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Pho 32 & Shabu
Rating Details »
Category: Vietnamese [Edit]
Neighborhood: East Village13 St Marks Pl
(between 3rd Ave & Astor Pl)
New York, NY 10003
(212) 777-0606
- Nearest Transit:
-
Astor Place (6)
8th St-Broadway (R, W)
3rd Ave-14th St (L)
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Alcohol:
- None
27 reviews for Pho 32 & Shabu
Never had pho before, but I enjoyed my first experience here.
The place was very clean and relaxing. In addition, the waiters were very quick and helpful. I thought the service was quite good, considering that Asian restaurants are notorious for poor service (although this wasn't quite an Asian restaurant).
Pho tasted good, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. A medium bowl is quite filling enough, so don't overdo yourself. They serve free appetizers as well!
Oh... so many haters. I've been here a few times and I've always walked away feeling like I got my money's worth. Let's be real for a second... pho is NOT gourmet food. It is comfort food... nothing more... nothing less. Sure you can trek across the city to find the best pho place, but that's like saying you're willing to head up to the Fordham just for a slice of pizza. You eat pho because you have a craving and there's place near you... which is exactly what Pho 32 provides for those living near Astor Place. Sorry Pho Phanboys.
With that said, pho will run you about $8 for a large bowl with all the trimings. You can also customize the main ingredients with variations of meat (like beef balls and tripe) that you don't usually see in other Vietnamese places in the area (notably the 2 restaurants on University Place). I agree it's not the best soup in the city, but nothing will ever compare to pho made at my friend's mom's house. Overall, I thought this was a decent meal for an affordable price.
They also serve shabu shabu in individual size portions that you cook on tiny hot plates molded 4 each into the table. Interesting concept but I'm not a huge fan of that here since shabu shabu is meant to be a group dining experience... plus Shabu Tatsu is right around the corner.
Finally... the place is super clean. It does have that fast-food feel to it when you walk inside, but I think there's some comfort for being in an environment where you're not worried about unsanitary dining conditions. Then again, this could be because Pho 32 hasn't been open that long.
Again... I wouldn't go out of my way to come here from across the city. However, if you live near Astor Place and you want some pho... Pho 32 is a perfectly acceptable place to satisfy your craving
The worst pho I have ever had in my life, a retrospective:
- Onions galore! Sliced in long thin strands so that they were inextricably linked with the noodles in nearly every bite. And they were not sweet onions.
- Noodles that were very starchy and failed to separate easily.
- Broth that had the distinct taste of hot water (pre Sriracha)
- Sparing incorporation of gristly beef
- Limp basil and not particularly flavorful bean sprouts
- An aromaless mess that was less than the sum of its parts.
Worse, the place is quite Americanized with its playing of club music and its use of flat screen TVs giving tutorials on how to eat pho -- is it really that complicated? With that said though, the Asian/Caucasian ratio was a very high 14:3 which was probably what misled me into walking into this place in the first place. The staff was pleasant, but really my meal was terrible, and I just wanted to leave. Maybe the shabu is better, but, please, for the love of God, stay away from their pho.
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I went to this place with three Asian friends visiting from out of town. Of course they had high expectations of New York City's culinary offerings. Our first attempt at locating a place serving pho in the East Village was stymied by the fact that the four-star establishment we sought was f-ng closed at lunchtime on a Sunday. We walked around a bit more and saw this place.
The appetizer sampler was a mix of fried randomness. I don't know what all of it was, but you can fry anything and get me to eat it, and eat it I did. I didn't want noodle soup, and was too hungover to make sense of words on the menu, so I pointed to a picture in the menu and asked the waitress to make it happen. It looked like a pineapple sliced in half and stuffed with rice and meat.
It came out looking EXACTLY like the picture. Definite bonus 0.5 point for presentation and quality control. Taste-wise, I couldn't put my finger on what type of spices this dish involved, but the mix of rice, meat, shrimp, and pineapple pieces was a good combination. Others at the table got the pho and said it was pretty good. I'd give the place 3.5 stars. My Asian posse gave it a consensus of 3 stars.
