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Pho Bang Restaurant

4 star rating
based on 113 reviews

Category: Vietnamese  [Edit]

Neighborhood: Little Italy
157 Mott St
(between Broome St & Grand St)
New York, NY 10013
(212) 966-3797
Nearest Transit:

Bowery (J, M)

Grand St (B, D)

Spring St-Lafayette St (6)

Hours:

Mon-Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Parking:
Street
Accepts Credit Cards:
No
Price Range:
$
Attire:
Casual
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
Good for:
Lunch, Dinner
Alcohol:
Beer & Wine Only

113 reviews for Pho Bang Restaurant

Review Highlights   

user photo
"We also ordered the summer rolls with a peanut dipping sauce." (in 15 reviews)
user photo
"With Phobang, you've gotta know what you're getting into." (in 14 reviews)
user photo
"probably the best Grilled Pork over Vermicelli i've ever had in NY." (in 6 reviews)
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Sort by: Yelp Sort | Date | Rating | Elites'
Photo of H K.

 

0

20

H K.

Brooklyn, NY

4 star rating
11/10/2009

People, people, people. Pho is not pronounced "FOE." Check yourself so you don't sound like a cultural slob when you order.

ANYYYYWAY
The pho is mediocre, so if that's what you came for, you may be disappointed.

So if you know what to order here, then you're good. If you don't know what to order, then you're out of luck.

The curry chicken is totally lackluster. Avoid, avoid, avoid.

The *fried* spring rolls (I believe there is some confusion since they also serve summer rolls which are shrimp/vermicelli stuffed into rice paper) are delicious.

Porkchops are amazing.

Buddha's Delight vegetarian noodles are delicious.

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Photo of andrew c.

Elite '09

20

63

andrew c.

Ridgewood, NJ

4 star rating
11/5/2009

What a broth! Savory and herbaliciously fragrant!
And what a wonderful mix of cheap meat toppings for your rice noodles!  I went for the number 1 which included the fatty, spongy, tendon-y bits (aka the best bits) from the cow as well as some leaner cuts which are thrown in raw and fresh (well, maybe not "fresh"... i mean.. this IS a 5 dollar a bowl chinatown establishment), but definitely tender and tasty as opposed to other places that boil beef slices into tough, bland pieces of what essentially amounts to edible leather.  This was the best pho experience I've had in NYC (although that's not saying much because I've only had Pho32.. haha).

Note To Self:  Build upon NYC pho experiences.

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Photo of Ro N.

Elite '09

55

873

Ro N.

New York, NY

3 star rating
11/9/2009

Came here with K - K comes here seriously EVERY weekend with the 'rents! They all know K here, but this isn't authentic Vietnamese since they all spoke to K in Cantonese.

Got Cha Gio - the filling tasted a bit off!

K ALWAYS gets the #2 but I don't understand why since K picks out like three things out of there.

I got the #11 - pretty good but still not as good if this place was a real Vietnamese owned restaurant.

Service is decent since they don't forget to bring you things that you asked for like extra lime and fork.

I would come back here if I was to settle for wanna be Vietnamese food, since you just can't get good Vietnamese food in NYC.

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0

12

Miguelito C.

New York, NY

4 star rating
11/28/2009

I am sad to say this is actually the only pho I have ever had. But I think its pretty good? I usually just get it with brisket and always to go

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Photo of Michael B.

 

1

21

Michael B.

New York, NY

5 star rating
11/8/2009

So delicious!  The broth is very tasty.  Great value.

Don't expect 5-star service, only 5-star broth.  You're going to get chinatown service, but it comes with the territory.

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Photo of K P.

 

3

101

K P.

New York, NY

4 star rating
10/24/2009

I'm not an expert in Vietnamese food...

