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First time at this restaurant and it's busy for Sunday lunch. We joined the waitlist and only took about 5 mins to get seated at 12:10. Upon arriving to our table, the booth was drenched and my mom pointed it out to the server. He ended up just sweeping underneath the table because there was tons of rice and noodles that were spilled by kids. They quickly told us to scan the QR code to order, it took a minute or two to load properly, which was a little annoying. Added our orders to the cart, heard the order go through in the back. I received my iced coffee rather quickly via robot. The servers delivered the veggies to our table for pho, but didn't bother mentioning they were out of cumin lead and saw leaf until we asked. Pho comes with a lot of soup, the meatballs are cut in half, 7 halves per order. The rare beef is portion is a little smaller compared to other restaurants. The small pho noodles seemed bouncy and chewy at first, however they started to taste like they were falling apart. The restaurant is really busy , from all the people lining up at the cash register to all the robots coming by our table. We sat closest to the register and had a view into the kitchen as well. The restaurant is well decorated with a nice atmosphere, but the foot traffic and rush makes it hard to keep clean and makes it feel hectic.
Came here on a Saturday for lunch with some friends. We were seated right away. You order through QR code for the table. The WiFi was pretty bad and the UI for ordering was bad. It was confusing whether our orders went through or not and we had to keep asking. Food was alright. Big portion but quality was not good. My friend found a hair in his Pho and I found a metal tie in my stir fry egg noodles. Unacceptable! The waiters didn't seem to care at all. Would not come here again
We ordered summer rolls with no pork and 2 orders of the #3 Pho Suon Bo, beef short rib pho, with a side of meatballs. We waited about 45 minutes for a table. When we finally sat down, the table was still wet with crumbs soaked in the water and puddles left on the table. The little sauce dishes were dirty too, and we had to ask for clean ones. They were extremely busy, but customer service was basically nonexistent. The whole vibe was almost like, "Hey, you're lucky you got a table." Not even the crack of a smile. Everyone just looked disgruntled. The summer rolls came almost immediately with peanut sauce, but unfortunately they were terrible. Both ends were left completely open, so everything fell out as soon as you picked them up. They were mostly filled with wilted and browning lettuce, vermicelli noodles, and a measly half shrimp. Bland with basically no flavor. The pho came pretty quickly after that. The broth tasted like water. Incredibly bland. My short rib was so chewy and tough that I couldn't even pull the meat off the bone with a fork. I didn't eat it. I actually showed them how tough it was and that the meat wouldn't even tear away from the bone. Their response was basically, "Well, next time will be better." No problem. There won't be a next time. I'm genuinely confused how this place is so busy with food and service like this. I guess being open until 2 AM is a selling point, but at that hour I'm not sure this was much of an upgrade over McDonald's. The one thing we actually liked was the cute robot that brings drinks and some of the food to the tables. Honestly, the robot is the reason this review gets 2 stars instead of 1. Major fail for us.
WHY WE WENT HERE: - dinner THE LOOK (FROM THE OUTSIDE): - located in a plaza on S King Rd in between Burdette Ave and Flanigan Dr THE LOOK (FROM THE INSIDE): - POPPIN - Yelp waitlist check-in - QR code at tables to access menu to order through online or wait for a server to come to you to place your order THE MENU (yes, there are typos, but that's how it shows on their end): - most liked items from the menu - deserts & fresh juice - appertizers - beef pho - chicken / seafood pho - hu tieu / special soup - rice plate - fried dishes - veggies - side order - smoothies - coffee - fruit tea - milk tea - house special drink WHAT WE ORDERED: - #21. Spring Rolls | Gỏi Cuốn - #26. Garlic Chicken Wings | Canh Ga Toi - #1. Phở Đặc Biệt | Special Combination Pho - #3. Short Rib Pho | Pho Suon Bo - #51.Shaking Beef Pasta | Nui Bò Lúc Lắc - D1.Avocado Smoothie | Sinh Tố Bơ - B7. Mango Green Tea THE TASTE: - #21. Spring Rolls | Gỏi Cuốn - aunts loved this - #26. Garlic Chicken Wings | Canh Ga Toi - crispy outside, juicy inside, but plain - #1. Phở Đặc Biệt | Special Combination Pho - aunt liked this - #3. Short Rib Pho | Pho Suon Bo - I liked this - #51.Shaking Beef Pasta | Nui Bò Lúc Lắc - aunt liked this - D1.Avocado Smoothie | Sinh Tố Bơ - aunt liked this - B7. Mango Green Tea - I liked this CUSTOMER SERVICE: - aunts didn't submit the order from the online QR code, so we had a server manually take our order - service is quick
This restaurant is one of my family's favorite Vietnamese restaurants. It is crowded but spacious so we don't have to wait for a table. We have eaten here with extended family before so they are accommodating. We ordered the Shaking Beef Pasta (51) and the Stir-fried Seafood with Crispy Egg Noodles (55). The crispy noodles are fresh and crunchy, blending well with the seafood. The pasta is tasty and cooked to perfection, served nicely with beef bites. These are popular meals and they're delicious. Overall, this restaurant has quick service, good pricing, and large portions. I would recommend this spot for anyone looking for Vietnamese food in San Jose. This restaurant is one of my family's favorite Vietnamese restaurants. It is crowded but spacious so we don't have to wait for a table. We have eaten here with extended family before so they are accommodating. We ordered the Shaking Beef Pasta (51) and the Stir-fried Seafood with Crispy Egg Noodles (55). The crispy noodles are fresh and crunchy, blending well with the seafood. The pasta is tasty and cooked to perfection, served nicely with beef bites. These are popular meals and they're delicious. Overall, this restaurant has quick service, good pricing, and large portions. I would recommend this spot for anyone looking for Vietnamese food in San Jose.