New Pho 32 on St. Marks! Friendly staff, reasonable prices, and good pho. Yummy. It was a great respite from the torrential rain on a Saturday evening.
My standards have obviously fallen over the last year. I am used to getting Pho satisfaction on a regular basis, but since there is a serious shortage of quality Pho outside of Chinatown, my needs are not getting met. I feel like I am practicing on hood rats when I come here, but it just makes it better when i get home to NorCal.
Nonetheless I will still come here when I need to get some.
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I was greeted by the nicest waiter ever here...they give you an asian coleslaw even before you order, the dressing was nice...a little tahini was definitely in there.
I was in the mood for Pho...I mean who's not in the mood for Pho at night?
I ordered their medium with everything in it...it was pretty big for a medium, I couldn't finish the noodles. The soup base I believe is the most important aspect and Pho...and usually unauthentic Pho places do not execute the soup base well, Pho 32's soup base was ok...not the best, I thought it needed more star anise, but It did satisfy my Pho craving.
They're open till 2am..so I know where to hit up in the East Village when one of those Pho cravings come back again late at night :0
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One few places in St Marks I've havent tried.. this place opened for few month.. nice clean decor.. specialized in Pho and ShabuShabu.. they have TV monitors to teach you how to eat Pho and ShabuShabu :-) interesting..
I ordered regular Pho and it came out decent.. I personally feel this place is a little bit over-priced when it comes to Pho.
Nothing too special.. I guess it's A-OK!!
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Convenient because it's right across the street and open fairly late. However the service, despite being gracious, is extraordinarily slow. The food was really not that good.
Chicken potstickers were very greasy. Shabu beef tasted pretty high quality, but WTF do I know. The noodles wouldn't cook through before running out of broth due to steam.
I'm already feeling sick. Definitely not coming back anytime soon.
Great concept, seriously flawed execution. The world can always use another late night refuge for drunken snackies, and Pho 32 promises hearty bowls of sobering pho and hotpot to chase away the hangover blues.
The space is certainly appealing. Brightly lit, modern, and adorned with flat screen TV's that demonstrate the proper way to roll a summer roll or consume your pho. Certainly nothing alarming... at least until the food comes out.
We opted for the hotpot, which was a mistake as the pho is marginally better, but no where close to the quality you'd find in Chinatown. The pricing structure is similar to that of Quickly Shabu Shabu and its related brethren - a mid-teens set 'course' of meat and veg, with additional ingredients such as extra tofu or meatballs costing around $1-3.
Quickly after ordering, (at least they have speedy service on their side) a truly sad portion of anemic looking vegetables arrived with the standard shaved curls of meat. The broth itself is a flavorless and soulless, slightly fishy / dashi tasting mixture. I had hoped that there was a fiery Schezuan style broth available, but no such luck.
We half-heartedly consumed the meal, which in a sum of its parts, was about as interesting as hospital chow. We were sober at the time, but i'm not sure if even alcohol could enhance its appeal (beer goggles for food?).
Next time i'm gonna stick with Baoguette.
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If I'm at home on 9th/1st, and I feel like Pho but don't feel like traveling too far, and I don't want to eat in a crowded restaurant, I'll head to Pho 32 on St. Marks.
Their soup base is actually quite tasty, so it does hit the spot, but they lack the variety and quantity of most Pho places I've been to. It's sort of the food-court version of Pho, which I guess makes sense, since that section of St. Marks is becoming an outdoor mall.
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Pho 32 you can't distract me with your shiny new wall paper, super clean tables, high tech tvs, and Zen approach. Where was my side plate of piled high bean sprouts, lemon grass and cilantro? All I got was a saucer of a few springs and a lime wedge.
The pho at Pho 32 is still good. It hits the spot and there is plenty in that medium sized $7 bowl. I got the brisket pho and when it was served the meat was fully cooked. It was thinly sliced and very tender. I just miss the pho tai version I am used to having along with a side dish of condiments. I like a lot of bean sprouts in my soup and Pho 32 didn't give me much in my bowl. Sprouts shrink when they hit heat, so come on let's not be so stingy. A bag of sprouts is pretty cheap.
