Pho So 1 Boston

5/2/2016

• 2 check-ins

I can't believe I didn't know about the Napoleon beef until now! After hearing so many friends rave about it I had to give it a try!

    After trying to figure out where to find the dish in the menu we realized it was a special off the menu item. Ooo la la. Order was in! As my partner and I eagerly waited, he had noticed that our waited had a hint of lemon. I thought that was such a nice surprise! How thoughtful (:
    Finally our food came out! The fries came first, then our sizzling and bubbling plates, and then last but not least! Two hot and toasted baguettes. I assembled my first bite making sure I got equal portions of pate, egg, and beef on my bread.
   One bite and I had fallen in love! If this wasn't such a heavy dish I would want it everyday. I would definitely come back for just this dish!

10/6/2016

I must say, I have been to this spot before and had a pretty exceptional experience. I used to frequent the Randolph location years ago and was happy to check this place out because, well, the pho broth is out of this world!  While the décor and location is definitely wanting, I could overlook that in favor of good quality food.

My boyfriend and I got dinner here a few weeks ago and were very disappointed.  We ordered the pork and shrimp summer rolls, which were delicious and fresh tasting.  We both got an order of the pho ga (chicken pho) with vegetables.  As a few other reviewers have stated, there were MULTIPLE small bugs in my pho (I almost thought it was pepper or another spice in the broth, but no, definitely small fruit flies or aphids from vegetables).  Mind you, I am not one to make a scene about issues like this because I hate to be "that chick," so we paid and went on our way, though the waitstaff seemed oblivious to our shocked faces and picking through the soup, I should have said something in hindsight.  This place has gone downhill, I will not return.

9/8/2016

DON'T COME HERE!!!! It's not sanitary!

I recently moved to Boston and have been looking for authentic Vietnamese food. A friend of mine found a list of best Pho restaurants and we decided to try this place out. We both got the Dac Biet pho and it was decent... until I found an insect inside the broth. We told the waitress, and she said she'd go tell the chef. About 20 minutes later she came back and unapologetically said "sorry" and that they "would be more careful next time." They didn't even give us a discount on the check.

Later, my friend texted me. She taken the remainder of the 3-color dessert she had ordered at this place home and put it in the fridge. When she took it out again, she found another insect had floated to the top of the drink. SO GROSS. Never going back again!

10/16/2016

NEVER COME BACK! Randomly stop by on Sunday night and totally regret! Rude customer service (especially the waitress with attitude ), bad foods, dirty bowls (they service us with sth left in the bowl, then she used her finger to wipe it off, OMG) bugs, and talking bad words loudly in the restaurant. What wrong with you people, we come to support your business, we pay to get food, we don't get it for free. Why you woman showing attitude and talking behind customer back, WE COULD SEE you talking through the big mirror okay . I'm telling you, I NEVER write any review, you got my 1st!

3/13/2016

Their Napoleon beef is really good but it's not on the menu... The snails are really good too!

When I went with my boyfriend, the banh canh cua was very flavorful and tasty but when I went with my sister, it was very bland. They're not very consistent with their soup base. And they brought her dish out last minute when everyone's almost done eating. I guess they forgot about it.

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  Napoleon beef. Not on menu. Comes with a side dish of French fries

  Napoleon beef. Not on menu. Comes with a side dish of French fries

3/23/2016

Food: 2.5/5.0
Service: 2.5/5.0
Value: 3.0/5.0
Decor: 3.0/5.0
Overall: 2.5/5.0

Good ingredients (decent quality beef and fresh basil and cilantro) but the broth left a lot to be desired as it was under-salted and generally pretty watery.  Service was fine though.  Left unimpressed.

9/20/2016

Always had a negative feeling about this place. One day my friend wanted to come try their hyped up Napoleon beef entree so I did. It was greasy as can be and most definitely hyped up for no reason. Also ordered chicken wings in sweet fish sauce. The wings were still frozen on the inside. I didn't want to bring this to the waiters attention at the time because it wasn't his fault. Never returning here ever again. If you want delicious good quality Vietnamese food, do yourself a favor and go to Anh Hong right down the street.

12/28/2015

Pho So 1 translates to Pho Number 1. I think it's been a long time since could claim that title in Dorchester. The service is slow. It's not particularly clean. The bowls and utensils seem old.

