a cold winter day), I really love all of the noodles, especially the egg noodles. The best thing about their noodle soups is the broth, and til this day, I have not found better. If you are a service Nazi and expect outstanding clean service... might not be the place for you, but if you want legit affordable and great tasting greasy food, this is the place.
(5)
X B.

CASH ONLY big bowl of noodle, I couldn't finish it all and that is rare! house special has a piece of liver, shrimp, chicken, duck meat, fishballs ice coffee and cream is a big NO, will never order it again
(4)
Christa N.

If you want to feel like you're in LA's Chinatown without the hassle of actually driving to LA, come here. If you like Chinese restaurants, grimy feeling and all, come here. If you like lack of customer service and being forced to order prematurely (upon having your ass touch the chair), come here. It was my first time coming here and upon arriving at 10am, there was already a wait outside. Taking a seat, the server quickly asked us what we wanted. Having never been here, I felt pressured to order right away, and so I did. I ordered the Mi Vit (Roasted Duck soup). They certainly give you a hearty serving and honestly, it was one of the best broths I've ever tasted, however, their mi (egg noodle) was a bit overcooked. Their dau chao quay (the deep fried bread they serve with rice porridge) was good, however, not served hot and a bit sweeter than usual. Unfortunately, I couldn't focus on my food with the griminess of the window blinds staring in my face. If anyone can eat whilst turning their back away from the wall, you may be able to some-what enjoy your food (while also trying to block out all the facst-pace action surrounding you). [Look at the picture I posted!] It's certainly not a bad place, don't get me wrong, the food is pretty good, but it's hard for me to grasp how clean the food and preparation are upon looking at my surrounding. I wouldn't go as far to say that I won't "ever" go back, but I definitely won't go out of my way to come here for my next meal.
(3)
Marc D.

I'm an obese guy. Athletic, in a Warren Sapp sumo savant sorta way, but I have a BMI of 31 nonetheless. So, when my 350LB+ Cambodian friend tells me that this is the best noodle joint in OC I listened. Man oh man, Trieu Chau did not disappoint. I went with a few friends, one of whom was Vietnamese. She was VERY skeptical, "Marc, please, there is no way the best noodles in Orange County are in Santa Ana. I guarantee you they're in Garden Grove or Westminster. Please I bet it won't even be authentic". Then we got out of the car, Saturday afternoon, dudes wearing bomber jackets smoking cigs with women in women holding umbrellas while some guy pushed a cart selling candy. It wasn't raining. Everyone was thoroughly impressed with their meal and my friend apologized for her skepticism. What can I say, anyone that wears a XXXL shirt probably knows a thing or two about good food.
(5)
Mai N.

Best hu Tieu place! Even tho the decor is ugly and there's always a lil wait on weekends, it's worth it. The service is very typical Asian, they give u menu as soon as you walk in and they don't tend to u, but the food is really good that's why ppl come back, why I come back! Also try pho ap chao.
(4)
Carly N.

I know I know this place can be a little dirty, and a hole in the wall place, but I have been eating here ever since my dad buys them for us when we were little for early Saturday morning breakfast. I still love them, the seafood hu tieu is the best ever, I have yet found any other hu tieu place this good.
(5)
Lynda P.

Oodles of noodles! Hu tieu nam vang with soup or their panfried with beef noodle. Yum! This is one of the fewest fond memories of a restaurant that my parents took me to as little girl, and yet as an adult, I still frequent regularly. Food is always consistent, and service is quick. Beware, the wait is usually long here during lunch time on weekends and parking is horrible. Also, this is not the most cleanest and sanitary place to go to. Actually, it's pretty dirty and disgusting. So if you can get over the uncleanliness of this hole in the wall joint, I'd totally recommend you coming here. I still wonder why they have not shut this restaurant down for sanitation reasons. Surprisingly, out of all the many years I've been here, I've never had any issues with diarrhea or food poisoning. Maybe I've just been immuned to it.
(4)
Pomme L.

While everybody is at church in the weekend, I'm here to get my grub on so that I can beat the crowd when they get out of church. There will be a wait after 10 am. I recommend the Mi or Hu Tieu Sate (Sate Noodle Soup). The soup have coconut milk so it have that curry look. A must try! I can only find this dish here, the only other place that I know have it is in Singapore. Everything else on the menu are great too. Their Hu Tieu Nam Vang (Phnom Penh noodle soup) is good, but unfortunately not as good as some other place in Long Beach's Cambodia Town. The place is a bit dirty, so don't let it bother you because the price are very decent for great food.
(5)
Alre H.

Eat It OR Beat It? **EAT IT!!** Trieu Chau has been my long-time childhood favorite! I remember waking up early in the morning with my family to enjoy a nice bowl of noodles and to make sure we get there early enough so we can get a share of their delicious Chinese donuts that always run out by late morning! Trieu Chau opens up by about 6am and by about 9am there are lines forming outside! I wouldn't necessarily call this place a hole in the wall but it isn't the "finest dining" either. It's run by a bunch of Chinese-Cambodian men who speak loud and obnoxious Cantonese or some other Chinese dialect but what's even more amazing is that the cooks, who are Mexican, know how to read the orders written in Chinese! WTF?! Crazy huh? I am very impressed even to this day! In any case, you must come early, it's more of a breakfast, brunch, lunch type of place because they don't serve dinner. Again, come early and be sure to get their Chinese donuts because it is SO different from your regular 'ole Chinese donuts from other Chinese restaurants. #109 (Egg & Rice Noodle) ($6.50): So after coming here since I was a child, I've pretty much mastered the customizations you can have with your noodles... and it's quite simple: you can ask them for half and half (egg noodle and rice noodle) and they'll ask you if you want the thick/thin egg noodle or thick/thin rice noodle. Also, you have ask for your soup on the side, which is my favorite thing to do. It's all a matter of preference. Crab Cakes ($7+): ORDER THIS! You will not be disappointed. The crab meat mixed in with ground pork and some veggies is so delicious! Nice outer crunch and when it's coming hot off the fryer... watch your tongue! I always come to Trieu Chau ordering the crab cakes alongside my bowl of noodles! The service is very quick and don't be surprised if your food comes out in 5 minutes... and no, it's not because it isn't fresh or shady or whatever... it's because they've had everything pre-prepared and all they have to do is add your soup, etc, etc. If you ever take a look in the kitchen, they have a HUGE pot of broth that's filled with either beef bones or chicken bones that's been slowly cooked and flavoring your nice hot soup. It's sooo delicious. The best thing about Trieu Chau is the portions are abundant, service is fast, and the food is amazing. The soup is so good you can taste that nice fresh broth that they've been tendorizing in the big pot for hours prior. CONCLUSION: Trieu Chau is the true breakfast of champions and you will guarantee to be skipping lunch after eating all this food. Trieu Chau is one of the best at what it does and I have yet to find a restaurant that even compares to them either in the LA, Valley, or rest of OC area! There is a location on Brookhurst and Westminster, but DO NOT go to that one... it's a break off from this original location, so DO NOT go to that one! Other dishes that are good are their fried rice, beef stir-fried rice noodles, but come here for their soups!! I say, EAT IT for sure!!!
(5)
Kimquyen L.

Cash only! =) Great hole in the wall place where there's cheap, basic (somewhat dirty surroundings, but what do u expect @ these places? ;)) Chinese/Vietnamese Noodle house which has HUGE selections & big portions of all sorts of noodle soup/dry noodle/rice dishes.. =) They make a great broth & noodles (you can order them to be thick /thin) If you want something quick, cheap & filling then come here! =) Great of you're a student & on a tight budget ;) FYI, they close @ 5PM in the evenings but open 7AM
(5)
Anne C.

One of my favorite places to eat in SoCal! I always get the house special noodle soup.
(5)
Tom C.

I was randomly in the area and found this place via Yelp. It's the real deal. One of the best bowls of noodles I've ever had, and I've had my fair share of pho, chinese soup noodles, etc. I had the house special with thick egg noodles. Portion was big, broth was full of flavor, there was tons of meat (duck, chicken, beef balls, ground pork, shrimp, liver... full of stuff!), and the actual noodles were fantastic. If you're expecting a clean restaurant with nice atmosphere and friendly servers, this place isn't for you. Head over to PF Changs if you want psuedo-Asian ambiance and fake Asian food. The best authentic Asian places are ALWAYS dirty hole in the walls, and this place fits the bill.
(5)
Maynard G.

I love this scroungy low down dive. If I lived nearby I'd come here every day. The waiters speak five languages. They should be working for the United Nations as translators. Ten stars rounded down to 5 because that's as high as it goes. Update Sep 2013: Some dishes are, of course, better than others. Read the reviews for ideas. I did not like the last one I had, egg noodles with shrimp and crab meat. The flavors in the noodles and the vegetable overpowered the subtle taste of the crab. Fried rice with crab is a much better choice. Most of the stuff is very good here though, and at a very good price and the portions are large and the service is fast. Not that I've had any more than a tiny percentage of what's on the menu. Anyway, just my little suggestion for what it's worth...
(5)
Kimberly V.

I LOVEEEEEEE this place I have been going here forever and I've NEVER been disappointed nor do I ever get sick of this place . I usually just get beef noodle and occasionally the Phenom Penh noodles which are both totally bomb! The soup is amazing, can't get this flavor anywhere else around here. I think the closest place to getting this kind of noodles is at Long Beach? I'm not sure. ANYWAY, + for awesome service +++amazing food -wait time -parking but the food totally makes up for the wait time and parking, forsureee This place is packed every morning. Especially on the weekend, the line gets crazy. But I'll wait because it is totally well worth it!
(5)
Anthony V.

Hunger Games? Go here. Hungover Games? Go here. This place is located in a small parking area on the corner of Newhope and First in Santa Ana. It is always packed with diverse people. The menu is in four different languages and the staff comprises of different kinds of races. Usually you'll have to write your name down at the door and wait a little but it is worth the wait. For 9 bucks you can get a big bowl of ka tieu as the Cambodians put it; this is their pho. The Vietnamese call it hu tieu nam vang (house specialty egg noodle soup). This comes with all different kinds of seafood in it (check other people's photos) and it is definitely filling. Also, be prepared to sweat while you're eating, because it comes out hot, and you dab in that spicy stuff to make it taste even better. Don't sweat sweating, because you won't be the only one sweating. It's a good look known as Cambodian swag. For whatever reason, it tastes even better after waking up from a long night of drinking. I wouldn't know, but my older brother does, because he goes there all the time after a wild night. He's an alcoholic. He's also 5% of Trieu Chau's monthly profits. 5 Stars
(5)
Song C.

BRING CASH! I don't come here for the decor, I come here for the DUCK SOUP! Trieu Chau is your typical asian noodle house: cash only, no english, dirty, old, and so freaken good. I always order duck soup with big noodles. My girlfriends and I come here like its Starbucks. We don't mind taking a number and waiting for our turn because its so worth the wait. This place is always packed and service is great. We're alway served by the same guy. We refer to him as "Nancy's dad" because he always takes our order from her only - they speak Khmer to each other. We just smile, point and say yes. The best thing I love about this place is the CONDIMENT SELECTION! A fourth of the table space is taken up by the condiments! That's how amazing this is. You've got: roasted peanuts* fish sauce* soy sauce sriracha sauce* oyster sauce* jalepenos in vinegar garlic chili sauce* sugar* dry red chili flakes whole red chili in vinegar and some more I can't recall right this minute .... I put stars next to what I put in my duck soup but my girls like to eat it plain because the broth is sooo good you don't even need to add anything! Have you guys ever noticed that the servers look like the seven dwarfs? We've named each of them..... Doc, Dopey, Sleepy , Grumpy, Sneezy, Happy,and Bashful? We love them all!
(5)
Kelsey M.

Sooo good! I came here on an early lunch with my co-worker (who could speak Vietnamese) at around 11:30am. There was a wait as expected, but it was only about 10 minutes. When a table opened up, it ended up being a 6 person table, so we shared it with the people waiting in front of us...a little awkward, but we were hungry and didn't want to wait longer. You know a Chinese/Vietnamese restaurant is good when it's filled with Chinese and Vietnamese speaking customers! I ordered the dry yellow noodle duck bowl (not the actual name) while my co-worker ordered the house special which had seafood and meat on dry yellow noodles as well. (Actually my co-worker ordered for the both of us in Vietnamese because I felt weird forcing the waiter to decipher English). The food came immediately! My bowl had less noodles and more meat than my co-worker's because of the bountiful amount of duck that was in my bowl. The duck was a little difficult to eat because it was still on the bone (which should be expected). The ladies sitting next to us ordered the hot soup version with clear noodles which seemed to be the trend of the restaurant. However, I loved what I ordered! This is definitely one of those places I will frequent!
(5)
Matt H.

I have a friend from Vietnam who takes me to these little hole in the wall places in the area where I would never think to walk in on my own. So this was our lunch spot for the day. A lot of other reviews call the place dirty - and I did not use the restroom, so I can't comment on that - but it is not dirty. A little run down perhaps. Clientele not too chic perhaps. But dirty, no. Now the food was excellent. I really like duck, and on a cool rainy So Cal day Pho or other southeastern Asian soups really hit the spot, so I ordered the duck soup with the wide noodles. There was probably a quarter duck in the bowl, with lots of very tasty noodles, a flavorful broth, and some onions and other little bits of flavor. Squeeze in a little lemon, add some heat with a variety of chilies, spoon in a few peanuts, and I had an excellent meal for a little under $10 with the coffee. The parking lot is crazy, the line gets long, you are asked to share tables if there are open seats at the big rounds, and it does need a make-over. But the food is excellent.
(5)
Andrew H.

I've been coming here since I was a baby and I could honestly say it is my favorite restaurant in Little Saigon. I've tried a good amount of items on the menu but my all time favorite has to be the seafood chow fun. It is honestly the perfect meal and if you are partial to vinegar and chili you can drench it in both! Also order the fried fish balls as an appetizer, you won't be disappointed.
(5)
Sherry T.

This place is hands down my favorite noodle place. I've been coming here since I was a child and it's become comfort food for me. The service is good. However, it does get very busy after 10am and you'll have to do the Asian wave to flag them down. Lol. Try to come earlier in the morning or after 1pm on the weekends. Oh, and this place is now air conditioned! Thank goodness! Everything is good here. I've probably tried a majority of the menu. I have to say though, my favorite is the satay noodles, add beef meatballs and chinese broccoli. I can never go wrong with ordering that. Oh and if you get there early enough, try their shui mai. Sooo good!
(4)
Willie B.

I've been coming here since I was a kid. Hands down my favorite noodle spot. I always get the Beef and Meatball - Large and also the chow fun - half meat and seafood. If you haven't been here before. Be careful. You come here for the food and not the decor. I would hope that they would somehow upgrade or re-model the restaurant because it's getting old and out-dated. The reason why I still gave it a 5 stars is because the food. If I had to rate the cleanliness of the restaurant it would be 1 star.
(5)
Casey C.

Hate the hours... :( close at 5... i can't make it here before then on the weekdays :( lots of people... so i kinda feel rushed but that's just in my head. The server are surprisingly friendly considering the crowd. You come here knowing that it's crowded, the workers are fast and busy, the otehr people are hungry, and that there is a great possibility that you will be sitting and eating with strangers. But when i can make it out, the noodles are yummy. I order the traditional trieu chau noodles with mix of white (rice) and yellow (egg) noodles, thin. I think next time i want to try their satay, with thick egg noodles. The broth is flavorful and filled with bits of meat and garlic, the cut of duck was good, the chicken a little dry. The pork a little dry, but not overly fatty. The shrimp was fresh and meatball had good texture. I wish this was closer... or closed later.
(3)
Mariah T.

Normally, you would enter a restaurant and would be handed the menu. But not here, almost everyone who goes to trieu-chau or "newhope" seems to be a regular and knows what they want to order from the moment they thought "let's go eat at newhope." So by the time, you sit down the waiters already know to ask you for your order. Needless to say, this is a fast paced dine-in that gets packed. But fortunately, the quick service does not take away from the dishes themselves which is no wonder why people always come back regardless of the unkept appearance of the restaurant.
(4)
Theresa B.

We came here because the lines were long and the yelp reviews were great... For the life of me, i don't know why. Maybe I'm just used to the SGV. The milk tea was SO sweet it was undrinkable. We both ordered the house special noodles (hu tieu nam vang) since that seems to be what everyone recommends. It was served with chinese donuts which were cold, very doughy and uncut. The soup itself was pretty much a Chinese dish that they serve with bean sprouts and lime and call it Vietnamese. The liver was so overcooked it was black and inedible. The shrimp was not deveined properly and the dish in general was just NOT good and left me nauseous after the few bites I ate. The restaurant is dirty, which i can overlook if the food is good, but not wen the food is crap too. There are infinitely better options nearby to choose from.... Anything really.
(1)
Anita L.

Wanted to get my knives sharpened today so thought hubby and I should just eat locally. I searched on yelp and found this place with a high rating and stuck with it. We got there before noon and there was already a line. We got a number and it wasn't long (about 10 mins) before we were seated. We agreed to sit with someone else at a table. I mean, who cares really who we sit with? All I care about it getting my food. We hadn't even perused the menu yet and the man came to take our order. I told him I wasn't ready. He left. Within seconds, another man came to take our order. Sorry, not ready. He left. When we were ready, no one came. I actually thought it was funny. The man who came to take our order was abrupt. I spoke to him in Cantonese and he was a little shocked that I could speak Chinese. He blurted out "OH you speak Chinese". I wanted to order in Chinese since I wanted to swap the hu tieu noodles with the mi noodles. I wanted to make sure he understood that. Then, hubby ordered. He uttered the number and the man didn't understand. HAHA. The other reviewer did say that he speaks several Asian languages and Spanish but no English. Hubby had to point to it on the menu before he got it. Then he asked hubby what size, hubby said small. I said I wanted small too and he snapped "only one size for your dish, no choice". O-K-A-Y! When I repeated our order and that I wanted my soda chanh without sugar he sounded irritated repeating "I know already, I know already". Oh well, so much for speaking Chinese. He's still rude to me. My roasted duck with egg noodles arrives. The soup wasn't piping hot like I like it, but the noodles were perfectly chewy and there was quite a few pieces of duck in it. I was pleased that they didn't skimp on the duck. The flesh was moist and flavorful. Bummer about the lukewarm broth. Hubby's #207 seemed to please him. I just sampled his broth. It was good. I also ordered the tri-combo balls: fish, pork, beef balls in soup. The balls (so funny when you say it in English -- BALLS) were tasty. It had great texture and good flavor, but I can't say the same for the soup they came in. The soup had some weird flavor which was unappetizing. We just ate the balls. As for my soda chanh? It was THE absolute best glass of soda chanh I'd ever had..... potently tart and very strong. Our 3 dishes with one drink came to $19. The lady at the cashier (presumably the boss lady) didn't even want a tip. I gave it to her anyway and she was very grateful, thanking me over and over again.
(4)
Mo R.

Our family has been coming to this restaurant for about 15+ years now. There's no other place like it. I moved to the Bay area and when i go back down to visit, we always have to try and make time just to go.
(5)
Michelle V.

Came here for lunch with my cousin today. We both work literally down the street from this awesome hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese restaurant. I'm a big fan of Vietnamese noodles and I gotta say their menu has the widest selection ever. I ordered the Pho Xao Thap Cam and my cousin had the Pho Xao Do Bien. Both dishes came out within 5 minutes and there was seriously plenty of food to feed a table of 4-5. But since we're mcfatties in this family, we both finished every drop of deliciousness off our plates. The place is ghettofied to the maxxx, but the cheap prices and really awesome food make up for it.
(4)
Dominique T.

