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828 Pho
Category: Restaurants Vietnamese Vietnamese [Edit]
220 W 1st StSte 103
Santa Ana, CA 92701
(714) 568-0338
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 10 am - 8 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
46 reviews for 828 Pho
Review Highlights
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"1 Thai Iced tea is a great deal." In 5 reviews -
"...the Grilled Chicken with Garlic Rice, which comes with a..." In 5 reviews -
"...I ordered the com toi bo luc lac (garlic rice with shaken..." In 2 reviews
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46 reviews in English
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Review from L N.
Santa Ana, CA
Great Pho! Tofu spring rolls, combo fried rice, and pork chops are really good. Fast service, reasonable prices, but not so great customer service. Have been here many times and owner's seem to act like your bugging them when they are taking your order. Usually take it "to go" as I live very close.
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Review from Jennie N.
It's hard to find pho in Santa Ana so this place gets really crowded especially during lunch time. The young female I'm assuming is the owner's daughter looks like someone ate her bowl of sunshine. At first I was offended by her attitude until I realized it was just her general demeanor and it wasn't directed towards me personally...I hope..
I usually order pho and they don't give you that much meat plus, the pieces are really small. It was so crowded one time that they separated a table where one woman was sitting, so that we could sit. It was nice not having to wait but we had to bother her for condiments and utensils because they were all on her table. Pho Hao is not too far away but they have way better service and meatier pho. -
Review from Maite H.
I placed a delivery order from 828 Pho the other week along with some of my co-workers. My lunch order was:
(1) Large Chicken Pho - $6.95 + $.40 (Delivery Orders) + Tax & Tip = $8.50
My lunch order arrived still warm and nicely packed. One of my co-workers ordered the small chicken pho and the only difference I noticed was that I received more noodles. I assembled my pho with the various herbs, lime, and chile. I immediately noticed that the broth was pretty bland and quite disappointing. However, the chicken breast slices and herbs were fresh. My pho was just "ok".
It's difficult to find restaurants that will deliver lunch orders to the city of Santa Ana. So, I suppose I would order a small chicken pho from 828 Pho because of their delivery option. 3 Stars. -
Review from Jennifer P.
Cerritos, CA
Went on a Wednesday night and we were the only ones there. Although I appreciated the decor, flat-screen TV, etc., the square foot black portable waterfall on the wall behind the cash register was random, but I dig random. The 5-6 photos on the wall were nice to see and I recognized a few from my travels to Vietnam.
After I ordered 2 phos with rare steak and brisket, I noticed that there weren't actually any Vietnamese people working there. There were about 3-4 men behind the scenes and they all seemed to be of Mexican descent. Pretty interesting so I decided to chat up the waiter and ask him if he was Vietnamese. He said they were all Mexican but the owner was out for a bit. The server was very sweet and nervous as he explained that he worked with the Vietnamese communities for most of his life and spoke a bit of Vietnamese. I decided to slap him a big tip just based on how awesomely adorable he was. I wanted to put him into my pocket.
The food was decent though the meat was sparse and the quality of brisket was not the greatest.
I'd go back just because the staff seemed warm and friendly. -
Review from lian d.
Lake Forest, CA
Charges for to go and didn't even tell me prior to payment of tHe bill. Stay away from restaurants such as this since they treat their customers like idiots and cash cows.
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Review from T C.
Long Beach, CA
The food at this place is ok to good. HOWEVER, if you want to avoid the most horrible service in the entire history of man, I suggest you stay away from here.
First, the service attitude is pretty much "What do want?" - "Ok, now PAY."
I come here for sheer convenience to my work place. I usually do to go orders because staying in the same building with who I think are the owners of this place might drive me to insanity.
The first time I got take out from this place, I got pho. The noodles were not cooked! Takeout noodles are at least par-boiled so that they continue softening after you place them in the broth....uh not this place...they gave us noodles that I imagine were bone dry and then just soaked in some cold water.
The second time, I walked in and ordered to go and it wasn't busy at all. It took them thirty minutes to get me pho. PHO - often times called Vietnamese "fast food".