I will still come back to Pho 32. I will become a regular. I really enjoyed this St. Mark's location because it is much cleaner and calmer than the K-Town location. Its just not very authentic pho. I will try the vermicelli bowls next time. Or maybe the raw beef steak pho.. Can't lose with the summer rolls... I'm definitely a fan of this chain. But I do keep it real.
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This place is kind of like, a consistent "hey, i'm hungry but don't feel like thinking of where to go so let's just go here again" place for me and the boyfriend.
I want pho but am crunched for time so I can't go to Chinatown. Solution: go here. It's not AS good but luckily I am a master at seasoning my own pho after it gets to the table.
The boyfriend usually gets something like beef over rice, which is an awesome comfort food or a noodle dish which is usually pretty good.
Service is no fuss and quick. You sit, order, the food comes, and you eat. Flag someone down if need be but I'm usually content after I get my food and extra limes and bean sprouts.
Conclusion: good for my crazy random pho cravings when I can't make it further downtown.
I'm revising my review on this one because I have tried other pho places and boy, they put this place to shame. The only reason I go here is because it is close to my house in Union Sq and they have these cards where if you eat 10 bowls you get the 11th free. I figure it is worth it when I have to cure my hangover.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/21/2009
Yada yada yada everything I want to say has already been EXCEPT:
1 - this is a Korean owned Viet… Read more »
For a Shabu Shabu addict...I have VERY high expectations for Shabu shabu. I have yet to find an awesome place in NYC that isn't an arm and a leg. I always passed by this restaurant and wanted to just give it a try.
My boyfriend got the Pho, and I got the Shabu...
The basics weren't even there: First of all, they didn't even have garlic, onions, horse radish or chili powder. WTF? Who doesn't have GARLIC at a Shabu joint! I was pretty annoyed. Not to mention, they didn't even provide a spoon to clean the boiling boil. The ponzu sauce didn't even taste like ponzu.
Anyways, the PHO was ...alright. Nothing spectacular. You can definitely find a better PHO in a jenky chinatown spot. I'm more of a Bahn Mi girl anways.
Sorry....this place SUCKED! I would never go back or ever tell people to go here, hands down. If you want reasonably priced Shabu Shabu, go to SHABU TATSU, a few streets away!
Everyone has given this place 3 stars, and the pho itself is generally just decent, not great. However, I'm going to give it an extra star for:
1) Not skimping on the portions for the price. The medium is more than enough and costs $7.
2) The refreshing little shredded salad that they serve as a complimentary appetizer.
It's more bang for your buck and totally decent pho.
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Whoa whoa whoa, you people have got to be KIDDING me. You must be feeling really generous with your stars because coming from a Vietnamese family I'll tell you right now that this place serves the worst Pho I have ever had in my life. Their Pho is worse than mine!
What they serve as Pho here is actually not Pho at all. And yes, you can say it's Korean style and doesn't have this and that, but a chocolate chip cookie is no longer a chocolate chip cookie when you take out the chocolate chips. Please, I would advise everyone to go elsewhere if it is real Pho that you are looking for, because this place will do absolutely no justice.
One star for the bowl warmers built into the tables.
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Vinh H., are you trying to say the pho here is better than what's served a lil further down the block at the Baoguette shop? Pho 32 serves the best pho in the East Village (WITH MEAT--that's right I'm looking at you, Lan Cafe). It holds up damn well to an authentic pho shop, regardless who your ancestors are. I have no beef with the Korean vibe, the service was on point & the pre-pho salad was a nice touch.
On the other hand, a 5-star pho place needs to have perfect pho in addition to perfect egg rolls and iced coffee (the condensed milk kind). This place got the egg rolls right but the iced coffee was midget-strength so that docks it a star.
Final verdict: Recommended.
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I've only tried the Pho , which is pretty good, considering it's the only place to get around St . Marks and you are too lazy to go anywhere further.
