Bún cá — Vietnamese fish noodle soup — is a northern Vietnamese specialty that doesn't get the same airtime as pho or bún bò Huế, but it's a standout when you find it. In Honolulu, the dish appears on menus at restaurants that cater to Vietnamese regulars rather than tourist foot traffic.
Pho Que Huong top-pick
Pho Que Huong's "Da Nang Fish Cake Noodle Soup" is their standout fish noodle soup, listed as a customer favorite. This central Vietnamese variation features handmade fish cakes in a clear, savory broth over vermicelli. It's the closest thing to a proper fish noodle soup you'll find on the island, and the quality of the fish cakes makes it worth the trip to Chinatown.
Pho Vietnam best-value
Pho Vietnam's menu includes several fish-based noodle soups, and their fish cake noodle soup hits the right notes — clean broth, toothsome fish cakes, and fresh herbs. The "Crispy Fried Fish with Vegetables - Crispy Fried Fish Rolled with Rice Paper" is another fish-forward dish that showcases their kitchen's skill with seafood.
Kim An Vietnamese Restaurant hidden-gem
Kim An's menu spans the Vietnamese noodle soup universe, and their fish-based noodle soups are solid. The broth is clean and tomato-touched, the fish cakes are house-made, and the vermicelli is perfectly cooked. The Kalihi location means less tourist traffic and more Vietnamese regulars, which keeps the regional dishes authentic.nnFrom Pho Que Huong's Da Nang-style fish cakes to Kim An's house-made versions in Kalihi, Honolulu's fish noodle scene delivers the clean, herbaceous fish noodle soup that Vietnamese food lovers seek out.