VeLa Brunch&Thai Restaurant

Reviews

• LT

  lincy thomas

  2 days ago
  2.0
  28.75 dollars for this grass? I paid 37 dollars in total. Such a joke. I had high expectations. I ordered Mok- Pla through door dash and there was hardly any fish but full of carrots, lettuce and broccoli which had 0 taste and 0 salt and just steamed. It was bland. Doordash description mentioned it comes with roasted rice but I didnt get anything like that but box full 0f bland tasteless grass! I threw all that in the dustbin and ended up eating a 2-3 bites of fish which was steamed. Fish was nice and had mild flavor but not too much. Got lots of fish bones which got stuck in my throat in between but thats fine too but be careful while feeding small kids. But I am hungry again and regret wasting so much money on small finger sized fish. Definitely not worth your money.
• GZ

  George Z

  6 days ago
  4.0
  Total Score: 7.72 Bathroom: N/A Didn’t use the bathroom Customer Service: 3.75/5 Were nice and friendly Ambiance: 4.25/5 Really nice decor here and lighting. Also there is an interesting stature right outside lol Food: 4.5/5 Ugh the duck curry was heavenly and the sticky rice was a nice dessert to finish Wow: 0/1 Normal Thai restaurant Total Score = (CS + 2*AM + 5*FOOD + WOW)/0.9
• AP

  Ann Pham

  Jun 18, 2026
  5.0
  A Thai brunch restaurant that serves food all day. We had a fantastic dining experience here, the food and drinks were exceptionally outstanding. For me this is surely one of the best Thai restaurants in the Bay Area. Here's what we ordered: Vela omelette with crab and creamy tom yum sauce, topped with tobiko: This is one of their signature dishes and was recommended by our server. I was amazed by how delicious it was. The dish was filled with large chunks of crab, runny eggs and a rich, savory tom yum sauce. When mixed with white rice, every bite was just incredibly satisfying. Khao Soi with beef short rib: Another excellent recommendation from the staff. The beef short rib was so tender, fell right off the bone. Each bite just melted in my mouth. Dish came with egg noodles prepared in two ways, one soaked up in the rich, flavorful coconut broth, while the other was crispy and added a good crunch. Love this combination! Cocktails: We ordered Umeshu Soda and Nice or Neat. Both were soooooo aesthetic and tasted great. Overall, we had an amazing dining experience here! I enjoyed it so much that I’ve already recommended this restaurant to all of my friends. Highly recommended!
• SS

  Simon Song

  Jun 14, 2026
  1.0
  One of the worst service experiences I’ve had in a long time. The female server was dismissive and inattentive throughout the entire meal. She never once came by to check on our table, ask whether we needed anything, or even refill our water. We spent most of the meal feeling completely ignored. What made the experience even more frustrating was that, before we had finished eating and without us asking for the check, she brought over the bill and charged us. It felt as if we were being rushed out the door rather than welcomed as paying customers. To be fair, the male server was professional and attentive. He regularly refilled our water and checked on the table. Unfortunately, one employee’s good service could not compensate for the poor attitude and lack of professionalism displayed by the female server. Respecting customers should be the absolute minimum expectation in any restaurant, and this experience fell far below that standard. If the goal was to make customers feel unwelcome, ignored, and rushed out before finishing their meal, then the service was exceptionally successful.
• MK

  Mika'ele Keni'

  Jun 7, 2026
  5.0
  VeLa () in Thai translates to "time". It is a popular, elegant name frequently used by modern cafes, restaurants, and lifestyle brands to signify a relaxing space to "take your time" or "savor the moment" One can definitely savor the moment here... 4.5 ***** rounded up to 5 ***** for me. VeLa Brunch & Thai Restaurant is located in downtown SJ; corner off 8th and William. Not the best location IMHO. Have fun hunting for parking; there is no dedicated parking lot, street parking it is. We got lucky and found parking right across the restaurant, in the shade too! PARKING MAGNET!! Yes I is! Not the biggest of venues, but they do have a decent amount of outdoor seating. We sat outside since the weather was lovely. Da wahine is obsessed with the Boat Noodle soup. So naturally Vella popped up on her list. However, she didn't get Boat Noodle this time! That's only because she wanted some eggs for brunch / lunch, and the Omelette caught her eye. #VelaEats: Poached Eggs Benedict: ~ Khao Soi Crispy Chicken - 4.5 Brilliant! The Chicken was perfectly done; crispy, yet tender and juicy, topped off with a perfect Eggs Benedict & bacon bursting with flavor. Delish!! Of course, I selfishly want lager portions! CHEF AYLEEN'S MUST-TRY: ~ VELLA Crab Omelette - 5/5 Very very tasty. The sauce is to die for! Your taste buds will go to heaven. Chunks of crab meat, oh so satisfying...!!! DESSERT: ~ Mango Sticky Rice - 5/5 Another banger! I Don't normally see this done with purple rice. Sweet, ripe Mango deliciousness... Service was good. Food came out in a timely manner, staff checked up on us on a regular basis and refilled our water. No worries, no dramas. I'll gladly return...