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Category: Vietnamese [Edit]
Neighborhood: Downtown FlushingMain St (7)
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This pace is great. I've been to several authentic Vietnamese restaurants between NYC and Philly and this has to be by far one of the best. The menu is large from all of the Pho, appetizers and entrees they serve. Service is always quick cuz you don't have a set waiter, any of the waiters can help out and trust me there are plenty of waiters to help you out.
Every time we go I seem to try the spring rolls with the #1 Pho and it never fails. This time I tried the pork over rice and it was ok.
I cant wait till my next visit to Phobang.
We went to eat here both sickly and during the Chinese New Year. So many people, not much parking.… Read more »
I used to get different things (spring rolls, cold vermicelli with grilled pork chops, beef/onion rolls over broken Jasmine rice) here with my family when I was younger, and all of them were delicious. At this point, though, I've graduated just to pho. It's quite wonderful here and the flavor and authenticity is rivaled only by the the pho at Argyle Street ("Little Saigon") in Chicago.
The restaurant itself doesn't look the freshest and cleanest, so you have to be legitimately hungry to eat in. Seriously though, it's not as bad as one other reviewer put it. I'm not sure what they expected (glass walls and marble tabletops... and people dressed in scrubs?) but this isn't an art museum, or an operating room. Either way, I've done carry-out a number of times-- recommended, since most of the food travels well! Except not if you're getting spring rolls, since the fried goodness is only optimally good when painfully hot.
Also, it's important to know that Asian restaurants' service culture is different from that of American restaurants-- They're not going to continue coming over to ask how things are (i.e. being annoying), so if you want something, you need to call them over. Don't be a jerk and expect the waitstaff to flock around in a great deferential force field while you eat.
Pho, especially from Pho Bang, shaped my childhood. Well, not really, but it at least infused many days of it with that amazing cinnamonny flavor.
Some background: I'm Vietnamese and I'm from Southern California. Pho runs through my veins and MSG is an essential vitamin as far as I'm concerned.
I'll keep it quick: Go here. Go here and just stick with the pho because ordering anything else is like being the prick that orders fish at a renowned steakhouse. I prefer the number 2, but hey, to each his own.
(Oh and a bonus note for free: Don't wear anything you don't want to reek of pho for weeks. I have a designated pho outfit.)
This is one of the better Phos I've had in New York. Very tasty broth that had a lot of flavor to it. Meat could have been a little better quality, but still tasted great. The Bahn Mi is huge, and the bread isn't overly toasted where it rips up your mouth. My delicate mouth appreciated that.
I don't mind a dirty place at all, I think it sometimes is a good indication of good food, but this place is not for the faint of heart.
I would pho real go back here.
Did you honestly think I'd get through this without a pho pun?
You don't go here for the decor, you should go here for the closest thing to authentic Vietnamese food in NYC. I've been here twice and both times I was not disappointed by the food. The service is prompt (not overly attentive). Yes, the place is a fixer upper, but who cares when the food is good. Pho Bang beats all of the Vietnamese restaurants in Chinatown, Manhattan and 8th Ave., Brooklyn.
This place waxes and wanes in terms of food quality. I usually get the summer rolls as appetizer, and the #2 dac biet beef noodle soup, or the grilled pork with vermicelli (soupless) as mains. The flavor of the grilled pork varies from time to time, and is a good indicator of overall quality of this restaurant's food at any given time; sometimes it's really smoky and aromatic, sometimes it's meat garbage. Some people treat the "3-color-ice" drink as dessert, but it's a yummy treat I like to order with my meal. It has chunks of mung bean, green jello-type strands, red bean, and COCUNUT milk which makes it so creamy and delightful yet not too sweet and overpowering.
I agree with the other reviewer; this place is probably filthier than you'd want, but I haven't had any bad experiences.
So! I have A LOT of experience with this place.
Once upon a time, when I was on http://Match.com and was setting up one date after another (yah, this review will permanently stop me from ever doing this again), they would all be here at this restaurant.
Prices are reasonably low and the food was of good quality and tasty. I had an endless list of choices to try while dating one guy after another just to see if there was a connection or not. If there was a connection, then who cares about the food, but, often there was no connection. At least I enjoyed my dinner. AND if the lame-o didn't pay for the first date, then I can afford my half... in fact, I could even afford his half in case he was super lame and 'forgot his wallet.'
