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Kim Penh Xe Lua Vietnamese and Cambodian Noodle House
Categories: Restaurants Vietnamese Restaurants Cambodian Vietnamese, Cambodian [Edit]
540 W BroadwayVancouver, BC V5Z 1E9
Neighbourhood: Fairview Slopes
(604) 877-1157
- Hours:
Mon 6 am - 6 am
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night, Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
38 reviews for Kim Penh Xe Lua Vietnamese and Cambodian Noodle House
Review Highlights
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"pho restaurant, how could life get any better." In 25 reviews -
"It's a cash only place so come prepared." In 7 reviews -
"Their salad rolls are pretty darn tasty as well." In 1 review
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38 reviews in English
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Review from Taylor K.
4/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
This is my to go spot for pho when I am over the bridge. Their broth is tasty and service pretty good. They were always very accommodating if I came in with a stroller. To me, that's an awesome service.
They have 3 different sizes for pho so if you are super hungry you can go for the extra large order of this yummy noodle.
What else can I say? Yummy pho and good service keeps me coming back for more.
Oh, their sub is yummy and such a good value at $3.75. But they only accept cash. -
Review from Jessica D.
Vancouver, BC
Sure it's nothing fancy, the decor leaves something to be desired, and there is a pretty dingy atmosphere, but this is a favourite staple of mine. Most pho options around the $5 price range, served with fresh bean sprouts, mint, lime, and peppers. I usually order the veggie soup with an egg cracked into it, and my boyfriend usually orders the steak and flank pho. I would highly suggest the salad rolls and of course, spring rolls. I've tried other options from the menu, but nothing is quite as good as their pho. It's also the best priced option as well.
In comparison with other pho restaurants I've been to in the area, this one is by far my favourite. You can't beat the 24 hour, 7 days a week opening either. -
Review from Beck C.
2/7/2012 5 photos
Maybe I like a little honest dirt in my food. Or maybe it's mind over matter.
Either way, don't let the tacky, 24 hr vibe distract you from experiencing some mighty tasty dishes!
Curry chicken with rice - the curry was a shocker. Tremendous depth of flavour à la Banana Leaf (almost), my gold standard! Huge fan of the heaping pile of rice. Because delicious curry deserves enough rice to drink it all up!
Spring roll, grilled pork chop, shredded pork with vermicelli - marriage of all the good things in life: deep fried goodness, pork & more pork.
Grilled chicken with vermicelli - leaner protein, meaner marinade!
Noodles - pho is reliable. Whatever you do, don't be sidetracked by yellow noodle anything.
Don't knock this place til you've tried it. Trust me...and my (perfectly sober) judgment! -
Review from Andrea L.
Vancouver, BC
1/27/2012
I'm not gonne lie, I actually like pho hoa better.
The broth had more taste to it and for a large there, you get much more..
It was the closest place to us as we had very few choices, but if you can, wander to Pho Hoa instead. -
Review from Erin W.
Vancouver, BC
1/3/2012
I liked it for the most part! Good: fast, cheap, decent quality pho, lots of basil and meat in the pho AND open 24 hours. Bad: lemon wedges instead of limes (I like my lime....), cash only, a little dirty. Decent spring rolls. I'd go again!
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Review from Kyrsten J.
New Westminster, BC
7/13/2011
Decent pho with an interesting cinnamon and almost sweet taste. Had the Wonton Noodle soup here - good sized portion - and cheap.
It's a good thing though, that most people eat the soups that you know turn over fast especially at the lunch rush. The back area and the washroom...well, let's just say I'd skip over anything that wasn't just freshly cooked. -
Review from Betty T.
11/27/2011
Saw a rat running around... Need I say more?
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Review from Jenna B.
Coquitlam, BC
2/8/2012
The people who work here really care about their customers. Talking with the owner she cares about the quality of the ingredients used and having happy healthy customers. The pho is pretty cheap and I love the broth they use it is delicious. I can't mark this place down for decor considering the fact it offers 24 hour service. I do admit to disliking the neon lights inside but I come here for the food and service not how pretty it looks. This defenitely a place for a student sized wallet aka mine! This place I have to say is sorta wheelchair accesible. I've seen wheelchairs come in but its a battle to manevur through during rush times. The service here is quick. I do agree that I wish they served limes with the soup.
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Review from John M.