When we were ordering...and b/c everything on the menu is $6 (so in our minds we were thinking appetizer sizes...) until the sweet waiter looked at me in alarm & said, 'too much food!'  

heehee.

so we only ordered one soup (small) and split the beef pho with tendons.  (um the small was pretty big, so I wonder how big the extra large is!)  on the rainy day it was delicious and hit the spot.  the broth was flavorful and well, beefy...

the Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce flavorful, garlicky and tender

the beef salad was flavorful sirloin tips that were tender and yummy.  (made better by the sriracha sauce on the table)

and the best part?  All this food was $20.25 w/out tip

the place is old and not fancy - definitely a hole in the wall... but the bathrooms are clean and the service was friendly and efficient...

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Photo of Hang T.

 

1

30

Hang T.

San Jose, CA

2 star rating
10/26/2009

I can't believe this place has four stars! I ate here without knowing the rating on yelp. I'm very surprised that this place has such a high rating.

Firstly, they didn't seat us right away even though there were two empty tables. I am also not used to them giving us more than five minutes to look over the menu. Usually people know what they want when they come into a pho restaurant.

I am Vietnamese so I should know my Vietnamese food. I order the summer rolls? (since when are they called summer rolls? It's supposed to be spring rolls.) I also order the pho tai, pho with thinly sliced pieces of steak.

The summer rolls were good, but nothing spectacular and two dinky rolls for 4.50 is a complete rip off. My pho came out and I usually put the works in it, hot sauce, hoisin sauce, basil, beansprouts, and lime. Even all that couldn't save this lackluster broth. It seemed like it was watered down. I was very disappointed. I was really looking forward to finding great Vietnamese food in NYC.

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3

22

Javin J.

Brooklyn, NY

5 star rating
11/17/2009

:) :) :) Food was delicious, healthy, and I really enjoyed it. To top it off the check made me smile. "I'll be back"!

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21

118

Atif Q.

Farmingdale, NY

1 star rating
10/7/2009

Had my parents, wife and sister-in-law in tow.  It was a cool night in the city and we thought it would be good to try a new place in the city for some grub.  Having seen the decent Yelp reviews, we chose to give this restaurant a try.  

We walked in and saw that there were four large empty tables in the restaurant on a Sunday night at 7:55 p.m.  We wanted a table for five away from what appeared to be the always open front door.  Remember now, there were four of the larger tables for five that were empty in the restaurant on a Sunday evening...they insisted we could only get the one closest to open drafty door claiming that the other three were reserved for a large party about to come in the door....for an 8 p.m. reservation.  We left.

I then Yelped another nearby place which turned out to be closed (Paris Sandwich Bakery Cafe) even though Yelp listed restaurant as being open till 9 p.m.  We then decided that nearby Little Italy would be more welcoming...which it was...and decided to have a nice meal at Amici II.

In the 15 minutes it took for me to Yelp another nearby restaurant, walk my family to Paris and then back to Pho Bang to retrieve my car, the "Reserved" tables at Pho Bang were...surprise, surprise....still empty.

Is food here good...perhaps....we couldn't get past trying to get a comfortable seating environment.

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Photo of daniel m.

 

135

313

daniel m.

Brooklyn, NY

3 star rating
9/8/2009

The Food has so much damn MSG in it, I dont know what to tell you.. It was pretty heavy.. With in minutes of eating the food, the girl has a migraine and dinner for her is over.. We are home so she goes into the bedroom and is done for the night.

I continue eating for a short time.. The food was ok.. The best thing on the menu was the Pho.. A beef salad was embarassing. Shredded cabbage, some dried out boiled shreds of beef.. Gross..

We ordered another soup which was kind of decent.. Grlled pork was ok..

I called in the order and waited 15 minutes to pick it up, the restaurant was empty and I waited another 15 minutes after that to get the food..

Come for the PHO, it was good.. However, you will most likely feel like shit afterwards.. I am generally not affected by MSG but, I have had a headache all morning..

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Elite '09

255

429

David L.

