Vung Tau Restaurant

Bad news: the flagship Vung Tau on E Santa Clara Street — for decades San Jose's white-tablecloth Vietnamese standard-bearer — is closed, per its Yelp listing and other directories since late 2025. Family-linked Vung Tau locations have operated in Milpitas and Newark; call ahead before making any trip, as statuses have been shifting.

Key facts

Frequently asked questions

What kind of food is 'Vung Tau' style anyway?

Vung Tau is a coastal city in southern Vietnam known for seafood — the restaurant leaned into that heritage with crab, fish claypots, and southern Vietnamese classics alongside pho and banquet dishes.

Is Vung Tau Restaurant in San Jose still open?

The flagship at 535 E Santa Clara St is marked closed on Yelp and other listing sites as of late 2025, though the restaurant's own website hasn't been updated to say so. Don't go without calling (408) 288-9055 first.

Where should I go instead for Vietnamese food in San Jose?

You're in the right city — San Jose has one of the largest Vietnamese communities in America. Head to the Story Road and Tully Road corridors in East San Jose, or Vietnam Town on Story Road, and you'll eat spectacularly well.

Are any other Vung Tau locations open?

The family brand expanded to Milpitas (Vung Tau II) and Newark (Vung Tau III) over the years, though the Milpitas location has also shown as closed on listings. Statuses are in flux — call before driving anywhere.

Why does the Vung Tau website still show hours?

Small restaurant websites often outlive the restaurant — the official site still lists 11am-3pm and 5-9pm daily, but the closure flags on Yelp, HappyCow, and KQED's listing are more current. Treat the website as stale.

Could Vung Tau reopen?

There's been no announcement either way that we could verify. If it matters to you, call the listed number or check for local news — San Jose institutions do occasionally resurface in new spaces.

What was Vung Tau known for?

It was San Jose's classic sit-down Vietnamese restaurant for decades — the place families booked for banquets and special occasions, known for dishes like bo luc lac (shaking beef), claypots, and seafood from the coastal Vung Tau tradition.

Was Vung Tau expensive?

It sat in the mid-range — pricier than a pho counter, cheaper than downtown fine dining, which was exactly its niche: dressed-up Vietnamese for family celebrations.

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