Today was strike three, I will probably not be coming here again. My co-worker wanted to eat here and offered to pick up, so I agreed to call it in. The lady (I call her the "mom" because it looks like father, mother and daughter sloppily run the place) took my order and then hung up on me before I could give her a name for the order and ask her how long it would take.
If you like being treated like a jackass - by all means dine here.
(I know it seems hypocritical of me to write a scathing review after patronizing this place so many times, but sometimes a girl's gotta have her pho. I'll be looking for another spot now.) -
Review from Sarah H.
Irvine, CA
Good Pho! Location is random. We went at 7PM on a Saturday and were the only people there, except for one other table that came halfway through our dinner.
The small rare brisket was the perfect size. I'm not sure what the red sauce on the table is but it didn't taste like sriracha.
If you're in the area try it out for sure. -
Review from Niño M.
This place is just as good (if not better) than the other Pho restaurants in Garden Grove and Westminster. Regular size Pho Dac Biet will cost you about 6-7 bucks.
Pros - Food is bomb, prices are great and the owners (which are serving you themselves) are super friendly. A+++
Cons - Only wish they had satay sauce and I didn't have to spend at least 10 bucks to use my credit card.
Regardless, I highly recommend them if you live in the area and you wanna save the traffic drama that occurs on the 22 Fwy, Brookhurst, etc.... -
Review from Jessica H.
Costa Mesa, CA
Had the pho tai the other day and it was very good. Service was again fast and friendly. Upgrade to 4 stars.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/4/2011
The service was quick and friendly. Food is decent, not great. I thought the vermicelli noodles… Read more »
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12/4/2011
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Review from Michelle T.
Irvine, CA
I gots to give this place some props....being in the heart of santa ana, I thought it would be hard to find ANY vietnamese food places let alone good vietnamese food places.
This place is literally walking distance from my work, and it's been my go-to place for the past year. The service is quick, the staff is really friendly, and they've gotten to know me well- so that's always a plus.
I usually go before or after the lunch rush. (which is between 12-1). When it's super packed (which it is during lunch hour) The wait is a bit longer, and I feel bad for the staff since it's family run. The prices are a wee bit pricier than little saigon- but I really don't mind that at all (maybe 50 cents or so?)
I've tried a bunch of things here, but here are my favorites:
Pho Tai (Beef Pho with Rare Steak)
It's simple pho with rare beef. I would say its actually comparable to Little Saigon! The beef broth is rich, and they don't submerge the steak completely in the broth so it doesn't overcook. It comes out a little rare and suuper tender! They know I like my peppers, so whenever I order, they have an extra dish of jalepenos just for me =) ($5.45)
Pho Ga (Chicken Pho)
Sometimes they will have specials (50% off). I like the broth here too- it's simple, light, and delicious. I usually add veggies to this to make it heartier. ($5.45)
Bun Cha Gio Thit Nuong Tom Nuong (Vermicelli noodles with Eggrolls, Grilled Pork, and Grilled Shrimp)
This is super legit. The portions are big, and they don't skimp out on the meat like other places. You get a bunch of the pork, 2 grilled shrimp, and 1.5 egg rolls cut. The pork has a nice charred flavor, the shrimp are marinated perfecty and cooked perfectly and the eggroll is one of the best I've had. It comes with a bunch of fresh veggies and herbs. Nom nom ($6.95)
Pho Ap Chao voi Bo (Cripsy rice noodles with stir fried beef and veggies)
The portion here is also huge. The crispy rice noodles and fried together so it makes a little crispy nest for the stir fry. The noodles are done well and gives the dish a nice textural component. The beef is tender and add bok choy, cabbage, mushrooms, baby corm, and carrots and you're set! ($8.50)
These are only a few of my favorites, but you should try other rice dishes too!
Pros:
Good service, good prices, good food, convenient, and cute ambiance.
Cons:
They charge 40 cents for to-go orders, and it can get a little crowded during peak lunch hours. -
Review from Lupita G.
San Jose, CA
Iam always very affraid to try out new restaurants but good thing yelp is here. I came accross this place and it was very nice inside they have huge flat screen tvs and Pho was great! It has got to be one of my favorite Pho places in California.
