Cao Nguyên Restaurant
About This Spot
Stepping into Cao Nguyên Restaurant feels like settling into a familiar neighborhood nook where the hum of friendly chatter blends effortlessly with the warm, inviting aromas of home-cooked Vietnamese fare. This casual, unpretentious spot offers a relaxed pace—perfect for gathering with friends or family over dishes that speak gently of tradition and care.
The atmosphere is modest and functional, a place where the focus is quietly on the food and the company rather than on flashy decor. Conversations flow easily here, carried along by soft background music that adds to a lively but comfortable energy. It’s a welcoming setting for birthdays or low-key celebrations, where the restaurant’s openness encourages connections and shared moments.
Dining here feels like discovering a well-loved family recipe brought to life: bowls of noodles and porridge simmer with rich, layered flavors, and savory pork dishes arrive with an approachable heartiness that satisfies without fuss. The kitchen’s touch is thoughtful, evident in the crisp, golden wings or tender, caramelized spareribs—comforting plates that invite slow, communal enjoyment.
Though simple, the service embodies a genuine warmth and attentiveness, enhancing the sense of being cared for rather than rushed. There’s a steady rhythm to the meal: generous portions that encourage sharing, coupled with dishes that balance freshness and depth, inviting one to linger, to savor, and to return.
For those who seek an authentic local experience where the taste of Vietnam is served alongside the kind of conviviality found in close-knit homes, Cao Nguyên quietly holds a place on the map—offering moments that feel both grounded and distinctly welcoming.
What’s Available Here
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Has wheelchair-accessible car park
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Has wheelchair-accessible entrance
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Has wheelchair-accessible seating
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Offers kerbside pickup
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Offers takeaway
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Serves dine-in
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Has fast service
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Popular for lunch
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Popular for dinner
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Good for solo dining
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Serves alcohol
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Serves beer
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Serves comfort food
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Serves small plates
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Serves wine
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Serves lunch
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Serves dinner
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Has catering
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Serves dessert
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Has seating
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Has toilet
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Casual
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Good for groups
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Accepts reservations
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Accepts credit cards
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Accepts debit cards
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Credit cards
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Good for kids
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High chairs available
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Has kids' menu
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Free of charge street parking
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Free parking lot
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Plenty of parking
Tung Ho 19 Dec 2025
I dined at Cao Nguyen Restaurant in San Jose and tried their fried fish dish. It was absolutely delicious! The fish was perfectly cooked, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The portion size was generous, and the dish was served with a side of fresh vegetables and dipping sauce, which complemented the fish perfectly. The service at the restaurant was friendly. Overall, I would recommend their fry fish dish to anyone looking for a tasty seafood meal.
Natalie Vo 13 Dec 2025