This place always has a line to dine in. When we came, there was a 10-20 minute wait. When we left, there looked to be 30+ minute wait. The pho is really good here. 5/5 The last time I came, I tried the shaken beef rice plate. I didn't like it but didn't hate it. 3/5 Service is quick even though the restaurant and servers are extremely busy. They get a lot of phone and to go orders! We were in and out after eating, but plenty of families were there enjoying their meal and chatting.
Never disappoints 10/10 !! I got some delicious beef pho. The service was fast and super efficient. Location was also not too busy though I've heard on the weekends there's long wait times. Prices are reasonable and I love that they have booths.
Closed sign on the doors and windows today. Doesn't seem to be closing permanently, but no reopen estimate.
Date: Tuesday, February 10th, 2026 Party of: 2 Meal: Dinner Takeaway Time Ordered: around 9:15pm Picked Up: about 45 mins later Placed Order: BLogic Systems thru their website #1. Phở Đặc Biệt - Special Combination Pho ($17.50) - 3 Limes #21. Spring Rolls | Gỏi Cuốn ($9) #22. Egg Rolls | Chả Giò ($9) #31.Hủ Tiếu Nang Vang - Cambodian Pho ($17) - Nước | Soup, Hủ Tiếu Dai | Clear Noodle ($0.75), Giá Trụng | Cooked Bean Sprouts *Extra Limes - 3 Limes *Free Drink (Min $15 Order) - Flan Cake (Free) *Sales Tax - 9.375% ($4.99) On the way home to SJ, the hubby and I decided to grab some pho. After looking around, I picked Pho 21. When we arrived around 9:45pm, we noticed this was the old Lee Noodle House. Ah, memories! Vibe is def different - robots delivering some items, booth style seating, etc. When I arrived, our order wasn't ready yet, so I tried to find a spot to stand and wait. There were quite a few ppl waiting and no real area to get out of the way. I had to keep moving around so I wouldn't be an annoyance. One thing I noticed, before I got to the register to tell them I was here for my order, the girl in front of me, placed her order and got it before mine was even ready. Weird, cuz I placed mine about 30 mins before I arrived. Not sure how they prioritize making their orders. The pho was fine. As were the apps. They didn't give us any of the extra limes I asked for. I had lemon at home so made it work. The bean sprouts were also not cooked. I think they just give a generic side of sprouts, lime, jalapeno, etc, to everyone. So not sure why it's even an option to order that way on the site. The free flan was a nice sweet treat, tho it was slightly burnt. Might be more fun and an experience to eat in resto, but for takeout, be prepared to wait longer for your pickup order. REVIEW #3984
I've visited Pho 21 twice so far, and it's a solid pho spot. First time, my boyfriend and I came here for a late dinner. We both got pho and spring rolls along with some drinks. They were all very tasty and perfect for a cold day! I remember that I liked that they have a cool robot bringing us our drinks. Second time, I got takeout from here. Parking here is very touch and chaotic in their lot. I luckily parked in the next door plaza and just walked over. Food is still pretty delish! The place is clean with indoor and outdoor seating.
