My husband travels a lot on business, and I often accompany him along with our baby boy. We've had spectacular Vietnamese food in the L.A. area, and wonderful variety in Falls Church, VA. We stay in the Woburn/Burlington/Lexington area a few times a year when he's teaching for Sun, and Pho 1 has become one of our "no-brainer fallback" restaurants. Haven't tried any other Vietnamese places in the Boston area, so I don't know how it compares locally, but I consider it "above average" when it comes to mom & pop Vietnamese. We always have trouble deciding what to order here - they have an extensive menu of Vietnamese and Thai dishes. This review is based on our repeat experiences, but the details are from our most recent visit. No salty limenade, which was disappointing, but had their "fresh limenade" last time, and it was lovely and indeed fresh. (My husband had bought an allegedly "not from concentrate" limeade from Target on Sunday that was the polar opposite of this one.) I love lime drinks, so I started dinner happy. Convinced them to make a cafe sua da (Vietnamese iced coffee) with boba for my husband. Coffee was good, the bubbles were a little stiff/starchy this time. Got a Vietnamese salad, but can't remember which one. nice blend of medium spicy flavors, though. Ordered one of the Vietnamese rice combo plates (pork chop and shredded pork skin with a fried egg) - sorry, can't find the Viet name as it's not listed at their Web site. Good solid version thereof. The tamarind duck was really nice - not as emphatically tamarind as I'd have wanted, but a nice twist on sweet & sour chicken type dishes. The duck was tender, the breading wasn't oily, and the vegetables served underneath were crisp - snow peas, carrots, green beans, baby corn, broccoli, straw mushrooms, red bell peppers. (Nice assortment, too!) The shredded daikon and carrot on iceberg with cucumbers salad was dressed with a light hand, which I prefer. Dunno how the service is in general. We tend to go late at night when the place is almost deserted, and thus have never had a problem. I've never tried their pho' - we're always too distracted by the other offerings. Not the cheapest place, but we've never been upset by the price, either. read more

I have no clue how this place has fairly good review. I went into the restaurant today, it was about 90 degrees outside, and the temperature was higher in the restaurant. They had small portable AC, and that was it. It is actually my fault that I did not leave right away, but I thought may be it will get cooler somehow. It was stuffy and humid and freaking hot. I cannot believe the owner actually had the nerve to open a restaurant in that condition, where everyone at other tables were eating and sweating like crazy unless you sat right in front of portable AC. I had to walk to the AC and get some air every minute. I had a toddler, and my friend had one, too, and we literally had to stop eating as their faces were turning red, and burning up. We asked for ice in the luke warm water and they said no more ice. ????? I wanted to try Vietnamese food in Woburn, not physically experience what it's like to eat in Vietnam at 100 degrees inside Ambiance- What ambiance. None. N/A. Food- As Asian myself, the food is way below average. I am more used to great Vietnamese food in Westminster CA, but this place is far worse than saigon noodle or pho bistro in Malden. Summer roll was full of lettuce. Noodle soup was below average. Thai calamari was good. Service- The servers were hot, too, and they were sweating like crazy. Felt bad for them. It's not their fault, but their owner's. read more

Pho 1 - Vietnamese Near Me - Woburn, Massachusetts

I love this restaurant. I started coming here when it first opened because I love Vietnamese food. Their vermicelli is great and their spring rolls are delicious. If you are a fan of bubble tea, you should definitely try theirs. It's not too sweet but just right. If you're here just for pho, then I'd also recommend it enthusiastically. I love their pho ga and it's definitely an upper for a down day or if you have a cold. They also have Thai food here. I've had their pad thai and some of their duck dishes, but tend to stick to the Viet cuisine. I would give Pho #1 a chance if you're in Woburn. read more

It's not as good as going into Boston or Dorchester, but honestly for Woburn it's a pleasant surprise. And it's the only game for miles if you want a steaming out bowl of Pho. The food is a cut above some other Vietnamese places I've eaten at, but I wouldn't say it's my favorite place either. But if your in the neighborhood, it's definitely a must stop on a cold raw new england evening to get warmed up. read more