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Review from Sharona K.
Huntington Beach, CA
I am stuck in the month long jury duty service.. so with the $15 allowance, I am on the month long yummy lunch search.
so far I have tried their pho. the soup is very good.
then also tried the pork chop rice. they have an interesting twist with the garlic flavor. It is quiet delicious.
Thai iced tea was great.
I am really happy to find a good decent / clean pho restaurant to go to while in Santa Ana. -
Review from Cynthia G.
Costa Mesa, CA
This is my favorite Pho place! My sister told me about this place and she took me there for my very first pho experience. Since then I have had pho at a few places in Westminster & Garden Grove - I would think those places would be legit but they were very disgusting. My 2nd favorite pho place is Pho Tasty in Artesia.
Pho 828 has great staff and most importantly delicious pho. I've tried a salad from there once and it was quite tasty, I've also had grilled chicken with garlic rice which was not disappointing at all but whenever I make a stop there I end up ordering pho - I just can't resist their clean broth, tender beef & fresh herbs. It's a nice clean place especially for it being in that part of Santa Ana. I think the prices are fair for the quality of food that you're getting, although sometimes it takes a while which I don't mind because it gives me a chance to stuff my face with their yummy appetizers - always order either the spring rolls or pork eggrolls (I'm not a big fan of eggrolls nor pork but these are good).
I've taken a friend there to eat who also has good pho taste and he liked it just as much, I'd definitely keep recommending people to this place! -
Review from Ellen o.
Irvine, CA
Lucky me that this place is near my office. When I am hungry for some healthy, really fresh, high-quality food, this is the perfect place to pick up lunch.
Love the Grilled Chicken with Garlic Rice, which comes with a crisp salad ($6.95). The chicken is pounded thin, the marinade has penetrated the filet, and it is grilled to perfection. The rice is gently seasoned, perfect.
Vermicelli noodle dishes are also excellent. -
Review from Tish L.
Santa Ana, CA
Love everything that I have eaten here, service is great too.
I have taken many friends here, who are now hooked. -
Review from Q T.
Garden Grove, CA
We walked in and saw 2 customers at different tables eating and a girl with her head down doing something at another table. Didn't know if anyone worked here but it was the girl at the table that did. We sat ourselves down and she brought us the menu. Liz had a laugh because she was like 'oh wow, they even translated in Spanish'. I don't need to translate for her.
I ordered the bun cha gio vi tom nuong (vermicilli noodle with eggrolls and grill shrimp) and had mentioned to her please nooooo, peanuts. I just don't like peanuts in my noodles. I like it on a sandwich, PBJ.
Liz ordered the chicken pho.
My dish consisted of just one eggroll (cut up) and 4 shrimp. That was disappointing because I paid $9 for that bowl. The eggrolls were good though. The grilled shrimp was over cooked. An extra eggroll would have been divine. I would have paid for another eggroll. The noodles were good.
Liz said her pho soup taste a bit zingy. I said is it ginger? She tasted it again and said oh yea, how did you know. Usually the pho broth taste consistently the same but there are restaurants that like to put ginger or concoct something different. I like it traditional please. But ginger is good for you.
The owners didn't seem friendly or maybe they were having an off day. The guy was reading his newspaper up front, and the female (probably wife) was on the internet checking email and daughter was on the phone or something. To me, that's just not good customer service especially when you have customers.
They don't write down the customers order so I noticed a couple of customers had to ask for a missing dish or like me, no peanuts but I got peanuts so I just dug it out. What if I was allergic to peanuts...hmmmmmm...
Just write down the orders and it's much easier on yourself and the customers.
I'll stick with going to Bolsa any time of the day even with the crazy traffic and drivers. Just imagine it like driving in Nascar. -
Review from Danae P.
Santa Ana, CA
Love the chicken pho! Very clean and great service!!
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Review from Melissa O.
Grapevine, TX
Best pho? Seriously? Not even close.