It's been quite some time since I've had to do a bad review. I've heard many reviews from friends both having good and bad experiences. For my personal own experience, yeahhh... it was bad. I did come in late at night to curb my craving and finally decided to give this place a shot. I semi regretted it after everything. Walked in, was quickly seated. However, while walking to my seat I almost slipped because the floor was wet and had water spills on the floor, I pointed it out but nothing was done about it. Secondly, order system was decent and quick but when it came to delivery and look of the food. It was sub par. My dish hardly any meat at all. It felt the proportions were 80% noodles and 20% protein. Like yea I get it, but not this. Additionally, the broth... I questioned where the flavor was. It lacked the depth and savory goodness at other Pho spots I've been to in San Jose. At this point, it was just a darker "flavor" water. That was it. I literally just ate what I could find of the protein in my bowl, paid and left. I hope to try this spot again in hopes of improvement, but not anytime soon.
It was solid. Only Pho spot that opens late. There's a yelp waitlist. It gets busy after 9 when other Pho spots close. Onsite parking, but lot isn't huge- it can get pretty packed. Left around 9:40p and several cars were pulling up. When I arrived I saw two homeless guys in the lot, but didn't see them bother anyone. One of them was talking to the air... Just be aware. Got here around 8:30p after Pilates and met up with my bf. I arrived first and was seated at a booth immediately and water came right after. Only other interaction with an employee was when the food came out and the check was given. Place looked clean, constant stream of customers, average noise level (Depending on who you're sitting next to anyway. A group of gen z came in and were sat across the aisle from me and one of them was very chatty. Can clearly hear her, but not the other patrons from other tables around me.) Ordering is from a QR code at the table on your phone. Check was brought to us when they saw that we were done with our meals. Employees are quick! What we ordered: #1 Special Combination Pho with wide noods #31 Hu Tieu Nang Vang (Cambodian Pho) with wide noods I love wide noods. I also tried to order the side of onions and add to order after submitting the first initial order, but it didn't add. I ended up just removing it. Couldn't bother with trying to figure it out at the time. The kitty robot server brought over the noodle garnishes/toppings after the order was submitted. So cute! Both bowls had a decent amount of noodles. The combination pho had a variety of meat, a good handful of it too! Almost just as much meat to noodle ratio. I appreciate that they didn't skimp on it. Standard beef broth. Beefy flavor, but not heavy. Hu tieu with soup. I find that wide noodles don't really work well with dry (broth on the side) version-- noodles break too easily. For those not familiar, the broth is pork based, tastes light and leans a liiiiiiiiiittle sweet rather than savory like beef pho. Broth is solid, but had better. Doesn't come with as much protein as the beef pho. 2x restrooms with code lock. I already forgot the code. Hand air dryer, no paper towels (if it matters).
Food: five stars Web app for ordering: negative ten million I don't know what blogicsystems is but they are costing this business real money, it is slow and barely works. For our group, it took 20 minutes to get the web app to load well enough to get out order in. Easily slower than ordering actual food.
IMHO A restaurant with a robot?!!! Let's go!!! I was meeting a friend here and I arrived first. Inside the door is a Waitlist iPad which I was about to use, when a kind server pointed me towards an open booth. Speaking of booths, they are spacious, modern, and very comfy! My friend ordered the House Special Pho, special combination pho with rare beef, flank, fat brisket, tendon and meatballs, $18, and I ordered the Oxtail Pho, $19. We added a side order of 4 egg rolls, $9.00, and a side order of 4 fried chicken wings, $7.95. A human waiter brought us our ice-cold waters in tall aluminum cups and took our orders. You can also order via their QR code printed on the side of the napkin dispensers. Also set on the table is a dispenser for stainless forks/spoons, condiments, and a basket of chopsticks/plastic straws. The roaming "cat" robot brought us our tray of egg rolls! This was fun! Of course we videotaped the rolling service! That was pretty much the extent of the robot, which usually brings your waters, boba drinks, and appetizers. Our big bowls of pho were hand delivered by the waiter, which I think is safer in the long run. Pho was delicious and flavorful. I received 3 pieces of oxtail in my pho and they were tender and almost fall-off-the-bone. I would've loved one more piece of oxtail. Our favorites were the appetizers, served hot and crispy! Everything was super tasty! Service was very friendly, genuine, kind and helpful! There is a button system on the wall by your table to push when you need assistance, for to-go boxes or pay. We paid at the register. Will I return? You bet!!! I can't wait to bring the hubby and try something different on the menu! read more