Took the staff here for lunch because I am always in the mood for soup. Soup rules and so does this hole in the wall. Yes, many snooty foodie friends have avoided this place because they think it's dirty but it's not that bad... but the broth is clear and there is always a long line during lunch, so you know the soup is cook fresh everyday. I normally order #101 - Hu Tieu Nam Vang - which is their most popular item - a combination of shrimp, chicken, duck, fish ball and a piece of liver served with rice noodles. However, they make fried rice and many other items. A must try for the price.
(4)
George V.

Best noodle in the OC!
(5)
The Most Interesting Man In The W.

Trieu Chau sets the standard for good Hu Tieu. Always fresh and flavorful, these purveyors of fine chinese noodle soups have things figured down to the bones. Service is quick and the food arrives even more quickly. The soups are flavorful and not too sweet/salty/or loaded with MSG. You will leave this restaurant full and satisfied.
(5)
Nancy T.

This is a definite place to go for noodles. It's a combination of chinese/vietnamese/cambodian/ & thai. Interesting huh? This place is delicious, I have to hand it it to you it's VERY SHABBY, but it's mothereffing delicious. Traditional quality food. Everything you order will be delicious, I promise you. Huge portions. Opens really early and closes pretty early :(. They have the one of the best broths for noodles in my opinion. I mean you'll see pretty much every table..(that knows how to eat) order a nice bowl of pork bones and broth. Also if you're in close to closing time, you'll see a shitload of people come in with pots to buy broth to bring home. They sell it pretty cheap, it's pretty much 5 bucks for a giant "noodle making pot". This place is also ALWAYS crowded, so don't expect quick seating in the morning or lunch hours. Favorite: -Mi Trieu Chau- basically egg noodles (in which you have a choice of big or small), with a mixture of ground pork/fermented radishes, chicken, pork slices, fish balls, shrimp. Served with bean sprouts, recommend getting them steamed! -Hu Tieu Satay- wide flat rice noodles w/ a nice spicy brothy sauce w/ nice portioning of BEEF! -Mi Xao (chowmein)- DELICIOUS. You can get it two ways: one way with chinese broccoli, another way with cabbage/carrots. Choose any kind of meat/seafood. -Pho Xao(wide flat rice noodles)- " " -Hu Tieu Satay (still really good even if it's just mi "egg noodles")- yummy spicy stirfried wide rice noodles w/ beef. SO MANY CONDIMENTS AS WELL.
(5)
Sonny T.

rice noodle and egg noodle with duck [hu tieu mi vit] .. had it dry [soup on the side] never cease to amaze me. so delicious. been going here since my childhood years and never tried this dish. it's a must!
(5)
Phedo M.

My dad took me a few times. Every single time I am here it is always busy no matter what time of the day. The wait is usually from 10 minutes to 40 minutes. I think the food is worth the wait. I usually get the Phnom Penh noodles which is really good and I recommend it to anyone that love noodle soups. The price is not that bad either. Also try the Chinese donuts which goes great with the noodle soup.
(5)
Cocomero M.

We got here at 2:30pm and there was still a line. So I thought, wow, long line, hole in the wall, dirty... This place has gotta be good. But we were soooo disappointed. I ordered the wonton egg noodle soup with everything. The broth was a little sweeter and less salty than most places I've been to, I do like the less salty part. However, I expected a big punch of fried shallot flavor in the broth in this type of soup but there was no complexity in the broth. The wontons are a big disappointment, no flavor whatsoever. The fish balls were good, more chewy than most places in OC. My husband ordered a rice dish which he didn't like that much either. In conclusion, perhaps I aimed too high because of all the hype from yelp reviewers but I would never come back again. I shall continue my search for the best egg noodle soup in OC. P.S. Service was slow. I expect rude from places like this but not slow...
(2)
Tina N.

This place AND workers have been here for as long as I remember! About 90% of my friend's families of families and what not have been here, it's a family favorite! I order depending on what i feel like, vermicelli noodles or egg noodles or just both! I come here for the broth so anything added is a plus but it just depends on what you want exactly. Best bet is the combination/house special which usually includes chicken/duck, meat, meatballs, shrimp, and liver; in either vermicelli noodles or egg noodles, small or large sized noodles, and small or large bowl. A few things: - Best to go early in the morning: to beat crowds/waiting, for the chinese donuts (available until they run out), and mushroom meatball (only in the mornings) - Cash only - Service is a little busy as you have to really flag down a server. It is more of a eat an go type of place and not lounge around because it gets so crowded - HUGE food coma after finishing an entire bowl 4 stars: it's comfort food and the best around. I have had my downs about this place but I still want to come back for more!
(4)
Kale P.

Came here with a buddy from work who told me I must try this place. He ordered for me because I didn't know how to order. I ended up getting dry noodles house special with a side of the beef bone in broth. Let me tell you that it is some good stuff. For $10 you get two bowls of grub which is a lot of food. The place is a little run down, but you come for the food not the ambiance. Its always busy during the morning time but they serve up the food pretty quick. There is always a long line, because the regulars know its good stuff. Worth a try if your not worried about how the place looks.
(5)
Winter R.

I give this place two stars for several reasons. First, it's dirty. When I touched the spoons and chopsticks, they were all grease. I used some lime pieces to clean them but they weren't better much. Then the customer service is bad. The waiter got my order gave me some sort of attitude. I ordered a wonton soup without onion, the waiter brought me one with lots of onion. I did not want to get it, so he got it away and brought me a new soup but he put it down with lots of force and the soup was nearly poured out of the bowl. I was upset but I hungry more, so I asked him for a plastic spoon and bamboo chopsticks (I couldn't clean the ones I was provided). Talking about food, it's not that good. I'm really picky with good and I have been to many placed with good food. The soup was really salty. Lastly, I left the tip at the table, I bet the waiter didn't see it so he followed me to ask for the tip. I came back to the table and pointed to the place I put it. Whatever, just totally bad experience!!! Sorry but I'll never come back...
(2)
FoodLover L.

We ate at this restaurant all the time when they first opened back in the 80's. Their noodles and their pan fried dishes were delicious. Notice I said 'were'. They had this Chinese chef who was famous for his pan-fried rice and noodle. This restaurant claimed to fame for their noodles thanks to that chef. Now, they trained a bunch of people to do the cooking, the taste is not the same. We went there once a while for old time sake ... not happy with the quality or taste any more. It's all about QUANTITY. In the 80's and 90's, there was not that many good noodle restaurant around so this place was special. Nowadays, there are plenty of noodle restaurants all over southern CA that there is no reason to settle for less. Not only that, this place is so run down and smelly, their tableware is so old that you can feel the stickiness, and the carpet is beyond dirty. I give food a 2-star rating. The restaurant itself deserves a 1-star.
(2)
Frank L.

I tried the Pork Bone Soup with Noodles Shrimp and Chicken and it was Delishes. I've been here twice and will come back again soon.
(5)
Sally C.

Its been soooo long since I've been here, but I remember the last few times I've gone the food was amazing. Even though the place was pretty old looking and I guess looked dirty, I didn't really care much with an empty stomach. Cheap good food. Can't really complain. I guess the only thing I don't like is that its cash only. Boo.
(5)
Cal L.

This is my favorite hole in the wall chinese/Vietnamese place to eat. Everything is good and good portions for pretty cheap. Got everything I'm looking for when craving Asian food
(5)
Roger G.

Been visiting this restaurant for a few years but not much lately. There soups in general are quite good BUT they use too much MSG. Another problem which makes my dining experience as of late not to good, cleanliness issues. The dining area in general is dirty, windows and window sills in the restaurant filthy. Dont get me wrong, if it wasn't for these two issues I would give this place a possible 5 stars. There service is quick and there food (outside of the MSG issue) comes out hot and tasting well. May I say that there kitchen which is visible from the dining area looks clean and the cooks where gloves.
(3)
Julie L.

My first impression was, "Soups and noodles are definitely defined as the breakfast of champions in Asian culture." Here is what happened when my Chinese boyfriend Alre H took me to Trieu Chau: Imagine walking into a random restaurant on the side of the road that's packed on a weekend morning with old and young grubbing away on bowls of soups and noodles. The environment is busy and fast paced, as individuals are either frantically slurping, wiping their sweat and snuffling from the hot soups or spicy noodles. You hear a mix of foreign languages, a lot of shouting, and people trying to get through in this tight space. It smells of broth and a familiar smell of something you know is definitely Asian. Don't be surprised if you're seated at the same table with a couple of strangers either. You could use this opportunity to meet some new noodle slurping friends. I know it's probably rude to slurp your soup or noodles in any other culture, but as far as my roots have taught me, slurping meant the food was "dank" (Urban dictionary: Also an expression requently used by stoners and hippies for something of high quality). Your meal comes with some amazing Chinese donuts that are so simple, faintly sweet, the perfect texture when it's warm, and surprisingly this bread goes so well with your noodles. Carb-o-licious. The thick, yellow, egg noodle pairs so well with the broth, all the vegetables and meat, and the hot sauce. The broth is so smooth and is a spoonful of something that your mom must have fed you when you were sick. The crab cakes are crunchy on the outside and the flavors of the seasoned meat and vegetables is a kick to your taste buds. It's salty in a good way and is perfectly greasy if that makes any sense. The lasting impression? "You do not want to miss out on this hearty bowl of noodles. I crave this often when I'm away and I'd use every opportunity I'm in the OC to get this for breakfast!"
(5)
Pauline L.

I've been coming here ever since I was a child; pretty much every Saturday morning with the fam. It was dirty then and it's still dirty now, not talking about the food, but the restaurant itself. You can pretty much feel the filth and grim that's all over the chairs and tables, a very unpleasant venue to eat at; but I can't help it if the noodles are so good. (I just ignore the dirtiness and pretty much chow down). Came here recently with the BF and he ordered the Egg and Rice Noodle Combination with Wontons ($6.25) and it was delish! When you can't decide between rice or egg noodles, why not have both? Definitely a good combination and the wontons were filled with lots of minced pork and what not - this will definitely be my number one item on my list next time. As for me, I ordered the Combination Chow Fun ($7.25), which I didn't like all that much; it was a bit bland and I didn't like how they used cabbage instead of Chinese broccoli, doubt I'll be ordering that again.
(4)
Jon D.

I don't know about here, but back home where I come from, Asian food doesn't have to come in a restaurant that's a total hygienic wreck. And I can handle a bit of grunge for authenticity. But do I have to be subjected to all sorts of nasty while trying to dine? Okay, fair to say that about a lot of places in the immediate local area here, but between the crowds and the carts full of dirty dishes and the sticky menus, I'm not totally convinced they're even trying. Had the special noodle soup. I mean, it was a fine bowl of noodle soup. Good ingredients on top, broth was flavorful enough. Plenty of condiments around if you're not satisfied with the flavor. Decent, but I could go elsewhere to get a better bowl of soup with less mess.
(2)
Khanh N.

I love the satay rice noodles ! I used to come here at least twice a month when I lived in Santa Ana, but after moving further away, I stop coming to this place for almost a year. I just came back here last week, and I'm a little disappointed because the satay sauce is not the same, but the other dishes are still good. My cousin and I also notice that they give less meat than before,but since they don't rise the prices, we are fine with that.
(4)
Sabby L.

The noodles are delicious and is never disappointing. Its been an establishment for the Cambodians in Santa Ana and they do not disappoint their community. They're old school with waiters quick to get your order and delicious food to satisfy any taste bud.
(5)
Teresa T.

Where do I start? Even through this place is dirty, damn is their food GREAT! The greatest crispy noodles ever!!! I have yet to find another place that beats this place. When I lived in Texas, I would come back to visit this place. Everyone that I have taken to this place loves it. I wish I lived closer and I would come everyday!!! I even order two orders of the crispy noodles seafood style. Here is a tip, if you plan on going in the morning, there is always a line on Saturday and Sunday. And they close at 6PM everyday. And they only take cash.
(5)
Sam V.

Dim lighting - check Crowded space - check Mediocre chairs - check Signs that'll usually tell something great is about to happen! This place is fantastic, usually very packed on weekends. So the best times to go if in dire need of bomb noodles try this place around 2:00PM weekdays. I always go dry when it comes to my noodles and order the number 1 large only because it comes with the duck leg.. Try this place out, but.. do not expect Chinese donuts they run out of these bastards around 8:00AM
(5)
Vincent L.

MI XAO DO BIEN (SEAFOOD NOODLE STIR FRY) 4/5 -Fresh ingredients -sweet seafood -nice chewy noodles -slightly over-salted.. :\ Have you ever gone into a restaurant and thought that it moonlit as a hooker establishment at night? This is that place. It's the asian hole in the wall.. that is in it's own building. I mean yes, you can picture a drug deal happening on the table next to you while you eat your noodle entree (which I wholeheartedly recommend). Considering that there could be a guy being ransomed for money in the back.. or rather the pure thought of having that thought should give you the adrenaline that you want to eat here. The condiment section here is extensive (being from chinese, viet, and cambodian cousines). Nothing here is a bad choice because of the time aged and perfected menu. Also, I thought that the latino workers added a nice touch to the restaurant.
(4)
Nancy D.

if you don't mind a long wait, cleanliness and a lot of MSG then go here! the food tastes great but you are going to regret it later. Drink lots of water because it has a lot of sodium!
(3)
Champ M.

pure legitness. dirtier the interior, better the food. recommended: wonton rice & egg noodle soup w/ duck. #204 not for unexperienced. this is for advanced hu tieu connoisseurs found here: one of the best tasting wonton's I've had in years
(4)
Mikey S.

I've never traveled outside the states before, but since I'm a cocky, ignorant, know it all American from watching too much TV , I'd say my interpretation of dining out in homeland Asia would be loud, crowded, and dirty with long lines and limited parking, all while you're in a shady neighborhood making it not one bit glamorous. This probably equates to good authentic eats and hey, it's true! Their menu is expansive and I don't understand half the items on there, but they literally use every piece of bizarre meats and transform it into a fantastic meal. My dad used to always take me here when I was a young pup and he all of a sudden stopped because he said it gave him the runs, sorry TMI. To mention it isn't very healthy, but I'm not here to rant about their nutritional facts. I started re-visited this place and boy was I glad I did. I feel like their food is always consistent, never a hit or miss, but then again, I only order what they specialize in, soup. I usually get their special noodle soup (Hu Tieu Nam Vang) which has shrimp, meatballs, duck, beef, strange parts, and other tidbits that unite the bowl together for a measly $6. And watch out for the liver that looks like beef. Service is very fast and efficient too. I'm surprisingly shocked at how organized their number system is. You walk in, dodge some customers, get a number, wait 15 mins, order, and your food will arrive in a blink of an eye as if you were dreaming of Jeannie. But don't expect them to be nice if you just sit there and chat away with your buddy. They want you to eat and get the heck out so they can help the other hundred customers waiting outside. My kind of place because sometimes I just want to have a quick lunch and get on with my day. I guess the reasons why I never came back was because my dad turned into a health freak since he is diabetic and I was uncomfortable being that I can't speak the language, but since so many Caucasian and Hispanic individuals come here, there's no reason why I should pass up on this inglorious, but praiseworthy noodle house.
(4)
Cindy C.

Ok Ok... I know everyone will probably try to beat me up with a bat since I only gave this place 3 stars... but don't make premature judgements before you finish reading! Minus 1 star for the cleanliness of the place (sorry, but when I go to a restaurant, I'd like to feel like I'm in a nice place ... and I do NOT enjoy chewing on my food with a bunch of ... crumbs... and other... dirty stuff... on the ground. Ew?!). It's also kind of cramped / crowded and just not a happy spacey atmosphere to enjoy your food. For this reason, I always get to-go. Minus 1 star for the parking. I guess I can't hold it against the restaurant, but the parking is TINY and it's near impossible to find a spot (yes, I've checked the other streets nearby / residential... NOTHING) during rush hour. For this reason, I get my to-go at bizarre hours to avoid the crowd. The food earns the rest of the stars. Service is pretty okay - fast service for to-go. I especially like their seafood thick noodles (the dry one... not sure what it's called). I've also tried their soup noodle, and those asian fried long "donut" wannabe thingys... don't know what those are called... but this place is known for it, and they always just make a set amount and run out by 9 or 10 am so go early if that's what you're there for!
(3)
Cynthia J.

I had the steam chicken with rice. The black soy sauce and fresh streamed rice was so good. I mean, this place is always packed for good reason. Please don't let the lack of diversity intimidate you to visit this place. It's just THAT good.
(5)
Trish N.

Love love love their banh loc! So easy to eat! You just really need a spoon haha. Its super flavorful as well. Thats the only thing I get whenever I go to a Trieu Chau. And I love dipping their donut sticks in the broth. Yumzzz... Last time I was there I tried their milk honey boba with pudding. That was delicious as well. Try it! Great service too. When I was younger/growing up, I used to go to the other older location on Newhope (they have better sweeter donut sticks) but their broth is 'murkier' there so no thanks. This place is better!
(4)
Peter P.

tastes so good it makes you wanna slap yo momma try the hu tieu trieu chau noodle soup with fat noodles I give this place 6 stars -1 star for horrendous service and dirty tables
(5)
Christine B.

Cons: SMALL parking lot! Parking is so stressful to find sometimes 10-15 Minute wait on Average Restaurant closes SO EARLY! I think they close at like 5 or 6 Dirty!! really old!! All the stuff there is sort of grimey and ancient!! and i could go on and on and complain about what's wrong with the restaurnt, but it doesn't matter...you know why!? THE FOOD IS AMAZING. I don't really care if I'm going to get sick and I never really have. I've only gotten sick from eating too much. The service is fast. your food comes out within 5 minutes at the most! The food is so good that it offsets all the cons. The best bet is to just order to go and run home and eat it.
(4)
Michael P.

Come here for the food, do NOT expect anything else, except a huge line. There customer service is fast and relatively friendly, but don't expect attentiveness or for them to come by and check up on you at all. The place is dirty, the tables and chairs are old, some workers don't even look like they've showered, ever. It's a hole in the wall, but there's always a crowd around lunchtime. There are waits as long as an hour and a half to 2 hours, so you know it's worth it, come early or eat late. I would say take a group of friends or go with family. This is NOT a date place. I've had a variety of things from this place but my two favorites would be House Special Big White Noodle Soup or House Special Egg Noodle (dry not fried). I would suggest to definitely tell them to hold off on the ground meat. It's probably the worst cut ever like 90% fat and 10% meat because it'll make your broth look super greasy and feels really heavy. A lot of people like it, but my heart is bad enough with everything else I eat so every little bit counts at this point.
(4)
Kim T.

Parking is a nightmare and once you find a spot, you'll usually be greeted by a wait outside the door. Don't let this discourage you though. There is a good reason why there is a line outside this shabby, little restaurant. You can't really go wrong with any of the noodle dishes here, but I would recommend the Hu Theu Nam Vang with the bigger noodles. And don't forget to get the Chinese donuts. They are perfect to dip into your noodle broth with. Service is quick and speedy and the wait usually is much shorter than it looks. Careful though, as with most Viet places, this one is cash only.
(4)
Andrew P.

Came back, hoping for better, but still not feeling the hype. The chow fun stir fry is pretty tasty flavor wise, but they are still too light on the meat to noodle ratio. The noodle soups were bland and required quite a bit of self flavoring.
(3)
Christina N.

Duck Egg Noodles - Dry with Large Noodles! (Mi Viet Tiem Kho) The best! Yes, the place is dumpy, the workers are pretty abrupt and could be taken as rude, and the place could be called unsanitary? - the best noodle place ever. Hands down, great mom and pop place. Forget the environment and love the fooood.. its soo delish.............
(5)
Kenneth L.

