King Noodle

A nice Vietnamese restaurant that isn't too overly priced.
Service can be a little bit slow during peak busy hours.
The soups and the noodles were pretty good but the meats felt flat.
Overall not too bad for pho in this area in Fremont!

The best thing about King Noodle is its consistently good taste, big bowl portions and efficient, no-frills service. #6 on the menu item (Combination Rice Stick and Noodle Soup) has been our go to choice for years and never disappoints.
The big bowl of pho comes out hot, well-seasoned and ready to fill out tummies!

5/2024 BACK TO NORMAL! 1/2024 😡 HOT SAUCE IS $1 PER CUP AND NOT ON TABLES!!! 12/2022 UPDATED RATING Since This particular establishment is located in the Fremont Hub which is a shopping center off of Mowry road.
The restaurant has been here for a number of years and is the classic Tung Kee experience, although it is now called King Noodle.
However, I have a grievance now with this particular location. Tung Kee Noodle is one of my favorite guilty pleasures.
King Noodle is basically Tung Kee rebranded.
The story I heard was that this was once a family business and when a dispute within the family broke out two members of the family separated the trademark and establish their own names.
As a result, New Tung Kee Noodle and King Noodle and any similar noodle houses that are in a spot where there once was a Tung Kee are basically the Tung Kee brands, just with a different name.
This is evident as if you are familiar with the brand, nothing has changed including the menu, recipes and decor.
And I personally still refer to all of them as Tung Kee. Now, onto my review about this particular one.
I used to go to this particular location most often because the flavor for their main soup was the most consistent between the two that are relative to my home.
That changed and so I started going to the other location which is a more convenient drive given it's location relative to the freeway.
Unfortunately, the consistency of the flavor of the soup broth varies between flavorful and watered down, and on any given day week month you may get a variation somewhere between those two marks in the flavor of the broth so in some ways how good the soup will be is a bit of a luck of the draw. EDITED OUT HUGE RANT ABOUT THE REDUCTION TO TINY CHILI TO GO CUPS AND HOW YOU HAD TO PAY FOR EXTRAS NOW. However, if you are a fan of the soup, I'm sure you'll get the traditional experience by patronizing this location.
It is not beyond understanding as a result of increasing costs.
Where I don't agree with the policy and think it hurts the customer experience more than the benefit they gain from reducing what they'll give, at least I can share with you my sentiment on what my experience has become and why I'm no longer likely to patronize this particular location. 4/2/23 I re-patronized this location because the Tung Kee on Cedar has permanently closed.
The regular sized Chili oil cups are back and you can fill them yourself again! This is cause for celebration! 4/30/23 We came by here at 6:40 PM and they close at 8 and they are out of #1 and Chili oil.
The very 2 things that I go there for.
The place was also crowded.
Disappointing but I guess you can't argue inventory.
This is the first time I walked out of an open Tung Kee/King Noodle empty handed... 1/2024 It was my birthday and I wanted noodles.
Called it in for takeout this time in case they ran out of noodles again and didn't want to waste my time and gas.
Ordered 3 of their #1 house special soup and then ...
they asked me if I wanted the hot sauce.
Now, if you're familiar with this chain you would know that the hot sauce is signature for them.
Of course I said I wanted it and they asked how many.
I said 3, one for each order.
They then informed me that there was a charge for them.
...
...
...
I asked how much expecting to hear something like 50 cents.
They said...
1 dollar each.
I paused and said...
You don't even give one for each order? No.
They charge for each one you want.
Now, I've watched this franchise go through many evolutions with this sauce.
Matter of fact, the recipe they use today is the 3rd or 4th change since the sauce of my youth.
I've watched them go from leaving the sauce cups out, to giving you one per bowl, to charging you extra if you wanted more than 1, and even when they started giving single half size cups only.
This one is rough.
I asked why, and they said everything is getting expensive.
Yeah.
No kidding.
My son noticed it was not on the tables for people dining in either.
That is all.
And that's already possibly too much....