Sun Café

The roast pork was amazing. The pho portions were generous and the service was excellent! Pork egg rolls and spring rolls are delicious and well prepared.

I took my daughter to eat here while I was visiting Iowa City in 2022. I’ve been living in Southeast Asia for about three years now, and I consider myself to be a decent judge Southeast Asian soups. I guess I was expecting what I was used to with pho but it was actually pretty good even though it did not taste the same as it does over here, it was really good. I definitely recommend the restaurant because the food is good and the service is great, it’s clean and comfortable. Is it weird that I was shocked that I paid like $15 for my bowl of soup when I’m used to paying a dollar for it over here? Lol All jokes aside, Sun Cafe has good pho, so come check it out!

They are very friendly.It’s family manage restaurant so dont expect to much coz sometimes they forget your order but you just have to remind them.Foods was good and tasty.Bathrooms are clean and that’s another proof that what they served you is clean.

Good place to eat. Pho was so good. Workers are nice and the place is clean.

This place is amazing! The duck was awesome, it was juicy, smoky, crispy skin, and delicious. I've had duck lots of places, including the Beijing Duck Restaurant, and this is better. In addition, we had spicy squid, lemongrass (curry) chicken, seafood pho, and noodles with seafood. All of it was great. We also had the Vietnamese iced coffee. It was thick, sweet, and reminded me of coffee ice cream. We'll be coming back soon!

The food has been consistently delicious and high quality. The woman who runs the place is so welcoming and the new location is really nice and clean. One of my favorite restaurants in town!

I came here with my parents and was pretty amazed. This is my new favorite Vietnamese place. I thought it was expensive at first, but the big proportions made it worth the price. The banh cuon's texture was spot-on and the pickled carrots paired well with the steak. Definitely will be coming back again.

Wonderful restaurant that takes pride in it's food. Very good pho and a solid selection of delicious dishes otherwise. I plan on visiting again soon!

Their Vietnamese pho is probably one of the best. Obviously each style is different, thus tastes are different. Speaking purely from taste aspect and origin aspect, probably the best Vietnamese pho.

My all-time favorite Vietnamese restaurant!! My girlfriend and I go there frequently to get lunch and we are greeted with lovely service and treated like family. I've preached to others about how good this place is and their food is amazing! not only is their Pho some of the best in town, but their other dishes - like their chicken wings and the shredded pork with broken rice - are to die for! Definitely add this place to your list, it'll blow you away.

So they have moved recently... great food, dont miss a chance to have great Vietnamese!

We ate here a while back and I feel I’m doing a disservice to this restaurant by only posting a review now. Their food is fantastic! Packed full of flavor with generous portion sizes. The owners are also incredibly nice and struck a conversation with us while we waited for our order to be prepared. We will certainly be repeat customers when visiting town.

I am not an adventurous eater. At ALL. But when I first met my husband he insisted I try pho. We went to a different place in iowa city and got some and I was not a fan (I ate tripe not knowing what it was and after I found out I resented pho altogether). That was three years ago and he asked me to try this other place, Sun Cafe, because it was totally different. After constantly asking I agreed and I have to say, I’m honestly surprised how much I love their pho. They offer a pretty large menu with lots of options for pho and other Vietnamese dishes. I always get the pho with beef and brisket (I’m still not that adventurous lol) and it is quickly becoming a favorite. I swear we go at least once every two weeks. The woman up front has always been super kind to us (and yes sometimes you can hear her yelling but it honestly doesn’t bother me) and we have always been served our food quickly (within 3-8 minutes after arriving). Broth is always great, no weird changes and super flavorful! The restaurant itself is also well kept and has a nice atmosphere, very spacious. If you’re like me and want to try new foods without going out of your comfort zone, Sun Cafe is a great place for picky eaters and regulars :)

I've only gotten takeout from here so I can't comment on the service but the woman at the counter is very nice. Flavors are great, portion sizes are generous, and the duck is never dry. The combination of meats served with the rice noodle roll entree is really addictive.

One of the best places in Iowa City. The owner is such a sweet lady and very attentive to her customers. The restaurant is very clean and the food is delicious. I had a variety of pho and I’ve never had such a delicious soup in my entire life. This is one place you MUST stop in Iowa City, especially if you’re looking for the best Vietnamese food in the area.

Just close your eyes and point whatever on the menu to order. Everything is soooooo good!

And the duck is a must try. It reminds me of Beijing duck from my hometown, Beijing. It is tender, juicy, and the skin is crispy. Perfectly executed!

It is a place I'll definitely come back to explore their menu. Be patient on their service because the owners don't speak a ton of English. But the serving lady is sweet and she's very welling to introduce how to enjoy the dishes the right way.

I have been going to Sun Cafe since it opened. When they were at their former location. The 🍜 Pho is delicious, I get the eye of round, because I like to be able to identify what's in my soup.....I'm weird I guess. I pack it full of sriracha, I like it spicy. The shrimp fried rice is to die for. It has been another favorite to order. I think the prices are fair for the amount of food you get.....try it!

Amazing food for a fair price. The roast duck was so flavorful and tofu with egg noodles was also delicious. I see other people saying bad stuff about the interior but they may not know that the previous owners really ran that spot til the wheels fell off and they probably have a lot of work to do.Considering the current events it makes sense they wouldn’t prioritize redoing the interior if they aren’t having many people dine in.

Sun cafe is an authentic Vietnamese restaurant. Restaurant is very clean and the bathrooms are clean as well. The owner is very nice and the food was very delicious. Reminds me of my grandmother's cooking. It was my first time here and I will definitely be back. The pho soup was very delicious, the thin sliced beef and beef meatballs were very tender and delicious. The broth is authentic and warms the soul.

This place is incredible. I had pork egg rolls, thai coffee, and duck in chicken broth. Everything about the meal was excellent. The egg rolls alone have amazing depth of flavor, and the sweet chili oil is well balanced. The coffee actually has that rich, smoked chicory flavor that makes the chicory so fundamental to the recipe. The duck was ridiculous. The broth alone was masterfully crafted, beautiful in its simplicity, great spacing between the flavors, perfectly savory with its mushroom and duck fat base, with an almost anise layer I assume was produced by the basil. The duck meat itself was roasted to perfection. I can't even describe it, it has to be experienced.