WOW I do not care about the service or how dirty this place is. I've been eating here since I was about 4 years old and it's always good. I usually get the noodle soup with beef and beefballs or the pan fried beef noodles. So delicious. There's always a wait in the morning and weekends so make sure you get there early or call in your RSVP. Also gotta get in early if you want the chinese donuts. Only downfall is they only take cash, parking and they close really early. Definitely MUST go to for the food (don't expect A+ service here).
(5)
Raven R.

This place by far for the Chinese Noodle type restaurant is one of the best in the O.C. Its been here for a long long time. Ever since I was a kid I remember coming here with my grandfather. The Egg noodles are to die for, and they never stiff you on the ingredients (Meat and more meat) Its definitely more than a good deal. On the outside it looks like a small hole in the wall. But this hole in the wall has got a long line. Come off hours if you don't want to wait or you can always share the table and meet new strangers in the mix. People here have been very friendly. You definitely can not judge this place by the cover.
(5)
Joel M.

This was the og, triple og spot that I first had pho in my life. My pops use to take me here early in the morning , champions breakfast, to have pho and chinese donuts, and I have loved this food ever since. Fast paced and fast service. Always had pho with pork balls and shrimp with rice noodles and I use to trench my soup with hosin sauce, my other love, Hosin sauce. Loved every experience when I came here. Havent been here in years but will always have memories. Will come back on of these days.
(5)
Retired B.

Went in for the duck soup that my close friend was raving about. (Second thing on the menu). It was good with the thick noodles. Trieu Chau gives A LOT of noodles and seriously- almost 5 or 6 pieces of duck. I also had the fried donut with it and that was super filling. Quick service after you get seated. There is always a line, so just go in and get a number. Cash only.
(4)
Steve T.

History: This place is OG of the OG Noodle places around. Established around the mid 1980's. Its been opening and closing its door 6am-5pm as long as I can remember. FOOD: MI Trieu Chau Dac Biet (Special) w/THIN noodle: This is what I've been eating since child hood. Not once has it been made not to my liking. Pretty consistent if you ask me. The Bowl contains: ( ) means # of pieces Pork (2) Beef (1) Duck (1) Meatballs(4) Liver (1) Shrimp (4) Duck Leg (Special meat) this one I always save for last Chinese Dough nut: These comes in pairs and is awesome to dip with the broth. They however run out of them around 11am so try to get there early. Shu mai: They only make about 50 of these, these are quite huge and very oily. I had it only once and it gave made me queasy all morning because of the oiliness. Setting: Place is pretty dirty but like they say nothing but elbow grease and what comes out of it is some pretty darn good food. Parking/Waiting time: Private Lot? yes but not many parking because they also share it with other restaurants there. There is additional parking on the street behind the restaurant. Just make sure you read the sign before parking there to avoid a street sweeping ticket. The wait time for this place on weekend can go from 15-30 mins. Sometimes they will ask you if you want to share a table with someone. That i find is quite odd and a first at any restaurant that I've been to *****Note****** Cash Only
(4)
David T.

My family has been going to this place for chinese/vietnamese egg noodles for years. The wait starts getting a little crazy around 11:30am weekdays and 11am or so in weekends. Do show up early if you want the full experience. The place has absolutely amazing steamed pork meatballs which unfortunately usually run out by 11 or so. The Chinese donuts (grease sticks) while they're still hot work perfectly with the meatballs. We always get the mi Trieu Chau dac biet which is the large special version of their signature dish. It can be ordered wet or dry but I recommend the dry. At $7 it's a fantastic value. Consider ordering the soup bones if you get the noodles. Its not on the menu but is pronounced roughly "See what.". You basically get a bowl of the bones used to make the stock. The meat is super tender and the marrow is oh so delicious.
(4)
Ivan L.

House special with thick noodles and doughnut...boom mind blown... you need to know about nothing else on the menu.
(5)
Cassandra Z.

This is the best place ever! I've been coming here for the past 5 years and the food has always been so tasty! - Parking usually sucks -Wait time is always a hassle (this place is ALWAYS packed) usually a 20+ min wait. -Try the shrimp fried rice, the beef and shrimp Pad See Ew, and the House special, they are all sooooo delicious! Don't be intimidated, I was at first, but now are a regular customer. Oh yeah, CASH ONLY!
(5)
Audrey H.

If I had a "check in" for every single time I've been here, I would be the duchess of this place. We've gone here almost every weekend for years now. And, we suffer through the long wait times almost every time. Main reason we come - my husband absolutely loves the egg noodle soup. I like the chow fun. I'm a soft noodle lover. We also order take-out while at the table. Whenever we order take out, I order wonton chow fun noodle soup. It's so yummy when I take it home and prepare it myself. Don't ever customize a phone order, they'll get it wrong everytime. Just order straight off the menu for that. Service is ok. Ambience is a zero. It's pretty dirty there too. But, with the cheap prices and good food, no one really cares about stuff like that anyway.
(5)
Yvonne N.

Two years ago, I ended my relationship with my 4 year boyfriend, he was my first love. What do I miss most? The togo food from Trieu Chau that his dad used to always bring home for me =( Once in awhile, we'll return the favor and treat him out at the actual restaurant (it's his favorite!). Then there are times when it's dinnertime and I'm craving a good bowl of Hu Tieu but Trieu Chau isn't an option. Why? Bc they think they're the shit and they close at 5pm -_- But it's okay, they make up for it in the morning =) Don't expect a nice fancy restaurant. This place is definitely a hole in the wall. It's cramped inside, tables are small, and people are loud. BUT the food comes out fast, it's cheap and it's GOOD. I apologize that I can't make any recommendations because my ex-boyfriend always ordered in chinese. Donno what the name of it was but it came with every meat you can think of. Okay, kidding..it just came with chicken, shrimp, and duck and I always liked to add wontons. Half egg noodle, half rice noodle, sprinkled with cilantro and pepper. Wowww..authentic stuff right here, guys. Gotta love it!
(5)
Marc T.

Janette took me and Mylene here since we were all feeling a bit under the weather and wanted soup. House Special Soup - duck, chicken, pork, liver, shrimp, fishball, and fish cake with rice noodles. The broth was very good... similar to filipino mami soup, which is a pork based broth. I would argue that the broth was even better, as it was less fatty and slightly sweeter, and yet was just salty enough for flavor as opposed to feeling like msg overload. The fishballs and cake were slightly sweet, and the duck was a nice salty/sweet. The liver was a little bit too livery and a little tough, which was my only gripe of the meal. The soup portion was pretty big considering both Janette and Mylene ordered a small. House Special Chow Fun - pretty much the same meats as in the house special soup, but with chinese brocolli. The chow fun had this nice charred wok taste, and the oyster sauce gravy really brought it together. This dish reminded me of what Janette's parents cook. Being an Asian restaurant, I actually timed how long it took for the food to get there. 2 minutes for the soup. 1 min later, the chow fun came out. Joe Koy was right LOL... insanely fast service for home cooked Cambo food. Good deal.
(4)
Dennis C.

Small hole in the wall place. Hands down, best hui tiao (sp?) in OC. Big thick noodles is the way to go! It's dirty, it stanks but the food is soo good :) Cash only too! Closes 5PM everyday.
(4)
Eileen N.

BOMB.COM This place takes me wayyyyyy back, back when i was young I'm not a kid anymore... You literally sit down, place your order, and a second later POOF they are back with what you ordered. They're THAT good. The speed of the service gives Speedy Gonzales a run for his money. Like any asian place, don't be expecting phenomenal service, do expect to leave with a satisfied tummy. Personally I recommend the Hu Tieu Nam Vang with thick noodles. And if you get here early try the Chinese donuts, they usually sell out by 11. On a side note, like most asian places this place is cash only.
(5)
son d.

Dropped by to pick up breakfast. "I'm looking for a dry noodle, can you recommend one?" "Mi Trieu Chau" "I want a dry noodle with soup on the side" "They're all have the soup on the side" "Okay" "You want the special" "Sure" "Big Noogles or Small?" "Big, also let me get the Mi Nam Vang with big noodles (points at item on menu)" The service is always quick here. Food came out 5 minutes later and it was only one bowl. Talked to the waiter and had to wait another 5 minutes. Came home and I got two of the same bowls of noodles, one pair of chopsticks, a bag of bean sprouts, no hoisin sauce, no siracha, no sate :( minus one star Food was good, service not so good, missing condiments minus I come here for the noodles and the noodles alone (it's a noodle shop, would you go to burger king and look for tacos). The other menu items are subpar at best and can be found better prepared at so many other places, but the noodles here are unmatched. I always get the Mi (egg noodles) or hu tiu (rice noodles) Dac Biet (special). I get lazy when I order sometimes, but they'll know what you mean, haha. I prefer the small noodles because it's easier to eat (small noodles stay in your spoon and don't flop around) and the texture is better, but that's just preference. GF is always splashing herself with the soup and then puts on a sad face because she smells so delicious, haha, funniest thing ever! You can only get Chinese doughnuts in the morning. They're delicious when you dip them into your soup. I like to keep them whole, makes dipping so much easier. Fried dough and piping hot soup :) yum! I know it doesn't sound all that great, but the texture contrast makes it good, just like eating chips with a sandwich. Trust me, I'm a fatty.
(4)
Kurtis C.

This is my first yelp review. Sorry if it's not funny, useful or cool. (: I've been going to this place since I was 4? 5? Just like everyone else said, the place is dirty. If you can get over it, the food is AMAZING. Also, I mean dirty as in grease and oil from years ago splattered on their walls, a fly zapper, and napkin dispensers from when they first opened. Anyways, they serve pretty big portions and you get your choice of thick or thin noodles for your soup. I've been ordering the same dish since I first came here, the Pho Bo Vien. It's meatballs and noodles, you can't go wrong with it. I took my girlfriend here for lunch and she loved it :D They give you bean sprouts, limes, and sauce dishes while you wait. The same waiters and cooks have been working here for ages. The service isn't that great. If you need something, make sure you ask for everything you need while they're there. Otherwise you'll need to keep asking over and over again. Yeah, and sometimes they guy with the mustache will ask if you want to "share table," lol. If you're tired of waiting/starving, go for it! (: They give you tea for free, and water if you ask for it. Whatever you do, try not to get the water...
(5)
Peter N.

This is one of the dirtiest noodle houses you'll find, but also one of the tastiest! Broth is very flavorful, good portions. Get the half yellow and half white noodles, best of both, different texture. You can dry noodles, or soupy ones. Don't forget the asian fried donut! PERFECTION when dipped into the broth, or eat it alone mmm so crispy! Pretty busy on the weekends be prepared for the wait!
(5)
Tony U.

The place is run down and loud as some have said, but there is definitely quality here. I had the #109 with wontons, a egg noodle/rice noodle dish with shrimp, chicken, fish balls, and other stuff. Yummee!! The service is quick and reliable. The atmosphere is oddly comfortable to me. If you had your eyes closed, you'd be confused as to the cuisine with the chatter of chinese and vietnamese with mexican salsa music in the cooking area ringing out. Still, I liked it here. Somewhat adventurous to me, a tourist from the Bay Area, and an experience I'd repeat if I returned. Thanks SoCal Yelpers for recommending this place. I really enjoyed my dish along with the Hot coffee.
(4)
Glen L.

Just had lunch there again yesterday. The flypaper is still hanging from the ceiling at the back of the restaurant and there are cobwebs too. I think it's time for a new strip of flypaper and maybe they can dust out the cobwebs too. Food is still fine. Nice to see that some things never change.
(3)
Eric B.

Duck, shrimp, chicken, liver, fish balls, tripe, and who knows what else awaits me every time I come here and get the combo pho. I don't even know what number that dish is. I just say combo and they bring it out. There's usually a little bit of a wait here, but they are fast. They give you little numbers and call them out as they are ready. Don't expect them to give you a table by yourself. If there are two seats open at a large round table, they will sit you with other people. Their menu is huge, so it may take a while to look it over if you are not familiar with it or haven't been here before. The combo that I get is really good. all kinds of meat and other things in it. This place can get busy really fast, so make sure you get all you need from the waiter before he disappears. Also, most people don't understand this part. Pay for your meal up at the counter instead of waiting for them to bring you your check. Parking here sucks too. The lot is always packed, but there is some additional spots out on the street. But be sure to check which days and times you can't park on the street due to street sweeping.
(4)
Trung L.

This place has some solid noodle soups, worthy of a 4 star Yelp rating. Unfortunately, 1 star will have to be deducted because this restaurant sums up the old saying "the dirtier, the better". On my last visit, the GF and I both noticed an unidentifiable brown clump thingy just laying there on the floor. We were both on edge with anxiety, waiting for the person who was going to step on it and put the mystery to rest. I tried to ignore the object, but my peripheral vision kept auto-aiming on it. When we left, the clump was still intact. The mystery still remains.
(3)
Nina B.

This is my go to breakfast before hitting up disneyland! I love love love love the beef noodle soup!
(5)
Birdy H.

The Food here is AWESOME! Everything is good. This place has been a family favorite for many years now. I miss the days when I lived down the street and could eat here anytime I wanted to. I wish there was something like this here in the SF-Bay area but unlucky me, there isn't. My favorite dishes include: "House special, small white noodle" and the "combination seafood chow fun", oh and the "fried rice" is great as well. Go before 10 for the Delicious Chinese doughnuts. Note, only the soups are served between the opening hours and 10. Fried rice and fried noodles are available after 10. Place gets very pack and busy, esp on the weekends! Food is worth the wait so don't leave if you see a long line. The interior needs updating but I'd take the place as it is if I can have its wonderful food!
(5)
Liem N.

The Best Mi Wonton in the OC!!
(4)
Mardany S E.

Been going here since I was a little girl with my parents!! My dad still goes here EVERY WEEKEND and it never gets old. Yes, it's a little dingy dirty place - blahblahblah tell me what I don't already know!! But this place is legit for some hot delicious authentic CAMBODIAN noodle soup!! People like to confuse it with the Vietnamese pho - yes, it's "pho like" but flavors are totally TOTALLY different. The restaurant is owned a Chinese/Cambodian older couple (the wife works the register most of the week) - I usually order the Reg. Phnom Penh Seafood Noodles. OH if you come early enough in the mornings, they have THE BEST chinese donuts that I've ever had by far!! Wish they would accept CC though - would be so much nicer :( but still the place to go for noodle soup
(5)
Natalie T.

Mmmmm one of the best places to go to if you have a hankering for hu tieu!! I crave it a lot since it's one of my favorite dishes and I love to come here! Sometimes I'll get the hu tieu satay too, it's good but I can't eat too much of it! There's a place in nor cal that I like a lot better. They aren't shady with the meat either! They give you tons and tons of food! The price is super cheap and really, the food is more than enough for yourself! The place is your typical Vietnamese place, kinda dirty, rude service, but the food makes up for it!
(4)
Arevin T.

I've had quite a few things over here and I must say that everything here is really great and the broth and sauce for all the dishes are so delicious and full of flavor! It's authentic, and yeah it's not clean inside but if you're not one of those stuck up people who judges a place by it's cover, then this is the place for you! Trieu Chau is one of those restaurants that is known for their food, not for service, so if you want a quality service place and expect people to wipe your butt for you, this is also not the place for you :D There is a reason why it's so packed all the time!
(5)
Glady L.

This place is small, dirty as hell, parking sucks ballzies, but the food is freaking PHENOMENAL and cheap! Seriously, hands down, the best noodles you will find West of Asia! O.M.G.! I've been to South East Asia, so I know what real noodles taste like and Trieu Chau pretty much perfected the dishes.This place is always packed and there is always a wait (especially in the mornings,) but don't let the crowd intimidate you because it is a dine and get the hell outta the restaurant kinda place. They have a bunch of servers and your food will be on the table within a few minutes. The menu is overwhelming, but you can't go wrong with the chow fun, fried rice, Phnom Penh (small) noodles, beef ball (big) noodles, or the wonton (big) egg noodles. (I reference big or small noodles because depending on the thickness of the noodles, the flavors will differ, so those are my recommendations.) Cash only and avoid the restrooms. ENJOY!
(5)
Linda Y.

What a find! A little bored of pho and ramen, we ventured out to the bumpy streets of Santa Ana and found this little hole in the wall. The place was dirty and full of Vietnamese people ordering big bags of fish balls and slurping down mouthfuls of noodles. I immediately fell in love! I ordered the house special with rice noodles. The broth was SO GOOD and the portions are ginormous. The broth reminded me of TK Noodle if you've ever tried them. It came with fish balls, roasted duck, chicken, liver (nothnx), and a bunch of other yummy things that I scarfed down like I hadn't eaten in days. The menu is intimidating and the waiters are impatient. Cash only!
(5)
Dan G.

Five words, House Special Small Yellow Noodles. A++++++ Would eat again.
(5)
Kevin L.

Have been eating here for almost three decades. The parking lot is crowded. The place look dirty and crowded. The server is not so friendly sometimes. The noodle soup is really good. The broth is not so stunning delicious now but I am not complaining. They must have use less salt and msg and make it more healthy now.
(4)
Ron E.

Grimy goodness. Old co-workers and I used to come here when we were working in Santa Ana. I can't remember what i used to get, just that the doughnuts they served with your order were the best thing ever. I never would've imagined the doughnuts with the soup woulda worked. Who woulda thunk, right? Recently i came back with the same old friend that introduced me to this place and now i go to bed thinking about the next time i go back. The place was packed for being 11 in the morning and we ended up sharing one of the round tables in the back with a pair of Chinese businessmen. The menu was foreign to me so i settled on a Chao chow noodle soup, half thin egg noodles and half thin rice noodles (#109 if you have to know) with various meats and stuff. I also attempted to order the Thai tea but all i got was iced tea. Talk about lost in translation. Weird. I also tried to order the doughnuts i remember the place for, but they had run through the days stockpile and i was left to contemplate what could've been. I actually asked again after my friend ordered and got the same answer but with a look on our waiters face that said, "What part of NO didn't you understand?". One of the Chinese businessmen sharing our table managed a chuckle at my expense, finding humor in my defeat. Whatever, the food was out in a snap and twas delicious. Tons of chicken, a few scrimps, a piece of liver, and a few fish balls came with my large bowl of soupy love, all mixed together and getting along dandily. Stomach on fire from an heavy handed overdose of hot sauce, we waddled out of there very, very happy. I guess the only way to make sure i get my paws on some doughnuts is to make sure I'm there way earlier than the rest of 'em being that this place is open at 7 am. Oh, the grimy part of this place is simply the restaurant. Tables shittily wiped with random leftovers smeared across the tabletop, a very questionable looking kitchen and floor like no other. But the food masks all this and keeps me coming back for more. I should just wear horse blinders next time.
(4)
Robin J.

Lines are pretty long but the food is affordable and the service is really good. Ive been there twice now and Ive been satisfied both times. They also have non-soup dishes that can be ordered, they are kinda like Thai food. Best of the best esp if you want a change of pace from the Pho.
(5)
Devi L.

I've been eating here since I was 4 yr.s old. Some of the men that wait on you are the same men from the 80's. It is not especially clean nor quiet so I wouldn't recommend a first lunch date here. However, there is no place in the OC like Trieu Chau. The broth is boiled since 4 am and the meat, bone, and marrow have all blended to create the broth for almost every dish in this restaurant. You might have to sit with other families, stand in line, and fight for parking, but once you dip the chak kwai in the hot broth and take a bite... the fly tape, loud noise, and other eaters don't seem to matter anymore. When I feel nostalgic..this is where I go.
(4)
G. A.