Usually roll with Viet selections. First off, there's about 8 tables. Second, sure the refridge is in the dining room, and ok the table top water fountain is noisy when there's too much or not enough water in it...but if you haven't enjoyed the #47 Chan Chua Noodle Soup (with catfish) on a chilly fall day, it's your fault, not mine. Sidebar: If you want better Thai, then spin across the street to Lanna Thai. read more

Great pho and fried rice - and you should try the Vietnamese coffee - nice table setup and offers to go read more

Pho 1 - Inside - Vietnamese Near Me - Woburn, Massachusetts

This is was great find out of the blue. The definition of an amazing hole in the wall type restaurant. This is literally a house converted into a restaurant. We came in pretty late and it was Packed!!! The waitress was pulling out another table from the back to accommodate us, luckily we were just there for pickup. But you really feel like its a family restaurant that would be great to eat at. Now to the food. We got some fried rice and drunken noodles. Not even their Pho which must be good considering its named Pho 1. Will have to try it next time. The noodles were great, the spice was perfect, and the veggies in there were cooked perfectly too. The rice was good to, but in comparison I would eat the noodles over it. The portions were also great, especially for the price. A very good place to stop by to eat in or pick up on the way home. Definitely hit the spot. read more

I think it really depends what you get. The following items were incredible and I could not stop eating them: Spicy, Salty Squid: you will not want to share this at all so consider ordering two if you are with someone else who wants to try it Pad Tha:i: hits the spot if you are craving this Spicy Beef Salad: oh my gherrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrd The fresh summer rolls were average. The taro bubble tea was below average. And the spicy lemongrass beef pho was horrible - the noodles were like overcooked spaghetti in a tasteless broth. Maybe it was just an off night, but I doubt I'll order it again. However... I will DEFINITELY be back for the good stuff. Service was a little slow, but if you're not in a hurry why care? The place looks like a dump from the outside when you drive by, but it's clean and functional on the inside. Give it a chance, you may be surprised! read more

Love this little gem in Woburn! Great Thai takeout spot for pho. Love the crazy rolls too!

This is the closest thing to heaven on Earth in terms of food flavor, freshness, variety, authenticity and portions. My partner and I have tried literally every meal at this place, and almost every drink (hint: the coconut juice and the thai iced tea make my brain jealous of my taste buds for having all of the fun), and although it may not be the prettiest place to have a meal, it is 100% about the food experience. Their pho is out-of-this-world - especially on a cold winter night - and their pad see ew, basil chicken, vegetarian dishes, and pretty much their EVERYTHING are worth every cent. Better than most Thai and Vietnamese restaurants in the Boston commuting area, and for the price and quality of their dishes, I would (and do) highly recommend this place to everyone. (Except people who value ambience over food, in which case... there's no hope for you and please don't crowd this tiny place with your silly dining preferences.) read more

Although the name of the restaurant is Pho 1, it serves both Vietnamese and Thai cuisine. The interior of the small place is clean, and has around 8 tables. I am partial to the Thai portion of the menu, and I can say that they serve some very good Thai food. Some of my favorites: Yum Nua (grilled beef salad), Angel Wings (a lightly breaded plate of deep-fried chicken wings), and Tom Yum soup (the Thai version of hot and sour soup). Most of the curries are spot on, and there are plenty of vegetarian dishes to choose from. The place is a hole in the wall, but it has solid food, and it not too expensive. What more can you ask for? It is a good find in the Woburn area. read more

I've been going to this place for the past few years and it's gone through a number of changes. (All for the better it seems) The Vietnamese dishes are very good most of the time. I usually get either the pho (beef noodle soup) or bun thit nuong cha gio (rice noodles with bbq pork, spring roll and vegetables) The Thai dishes I've had there are decent. I typically go for the rad na or the beef basil. Portions in general are pretty good. The food is good most of the time. On occasion I think they just run short on supplies so the food quality suffers a bit. This mainly applies to the soup dishes and bean sprouts basil that accompany the dish. They just weren't very fresh. If you like vietnamese or thai food I recommend giving them a try. read more

Had the Vermicelli Noodle and Tai Vietnamese Noodle Soup both were delicious. Prices are great. Staff is super friendly.