There were these two old men who waited the tables. The one with the comb over loved to wait my particular table because he started to recognize me. He loved the idea that I was trying to find a boyfriend. He would check out the guy and give his two cents at the end of the date when the guy went to the bathroom.
The taste was very very good. I loved the characters that I met there. The white haired old man would always tell comb over to back off. And then I listened in as they talked about the quality of men the match maker was sending me out with in Chinese. It was hilarious. Surprise, I'm more C in ABC than they realize.
This restaurant is not bad if you just want something to eat for cheap, but it's nothing exceptional if you are looking for something especially tasty. Although to be fair, I think I may be comparing it to the Vietnamese restaurants I've been to in Northern Virginia, which in my opinion are hard to beat.
Absolutely dirty place
i have to admit though, the sandwich is really good and relatively cheap. It's less than 4 freakin' dollars. beat that subways!
the noodle dishes aren't too bad but it's just that the restaurant itself is pretty dirty.. indeed.
This is actually 3.5.
For the price, you can't beat it. Everything is in good portions and good flavour. I enjoy the Vietnamese sandwich - I do not know what the grey spread they use is, but it tastes very good! Their bread is no where as good as Paris Sandwich shop in Chinatown, it's just not as fresh. Their pho, of course, is very good too. So far, they make the best pho I've had.
There is no real decor - it's just another grubby restaurant, but you don't go for the ambiance.
So I went here today to get the Banh Mi Vietnamese sandwich. Like all places dealing with the recession, the sandwich and Snapple combo has gone up to $6, and $3.75 for the Banh Mi sandwich alone. Nonetheless, their generous pre-recession pile of meat, spices, and vegetables makes me happy, price hike or not. It's still consistent, and their business still thrives. I don't think this place is going anywhere anytime soon, and I hope not. It's Banh Mi or bust.
This place never fails to please me. Or my friends when I take them out to lunch or dinner in… Read more »
The pho here is really good, in Chinese we call the special "huo che," literally "Train."
However, one thing I disliked about this place was that the beef meatballs cost an extra two dollars and they didn't give you much. Most Pho Specials give you this for free or maybe only 25 cents. That two dollar price for a small quantity of meatballs is just ridiculous.
As the most high-profile Vietnamese chain restaurant in New York, Pho Bang is sort of a dying breed as it's locations in Manhattan have been shuttering in recent years. In my opinion, it's simply because there are better options in the neighborhoods, and cheaper ($1-1.50 average per dish) as well.
I enjoy the bun thit nuong ($6.25, below) no matter where I eat it usually, and here it is better than average. The grilled pork is marinated just right, and nc chm (fish sauce with vinegar, water and sugar) makes everything right after all.
At the top of the menu are two "soup as an entree" pho choices. The second, dac biet ($5.95, below) is a simple soup mostly flavored with onion and salt, but decent enough for an enjoyable quick lunch. The beef is pretty raw when it comes out but is thin enough to cook itself in the broth in a matter of seconds.
Most of the patrons here are local Chinese, but that is the case in most New York Vietnamese restaurants. It is still one of the few places where the people serving you are Vietnamese though, if that counts for anything. I would not call them either fast or attentive though, as you won't see them again after your dishes arrive.
I will still say Chinatown has the best Vietnamese food in NYC....the pho and pho soup here had way too much MSG to be called authentic pho, also the lemongrass chicken here is not even close to what it should have tasted like. I was sorely disappointed since very rarely does a Phobang disappoint regardless of where it is located.
Also, for some reason the tables there smell like recycled dirty dishrag, the BF and I decided that it's probably b/c they have not washed the table rags thoroughly enough causing the rags to grow mold thus spreading the smelly stink all over the tables, thus causing us to gag and want to leave immediately.
Also do not expect too much for service but this can be said about most place like this, typically though the food taste makes up for the lack there of service and atmosphere....
Hello, this is Inside Spoon and this time, Pho Bang.
Okay, Pho Bang, I've been dropping in on this place and the one in Elmhurst for the past 5 years. The most recent time I came here was about 4 months ago and the experience was just horrible.
If you havent noticed, Pho Bang restaurants are the most filthiest restaurants out there. I am completely serious and I have no idea how they pass the inspection test. This Pho Bang is slightly better than the one in Elmhurst but it's about the same. If you dont believe, go take a look, and your jaws will drop.
