We found this place thru yelp. Parking lot was ok . The bathrooms are to the right as soon as you enter. This is the fastest service I've ever had. As soon as you get there you are seated. They bring you water right away. They have a tv where you can watch any game that's on. We ordered spring rolls . I didn't notice they had meat so before I could get the waitresses attention they brought them to me. I just picked out the meat it was no big deal. They were really good. Then we got our pho it was in a huge bowl but overall good. We were in and out within 25 minutes and price was reasonable. Really good spirits would definitely return read more

Love their Oakland location. Love their Albany location. The food is always delicious. Very happy that they also offer a few vegetarian options. Would definitely recommend this place to everyone. Only negative: no alcohol But since we are still SIP, it's not a problem. read more

The food here is awesome. I eat here often and love the service. Van always greets me with a smile and knows exactly what I want when I come in. I feel taken care of here and appreciated. I will continue to frequent AO SEN!!! read more

I'm religiously a big fan of Monster Pho 2 in the East Bay area and admittedly may be a little bit biased, but I don't think the pho here is as good. The brisket and rare steak could definitely be a lot better in terms of quality, and the brisket had a lot of tendon and fat, which I'm not usually a big fan of. If you're into a sweeter pho broth, then this can be a good choice for you, and you can't beat the price of $8.50, I'd have to say. I also ordered the Bun Bo Hue (spicy beef noodle soup), for $8.95. This was definitely a better choice than the pho, which is hard to say because Pho Ao Sen prides itself on being "phonomenal." Since it was my second time here and giving Pho Ao Sen another chance, I'd have to say I won't be coming back. The food is truly underwhelming, and I had to go get another bowl of pho at Monster Pho 2 the next day :( read more

Ao Sen - Mediocre pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Albany, California

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I gotta say the Oakland location is so much better. Food wise. This place is super big and clean compared to the Oakland location, but the pho isn't as good. I got the 1. Rare steak pho ($7.95): a bowl of thin noodles and cilantro. The pho in Oakland location is much better. 2. Nem nuong nha trang ($5.95): a blend of grilled pork paste, crispy roll, lettuce, mint, carrot, cucumber, chive, and rice vermicelli rolled in thin rice paper. I'm just going to stick with the Oakland location :) read more

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Found this place online and decided to give it a shot since I LOVE pho. The ambiance of this place was really nice very relaxing it gives a homey feel. I tried the Thai ice tea which was absolutely amazing! I also got the #9 which was also amazing, the serving size was pretty good. I would definitely be coming back read more

Hmmm interesting I got the #1 pho with all meats there was very Lil green onions and cilantro which I love so I had to ask the waiter to bring out a lil more of course he did but with regular onions instead of green sigh but I won't complain I think their may have been msg in the broth because I felt extra sleepy afterward or I probably had the itis who knows down side the tripe was not cooked long enough it was very tough to the chew and I love tendon but there was very Lil of that oh their chili sauce is phenomenal it's made with lemon grass and chili's but I didn't let it seep into the broth long enough the lemon grass remained kinda hard the meat was great portion size was plentiful overall great bowl of pho I'll be back read more

Ao Sen - Before I dressed it up very flavorful - Vietnamese Near Me - Albany, California

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Food is great. Frequented this place since its opening. They've finally gotten the bun bo hue soup right from when first opened. Usually order bun bo hue, soup is good but even better when eaten with the side spicy/oily chili condiment, so yummy especially with some sriracha mixed in. Also ordered the egg roll appetizer cuz comes with lettuce to wrap in it. Great complement with the noodle soup. I would say this place has gottten a bit better then the one in Oakland since they DO NOT apply an extra 3% onto your tab for using credit card and also do not charge you extra when you switch the noodle type in your order. I would recommend to try cuz very people workers, very accommodating when need to make changes to your order to your liking. Only con is its very cold in there so bundle up. read more