6/28/2011
The pho served here does have very good flavor but not plentiful in portions. More meat, more noodles... c'mon, 2 leaves of basil... puhleese!!! My visit was in the mid afternoon when it was not busy at all, but I had to wait 10 minutes to order. Good that my pho was brought to my table in half that time! The family style of seating is great for... well, large groups, but I still like the old seating style where I can snag atable for two at the window and people watch. Cash only....
The good side of the review? Again, the broth flavor is really good. The location is less than a minute walk from the Canada Line and in the middle of a lot of places that I needed to hit.
Yes, I will be back. -
Review from Maria W.
Vancouver, BC
7/20/2011
I've come here a few times, almost always late at night.
It's not the best in terms of decor and upkeep, but the food isn't bad.
What keeps bringing me back to this place is the fact that it's open 24 hours and it's hard to find other places open so late in the area. So if you're looking to grab a quick bite late at night or during the wee hours of the morning (after a late night partying or clubbing, perhaps) then this place will be open.
Other than your standard pho, it also has a small variety of Cambodian food, for those not craving something soupy. I've personally only had the pho before though, which is decent.
Note: It's cash only, so don't spend every last penny on drinks if you plan to hit this place up after the party! ;) -
Review from Edward L.
2/13/2011
24h pho is the shiz.
For those days when you have late night munchies on the West side of Vancouver, and feel that Denny's is a little too greasy, this place is for you.
I swear, I see the same lady running the front counter regardless of what time of day I show up. Does she ever sleep??
The tables look like they're lifted out of the 1970s with the pink and turquoise tones, and the overhead neon signs definitely don't make the place less tacky. But it's part of the charm. Oh, the fact that the tables are arranged basically into 3 looooong rows means you can easily bring 12 friends and still sit together.
The pho here is decent, but nothing special. But it gets the job done. I've had the white coffee, rice, pho, and noodles. Everything is bang on. And the place is inexpensive!
This place wouldn't be the best place to bring a 1st date, but if you and a bunch of your hungover friends need a place to watch the sun rise or ride out the alcohol, this place is for you. -
Review from Marc Daniel E.
Surrey, BC
1/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was quite disappointed in the food here. The portions in their soup was a lot smaller than most Vietnamese places. There was way too much noodles and not enough meat. Also the order took a long time, I've found that Vietnamese places serve their food fast, except for this place.
The 1 one good thing about this place is that its open 24 hours... If you're looking for hot soup at 4am, then come here. -
Review from Yoony P.
11/18/2009
This restaurant is one of those places where I take my tea-soaked napkin and 'do the dishes' with my spoon and chopsticks before daring put them in my mouth.
It's one of those places where I make sure I go pee at home before I get there so I dont have to use their bathroom--god only knows what state it's in.
The food is fresh, the broth hits the spot. (note: they do not add any cilantro to their pho, for those cilantro lovers out there) I am tempted to presume that they add msg , but who knows. At just under $6.00 for a bowl of delicious noodle soup, I'm not judging.
There's just something about a bowl of hot pho on a cold rainy day.
Their salad rolls are pretty darn tasty as well.
Oh yah, and it's open 24 hours. Score. =)Listed in: I *heart* Cambie Village
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Review from Heather M.
Vancouver, BC
7/24/2010
This Pho restaurant has been my favorite since I came to Vancouver 6 years ago. This is probly because it reminds me of Toronto; fast, dirty and good friendly people. I love the soup here. I always order the vegetarian pho. Lame I know, but the broth becomes so tasty when the veggies sit for about 5mins. It's also the only pho place i've been to that serves hot chilli oil with their pho. something I can't be without.
New management took over this restaurant about 6 months ago and I have to say it hasn't been the same since. Even though the broth (the essential component of good pho) is the same, the prices went slightly up, the servers were cold and the place is still a trash hole.
Despite this, I still return to my favorite pho place every week where I get to reminisce about Toronto days. -
Review from Emma L.
10/22/2010
Great pho, reasonably priced, in a convenient location. Not the prettiest of restaurants, but when I come here I'm more focused on the food.
Cash only, which I always forget. At least there is a bank nearby. -
Review from Kay C.
Vancouver, BC
7/30/2011
The pho here is unmissable... So flavorsome and delicious, with generous portions. Not much atmosphere though and the service is perfunctory. Still eat here at least once a week!
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Review from Dani B.
5/12/2009
24hr. pho restaurant, how could life get any better?
Seriously, any place that is open 24hr. and is not fast food is a ok with me, but not always easy to find.
