Chez Sovan in San Jose - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

Awesome spot, food was fresh, tasted great love everything we tried! Came here for the first time about a month ago still thinking about the food lol Owner was very cool made my boyfriend and I feel like regulars. Place fills up pretty quick for lunch so I recommend to come early. Coming back with friends for my birthday 🥳

Really great food. The Amok and chicken curry are particularly delicious, but really everything is good. The owner is also awesome and consistently hilarious. I wish they were open all day, but alas I have to find time to get there when I can.

I want to visit Chez Sovan again and again with my family and my friends! Food/Drinks: Amok, Chicken Curry, Cambodian Iced Coffee with Condensed Milk • Amok - Although the basa fish was not served in a banana leaf like I was expecting (perhaps they may be expensive!), it being in its sauce made me excited to try it! A part of my first meal of the day, my initial bite of it pleasantly shocked my taste buds—steamed, melt-in-your-mouth fish with a sweet and savory flavor. We even ended up taking our little bit of leftover sauce home to eat with rice! • Chicken Curry - This bright orange curry with the colors of the chicken, potatoes, and carrots peaking through was a sight to behold that helped wake me up! It had a flavorful, comforting taste with spices that warmed my body. We took our leftovers home and even were given extra to go with it! • Cambodian Iced Coffee with Condensed Milk - Served with a spoon of condensed milk to mix the coffee with, I was glad to have another refreshment besides water! It had a balanced flavor with the bitter coffee and the condensed milk for sweetness. I just wish I had a bigger serving! • We were also offered a variety of candy for dessert! Service/Ambiance: Feels like a home and a close community • Bryan welcomed us in and immediately we felt his amazing aura—funny, kind, and like a cool uncle. He recommended dishes to us and throughout our lunch he made us laugh and made sure we were taken care of. It felt like him and his family welcomed us with open arms and served us a home-cooked meal! • Numerous customers came in and made themselves comfortable—conversing with Bryan and their usuals being known by him, walking around, sitting close to the kitchen; we could tell that they were regulars! There were also customers whose older family members recommended Chez Sovan to them—of course, Bryan remembered who they were when they were brought up in conversation. And, like us, there were first-time customers who have seen and heard positive reviews of the restaurant and are now a part of the family—it is now our turn to pass on the torch! Parking: Somewhat difficult to find parking • We parked on Madera Avenue, a street in the bordering neighborhood, which Chez Sovan is at a corner of. There is a small parking lot close to the restaurant with limited spaces; it was full when we arrived there on a Thursday right before opening time at 11 a.m.

Haven't been here in years but I want people to realize what an actual hidden gem this place is. Great service and food. You better get there quick because their business model is open for 2.5 hours a day and send out incredible food in that short period of time.

Open for weekday lunch. I got the cabbage salad with meat, ground peanuts and various greens and spices. A bright tasty dressing. I give it 5 out of 5. My wife got ginger fish, lightly fried with no breading. We also got 2 meat kebabs. Service exceptionally friendly and welcoming.

I have been going here for many years and never had a bad experience always great food and people!

This place transports you to another time and place for a brief moment. The atmosphere is warm and communal. The staff is fantastic. Food was tasty. Excited to make this a regular stop for us.

Food great, but service was impeccable! LOVED the Amok fish, we have something very similar in Malaysia. Got a free curry, and server/chef was so friendly, so charming, and took amazing care of us. Really delightful place, would definitely go again!

Delicious authentic food Great vibe and service Highly recommended

Anyone who puts less than 5 stars is out of their mind. I have been coming here since I was a kid, and Bryan still remembers and greats me with a hug even if it has been years since we've seen each other. The quality of food and richness of the recipes from Bryan's mother are incomparable, and every dish tastes just as good as when I had it 20+ years ago. Yes the location and ambiance aren't fine dining, but it's part of the charm that makes chez sovan CHEZ SOVAN. Come here without intentions, have Bryan make you whatever he wants and you will be happy with it all.

They are famous for their Amok. Often run out before they close. It is awesome. The chicken sticks are great. The string beans are great. The curry is a nice sweet variety. Been coming here for years. Awesome place for lunch. Limited hours, during the week and for lunch only. Friendly and funny owner.

Number 1 restaurant in all of San Jose. Not lying go see for yourself

If you've never had Cambodian food before check this place out. TOTALLY delicious!!! A true dive in every sense of the word. Weird location, funky decor (lots of Cambodian deities line the walls) and best of all, really good food. Been there many, many times and never a bad dish. Only open 11-2. Guy in charge is Brian. His family is cooking in the back. Start of with the soup (shrimp and/or chicken), fried catfish with tomato sauce, shish kabobs, shrimp salad are all favorites. Everything prepared to order, fresh and delicious. Highly recommended!

