Xe Lua Restaurant

Reviews

• Claudia K.

  star star star star star 6 June 2026

  This location is tucked away in a small plaza on Bayview just before Major Mackenzie. It's been a staple here for as long as I can remember but I didn't venture into it because for a long period in my life, I believed I did not enjoy Vietnamese food. BOY, was I wrong!
  
  [BBQ Chicken w/rice] $9.50 - it's kind of misleading that the English title says "BBQ Chicken" when to me, it definitely tastes like lemongrass chicken - or perhaps it's very common, and almost assumed, that BBQ chicken has a lemongrass flavor to begin with! Not a clue but I do know this, it is delicious. I probably eat this dish in an unconventional way but at this place, they always have a bottle of a sweet sauce that I like to drizzle over either my rice or my BBQ chicken to consume it :D
  
  Service here is pretty good for the most part as all the servers are friendly when greeting you and when they come by to verify your order. The only questionable action I've seen happen in this place is that shortly before peak hours, aka 6PM on a weekday, they seem to consistently shut down half of the seating room to mop the floors? To me, that seems like an odd time to do that, no? You've just taken away half of your seating room for something that I believe should be done during the off hours of this place - but that's just my two cents!
  
  I'll definitely keep coming back here to try other dishes as I've found a few that I like already ~

• Amanda H.

  star star star star star_border 5 June 2026

  Location: Bayview & Major mackenzie
  
  Parking: Small parking lot, but seems to always have spots. Going up Bayview you have to do a full turn around the plaza to get in because you won't be able to make a left turn. A bit inconvenient
  
  Decor: Normal, and clean
  
  Food: Really quick, pretty good but still on the oilier side
  
  Service & Cost: quick service, came in and quickly greeted and seated. Cost is cheap, same prices as regular pho places.

• Nicole K.

  star star star star star 5 June 2026

  Absolutely love this little restaurant! I've been here twice and both times the food was been great. In my opinion, their medium rare pho and vermicelli are the BEST. Plus, the restaurant is on the cheaper side so it definitely is good for a student budget.

• Michelle O.

  star star star star_border star_border 31 May 2026

  Pho is the most simplistic yet fulfilling comfort food there is. If you're looking for a light bowl of Pho, then this is the place for you. The broth here does not have that thick beef flavour, but has an authentic and "fresh" taste to it. Also, the noodles are the thick type, so if you like the typical small and thin noodles, you should ask for a change. However, the thick noodles suit my liking more so it was perfect for me. My tongue wasn't itchy or anything after so I was extremely satisfied with the broth. Also, sizes are very good considering the price. I shared a large with a friend and it was perfect.
  
  I would have given this place 4 stars if it weren't for the dishes that weren't pho. I ordered the pineapple fried rice and it was super disappointing. The presentation was amazing as the rice came in a pineapple but the flavour was ... there was literally no flavour. It was the epitome of bland and maybe they forgot their seasoning? If you're craving pineapple fried rice, I would recommend Restoran Malaysia which is across the street!

• Janice X.

  star star_border star_border star_border star_border 18 May 2026

  Absolutely atrocious customer service !!!
  
  This place is located right across a high school but it is absolutely not how to treat customers with such grotesque attitudes. Upon walking in, the waiter told me to put my bag under the table [understandable because they push the noodles with a trolley] but it seemed more of a demand than correcting a safety hazard.
  
  Next, the restaurant seems to always be covered in grease, almost everything is coated in a layer of oil - bowls, tables, utensils and most importantly the entire soup! Xe Lua uses so much oil, MSG and artificial flavour to cater towards peoples' cravings and highly disregards the authenticity of a bowl of pho. Nonetheless, because of this artificial flavouring, it does make the soup taste good (in the worst way possible). Moreover, I'm pretty sure a large soup broth is made in the back with the noodles slapped into the soup, thus having a super bland taste!
  
  The meat toppings are not quite to my liking either, the rare beef is super dry and simply does not taste like real beef! We were served with beef with lots of fat as well which did not suit our taste buds at all. The bowl of noodles left me thirsty for the rest of the day - not a good sign at all...
  
  To add to the customer service, there is an apparent difference between attitudes towards and adults and students. Perhaps this is the reason why students do not tip as well since tipping ties into a good meal and quality service!