Update: May 5, 2023. I liked their home style food so much that I returned for take out. For this trip, I ordered 3 items: hu tieu My Tho, butter chicken wings and combination chowfun. The chicken wings's oil were well drained and not greasy at all which made it so crispy and light. The skin was still crispy after I get home. It was fried to just the perfect golden hues and crispiness. I appreciated that the chef was so mindful about making the wings not oily. I can't count the many time I ordered fried food at restaurants that the chef didn't wait to drain the oil that food were drenced in greasy oil and soggy. The wings came with a small container of salt & peppers, piece of lemon and fresh sliced jalapeños. Yum! This is one of my favorite snack/appetizer but the Vietnamese refer to this as drinking food. Pair well with a cold drink for those that do consume adult bev. An original coke would work equally well for me. Lastly, the hu tieu My Tho came with the clear, chewy noodle. Spot on. I had a feeling the chef are from the Southern region so they specialized in the various Southern style noodle soup. The combination chowfun literally came with so many toppings that I was so delighted. Assorted fresh vegetables and plenty of various protein like pork, beef, shrimp, calamari and even fried fish cake. Originally dined here late on Sunday April 30, 2023. Haven't dine here for ages although we frequent Pho 21 often in the same plaza. If you're looking for authentic Vietnamese cuisine, home/family style, this is your restaurant. They are known for typical Vietnamese home style fares such as caramel fish, sweet & sour soup, etc...It was a cold, windy night so I was craving for something hot and soupy, a la hotpot. I personally preferred the Vietnamese style hotpot over the recent trendy Chinese ones. We called 2 appetizers and 1 hotpot. They were exactly the taste I'm looking for and I'm glad Cao Nguyen restaurant came up during my search and they were still open after 8:30 pm on Sunday evening. Since it was almost closing time, a few appetizers I wanted to try on the menu is not available. We managed to order an available appetizer: spicy Thai calamari salad. They had the sweet, sour from lime juice and salty umami fish sauce flavors I was craving. On top of that, the freshly chopped Thai basil really enhanced the freshness yet crunchy texture of this calamari entrée. Of course, they're not spicy at all to my standard for those non spicy dinners. Our 2nd appetizers was baby clams aka hen xuc banh trang. It came with toasted rice cracker which you use like chips to scoop up the clams. Unfortunately, I would rate this dish as average as I felt our family version of this entrée is much better. Lastly, we ordered the seafood, Thai hotpot (tom yum inspired), the large size. Loved...loved this broth version of the hotpot and the assortment of seafood and Thai herbs/ingredients. I can taste the natural acidity from pineapple but I also see kaffir lime leaves, various seafood like prawns, mussels, Vietnamese style fish paste, squid, etc.... The hot pot came with free rice vermicelli. I liked that they gave you real seafood unlike others places that give you those subpar seafood balls to give volume but not much "real" seafood. I don't know why we stopped going here for the longest time but these are the old Saigon recipes and flavors I had while growing up. I'm going to return more often from here on. I felt many recent Vietnamese restaurants in San Jose imitate recipes from the current Vietnam that I no longer associate as the Vietnamese food I know growing up. They had so much Korean/outside influence that they modify the recipes so much that it had lost the original signature Vietnamese recipes and heritage which is a little disappointing. In the mean time, I'm going to keep patronizing restaurants like Cao Nguyen so they can continue to churn out time honor family recipes to share with us all. The owner was so sweet. She even asked me how was the food and my dining experience. Such personal touch.
Hien Truong 28 Nov 2025
It is nice, clean, good atmosphere place to eat with your friends and family. I went to celebrate my friend's birthday. The music is really good and alot of fun. You could celebrate birthday and party here. The owner is very nice and friendly.
Jonathan Phan 18 Nov 2025
Cao Nguyên Restaurant offers traditional Vietnamese dishes, with highlights like broiled catfish and seafood hot pot. The flavors are fresh, and the portions are generous, making it a solid choice for family-style dining. Service is friendly, though wait times can be long during peak hours. The dining area is simple and functional, lacking in decor but focusing on authentic, well-prepared dishes. Prices are reasonable, and food quality remains consistent, making it a reliable option for Vietnamese cuisine lovers.
Edison Huang 18 Nov 2025
A lot of the food we ordered reminded me of Chinese food. However, Vietnam and China do have a lot of history together so this isn't exactly not out of the ordinary I guess? I do prefer the Chinese version but my friends enjoyed everything here. We did family style between the 5 of us and the total came out to like $115. Pretty good deal!
Monty Griswald 18 Nov 2025
I was introduced to Cao Nguyen by my doctor. I was very pleased to have a sample of many different Viet dishes, all of which were delicious and delightful to try. The seafood vermicelli and spring rolls were my favorite. It was my first time mixing lime and salt/ pepper to enhance the taste of the food. It seemed family owned and they were nice/ hard working folks. I will be back here again when I get the craving for Viet food!
Cali Native V 02 Nov 2025
Pretty solid Vietnamese restaurant serving numerous types of traditional dishes from noodle soups to salads to seafood to many a la carte dishes. They can handle large groups. They renovated the place beautifully. Service was good.
Christine Nguyen 28 Oct 2025
My family are regulars here for many years. Consistently great food and service. Our favorite Vietnamese restaurant! Usually no wait as well