The broth was okay when it hit my tongue, and just okay at that, but by the time it made its way down my throat, it left a strange soapy aftertaste. I couldn't understand it. I kept eating more and more broth by itself to try to hone in on what the problem was but I never did figure it out. All I know is it was mediocre-slash-sanitary the entire way through. The fact that someone called this broth 'clean' was amusing to me in light of the way I perceived the flavor.
The brisket was nice enough, as were the noodles and accompaniments. But I couldn't get over the taste of the soup itself. When I crave pho, the broth is my main motivation, and the one at 828 Pho was a huge letdown.
I also ordered the spring rolls, which were tightly wrapped with both steamed pork and shrimp. The meats were terribly bland and I was disappointed that there were no herbs or sprouts involved. Only romaine lettuce, meat and noodles. The sauce was dark and sweet, nothing notable.
Service was very, very friendly and the price of $11 with tax and tip was alright with me. But there is no way I will return when I have other pho joints within the same distance of my house that serve a far better bowl of soup. -
Review from Matt R.
Tustin, CA
Let me preface by saying that I have been eating Pho for a long time. I was introduced to it by my old boss, Sonny Luu, and ate the best Bolsa had to offer 2-4 times a week for over a year.
This is really good Pho, and it is something special. I can't quite nail down all the differences, but if you know Pho, you will immediately sense that this has been elevated a bit from the norm. Part of it is the fabrication of the beef slices (my go-to is Pho Tai Chin, so rare steak and brisket). They are cut with more care, leaving bite-sized pieces as opposed to the larger ones I'm used to tearing in half at other places. The broth is super clear and has been skimmed well - no oil slick on top of this soup! The portions and proportions (I've been to places that load up on the noodles and skimp on the meat - boo to them!) are great, but the price is maybe $1-1.50 more than Little Saigon. The Goi Cuon is also good - fresh veggies, well cooked shrimp.
I've had nothing but good service here, but as with any Pho restaurant, if you go for lunch when the weather is bad, be prepared for a crowd. I've been a couple of times in the rain, and the place is just packed. Also, the center in which it is located has a smallish parking lot that can be a bit tight. If you're having trouble finding a spot, try going past 828 Pho on the left, then turn left just before the driveway - there are usually a bunch of spots back there.
Pho is a very regional dish, so opinions vary wildly, especially among those who grew up eating it. To me, this is one of the best bowls of Pho available outside Little Saigon but still in Orange County. Luckily for me, It's less than a mile from my house! -
Review from kimberly k.
Culver City, CA
Don't be scared that the menu is written in English, Spanish, and THEN Vietnamese. The food is authentic and the family who runs it is Vietnamese. Not to mention very, very sweet and attentive.
The menu offers pho, bun, broken rice plates, and several house specialties like catfish clay pots, stir fried crispy noodles, and lemon beef.
So far I've only tried the pho and the bun cha with egg roll and grilled shrimp, but I was definitely a fan of both. The grilled shrimp was perfectly cooked, and the hot soup is surprisingly refreshing on a summer day. I'm Vietnamese too, though, that's just what my people do.
Anyway, I'm really excited this place opened up, and right down the street from my work. I'm keeping it a secret from the people I actually work with because I never want to see them there, but I offer it up to the Yelp community to help it take off and succeed. -
Review from Colleen J.
Laguna Hills, CA
I did it. I finally tried pho - and it's pronounced FAH ya'll! Just an FYI.
The first time I went here I ordered the combination pho - eww - I think there was tripe in there. These Pho restaurant owners should really warn us round-eyes before we order anything with chewy clear meat ... but needless to say, I picked around the mystery meat and thoroughly enjoyed the broth and beef strips ... the next time I went I ordered the rare & cooked beef pho - MUCH better.
Seriously though, if there's enough sirachi on anything, I'm gonna luv it.
The restaurant workers are very friendly and the atmosphere is clean and spacious. Great place for a work day lunch. Have phun! -
Review from Taylor D.
Newport Beach, CA
This place has a modern feel, but authentic flavor. The dining room is bright and airy. There is a large TV on one wall for the solo diner's entertainment. Each table seats four, but some of the tables are pushed together so that eight people can sit together. At the lunch hour it get pretty full so plan accordingly.
