Ốc Cây Dừa — Restaurant in San Jose

Roughly over two years ago I had one of my best Vietnamese food experience here. The razor clams, the hot pot, the bun cha, and the beef salad back then were definitely the best I've ever had. Returning this evening with special friends from out of town who wanted unforgettable local foods I was deeply saddened and also embarrassed to find that everything has since changed.

The restaurant that used to be packed constantly was now almost empty during dinner hour. It was obviously remodeled as it was now brightly lit and playing US pop loudly. The menu seemed the same but every dish we ordered was almost inedible. The razor clams were not available so we had clams instead. But most were barely open when served on our table. They didn't look good nor tast good. It was spicy. The hot pot was okay but spicy as well. The bun cha's pork chewed like rubble soles. I had to spit it out. So did everyone else who tried it. Now I am not the type to waste food but I just couldn't eat that bowl, which was ordered for my teenage daughter who couldn't eat any spicy food. She ended up not touching the bowl as the sauce served on the side was also spicy. The beef salad was just super spicy. So everything tasted spicy, which was fine for us adults but defnitely not young kids. On top of that, everything tasted just okay or subpar or even inedible. It was an aweful evening. We ended up at an In-n-Out later.

I am guessing the ownership or the chefs must have changed since the last time I was here. So a warning to those who have had a great time here...

If Oc is you're thing, this is the perfect restaurant for you!! We're visiting San jose for a week. My daughter and I love seafood especially oc/clams. We ate here on our last day...should have tried it earlier. There are so many choices for different types of snails and clams. You can order them any way you crave/want. Not many places have this option. They give you 3 different types of sauces for the seafood. We'll definitely come back when we are back in the area. My non-seafood son had the shaking beef and eggrolls. There's something for everyone. Make reservations if you're going to have a...

Oc Cay Dua is hands down the best Vietnamese family-style restaurant! The food is cooked to perfection flavorful, authentic, and truly reminds me of Vietnam. The staff are incredibly friendly and always go out of their way to help. The owner, Thuy, is an amazing person with a one-of-a-kind personality that makes every visit feel special. If you’re craving anything from Vietnam, you can find it here! Highly recommend and I’ll definitely be coming...