This place looks pretty old, but the food is Very good.

The restaurant was too warm. The air was too still. It eas uncomfortable sitting and eating. But food was delicious and service right on. Will definately be back when weather cools off.

My uncle has been a customer of this restaurant since 38 years and highly recommended this place to us for our lunch . We ordered the cabbage salad sans tofu , we were blown away by the salad dressing , the dressing was delicious and an explosion of herb flavors , had right amount of tanginess and sweetness. The slaw was crisp and fresh . Ordered eggplant with tofu and the Sovan sauce was so yummy. Another family member ordered chicken kabab and chicken stir fried rice noodles, both of which were cooked to perfection.The portions are very generous. My iced coffee with condensed milk had sweet notes to it, and spot on to beat the summer heat. Food was very light and not too oily . All the dishes had very fresh herbs. It was worth the 20 min drive to this restaurant. Ambience was very South East Asian. Bryan, the owner and host was very friendly and helped us with our vegetarian food options . He and his wife are very customer service oriented. The only negative is the lack of parking in the neighborhood. Best to Uber/carpool to this place. Highly recommend this restaurant for a soothing lunch experience.

Super lecker, kleine feine Karte. Empfehlenswert

One of the hidden gems of San Jose. Enjoy

Looks simple but lunch menu portions are generous and very tasty

Consistently great food. Quick friendly service. No atmosphere, but that's not what people come here for. I've been coming here for decades and love the flavorful dishes. I know of no other Cambodian restaurant in the area that comes close to the quality and consistency of the food here.

Great Cambodian food and great people!

Delicious comfort food. We got the amok and chicken curry. Bryan is great. He belted out some Beatles tunes for us and our little one.

Delicious tasty food! Amok is a mustry

Not to many choice in the menu but food is xcellent with reasonable price. Will come back more.....

I can't add much more to the great reviews - a favorite - and made even more wonderful by the engaging host/owner; Fish dishes and the beef skewers are fantastic.

Total hole in the wall. The kind of place you have to seek out but totally worth it. Authentic Cambodian food from a family that has been serving food here since 1987. The Amok and ginger fish were delicious. Highly recommend, only open for lunch, there is a parking lot across the street.

This is authentic Cambodian food.. It tastes just like it does in Cambodia. The atmosphere is very friendly and welcoming the food is fresh And prepare correctly. It feels nice to sit down and enjoy a meal and speak a bit of khmer language after living in Cambodia for nearly 4 years. This will definitely be one of my regular lunch spots from now on I'm happy I tried just place out

Pretty good food in an unsuspecting location.

I have dined in this small place more than 10 years. Menu does not have many items but each dish were cooked with authentically taste.

I was one of the first people in this morning and Brian greeted me right away and as personably as an old friend! The Amok with the side of (delicious!) rice was just the protein/carb combo I needed for the big bike ride I was planning today. Well I guess it did the trick as I did 75 miles from downtown to Walnut Creek!! The flavors in the Amok were so refreshing and the fish was as fresh as you could hope for and not one second over-cooked. Should be Michelin recommended!!

Food is good! The owner is super friendly!

Great staff and food, good pricing

This is such a great hidden gem. Service is great, chef is nice and welcoming. We had the chicken curry and Amuk. Sooooooo delicious. Did I mention fast service and great prices!

Food is amazing, wonderful taste & staff always fun!

I would give it more stars if I could. The food is absolutely delicious. But even more impressive is the hospitality. The chef is the friendliest person I have met. He makes everyone feels welcome, cracks jokes, and make it more than just a meal but an entire experience. This is one of those places that you definitely need to visit.

#Grateful in Hawaii I was able to meet the owners today I can't imagine how much love they put into their food and their cooking I am definitely adding this to my list of places to visit I'm giving them a 5-star review based on their energy there love and passion for what they're doing

# g r a t e f u l Just met the owners at a breakfast place in Hawaii. They were so cool, talking with me and sharing in their morning. Based on the experience it is no surprise their restaurant has an almost 5 star rating. I cannot wait to visit san jose and eat there.

Shady location, but seriously delicious food. I was recommended to this place and I love it. My favorites are their ginger fish and the amock is so tasty. I’d highly recommend this location, especially if you’ve never tried Cambodian food.