New York, NY

3 star rating
6/30/2009

The Pho is okay, it's decent, but nothing spectacular -- though for Manhattan standards it's pretty good, but definitely not the best available.

Sometimes I get the meat on the side, and eat the noodles first -- because I am addicted to rice vermicelli noodles, and don't want my meat to be overcooked... Other times, when I want the meat to give a lot of favor to the broth I just order the dish as it comes then eat the rare meat first, the cooked meat second, and then the noodles -- thankfully, because the place is so well air-conditioned it cools down the soup so that neither the meat nor the noodles keep cooking and therefore you don't have to eat everything at light-speed... I've tried a few different versions a few different times, the quality of broth and ingredients and preparation is consistent.

This is where I bring people on a date if they're open to Vietnamese. It's a safe-bet, not too dingy, not too bold, not too dull, nothing about it is intimidating or imposing, yet it's also slightly adventurous for those who don't commonly "try new things."

The air-conditioning, for dishes which are best when eaten slowly, can be a little annoying -- tonight, my Hanoi Sytyle Grilled Pork with Rice Vermicelli and Lettuce and Mint got cold quickly and the sauce sort of congealed after only a few minutes.

In the decor and atmosphere, perhaps they try a little too hard to make Americans comfortable without trying hard enough to demonstrate "the real thing" -- the same could be said for the flavor profile they seem to prefer and seek for their dishes, although everything is tasty, things are a little too simplified, nothing is terribly rich or bold or zesty or complex or even sublime in its simplicity.

Their spring rolls and summer rolls are exceptional in Manhattan, especially at this price -- though neither equals or exceeds the versions found at the Elmhurst or Flushing branches of Pho Bang.

I'd call this place a sort of comfort food establishment, it's not a mom-and-pop kind of shop, and it's definitely not a place to find invigorating or inspiring Authentic Vietnamese, but it certainly scratches the itch, and it's a good place to introduce friends and potential romantic partners to this type of cuisine.

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Photo of Amy H.

 

4

20

Amy H.

Brooklyn, NY

4 star rating
10/6/2009

I'm still looking for good pho that mirrors LA pho! But for now, Pho Bang is the best I've tried so far out of Nam Son and some other pho places I've had here. I'd give them 3 stars for the pho, adding an extra one because I really like their Bun Cha Hanoi, which is like small Vietnamese meatballs but very sweet and savoury. It's yummers. The bun thit nuong is also good.

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Photo of Jaime C.

 

5

34

Jaime C.

New York, NY

4 star rating
8/10/2009 1 photo

Basically everyone's reviewed the basic staple of Vietnamese food - the Pho or rather the Beef noodle soup.  I did not have it.  I chose the Pig Feet Beef Slice Spicy lemongrass soup.  At Nha Trang Centre on Baxter, this dish is a weekend dish only and you can imagine my glee that it was available every night at this place.  This place has several locations - and internationally at that: in Montreal!

I order the Summer Rolls and had the soup.  The bowl of soup costs $6.95 and my best friend ordered the grill chicken soup and we shared the summer rolls.  The best thing about the summer roll is the slice of pork mixed into the roll itself.  It was night time and the rolls had already been prerolled so you may not have the most fresh texture, however the plus side is the individual peanut sauce we received for individual dipping.  The Alleged Spicy Beef Slice PIg Feet soup was not spicy at all, but the background flavor of the lemongrass was noticeable.  I added my own jalapenos in and it made it better.

Overall, the soup was fantastic, the service decent for a Chinatown spot and our bill totalled $16.95.  We left full and content.  The one bad thing - which is why I took a star off is the hipsters that came in, actually - they're beginning to invade the area.  Only time can tell when the prices will go up and the quality goes down to accomodate the all too skinny jean wearing, fake wanna be new yorkers.

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8

28

Michael L.

New York, NY

4 star rating
8/10/2009

Pho is a staple in my never ending quest to stay slim and trim. I figure what could possibly be bad about noodles and a few slices of beef? Oh, I'll tell you want could be bad... the portions are pretty damn big.