27 days ago
First time at this restaurant and it's busy for Sunday lunch. We joined the waitlist and only took about 5 mins to get seated at 12:10. Upon arriving to our table, the booth was drenched and my mom pointed it out to the server. He ended up just sweeping underneath the table because there was tons of rice and noodles that were spilled by kids. They quickly told us to scan the QR code to order, it took a minute or two to load properly, which was a little annoying. Added our orders to the cart, heard the order go through in the back. I received my iced coffee rather quickly via robot. The servers delivered the veggies to our table for pho, but didn't bother mentioning they were out of cumin lead and saw leaf until we asked. Pho comes with a lot of soup, the meatballs are cut in half, 7 halves per order. The rare beef is portion is a little smaller compared to other restaurants. The small pho noodles seemed bouncy and chewy at first, however they started to taste like they were falling apart. The restaurant is really busy , from all the people lining up at the cash register to all the robots coming by our table. We sat closest to the register and had a view into the kitchen as well. The restaurant is well decorated with a nice atmosphere, but the foot traffic and rush makes it hard to keep clean and makes it feel hectic. read more
Came here on a Saturday for lunch with some friends. We were seated right away. You order through QR code for the table. The WiFi was pretty bad and the UI for ordering was bad. It was confusing whether our orders went through or not and we had to keep asking. Food was alright. Big portion but quality was not good. My friend found a hair in his Pho and I found a metal tie in my stir fry egg noodles. Unacceptable! The waiters didn't seem to care at all. Would not come here again read more
We ordered summer rolls with no pork and 2 orders of the #3 Pho Suon Bo, beef short rib pho, with a side of meatballs. We waited about 45 minutes for a table. When we finally sat down, the table was still wet with crumbs soaked in the water and puddles left on the table. The little sauce dishes were dirty too, and we had to ask for clean ones. They were extremely busy, but customer service was basically nonexistent. The whole vibe was almost like, "Hey, you're lucky you got a table." Not even the crack of a smile. Everyone just looked disgruntled. The summer rolls came almost immediately with peanut sauce, but unfortunately they were terrible. Both ends were left completely open, so everything fell out as soon as you picked them up. They were mostly filled with wilted and browning lettuce, vermicelli noodles, and a measly half shrimp. Bland with basically no flavor. The pho came pretty quickly after that. The broth tasted like water. Incredibly bland. My short rib was so chewy and tough that I couldn't even pull the meat off the bone with a fork. I didn't eat it. I actually showed them how tough it was and that the meat wouldn't even tear away from the bone. Their response was basically, "Well, next time will be better." No problem. There won't be a next time. I'm genuinely confused how this place is so busy with food and service like this. I guess being open until 2 AM is a selling point, but at that hour I'm not sure this was much of an upgrade over McDonald's. The one thing we actually liked was the cute robot that brings drinks and some of the food to the tables. Honestly, the robot is the reason this review gets 2 stars instead of 1. Major fail for us. read more
2 months ago
WHY WE WENT HERE: - dinner THE LOOK (FROM THE OUTSIDE): - located in a plaza on S King Rd in between Burdette Ave and Flanigan Dr THE LOOK (FROM THE INSIDE): - POPPIN - Yelp waitlist check-in - QR code at tables to access menu to order through online or wait for a server to come to you to place your order THE MENU (yes, there are typos, but that's how it shows on their end): - most liked items from the menu - deserts & fresh juice - appertizers - beef pho - chicken / seafood pho - hu tieu / special soup - rice plate - fried dishes - veggies - side order - smoothies - coffee - fruit tea - milk tea - house special drink WHAT WE ORDERED: - #21. Spring Rolls | Gỏi Cuốn - #26. Garlic Chicken Wings | Canh Ga Toi - #1. Phở Đặc Biệt | Special Combination Pho - #3. Short Rib Pho | Pho Suon Bo - #51.Shaking Beef Pasta | Nui Bò Lúc Lắc - D1.Avocado Smoothie | Sinh Tố Bơ - B7. Mango Green Tea THE TASTE: - #21. Spring Rolls | Gỏi Cuốn - aunts loved this - #26. Garlic Chicken Wings | Canh Ga Toi - crispy outside, juicy inside, but plain - #1. Phở Đặc Biệt | Special Combination Pho - aunt liked this - #3. Short Rib Pho | Pho Suon Bo - I liked this - #51.Shaking Beef Pasta | Nui Bò Lúc Lắc - aunt liked this - D1.Avocado Smoothie | Sinh Tố Bơ - aunt liked this - B7. Mango Green Tea - I liked this CUSTOMER SERVICE: - aunts didn't submit the order from the online QR code, so we had a server manually take our order - service is quick read more