Charming, and by charming, I mean loud, chaotic, disorganized, and frenzied. Wait for a parking spot. Then, walked to the door, there were several people waiting outside. There are no seats outside. It's hot. Why am I getting soup? Why is the line so long? How many? How long is the wait? This long: (Points to the clipboard. There were at least five parties in front of me, but in reality, was about 15 to 20 wait, because this is a wham-bam-thank- you ma'am type of establishment.) How many? I'll order to-go instead, thanks. (Yells across in a foreign language to another employee, who walks over to me.) House Noodle Soup. Flat noodle? Rice noodles. Big noodles? Yeah, big noodles. ( He walks to the other end of the restaurant, and beckons me to follow him to pay.) Five minutes, wait. ( My order sat on the counter until we realized that it was mine, and I went on my merry way, about 10 minutes later.) While I wait, I notice the accoutrements by the counter- peanuts, crushed, chopped green chilies, a sweetened seafood chili oil, hoisin and siracha. I look around some more, the kitchen is frantic, the pots are boiling over, and the cooks are watching the large pots wherein lies the secret of this place's success- the shrimp and fish balls are not boiled in water, but are floating atop the vat of simmering meat parts imparting another level of flavor. The broth is sweet and greasy, definitely filling, and all for less than $10. Instead of the deeper boldness of beef, it was a welcome change to try a broth with a higher flavor note, and there were sweet notes from the fried garlic, and a brush of freshness from the bean sprouts and green onions. The soup also had the robust flavor from a slice of liver, chicken, duck and ground pork, as well as shrimp, fish balls, and slippery, oily, big, flat, rice noodles.
(4)
Michelle H.

Ordered the hu tieu xao bo. For 9.25 you get a plate that can feed 4 people. My boyfriend and I ordered this and ended up taking 75% of it home because the plate was so big. This place is a bit dingy but the food is fresh and yummy! Oh yea be ready to be in a food coma after.
(5)
Timothy N.

One of the best wonton noodles places around. Whenever I need a good place to remind me of how wontons should taste, I go here. The broth is exceptional and the portions are good. You can get a pretty big bowl for $5-6. It doesn't have a lot of seats and it closes early (around 6 or 7) so come early. I love this place but can't give it five stars because it's not the most pleasant scene. There's always a line and sometimes they make you share your table with strangers which limits the conversation you can have. Besides the complaints listed above, this is plain good. It's probably one of the few places that I actually crave for.
(4)
Nina Q.

After dropping off my dog at the groomer, we head north on First Street looking for the familiar sign posted on Yelp! We must have been too busy looking for the sign that we missed the big crowd waiting outside the restaurant. Man, it was packed! I fight my way through the sea of people & found someone to help me put my name on the list. He asked "how many?", I said "two", he asked, "you mine sharing table?", I said "no". And before I even realized what that was about, he lead us towards a table with 4 chairs; 2 of them occupied by a mother & daughter. Oh okay, "share table OK", I get it. Then another guy quickly came with 2 menus and stood there waiting for our order. No pressure. I open the menu & it was written in Vietnamese w/ English translation. The menu was huge & the waiter was getting irritated that we had to even think about it, so when I saw the words "House Special" I blurted it out, then Joe seconded, and BAM! Order was placed. Then before I can even complain about how I'm seated next to the counter & already have been hit in the head by 2 elbows in a matter of 3 minutes, here comes the plate of sprouts & lemons. When our food came, we didnt waste any time. One sip of that amazing broth warms you up like a blanket knitted by your favorite Cambodian grandma. The flavor bursts in your mouth like every piece of roasted garlic in that soup were muted fireworks from Disney. And do I dare talk about the meats that they threw in that pool of goodness? This is not your regular Pho children, it is not for the faint of heart. The fishballs were very tasty, there was a big piece of fishcake, a whole duck leg - bone and all - marinated in a sea of who-knows-what and i-don't-care, a piece of chicken, shrimps & liver..whew! Under normal circumstances I would not have finished a soup that size, but this one, I did. Joe and I, we didn't know each other the entire length of that bowl, it was SLURP after SLURRP after SLURRRP, until it was all gone. When we finally went back to reality, the Mother/Daughter on the other side of the table were gone and I looked up to 2 Asian guys slurping their way through a House Special. It was like Noodle Church and everyone was in the middle of praying. A communion of noodles. And just as fast as we were served, the bill came just as quick and we were out of there in no time, full, lethargic and happy.
(4)
Tiff Y.

This place has the BEST noodle soup EVER. I've been coming here since i was a kid with my grandmother. Ill drive out to santa ana, sit in crazy traffic just to have their noodle soup. This is the only restaurant i wake up at 6 in the morning for!! and i sleep at 4 in the morning. TRIEU CHAU ME LOVE YOU LONG TIME!!! and i always talk about you too.
(5)
Suong N.

Go here for the food and not the atmosphere. It's always way busy when I come in for lunch and parking sucks, consider yourself lucky if you get a spot right away. My favorites: Pho Xao Do Bien (dry) and the Bo Luc Lac... freaking delicious. If only this place was open past 5pm...
(4)
Oinkster P.

Horrific! Absolutely horrific. The first and last impression of this institution is the filth. I am Asian, and it scared me half to death. Went into the bathroom to wash my hands and felt dirtier by the time I got out. It was crowded so I thought the food would compensate, but it was nothing special. At least we got our own table and didn't have to share one. Don't bother!!!!
(1)
Mark L.

So I finally did it. I went by Newport Seafood, clipboard in hand, and wrote down the damned name of this place. Then, I giddily signed onto Yelp, naively thinking that I would be the first to review this place. STUPID ME. But honestly, between Newport Seafood and Trieu Chau, this dingy little strip mall is the mecca of Chinese/Vietnamese hybrid food. I spent the past 7 years craving this stuff. While living in New York and Boston, I searched far and wide for a fix. I found lots of places that were close, but none of them were spot on. The noodles here are outstanding. The broth very meaty and flavorful, probably because you can see the giant vats of chicken bones stewing right behind the counter. Plus they load the bowls with pieces of soy sauce chicken, duck, fish cake, shrimp, beef balls, ground pork, liver, and crushed peanuts. It's almost like an orgy of pho, tom yum, and chinese noodle soup all in one. What's not to love? I only wish I knew what makes this place so unique. I mean I know it's in Santa Ana, near little Saigon, staffed by people who speak Mandarin and a slew of Southeast Asian languages, serving dishes that could be Cambodian, Taiwanese (the fried dough things remind me of Taiwanese street/breakfast food) and everything in between. My family calls it Tsau Zhou Gua Tiao, which is basically "wide white noodles from a place called Tsau Zhou" but I have such a hard time describing this place to anyone who's never been there. OH and for those of you who don't like the waiting, parking, and all around dirtiness of this place...just get everything to go. I live about a half hour drive away and it still burns when I spill all over myself when pouring it into a big bowl.
(4)
Alex P.

I came back here today after a few months away and like an old lover, it was just as good as I remembered. That broth, oh man, it's so amazing and I don't know what they do to make it so good but I have an idea - crack infused msg goodness. House special noodle soup, I would walk five hundred miles, and I would walk five hundred more, just to get to you. Well...maybe not. But I definitely go out of the way just to eat you.
(5)
YaYa S.

5 stars for food...this is the kind of place you want to go to when you just want to have a good, filling meal without all the frills of most restaurants. The food is absolutely delicious... crab fried rice, taro dessert thingie with gingko, and their specialty rice noodle soup....for $25 including tip. It's authentic and extremely flavorful. I love all of the chili condiments as well. OK, about the actual restaurant...it's hole-in-the-wall, dirty, and CROWDED. sometimes you have to share a table with other patrons...all in all, not a place you'd bring distinguished guests.
(5)
Patrick B.

Cheap and good. Absolutely no atmosphere (ambiance is overrated anyways) and don't expect anywhere near decent service if they are busy. Just be happy your food comes out fast. It's best to come before or after the lunch crowd or expect to wait by the door or outside. If its really busy, they might squeeze you into a table with another party. My entree of choice is their specialty, hu tieu nam vang. It has all types of meats thrown into it: duck, chicken, pork, liver, fish meatballs, shrimp, some ground meat and probably something else that I forgot. Don't try coming here for dinner since they close at 5.
(4)
Christina C.

I think this is one of those places where you have to know WHAT to order or else you won't like the food. My hubbie introduced me to this place about a year ago. I wasn't so put off by the dirtiness of the place because, from past experience, cleanliness doesn't equate to tastiness. In the beginning, I didn't know what to order and I couldn't figure out why there were such long lines of people waiting. But then, after trying a few different things, and finding out which I liked best, I realized there were some things at this restaurant that I really enjoyed eating! Of course, it will be different for everyone... So, here are a couple of MY favorite dishes--actually, they're the ONLY things I order from this restaurant: 1) Beef Stew with the fat noodles. Deeeelish!!! My mom makes this dish way better, but since she doesn't make it everyday, I can come here and get my filling of it for just a few bucks! The beef is soooo tender and it just melts in your mouth. Add some bean sprouts to the broth, squeeze in some lime, and you're good to go. 2) House Special Noodles. I get it with mi (the yellow noodles), and the broth is filled with a mishmash of meats: shrimp, fish balls, chicken, ground pork, liver, and duck. Again, I add some bean sprouts, squeeze some lime on it, add some hoisin sauce and hot sauce, and I'm ready to chow! 3) Chinese donuts!!! Come early or you're not gonna get any! Hopefully you'll get them when they're freshly made and warm. Dip it into your broth, or into a cup of hot coffee, or eat them plain--they are yummy no matter what! The waiters do see brusque, but smile at them--they are actually pretty nice. :)
(4)
Ka B.

Pho is boring, this place will give you a great mix of chicken, wonton, seafood soups. It's worth the trip, but its packed everytime I go.
(4)
Brad N.

I ordered the Trieu Chau Hu Tieu Dac Biet which translated to something like "Trieu Chau House Special Noodle Soup" because I've always had a weakness for anything called "House Special" at a Chinese restaurant. It came with about six kinds of meat including: duck, pork, gizzard, shrimp, and cha (I'm not sure what the English translation is). I wasn't a big fan of most of those meats, so next time I will just order the Hu Tieu with the duck, which was definitely my favorite. You can probably customize it however you like. The broth was flavorful and the noodles had a good consistency. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES ORDER THE THAI TEA. Unless you like the bitter, flavorless kind that comes in a bottle. It was a definite waste of $1.50. Be sure to come early as they sometimes close early in the evenings. I've also heard that the quality of the soup is superior in the mornings. Be warned that there will be a wait if you come on mornings/early afternoons on the weekends.
(4)
Maluna O.

I don't get why everyone raves about the noodle soup so much. I just ate the house special with thin egg and rice noodles. The broth tasted bland in my opinion, I seasoned it, and it still tasted like eh. I prefer pho way better, that's just me. Waiter took a while to take our order and when he did, he still didn't give us the cha quay or my friend his pennyworth leaf drink, instead he brought out a soda? then when the bill came, he just stood there. I'm used to bad asian service, but i've never had someone just stand there and wait for their money. I'm not going back... I had their drunken noodle a long time ago, that was bland too.
(2)
Clifford Y.

I came here yesterday with the gf for the first time. Supposdly this place has been in business for a while, she's been coming here with the family for a while.. The place was packed, there was no parking in their designated parking area so i had to park on the side street. then of course when i got out of the car & walked towards the restaurant, i saw a car pulling out of a parking space (grrrr this always happens!!!). So we get there, and we're put on the waiting list since there's like a crowd outside waiting to be seated. they told us to wait 30 minutes; we waited around 15 minutes. The servers were super friendly, we both got the fat dried noodles (i'm not viet so i dont know exactly what its called). the meats/shrimp that came in it were really fresh and juicy, we'd have to say that the quality of them were better than the new trieu chau. we devoured it, 2 bowls came out to be about 12 bucks.. not bad at all!! i def see us coming here a lot.
(5)
Aimee V.

Like all the other reviewers, I've been going to Trieu Chau since I was a wee lass. My earliest memories here are when I was about 5, but who knows, my parents might have dragged me there as a baby. Many of the waiters still recognize me. The same ones who teased me as a kid and years later teased my little brother for being fat little asian kids. :) The cool part is like the wait staff, the food hasn't changed one bit in the 18 or so years I've been going to this place. On the weekends the line is nothing short of ridiculous, but in recent years they've started to use a pretty decent number system. Anyway, come in the morning and they'll still have some awesome chinese doughnuts (but wok stuff isn't happening yet). Many people order the egg or rice noodles Nam Vang style and I think I can say it's the most popular. The broth is sweet and flavorful and really makes the dish. I really like a lot of the wok items, namely the over-sized pan-fried rice noodles. They come either wet or dry (wet being covered with a light sauce) and both are delicious! I never seem to be able to get anything else when I am there. They also make a mean fried rice. Downsides would be...parking on the weekends. That's never fun. I also say that no, it's not exactly glamorous inside or out, but it IS lively and loud and comfortable. That's probably blatant bias on my part though. It's just this place is like home to me, and I like to visit a lot.
(5)
Joan L.

I love this place! We came here for breakfast. It's a very small place and gets packed fast so come early. Also keep in mind they only accept cash. The customer service was great. We never had to wait for anything. When you sit down you are automatically asked if you would like some Gio Chao Quay (Vietnamese Donuts), which was nice because we love eating these. We ordered the Shaomai (Pork Dumpling) 1st. These are not your ordinary small dim sum shaomai's. These are appetizer sizes, so delicious and yummy. Then we had the Mi Nam Vang (special egg noodle soup). I've never been to a place that had such a good quantity/quality/variety of meat. As must have if you're ever in town.
(5)
Lynn H.

Food - 3.5 Service - 2 Ambience - 1 It's like everyone says, the place has a terribly small parking lot, long wait times on weekends and isn't the most clean or picturesque dining area, but the food speaks for itself and that's why people will endure those inconveniences for a bowl of noodle soup. The noodle soup with duck is my Mom's fave (mine too); they're generous with the duck pieces and the portion size is really good for the value. The service is typical Asian hole-in-the-wall brusqueness, and you may get asked to sit with strangers at a common table, but it's all part of the experience. Embrace it. Have been going here since I was a wee lassie, and would have given it 5 stars, except that I prefer the New Trieu Chau location.
(4)
Kristie T.

I've been going to this place with my parents for as long as I can remember. The line is usually pretty bad on weekends, but you don't really come here expecting good service. The utensils are disgusting and the servers look like they've been wearing the same clothes for weeks. The building is run down, but what can I say? The food is great. This place always reminds me of home. It's a quick meal - sit down, get your noodles, those fat bone things and your chinese donuts and you're outta there - you really shouldn't be in there for any longer than that, you might pick up a disease...
(4)
Jacqueline N.

You say it's dirty... I say it's dir-tay! But that's ok! They're wontons are excellent here. I love their thin rice noodles with wontons (hu tieu hoang thanh)... they're never stingy with how much food they give you and their prices are very reasonable. If they don't run out, you can get their "chinese doughnuts" for a dollar or so and dip it in the soup...mmm, very good. Yes this place can use a fixer-upper, but their food makes up for it!
(4)
Ha N.

Good food. My fav is the Combo dry small noodles bowl. Prefect size portion meal. As for service its not the greatest. I call it the typical "Asian service" meaning they are at your table right when you sit and they expect you to know what you want immediately and after you get your food to the table you'll never see them again hhaaaa it's the truth LOL but I will come back :)
(4)
Emmanuel F.

The best noodles (dry or soup) in the area. Chicken rolls are authentic and tasty. You have to know what you want quick, 'cause they are at your table seconds after you sit down. And don't try ordering extra, they're traditional old-school, won't let you order too much and waste food.
(4)
Alex L.

This place is old, crowded, and just clean enough to pass health and safety tests. This is an old school street side noodle shop with waiters and cooks that are old enough to be your grandparents. If you can look past that, you will enjoy some delicious food at reasonable prices. Their portions seem smaller than years before they still pack a crowd on weekends and lunchtime. The food isn't pho but variations of chinese soup noodle.
(4)
Will L.

This place is so amazingly good. The Hu Tieu Nam Vang is unparalleled here, and it's what you should get as a first timer because no other place around here does it better or even close (in my opinion). For those that don't know, it's a noodle soup which was created in Cambodia by ethnic Chinese, with popularity in neighboring Vietnam, and has fish balls (awesome), shrimp, duck, pork, and liver, in a pork broth, which can be ordered with wide or thin rice noodles and is served in a style similar to pho with bean sprouts and lime. Do not be thrown for the amazing amount of food for the low price of $6.15 for a large portion. The ingredients have always been really fresh and tasty. I like to wash down the soup with some nice nuoc chanh (lemon juice) and order generous portions of chinese donuts (make sure you call ahead to order some because they quickly run out... something about flour fried in oil is amazing to simply too many people). Only cons: restaurant is small, there are waits during certain times, and it has short hours. If only this place were open until 3 am... but that might take away from the restaurant's overall excellence anyway. Don't forget your dollar bills as it is cash only. Great, comprehensive menu in Chinese, Vietnamese, English, and Khmer. In the same plaza as Newport Tan Cang Seafood, a small Cambodian market, and a donut shop. One of Santa Ana's best and an essential for any food enthusiast.
(5)
Mary C.

We drive so far to just come eat noodles here...it's so fresh and tasty...and portion is pretty damn good...I love that this restaurant is so quick with its service and FRESH with it products...Also, they have an array of condiments to make your noodles the way you want...
(4)
Kenny V.

This place is not ideal if you want to take a person on a first date but this hole in the wall joint has the best noodles in Orange County. The Mi Xao Don Do Bien is the best and I cannot find a place that can compare. Don't come here for service or looks. Just enjoy the food. There's a reason there is always a line on the weekends
(5)
Bobby P.

I've been to this place twice. First time was in November 2008. I forgot what I had, but I do remember having a taste of the duck soup. It was DELICIOUS. 2nd time coming to this place was August 15th 2010 which was the last day of my California vacation. I ate here before leaving for Los Angeles Airport to catch my flight. I forgot what my cousin ordered for me, but I know it was Pho. It was absolutely delicious!! We had to wait for a table because it was packed and that to me just shows you how good this place is. It's small and cant fit a lot of people, but people will wait in line to get a taste of the delicious food here. I know for darn sure that my wait was well worth it! Come eat here! It's worth the drive and wait. DON'T FORGET TO BRING CASH!!!
(5)
Alex N.

It's Dirty. i can't eat here everyone thinks its the greatest thing since sliced bread.. but i think the place is just disgusting! (in cleaniness that is) i just cant enjoy eating here
(1)
Tam D.

Don't come to Trieu Chau if: - you are uncomfortable with hole in the wall restaurants - you are intimidated by a predominately Asian clientele - you don't like to stand in line (every time that I've come, it's always at least 8 ppl deep, longer if you come during lunchtime on the weekend) - you hate circling the parking lot or stalking ppl for a spot - you refuse to share a table with strangers (it happens 98% of the time!) - you expect the waiters to wait on you hand and foot (you'll be LUCKY, if you even get a 2nd glass of water) - you expect the waiters to provide you a recommendation on what to order (know what you want to order immediately bc once they seat you, they hoover over you with a pen and pad, assuming you are ready) - decor and ambiance play a big part in your dining experience (carpets are dirty, chairs are dingy, the condiments look like they have never been wiped down- I swear this place would earn a "D" if OC had a grading system like LA!) Come to Trieu Chau if: - you like curry with coconut milk. You will like, wait, let me correct, LOVE the Hu Tieu Sa Te (#111). It's rice noodles (think pho noodles) with a thick, spicy curry sauce, beef slices, peanuts and scallions. I come here only for this dish. You can get also get the thicker rice noodles if you please. Their other noodle dishes are great too, but I HEART this one! - you like Thai tea that is homemade. It has a very strong tea flavor with a splash of cream. I love it. None of that stuff in a bottle that you can buy at 99 Ranch. - you like fast service. You typically get your food within 5-10 mins after you order. **They are open only business hours- 7AM-5PM, so try to come for an early breakfast or for lunch. Despite all of its rough edges and ghetto-ness, I love Trieu Chau. It's an awesome place for a noodle-lover like myself.
(4)
P. L.