I got vermicelli once and found a worm. When I told the waitress she didn't believe me until she saw it wriggle. They handled the situation poorly and there's just nothing that Pho So 1 does better than any of the other Vietnamese restaurants but there are many things they do worse.

7/15/2015

• 1 check-in

Came here for the pho, and had to say we enjoyed it.

Friend got Pho Dac Biet and I got Pho Ga. Broth's were acceptable and everything tasted well.

Service wasn't bad but my only complaint was that the large didn't really feel like a large :(

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  Pho Ga

  Pho Ga
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  Pho Dac Biet

  Pho Dac Biet

4/27/2016

This place is seriously such a hidden germ. As a Vietnamese, after I discovered this place about a year ago, I always recommend it to any of my Viet/non-Viet friends as the best place for authentic Vietnamese food, at least in my opinion. Their Napoleon beef is a killer and of course it's house special so remember that name cuz it ain't on the menu. I also tried their soups, they all were very tasty and don't feel like they put a hella ton of MSG like most other Vietnamese/Thai places (believe me, when I said most, I really meant it). The Vietnamese pancake is always crispy here, and personally, I think is the most worth trying as an appetizer if you're looking something more exciting than those basic Vietnamese/Asian appetizers such as the spring rolls or egg rolls (they still taste good tho).

The service has been pretty nice mostly, or at least you can tell they really try. Sometimes around late night, if you're unlucky, there will be a big table of drunk middle-aged men dining here who are a bit loud (only happened once in my experience), but you can tell the server that and politely ask to switch to a table further away from them. They mostly play Vietnamese pop songs here and I understand you might like or not like it, but they do adjust the music to fit the crow in the restaurant or upon request.

Overall, definitely worth all my 40-min trips on the train from Backbay to here whenever I crave for good Vietnamese food or wanna take my non-Viet friends to an authentic Vietnamese restaurant!

9/20/2015

Sleazy atmosphere with dingy tables, chairs, walls, and floor.  Not very invited and the food matches the decor.  Service is bad; they act like they are doing you a favor if you are not Vietnamese.  Prices are average for a pho restaurant.  

The food was below average.  Try one of several other pho noodle restaurants all within 2 or 3 blocks.  

We will definitely not be back but we love Pho Le on Dorchester Avenue.

3/9/2015

• 1 check-in

Pho So 1 Boston has dishes you rarely find elsewhere with a charm and warmth that feels like you're at a family owned restaurant.

While I think I would give this place 4.5 stars just because I don't necessarily get the "WOW" factor, I'm going to give 5 stars just because of how unique this restaurant is.

Take it from my friends:
"This soup is so fun. I keep digging through with my spoon and finding new meats and meatballs and seafood surprises."
"The noodles were chewy with a good texture. I've never had layered rice noodles like that before."
"This soup was perfect for a cold winter day."
"That peanut sauce with the spring rolls was so good."

While I can't claim to be an expert about all the dishes, I did thoroughly enjoy what I tried. I looked through the menu and most of the items were unfamiliar to me. Pho So 1 Boston really goes off the beaten path of pho and pad thai. There are soups with crab paste and shrimp crackers and pig feet and blood cakes and tripe. These soups are truly special with a Vietnamese audience in mind.

The waiters were very nice and gave great explanations with clear recommendations.

What would push me to a confident 5 stars? I think more pictures in the menu, a little better service (we had to ask for water and refills, and go up to pay our check), and better decor/interior. But honestly, these are minor issues. This place is worth the adventurous trek into Dorchester.

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  The fun nature decor

  The fun nature decor
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  Inside the restaurant. The cash register area

  Inside the restaurant. The cash register area
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  Avocado bubble tea

  Avocado bubble tea
• See all photos from Jon L. for Pho So 1 Boston

9/19/2015

• 2 check-ins

Pho-tastic pho here! One of the few places I'll go to for pho. I come here when I don't want to go all the way to Chinatown. It's also one of the few places that has pho for so cheap. They have a rich soup base that's very authentic. The Neapolitan beef is also great when you want some sizzling beef with an egg and pate! Wicked hot right when it comes out! Highly recommended it!

Great and reasonable price, people are nice and there to serve you, I recommend this place when you want something authentic!