This restaurant is one of my family's favorite Vietnamese restaurants. It is crowded but spacious so we don't have to wait for a table. We have eaten here with extended family before so they are accommodating. We ordered the Shaking Beef Pasta (51) and the Stir-fried Seafood with Crispy Egg Noodles (55). The crispy noodles are fresh and crunchy, blending well with the seafood. The pasta is tasty and cooked to perfection, served nicely with beef bites. These are popular meals and they're delicious. Overall, this restaurant has quick service, good pricing, and large portions. I would recommend this spot for anyone looking for Vietnamese food in San Jose. This restaurant is one of my family's favorite Vietnamese restaurants. It is crowded but spacious so we don't have to wait for a table. We have eaten here with extended family before so they are accommodating. We ordered the Shaking Beef Pasta (51) and the Stir-fried Seafood with Crispy Egg Noodles (55). The crispy noodles are fresh and crunchy, blending well with the seafood. The pasta is tasty and cooked to perfection, served nicely with beef bites. These are popular meals and they're delicious. Overall, this restaurant has quick service, good pricing, and large portions. I would recommend this spot for anyone looking for Vietnamese food in San Jose. read more
3 months ago
This place always has a line to dine in. When we came, there was a 10-20 minute wait. When we left, there looked to be 30+ minute wait. The pho is really good here. 5/5 The last time I came, I tried the shaken beef rice plate. I didn't like it but didn't hate it. 3/5 Service is quick even though the restaurant and servers are extremely busy. They get a lot of phone and to go orders! We were in and out after eating, but plenty of families were there enjoying their meal and chatting. read more
Never disappoints 10/10 !! I got some delicious beef pho. The service was fast and super efficient. Location was also not too busy though I've heard on the weekends there's long wait times. Prices are reasonable and I love that they have booths. read more
15 days ago
Closed sign on the doors and windows today. Doesn't seem to be closing permanently, but no reopen estimate. read more
2 months ago
Date: Tuesday, February 10th, 2026 Party of: 2 Meal: Dinner Takeaway Time Ordered: around 9:15pm Picked Up: about 45 mins later Placed Order: BLogic Systems thru their website #1. Phở Đặc Biệt - Special Combination Pho ($17.50) - 3 Limes #21. Spring Rolls | Gỏi Cuốn ($9) #22. Egg Rolls | Chả Giò ($9) #31.Hủ Tiếu Nang Vang - Cambodian Pho ($17) - Nước | Soup, Hủ Tiếu Dai | Clear Noodle ($0.75), Giá Trụng | Cooked Bean Sprouts *Extra Limes - 3 Limes *Free Drink (Min $15 Order) - Flan Cake (Free) *Sales Tax - 9.375% ($4.99) On the way home to SJ, the hubby and I decided to grab some pho. After looking around, I picked Pho 21. When we arrived around 9:45pm, we noticed this was the old Lee Noodle House. Ah, memories! Vibe is def different - robots delivering some items, booth style seating, etc. When I arrived, our order wasn't ready yet, so I tried to find a spot to stand and wait. There were quite a few ppl waiting and no real area to get out of the way. I had to keep moving around so I wouldn't be an annoyance. One thing I noticed, before I got to the register to tell them I was here for my order, the girl in front of me, placed her order and got it before mine was even ready. Weird, cuz I placed mine about 30 mins before I arrived. Not sure how they prioritize making their orders. The pho was fine. As were the apps. They didn't give us any of the extra limes I asked for. I had lemon at home so made it work. The bean sprouts were also not cooked. I think they just give a generic side of sprouts, lime, jalapeno, etc, to everyone. So not sure why it's even an option to order that way on the site. The free flan was a nice sweet treat, tho it was slightly burnt. Might be more fun and an experience to eat in resto, but for takeout, be prepared to wait longer for your pickup order. REVIEW #3984 read more
I've visited Pho 21 twice so far, and it's a solid pho spot. First time, my boyfriend and I came here for a late dinner. We both got pho and spring rolls along with some drinks. They were all very tasty and perfect for a cold day! I remember that I liked that they have a cool robot bringing us our drinks. Second time, I got takeout from here. Parking here is very touch and chaotic in their lot. I luckily parked in the next door plaza and just walked over. Food is still pretty delish! The place is clean with indoor and outdoor seating. read more
6 months ago
It's been quite some time since I've had to do a bad review. I've heard many reviews from friends both having good and bad experiences. For my personal own experience, yeahhh... it was bad. I did come in late at night to curb my craving and finally decided to give this place a shot. I semi regretted it after everything. Walked in, was quickly seated. However, while walking to my seat I almost slipped because the floor was wet and had water spills on the floor, I pointed it out but nothing was done about it. Secondly, order system was decent and quick but when it came to delivery and look of the food. It was sub par. My dish hardly any meat at all. It felt the proportions were 80% noodles and 20% protein. Like yea I get it, but not this. Additionally, the broth... I questioned where the flavor was. It lacked the depth and savory goodness at other Pho spots I've been to in San Jose. At this point, it was just a darker "flavor" water. That was it. I literally just ate what I could find of the protein in my bowl, paid and left. I hope to try this spot again in hopes of improvement, but not anytime soon. read more