Small and modest and it does it's job. I was actually taken back by surprise when I heard there was a Pho place nearby our rock climbing facility. So for those that don't or can't venture into the city this will certainly curb that craving. Although the soup was delicious, the beef and brisket may have been a lower quality than you would imagine at a larger Pho location closer to the city. The bean sprouts and basil appeared rather wimpy as if they have been around for awhile but still usable. I would have preferred a fresher looking plate of sprouts but it sufficed. They do not have Egg Soda which made me a little sad, but Thai Iced Tea is always another option. While I wouldn't go out of my way here, I wouldn't completely rule out Pho #1 either. This is the place you would go if you're in the 'burn and need a little Pho action. Parking can be a bit confusing. Streets seem to be 30 minute limits. Be careful where you decide to dump your vehicle. read more

This is a great lunch time spot. Lots of choices and 90% of them are under $10. Portions are great and the food is good. The summer rolls with peanut sauce. Excellent! Chewy wrapper with fresh veggies and some shrimp and pork in the mix. The peanut dipping sauce is where it's at. I love the vermicelli bowls. The grilled pork, shrimp and egg roll is my go-to. Recently I had the chicken pho (medium sized) - the portion was just right and it had a ton of chicken. The broth wasn't too salty or sweet. Had a great flavor. Yum. The service leaves a bit to be desired. Very friendly, but not very prompt. But the tasty food almost makes up for it. read more

Ordered delivery from work because the downpour was too heavy to walk anywhere! The man on the phone was very clear and answered my questions perfectly. There is a $15 minimum delivery fee and since there isn't an online menu I could find, I asked for prices and kept a mental calculation of my total. He was patient throughout the whole process. What was great though, I realized I left peanuts on my pad Thai, which is just a preference not an allergy, and called a minute or so later to adjust my order. A different person answered but quickly directed me to the man who received my call. I asked him if no peanuts was possible and turns out one of my orders was already made, but the other he would omit peanuts. The communication between employees here seems great. Delivery was normal about 45 minutes and the man was so kind and cheerful. Good was big portions and as expected for pad Thai. This was an overall a great last minute choice, very satisfied! read more

Since I didn't see any reviews on bubble tea...let me do one. Service was kinda slow but flavors are delicious and use fresh ingredients...pretty good considering I'm from Chicago and there are lots of choices there. read more

Pho 1 - Taro bubble tea - Vietnamese Near Me - Woburn, Massachusetts

Pho tai was very good. Clean and nice. Little difficult to communicate with server when you order.. Other than that, had good service. I'll go back again for sure. read more

Pho here really hits the spot! We love coming here and getting hot steaming bowls of pho on a cold day. We usually get the beef (pho tai) but I've had chicken and even the seafood one and they were all good. Very comforting. Broth is flavorful and the noodles are just right. I always end up wanting more noodles to be honest! The price is amazing for the pho. I've tried other things here and they were fine but we keep coming back for the pho. read more

Pho was meh... The pork was thinly shaven pieces of meat that didn't taste like real pork. It also was served with lettuce in it which I found to be odd. The bean sprouts weren't fresh and the lime serving was very tiny. I wasn't taken back by the hole in the wall appearance, although I can see how some people may be deterred. The summer rolls were average and contained very little pork or shrimp. read more

I had a vermicelli with pork and spring rolls with an iced Vietnamese coffee. The drink was excellent, the meal was huge and totally worth the wait. Next time, I will just call ahead and take it to go because it took a long time for the food to arrive. Really looking forward to trying their pho, drunken noodles and pad see ew. Ha, you heard me. read more

Pho 1 - Bun with spring rolls and pork. Yummy iced Vietnamese coffee on a hot summer day! - Vietnamese Near Me - Woburn, Massachusetts

It is not a very fancy restaurant regarding the decoration. But the food is tasty and the price is probably the cheapest I have seen so far in greater Boston pho place. read more

This is the best pho place around, the food is amazing. The service is amazing. The soup broth is just right and they also have great dumplings. It's my 'go to' pho place. read more

Been here twice. Once for in-dining and once for take-out. Both times were a good experience. Food is good and prepared quickly. Waiter was courteous and attentive. My wife got the spicy tofu and enjoyed it. I got the #43 seafood soup and liked it. Bubble tea was good but could've used more balls. read more

Pho 1 - Scallion Pancakes - Vietnamese Near Me - Woburn, Massachusetts

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Dac Biet was not fresh so I had a diarrhea. It was not the first time and also happened to other family too.