Even though I'm a vegetarian and there are only a few options for me, I still love this place. The broth is amazing and if you ask for it vegetarian, they'll do it hapily.
So bring a gaggle of friends at all hours of the day or night and get ready for a pho-tastic meal (ok, i'll stop now).Listed in: Cheap and fast, just how I…
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Review from Colene C.
6/13/2010
Wow, I have no idea how this place has such a high ranking. I've scrolled through some of the previous reviews and I'm shocked to see that it has 5 star reviews??
Is it because the pho portions are large? Is it because it's open 24 hours? While those two things are good, I'm not sure it really makes up for the other things.
When we first entered the place, I couldn't help but notice the decor. The place is decked out in neon, head to toe (there's neon rings on the ceiling!) and is rather dingy. I thought that the table we were sitting at was dirty but it turns out that it was so banged up that the paint had peeled off in some places.
I wasn't feeling like pho that night so I decided to get a grilled chicken sub and my dining companion picked out a bún (grilled pork chop, spring roll on vermicelli).
My grilled chicken sub was rather lacklustre. It was a little too fatty and greasy and the bun didn't taste very fresh. Strangely, the cucumber that accompanied it was cut really large...it was bigger than the pieces of chicken! It seemed more like a cucumber sandwich to me.
And what about the bún? I stole a bite of grilled pork chop and was disappointed. The flavouring was really strong which made us feel like it was trying to cover the fact that the meat wasn't very good. There were tons of vermicelli noodles which made me feel like this meal was more about quantity than quality.
While we were there, we noticed a few other tables who were eating pho and they seemed to be enjoying it. Perhaps this place is only about pho and we ordered the wrong things (which is why I'm giving it 2 stars instead of 1 star). I highly doubt I will be coming back. There are just too many other places in the city to get good vietnamese food and I'd rather support them. -
Review from Peter V.
Vancouver, BC
1/14/2010
When I used to live at UBC, isolated from most of the city during my studies, my cross town bus rides brought me by this block infrequently. Regardless, this one block stood out because nearly all of the businesses on it are restaurants. Kim Penh Xe Lua stood out because of its garish decor (neon interlocking rings on the ceiling!) and because it is apparently open for 24 hours a day.
My usual Vietnamese restaurant order is pho dac biet. Kim Penh's menu is a little different. It classifies pho based on whether each variation is more suited for beginners, more experienced or even more adventurous eaters. Not bad for beginners I suppose and really not an important matter, but I find the whole beginner thing a little patronizing. The pho here is average if not a little below average with decent enough broth. Jalapeno is the chosen chili for the herb plate which is also, get this, average.
Tonight though I was craving a bit of an adventure and ordered #27, the assorted meat and shrimp with yellow noodles in soup. My dining companions, one of whom is a chef, were all giggling in anticipation of just what 'assorted meat' was going to mean in a pho shop. The bowl came and turns out it was essentially a seafood pho (if there is a term for this, let me know...). A couple of shrimp, but a lot of fish balls, squid, fake crab stick and some vietnamese meat product of sorts that we dubbed space ham, all in a pho broth. I thought it was awesome! The noodles were the thicker, flat rice noodles. Some were a bit clumped up. I also tried a bite of a dining companion's pork banh mi. It was okay, but nothing to rave about. Definitely had a more peanut sauce/satay taste to it than any other banh mi that I've had before.
If you're in the area craving Vietnamese food this spot will satisfy. A word of warning though, the 24 hours thing is not always true. I work on the block and often see that it's closed at around 6:30 AM. Not that I blame them at all... the demand for any food on that block at that time is minimal. -
Review from Sheila W.
BC
11/12/2008 2 photos
I was hoping to find a great place for noodle soup in my hood, but this place is just an ethnic cafeteria. The broth key to a great soup, and here it barely tasted of anything.
I ordered a vegetable soup and was expecting to find some strange and wonderful Asian veggies that I didn't know the name for floating in my steamy broth. I got broccoli, cauliflower and carrots. Maybe a few beans. It looked like a frozen veg mix you get from a bag. Even after I doused it with hot sauce and added all the basil and lime I was given it was boring soup.
The walls are grey-ish, the tables are bare and the floors are tile. It was all very basic and minimalist - but not the chic minimalist. This was more grungy. I don't know how they've made it so long in this location, as the restaurant sits in a row of Asian eateries on Broadway. I will certainly try one of the neighbouring restaurants next time my stomach growls in this block.