So this is the extent of my order: Number 15 please (Grilled chicken with vermicelli noodles). Oh... and throw in a number 21 (obligatory order of summer rolls). The grilled chicken is pounded flat and grilled with a slightly sweet glaze. Throw some beansprouts and some Thai basil into your soup and you're all set. Oh, something to mention is that the summer rolls come with your own peanut sauce; so there is never a worry about sneezing into your own sauce or double dipping.

Don't expect grand dinning. It's on Mott Street for goodness sake. Get yourself a cheap massage across the street then get some Pho in your belly. Sounds like a good way to spend the evening to me. Don't you think?

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Photo of Daniel B.

 

5

37

Daniel B.

New York, NY

4 star rating
7/29/2009

The pho tai was good, better than I've had at most other places I've tried.  I went with a party of 9 and everyone liked their dishes--various pho bowls, one curry, and a few beef-on-vermicelli type things.

Oh, and it was cheap.  9 people having 9 entrees, 5 appetizers, 6 beers, and one soda = ~$130 including tip.  The entrees don't really break the $10 mark.

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17

82

Viet V.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
11/2/2009

the only good vietnamese restaurant i been to so far in new york...

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0

9

keith k.

New York, NY

5 star rating
9/27/2009

great.  cheap.  fresh ingredients.  

i stick with #41 but everything looks good.  hidden gem.

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Photo of Henry C.

 

0

27

Henry C.

New York, NY

5 star rating
7/16/2009

I came here a few days ago after finding out that Pho Grand was closed, and being one of the places that Pho Grand recommended (for renovations?).  I ordered the usual, a nice big bowl of Pho, it was every bit as good as Pho Grand, but unfortunately they don't take credit cards like their counterparts.

The one complaint I have is that they charged my friend and I for Extra-Large bowls, when we only ordered Large, a big no-no.  But that isn't enough to take away a star

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Photo of Anne H.

Elite '09

16

70

Anne H.

New York, NY

5 star rating
6/19/2009

This is my favorite Vietnamese restaurant in NYC. I've tried several, some in Chinatown and Union Square area, but this is the best. The broth of the pho is light, whereas some pho restaurants have powder residue at the bottom, which leads me to believe that their broth isn't homemade.

Almost everything is good, but my favorite dish is not on the menu. It's a combination of half-cut egg rolls and grilled beef (satay?) atop cold noodles. Every time I go there with my Vietnamese buddy we order that... Maybe I should learn that phrase. Anyway, the fried egg rolls are like a drug addiction, but better because it's healthier. I used to only order the spring rolls, but not anymore. They serve it with lettuce, so you wrap the lettuce around the egg roll and dip into that sauce.

Vietnamese coffee is pretty awesome here. I wonder where you get those solo coffee makers.

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Photo of Carl C.

 

8

49

Carl C.

New York, NY

4 star rating
6/22/2009

Ever since moving to NYC, I've been trying to find the best (or comparable) [insert regional/national cuisine or dish] in the city.

This place has pretty good pho, and it's cheap (~$4-6/bowl)! Pho Bang is located on Mott Street pretty much on the border of Little Italy and Chinatown.

The soup base is well balanced but not as meaty as I like it. I ordered #8 (rare steak with brisket). I always order the same thing, it's just a matter of finding which number a specific restaurant has it listed as.

My friend ordered the grilled chicken pho, which is pho with a side of grilled chicken.. and it was pretty damn good. It's the great marinated grilled chicken that comes in a rice dish so it's like you're getting a taste of both in one dish.

The pho wasn't mind blowing but then again, how often is pho mind blowing..? To me, pho is comfort food; it's the Asian version of Chicken Noodle Soup and I'm glad that I can get it in Manhattan for less that $10 bucks.

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Photo of Michael J.