We found this place after searching around for a new place for lunch. Food was good quality. Service was not. We ordered take out at first because there was no parking. Then after 20 minutes a place opened up to park and we wanted to sit down and eat. The manager/owner bristled at this (because she wouldn't get a tip) and didn't let us sit down. We had to leave with our take out. Her worker felt bad and said it was ok, but we left. If getting a tip was such a big deal we would have. But she assumed she wouldn't get one. When asked why, she said we "confused her". What?! The customer is always right. For the money we spent we won't be returning. We will get Pho somewhere else. It doesn't matter how good your product is. Customers are like eggs. Once you drop it, the shell is broken and it's ruined. Sorry Pho1. Please try to treat your customers as human beings, not as wallets walking through the door. read more

Absolutely loved food ! The place was pretty packed when we were there ! Seems like very popular place in town ! Food is great and reasonable price ! Service was not as great since this place is really busy and couple people taking your order! read more

Pho 1 - Vietnamese Near Me - Woburn, Massachusetts

Definitely worth a try! Everyone's preference is different, personally I think this has to be one of the best places around. Pho, summer rolls, and Thai tea were great! Small place, with good service. Parking is a bit tight, but worth the trip! read more

Hey! The place is really amazing, has a good authentic food (especially pho's) and surprisingly low prices. There is no "fancy" or any kind of "gold dragons" there, just a small restaurant that you can meet in any place in Asia, but it is definitely worth the visit. P.S. Take the cash with you, although they are accepting credit cards, they definitely prefer cash. read more

I'm a soup girl. I love soup! All kinds, but I truly love the Pho Ga ( chicken noodle soup) here at Pho #1. A friend had been trying to get me where for a while and one cold day, I did end up meeting him there for lunch. It is a very simple place, but its clean and the staff is very nice. I ordered the shumai, steamed, and he likes the fried tofu along with two medium bowls of Pho Ga. MMMMM yum! I add the red hot sauce to it for a good kick and its now my go to place for a cheap, filling warming bowl of love! Now I am there almost once a week. Hmmm, its suppose to snow to tomorrow, I gotta call a friend to see if he wants to meet me to have soup for lunch. read more

Great hole in the wall. Food is amazing. Got try the crazy roll. The Pho is the best I have ever had. Fresh Rolls are great. If go for the food you will be happy. Great value But, it is a hole the wall. read more

Pho #1 seems to run a brisk lunch business. Most noontime patrons have a large bowl of pho soup in front of them. In addition to soup, Pho #1 offers a menu of Vietnamese and Thai cuisine...plus other foods that New Englanders expect to see on an Asian restaurant menu. (Crab Rangoon? Teriyaki Wings?) The signature dish in a Vietnamese restaurant, especially one named Pho #1, should be the pho soup. If you order by number because you can't pronounce it, look for #38 on your menu...but #45 on your take-out menu. Go figure. The portions are not monstrously large like in some Pho joints. The side plate of basil, lime, and bean sprouts seems a little skimpy on the bean sprouts but not outrageously so. The pho broth here is flavorful. I don't feel the need to add any table seasoning to it, which is nice. I will knock the temperature, though. When I order pho, I expect the piping hot broth to further cook and infuse the flavor of the bean sprouts and rare beef. The heat also helps to soften the noodles that are disguised as a tightly packed hockey puck at the bottom of your bowl. With the lower broth temp, it takes more wrangling with your chopsticks to separate out the noodles and mix the meats and sprouts. They don't offer you a fork with your Pho unless you ask. While you're at it, you may as well ask for extra napkins because they only give you one. As for the non-pho menu, you won't find any mango with sticky rice under desserts, which is a downer. You also won't find any "egg on rice plus grilled meats" plates which are good any time of day, not just breakfast. You will find a grilled pork chop rice plate which I have tried. Eyeballing or tasting the chop, there is no hint of char lines or anything else to suggest that it had been grilled on an open flame. I'm guessing that the chop was pan fried or cooked on a griddle. It was tasty but the name is deceiving. I'd get it again. Also note that if you ask for Vietnamese Coffee, their default is iced not hot, so if you want hot coffee you should specify. Looking for friendly service with a smile? Don't bother looking here. Maybe because their 2-top and 4-top tables are usually packed at lunchtime, service with a scowl is their standard. Their primary server never looks happy when a potential customer walks through the door. Lately I have seen other servers and front room staff who at least don't give you an immediate negative vibe, but don't expect a welcome wagon or even a "thank you, come again." Did I mention that the pho broth was tasty? I wouldn't be a repeat customer if the broth were bland and watery. It's not. read more

