Duong T.

On the way back, we decided to stop by Pho 79 to have breakfast. According to my cousin, this is the only pho place that opens this early. I had heard of Pho 79 and how delicious it is, but I had not tried it yet. This place is humongous; as soon as I walked in, the aroma of pho hit me, and I knew I was in the right place. There were other dishes on the menu, but since we were at a pho restaurant, pho was naturally the best choice. We were immediately seated, and the server took our order right away. It did not take long for the food to come out, accompanied by fresh herbs and vegetables like basil, bean sprouts, and lime. The broth was light and packed with flavor. I could taste all the hidden goodness, like star anise, ginger, onion, and cinnamon. The best part was the meat--it was cooked so perfectly that it was tender and melt-in-your-mouth. Everything blended so well together that it did not take long for me to finish the bowl. The restaurant was also clean and spotless. This is a must-try pho restaurant if you are in the area. Highly recommended!

Mimi M.

I've been going to Pho 79 for years and they've finally moved out of their old cramped location! Now placed perfectly at the heart of Westminster (aka "Little Saigon"), they have plenty of more tables compared to their previous location. The wait staff were quick with our order and everything came out perfectly, as always. Pho 79 is honestly the only pho spot I'd ever hit up besides homemade pho. Their broth is perfectly light and they don't hold back on the meats. I love that they added more drink options and they're actually available unlike the previous location.

Katherine P.

Finally had a chance to check out their new location on a Saturday morning. It wasn't very busy, which made us a little surprised by how long it took for someone to take our order. We ordered two small bowls of pho with tái, nạm, and bò viên. Our total came to $37.70 with tip, which seems to be the going rate these days. That said, we're docking a star for the portion size. The broth was clean and flavorful, and the bánh phở tasted fresh, but the portions felt small for the price. Overall, our experience was just okay. The restaurant is clean and modern, the pho was good quality, and the ingredients tasted fresh. However, the bathrooms could use more frequent attention, the service was a bit slow despite the restaurant not being busy, and the portion sizes didn't quite justify the higher prices compared to other local pho spots.

John D.

Trying out the new location to test out if it's the same or different from the previous location. The wait was long, around 45 minutes on a Saturday afternoon. The restaurant is much bigger with more seatings. A little more updated in the environment and feel. The service was lacking. There was limited staffing and thought they should hire more workers to run the tables. The food was exceptional just like the previous location, nothing changed in the deliciousness of the broth! Also, Pho 79 now accepts cards! Hopefully the next visit will see a better upgrade in service.

Lauren D.

Not impressed. I have to admit that I came into this pretty biased because my family is pretty familiar with their previous location and did not understand the hype. Their menu is pretty much similar to what they had before, but a couple of items have been removed, like the papaya salad that my dad would always get. For a pho restaurant, it took way longer than it should've for our bowls to come out. My dad ordered a vermicelli dish, and that came out faster than our pho bowls, which makes no sense... The flavors are still the same, and so are their sizing options. My family always orders the size S for our food, and the portion was insanely small. I finished my bowl in less than 10 bites, which is just plain stupid. I'd rather they charge a couple of dollars more for just 1 standard size like Phoholic. My sister's pho ga also didn't come with any fish sauce, so we had to ask for it ourselves, and the guy only gave us a couple of teaspoons of it. * Phở Tái Chín: 8/10 - good but nothing mind-blowing * Phở Gà: 6/10 - had to ask for ginger fish sauce when it should automatically come with it * Bún Thịt: 9/10 - way better than the pho * Iced Tea: 7/10 - the flavor was very bitter The service was also lackluster, and the workers weren't attentive at all. We came during brunch hours, and there were plenty of empty tables, so we didn't understand why they were just lollygagging. The interior is absolutely beautiful, on the other hand. I think it was a good idea to move to a larger space with a better parking situation. Compared to their old location, this new one also takes card payments, which is already a step up. Honestly, don't know why people claim that this franchise has the best pho.

Dean W.

Brand new location for the legendary Pho 79! Grand opening was this past Wednesday, 7/15/2026! This new spot - located in the bustling ABC Supermarket shopping center at the corner of Bolsa/Magnolia is a HUGE upgrade to their former location off Brookhurst and Hazard. It's a much bigger restaurant - and the best part? MUCH BIGGER parking lot. No more having to park in a residential neighborhood, or navigate through a pothole-filled parking lot. Food quality is solid - the familiar oxtail-steeped-overnight broth adds a rich base to the pho you get here. My usual favorite is Pho Tai Nam Gau Gan - or Tai Nam Gan. The broth is soothing, aromatic, and fresh. The meat is tender and fresh, and plentiful. The plate of condiments (cilantro, bean sprouts, lime, etc) is always generous and fresh (super important as some pho places will give you plates of veggies where you can tell it's been sitting out for over an hour and the leafy veggies are starting to decay...). As always - a must-get is the side of oxtail - each piece literally melts in your mouth. Hours are still the same here - Open everyday from 0700 to 2100, closed Tuesdays. If this place ever gets packed - just remember that Pho 79's sister restaurant - Pho 101 - is just a few blocks away off Beach/Edinger.