Elite '09

14

173

Michael J.

New York, NY

3 star rating
4/2/2009

Wicked cold day in December and I was finishing up the required Xmas shopping. My toes, fingers, nose and even my tip were all a bit frozen.
Pho was in order thaw out my things.
Sat down ordered my rare beef, tendon and beef ball, with meat on the side.
It was pretty good Pho. Wasn't the cinnamony kind. More on the  beefy side, which I like.
Minus 1 star cuz the soup wasn't piping hot. Kind of a drag when the soup doesnt wilt the sprouts.
Things are now thawed.

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Photo of Jim U.

Elite '09

211

519

Jim U.

New York, NY

3 star rating
3/31/2009 1 photo

I went here for lunch yesterday.  I have a bit of a sore throat and cold, and I was just in the mood for some good soothing pho and hot tea.  On that front, I was very successful.

I ordered an extra large bowl of their #1 which was a beef pho with rice noodles.  I didn't see an option for pork pho at all, but this choice proved to be fairly good and very filling.  I like Cong Ly better though.  And the service here was nonexistent.  My small cup of hot tea was never refilled, and I was never given a check.  I went up to the counter and paid my bill there, but it took a few minutes to get one of the ladies to stop watching tv to address my need.  Hmm...  Yeah, go to Cong Ly, it's better overall.

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Photo of Chris H.

Elite '09

98

293

Chris H.

New York, NY

5 star rating
2/22/2009

The appreciation of pho, like fine wine or cigars, takes research, introspection and experience.  Only after you've had many encounters with the vice at hand, can and should you opine on the excellence or deficiency.

I've tasted pho from the far flung reaches of the states, and while I sadly have not had it Vietnam, in my amateurish opinion, Phobang's pho is near the pinnacle of the fine art of pho broth.  The broth's flavor profile is clean, robustly beefy, hugely umami, though maybe just a little too high on the salinity.  Overall, a bouquet of flavors, both bold and elegant.

The salinity of the broth might bring this review down a star, but Phobang makes up for their over-reduced broth with their goi cuon (summer rolls).  Tightly rolled, crunchy, fresh, with a nice hit of pâté, their summer rolls are one of the best i've had in New York.

From my amateur (but maturing) perspective, pho joints around Chinatown are largely fungible.  However, Phobang's pho broth and summer rolls keep it distanced from the rest of their competitors.

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2

6

Christopher D.

New York, NY

1 star rating
2/7/2009

Have any of you people that rated this a 4 or a 5 ... or even a 3 .. ever been to vietnam? have a vietnamese friend and managed to eat their mom's cooking? no? ... IIIII thought not

I am getting completely sick of these vietnamese food places that seem to be run by old men that struggle for dominance over one another so often that the food ends up bland and tasteless.

Stop worrying about what the god damn ken doll in the corner is going to think of your food.  If the pork is supposed to be charred .. then by god char the hell out of it ... if you think white people don't like fish sauce ... then tell them to go somewhere else ... serve vietnamese food ... not some crappy half ass perversion of it because you're pretty sure nobody is going to know any better.

to someone that has never really had good vietnamese food before ... from the source ... Vietnam ... odds are they probably love this place

but me ... i've had a serious jones for something as simple as grilled pork with rice for the last oh i dunno YEAR ... and i couldn't even stomach this food ... do yourself a favor ... if the place doesn't sit next to a vietnamese/asian grocery ... don't go there ... realize that if it tastes like chinese food ... IT ISN'T DONE CORRECTLY ... the end

go here and gag yourself

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Photo of Brittany H.

Elite '09

102

186

Brittany H.

New York, NY

2 star rating
3/16/2009

If there is one thing very wrong with NYC, (and no not talking about how dirty it is..that's a given).... it's the sorry ass Vietnamese food they serve here.   Authentic? Sure.  But it's certainly not fine dining nor the best I have ever had.  Boston & DC pale in comparison.... Vietnamese food will be the #1 thing I will miss if I ever leave DC for NYC.  