Be cautious when you eat here. If you see any fresh veggies near the floor of the kitchen, leave. Vietnamese restaurants are infamous for their unsanitary conditions.
I hate really this place; it's filthy; the waiters are crap; and the food is mainly MSG when it comes to soup noodles. I remembered i was with my friends once, and we found a white/grayish strands of hair on our sausages. My friends asked them to remake them but they were pissed off. Was it our problem that some old dude was shedding hair? no.
The restaurant environment is dull, boring, and grotesque. The floors are always sleek and oily so bring boots.
Sometimes, you might find the occasional flies, and watch out, they just might snatch your food.
I honestly dislike all Pho Bang because anyone I know who has eaten here has gotten Diarrhea, probably because of the floor wiped veggies that they put as a sidedish.
I hope you guys AVOID! But if you want to gamble, please dont risk your life on this place. I bet your life is more valuable than this restaurant.
well, guys, God forbidden anything from happening to you after eating at this place. God Bless, Bring Peptol Bismol, and lots of toilet paper.
Happy Eating guys, Brought to you by Inside Spoon
The pork chop over rice is outstanding. 2 chops perfectly cooked and seasoned. Spring rolls and pho, all of it is spot on. I've been coming for years and while, every time the wait staff will rush you in and out, while I am there, the eating is serious and quality. Prices are dirt cheap. What is the downside aside from the very hurried service? Grimy bathrooms and a perpetually slick floor.
After my tennis class today, I was so starving!!!
A friend of mine called me for lunch and we and two more friends made a company for a short trip to this restaurant.
I have been here twice and I kinda like there.
Not bad interior, many customers and decent food!
One of my friends was on his wheelchair and a waiter pulled out one of the chairs of our table for him. kind!
One thing I didn't like was that people keep starring at my friend. :(
Anyways, Vietnamese food is one of my favorite.
Of course I love the rice noodle soup! :P
wow, the pho has much more than I expected. half of it will cost you double price in K-Town Manhattan. So, I like it.
To be honest, this place used to be excellent 10 yrs ago. I went there ever since childhood and sad to say that they've changed their chef prob 2x that I've noticed a change in the food. Particularly regarding to their Pho Noodles nowadays, the portion is smaller , saltier, and very oily. I stopped going to this place for about 3 yrs now.
I think this might be the only place in Flushing or Queens that sells banh mi sandwiches. I think I need to move to Brooklyn, because this is pathetic! But anyways...I came here probably a few months ago b/c I was craving a banh mi. I just remember waiting a long time for the sandwich, but in the end it was decent. The only thing was the bread. It was a bity chewy. But I am not complaining...b/c its either that or NO BANH MI in Queens. I mean what the H? And while I am on a rant, why are there no ETHIOPIAN joints in Queens?
Good pho and on the cheap too. I always get the x-Large bowl (I'm a glutton) topped with lots of basil, mint, lemon, lime, and NO cilantro, along with the cha gio or a summer roll. It's conveniently located right across the street from Flushing Library and I'd choose it over any of the other Viet choices in the neighborhood. Food is hot, delicious, fast, and cheap. Vietnamese iced coffees could be better but I always have one, sometimes two (when does condensed milk and strong coffee ever fail to do job? The answer is never). Not in the mood for pho? Order a bahn mi (vietnamese sandwich) instead or pork chop over rice. It's super cheap here and very very filling. And there you have it. Three of my favorite dishes, all in one place, and each for less than $6.
Five stars for what it is. Don't come expecting a super classy place though; Pho Bang is kind of an old, dirty, grungy looking restaurant but you and your friends will eat and leave happy.
This is where I became obsessed with Pho. And those spring rolls.
I have fond memories of this place, but nothing has changed in the almost 20 years since I've known about this place. It's still the same dirty but tasty place to get a pho fix. It feels like home every time I even just pass by.
Great place for authentic Vietnamese cuisine. I always come here with a friend and order the number 1 or number 2. If you've been here before, you'll know that as the pho rice noodles with beef in beef broth soup. The soup is delicious, you really can't stop drinking it. Comes with a plate of bean sprouts, a few wedges of lemon and basil leaves, which you MUST add to the noodle soup. They have great tasting Vietnamese spring and summer rolls, pork chops with rice, and the Bánh mì baguette sandwich is delicious. For desert, I recommend the rice pudding, I almost always get it if I have room for it. They have great espresso and Vietnamese coffee as well. Service is good if it's not too busy. Interior could use a remodel but it's in no way shabby at all and has a nice asian restaurant feel to it.
yummyYYY!!!!!! the best pho ever! I go there once a week and order the same stuff. SPRING rolls, PHO and the rainbow drink! sooo good. The spring rolls are sooo crispy and the pho is soo flavorful. Been to "pho tuong" which is next door and it sucked!!!!!!! Try this place instead.