This place is awesome. The service, the food, the amok (steamed catfish). The only issue I have is that they aren't open as long as I wish they would be; they're only open 2.5 hours a day. Try this place out, you won't regret it.

Everything about this place is absolutely great! Well I guess, I could wish for longer hours but it's not a deal breaker. This is definitely a hole in the wall joint only open for 2-3hrs every weekday for lunch. I've already almost had everything on the menu by my second visit, and I have to say everything I've had is good. Three dishes stand out to me more than the rest, the Amok, grilled ginger fish, and stir fry noodles. Personally, I've never had anything like the Amok and after having it here, I've been missing out. Grilled ginger fish is easily the best thing they serve here, a must order every time. The stir fry noodles remind me very much of pad thai and I quite like it, especially the noodle texture. One other game changing tip, you must ask for fish sauce + chili (it's def spicy). Huuuuge game changer. The owner is extremely polite and energetic with every customer. Makes the dining experience that much better, he has also hooked it up with some extra curry when we asked to box up our leftovers! Just a small gesture, but something I always appreciate and remember.

Nice service, but the food are too sweet in general. Amok (fish in banana leaf, favorable and sweet too) is the specialty here but not my cup of tea. Chicken kabob skewers are burned..

Thank you for cooking the best Cambodian in the bay. My husband knew we have been missing it and surprised us with take out! Still good food and good service!

Very delicious Cambodian food, reminded me of what I used to have in Cambodia! We ordered for take-out during Covid-19, they've reduced the menu to limited version only, so we got Chicken kebab (Sach Ang in Cambodian language), chicken curry and ginger fish (Trei jean juon). Everything was very tasty!

Got a takeout order on Friday. I called in then arrived twenty minutes later; my food was already bagged up and ready for me. They had hand multiple hand sanitizer dispensers all around the counters. The amok is the best! Highly recommend it. I also got ginger fish.

Great and delicious food, we ordered Amok, skewers and chicken curry. Everything is tasty!

Came here during the lockdown for takeout. Seems counterintuitive but it always feels like the hole-in-the-wall restaurants have the best food. Chez Sovan is no exception. They have some amazing dishes including the Amok (fish wrapped in banana leaf) and Chicken Curry. Oh, the owner is a character and I love to support good people.

Great food, owner is a character

Delicious lunch! Loved this place and the authentic food. The service was great too. Does not look like much from outside but so worth coming in. Only open for lunch and gets busy so get there early. Make sure you try the skewers...they were so good. All the food is great. Definitely worth a stop! Will be back

Hidden gem in San Jose. Top 10 lunch spot. Everything on the menu is good.

Very generic Cambodian restaurant. Every dishes are very good. Owner is very polite and friendly. They only open for weekdays lunch and close on weekends. Highly recommend.

Get there early while there's food -- but it's worth it.

Nice Vietnamese restaurant service is a little quirky but nice please can be cold

I've been to Cambodia thrice and if you can't and want a piece go here. Bryan and his team are amazing.

Good food and affordable prices

Amazing food. I totally recommend the green beans and beef and the curry chicken. They are both incredible.

Never had Cambodian food. I love the southeast Asian flavors. Fish sauce and coconut milk. Steamed fish cake and eggplant dishes were delicious. Great execution in homestyle cooking. Nice service. Luckily work nearby, so I plan to go back soon. Looks like you can park in the open lot across the street when you turn in from Oakland Road.

Hole in the wall Cambodian place. One of a kind. Try Amok, beef satay, string beans with beef, chicken curry with rice. Tell Bryan hello.

Very authentic and friendly Cambodian. No frills, just good food

Great service & food. Fish was amazing

Perfect hole in the wall Cambodian restaurant! Ginger fish was delicious!

Always great food. We always ask the waiter to just pick a selection of food for us and it's always delicious. One of my favorite places for lunch. Be sure to get there early, they fill up fast and have a short schedule.

Yum as always! Great Cambodian food played straight-up ... no extraneous ingredients or presentation just food as your favorite Cambodian mom would make!

Wow, amazing food. Never had Cambodian food but after tasting this place I have such a high bar for Cambodian food ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is a quiet little restaurant and with a blink-of-an-eye you could pass it however Chez sovan is worth stopping for. The staff there is very friendly and the authentic art and artifacts around that restaurant are very interesting. But the best part is the food. Their stews, the curry, the amok are just some of the wonderful dishes you will find here at this restaurant. And if you are there during the lunch they have some wonderful lunch specials. I need thee every day if I could.