Let's start off with what I didn't like.

Slow ass service.  OK, they were legitimately busy, but still slowwwww.  The food came out quick though, so I guess that offsets it immediately.

Chicken lemongrass rice dish- chicken on the dry side... bland fish sauce...overall not very flavorful.  Tomatoes & cucumbers needed a fresh pick me upper, if you know what I mean.  Seriously, I can make a better tasting dish without lifting a finger.  Considering it's a restaurant, I'd expect at least the same type of quality if not more.  I didn't think you could mess up a rice dish, but I was wrong.  

Pho - my friend said it wasn't anything memorable.  I'm going to take it as "blah" like everything else here.

I know my Vietnamese food inside & out, and this is not the place to go.  Being totally uninspired, I think I've been inspired to now go on and open up my own Vietnamese restaurant in NYC... !!

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Photo of Kim N.

 

4

54

Kim N.

New York, NY

3 star rating
3/28/2009

As a certified Vietnamese girl from California, I have to say this place does the trick. I've had some really bad Pho in New York (I'm looking at you Pho 32) but this place hits the spot.

On a side note: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. When a Pho restaurant gives you lemons, get up and leave. You don't eat pho with lemons. Ever.

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Photo of DeDe D.

Elite '09

12

96

DeDe D.

New York, NY

4 star rating
2/15/2009

Best pho broth I've yet tried in Manhattan - and I've tried a lot of them. With all due respect to reviewer Christopher D., yes I have been to Vietnam and yes, I do really like the food at Phobang and find it authentic. The last couple of times I've been the broth had just the right hints of clove and star anise that make or break pho (too much clove is a death knell as far as I'm concerned.) I'm sorry to hear that others have had overly salted food here - it must vary wildly night to night because I haven't had that problem. I've also had the grilled chicken with rice and the nuoc mam that comes with is delightful and just like they serve in Vietnam.

So, I recommend trying it - my 3 visits have been superlative.

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Photo of Tori K.

 

103

296

Tori K.

New York, NY

4 star rating
11/3/2008

Much Bang Pho your buck!

The place is a dump, but I've been in worse. The food and prompt service helps you forget. Plenty of vegetarian and seafood options. Pho seafood soup more than hits the spot.  Interesting characters from all walks of life. 3 people $36 with tip.

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Photo of Andy D.

 

32

40

Andy D.

Brooklyn, NY

2 star rating
12/6/2008

Bun Bo Hue: yawn, no way.  

Boring beef broth.  Boring noodles.  The meat just okay.  Maybe it was an off night (my brother swore by his meal here a few months back), but I'll probably stick with Cong Ly for cheap Viet-eats.

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Elite '09

40

154

Candice A.

Brooklyn, NY

3 star rating
1/5/2009

This place is cheap. I do admit. And my friend who likes meatballs in her pho like the meat balls here.

However even though this place has more selection than nha trang when it comes to pho, I still like nha trang more. Why? Better customer service (You are not restricted to just water OR tea. you get BOTH), you are allowed to sit down while waiting for your friends (here, they want you to be complete before they sit you down, which is understandable. but still), they're cheaper (by 0.75 cents. you may not care, but I do.), the food comes out faster (in like, 5 minutes, your pho's on your table) and lastly, they have better grilled pork chops and you can get it w/o rice.

But the perks of pho bang are that if you plan to get the grilled pork chops, I would recommend the chicken instead. and I do think that the broth here tastes better.

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Elite '09

296

111

Lexy M.

New York, NY

4 star rating
10/10/2008

I didn't get my Pho on but Phobang sure made a banging impression!...

So I have been in search of the perfect place in NY to get my Vietnamese fix and I think I found my answer! Phobang is a perfectly small & simple hidden spot in the Little Italy/China Town area. Its basic, simple, homemade & finger lickin' good Vietnamese food!