I had Pho #9: pho with brisket. Delicious. The broth had a lot of flavor, which is enhanced with the brown and red sauces. i recommend adding all the sides (i.e. sprouts, basil, jalapenos, lime) to the dish. The sprouts add more texture and give each bite a solid crunch.
Many contributors here have complained about the portion sizes, but i found the large pho bowl to be a little too much for a lunch meal. I might downgrade to a smaller portion next time.
Lastly, the service was great. They were helpful when i needed them and they left me alone when I was stuffing my face. I definitely recommend it for those the work around the civic center. -
Review from K K.
Anaheim, CA
I go here quite often and the service and food are both excellent. I love their pho, surprised that it was quite good compared to Westminster's. Their grilled pork and vermicelli is my favorite though.
Their thai tea is amazingly good, better than any other places I have tried, and I have had a lot. It was really cheap too. The owner (I think) says his thai tea sold out at his child's fundraiser for school.
try this place, it is really good deal for great food and is something different amongst all the other restaurants around the area. remember and try the thai tea! -
Review from Merrill M.
Costa Mesa, CA
Still Pho-kin awesome!! The owner and their family are always courteous and welcoming. Is it bad that they already know my order before I even sit down or pick up a menu. LOL Love this place! Thei thai tea is always refreshing and I end up always geting one to-go.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/9/2009
Excellent service.. Pho is full of flavor, meat is always thin and soft, noodles are always perfect.… Read more »
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12/9/2009
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Review from Jamie Y.
Santa Ana, CA
I was craving Vietnamese food on my way back to work and i saw this place. I ordered charbroiled chicken & shrimp vermicelli togo. The serving size was decent. Very little chicken an lots of noodles. Plenty for lunch.
The décor is very modern and so is the 40 year old Vietnamese owner. He was very fashionable and super courteous to offer water to everyone who walked in. I ordered charbroiled pork but he suggested chicken would taste better. Odd. But I took his advice since he should know how tasty the meat was that day.
The prices are ok and not too expensive. I think it was 6 or 7 for pho and 7 or 8 for my vermicelli. I would still rather go to my regular joint down in Westminster. -
Review from Mike L.
Anaheim, CA
Their lemon grass chicken and grilled chicken rice plates are very good.
The garlic rice that comes with the plates is very special. However, their beef noodle bowls are too small compared to other pho places. Their fried egg rolls are way overpriced too ($3 for 2 small rolls...) The worst thing about this place is that there were flies all over the place.....that kinda disgusted me..... -
Review from Tuan N.
Orange, CA
As you can read from other reviews, it is a Vietnamese restaurant. I come here probably twice a month. The owners are really sweet, nice, and very attentive.
The food isn't any different than any other Vietnamese restuarant. So it's a pretty typical Pho resturant. Th portions are a lilttle smaller than what you would expect for the price.
I gave it a 3-star because of the pricing. It's relatively more pricey compared to other local Pho restaurants. I come for the conviences, so I don't mind paying a lil extra for that. It's rarely super busy, so your always get your food on time. They are very accomadating, and always making sure everything is okay with the dish. -
Review from Myra D.
Laguna Beach, CA
I work in Santa Ana and I love coming here for lunch. The food is excellent! I come here about twice a week with the coworkers. The place is clean and the staff is great! Good atmosphere!
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Review from Jenny M.
Huntington Beach, CA
I had jury duty at the Santa Ana courthouse and decided to use Yelp to find a pho restaurant at lunch time. It's bit of a walking distance, but nice if you wanna go for a walk after sitting a while. Really short driving distance, too.
I ordered the small pho, #12, rare steak and briscuit. There was virtually no waiting as I got my order in 5 or less minutes. I spiced it up with my favorite sauces and went to town. It was very delicious, I was pleased with the taste as it tasted as good as going to Westminster.
