Hoang Lan Restaurant — Restaurant in Seattle

Hoang Lan Vietnamese restaurant has earned its place as our favorite spot for Bun Bo Hue and Com Tam in the Seattle area, and for good reason. Conveniently located right in front of the link light rail, it's easily accessible even if you don't have a car. However, if you're coming from the east or north side of Seattle, be prepared for a bit of a drive.

Parking is a breeze, with a free lot located behind the restaurant and plenty of spots available every time we visit. They even have a door at the back, so you don't have to trek around to the front entrance.

Depending on the date and time, the restaurant can get quite crowded, so be prepared to wait a bit for a table. We typically visit for brunch or lunch, and the owner is always friendly and helpful, especially when it comes to deciding what to order.

Our go-to order never disappoints: Bun Bo Hue with spring rolls as appetizers, and Com Tam to-go for dinner. The spring rolls are generously sized and bursting with flavor. As for the Bun Bo Hue, even the small size is packed with an abundance of toppings, making it better than some places I've tried in Vietnam. Plus, they provide plenty of veggies to accompany the dish, which is a huge plus.

Now, onto the Com Tam or broken rice dish—it's hands down the best I've had in the States. The pork is flavorful, and the shredded pork skin is reminiscent of what I remember from Vietnam. The broken rice is cooked to perfection, and let's not forget about the fish sauce—it truly completes the dish.

Overall, I've been consistently satisfied with everything at Hoang Lan. If you're willing to make a bit of a drive for some delicious Vietnamese cuisine that won't break the bank, I highly recommend giving this place a try. You won't be...

Updated 11/22/2024

This place used to be one of my favorites for Bún bò Huế, dating back about 30 years. The family-run restaurant has changed since it became too busy and now has more customers than it can handle for such a small space. They are likely overworked.

I'm unsure why the owner, who also serves, was short with me today. Sadly, I left the restaurant feeling disappointed. He seemed upset as well.

I genuinely like the owner and his family, and I support this place by sharing it with family, and friends, and on platforms like Facebook and YouTube. That's how much I care for this restaurant.

So, what happened today? My partner and I sat down at a table that had a bowl of noodles on it. I wiped it clean and moved the bowl to another table. I realized I was in the wrong, but there was no need for him to yell at me in front of other customers. He told me, “Now, instead of cleaning one table, I have to clean two.” I replied that the table we sat at was already clean. In response, he used a dirty rag to wipe down the table we were at. He seemed very angry and wiped tables that didn’t need any cleaning.

I wanted to apologize, but I was disappointed myself. My partner and I took the whole day off work just to come here and enjoy breakfast—supporting the local community—but it turned out like this.

Hoang Lan Restaurant has the best Vietnamese Bún bò Huế in town. The broth is made with real beef bones (marrow), which gives it a rich flavor.

Both the staff and the food are excellent. The Bún bò Huế is unique and very flavorful! The best time to visit is on a weekday since it can be a bit hectic on the weekends when it gets crowded and has limited seating. This means you might have to wait a while...

(Review after the second visit) 5 stars for food!!! (Vietnamese noodles soups other than pho speciality) The BBH and Bun Rieu is pretty much second to none in the Seattle area. The place is very small, parking is difficult, and service is as best as it can be because of the location and the amount of business they received. And yes I gladly go out my way and deal with all of what I mentioned above. I will continue to plan to eat here at least once a month! That's how good and comforting the noodle soups bowl are. The three go to order for us is large Bun Bo Hue (BBH) "rich slightly spicy pork broth with vermicelli noodles fresh veggies fixings", large Bun Rieu, and Banh Bot Loc! Sorry for no pictures because when we are there we get down to business to eat and leave so others can have an opportunity for a table spot. Plan ahead and give this place a try for yourself and let us know if this spot fixed that noodle...