We eat here at least once a week. This is where Anothony Bourdain would eat if he ever visited Westminster. The place is street food in a very old building. The waiters have been here for years and some are fluent in 3 or 4 different languages. Although the pace of the place is hectic, this is not fast food; rather, it's food fast. The dried noodle bowels are great and so is the fried crab and shrimp paste.
(4)
Anh V.

um hello! this is only the best hu tieu you can get probably anywhere in the united states. i have been coming here since i was a toddler, and always remember the line. this place is no fancy shmancy vietnamese chateau, but it definitely knows how to make you full with deliciousness. i am a HUGE fan of hu tieu (the big fat noodles) trieu chau (it could be the only thing i ever eat and i would be fine with that)- it never has disappointed me. ever. you are never going to get grade A service at these types of restaurants- you just have to understand that. and if you don't , you'll need to get over it. i've never tried anything new on my own (just have sampled my family's dishes), because i love their hu tieu trieu chau so much that i am always content with that. ok, i hope you can understand how amazing this place is. a part of me doesn't want to share this delicious gem of mine, but i guess they need to get their kudos :)
(5)
Steven N.

This place is bomb! It's dirty, disgusting and everything you can ask for in a hole-in-the-wall restaurant. I always get the won ton dac biet w/o any noodles and goddamn, it's always good. It's something they put in their broth for the soup, I know it! Whenever I get it to go, man it's awful. It's like they're afraid we're going to find out their "secret" ingredient. This place gets 4 out of 5 stars! Note: I agree with the Nick about the share table comment. But let a real pro comment about this place. Whenever this place gets busy (most of the time it is) you get the seater, who will ask you the infamous "two peep-hole, wanna xe tay-bowl?" - IF YOU FROM AROUND SO CAL (ORANGE COUNTY) AND BEEN HERE, YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!!!
(4)
OC Food R.

I've been coming to this place since 1990. Most of the stuff is pretty good but I get the house special wonton soup most often than not, and I've tried almost everything on the menu. I have to say that this place got good food, but terrible waiters/service if you don't speak their language (happens most of the time with asian restaurants).... But again, what do you expect from them when customers leave 25 cents tips on good days...overall, one of the best noodle soup restaurants in OC if not SoCal...
(4)
Troy H.

This place used to scare me! You'd sit at a table, order, then wait for the food. Next thing you know, they're crammin more people at your table you don't even know! Yes, this place is that popular. Any time of the day, there's a line out the door. Yes, it's a little dingy/dirty, but with all those people waiting to get in, it can't be all that bad. And it's actually really tasty. You can see the staff hand making dumplings all day, folding wontons.
(2)
Con Cac T.

we drive from sacramento just to eat here! (......oh yeah, theres that " friends and family" thing too) this place is an institution to us gooks! =/ it's been there forever. there is hardly anything bad on the menu. my favorites are the two dac biets.(seafood or meats). but you better know what you wants as soon as you sit down though, if not, those old waiters take forever to come back when you're ready to order. so when you're waiting in line(which you will be. it's always packed) look at the menu then. once you do order, it takes only a few minutes for your food to arrive. this is arguably my favorite vietnamese place to eat in the oc.
(5)
Tru H.

TRIEU CHAU serve one of the best Noodles in Orange County. The restaurant itself is very dirty, but the foods is hell a good. My favorite is hu tieu nam vang. Trust me you have to go try it yourself.
(5)
McLeon N.

Absolutely the best chinese/cambodian food around. I highly recommend this place to anyone
(5)
Vicky N.

Best hole in the wall restaurant ever! By that, I mean they have great food but the restaurant is super dirty! From stained black carpet, flies flying around, kinda dirty utensils, and sketchy restroom. But they have bomb.com food! My favorite dish is called "mi xao mem do bien." They close at 5 everyday, and on weekends they are super packed! So be prepared to wait in line if you go on weekends!
(4)
Suzn L.

Yeah, the food is good just like the NEW Trieu Chau, but I probably won't be coming back to this location....Man...the Wait was long, the place was soooo crowded & tiny. I do give props to the workers though....they run around like crazy but not rude, food comes super fast.
(3)
Rocky N.

i think this is a good place for noodles and assortment of things...i know it kinda dirty but it fast service. My friend introduced it to me and it feel like heaven. I am big fan of chow fun so check it out and you might enjoy the flavor and taste to it
(4)
Vicky N.

this place has been on my to try list for awhile and i finally got to try it today! i had the hu tieu nam vang which filled me up throughout the day. the broth alone was very tasty and the price was very reasonable.
(4)
cathy K.

The wontons here are so ridiculously good! But when you go there be prepared for a long line, it generally moves pretty fast and the service once you're seated is quick. If you are one of those people that like ambiance, this place is definetly not for you. But if you like good ol' chinese/cambodian soup you gotta go here!
(4)
ITzKeVin V.

Ate here once cause it was convienent and my mom didn't want me eating fast-food. I had beef fried rice, very tasty and unhealthy. Just the way i like it
(3)
Kevin L.

if you havent been here you need to go NOW!!! this place is known world wide and its in your backyard.
(5)
Christina P.

Man of all the years I've been here (18 years) this place still hasn't change much. They have good fried rice and good noodle soups. But this place is a little on the dirty side, and the staff (mostly men) are kinda snobby. But if you do decide to try this place, get Hu Thui Nam Vang which is what their famous for.
(4)
Shui L.

I always seem to get sick here. I would have given the place a 3 stars for the food but the flys buzzing around inside the restaurant grosses me out. I've gotten sick every time I've eaten here. Maybe because I don't have an iron stomach. The cleaniliness is definitely a 0-1. I go to the other one on Westminster & Brookhurst cuz of the better conditions. The food seems to be better at the other location as well. The won tons are not as mushy. Won Ton Fun Basic won ton noodle soup with the white chow fun noodles, shrimp, duck meat, fish cake, and fish balls. Its ok. Like I said, I like the other location better. Price around $7 bucks. People seem to like the Chow Mein as well. But it is not typical Chinese Chow Mein. The noodles are thicker and the sauce is kinda thick. Its ok.
(2)
Ann T.

I've been going here ever since I was a lil kid (20yrs+ ago). Most of the time I usually get take-out from here. It's pretty dirty and gross sitting inside the place with flies getting in your way of eating. I just went here last week because my hubby had the cravings for their won ton with soup no noodles. He said they make it pretty good and fresh here. It comes in a big bowl with lots of won tons and its not a tini tiny won ton like most other restaurants. Waiting for a table is a pain and also parking sucks here. If you don't want to share a table, it may take a while. When we do get a table, before we can even settle down into our seats the waiter asks us what we want even without giving us a menu. We usually know what we want so it doesn't bother us that much. It's only when we want to try something else then they seem a lil inpatient with us. Well, I always get the mi xao mem thit bo, beef with egg noodle stir fried. It's the best but you can't get it in the early mornings. They only serve after 10 or 10:30am due to the fact that the guy that stir fry doesn't come in til that time. The hu tieu nam vang is a popular choice which are in the previous reviews. Their chinese donuts are the best. Made fresh every morning but their sold out pretty quickly and they don't make batches later in the day. The xiu mai is a big beef ball is usually sold out and probably only served during early morning. I used to get this for my grandpa when he was here visiting from Vietnam. It was his fave with the chinese donuts. This place is open early around 7 or 7:30am but they close about 5:30-5:45pm. This I hate cuz sometimes me and the hubby want some noodles for dinner and this is our fave for some trieu chau noodles. I haven't found a place that serves anything like this. There's a restaurant in the SGV that serves trieu chau style noodles but it can't compare to Trieu Chau in Santa Ana, even the New Trieu Chau can't compare with this original place.
(4)
T P.

cheap good comfort noodles -- if you order the right one. i absolutely agree with Christina C.'s review below that "you have to know WHAT to order or else you won't like the food". the problem is, with this type of food, everyone will like a different item on the menu depending on personal preference of noodles, texture, spicyness, saltiness, greasiness =/ (yes i said it, they have really greasy, oily tasting noodles) etc... therefore, choose blindly and hope it works out. =) side note: i am slightly put off by the grimyness of the place --- i have an urge to wipe down every utensil, bowl, platter, surface i touch... if that isn't a put-off for you, then enjoy!
(3)
Ringo K.

I went to this place for the first time yesterday. It was awesome. It was crowded looked like a bunch of different families were eating there. The place is not THAT dirty. It was only a little messy because they are constantly getting business. The workers are constantly sweeping the floors. I ordered the number on house special as recommended by my friends. It was awesome. I had it with yellow noodle. It came with a chicken leg, some liver, some shrimp, and some kind of sausage ball. It was delicious. The tea drink I had was awesome as well.
(4)
Thai T.

This is probably my first memory of any restaurant I've ever been to. My dad would get the fried rice with shrimp and crab meat and he'd get me a little plate and I would share with him. That was when I was around 3 or 4 years old. The place is pretty much exactly the same. The waiters don't seem to age and the food is as good as it was when I first ate here. I still come here with my parents all the time. The best time to come is really early in the morning when it's cold. There is nothing better than a hot bowl of noodles. My parents have been taking me here for 20 years and I hope to keep going for another 20 more. Do not come here if you're expecting a clean restaurant, good service, no lines, or parking your car close. Dine here if you want some truly authentic down home Asian noodles... that are cooked by Mexicans.
(5)
Peter N.

one of the best noodle soup restaurants out there! even though the place looks like crap lol. the only thing that really disappoints me is that their water cups are FRIGGIN SMALL! i always have to get refill whenever i eat here...and getting a refill takes awhile =/ be warned that service kinda sucks but the food makes it up
(4)
scott d.

love the food here and the fast service, been going here since i was born ahah!
(5)
Vivian Y.

yes, the coveted fourth star... if you're looking for a hole-in-the-wall, well, we have a winner. this place is truly a dumpy-lookin' spot, but the food is sooo good. i won't go into details, but rather to say you should try their hu tieu nam vang... better known as the "white, fat noodles with everything in it." if you dig spicy-- in a small sauce thingy, put in a few sliced green chilies, a couple red chilies, a bit of the vinegar from the red chili jar, soy sauce and a spoon of the chili paste in the silver creamer. put that on your noodles, dip your seafood and meat in... um, YUMMMMY! ADVISORY: long lines during lunch hour... and don't touch the walls, it's quite nauseating. i mean, they tell you a story, literally, through splats of unknown objects. also, if barbaric eating styles gross you out, don't watch some of the customers eat... you may just lose your appetite.
(4)
Brendan A.

I've been going to this restaurant for over 20 years. Been treated rudely by the waiters for over 20 years. Waited in their long lines on weekend mornings for over 20 years. Why do I keep coming back? The best noodles I've ever had. I think their soup broth has some sort of opium in it cuz I just can't get enough of it. My mom actually ask them once about it and they say only the owner knows and its some sort of chinese "herbs." I recommend getting the seafood thick rice noodle soup and also their seafood stir-fry soft noodle dry style.
(5)
Helen S.

I thought about giving this place 4 stars because the food is so freakin' good, but this place truly isn't 4 star- worthy due to it's dinginess, rude waiters, and the never-ending wait outside. With that said, I don't mind eating at dirty places because in my opinion, the cleaner a place is, the less authentic and tasty is the food. In fact, I'm usually hesitant wihen it comes to eating at Vietnamese or Chinese restaurants with "A" ratings. Yes, the Hu Tieu Nam Vang seems to be the popular choice among the patrons, however I LOVE LOVE LOVE their dry Hu Tieu noodles drenched in their spicy coconut sauce (sorry, I don't know the name of the sauce but I'll post an update once I find out). Their fried fish balls with the sweet dipping sauce is also yummy as well as their stir fried wide rice noodles smothered in gravy with beef and chinese broccoli. And the price is right, too... at about only $5/dish!
(3)
D. N.

This is a great place for some egg noodle soup. I usually get the house special hu tieu mi which comes with rice and egg noodles. The meats that come with this soup are plentiful and tasty. The broth is really thick with lots of flavor. It is a little oily but not overwhelmingly so. If you come early enough, rarely the case for me, they sell slightly sweet fried dough sticks to dip into your soup and eat. That will definitely round out your meal and leave you full and happy.
(4)
Jal T.

Soup from the heavens. Perfect hangover cure and a nice, different soup that's blended from the SE Asia countries.
(5)
Tani O.

I've been coming here with my relatives since I was a young teen. We always order the same thing, Phnom Penh Noodles. Some prefer their noodles dry with soup on the side but we like our noodles in the soup broth. The name of this place implies that it's a Vietnamese restaurant but there is a picture of the Angkor Wat on their menu. Also, my aunt and uncle who used to be regulars here said the owners are of Cambodian descent unless the owners have changed hands during the most recent years. Nonetheless, it's very interesting. =) Some of the workers speak Cambodian, some speak Vietnamese, and some speak Chinese. I've also noticed some Mexican workers. I think it's cool that you can always find someone who speaks your language here. Kudos to them! I took a picture of the Phnom Penh noodles I ordered. The picture looks great but the noodles itself wasn't great. The noodles were overcooked and the broth smelled FISHY and very POULTRY'ish (my word). My husband noticed the same and I didn't even have to say anything. We've been eating these noodles (at other locations) for quite some time so we know what accounts for a great bowl of Phnom Penh. This wasn't it. After I finished my noodles, my husband got up to pay and as he reached into his wallet... the worker who attempted to speak Vietnamese to us... stuck his hand out just inches away from my husband's wallet! It really looked as though he was going to grab the wallet and get the money out himself! Talk about "impatient". We both were like, "WTH?!" If I didn't see it, I wouldn't have believed it. I have never seen that in my life! How rude was he?! Wow! Was all we both could say. I'm saying this as I'm shaking my head. Wow! I don't even see this in Asia during my travels. After this recent overall experience, we both feel that the Phnom Penh Noodles at Battambang Restaurant in SGV is way better! Parking is better over there and so is the service. I know I can't expect much of "service" at any of these types of Asian restaurants but I can still compare at least. We'll be sticking to what we know and love already, which is the Phnom Penh Noodles at Battambang Restaurant.
(1)
Andrew C.

Oh, GLORY HALLELUJAH. Cambodian food, where have you been all my life??? Service was fast, even though my server's accent was so thick I couldn't understand him. It's okay, though. His smile and his politeness made up for it. Makes me want to learn Khmer to ease communication with him. I got the House Special noodles, while my friend got the beef fried noodles (looked like chow fun). When I took a slurp of that crack broth, I was in ecstasy. Refreshing, savory, and overwhelmingly beefy. And yet it wasn't too light nor too heavy. The noodles weren't soggy like at other places, and the meat (fish balls, chicken, duck, and beef, I think) were all perfectly cooked. And the best part? This barely cost $7-8. I took a bite of my friend's order, too, and it was even more delicious than what I got. Noodles were still chewy and had a bit of bite, and the beef was very, very tender. He told me that it's what he always gets every time he goes here and that it never fails him. I can see how it wouldn't.
(5)
YelpStalkingIsSoPitifulLol S.

Tasty hole in the wall noodle spot. Flavorful fast, fresh noodle dishes. Phnom Penh kok is my fav.
(5)
Duy N.

I've been coming to this place since i was a little kid. It's always been my favorite place to eat. The best noodles in town
(5)
Nam B.

Good Hu Tieu. Mixing the broth from the Hu Tieu Bo Kho and the Hu Tieu Satay (a red curry, really coconutee, thick broth) with a squirt of lime and some oily hot sauce creates a really deliciously addicting new broth :D.
(3)
T C.

Went on a weekend around 9:30AM and was seated immediately. Score! Tried the thin egg and rice noodle w/ seafood & beef meatballs (~$9) and the dish failed miserably. Too much noodle, too little broth, and the noodles were prepared too early so they were disintegrating in the bowl. Tried the thick egg noodle with beef stew (~$9) and it turned out to be almost a-ok. Meat was scarce, mostly tendons and fatty solids floating in this dish. The a la carte xiu mai/meatball was good and flavorful but very fatty (~$3). FYI- There is onely one meatball. The fried crab/shrimp/pork loaf (basically eggroll filling fried up w/o the wrapper) was a waste of money and belly space ($4). I'm sorry I've been dying to try this place for so long and had much higher expectations, especially because the Yelp community spoke extremely highly of the food. Other important info: super sticky and dirty, overwhelming menu, limited parking, service is quick, entryway is heavily trafficked due to diners and staff (food is sent out from counter next to main entryway), a la carte items are more of a hidden menu, cash is king, noodle options are thin or thick egg or thin or thick rice or combo egg and rice noodle.
(1)
Willi C.

What can I say about this place that hasn't been said, does the noodle taste good? Well the mounts of people waiting to get their bowl of soup pretty much speaks for itself! The broth this place offer is just hands down delicious, their house noodle is pretty much one of the best noodle in OC. If you like noodles then I am certain you will love this place. The staff are super friendly and nice. This is the place I go whenever I am around the area. Thank you Trieu Chau & Tony for making such delicious bowls of awesomeness, your guys are simply the BEST!!
(5)
Alex N.

Came here on a rainy Sunday morning to get my hu tieu fix. The last time I came here was when I was hit with a horrible fever and literally had no taste bud in my mouth. I still managed to remember how good the hu tieu looked and it created my desire to come back to eat here again. I ordered the hu tieu nam vang with both large noodle and large hu tieu. Their portions here are good enough to feed two people with one order. Their hu tieu is consist of pork, chicken, duck, liver and shrimp. Considering what they put in their hu tieu already, what really makes their hu tieu great is their soup base. I normally don't drink that much soup when eating a soup dish, but their soup was good enough for me to devour the whole bowl. The only down fall to this place is that they are very small and can be very dirty at times. All in all I would definitely come back for a good bowl of hu tieu here. Their food is definitely worth the return!
(4)
Achilles L.

Feeling a little sick? Experiencing the ill effects of overzealous alcohol consumption? In the mood to meet and eat with complete strangers? if you answered yes to any of these three questions then Treiu Chau has a bowl for you. "House Special with Fat Noodles in soup... size XL Please" As you have the first spoonful of broth you get a hit of garlic, a little star anise, pork, chicken, the richness from the duck, and the brightness from the green onions. The soup is light but has a deep complex flavor profile different from the typical bowl of Pho. The XL bowl is packed with a whole duck leg, chicken, ground pork and couple pieces of liver, which is the offal of choice opposed to tripe, that is tender and never rubbery and lends a light mineraly taste to the broth. The roast duck and chicken are always perfectly cooked and fall off the bone tender while the meat balls and fish cake offer textures that help break up the monotony of the succulent poultry. Finding the 3-4 shrimps in your bowl is like finding the prize in your morning cereal. The Fat rice noodle holds up better to the soup and doesn't get soggy and mushy like the thin noodles do. It is a bit harder to get on your spoon or handle with chopsticks but working a little harder for your food makes it taste that much better. I hook up my bowl with a handful of limes, steamed bean sprouts and generous amounts of chilli sauce: first 2 to 3 times around the bowl with Sriracha, then a huge helping of the garlic chili sauce (the one with the seeds), 2 heaping spoonfuls of the chili flake oil, and finished off with a picked red chili. (see the picture of the finished bowl I added). This is not a dining experience for the faint of heart or pallet. On the weekends families are piling in to get their noodle fix, and a 15 to 20 minute wait is standard. If you cant wait that long to have your noodles you can opt to "share table" when the opportunity arises and skip in front of all the hungry eyes as they watch you join another party that already is enjoying their food, provided you don't mind sitting and eating with other people. If your not so fortunate it would be a good idea to grab a menu while you wait and figure out what you want to eat before a table clears up for you. Once you are seated a waiter will promptly be there to take your order and literally a minute later your food will arrive at your table. If its your first time coming here, BRING CASH, order a small bowl to try it out first, go to the bathroom before you come, and be prepared to eat. One of my favorite places to eat when ever I'm in the area, and if its an emergency I will make the 45+ minute drive from Moreno Valley just to eat here! (its happened a couple times!)
(5)
Fish-Sauce Girl H.