It was solid. Only Pho spot that opens late. There's a yelp waitlist. It gets busy after 9 when other Pho spots close. Onsite parking, but lot isn't huge- it can get pretty packed. Left around 9:40p and several cars were pulling up. When I arrived I saw two homeless guys in the lot, but didn't see them bother anyone. One of them was talking to the air... Just be aware. Got here around 8:30p after Pilates and met up with my bf. I arrived first and was seated at a booth immediately and water came right after. Only other interaction with an employee was when the food came out and the check was given. Place looked clean, constant stream of customers, average noise level (Depending on who you're sitting next to anyway. A group of gen z came in and were sat across the aisle from me and one of them was very chatty. Can clearly hear her, but not the other patrons from other tables around me.) Ordering is from a QR code at the table on your phone. Check was brought to us when they saw that we were done with our meals. Employees are quick! What we ordered: #1 Special Combination Pho with wide noods #31 Hu Tieu Nang Vang (Cambodian Pho) with wide noods I love wide noods. I also tried to order the side of onions and add to order after submitting the first initial order, but it didn't add. I ended up just removing it. Couldn't bother with trying to figure it out at the time. The kitty robot server brought over the noodle garnishes/toppings after the order was submitted. So cute! Both bowls had a decent amount of noodles. The combination pho had a variety of meat, a good handful of it too! Almost just as much meat to noodle ratio. I appreciate that they didn't skimp on it. Standard beef broth. Beefy flavor, but not heavy. Hu tieu with soup. I find that wide noodles don't really work well with dry (broth on the side) version-- noodles break too easily. For those not familiar, the broth is pork based, tastes light and leans a liiiiiiiiiittle sweet rather than savory like beef pho. Broth is solid, but had better. Doesn't come with as much protein as the beef pho. 2x restrooms with code lock. I already forgot the code. Hand air dryer, no paper towels (if it matters). read more
Food: five stars Web app for ordering: negative ten million I don't know what blogicsystems is but they are costing this business real money, it is slow and barely works. For our group, it took 20 minutes to get the web app to load well enough to get out order in. Easily slower than ordering actual food. read more
1 month ago
8 months ago
Spacious restaurant and great for large groups, but heads up--the wait can be long. Even with just two people, we waited about 50 minutes. Once seated, service was fast and the servers were attentive, which we appreciated. The only dish that truly felt worth the wait was the shaking beef. Huge portion, perfectly cooked meat, and great flavor with the bell peppers--absolutely delicious. The pho was mid. The beef broth was bland; although, the meat itself was cooked perfectly. Egg rolls were undercooked as well. I'd come back, but only for the shaking beef. read more
I recently came here with friends after one friend strongly recommended it. And overall it was very good! I got the short rib pho and it was delicious! The food comes out super hot. You get a huge piece of meat with the rib, and honestly it's a bit difficult to eat with how hot it is, but it was still very tasty. But the broth and the noodles were great as well. We went on a weekend and it was pretty busy and we had to wait a bit, so keep that in mind. I also love that they're open late in case I wanted to stop by for a late night meal. I would definitely come back if I was in the area! read more
2 months ago
5 days ago
Pho 21 is a solid go-to spot whenever I'm craving pho. It's one of those places you can reliably rotate into without thinking twice. I usually switch between the pho tai, pho dac biet, and their short rib pho, all consistently good, flavorful, and satisfying. I've tried one of their rice plates before and it was just okay. Not bad, but nothing that really stood out. If you're coming here, I'd definitely stick with the pho. The restaurant itself is clean, the service is good, and a big plus is that they stay open late, which makes it perfect for late-night cravings. Overall, good pho, solid service, and a dependable spot I'll keep coming back to. read more
9 months ago