3/11/2016 Updated review

Under new management and there's new food on the menu. New renovations and less crowded. Their beef Napoleon is a hit or miss but it is good. Get the hu tieu mi cho lon to get out of your pho comfort zone

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  Hu tieu mi cho lon

  Hu tieu mi cho lon
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  Com Tay cam (seafood clay pot )

  Com Tay cam (seafood clay pot )

6/18/2016

Only the pho is good everything else I do not like. They always run out of ingredients even during lunch. Nothing but avocado smoothies without boba mostly. I ordered the Napoleon beef thing that is not on the menu because the pictures and videos make it look bomb. It looked hella good coming out but was salty af. Horrible. Parking is annoying since its only after 4pm and people park horizontally to block all the cars already there. I shoulda scratched that bmw on purpose for parking like a jerk when there was a lot of room for him to begin with.

3/1/2016 Updated review

Officially the only place I like for Vietnamese in the Boston area. Have the hard-to-get items, plus the old standbys. It's become a regular haven for my Viet cravings. Simple, unpretentious space in the center of Dorchester/Vietnamese area, this place has it all. The staff don't hover but take care of you right away, they don't rush you out when you're done and the food is bloody delicious. I recently went there for a special occasion and was not disappointed, and I'm going on my 3rd year going here. I'll most certainly be back. Has the family atmosphere and prices to go with it.

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  Broken rice with pork and fried tofu

  Broken rice with pork and fried tofu

7/24/2015

• 1 check-in

I was volunteering for a Vietnamese New Year event, and the group had ordered a couple party-sized trays of egg rolls for everyone. They were so damn good that my friends and I started calling them crack egg rolls. Ever since that day, I had been constantly craving their egg rolls and waiting for the day when I would finally get to sit down for a meal at Pho So 1.

Fast forward a half year, and it finally happened!... but the egg rolls tasted different. They were not nearly as good, but they were definitely the same egg rolls in all other respects. Our conclusion: they were not as fresh, likely fried and then re-fried when they were heated up to be served. Some might say the two egg rolls tasted exactly the same (as one of my friends did), but to others, the two egg rolls were worlds apart. Fortunately, my disappointment in the egg rolls didn't completely ruin my experience at Pho So 1.

The service here is wonderful. Everyone was cheerful, attentive, and helpful with answering any and all questions that I had (I was trying to figure out all the ingredients in the egg rolls so that I could make my own crack-infused egg rolls at home). I believe it was the owner who recommended the Napoleon Beef dish to me. He sold me on it because pho is everywhere, but their Napoleon Beef is something special. Indeed, it was: it came out sizzling hot, looking absolutely ravishing. This French-inspired dish is basically a make-it-yourself bahn mi, with tender, juicy beef to put into a very satisfying sandwich. If you do not like your savory dishes to be on the sweet side, however, I would not recommend this dish to you.

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  Napoleon Beef up close.

  Napoleon Beef up close.
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  Napoleon Beef! More sweet than salty; very tender. So yum.

  Napoleon Beef! More sweet than salty; very tender. So yum.
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  Egg rolls.

  Egg rolls.

1/12/2016 Updated review

• 3 check-ins

This used to be my go to place, but lately everything have been going down hill. I was craving their hu tieu so I made my friend take me. When my food came out there was no meat, I waved the waitress down and she got that fixed. I ignore the problem and came back with my coworker a couple of days later. His food came out a little rare .. I again ignore it and continue eating. I got the same thing, this time everything was there including a little piece of plastic. I totally lost my appetite. I told him and he took it out of my bill. Overall, I'm very disappointed that this happen. I will not be back.

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  The plastic I found in my food

  The plastic I found in my food
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  They remodel the place and now serve alcohol!

  They remodel the place and now serve alcohol!

5/1/2015

• 1 check-in

Authentic and a bit far away from Boston downtown but worth a try when you are around the area. Their pho broth is pretty tasty, a bit different than those of Chinatown or elsewhere I tried.

Staffs are friendly; they are busy in take out too since the dining environment isn't too inviting, methinks.

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  Pho ( raw meat w flank )

  Pho ( raw meat w flank )
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  Fried chicken wings

  Fried chicken wings

5/17/2016

The Napoleon is different but not spectacular.  The meat is a bit rough for me but the flavor is good.
Pho combo is very mediocre and nothing special.  Overall, this place is just ok.