Hole in the wall place for awesome Cambodian food - amok, lemongrass chicken soup and ginger fish are a must try. The proprietor Brain is a funny guy who always cheers you up with his upbeat persona.

A friend recommended us to stop by...the food was excellent! You can definitely taste the Cambodian flavors. My favorite was the eggplant dish. Food came out quick! No wonder the place was full on a Thursday afternoon. Definitely will be going back. Made me miss all my Cambodian friends.

If the food and atmosphere doesn't make you feel like your having a home cooked meal than the staff certainly will. Great food served by great friendly staff.

My top site for quality cambodian food. Everyone at our table was very satisfied. There was quick and friendly service.

Go for the Amok, you will love it

Tried the curry and fish Amok. Lots of fish options. Quite tasty and flavorful. Will have to try the satay next time. A little on the pricey side. Gets busy, but overall fast and efficient service.

Most excellent and tasty lunch dishes! Limited menu, but I think they just perfected those few dishes. The host /owner is very friendly and hilariously entertaining.

Everything is good. My favorite is the amok.

Very good and tasty food. Enjoyed their Amok, skewered chicken and hot/sour shrimp soup. Parking was a bit difficult for someone just going there for the first time, other than that it's all good.

Amok and the eggplant stir-fry are the best ever! Need a cookie shop next door...

Good tasty food. Portions are maybe a tad on the small side compared to other Asian restaurants.

Food was absolutely delicious, amok, chicken curry, beef and chicken kabob and noodles. Each entree were equally enjoyed with great flavors. Yes a no frills eatery but definitely excelled in satisfying your taste buds! Along with great food, dishes came in rapid succession fresh and hot. Also adding to our experience was friendly and engaging service. First time visit and can hardly wait for my next visit!

One of our favorite place to eat in San Jose for authentic Cambodian food. Our favorite meals here are: fish amok, papaya salad, grilled pork on stick, laap beef, and mango sticky rice for dessert.

Fantastic!!! So yummy. Get everything and the Ginger Fish!!!!!!

One of the best hidden gems in San Jose. Still run by the family of the original owners of the Bascom location (different owner now). Limited hours, but totally worth it. Can run out of availability late in lunch period, so get there early. People who think it is expensive don’t understand Silicon Valley prices... the Peninsula is worse sometimes.

I love the food at this Chez Sovan. We had been beef kebabs, harmok, ginger fish, and stir fried green beans. Everything was delicious. The only complaint is that the food is a little bit pricey which decided the four stars instead of five review.

Been going here for over two decades and the quality is just as consistent as the first time I came here. Amazing Cambodian food - parking can be a bit tight but usually OK if you get there early for lunch (oh and the place is only open for lunch).

Very tasty. Wonderful staff. Outstanding overall value and experience.

Very tasty and well presented meals. Enough quantity and delicious at a good price. Staff people are so nice and helpful. I plan on going back soon.

Great little spot. There are two spots, this one is small and popular. Go at about 11:20 to get a table. Great tasting food!

Gud food and excellent service!!

Came here for lunch and the food did not dissapoint. The parking situation is strange as the lot across the street is not clear if you can park there. But the owner assured us it was okay.

All dishes were delicious and very reasonably priced.

Ok. Nothing special. We ordered the eggplant and the green beans and it was ok.

Yummy food and excellent service. Parking is limited and storefront is ugly but step inside for Cambodian cuisine. Lunch only.

Love this place. I don't get to always eat here since they are only open for lunch, but when I do, I savor it! Truly on of San Jose's hidden gems. The food is fresh and delicious. The service is always amazing too.

Friendly service and amazing food. Don’t mind the location!

Fabulous quirky place that is excellent for lunch. I keep going back, and I've enjoyed everything I ever tried.

Come early as it can get very busy but it is worth the wait. The amok seems to be most popular dish but runs out quickly. The owner is very friendly and quite funny.

Delicious food, especially the amok, and the manager is very friendly. Makes the trouble of finding street parking worth it.

Good food particularly the fish in Banana leaf

Food is so authentic and service is great!

A small place, awesome owner, great food. Might want to call ahead of time when it's not a typical work day. Sometimes he's closed. Chicken skewers, the curry, and green bean beef are my go-to and never tried anything different because those are 👌🏼 💯

Great Cambodian food. Made fresh. Great service. The decor is out of date, but you go there for the food!

Great hole-in-the wall Cambodian food restaurant. Their chicken kabobs are off-the-hook delicious!! I always have 3 or 4 chicken kabobs and a small bowl of steam rice.

Good authentic Cambodian cuisine and price. Recommend Amok..