This place was PACKED when we came and I can see why. Check in on Yelp ahead of time if you can. This place accommodates bigger parties/families, which is why the waitlist is so long, but the wait for a party of two is quick! I wanted to try fried stir fried noodles because I love this in Cantonese food and wanted to compare them. These noodles are wheatier than what I'm used to, the sauce is less thick and the seafood is very generous! Definitely different from the Cantonese version, but yummy in its own way. Crispier than ours too. We also tried the egg rolls and pho dac biet, which met expectations. Drinks are delivered via robot. It's quick if you order all together, but if you add it later, it takes a little while. read more
9 months ago
Came here for the pho and it was delicious. The location is spacious, and even on a Tuesday night it got pretty busy. I'd recommend joining their Yelp waitlist or calling ahead. Ordering is done through a QR code so hands-on service is minimal, but the food comes out quickly. Overall, this place serves high-quality Vietnamese food. Clear, clean broth from my beef pho and I like how they chopped up the steak! Big portion as they only serve one size for their pho. I also ordered the taro milk tea with boba, but it was too sweet at 100% sweetness. Fortunately, the staff was very accommodating and remade it at 50% sweetness, which I really appreciated. read more
I love this spot! Their ordering, payment, and delivery system makes everything SO easy and convenient. You order with a QR code, food and drinks are delivered quickly via a cute little cat robot, and you can pay with the click of a button! I got the pho tai with flat noodles and it was just what I needed on a cold day. Everything was delicious--broth was hot, noodles were perfect, meat was great. There's plenty of seating inside and the parking lot is pretty big. read more
I've been here a few times with my friend, and after trying many pho places, this one has become my favorite. The food is fresh and delicious. It may take a little time, but it's definitely worth the wait. The service is kind and helpful, and the atmosphere is nice. I will definitely come back again. read more
Stay away from the Hu Tieu it is soooo salty! We ordered a #31 Hu Tieu Nam Vang $17 and a pho Dac Biet $17.5 which came with an assortment of meats. This was ok too. Nothing special for a pho place. The thing that got also left a bad impression was when we first sat down in a booth, there was a pungent sell of urine. It reeked so bad I was felt nauseous. It was crazy because at first I thought I was the only one that smelt it, but my husband also said the same thing. We asked to move to the way other side which was fine. I don't know who peed and didn't clean it up but seriously that's not sanitary at all food establishment. The little robots that delivery food and drinks were cool and fun but besides that their food was meh.... Sorry hard pass! Go eat pho somewhere else. read more
11 months ago
I came here to this quiet restaurant for breakfast after getting my car serviced down the street and I ordered a beef pho with tendons and sliced beef, it cost around $17.50 without taxes or tip. The drink and the side veggies for the pho were delivered by a cute, talking robot. I ordered a side dish for takeout to eat at home later. You will need to use your cell phone to look at the menu using the QR code on the table placad, so you need to put your order on the cell phone, and the actual meal (pho soup) was delivered by a real person. This was a decent place to have pho, and had a few people inside already at 9 a.m. in the morning. After I finished eatingI went to the cash register to pay, it was a very quick process. Although they say that you don't need to tip, I still gave a 15% tip. I like this place for a quick meal of you're craving a simple Vietnamese pho noodles meal. There's plenty of places to eat Vietnamese food in San Jose, especially in Little Saigon, but it was close to home, and quite convenient. read more
11 months ago
One of the best pho places in SJ! The bowls and soup always come out piping hot. I love how this place also offers the scallion oil to add to the side of the pho and it gives the broth a rich taste to it. They also steam the bean sprouts here so it does not cool down the soup as much! They have this little robot to help deliver the food to the table too! This place is consistently good each time and would highly recommend this place! read more
Over, pretty good. When you want Vietnamese Pho, it's hard to go wrong around east or south San Jose. Pho 21's pho hit the spot. Wifey and I visited for a lunch date. I ordered the No. 1 (Combo), she ordered the No. 2 (Rare Beef), and we added a Spring Roll. Both phos were good. The combo had a lot of stuff going on and the broth was clean. Wifey's also very clean. Classic. Spring Rolls were a bit disappointing. Flavor kind of fell flat, even with the sauce. It was passable. The restaurant itself, could be kept cleaner. Not a lot of service going on, even less with the robot servers. Overall, experience was just fine. Get the egg rolls over the spring rolls. read more
2 months ago
11 months ago