The broth, the broth, the broth. It is all about the broth, so delicious, full of flavor. The Phnom Penh is heavenly, even better than the ones cook by Cambodian in Long Beach. Their portions are very generous. Their meatballs (xiu mai), fried rice, stirred fried chow mein or lo mein, their fish cakes, everything is honestly so tasty here. I am giving it a 4 star because the place is filthy. From the tables to chairs to floor. . .your hair will smell like the food upon leaving. I would avoid the noon lunch hour, unless you like to wait in line. They close at 5pm.
(4)
Jennifer H.

UPDATE: its #119, not #120
(5)
Danster L.

3.75 Stars My food buddy took me here to try out their noodle soups. I am not a fan of Pho but I do love noodle soups (egg noodles, vermicelli, etc). This restaurant had a line out the door with no parking whatsoever. Trieu Chau is definitely a good place to eat at on a cold day such as when the surrounding mountains and hills are covered with snow. I had ordered the special egg noodles soup which comes with a duck leg, meatballs, chicken, wontons, scallions, and too many things to name. The broth was very flavorful and I literally drank most of the broth. My friend's soup was good but he's weird, he likes to douse everything in hoison sauce! Hello, why need to drown the food in hoison sauce when it already has flavor =P. Anyhoos, everything is good here from the food to the attentive service. However, the service is not what you would expect if you come here for the 1st time. The staff does ask you if you would like to share tables if your party is willing to do so. In addition, some of the staff cannot speak good English so it would be very hard to understand them at times. Finally, if you order drinks, ask for no ice. Otherwise, your glass of Sunkist, soy bean drink, Coke, etc would be nothing but 80% ice! That is my advice, no ice and you will be happy.
(4)
Janey Y.

3 and a half stars. I came by this place for the first time on Saturday. The place was realllllly busy, but since we came by at 3pm, there was a table ready for us. The good thing about this place is that the prices are decent and the food isn't so bad either. I walked in and could already smell sweet sauce in the air! Yum. The meal was pretty good, we ordered some wonton noddle soups, fish filet and rice, chow fun, and the combo fried rice. My mom actually thought it wasn't bad at all. Haha. She says it's better than Pho 99 and Pho Bak Ky (lol). It's also interesting that the kitchen is right there and you see Hispanics cooking your meal and folding your wontons! The ambiance reminds of what I would expect back in LA except that the dark green carpet should definitely go. Like any hole in the wall Asian restaurant that you go to, definitely wipe the utensils and dishes down before you chow down!
(4)
Kim N.

Another one of those places where sometimes it's better just to take the food to go. The Chaozhou/Teochew/ChiuChow lineage is on my mother's side of the family so naturally I'd be exposed to this sort of food. It's all about the Trieu Chau noodles. Yellow egg noodles, bbq pork, shrimp, wontons, and shrimp/fish balls in a tasty broth. Again ,skip the lines and shoddy atmosphere and eat at home!
(4)
Pete R.

As long as I've lived in SoCal, this is the first time I've eaten here. After seeing the phÃ² at my table brought by the waiter I start thinking maybe I made the wrong choice in ordering the pan fried noodles, but then again I take my first bite and all doubt is erased. Do expect great food, reasonable prices, and fast service. We were halfway done with our meal and added three "to-go" orders and they were brought out in less than 5 minutes. Don't expect five star accommodations or a lot of parking. I wasnt given a menu so I ordered what was suggested.
(4)
Lily O.

I was so excited to bring my family here to try this restaurant since it had such high reviews. We were looking for a Viet place for lunch. And this was catagorized under Vietnamese food. Just because there is Viet translation, doesn't make it a viet restaurant. It's Chinese food ran by Chinese people. We got there around 10a on a Saturday, so of course there was a wait. But not a very long wait, so that's good. A party of 10 and we only waited about 10-15 minutes. We had 2 tables side by side. These people are very quick and kinda pushy. The menu was good with lots of options and the food was decent. So many kinds of noodles in different kinds of foods. We each order a different kinda of noodle soup and they ended up screwing up 3 of 8 orders. But the food came out quick, so whatever. It isn't pricey and wasn't a long wait, and food came out quick since all they had to do was add the noodle to the soup. But won't be back... Maybe 2.5 stars...
(2)
Sam C.

This place is helllaaaa goood!!!! Always craving it. The Kathew Phnom Penh is the best thing ever. It's like the Cambodian version of pho. You can get it dry with soup on the side, or wet with the soup in the bowl. I prefer the wet version, my cousin usually orders it dry. Either way, soooo awesomeeeee. GET IT. It doesn't look like the cleanest place ever, and when you walk in the waiters probably may seem rude. But, what do you expect? They got hella to handle and the food makes up for everything anyways. Alsooo, when you pay you go up to the little cashier counter, they usually don't bring you a check, fyi. They make chinese donuts fresh every morning, but if you come too late, it'll probably be all gone. I also like the seafood chow fun or in Cambodian, Mee Kathang Croung Samoth. Definitely a place to hit up if you're in the OC! (:
(5)
Minh D.

Very good Chinese Vietnamese noodle house and cheap at the same time.
(4)
Greg M.

This was the best pho I've ever had. roast duck with wontons, it was insane.
(5)
Christine P.

This place can be a zoo inside, the wait can be pretty long, it looks pretty dirty ... BUT! The food here is awesome! I love coming here with my family because their food quality is always so consistent and always so damn good! I know this is a soupy noodle house but I always order their "banh pho" with seafood. Basically thick white noodles stir fried with seafood, veggies, and eggs in this thick flavorful sauce. I swear I can eat here 24/7 easily.
(4)
Jeff O.

This place is delicious. Come at the right times and there aren't any lines! Soupy noodles are great, and a break from pho!
(4)
David C.

I consider myself a rice noodle expert because I grew up eating these. Growing up in Taiwan, I used to get them from the ghetto street carts. Through my youthful and adolescence years, I used to eat 2 large bowls every visit at a chinatown hole in the wall. It's the only thing in this world that I cannot get sick of eating. If I could compose a song I'd sing about rice noodles as passionately as Michael Bolton sings to his ladies. Can't believe it took me this long to discover this place. You might see me as a regular here whenever I'm in OC. The broth was excellent. The noodles fresh. The meatballs bouncy. The atmosphere busy. My tummy happy.
(5)
Fongy Y.

Can't say enough about this place. I've been coming here since I was a child, and gotta say, the place itself looks the same, and the food the same, if not better. We usually go in the mornings on sunday before church, and it never disappoints. Good thing is, other pho places, after i eat there, i usually smell like pho (not a bad thing i guess) lol but after eating here, i never smell. The staff is always nice to us, maybe because my family's a regular here but its always a plus. I recommend this place to anyone and everyone!
(5)
Manny V.

Had the surf and tuff combo soup with rice and egg noodle.
(3)
Venice H.

been eating at this hole in the wall since migrated to the US early 80's. have not been there lately due to taste in the broth has changed thru the years. ever noticed amigo with one glove serving you? well..there's a reason for that..before they use to serve your soup without latex gloves. the broth is original in the past..why?? well..would you rather have "thumb in soup" or "latex in soup"? look at the dude thumb when he serve you next time !!! good luck and enjoy the all new "thumb-in-soup" flavor noodles...
(5)
Maddie M.

This place used to be great, but it's not as good as it used to be before. They use to give you a lot of food/meat in the bowls. There used to be about 3 shrimps in the dumpling soups. Now there's only one or none. Also a few years ago, we ordered a bowl home. Just when I was about to take a sip of it, something black was floating in the soup. IT WAS A FLY! I ended up trashing my lunch. It used to be very cheap here as well. The prices went up. I used to go eat here very often.
(1)
Andy N.

This is a major surprise of me not blogging here. I don't know anyone personally that doesn't like this place. The guys in my office absolutely love this place. The soup noodle dishes are all amazing. The dry noodles are great. The portion sizes are really good and will make you feel like crap the rest of the day. That is not even a bad thing. This place may look like a dump but the food makes up for all of that . Trieu Chau is the Vietnamese place that you MUST eat at to experience this side of Little Saigon. You can also get two different noodles in the soup bowls which makes your dinner even better! Recommendation: House Special noodle soup with both noodles. Yellow and White
(4)
Tiffany L.

Amazing noodle place! I usually come here if I'm craving a noodle bowl or their stir fry noodle dish. It wonderful and the portions are very generous. I can't finish the dish, that's how generous it is. It's a casual place and it's pretty loud most of the time. It's the kind of place that you come in, eat your noodle and go. Love it!
(4)
Emilio T.

Other than their Sucky and I do mean SUCKY HOURS this place is bomb. I've had their food a few times and it makes my stomach so happy it laughs out loud sometimes! I've had thier soups, and combo fried rice dishes and it seems so simple but their flavoring and spices or whatever the hell they do is top notch! I wouldn't go in here w/o one of my asian friends just because I'm scared. haha! You will usually see a line out in front, but you can take your food to go if you'd like. Crazy busy inside and noise level is above avg. Parking can be a pain since it gets crowded but I usually had no issues finding one.
(5)
Van T.

The food here is delicioussss but oily I've been coming here for as long as I can remember...it's not as crowded as it used to be from what I remember when I was younger but it's still good. Of course, the prices have gone up but at least the quality stayed! The menu now has all items with tax included. I remember when I used to come in you could see the workers sitting there folding the wonton...legit right? I always get an order of the crab/shrimp cakes and mixed wonton rice/egg noodles--this includes wonton and other meat. (I usually go with at least one other person) It's more than 2 people can eat. When we get to go I usually share an order of the wonton noodles with another person and I'm stuffed. Try not to over order bc IMO this food is not good for leftovers!! (at least not the wonton noodle soup)
(4)
Steven M.

Been coming here all my life, so far. Always good food. I love the Satay Noodles (coconut milk, satay, and your choice of large or slim noodles) freaken delicious. service sorta sucks because you have to drag down a server. Its such a small restaurant and so few employees. Food is still good enough to keep me coming back. Food is cheap and its decent sized portions. There is no where else i could find my Trieu Chau cuisine fix but here.
(5)
D T.

I drive 20 mins to come and eat here. NUFF SAID. I always get the Hu Tieu Nam Vang. about $6.90 after taxes.. It's the best. =)
(5)
Joe S.

Someone told me they have the best fish balls here. Curious, I thought I'd come by and see it for myself. When I got here I was a bit disappointed. Then I realized, "wait a minute, fish don't have _____!" (because if I finish that sentence I'm pretty sure Yelp will remove my review) But they do have good fish balls though! (*_*)
(4)
Matthew C.

So all of you folks who don't want to go to an authentic Chinese dive especially if it it a bit messy and loud, please stay at the antiseptic Chinese American restaurants created just for you. The lines are long enough here as it is. For those of you who have been desperately seeking a real down home noodle shop in OC, look no more. House soup - awesome roast duck, sinfully rich, not greasy broth, liver, shrimp. This soup was simply crazy good. Maybe as good as my fave dive in NYC which is saying a lot. I have to try the roast duck noodle soup to get an apples to apples comparison. Wontons - so hot I could have cooked more wontons just by putting them next to them. Very good. Beef Chow fun - awesome - the gravy was rich as heck. Greens cut the richness. Rice noodles with duck - delicious. Again, greens to cut the richness. The service is not really that rude. They actually were concerned that I might not like the rice noodles and brought out a pack to warn me. Ofc course, we asked for bowls and they brought us 3 (we had 5 people) and plates and got 2. Sigh. I could do without the food lying around and the flies all over but I suppose that is part of the charm. Cash only but pretty cheap. I'll be back.
(5)
Ming L.

Love the noodle soups here. Been going here for 15+ years since I was a little kid. The broth is tasty and the ingredients good. Price is really good for what you get. Food also comes out fast. You're in and out quickly, satisfied with your meal. If you want a quick fix, this is the place to be.
(5)
Surely T.

THIS IS THE PLACE!!!!! I have finally found my noodle place. Whenever I am in the area, I always pay a visit to this noodle oasis. I did not really expect this place to be all the rave but after my first bite I was sold. I ordered number 1 with wontons. The broth is just to die for. It is comforting, warm, flavorful, not very greasy, and all in all, I can drink this broth all day. Their chow fun is pretty good too but slightly a tad too greasy for me and the fried fish cakes are very good however, I always thought that the slight ammonia odor is off putting. I still enjoy it though. It really is just brilliant. Service is SUPER efficient and fast. Waits are never too long and they are quick to serve. Trust me try it once and you will be coming back for seconds.
(5)
Hamilton L.

Well....first off... this has been a long time place my dad and I go when we get tired of Pho and want to go for some Hu Tieu (rice noodles) or Mi (egg noodles) instead. This place is you think known for their donuts right? WRONG! They are known for their chinese donuts. The food is great, but the donuts are better (which you can normally get in the morning (before they stop making it). This place is not really that sanitary or clean as a heads up, but the food is freaking great. Now, why have I given it a 4? Well .5 comes off from sanitary issues sometimes and another .5 since I always get the same thing which is Hu Tieu Nam Vang or Hu Tieu Sa Te (since its like a liquid in the morning and it is nice to have). They have a big variety on what they serve and the food is always consistent most of the time.
(4)
Anhers M.

Dang it...Why is it that even though most Vietnamese recipes serve traditional entrees but it seems to only specialize in one dish. Of course when I'm not with my fobby brother, I can't remember what is good where in Bolsa so I had to call him to remind of that fact that I'm borderline no longer Vietnamese (which saddens me. I've been listening to Vietnamese music to brush up on my bac Vietnamese...) So I'm on the phone with him and the waiter brings us a menu with pictures on it. (us really meaning my racist (according to the lady at mcdonald's) bi-racial boyfriend. Wow this review is getting intense... Anyway, I ordered fried rice, pho ap chau and bo luc lac...all courteous of my brother except the bo luc lac. Overall, not as good as I remember. Yes, all this diarrhea of the mouth just to tell you that this place isn't as good as I remembered.
(3)
mike n.

heck yeah! this place is damn good! i had the ho tieu nam vang......the broth is amazing......chicken super tender......and duck......amazing....highly recommend this place. i just wish i had more time to try more dishes.
(4)
Linaka N.

I know.. When you look at this place, the wait time is ridiculous. It's always freakin crowded even on weekdays! and closed by 5pm? they really are banking to not care to open for dinner time! Service: I have to admit, I do wonder sometimes how they pass the fda test so for the faint of heart: beware. It's not the cleanliness of places nor fancy in any way. Actually its as ghetto as it gets but then I actually enjoy the environment. Service is same as most typical asian restaurants. They must be biased with women working there. All the years I've been there I haven't seen a single lady working! maybe they're afraid she might make them clean. Hehe Food: I love love love their food! especially their "mi xao don" its one of my favorite food in the world! Y U M! I wanna bring home the chef and I can eat mi xao don everyday and be fat. :) the appetizers are yummy too. First time I ever had Chinese donut "gio chao quay" was here. My family and I go here almost once every week for over 10 years now. We're suckers for this place. If you haven't had a taste of this place yet your missing out!
(5)
Michelle M.

This one is tastier than the Westminster one. Pros: food is better than Westminster location, cons: limited parking, limited seating- sometimes they put you together with strangers sharing a table together. This place is crowded during the day no matter what day it is. It is a hole in the wall place but isn't most of the hole in the wall places the best place to eat?
(3)
Bridget K.

Plain and simple: get number 101, it's a win. Ok, so I'm kind of obsessed, but who wouldn't be? Flavorful broth, with thick noodles and TONS of goodies and condiments--c'mon, it's got to be Trieu Chau. This is one of the best trieu chau places that I've been to in SoCal, actually, it probably IS the best in Orange County. If you love noodle soup as much as i do, you have to try it here. By the way, it's a great cure after a long weekend. I'm pretty sure my body's built up immunity to pho being my ultimate hangover cure--luckily i have NO problem switching over to trieu chau noodle soup. The service is great also. They're incredibly friendly and speak vietnamese, cantonese, trieu chau, madarin, and lord only knows what else. Verdict: Affordable, flavorful, friendly. Downside: there's almost always a wait and it's not located close to any freeways, so it's quite a drive though residential Santa Ana from Irvine. Worth it? YOU BET. Read more from me at : theemptylunchpail.blogspâ€¦
(4)
Gaddi Father G.

My best description of this place - This is one of the best hole in the wall dives you'll ever go to eat noodles! This place always has a line out the door on weekends so try to get there early. If you don't mind the surroundings then you'll be able to sit down and just enjoy some good food. I've been coming here a lot for breakfast on the weekends and will tell you that I've never gotten sick. So don't trip and hate on this place cause it's a bit dirty. Be adventurous and go for the gold! I promise after you try this place you'll know why it is such a popular spot for noodles
(5)
Andy H.

This place serves the best house noodle soup in S. CA. Been a loyal customer for over 15 years. The only thing bad about this place is that is always crowded, hard to find parking, but again, food this good always attract a big crowd. Try the Taro & Ginkgo, very good desert dish next time you visit. If you are there after 3pm, make sure to order the bone soup to go. One of my favorite.
(5)
Rich H.

Summary based on 1 lunch: --very good food. For my 1st visit I got the often recommended noodle soup with combo meat (#101) with mixed egg & wide rice noodles. --good service, though it pays to be ready for the "Oh, you need a menu. Just a sec. [one second later, menu is presented with many, many choices. Waiter, pen poised, waits expectantly for you to make up your ignorant mind.] Size bowl? Noodle type? Noodle size? Drink?" --cash only, pay at cashier --if dining solo, expect to share a table. --take out menu by front door --parking mid-week at lunch ok if you arrive by 11:45. Otherwise, find a spot outside the lot [my next trip I'm going to do some scouting. It appears from Google Maps satellite view that there's lots of free parking close by.]
(4)
Jonathan N.

Literally one of the best hole in the wall's in all OC. I've been coming here for about 15 years now and the restaurant has not changed one bit. The decor, carpet, tables, and chairs are all the same and despite it's lack of visual finesse the thing that keeps this place jam packed is their food. Be prepared to wait during brunch time because the seating is limited and they have one wok that's constantly being rotated on. Don't freak out either if you have to share a table with another couple, there are times where I'd rather share a table than wait Everytime I come here I order the Hu Tieu Bo Vien which is a wide flat noodle soup with meatballs. The broth is very tasty and flavorful, great cure for the common cold...and cold rainy weather!! Other times I'll usually roll with the Hu Tieu Xao Bo which the same noodle as the dish above but pan fried and served with beef and veggies all drenched in this sauce mmmmmm (i guess you yanks call it chow fun) What's great is that every visit I come the food is always bomb and they're definitely doing something right because the people are always coming back for more....I know I will!! Don't forget it's cash only and they close at 5pm folks so go early!
(5)
Tony H.