Checked out Pho Ao Sen based on some recommendations and I just happened to be in the area too. The restaurant unlike most pho restaurants was a bit more modern than most pho places and was clean. First impression was good. This time I decided that I wanted something a little more savory tasting than pho, so I ordered beef stew with a baguette. It was pretty darn tasty but except for one thing: it was such a meager portion for $10 that it didn't pass the bang for the buck test. At all. The soup had nice pieces of beef, carrots, and onions. But again, the portion size was so small. I also ordered a soda chan and they provided a can of Pierre club soda water which was a nice touch. Overall I'd say Pho Ao Sen was a 3.5, but I'll mark it as a 4 for now due to the good, friendly service. read more

Ao Sen - Baguette that comes with the beef stew. Crusty and soft on the inside - Vietnamese Near Me - Albany, California

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What I like about Ao Sen: Easy parking, quiet sports TV, immediate seating, variety of menu offerings, quality and variety of pho including fresh toppings plate, predomanently Asian clientele, cleanliness everywhere, amazing warm peanut dipping sauce. Could be improved: Return of "fat noodles" option, attentiveness of servers, coffee drippers at the table. Perhaps the broth could be more concentrated, but it is adequate and better than some other restaurants. Spring rolls are good, but could be more freshly made. We come here often and are recognized and welcomed personally. read more

TL;DR: best pho place in the area, great BBH and pho, worth the extra distance from UC Berkeley and beyond People often complain that there's no good pho in the UC Berkeley area and they're right to do so. For all of my four years here, I've been recommending Pho Ao Sen to everyone I know. The extra trek to Albany or Oakland really becomes worth it once you try it for yourself. I think Pho Ao Sen is one of the best Vietnamese food places in the the NE Bay after my plenty of visits. In the past, I've ordered the Bun Bo Hue (36) and the Pho Dac Biet (2). BUN BO HUE (5/5) - Had it a while ago, but I remember it as fantastic - The fresh vegetables it comes with really sets it apart - Perfect for a cold day (as most soups here would be) PHO DAC BIET (4/5) - My go-to pho order - Plenty of meat and great serving size - Broth isn't too sweet at all - Vegetables are also a strong suit I would say the only thing I haven't enjoyed here in the past is the Vietnamese Coffee; it comes off as a little too sweet and has a weird aftertaste to me, but some of my friends really enjoyed it, so to each their own. I would highly recommend this place, whether you're in the area or you have to travel a bit. It's worth the extra effort and I will continue recommending this place to friends in the future. read more

Went for pho, and Pho Ao Sen did NOT disappoint! We consider ourselves pho experts, as we eat it all the time, and seek it out in cities we visit. Of course the Bay Area is heaven for pho junkies! Between 5 of us, we tried the beef, chicken, and seafood varieties. All were very, very good and flavorful. The portions are very generous, and we had leftovers to enjoy for lunch 2 days later. Pricing is perfect for what you get. The restaurant is clean, service is decent, and the decor & ambiance is nice. We'd return, and definitely recommend. read more

Loved the fresh spring rolls and warm peanut sauce from this new place in town. The pho ga was delicious. Great friendly service and the bathrooms are super clean. Enjoy! read more

This place is clean and nice. I throughly enjoyed my meal. It's been rough for everyone in the restaurant business but it looks like things are getting back to normal. Love supporting my community. read more

Been going here since pre-covid and always love their food. With COVID around it's just not the same. I miss the eaten style, but I don't mind take-outs. Also, what's up with some of these yelp reviews... CS is needed. read more