I really got a kick out of the menu. It was first in english, translated in spanish underneath. Instead of reprinting menus with revised pricing, they simply blotted it out and wrote the new prices over it. The only negative I have which didn't give it 4 stars is that there was a $0.25 surcharge if you paid with debit/credit for a bill under $10.00
If I was ever in the area again, I would go back. -
Review from Kelly O.
Santa Ana, CA
It's beyond odd to find this place in a 99% Hispanic neighborhood, and I'm not even sure Mexicans LIKE Pho, but I'm so glad it's there. It's close to home, parking is a breeze (at night at least, when I go) and much easier to get to than Westminster. It's a tad pricey, but what the hey? Location counts. I only wish they were open later - 8pm most nights? That's just way too early.
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Review from Tony H.
Wilsonville, OR
Pho was decent I would say. Better than some of the other places I have been to. The pho itself would be 3.5 but I took away .5 for the iced coffee. I asked if it was cafe su da and they said yes. What I got was not it. Would I go back? not likely.
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Review from MiKA D.
had a decent bowl of pho tai here; the spring rolls were meh. restaurant was clean but i noticed the tables didn't have napkin dispensers which made it a lil' inconvenient. i think i'd come back and try their rice plates.
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Review from Keith M.
La Jolla, CA
I've been to three or four Pho places in Santa Ana, and this one is by far the best. Even though it was busy, I was seated right away. The staff was friendly and inviting, and the Pho Tai I had was delicious. The beef was actually a perfect medium rare (a lot of places just throw in well done brisket and call it a day), and the iced Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk...best I've ever had.
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Review from Christopher T.
Anaheim, CA
Great for lunch, the service is fast. And they deliver too during the lunch hour.
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Review from Nhi Thao N.
Santa Ana, CA
I ate lunch at 828 Pho today - funny, I didn't know it was 828 Pho; I've always called it Pho 828 :) This was my second time eating there - the first being over a year ago. The last time I ate there, I ordered their pho, which was pretty good from what I can remember. This afternoon, it was way too hot outside, so I didn't really feel like eating pho. Instead, I ordered the com toi bo luc lac (garlic rice with shaken beef cubes). It was a little pricey ($11) compared to the same dish at the Tan Hong Mai restaurant near my house ($6.25). It came with a salad, and the beef tasted good (I like how it had a peppery taste to it). I also got my favorite drink - Thai iced tea, which tasted refreshing. The restaurant is very clean, and I like the brown decor. There is a flat screen TV to watch while eating. It was not too crowded when I was there since I took a late lunch at around 2pm, but there were some customers, and I noticed that the restaurant attracts a considerable amount of non-Vietnamese customers. The staff there speak English very well and are courteous and helpful. Overall, I had a good dining experience there. I would recommend trying 828 Pho :)
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Review from Tracy V.
Ladera Ranch, CA
Really cool place, busy at lunch...super yummy, hearty, health soups - perfect for a cold rainy day
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Review from Sharon D.
Costa Mesa, CA
Great Vermicelli, the lemon grass beef is my favorite. This is somewhere I can eat more than once a week. Friendly service and excellent prices.
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Review from Arnold W.
First time coming here. I guess this place is sort of new. It opened 4 months ago. At first you wouldn't think it's truly Vietnamese cause the guy has dyed hair, but he has an accent so you'll know it is authentic. Most of the customers here are from the downtown Santa Ana nearby, so no real Asians here. The food prices are like "Irvine" pho ~$7. $1 Thai Iced tea is a great deal! I had the vermicelli noodle w/ egg roll, grill pork, and grill shrimp. It's $6.95. Food is good here, but does not "wow" you so hence the average 3 rating. I would come back on a cold day to try the pho, but it's SNA Winds HOT today!
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Review from frankie r.
Pomona, CA
I really enjoyed the pho whether it was chicken or rare beef. The waitresses are so attentive and as a teacher on a short lunch break, they made sure we had our food right away. I really like this place!
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Review from natalie r.
Fountain Valley, CA
I really enjoyed their chicken special #5. It was great because they give you everything and you only put into the soup what you like. It was enough for me to have lunch for two days. I say that it definitely hits the spot when you want a light, healthy lunch that satisfies but won't weigh you down.