The pho is amazing and I can't get enough of the broth!! I order take out from them at least once a week =) read more

Surprisingly good - I mean after all you are in Woburn... I had no idea this place even existed before today, but some present (and former) coworkers of mine wanted to meet here for lunch and I'm so happy we did. The food was delicious. Service is a little slow, but prices are good and the food is hot. I most definitely will be back! read more

A couple of co-workers and I decided to check out this place for lunch after hearing about it from another colleague who is a big fan of Vietnamese. I ordered a large bowl of Pho. I can't remember the name, but it is their "best selling" Pho and comes with beef, tendon, and tripe. The bowl was HUGE and I couldn't finish all the broth. It was packed with noodles, veggies, and meat. I was a little nervous to try tripe, but it wasn't that bad; interesting texture. Overall, a really great lunch. I will definitely be coming back again and sampling some of their non-Pho Vietnamese offerings. They also serve Thai as well. read more

Ordered Pho Tai and Springrolls. - springrolls "goi cuon" comes in two, and cut it in halves. the peanut sauce were perfect. The springrolls itself were decent. Wish they put more meat, cuz you mostly get cabbage. - Pho Tai is good. I ordered a small, my friend ordered a large and said it looks like the same amount, just with more broth. They didn't have lime because it was too expensive. The guy said it was $3 per lime, so he gave us some bottled lime juice instead. When we came, there was only one guy working, and he did a great job multitasking. my friend ordered the Tom Yum soup. He said it doesnt taste like the regular Tom Yum soup at home (LA), it was lacking the sweet/sour taste. read more

I live close by so I eat here quite regularly and sometimes drive up from the next town where I work for lunch. I think its the best pho for at least 10 miles around, but to be fair there is not much competition in this area. This is my second favorite restaurant in Woburn, right after "Hot Breads". I recommend the pho regular no. 38 (usually get the medium, large is hard to finish for me), and have also tried their "bun" vermicelli noodles with your choice of meat. I enjoy all their appetizers and always try a new one. I also recommend their vietnamese iced coffee. Service is friendly but can sometimes be slow (esp at lunch time), which is why I docked a star! read more

Garbage. I don't understand how this place has good reviews. Ordered the fresh print rolls and the lettuce was brown and they smelled rotten. The pho tasted bloody and dirty as if the beef bones weren't cleaned.The boba tea had rock hard boba that obviously weren't fresh. NASTY NASTY HORRIBLE FOOD!!! read more

I went here yesterday for lunch. Yippee for delicious Asian food around the corner from my workplace. We split the tender barbecued pork with white rice, vegetable salad, and fish sauce dressing (so much flavor!). This is a Vietnamese staple. Then, we ate the North Woburn Pad Thai. The noodles had a little bite (al dente) with rich aromas of the basil and a perfect blend of flavors. Mixing the fresh sprigs of soybean added a delightful crunch to the soft, warm noodles. Finish off with a trio dessert cup with coconut milk skimming the top, then green strings of jell-o, and on the bottom, several layers of sweet beans. Slightly mix it up and savor the rich complexities. I am definitely a repeat customer. read more

Cheap, solid food. There's not much else to it, really. Prices are superbly low, and the food isn't that bad either. The pho is generic, but I keep coming back to the price. Can't be beat. Service was hurried, but prompt. The restaurant is rather small and cramped, and it tends to fill up quickly. There was a bit of a mishap with a power outlet while I was dining, but the minor terror of a smoking cord somehow added to the charm. read more