I've been checking out all the Vietnamese restaurants in the Albany area due to my incessant cravings for Viet food and Boyyy!, Pho Ao Sen did not disappoint. Granted that the portion is a little more than I can handle, and the food is slightly more greasy than authentic Viet food but how can I blame them for trying to adapt to the American tastebuds. That said, I'm definitely coming back for more, and here's why: 1) They have Vietnamese desserts (che ba mau, nhan nhuc etc.)!!!!! I ordered a che ba mau. It was delicious - sweet (might be too sweet actually) even with the crushed ice. I was just happy to have this dessert again. Usually, it's a 20 to 30 minute drive to Oakland for me to have a taste of this. 2) There are vegan options!! Hoorayy! While there are only two choices: a vegan broken rice place (com tam chay) or a vegan vermicelli bowl (bún thit nuong chay), there are 3 seitan (vegan meat) choices: pork, chicken, or fish. The fish sauce that comes with the meal is also vegan! NOTE: these options are not listed on the menu. You have to ask! The wait time for them is the same as the regular items. My food came out at the same time as my boyfriend's. 3) The place is spacious and well decorated. Unlike the typical shabby looking Vietnamese restaurant, this one put in the work to look like a real diner - complete with dining booths, fancy lighting, and a decorative wall. It's a good place to take your non-Vietnamese and Vietnamese, aka everyone, to for a solid Vietnamese dining experience. Big groups? No problem. There's plenty of space for everyone. 4) There's a private parking lot! YESSS for parking space. As a Berkeley resident for the last 5 years, I cannot be more grateful to a see free, private parking lot. Thank youuu. read more

I had been to the Pho Ao Sen in Oakland and wanted to see if this one was any better than my current go to Pho (which is all the way in Walnut Creek). Parking is easy as they have a small lot, it's located where the old Sizzler's is near Albany Bowl. We ordered a number of dishes: - #1: Pho Xe Lua Da Biet (XL): house special combination of sliced eye round steak, well-done brisket, well-done flank, marbled brisket, soft tendon, and tripe $9.25. The vermicelli was cooked well (unlike their Oakland location) and had a savory broth that didn't leave me thirsty for days. The meats were pretty standard portion and the extra large size didn't feel extra large to me. For the quality and portion, this was on the slightly more expensive compared to other local places. - #16: Pho Tai: sliced eye round steak $8.25. Again, the pho vermicelli was perfectly cooked, the rare steak on the side (which is an additional 0.50 cents- who charges for that, but whatever) was perfectly cooked in the hot broth. The noodle portion was perfect for me and the broth was nice and savory with minimal oil which was great. Overall, good bowl of pho, for slightly higher prices compared to other places. - Fried egg rolls $5.95. Let me start off by saying I LOVE egg rolls, but this one was no bueno. I really didn't like how it tasted as it just tasted off and artificial. - Spicy marinated chicken wings $7.45. The chicken was cooked well, but the flavor was lacking. Overall, average dish. For the price point and taste, this will probably not be my go to pho place. Overall, ok pho place. read more

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Big price hike with same or smaller portion. Used to come here a lot but $15 for a bowl a pho is too much for what you get.

3.5 Stars. We came here with 13 folks and we were seated with no problem. The service was good and the food was solid. I had the number one beef pho --with all of the stuff you don't talk about! It was a little skimpy compared with what I have gotten at other nearby pho places, but good. The real selling point for me is that it's a great place for groups. They have a large parking lot in the back and LOTS of seating. Will be back, especially when I need a place for a business lunch. read more

Ao Sen - The number one beef pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Albany, California

Love everything about this place. Pho taste authentic. Everything tastes very fresh. Portions are very generous. We use to go to the one in Oakland but found that there is a big difference between the two. First, it's much cleaner. The food tastes fresh and yummy. Portions are generous. Even though we have to travel 30 mins more to come to this Pho Ao Sen it's so much more worth it. read more

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Great parking lot - I hate looking for street parking so this is much appreciated. Huge restaurant, very spacious. Great presentation of dishes, they look large but they're not actually that large...they're just presented on beautiful large white plates/bowls. The Bun Cha Hanoi is alright, not quite as good as in Hanoi and very pricey, so I wouldn't get that again. Hai nan chicken over rice is okay, but portion is rather small for the price. Stick to the pho, I'd say. That's always solid and worth the slight premium over other pho restaurants that don't make as good quality pho. read more

