Thien Long

While visiting San Jose on a weeknight with my family, we needed a place to eat that stayed open a little later. Luckily, we stumbled upon this gem, which closes at 9 PM and serves all the Vietnamese staples you'd hope for.Despite walking in with a party of 10, the staff quickly rearranged tables and seated us right away. The restaurant had a lively yet comfortable atmosphere--about half full, with a steady flow of diners. It's not fancy or over-the-top, just a simple, no-frills spot that focuses on great food.We ordered a mix of rice and pho dishes, and everything hit the spot. The flavors were authentic, portions generous, and service efficient. If you're looking for a reliable Vietnamese meal in San Jose, this is definitely worth a visit!

I was visiting friends up north and they said I had to try Thien Long, so we went. It's not a fancy place, but the food is great! We got 2 orders of the cha ca la vong and it was super delish! Fish was cooked to perfection and the accompanying veggies cooked on the grill in time to wrap in our spring rolls. Food really hit the spot and reminded me of my adventures in Vietnam.Service was ok. People were nice, but once they bring out your food they don't really check on you. Also keep in mind this place is cash only a so make sure to hit the atm before you go. When I'm in town again, I'd definitely go back.

A little expensive but always delicious fried fish! Vietnamese restaurant off of Capitol expressway known for their fried fish dish. The filets are marinated and fried and served with rice noodles, lettuce, cucumbers, basil and rice paper! This place is a make your own roll though so they give you the rice wrapper separately to wrap them yourselves! However if you need help or don't know what to do, you can ask for directions :) It's not too noisy inside and is great for groups! There's lots of tables with 4-6 seats!

I have been to the restaurant as well as ordered through DoorDash. I think they have a great selection / wide variety of food options on their menu which I really like because my family has very different food tastes in terms of Vietnamese food & we are all able to order all of our favorite dishes!

I've come here twice just for cha ca la vong (lemon grass fish) and it never disappoints! The portion size is huge and perfect for sharing with 2 people. The menu says it is grilled, but my friend pointed out that the crispy coating couldn't be grilled and I had an extreme face palm moment. The fish is super fragrant and juicy and it tastes home made. Don't even try to put it in a lettuce wrap because the fish will plop out! It is just as good in a deconstructed salad with some nuoc mam. PSA: this place is cash only but also accepts Zelle. You pay at the counter and don't even have the option to tip (weirdly)

Food (4/5) - Rice plates and Pho were all around good. Serving size was just right and all the expected flavors were present. Nothing stood out but there are plenty of options as the menu is quite large.Service (5/5) - They were able to seat our large party of 14 across two tables on a late Saturday night. Service was quick taking orders and bringing out the food with no mistakes or mix-ups (which can be a challenge for large parties!)Ambiance (4/5) - Had some nice decorations and the tables & bathroom were clean. Found the large TV's on the walls a bit distracting and don't fit the vibeLocated in a busy plaza that can fill up on parking. Lots of dessert and drinks options nearby for after!

The special grilled/fried fish dish was definitely worth trying. It comes out sizzling on a hot plate, and there's an option to add rice paper, which we did. The flavor is really unique and delicious. I think it's a great dish to get with a bigger group.Our waiter was very fast to take our orders and bring out the food; everyone here is pretty nice. My only thing is that the tables might be a little small if you're ordering as much food as us HAHA. They also only take cash or Zelle, but there's an ATM inside the restaurant too! I would definitely come back here, but get something other than the fish.

I go here whenever I crave local Vietnamese food. I get the mien ga when my family is sick and I don't have time to cook. Their Cha Ca La Vong is sooo good. I get this when I crave something refreshing and filling and don't want to eat meat. Quality is pretty consistent and staff is always nice.

I've been to Thien Long plenty of times throughout the years (over a decade) and it's been a generally reliable Vietnamese restaurant with comfort dishes. Our usual orders include the grilled fish (with rice paper), shaking beef with tomato rice, fried flour cake with egg (personal favorite), various pho (combination, rare beef + tendon, chicken, etc.) and all of them have been quite delicious. Food comes out pretty quickly. Service is straight forward. Good amount of indoor seating with multiple TVs on. Parking can get chaotic in this plaza since it's usually quite busy here.

9/14/24Got #36b with the rice paper rolls so the total came out to $38. Service was super fast the food came and in about 10 minutes. The portion is huge, just one order could easily feed 3 people especially bc they give a lot of rice paper rolls. It comes with regular fish sauce and a much stronger fermented fish sauce (paste texture). Definitely recommend going here