I actually didn't end up getting the Pho as I planned to (I know I know, don't get your undies all in a bunch) but the weather ended up being more warm than I expected last night so I wasn't in a "soup" mood. I plan to be back MANY MANY times in the chilly weather to enjoy a hot cheap large bowl of PHO!

I had my usual favorite starters, Vietnamese Ice Coffee (KICKS THAI ICE COFFEE'S BUTT!), Vietnamese spring rolls wrapped in fresh lettuce, Summer roll w/shrimp (Fresh AS EVER!). For dinner I had "Bun Thit Noung" thin rice vermicelli served cold with grilled marinated pork chops (YUM).

Overall the meal was cheap, simple, fast & good! I wasn't a fan of the service..but I should not expect much from a simple place like this and understand they cater to their Vietnamese speaking customers more.

I rather go where the locals go anyway! ;o)

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Photo of jeff c.

Elite '09

547

1165

jeff c.

New York, NY

3 star rating
11/6/2008

I BEG TO DIFFER! The pho here was generic, Cong Ly is still King of Phos IMO. 1 place left to hit: Xe Lua. If that doesn't measure up, the Pho Olympics are over. I heard Pho So 1 sucks from a reliable source so that's out of contention. It's situated in a marginalized location, further north in Chinatown than one would expect. It's right across the street from Saigon Banh Mi, so it was convenient to stop by for dinner. I saw a hockey mom hold a baby while feeding grandma and two other children. That bowl of pho provides for a lot of mileage when you care about quantity more than quality. No, it wasn't Palin.

-15. Pho Ga Nuong ($6) [Combination Rice Noodles Beef Soup with Grilled Chicken] - pho was the same as everywhere else, the chicken was one huge grilled fillet, you cut it up yourself
-41. Bun Thit Heo Nuong ($5) [Grilled Pork On Rice Vermicelli] - the pork here lacked char, looked dull, tasted average at best, the vermicelli was OK, there was a lot of it left over
-Mung Bean Dessert w/ pandan jelly, coconut milk (~$2) - this was good, if you like beans, just don't stand next to me after you eat all that rocket fuel

Total came out to $8/pp after everything

Pics: http://www.meetup.com/...

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Photo of Liz E.

Elite '09

38

400

Liz E.

Flushing, NY

3 star rating
1/1/2009

Atmosphere: None
Location: Edge of Chinatown.
Service: Sufficient and efficient
Price: Cheap
Food: Delicious grilled shrimp and curry chicken vermicelli, large portions, maybe too much bone, tea not refilled.
Value: Good enough to give it a second try.

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Elite '09

22

52

Danny O.

Brooklyn, NY

2 star rating
2/11/2009

Imagine crawling through the Sahara with your mouth open.  That dryness pales in comparison to the cottonmouth caused by the saltiest pho I've ever tried.  As far as sodium goes, you'd probably be better off sitting down and eating an entire jar of pickles by yourself.

This is strike two for pho in New York (see review of Nha Trang).  

The shredded and boiled chicken typically served in pho ga, was replaced with a fatty (but admittedly well marinated) uncut chicken breast.  The noodles seemed as though they could have been found in a can of Campbells.  

The gentleman who accompanied me to lunch ordered beef cubes with lettuce and tomatoes over rice.  No major complaints except the combination was a bit odd & some jerk pulled the ol' elementary school -  untwist the salt container so it pours all over your food, trick - with a bottle of hoisin sauce.

I don't understand why this place was so busy / whether or not hans g. actually ate at the same restaurant.

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Che L.

New York, NY

3 star rating
3/15/2009

Alright, Pho Bang.  This place got GREAT reviews.  Fantastic reviews. Overenthusiastic reviews.  The place is not overly large, but is by no means tiny.  There are only 1 or two tables to accommodate groups larger than 4.  The service was extremely disjointed, although we didn't wait for more than 3 minutes when we wanted some attention.