Having had only great experiences at Pho Ao Sen's Oakland location, I was thrilled to learn that they had opened a location that was much closer to me in Albany. This location is spacious and has a pretty big parking lot. Came here for dinner around 6 and the place was quickly filling up with patrons. Luckily, we were quickly seated at a booth. I ordered the pho bo vien (beef balls with noodles). It's a simple dish, but it just happens to be my favorite. While there was a hearty serving of beef balls and noodles, the broth was a bit bland. I also ordered the nem nuong spring rolls and it was tough to bite through the rolls. The rice paper had been inadequately soaked, which made each bite of the spring roll incredibly chewy. The filling and sauce was good though. The service was fine. The waitress stopped by our table a few times to check up on us. read more

This spot was pretty empty when we visited. One of us ordered the combination pho. The other ordered com tam doc biet, the combo rice plate. We shared each other's dishes and found our concensus to be the same. The pho was super oily. It was leaving a this layer on my tongue everytime I spooned some broth into my mouth. There was quite a bit of meat and a good amount of noodles. The broth is the heart and soul of pho though...and it just was way too oily, unfortunately. The rice plate was ok. It was a combination of good stuff and also just mediocre. Parking was super easy. Not an issue at all. read more

This place used to be great and our go to. I'm guessing that now everything is prepared early and kept waiting. The noodles a a goopy mess stuck together at the bottom of whatever container they put it in. I've had chicken pho and the chicken couldn't be drier or more stringy.Definitely looking for a new place. read more

Good awesome and friendly service my wife and always love their food . We eat there all the time

We visited at lunch time today. This restaurant has big parking so no worry to find a parking. Next is Taco Bell. I ordered Rice plate with pork and shrimp. It is under $11! Very reasonable and good taste. Hot tea and water is free. I will be back with my friends and husband again. Good deal!! read more

Ao Sen - My lunch. Rice with Shrimp and pork - Vietnamese Near Me - Albany, California

I would probably eat one meal here every day of my life of I could. And my favorite food is Mexican, so that is saying a lot (and also confusing). Super family friendly, never have to wait for seating, or wait long for food. I always get the same thing: large rare beef pho, beef on the side, with side of steamed veggies. And tea, of course. Omg. Want to share with your kiddo? They'll bring you a small bowl, a fork, and small scissors. Want to watch the game? It's on. Want to get going? Go up to the counter, pay, and leave your messy table behind. Best Broth in the Bay! And the broth is the linchpin. Throw that sriracha in, and go to town. read more

Im tempted to give 3 stars bc of their lack of customer service, but since their food is pretty good n fresh, plus having a nice modern n clean vietnamese restro close to home...I absolutely appreciate! Plus huge parking lot!! Bun cha hanoi - good size portion! love tat my bun (noodle) arent wet! veges were very fresh n clean wit no drip of water! it came wit 3 huge cha n a big piece of grilled pork! meat was flavorful n tender. 4 stars goi cuon (spring rolls) - inside had shrimp n pork! meat cooked right n all ingreds were fresh! love tat the rice paper wasnt tough to chew! 4 stars pho tai - ?? my son ordered this, he say not bad lol com tam dat biet (combo rice) - pork a lil dry, not enuf meat, egg cake ws soft n ok, wats the point of 2 shrimp? over priced @ $13. no veges such as lettuce, cucumber or tomatoe, u get shredded carrots n daikon nstead 2.5 stars cha ga thang long - overpriced @ $13, crispy n tasty 3.5 stars Advise to the owner: you should also serve alcohol. the most profittable for any business! also u should include chicken! Chicken is so lovable! read more

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I ordered upgraded phó. Not for middle aged white men. Next time regular phó with shredded chicken. The menu doesn't mention the dismembered bone-in chicken on a separate plate, listed only as free range chicken. The broth was boiling hot which braised the vegetables really well. The flavor was good, a bit over salted. No alcohol. No spare napkin on table due to the population group of the neighborhood. My server was a young girl who spoke no English and I never saw her again after pointing at my order on the menu. Only a few non-Viet patrons which infers authenticity. Admittedly I'm a huge fan of Americanized Vietnam food, this place didn't quite do it for me. I'm glad I tried it but will stick to Kevin's going forward. read more