Also, the best thing about this place is that it is BYOB for now...
dude. this pho tastes. . . .not good. the broth is watery and very obviously came from one of those soup packets you can buy at the chinese grocery, and the traditional sides of sprouts and basil and mint are wilted and sad. still. . .if you feel like getting your msg fix whilst gossiping with your best girl for less than $10 total, it gets the job done. oh yea! and we got a free appetizer for coming during "happy hour." (three spring rolls please! (for old school strong bad enthusiasts))
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I got pho to go on one of their first days of operation. It was as the other reviewers mentioned - pretty standard. Everything was also packaged nicely.
They also had individual shabu shabu on the tables - which I might try out in colder weather. Looked spendy. Overall the place looks really nice, sleek, and clean. A change from a lot of the hole in wall places on St Marks. But, for Vietnamese food in general, my heart and wallet still prefer Baoguette.
This is my first time going to this chain. It's a pretty decent size restaurant with about 15 tables that's a little on the trendier side. It's a combination of Vietnamese food and Japanese hot pot.
I got a large bowl of pho which ran for about $9. Overall I'd say it was pretty good (could've used a little more meat, but I always feel that way) and reasonably priced as it was more than enough to fill me up. I would definitely recommend trying this place if you need a Vietnamese fix as it offers a different menu from the other Vietnamese place on St. Marks.
Something was wrong as soon as I walked in. The DVD instructional video on how to eat pho and shabu, the shiny new decor, the apparently specially made furniture... it all seemed too new, like some sort of chain. My dining companions informed me that my suspicions were true. They also informed me that they didn't have their liquor license yet. Well, frak that. I want my damn beer!
So already beerless and wary of the chain nature (reminds me of creepy pod people), I was ready to not enjoy myself. I was, however, won over by the quality of the pho and the price. It's simple, well prepared, and not going to break your bank. I had the raw beef pho (not to worry, it cooks in the broth for you pansies who balk at the idea of raw foods), and it was absolutely delicious. It ran around $9, and I was supremely stuffed.
My friend had the shabu, which was on the priceier side, but shabu isn't just food; it's a ceremony. Think japanese fondue, for those of you unfamiliar. They have burners built into the table that heat up a broth in which you cook your food. You then add egg and noodles to the broth when done for some paramount deliciousness.
The service was friendly and polite, and I was never want for a fresh refill on my water.
Would have preferred a beer...
its korean style... meaning it doesn't have that fattiness u find in authentic vietnamese pho... but its clean, its pure, it doesn't have THAT much msp... and its meaty... good amount of herbs and meats
if i'm cravin pho and im not in houston and am around the area i will come here...
man tho 9 bucks sigh... but i do leave feeling overly stuffed and satisfied...
tons of seating, very humble korean service...
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The pho's not bad here, but it's nothing to write home about either. A bowl of pho generally runs around $10, depending on the type and size. The most memorable part of my meal was the service. The owners were really friendly and polite, smiling all the time and checking to see how things were. Ultimately I just see it as another ethnic cuisine joint to add to the mix along St.Mark's, but not necessarily the worst choice by far.
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This place is pretty good if you're looking for decent pho in NY. I'm from California and have tried the BEST vietnamese food ever but Pho 32 is great. I ordered the Pho Ga (chicken) and it was tasty! It kicked my craving since I was feening for it. The service was really friendly and the place was nice. I would come here again and order the Pho Tai (raw steak) and would like to try the Shabu. Good pho in California runs about $6 so this was a bit over priced. Overall, I would recommend coming here.
The pho was allright...but what won me over was the pork chops and such.
Appetizer portion of pork chop was huge, and cooked just right with right amount of sauce. I generally don't order pork at restaurants, it just skeeves me out for some reason, but the husband ordered it and after tasting it, I would surely order it myself.
We were informed that it was "happy hour" (it was later than 7pm?), so they were giving out spring or summer rolls. We got the spring rolls, and they were pretty good- light and crispy.
The pho broth was a bit weak, but the ingredient were fresh. All of the meat (pork chop and pho meat) was good quality and fresh. I do think it was a couple dollars overpriced, though.
The best pho places in DC usually have shabby decor, and I generally don't comment on the decor of restaurants but this place was pretty nice- modern and serene.
Will come back here again to try the shabu (in the colder months), and wouldn't hesitate to come back for pho and pork chops or whatever else.
Oh yeah and the service was very good also- attentive and non-intrusive.