Been coming here for at least years and its pretty much been the same. Same decor as i can remember and even some of the waiters! theres a guy with slick back gangsta hair that been here for years. Theres a line almost every time i come here, call in and place a table and sometimes you'll get seated instantly before the people in line. The Phnom Penh noodles is definitely one of their best items on the menu, its a must try. Has a really rich broth and they pack it with plenty of noodles. Its even better when you can get your hands on the chinese donuts but they usally run out around 11am. The fried rice and the stir fried noodles are good too. Great place for lunch and breakfast
(5)
Tiffany N.

This place brings back childhood memories for me, when my family would have weekend outings to various Vietnamese restaurants. Of course, my mom and dad both immigrated here from Vietnam in the 70's and if THEY can pick out restaurants like this, it MUST mean it's authentic. (They also get props for feeding me Pho 79 when I was a wee lass) Yes, it's grimy -- the floor/walls/parts of the counters look like they haven't been cleaned for years. Yes, they combine tables with other small parties (only during peak hours, and they ask you when you put your name down) Yes, you should order something other than water But that's all part of the charm! Some of the guys have been here since I can remember, and they are all usually quadrilingual -- they speak Vietnamese, Chinese (Mandarin?), Cambodian, and obviously broken English. It's crazy cause my dad is half Vietnamese, half Cambodian (and his preferred language) so when they would take our order the waiter would be speaking to my mom in Viet and my dad in Cambodian, back and forth haha! We were also recognized regulars back then. Anyway, their food has always always been satisfying, fresh, and just freakin GOOD. that is what you're here for, not for the service or ambiance, but the foooooood! The Hu Tieu (wide, flat rice noodle soup) is always piping hot and the broth is amazing. My favorite dish, Mi Xao or Hu Tieu Xao (pan fried egg noodles or rice noodles) is the BEST here. I absolutely love the sauce they drench on the noodles, much better here than anywhere else. Also, their Com Chien (fried rice) is delish and NOT dried out like a lot of other places tend to be. The only huge gripe I have about this place is that they close at 5pm!!!! :( Good spot for breakfast if you want some of their gio chao quay (Chinese/Vietnamese doughnut) with your meal, only served until 10am I believe. Oh, and if you're scared to dine inside, order take-out. Just as good, problem solved.
(5)
Kevin N.

Childhood places for sure. If you are anyone from the north oc you pretty much know about this place, if not you probably know about the other location on Westminster. This place is so good that I know people go out of their ways from LA to enjoy it. Place is a pretty good melting pot in terms of the different types of Asian ethnicity so many people speak their native tongue here. The food here is great. The soup is nice and flavorful and comes in a variety of ways to eat it. People complain that it's dirty and all, but I guess that's because they care too much about it. If you want some good filling food then come here. I honestly prefer this one over the new one just because the food is better and the portions are larger for the same price. Better and bigger? Who wouldn't want that?
(5)
Claire L.

Food came within 3 minutes of ordering it. Get the Seafood Rice Noodle Soup. It's so good, the best fish balls ever! The broth is to DIE for! I saw them cooking the broth in a large pot topped with huge bones. I guess the bones is what makes the soup so flavorful. Place is small and dirty, but can't complain since it's cheap and makes for a quick meal. Also love the chili's you get on the table.
(5)
Weikuang C.

I have been coming to this spot for over 10 years... It is a quick, casual noodle soup joint. I only care for the food, so I would not worry about romantic seating or the set up. I personally just love their Trieu Chau rice noodle soup. For the dipping sauce, I mix the sriracha paste and the seafood paste (50-50) and sprinkle some crush peanuts over. It is the real bomb!
(5)
Angela H.

I used to come here all the time when I was younger w/my family but for some reason or another we stopped coming. So, I got real excited when I went with my friend who apparently had a huge craving for noodles that weekend. All I could really remember was that their House Special soup was delicious. I was kind of bummed out when they said they ran out of the fried Chinese donut, but nonetheless, I was still very excited for my bowl of noodles. The food came out fast. The soup wasn't as good as I remembered it to be; I like my soups hot when they come out, but it was mildly warm. The flavor of the soup was ok, but it just screamed of MSG (then again, 90% of Asian food is cooked with MSG). Oh, and do not get the Vietnamese dessert here (not worth your money or time - go to Banh Mi Che Cali if you want Vietnamese dessert). I wasn't completely satisfied w/my recent trip here, but I'd come back, provided it was cold and I happened to be in the area.
(3)
Louis N.

No Pho? Again...? I'll have the Chicken with Rice Noodles in soup please. Excellent soup. I was weary of Cambodian/Vietnamese places because of my recent past experiences (smelly soup). But there's no issue here, the food smelled great and it was full of flavor. There was a line outside at 9am, I got myself on the list and was promptly called after about 15minutes. The seating area was a shared round table with a stranger old man and a stranger family of three (I don't mind this at all actually, a nice way to say hello to people and share food if you ask me). The food arrived before any of us sitting at the table really got a chance to say hello. Everyone at this table looked tired and hungry including myself, not a cheery crowd. When I snapped a few pictures no one batted an eye, except one old-man staff who stared at me for a bit but decided not to leave me alone and beat me up in the parking lot after eating. The Chicken noodle soup was very good. The chicken was tender and had none of the chickeny smell, tasted good also. The noodles were ok albeit on the soft side and crumbled easily. The star of this dish is the soup, no question. It had light but deep flavor with clean aftertaste, very nice. Overall a nice experience.
(4)
Kat N.

Trieu Chau is the first mi restaurant to open up in OC and after 20 years, the place still reigns as home to the best and most authentic mi in town. There's a reason why people flock here by the hordes practically every morning. As everyone's said, get here early or expect to wait for awhile. What sets Trieu Chau apart is its special hu tieu nam vang, a slightly sweeter hu tieu with Chinese/Khmer roots, hence the Cambodian and Chinese letters you might notice in the restaurant. This place is pretty grimy, with pretty icky bowls and glasses. The flourescent lighting casts a dull, yellow glare. I order the hu tieu mi for $5 with small rice noodles that basically looked like pho noodles but with a really dense and velvety texture. The egg or mi noodles were bright yellow and especially kinky, with a nice firm bite. The broth here, which is a deep amber hue, has perhaps the deepest flavor of all the mi shops around. Very fatty, but so good. My hu tieu came with slices of xa xiu or barbequed pork, giant fish meatballs, two pieces of shrimp, cuttlefish and a chicken drumstick. Very satisfying bowl of mi. Only thing is, they usually run out of dau chao quay breadsticks by 10 or 11 a.m., boo! Update 8/4: Had to drop a star because the downright grunginess of the place finally got to me. And is it me or does the broth taste fattier than ever?
(3)
Rick L.

This is the place to go if you want to try some "extremely authentic" Cambodian Chinese cuisine. This is what people in Phnom Penh, Cambodian capital (also known as Nam Vang in Vietnamese), eat everyday... Cambodian Americans from Long Beach even prefer this place over other Cambodian restaurants in Long Beach. Their true specialty is noodle soups (complete meal in itself)... over 30 different kinds of noodle soups to choose from, mostly from $5.25 to $5.95, and plus after ordering you usually get your own super size bowl of noodle within less than one minute! Talking about efficiency! I always order the No. 1, house special noodle, kui tieu phonom penh in Cambodian, or hu tieu nam vang in Vietnamese. As compared to Pho, instead of getting a few thin slices of beef, the noodle soup here contains sooo many different kind of meat, and so much of them... After eating here, Pho tastes very bland... oh, remember to ask for cooked bean sprout (goes well with the soup) when ordering... never eat anything uncooked here (my advice, haha) Also, you need to drink really hot tea (free) to flush all the grease down after meal... and voila, your exotic lunch for less than $7! It is definitely not a place to impress your date :-)... it might be for you if you are thinking of traveling to Southeast Asian countries and want to sample what it is really like before actually going there... a simulation of the real thing (a typical restaurant) over there... oh, try not to use their restroom.
(4)
Rod S.

Trieu Chau is straight up some last meal shit. I've been here about oh over 50 times in my life and it gets better every time I come. My setup consists of Chinese Donuts and Gway Tieu Phnom Penh. New comers becareful you can only get the chinese donut if you come between 7am-10am. (9am-10am is risking it) Also expect a line out of the door.
(5)
Eva H.

Its usually the dumpy ghetto places that only take cash has the best foods. I had the duck noodle soup, the duck was marinated and really good and they put egg and glass noodle for me. My mom got the seafood noodle and that was good. We got their fish balls, its def made of real fish because i found a bone but it was really tasty and their side vege was so good. I would def come back again.
(4)
Tommy M.

Pho and Chow Fun here are unbeatably delicious PERIOD! Have not tried too much of the other stuff because I am in love with Pho. The place looks ghetto, but the PHO is BOMB. I would give it a 5 if the service was better. I'm only askin for refills on water bc after a hard night of drinkin i need WATER. Overall Great place to eat if you love pho. PS - BRING CASH, Does not accept Cards.
(4)
Debbie P.

This place has been around forever. I remember coming here as a kid with my grandparents since they knew all the waiters and owner. I still continue coming here as an adult but I try to avoid the rush hours since I'm not a big fan of sharing a table or standing around hovering by the door since there's no formal waiting area. It's a total hole in the wall, smells like the carpet has never been changed and the furniture remains the same but if you're aching for a great bowl of egg noodles and can ignore the ambiance then you've come to the right place. Also don't forget to order a bowl of beef bone soup which they normally have later on in the afternoon. On a side note my family comes here on occasion to buy beef and fish balls for hot pot.
(4)
Mike P.

It's takes the type of person that would only care about the food to really appreciate this place. Be forewarned, if you must eat in clean establishments with staff that will treat you like someone very important, you will not like the environment. This place is all about getting you the best mi (yellow noodle) and hu tieu (white rice noodle) soup in the quickest possible manner. I've been coming here for years and I just walk in and order as I'm literally beginning to sit in my seat. I always get hu tieu lon, mi nho (wide rice noodle and small yellow noodles) nam vang (a schormgasboard of meats including duck, chicken, pork meatballs, shrimp and my all time favorite, liver). Most of the time the soup will come in less than 5 minutes! These guys work fast and don't play around, but at the same time you never feel rushed when eating. There is something truly unique about their soup, it's flavors are deep and is complimented nicely with the chili oil. The assortment of meats are generous and you need to come before 10am to make sure you get the dau chao quay (long fried donuts) to dip in your soup. MMmmMMmM They also have really good hu tieu xao bo (wide white rice noodle stir fried with beef and chinese broccoli). It's similar to thai pad see ew.
(5)
Cat Y.

What's the big deal?
(2)
Laura R.

You'll have to wait, and then once you have, they'll sit you with some other random people ... they share tables at this place! Ugh. There's never parking. The service sucks. It's dirty. Pho is decent and cheap but I don't understand or have the taste buds that recognize the difference between this place and the 5892 other pho places around. It's so not worth all the hassle involved for the food.
(2)
Steven T.

Hands down this is one of the best noodle houses available. This place has been here for many many years and has the best soup bases and they give you a bunch of different kinds of meats with your order.
(5)
Rob N.

My parents have been taking us 3 kids here since I was 5 and we can't seem to get enough of it, The line out the door, The old chinese and vietnamese men smoking like a chimney next to me, The crying babies and toddlers who complain about the long wait. None of these things can deter me when I'm craving a bowl. I ALWAYS order their special. It's basically a hybrid Chinese/Vietnamese Egg Noodle Soup with various seafoods and poultry. The broth, a mixture of duck and chicken stock, is sweet and rich in taste. Definitely a fattier broth, it's not for the faint of heart. They include liver, shrimp, crab, chicken, duck, fish paste balls and pork balls. Oh man, I'm getting hungry all of a sudden and I just ate at Santouka. Anyways, getting back to the review, what you need to know is that the decor is horrible, the waiting line is horrendous, and I'm surprised the health code inspectors don't close it up..........yet, it is sooooo good that nothing prevents me from coming back again for another bowl of My! PS. Make sure you are ready to order because as soon as you sit down, the "waiter" will be asking you what you want right away.
(4)
Wendy N.

Been eating at this place for decades & the quality has remained the same! Just unparalleled good home style cookin! :) Of course, the prices are fabu too! You can get a "train sized" bowl of their specialty: Hu Tieu Nam Vang for like...$6-$7--amazaballs!!! Oh...that reminds me...they've got great fish, pork, and beef balls! ^_^
(5)
phu l.

I remember those fond childhood memories when my mom used to to-go some trieu chau for me and my bros... out of all the times I've ate there, I have never ordered/tried the hu tieu nam vang because the mi wonton house special is the best. they have amazing wontons there... man I want some now
(5)
Cuong N.

This place makes me feel dirty. Because the place is so filthy! Which is perfect for a hole-in-the-wall noodle shop. There is no air conditioning here, so on a hot day be prepared to sweat it out with your fellow noodlers. If you are in the mood for Mi (egg noodles) then this is the place to go! Try to get there early because they close when they run out of soup. This is the best noodle soup you can get. It's very authentic, it's always crowded, and a great deal for $4-$5/bowl. Make sure to order some of the fried chinese donuts to dunk into your soup, delicious! If you're feeling adventurous, you can get an additional bowl of just the soup bones in soup. Gnaw on the bones to get a little meat and tendon. Also, if it's super hot outside, I like to order my noodles dry. Which means the hot soup broth comes separate, so that when you're eating the noodles you don't overheat. When you order it dry they also put some special sauce on the noodles for you, so that's a good recommendation for ya. You can also pick if you want the fat noodles or the thin noodles, it's really just a preference (sort of like do you prefer angel hair pasta or fettuccine noodles, they're both made from the same stuff but just cut different). So be prepared to wait in line and enjoy yourself some authentic chinese noodle soup here, and if you're not afraid of getting dirty, then this place is the shizz!
(4)
Kate T.

Not feeling too well today, I think I had stomach flu or something...and now feeling better so I was craving for some noodle soup and remember reading this on Tammer's ROTD, so I decide to try them out. Since yelpers already warn the crowd so I want to do take-out instead. Call the number and a lady pick up, she was nice and ask me what I want (the special house noodle) and what kindda noodle to go with..she explain them in detail about the yellow thin noodle and the thick rice noodle. I didn't expect she would be so patient since many review said the service's rude. When I got there for pick up..around 12:50pm.. I was shocked on how much people waiting outside and having trouble finding a parking. When I got in, it sure look like a mad house, I can't even find cash register, b/c it hides in a corner that no one can see. I spoke to the lady for the pick up, she was very friendly and I ask for a to-go menu but they ran out, she know it's my first time there and she said just come back next time and she will get my to go menu ready. Overall, it wasn't that bad.. I wouldn't want to eat there tho..rather do take-out. The bowl of the house special noodle is around $5.60.. what a deal.. it has 3 piece of duck meat, 1 liver, 4 shrimps, 2 fish balls, and a piece of chicken..the soup taste good, but I can tell it's full of MSG.. I still prefer home made soup by my landlord's wife. The Chinese donut is not the typical ones you find in Taiwan or China.. it's fat, short and taste more like a chewy sweet donut, but still.. not bad. Price and quality of food is unbeatable, but even if I do come back, it will be take out again... I don't like to eat in a war zone.
(4)
Chris E.

If not for Tammer's review on Trieu Chau, I would have seriously docked them many stars. Service was terrible, and the restaurant is kind of grimy; but after preparing myself, I can safely say I had a good experience. The place smelled like Chinese salt and pepper chicken (though the item wasn't on the menu) which appealed to me greatly. Having skipped breakfast, the aroma made my stomach grumble. We were promptly seated and the waiter hovered around our table, expecting that we knew what we wanted. I asked him to give us a few minutes, and he acknowledged and still hovered around our table. Now that's what I call attention. Anyways, I ordered the bun satay, which is thin vermicelli noodles covered with a satay sauce and slices of beef. The sauce was oily, but very hearty and flavorful. The cuts of beef were extremely tender, and served medium I believe, as they were very juicy. The dish was good, but so heavy that I could only finish half of it... the heaviness also made this dish hard to eat as the noodles kept on slipping off of my chopsticks. While I'm not a big fan of Vietnamese food, I have to say the Trieu Chau serves a tasty bowl of noodles. It's not anything I would crave, but I wouldn't mind coming back if my friends wanted to eat here. Definitely one of the better bowls of bun I've had.
(4)
renn a.

I love this place. Been going here since I was 6 with my parents. We always get the house special or the seafood chow fun. Come early to get their donuts. And as a side dish get the shrimp and crab balls, so good! If you can pass the dirtiness and the fact that its not asian people cooking then this place is great.
(4)
Abbe W.

I remember my parents took my sisters and I here once a long long time ago. I remember we had to get up early to come because this place packs up quick. Good to know that they are still around and have such busy business. CASH only place and opens from 7am to 5pm everyday. The crowd never seems to die down but only gets busier when meal time is near. Looking each every table, most people order #1. Food showed up quick, in fact waiting in line took the longest probably. Food is 4-star but environment is not. It might be considered ghetto by a lot of people's standard which is why it has mix reviews. If you've been to Asia, when you walked in, it feels like you were in Asia. But, it's good food. I was told there's a New Trieu Chau at Westminster and Brookhurst but it's not good at all. From some of the reviews, it's cleaner. But, you sacrifice the taste. So, that's the trade off. Also, I was told that the New Trieu Chau is not in any affliation with this. So, don't get them confused for being sisters. If you could look pass that it's dingy and dirty, you will enjoy the food!
(4)
Linda S.

I love this place!!! I have eaten here since forever. The closes place I can go to for some good Phnom Penh style noodles. The place is always crowded when I go. It's not your 5-star restaurant but the food definitely makes up for it. I always find it interesting that all the cooks are non-Asian, but that's another story. The waiters speak multiple languages, definitely a plus because they can communicate with lots of different people. Weekends are PACKED!!! Asian families love eating out on weekends for some reason, and most of them come here! I like sharing the table with different people sometimes, something interesting in it of itself. One time, carolers came through. Hahha, that was something new but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
(5)
Charlie C.

I have been going here for the past 20 years. The duck noodles, the beef stew noodles (mmmm tendons), and the fish cake noodle are all ridiculously delicious, the accompanying egg noodles is always chewy and perfectly cooked. I took my wife here while we just started dating, she a white girl form south county and I guess I was been going here so long I have never notice how dirty this place actually was. We were seated in a communal table and she was one step from yanking me out of there when a bowl arrived for the old man sitting next to us. She took on woof of the delicious broth and we have been going back ever since. The wait staff speaks a variety of Asian languages. I have on occasion ordered in my white washed Thai. Unbeatable value, endless menus items Trieu Chau is one of my all time OC favorite.
(5)
Chrys U.

It's so good, in that somewhat gritty Asian way. I ordered the wonton egg noodle soup, and also shared the Crab and Shrimp with Rice Stick Noodles with my friend. Everything was so perfectly prepared, the flavor was just right. Of course being Thai, we just had to flavor our noodles even more. This place totally brings on the seasonings...fish sauce, chili, chili flakes, vinegar, ground peanuts....aww reminds me of those late-nights eating streetside noodles back in Bangkok. It would be 5 stars if they made their restaurant a bit cleaner and more inviting. But with noodles this good, I guess I can overlook that. I can't wait to go back to try the Chinese doughnuts!
(4)
Nicole N.

This place is a classice hole-in-the-wall restaurant: piping hot, delicious, mouth watering, FLAVORFUL food (reason why there's almost ALWAYS a line) but bad atmosphere. The walls, carpet, and tables are all dirty and grimy. Must Trys: - Chinese donuts w/ siu mai. (theses babies run out, so come early to get these they are soooo worth it!) - Hu Tieu Xao (stir fried wide white noodles) - Mi Xao Yong (sp?) (deep fried crunchy noodles) - Hu Tieu Nam Vang (vermincelli noodles in broth) - Satay Noodles (spicy curry style noodles with beef)
(5)
Cijae K.