PHO BANG is the best...too bad the one in manhattan closed.
This is one of my favorite viet places.
Everything is good here, and my usual are pork chop pho and ice coffee. They are great every single time!!
This is prolly my favorite Vietnamese place in Flushing, if not NYC. It's affordable and authentic;a little grungy, but the food is top notch. Prices have gone up a dollar or two here and there, but that's the case wherever you go these days. Anyway, only reason I don't give it five stars is cause, like others have already pointed out, it's a little sloppy as far as the interior goes. I've eaten here a ton of times, but one time there was a hair in my spring roll. The food's so good that I can forgive them that one little time.
This place is very authentic (owner is Vietnamese, not Chinese) and I prefer it to the spot next door, because although the interior isn't as nice, the service is much faster and friendlier. Pho Huang (next door) is often slow and very rude.
One final thing I'd like to point out: if you can't stand cilantro (and I know there's a lot of you out there) you can still enjoy Vietnamese, just don't forget to tell 'em when you place your order. Alternatively, check out Pho 32 & Shabu, where they always put the cilantro on the side for you to make your own choice about putting it in.
This is one of my all-time favorite eateries in Flushing.
They are FAST - you order (by number) and your food comes to your table less than A MINUTE.
Now, you are probably thinking, fast food = bad food. This is not the case with Pho. Their vietnamese noodle soups are delicious; you will even see many Vietnamese people eating here, so it must be true to its origin.
Try the spring rolls, the fried ones. They are simply delightful. You wrap it up in the lettuce leaves and dip it into the fish sauce.
I'm getting hungry just thinking about it...
Don't forget to try the pork chop over rice. It is grilled to perfection.
They are consistent. There is not one time that I walk out of Pho thinking "Damn, I wish I went somewhere else 'cause this wasn't what I expected". I go in, get my regular and am ALWAYS satisfied.
Vietnamese food is pretty good, I really enjoy their large noodle soups, and recently their sandwiches. I love their sandwiches, I'm not sure what they put in it, but its DAMN good. They heat it in the oven and gets everything warm, not sure which animals they used but it's pretty good. I usually go there for the sandwiches.
Its not big on decor, or ambiance, you go there to eat, not to sit and chat and look around and discuss the current state of global warming or how to reduce your carbon print. You could if you want, but most ppl eat, and go on their way...
They don't skimp on the important stuff: lime, fresh basil, and bean sprouts. And they aren't substituting the basil with cilantro like my former-favorite place has been doing for the past couple of years--the SHAME.
I take pho seriously, because it either hits the spot or it doesn't. On Kissena they work it, so you can't go wrong.
Update: My opinion of the food is still the same, but recently found out from the health dept web site that this is one of the dirtiest places to eat in Flushing. So I may cut back on my meals here.
The charm of this place is that there is no charm, it relies solely on the food. The Pho is excellent, definitely not Americanized (they offer tripe). They make excellent spring rolls: shrimp, cilantro, vermicelli, lime, deliciousness. Also on the menu is a vermicelli noodle dish with fried spring rolls which is yum as well.
And all I can say is... damn, it's cheap (like $5).
My secret of curing hangovers has always involved either soup dumplings or Vietnamese beef noodle soup, otherwise known as "Pho." And this place is easily on of the best places to cure it. Phobang is a part of a growing trend of Vietnamese places in Flushing and a vital anchor to the demand for good pho places in NYC.
The pho broth here is fresh and inhaling it is like a nice steam bath for the face. Its tastes as good as it smells and the meat varieties are just cooked enough to be safe to eat while staying extremely moist and chewy. Its not all about the pho here clearly, as there are some excellent appetizers and my second favorite entree here has to be the bun tom nuong, which is char grilled shrimp on a bed of rice noodles with bits of peanuts and lemon sprinkled over it.