It is open 24/7, so keep it in mind if you're stumbling past after the bars close. -
Review from Wei P.
Vancouver, BC
8/2/2009
I've got really mixed feeling about this place.
Well, their food is great, I mean, really great. Large bowl of pho is only $7.99 and for a 6'0'' and 230lb man like myself, it's enough for me; great value! Their Vietnam sub is a great deal, too. Mostly under $4 for a exotic sub (way better than Subway, lol). So, for the food aspect, I would rate them as a 5-star.
However, the place is not too clean, a little messy every time I go there. Service... huh? And the only server (I think she is either ownership or related), she is always on the phone... loud... and not to mention that the place smell funky... not in a good way. For this reason, I rated over-all 3-stars.
If you don't mind too much about the interior and loud phone conversation like me, go have their pho, it's a good bang for your bucks (and taste great, too). -
Review from Westcoast D.
Vancouver, BC
1/5/2011
I will never go back here. When going to the washroom I saw a small mouse in the corner. I am not kidding!!! But before the washroom incident...my soup was not hot and it had to be microwaved.
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Review from Johnson C.
Vancouver, BC
11/27/2009 1 Check-in Here
After some heavy drinking on Granville and one of my drunken cohorts calling for Asian food late at night (and discovering that even the venerable Tsui Hang was closed - as I said, it was *LATE*), one of band of brothers suggested coming here.
Having some flashbacks to some horrible experiences at random 24/7 pho places, my desperate attempt at last minute audible for Hamburger Mary's failed. And Pho Hoa was too far of a trip.
As expected, the place had all the markers of 24/7 pho place - dirty, dingy and neon-filled - not necessary a bad thing. I decided to allow this place to suprise me and ordered an XL dac biet (house special pho - no other description given) for $7.99 ($5.99 for regular-size, $6.99 for large). Kind of pricy for pho, but I was hungry and am a sucker for size upgrades.
When the food came, my XL bowl of pho was marginally bigger than the L bowl (disappointment) - but when I dug in it was loaded with beef flank, tripe, beef balls (and probably random parts of beef) and tons of noodles in a tasty, heavy beef broth. Pretty reasonable for $8 at 4:30AM and the broth was surprisingly good.
The spring rolls were tiny and weren't wrapped too well, so I would suggest avoiding that - but the pho main event was the perfect meal to help sober up. One of the party ordered from their large selection of Viet subs (around $3-$4) for takeout, although I didn't sample it and it took the staff a while to prepare it - a spot to try for that late-night banh mi craving.
Overall, there are better Viet places around town but Kim Penh isn't a bad choice given the central location and the convenient hours. I did wake up with a tummyache this morning, but I won't blame this place yet as it was probably due to my pre-pho alcohol-mixing. -
Review from Ernesto G.
4/30/2010
Kim Penh is open 24 hours!
I went to Vietnam last year with my gf and I've been craving pho like crazy lately. Went here with my cousin tonite after drinks and a few games of pool. Really good pho at a very reasonable price ($6 or $7 per bowl).
Very tasty soup and you're not left downing water/tea all nite long. -
Review from Anthony F.
Vancouver, BC
6/13/2010
Background: Although I haven't been to Vietnam, I have Pho cravings once in a blue moon and have a good idea of what's out there in Van.
Food: The Pho itself is great. Soup is very MSG'd and if you're sensitive, I don't think this type of cuisine is for you at all. Cuts of meat are exactly as advertised - if you want tripe, you got it. I usually go for a mix of raw beef, fatty shank, and beef tendon. I usually douse the soup generously with chili oil, add about half a bowl of sprouts, and squeeze and immerse the lime. It's above average pho. Their rice dishes are good and the meatball sub makes for a good snack.
Ambiance: This place looks pretty dirty. It's marginally hygienic and I'd wash my hands before and after you eat. The neon lights really need to come down.
Service: You will never wait longer than 5 minutes to get your food, and not many places can boast this turnaround.
Pricepoint: $7 per person should be enough.
Overall: Good simple Viet food, open almost 24/7. Just don't expect the cleanest surroundings. -
Review from Gersham M.
Vancouver, BC
12/15/2009 2 Check-ins Here
Very nice Pho on Broadway and Cambie. Had the steak pho and a pork bánh mì for lunch for under $10. Tasty with flavour that makes you sit up and take notice. The atmosphere is the dingy and chaotic asian restaurant style that I so love. Open 24hrs too.