It's actually quite difficult to find a Chinese/Cambodian noodle restaurant in the OC, let alone Irvine.. so I was ecstatic to find one right in Santa Ana that I HAD to try asap. Went here for the first time today for lunch. As soon as I walked through the door, we were seated almost immediately. The first vibe I got was the familiarity.. I felt like I was in Chinatown; which is a good thing. Everything seemed clean, the servers even wore a glove on one hand that touched the food they were serving with! Very busy for a late lunch (2:30pm), but then again.. I see why. The food came out pretty fast, as I expected. (Most restaurants similar to this do) My friend ordered beef chow fun, which was really good that we actually shared it. Wasn't salty at all, just the right amount of flavor. I took a star away only because my thirsty lunch companion wasn't given her requested water refill. I didn't bother to ask for one so we both left pretty parched. Our total before tip came to $12.80. Oh yeah, and we were only given one menu. I used to go to Kim Tar in Artesia to satisfy my noodle soup cravings, now I can go somewhere a little close to home! BTW, make sure you have cash, and make sure you get there before 5pm.
(4)
Curtis W.

Simply delicious. I had a craving for some authentic Asian noodles, so my friend recommended this place. We went for a somewhat later lunch but there was still a line forming outside, a sign of its popularity with many of the locals. Luckily, we didn't have to wait too long to get to our seats. My friend ordered the House Special Noodle Soup (which included various meats such as duck, beef, etc.), while I opted for the Wonton Egg Noodle Soup. The noodles were probably the best part of the dish, while the soup was light and refreshing. I've definitely had better wonton, but the ones here weren't too bad either. We finished off the meal with a coconut, agar, pomegranate dessert which was all right. All in all, I will definitely come back here again and again. Parking is limited in the strip mall, but street parking is also available (except on Fridays from around 11:30am to 3:30pm due to street cleaning).
(4)
Sophia N.

Been coming here since i was a little girl and its always good. its cheap and super quick. i like my noodles dry, with the soup on the side. :D their chow fun is pretty amazing, noodles are great. let me tell you, they make their own chinese donuts so after 10 they stop making it, but they serve em til they run out, but they're the best ive ever tasted. its true when they say the dirtiest places have the best food. good stuff so 5 stars and 2 thumbs up!
(5)
Merrill M.

So I've been stuck with this sore throat for a couple of days now and decided I am going to eat pho or soup for lunch this whole week. The place is pretty run down and parking wasn't too bad. If you are not used to eating in hole in the wall places then I give you fair warning it is a bit dirty but once you get passed that its a great place. It wasn't too packed so I sat right away. But it was around 1:15pm so the lunch rush just got done. At first he asked what I wanted with no menu but I was well prepared with yelp on my side. I ordered their house special soup, which was soup and noodles with duck, chicken, beef, fish balls, shrimp. The soup was awesome. It was so full of flavor the taste was so rich that I almost scooped up all the soup before I started eating some noodles. Their fish balls or whatever it is was really good. I couldn't finish all my noodles but i sucked up every last drop of that soup. I really wanted to pick up the bowl, toast it, and down it. Yeah its that good. Hahaha. I would definitely come back here. Bring cash its faster!!
(4)
Ann D.

This place makes the best Pho Xao. Its always busy, ghetto and a little unorganized but the food makes up for all that. I always have breakfast here when I visit Orange County. Love this place since I was a kid, now my son also loves this place. He probably loves it more than I do. There is a New Trieu Chau on Westminster, for some reason, the food is nothing compared to this place.
(5)
TB S.

Ey Yo, Check 1 2 Hombe, Im going to keep this real. This lil joint is popping. Its always crowded no matter what time of day it is, its full of people. My sister's parents in laws made some Hu Tieu that was so bomb that i went on a hunting spree to find one that matches it. Thanks to yelp, I found this joint, and oh man i was not disappointed. I ordered Hu Tieu Ga ( Fat noodles with Chicken) and it was delicioso. thats right DELICIOSO. the broth is tasty and its pretty Westside. Its pretty cheap cause I got full off 7 bucks with tips. I am deducting 1 star because they close at 5PM. WTH is that Hombe!!! Sometime i want to get some bomb soup around 7 but they are not around and it ticks me off. Overall the Food is great, Service is Fast. Keeping it Real Hombe
(4)
DAVID L.

This restaurant has wonderful dishes. Every dish is good. I have been here for many years. Never had a dish I did not like. It has very good business. Sometimes I have to wait for 10 to 20 minutes. The seafood combination pho/noodle soup is the best! I come here for food. Not for the service. Excellent price with large portion of food.
(5)
Larry T.

dirty as hell but the food was great! same order yellow noodle dac biet (special), sieu mai and chinese donuts, please.
(4)
Anna P.

I have been here just two times, but I have enjoyed my experience each visit. They have delicious food, and pretty good service for it always being so busy. The portions are generous, I had the chicken rice porrage, and it came in a very large bowl. I ate what I could, and had the rest packed to go. I agree with Thuy T., they have really good Chinese Donuts here, which I think also go great with iced coffee.
(4)
Catherine C.

So my friend Loraine insisted that we ABSOLUTELY had to eat here because of their famous noodle soups. Since she's my out of town guest, I decided to humor her and swung this way on the way back from visiting my best friend in San Diego. FOOD: Since all the specialties she was rambling about in the car were meat based - the duck noodle soup, the combination hu tieu soup, the beef ball noodle soup - I pretty much expected, as a vegetarian, that I was just going to sit in the corner with my cup of tea while I watched her stuff herself. So to my pleasant surprise and to the restaurant's credit, there actually is a small vegetarian section specified on the menu (about 4-5 items). However, as envious as I was of Loraine's noodle soup, I suspected that the broth for the veggie noodle soup was probably not vegetarian, so I opted for the stir-fried "silver needle" noodles instead. Honestly, I'm not sure why they're called silver needle noodles (it's a literal translation from Chinese and Vietnamese) - they really look like little fat caterpillars made out of rice noodles instead. But despite the insect-like appearance, these noodles are quite tasty and chewy - if you love udon and love rice stick noodles, this is the happy fusion offspring of the two. Plus the silver needle noodles are short (about two inches in length) so you don't have to worry about slurping them. The texture of the noodles were chewy just as I liked them; however, I was disappointed by how greasy and somewhat lacking in flavor they were. I'll give Trieu Chau credit for using fresh veggies to stir-fry with the noodles, but well... let's just say pieces of five-spice baked tofu, which is VERY common in Chinese and Vietnamese dishes, would have made all the difference. In fact it did - I added it when I took the leftovers home. Maybe I should sell my recipe to Trieu Chau... Loraine was completely quiet for the first time during the whole trip as she worshiped her duck rice-stick noodle soup. I'll take that as a good thing. And I admit, though I've never liked duck, even as an omnivore, the broth did smell very fragrant and well-spiced. Too bad they couldn't do the same for my silver-needle noodles... =( AMBIENCE: A very non-descript, fairly easy to miss boxy restaurant on the corner of First and Hopewell. Run by ALL dudes - either old Asian dudes who look like they never take a day off or middle-agish Latino dudes who I KNOW never take a day off. God Bless them both. Extra blessing for being WAY COOL with us staying overtime - Lor and I waltzed in at 4:38 pm, just minutes before the restaurant closed, with the intention of eating in. As if that wasn't bad enough, our two friends wanted to join us about ten minutes later (but we ordered their food to go in advance). The manager was TOTALLY cool with letting us hang out past closing, saying that if we already had the food on the table they could just start closing up while we were eating. What sweethearts - we tried stuffing down the food as quickly as possible but they just kept insisting "Take your time, eat slowly". But, determined not to be bad customers, especially on Independence Day, we were promptly out of there by 5:15. Even so...what service! Extra star for you Trieu Chau! PRICES: Cheap compared to most LA eats (under $10 per person), probably average in the Asian noodle realm. The portions are generous however - I made two lunches from my meal. But be forewarned plastic lovers from LA - CA$H ONLY. PARKING: Well, it's in a pretty sleepy area of Westminster, so there's almost never a problem parking in that small lot. Now if only it could be so easy by where I live...
(3)
Syndee C.

i have been going here since i was being sat in a high chair! ..i think. point is, i've been coming here since i was little. i love this place! their broth is out of this world! no wonder it's always busy. it sucks that this place closes so early too! it gets super busy around lunch time and the wait is at least 20 minutes, but totally worth it. sure, if this place was in LA, it would look a little cleaner in the corners, but hey... i think a lot of people overlook this little detail when their food comes out.. unless of course the minor detail ends up on the plate... which it hasn't! well for me anyway. i love their hu tieu xao thit bo. my sister gets the seafood version, and it's a plate of stir fried noodles with a gravy sauce and asian broccoli! kinda like a mix between rad-nar and pad si ew, if you know thai food. i LOVE it. it takes a lot longer to cook than the soup bowls, but who cares?!? the average time a person spends in the restaurant is about 30 minutes because everything comes out so quick, and they're already cleaning your table before you even leave the door! a lot of quirks this place has, that wouldnt fly in american food restaurants, but i love it here.
(5)
Norannsy C.

the house special noodle is the best!
(5)
Dennis D.

Although the place is not where you would want to go on a first date, I still gave them 5 Stars because their food is very delicious. They did not skimp on the meats. Please note that they close at 5 PM!!! We got there 10-till and they did not show any hostility. In fact, they were kind enough to not vacuum the dining area before we finished eating.
(5)
Alex M.

My favorite place to eat Mi at. Always get the Mi Hoanh Thanh Wonton (dry no soup). With a little soy sauce, lots of sate, and sriracha your bowl will be set. If you get there early enough you can get there Xiu Mai, they usually run out by 10am. When the chinese donuts are fresh they are awesome. But when cold can taste like an oily piece of plastic. And don't let them drop off those ufo looking donuts instead of the regular stick looking ones. They taste like crap. The waiters are og's. I am pretty sure they have been working there since before I was born. After eating be prepared to drop some mad deuce's if you know what I mean. Place is dirty as hell, but for me it adds to the Flavor.
(5)
Mitchy M.

Woke up with a huge appetite after a Saturday night salsa outing. This place came up on Google search as #4 on top ten OC list. I had item #202 which is hieu tieu bo kho (beef stew). Asked for egg noodle and it came mixed with white. The broth tasted watery and even the tea had more flavor. The beef were a couple of oversized chunks you had to tear with your teeth instead of smaller bite size pieces at other places. Worse was the beef had a funny flavor. Left dissatisfied and now looking for a pastry shop to rid of the aftertaste.
(2)
Bradley P.

No doubt some of the best noodles in Lil Saigon. I love it when a restaurant takes a dish and dissects it into individual components and works to make each component good. I wouldn't say everything is spectacular but at least the noodle, protein and broth are good. When it comes to Vietnamese noodles, it's so much about the broth. The broth here is a deep, rich, clean and flavorful concoction. I could not sense any MSG in mine. Not overly sweet, salty or anything like that. Just how a broth should be. This last weekend, I had the duck with egg noodles and it's about as good a duck noodle as I've ever had. Beats what I've eaten in parts of Asia and all around the US hands down. My GF had the chicken with egg noodle. Lots of tender white meat, just how she likes it though I prefer the dark meat myself. The egg noodles if I had to guess seem like they are bought in a package. Not the chewy goodness you would find at Mi La Cay. But it's not bad for a packaged noodle. Perfection to me would be the Mi La Cay noodles prepared by Trieu Chau with their broth and fixins. The staff here seem a bit disconnected. Grumpy old vietnamese guys. They forgot to bring me my hot tea. But Vietnamese restaurants are last remembered for their service but foremost for their food. That's why you don't have to feel guilty leaving them a buck and some change for tip. This is not a clean place, not a nice place... It's a place you go to get a good bowl of noodles. In Asia, places like these are surrounded by dogs and cats so this is a step up. Come here and enjoy the food.
(4)
Danny D.

So ghetto, so good! I've been here before more than a few times with friends, but my experience today was worth writing about. I came in by myself after work. Made eye contact with waiter and raised a single lonely finger in the air. He motioned me to sit anywhere the hell I want and already had his notebook out to take my order before I even sat down. "Menu please?" He handed me the menu and pulled out the notebook again (that's typical Vietnamese style by the way, so you if you are not familiar with this you might think it's strange or rude). Anyway I ordered their signature dish, Hu Tieu Nam Vang with skinny white noodle, and a rau ma (pennywort drink). Food came out in about 5 minutes. Delicious noodle soup with 2 shrimps, a couple pieces of chicken, some duck, some pork, liver, fish balls... every piece of meat had almost the perfect texture. It was so good I didn't even get a chance to drink my rau ma and ended up getting it in a to-go cup (it was good too by the way). The portion is just about right in my opinion. $8 bill, $1 tip and I was outa there... I felt like the King of Saigon! Even though the name of the restaurant is Trieu Chau, the sign out front says "Hu Tiu Nam Vang"... which is even more odd because it's misspelled (see my pic), missing the "e" in Hu Tieu. Anyway just cause a place is ghettofabulous doesn't mean it can't be super deliciouso and 5-star-worthy... YUMMMMYYYYYYYY!!!
(5)
Andy T.

This restaurant serves delicious Vietnamese food. It's very crowded on the weekend, so you are better off calling in and order to-go if you live around the Bolsa area. The restaurant itself is quite dirty, including the restroom. I guess most people don't care, because the delicious food makes up for it.
(4)
Bryan T.

Hu tieu mi nam vang, with all the condiments on the table, is just as good today as it was 30 years ago. The place hasn't had a fresh code of paint since day one. I am satisfied every time!
(5)
Viet B.

I grew up going to this place every Sunday morning after church, and after all these years, its still the same. You can eat in if you'd want or you can take out. Either way, expect a line. Honestly this place must have been an old Denny's or something, its a weirdly adapted hole-in-the-wall type place and most of the cooks aren't even Asian- but its all good. Doesn't seem to be the cleanliness of places, but hey- can't complain when the food is good. The typical dish i get here is their mi nam vang with wontons. Its pretty much the same as their usual mi soup but just has wontons in it. Ask for some gio chao quay- kinda like deep fried dough sticks, throw it in the soup, and you're set. The soup is pretty flavorful and I'm pretty sure has some MSG thrown in, but that's just how it is and part of the flavor. They put in some liver or what not, I can't eat it so I put that aside- but the rest is good. They also keep the porkballs in it whole, instead of cutting them in twos. They also throw in some chopped up chicken- like literally chopped up, with some skin and bone. The noodles themselves have some texture but arent totally chewy. I'd say its a good balance. The waiters there are pretty good since they speak lots of languages, but since the place is so busy don't expect stellar service. Might want to ask for a straw if you get a drink if you're a stickler for cleanliness. Overall, this place hasn't changed much in years and for that I'm pretty glad.
(4)
Ivy N.

yummy! can't go wrong with stir fried yellow noodles!!!
(5)
My L.

I love this place, been going here since I moved from Houston. Come early or after lunchtime rush, or else u will be waiting for awhile. Parking lot gets packed too. Place is small and rundown, but has great food selection and fast service. I always get the seafood wonton soup with all the meats and no noodles. Very filling and flavorful. Fish cake appetizers are good too.
(5)
Linh T.

Really good Vietnamese/Chinese food! Came here for the first time a couple of weeks ago and it definitely left a good impression on me. Food was legit and delicious. Prices were average for the noodle soups and noodle dishes. Coming from Irvine, I usually eat at Seafood Noodle House (Culver/Walnut) which is pretty similar (if not exact) to the dishes at Trieu Chau. But, I'm thinking Trieu Chau uses more MSG to enhance their flavors (I'm not complaining!). I would definitely come back to Trieu Chau if I was in the area.
(4)
Nick M.

I eat here once a week....usually Saturday mornings when the line is wrapped around the building about 37 times. You may wonder why I continue to eat at a restaurant where the paper health code certificate actually got a disease and died. The reason is that the food is just that good, because by all logic this place should have been shut down for health code violations a long time ago. Let me inform you of some "must knows" before you try this place: Parking - I generally go on weekend mornings (the busiest time) and parking is a difficult task. I recommend going in a small car because SUV's don't have a chance. You will see people double parked and sometimes people will wait for literally a half hour to get a "good" spot. There is a secret spot but it wouldn't be a secret anymore if I told you where it was! Muahahaha. Standing in line - They have moved to the "take a number" system and it would behoove you to pay attention to what number they are calling because they will move right along if they don't get an instant response. If they are really busy, you may be asked the famous "share table?" question. Just say yes, people don't bite and this way you will get seated faster. When in Rome.... Ordering - You have to be very bold to go here without an Asian friend. The old Asian gangster men who own and run this place speak about 5 languages and not one of them is English so you must either know how to say what you want or have your Asian friend do it. I've heard Mandarin, Cantonese, Cambodian, Vietnamese, and Spanish. If you get there early enough the djak kvai (Cambodian for fried bread) is free! Delicious! Eating - The line moves quickly and so does your eating experience. The food comes out faster than the drinks, which is nice when you are hungry. The drink size is very small and don't even think about getting refills, so save your drink until the end. You have been warned! Another good practice is to just look at your food because if you look around you will see fly tape in one corner and a damn bug zapper in the other! I'm not kidding. This place is the closest equivalent to the "Soup Nazi" that I can think of. You basically get one shot to park, get in, and order correctly or you're screwed. The fact that there is still a line out the door every weekend after so many years and so many flies just proves how insignificant the inconveniences really are in comparison to probably some of the best noodle soups you will ever have!
(4)
James M.

Been going here since i was a kid. They've kept it the same all these years. I've moved around all these years and havent been able to find a place better.
(4)

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Address : 4401 W 1st St
Santa Ana, CA, 92703
Phone (714) 775-1536
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :7:00 am - 5:00pm

Specialities

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

Claim Restaurant

Chinese Cuisine

The popularity of Chinese food in America can be adjudicated by the appearance of China Town in many major cities in the United State of America. The popular trend of ordering or opting for Chinese take away food isn't unknown in America. Chinese take away food comes to rescue when you're too tired from work or too exhausted to cook. No one can resist the temptation of eating spicy noodles, shrimp, chicken, beef or pork cooked in the sweet and spicy sauce. The cooking method of authentic Chinese food is a lot different compared to what is served in America.

Generally, Chinese use dark meat small bones and organs to cook dishes but this changes when you are eating American-Chinese fusion food prepared using white boneless meat cooked with broccoli, carrots and onions. Back in China, the food is less spicy and oily as they favor steaming and braising method for cooking the most popular dishes. So, if you have a taste for authentic Chinese food, then try finding a real Chinese restaurant in the city. You can also try the most popular fusion Chinese food like Pecking Duck, Chicken Feet, Hot Pot, Shrimp Dumpling Soup, Mapo Tofu, Wontons, Chop Suey, Egg Rolls and not to forget Fortune Cookies.

There are not many restaurants in America serving authentic Chinese food. A little research on Restaurant Listings directory can help you locate the best Chinese restaurants in the city. Chinese cuisine is continuously evolving, and you can find a variety of dishes categorized as the food for lactose intolerant, gluten intolerant, vegan, vegetarian, and diabetic friendly. So, if you have a group of friends with different taste patterns, save the hassle and visit the nearest Chinese restaurant in your city.

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Trieu Chau

4401 W 1st St, Santa Ana, CA, 92703

Trieu Chau Menu

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Retired B.

Steve T.

David T.

Ivan L.

Cassandra Z.

Audrey H.