The iced coffee was really bad.  The grounds were OK, but the milk was EVAPORATED NOT CONDENSED.  I also had to ask for it, they forgot to put the milk in to begin with.  Unfortunately this left me with slightly watery coffee that was too light and not sweet enough.  I was not amused with the coffee. OK.  Everyone says the pho here rocks.. moving along.

I AM ON A PHO MISSION.  I moved back to the city from a place with a stunningly good pho retaurant, so I am spoiled and miss it badly.  I am conducting a relentless search for great pho.  Currently my recommend is Cong Ly or Pho So 1, although neither will have you considering moving to their neighborhood for easy access.  Here is my pho assessment for Pho Bang:

Broth was decent.  I'm not going to write back to my old pho place suggesting that they come learn a thing or two.  The broth is better than pho grand, nam som, and bun soho, but really not that exciting.  It did have some good flavor with just a hint of anise in it.  Plenty of basil for the soup, sriracha on the table(yes, there are pho restaurants without sriracha on the table).  They served lemon instead of lime, so no citrus in my pho.  The meat was of good quality, although the brisket(nam) was not particularly savory... could have used a bit more fat with it.   The broth was probably the best balanced I've had in Manhattan so far, although it really lacked any distinguishing 'oomph'.  

I would come back, but for the area, Cong Ly is where I'm most likely headed.

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christie v.

Brooklyn, NY

5 star rating
10/21/2008

This is my FAVORITE spot for Viet food in the city.  That's a pretty big statement coming from a Viet person.  I ALWAYS get the bun vi thit nuong (rice noodles with grilled pork).  They give you HEAPING portions, including heaping portions of condiments, even if you're ordering to go.  No one does that in this town!  

Trust me, I've been to practically every Viet place in Chinatown and this one is the best by far.

Naturally, nothing beats mama's homecooking, but until I visit mama in Houston, this is where I go.

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Johnny C.

New York, NY

5 star rating
12/19/2008

COME HERE FOR PHO ONLY.  my stupid brother ordered grilled pork chops and they came out cold and nasty!!  

The Pho is absolutely amazing!!  The soup is so good I would drink it if they put it in a bottle!!  :)

If you look at what everyone orders, you'll notice everyone is eating PHO!!  Usually there is a mix of plates at other restaurants, but here it is mainly PHO.

They do rush you out a little too fast, the check came before I even got the food...

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Kate S.

Herndon, VA

4 star rating
10/26/2008

I had to give this place 4 stars because I keep going back, but I'm not sure why. Take out is your best bet here because as soon as your food is delivered, the wait staff will ignore you. Forget a drink refill unless you plan to stalk one of the waiters - it's just not happening.

Pho Tai is delicious, I've never had anything as good anywhere else in the city, but I miss D.C. where every other Vietnamese place is seriously to die for. My roommate had spring rolls and vermicelli from here one time, but she wasn't moved enough to comment on how good anything was (except the peanut sauce which never meets her standards) - so take that for what it is.

I'll keep going back until I find somewhere better, but my hopes aren't high. The other problem this place has is with consistency. Last time I got Pho, there were some strange pieces of meat in it. Not sure what that means, but it made me a little nervous.

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Cezaro L.

New York, NY

5 star rating
6/10/2008

Pho kyeah!  So glad I listened to the eight people who told me to eat here.  I'm already a repeat offender--and they've never even refilled my water.  I have to say, the service has been very poor, but it's so cheap and satisfying that I didn't really give a &%^$ who brought it to me as long as it got there, quickly.

And it did.  I'll be back with a vengeance.

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Neo N.

Brooklyn, NY

5 star rating
11/26/2008

Lordy lord, this place is delicious and ridiculously cheap!!

If you're into the basic pho, it's great, but if you're like me and love tripe, it's even better!

Always a must have during those cold winter months...love it!

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