This restaurant is in a small strip on broadway of four asian noodle places that cover a pretty big variety. Cool area to go and explore the best noodles from different regions. -
Review from Karen R.
This jewel in a dive's disguise eatery is oh so what a gal needs for a yummy pick me up. It's a cash only place so come prepared!
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Review from Eric C.
6/7/2009 5 photos
Great pho. The bowls are huge. I've always been able to finish my pho, but this bowl was so plentiful with food I was unable to do so. I will be back to redeem myself!
The summer roll (rolls with the shrimp and clear white wrap) was probably the only dish we were unhappy with. Everything else was very good. thumbs up! -
Review from Sarah O.
6/20/2009
This place had okay pho.. the soup was actually very rich so that was good.. but it came out lukewarm. Spring rolls were soaked in grease and looked very unappetizing. Didn't taste good either. My main problem here was that the place was filthy, everything was dirty and grimy and I even found lint and hairs floating in my tea, which was accompanied by a teapot with a mysterious orange drip stain. Pho was not bad but I wont vouch for it enough to compromise sanitation. Also, it is Cash only.
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Review from Q B.
Vancouver, BC
8/19/2010
Good for late night. Not the cleanest/nicest place but the food is not bad.
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Review from Jason C.
Vancouver, BC
1/16/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Best broth (for pho). Rich and flavorful--a process that takes over 12 hours to make --served in seconds. it's worth the price.
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Review from Christine K.
Vancouver, BC
7/25/2009
Pho was good. I liked the broth a lot. The banh mi is ok, but I've had much better. The restaurant is dirty looking but not so bad that I was uncomfortable. It's not bad when you need the quick bowl of pho and the pho is good! Service is nice & pleasant. I have no problems with this place and go here once a week or so. Yes, because it's close to work, but still, there are a lot restaurants in this neighbourhood to choose from and this does the PHO trick for me!
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Review from Yunn A.
7/3/2010
Best pho I've had in the city yet, and it's been consistently good. The place itself is dirty and not exactly trendy, but I love it. You know it's good when people keep coming back even though the decor is subpar. I've read the other reviews that say it's MSG heavy, which could be, but I like it anyways. I have ordered in the past and got something completely different...but honestly, it's sort of funny and what happens at a truly 'authentic' pho place. BTW: Cash Only. Bonus: open 24 hrs.
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Review from May B.
Vancouver, BC
7/28/2010
It`s a bit of a dive but if you want quick, cheap Pho at 3 AM then this is the place to be. It would help if you aren`t completely sober too; makes the food taste better and you won't mind the lack of cleanliness as much.
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Review from Lawrence F.
9/17/2009
Driving home VERY late from work, starving, I happened upon this place which happened to be open. After watching the sad waitress slowly clean several tables, I just got a menu myself. After watching the guy who came in after me get his second dish before I got anything (25 minutes for some noodles?); after eating said rice vermicelli dish which was average at best; after trying the worst banh mi sandwich I've ever had--I wanted to rate this place one star. But when I realized it was open 24 hours, I felt REALLY bad for the lone waitress, and realized I would probably have no choice but to return again after a late night at work. Damn! Damn! Damn!
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Review from Lee N.
Vancouver, BC
3/17/2010 2 Check-ins Here
It's a sometimes 24hr always cash only type place, the pho with yellow noodles is well done. The place is grubby with a capital GRU, but at 3am it's hard to notice ;)
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Review from J G.
Vancouver, BC
11/21/2008 1 photo
Every neighbourhood needs a place that's open all night - insomniacs and night owls depend on this. So, I was happy to find that one of Vancouver's all night spots is not the usual dive-y diner, but a Vietnamese and Cambodian noodle house. This means that thenext time you are having a 3 am crisis, or just enjoying the quiet of the night, you can come here and be comforted by a steaming hot bowl of pho, an order of spring rolls, or if you need to really be up all night you can order the mmm mmm good Vietnamese coffee.
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Review from anne c.
Vancouver, BC
7/7/2009
Ok so the food isn't amazing but it isn't bad either. Besides beggars can't be choosers because there are very little 24 hour restaurants in Vancouver. The women that seems to work there 24/7 is super nice and they have extra large pho! I not really about the over eating but for those guy or gals out there that burn a lot of calories through out the day will certainly appreciate it.