Ao Sen - Number 21 - Vietnamese Near Me - Albany, California

Shiny and new pho spot right at home in Albany!! Finally one of my dreams has come true. If you are looking for the old Sizzler, you may just find yourself some pho instead. This is a branch off the original one from Oakland. I really like that one as well but due to the sketchy location, my family and I usually opt to not go there at night. The grant opening was today, so the line was out the door and super busy. The staffs are still working out the kinks so the slow service is to be expected. Hopefully they will have it figured out in a month. The pho and rice plates taste pretty much the same as the original in Oakland tho. Really excited about this new location and will for sure be back! It's about time that Albany opens a legit pho restaurant. I don't have to drive to Oakland for pho anymore! Updates on 10/27 - Lowering to 3 stars since they are wayyy too short-handed on a Tuesday night. The line was long but there were open tables that were not cleaned! They need to work on their staffing issue because they are inefficient at the moment. My family and I walked out after observing for 10 minutes and the line did not move. read more

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I've been waiting for this place to open for a while. My wife heard about this place from her nail salon and that it was the closest thing to Brodards in So Cal. After hearing that, my expectations were set a bit high and unfortunately they were not met. Now I'm not saying this place isn't good, I was just disappointed when we ordered the spring rolls that they looked nothing like that of Brodards. Pho Ao Sen inserts the cruncy skin in the middle of the eggroll instead of around the outside like Brodards. Still good, just not the same. Anyways, the food is pretty good. I ordered the rice with shredded pork, Grilled pork chop and egg. Like most Vietnamese restaurants the portions aren't very big but I'm used that. The chicken pho was a bit bland, so I don't recommend getting that. Their price is a bit higher than Pho Saigon in the Pacific East mall, but the ambiance is much nicer, so I guess you pay for that. Nice big private parking lot is also a plus. read more

Ao Sen - Vietnamese Near Me - Albany, California

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A poor imitation of the first Pho Ao Sen in the ghetto part of Oakland. Despite being in a better neighborhood, I can't say the food is better too. Parking was semi-easy with a lot around back. Service however, was very poor. I didn't get a straw when served ice coffee, we were given the wrong appetizer. The pho broth was completely lackluster: it was missing something that had that oily goodness and savory flavoring. The overall feel of this new restaurant was just not homey and comforting, something you seek in bowl of pho. Overall, will not be returning, only to the old pho ao sen. read more

Ao Sen - Viet ice coffee served half full... Mostly ice. Aka a rip off. - Vietnamese Near Me - Albany, California

This is the newest location for this Eastbay chain. The remodel of the old Sizzler building is remarkable. Parking is ample and its within walking distance to El Cerrito BART. We are lunch here during their second day of opening and could tell this place will be popular with the local crowd. As with any grand opening there are lots of room for improvement. We ordered the Nem nuong Nha Trang and Bun cha Ha Noi and the meal was meh. The nam nuong of the Nem nuong Nha Trang was a tad under cooked. Presentation was nice but being under cook is not what I wanted. Bun cha Ha Noi was not the correct way of cooking this dish. They used grilled pork (the same kind you use when ordering vermicelli bbq bowl) instead of mince ground pork with garlic. The Cha in this dish could be grilled a bit longer to give it that crispy texture. And bc there was no minced pork it was missing the fragrance of grilled gralic. To make the experience worst we found a tangled piece of hair laying on the fresh veggie of the dish. Btw they do NOT serve drip Vietnamese coffee. read more

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Food - 4 Service - 4 Value - 3 We came here a few months after the grand opening and appreciated the cleanliness, wide-spaces, parking lot and the food as well. By far our favorite dish was the vermicelli with pork. If everything tasted like that did, we'd rate the food 5-stars. Unfortunately that was not the case. I'd come back here for the Vermicelli, but would most likely go to other places nearby if I wanted some Pho. read more