Even though this place is crowded on any given night, the spacious hall is enough to accommodate many folks at any given time. Prices are very reasonable and its very hard to hate this place for all that it has. It is by far one of the best Vietnamese restaurants in Flushing, perhaps Queens.
My favorite vietnamese restaurant in flushing! I love their multi-colored (rainbow?) drink with the jelly things inside! My boyfriend and I go here and we never spend more than $20! The pho is good as well as the grilled pork over rice. We always seem to get the same thing just because it's just that good! We tried some kind of special drink last time, it tasted like a blend of eggnog and coke - it was pretty good, felt like I can make it myself though, but it was less than $2-3 so still worth it.
Pho Bang is my go-to whenever I need a fix. I'm not a big beef eater, so I usually look for other meat options-- at Pho Bang, it's the pho with grilled pork slices. The portion they give you is much larger than I really need, so it's a great cheap eats at $6.50 for the bowl. Also- I can't leave here without getting an order of spring rolls (be sure to use the mint they give you!!). If you're hankering for a dessert, be sure to try the Three Color Sweet Beans listed under "beverages," which is PERFECT for a hot summer day.
I've never tried anything else but their vietnamese sandwiches, but their sandwiches are DAMNGOOD!! You get a long toasted sub with different meats and this weird pasty stuff, cilantro, and pickled carrots and radish. You can get it spicy or non-spicy, but I prefer non-spicy because it's uncooked jalepenos they put in that baby - which is not the type of spicy I like. Rather, I just put the sriracha sauce in it.
IT'S SOOOO YUM!!! All for $3. Totally, totally worth it.
[edit]
i had to take a star off because of the food handling. i saw a guy carry a tray of beef stacked high (those thinly sliced beef strips that go into your yummy sandwich and pho) and he was going through those plastic hanging things that serve as a doorway or barrier to another room and he just walked through with the tray of beef, letting the plastic just slide all over the beef. not only is the plastic thing highly contaminated, how many trays of beef did those plastic things touch??
:/
My first reaction is shock when I see the number of 4 star and 5 star reviews for this place. On my visit to NY, I figured NY would kill VA in all food categories, but this is not the case at all. I don't claim to be a pho expert, but I know what I like and I look for pho in every city I frequent.
Getting to this restaurant is incredibly annoying and the parking lot is always full. Those waiting for spots often look like they want to take me out if I even look at an open space.
The pho here is not very good, in my humble opinion. The broth is not as flavorful as one would expect and is a little too thin for my tastes. They don't offer onions marinated in vinegar as some pho places do which is a tasty addition to the pho. We took some sandwiches to go, and they were ok.
So far, I have not been impressed with the Vietnamese representation in NY, and would invite everyone to come down to Virginia for pho and Vietnamese food in general. Or go sample pho in Cali and Texas, because they are supposed to kick the crap out of Virginia.
There are a gaziliion pho places in Flushing, owned and operated by Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, but this is the place I go to for pho. The soup is so dirty, I love it. I like spring rolls (fried) but I stopped ordering them here after several times because they always tasted old. I'm guessing they're pre-fried then fried again briefly before serving. The summer rolls are pretty fresh; I'm sure they're made on order.
this where you get bang pho yo buck
I love Vietnamese food, and I love Phobang Flushing! The best thing about the restaurant are their Vietnamese sandwiches. I think if you buy 4 they give you one free. I would buy like a dozen if I went. It's like crack in a baguette...soooo gooooood!
The spring rolls were horrible. As another reviewer wrote - they tasted like they were made yesterday and fried again when we ordered them. They used hero bread to make the Banh Mi which also tasted old. The pho tai was decent except for the noodles. I would not go back to this place.
yummylicious. best pho i've had in nyc - it's the most authentic and flavorful. their broth is pretty famous and they cook it all day long. i always get the #1 - the standard beef pho and throw in a bunch of bean sprounts, mint, a squeeze of lime, and hot sauce = perfection. it's a must try and they give generous portions, plus they're SUPER quick. don't go anywhere else for pho, especially in flushing. the other items on the menu have always been good too when i've been extra hungry and decided to branch out.
Neighborhood: Little Italy
Category: Vietnamese
Neighborhood: Downtown Flushing
Category: Vietnamese
Neighborhood: Elmhurst
Category: Vietnamese
Neighborhood: East Village
Category: Vietnamese
Neighborhood: Chinatown
Category: Vietnamese
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