Stopped by Pho 21 while in San Jose and man -- this place hit the spot. I ordered the beef short rib pho and the stir-fried noodles, and both were on point. The short rib was tender, flavorful, and fell right off the bone. The broth had that deep, rich flavor that only comes from someone who actually knows what they're doing in the kitchen. The stir-fried noodles had great texture -- not too greasy, perfectly seasoned, and packed with flavor. The staff was quick and friendly, food came out fast, and the portions were solid for the price. This is definitely one of those places where you can tell the kitchen takes pride in what they serve. I'll be back next time I'm in town. read more
1 year ago
This is our family's go to place for pho and shaken beef plates! Everything is always consistently delicious and fresh with very quick service. Lively restaurant with tons of tables and booths, counter and outdoor seating available. Modernized restaurant, clean and bright inside. It's a pretty busy place around dinner time. I highly recommend getting on the waitlist through yelp around peak hours. Sometimes the cute kitty BellaBot waiters will drop off drinks when the aisles aren't too jammed pack with the dinner crowd. Huge plus for sauce condiments and utensils conveniently placed on the table. I love to customize my pho, you can choose up to 4 meats, my go to is usually meatballs, fat brisket, brisket and tendon, all very unctuous and tender. My family also loves the shaken beef plates, some of the most tender, flavorful, garlicky steak bites you will ever have, you can't go wrong with either a side of macaroni or tomato rice, both are delicately flavored and slightly buttery. My mom also from time to time will pick the Cambodian soup, she loves the bits of seafood, liver and seasoning the egg noodles have, it comes dry with a bowl of soup on the side. We like to start our meal with their delicious pork and shrimp spring rolls. The peanut dipping sauce is a savory flavor bomb! I also love their coffee selections, the taro coffee is so creamy. It's a perfect little pick me up. read more
1 year ago
Pho 21 is our go to pho place. They are always playing lively music and have quick service. When it is busy you place your name on the standing ipad or you can do it through yelp. Highly recommend to do it through yelp when it is busy. They are open until 2am which is great for after a night out. We always order the chicken pho and coconut shrimp with a mango green tea. read more
2 months ago
2.5 rounded to 3. The popcorn chicken was a disappointment. This was the second Vietnamese establishment to serve popcorn chocken like this; it looked and tasted like something out of a box. I wouldn't have ordered it if the menu had provided a photo of it. Special Combination Pho (#1) wss decent; I thought the broth was good. The Shaking beef was ok, less sweet than average but I found the amount of beef to be less than average as well and didn't think the rice platter was worth the price. I wouldn't order this again either. The Thai tea was only ok. Service was average in terms of demeanor (some servers better than others) but responsive to requests. The restaurant was rather busy at 8 P.M. on a Tuesday and there were 4 servers, plus staff in the kitchen to bring food out (along with the robot). Somewhat noisy but not overwhelming. Lots of locals probably, and that was a mix. At 8 there were plenty of spots but most of the other businesses ar this strip mall were already closed. read more
6 months ago
Pho 21 was insanely packed--like lines out the door on a Thursday night packed. But honestly, they handled it well. The wait moved faster than expected, and once you're in, seating turns over pretty quickly. We ordered the oxtail pho and rare beef pho, and both were so good. The broth alone is worth coming back for--rich, flavorful, and exactly what you want in a solid bowl of pho. We also got the spring rolls and cha gio, which balanced each other out perfectly. Light and fresh vs. crispy and savory. I tried mango milk boba for the first time and was surprised how much I liked it, and the Thai tea was also really good. Big space, open late, and clearly a local favorite for a reason. Even packed, they keep things moving and the food delivers. read more
6 months ago
We waited maybe 20 min on a Sunday midday. We have to order using QR code. Chicken pho broth had some flavor that had opportunity for depth in flavor. Hence why I added spicy siracha and other spicy chili. Flat noodles were yummy with generous amount. Pho bowls are pretty big. Spring rolls have a good amount of protein. They ran out of shrimp which was my original pho order so I ended up getting chicken pho instead. Milk oolong tea was pleasant. read more
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More info about Pho 21
2569 S King Rd
San Jose, CA 95122
East San Jose
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(408) 724-9935
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Ask the Community - Pho 21
What are the egg rolls made off?
Our Egg Rolls made from pork, eggs, shrimp and vermicelli with fish sauce
What is the thin white noodle called, trying to place an order online don't know which one to choose?
Thin is more popular. I think its better for you
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
488 reviews that are not currently recommended
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