Any Vietnamese spot that has the line "pho-nomenal" on its sign is enough to intrigue me. I stopped here the other night before catching a movie at Albany Twin up the block, and it was enough to put me in a food coma throughout the latter half of the movie I saw right after. We started with shrimp and pork spring rolls, which came with a think, gritty peanut sauce I couldn't get enough of. Too gritty for some, I'm sure, but just my cup of tea. The rolls were stuffed with fresh cut cucumber, carrots, and lettuce, and more filling than any other dish of this kind I've tried. Next we got our entrees: beef pho for my friend, and a shrimp, egg cake, rice and soup plate for myself (those are 4 different sides---not one dish.) My dish, though seemingly random and not necessarily tied together, really delivered in all aspects, and had enough diversity in the meal to keep me engaged throughout the entirety of dinner. The shrimp was perfectly cooked with a great season, and the egg cake (my first ever, I might ad) was particularly flavorful. I'm a salt-tooth, so I ended up dousing this in housin and a drop of soy sauce. Needless to say, my sodium levels after this meal were through the roof. I could have easily left with leftovers for an entirely new meal, but I ended being gluttonous and finished. What can you do you!? The service is my only complaint, but the amazingly low prices and quality of food make up for the one or two faux pas that occurred throughout my experience here. read more

Ao Sen - Shrimp and pork spring rolls - Vietnamese Near Me - Albany, California

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I love to go there with my families. It is quite a spacious restaurant which makes it perfect for friends/family gathering. There is a large parking space behind. And they are pretty fast on orders. The the price (most of their dishes is around $8-11) is quite cheap considering the location. We tried noddles, pho, rice dishes from there. All of them is good! read more

Finally Pho Ao Sen is open at a more closer and convenient location! A nice Vietnamese oriented restaurant in Albany where Sizzler use to be. I came here with my family around 11am this morning and I hate to say that service was a little disappointing. After being seated, 30 minutes passed and no server has acknowledged us to take our order. Even the people who were seated after us were already eating. That was unpleasant. But soon after around 11:43, a server finally came, and took our order. 15 minutes later our food came, food was good but usually when you crave pho, you want more than just the soup itself. There were no napkins on the table so we had to ask our server for napkins. My rating is based off of the taste of food but I would say service would be 3 stars. read more

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They remodeled the interior pretty nicely after Sizzler's was closed down! Came here on a Tuesday night with 3 other friends to check out the new opening. Place was packed inside! More so than Sizzler's ever was. There was a pretty long line throughout the night! I'm glad their business is doing well so far. I ordered the pho dac biet x large which cost the same as a medium. The meat was mediocre at best, with only a few pieces of each cut. For an x-large I'd expect more noodles at least, but it was the same amount as my friend's medium, just with more soup. I generally like to sample a place's pho before venturing out next time to try their other dishes since you can't really get pho wrong, but something about their broth didn't excite my taste buds. It was more of a beef soup broth without the anise seeds or other seasoning you would throw into the broth. Friend didn't like her bun bo hue either. read more

Ao Sen - Pho dac biet x large ($9.25) - Vietnamese Near Me - Albany, California

I wanted to give this a better rating but I can't. First visit was great. Late Saturday near closing. Near full. People kept coming in. Place had a nice buzz. The wait staff were super. Some spoke almost no English but tried really hard to please us. I loved my shrimp and BBQ pork rice plate. Fried egg roll was so-so. Too much taro. A little overcooked. Meat and shrimp had lots of flavor. Really nice presentation. My partner had bun (rice vermicelli). She was very happy with it. Cooked to right doneness. Then we went for Pho at lunch. It was a disaster. No flavor. Might as well have been from a can. I added basil, hot pepper (not hot), bean sprouts and lime. It tasted like those ingredients in hot water, not pho. I ended up adding fish sauce. The VN iced coffee tasted like Starbuck's vanilla frappuccino out of the bottle. Absolutely no zing to the coffee. A Vietnamese place should be measured by the quality of its pho. I will go back for a rice plate again, but that's it. There is plenty of parking. But I'm disappointed. read more

Ao Sen - Shrimp and grilled pork - Vietnamese Near Me - Albany, California

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We ordered a beef pho and a chicken phogo to go. When I opened the beef pho box a huge fly flew from the box. The worst part was trying to get the fly to go away from our kitchen. Bad experience!! read more