Jaye H.

I've been dining at Pho 79 for at least a decade, so this one hurts. The new location is beautiful, but the bowl I had felt like the soul got left behind at the old spot. I got the Dac Biet and the broth is where my heart sank. It tasted thin, bland and flat compared to the old location. The old broth had depth, aroma and that richer mouthfeel you get from a bowl that feels like time went into it. This one had barely any flavor, no real beefiness and no soul. I don't know if it was watered down, rushed or they're still adjusting to the new setup, but it just tasted like a bad bowl of pho. The meat didn't help. The brisket used to be melt-in-your-mouth tender, but this time it was tough and chewy. Pain. The tripe still had some stink to it too. Hardly remembered the flank, but the tendon was still great though, it just melts. So at least one thing survived the move. Service was odd. We got seated immediately and there were 3-4 staff members around, but only one seemed able to take orders with the tablet while the others were mostly standing around. The new location itself is extremely clean, massive and honestly beautiful. It kind of looks like a wedding reception hall for pho. Visually, huge upgrade. Parking though? Horrendous imo. I know people mention parking in the back, but that area felt sketchy to me. It's tucked away, away from bystanders, the asphalt breaking apart and homeless activity around. This location already has regular beggars nearby, so the back lot did not feel like a great tip. I'd honestly rather fight for parking at the old spot. Value-wise, $15 for dac biet would be fine if the bowl delivered. It didn't. Instead, it took a piece of my soul, stomped on my memories of Pho 79 and left me wondering how broth could hurt my feelings this badly. YEAH I'M FEELING HELLA DRAMATIC. Maybe they need more time to adjust to the new space and workflow. I'll be trying again in a few months, but this visit hurt. This wasn't bad because I wanted to dislike Pho 79. It hurt because I remember how good it used to be.

Ashley Jane P.

Finally tried the new location for Pho 79 and it is way bigger than the first location with plenty of seating! Did not need to be on a waitlist on the weekend. It was greatly decorated and very spacious. The food tasted consistent as the original location and was very delicious! There is designated parking for the restaurant but plenty of parking shared with the shopping area.

Homer d.

Still the same glorious Pho', MUCH nicer interior, but unfortunately much junkier parking lot. Don't let that stop you though, it's still superb

Pauline P.

The new location is a huge upgrade from the old one. It's much bigger, nicer, and has a lot more parking both in the front and back. The service, however, was rough. This space looks like it can hold at least three times as many people as the previous location, but we still waited about 15 minutes for a table. What made it frustrating was seeing multiple empty tables sitting uncleared while a crowd of people waited. You could hear other customers talking about it and getting irritated too. Hopefully it's just growing pains from moving into a much larger space. Also, the A/C was blasting, so bring a sweater if you get cold easily. Each table has a bin with utensils and sauces, which is nice, but napkins weren't readily available so there was just a lot of trying to look and flag down a worker... which took way too long. Now for the food--it's incredible. There's a reason they've earned accolades like the James Beard Award in 2019 and Michelin recognition in 2025. Everything we had was excellent and definitely lived up to the hype. If you're looking to branch out from the usual order, don't skip the egg rolls. They were surprisingly one of the highlights of the meal. Despite the service issues, I'll be back. The food is just that good, and I'm hoping they'll work out the kinks as they settle into the new location

Horacio C.

I usually get the Super Bowl and loved it -- but at the new location it tasted different. Not sure if they changed the recipe or switched ingredients, but the flavors felt off and the balance was less bold than before. Service was fine and the place is clean, so I'll give them another try, but I hope they bring back the original taste.

Jim P.

Pho 79 - New Westminster Location Visit: Saturday, August 1, 2026 This was my first visit to the new location with my wife and my brother-in-law. Unfortunately, the experience did not meet my expectations. Parking - 1/5 The restaurant shares a parking lot with all of the businesses in the plaza. The parking lot was full, congested, and difficult to navigate. Finding a parking space was very challenging because of the heavy traffic in and out of the plaza. Service - 2/5 The waitress was not very polite or welcoming. There were no napkins on the table when we were seated, and the table caddy had an empty napkin compartment. Basic table items should be checked and replenished before seating guests. Food - 3/5 The pho was acceptable, but nothing exceptional. The broth was served hot and the beef was tender. However, the bean sprouts were broken and did not appear fresh. The biggest disappointment was the gỏi cuốn. Instead of using the traditional boiled pork (thịt heo luộc), they used grilled pork, which changed the traditional flavor. It was also missing the fresh herbs (rau thơm) that are normally included. For comparison, Brodard charges $9.00 for three traditional fresh spring rolls, while Pho 79 charges $7.75 for two rolls that are not prepared in the traditional style. In my opinion, Brodard offers better value, better quality, and a more authentic product. Atmosphere - 4/5 The restaurant is spacious, modern, and beautifully decorated. However, the air conditioning was weak, and the entrance door remained open while customers were dining, making the restaurant less comfortable. Men's Restroom - 2/5 The men's restroom was messy. Used paper towels and trash were scattered across the floor, and the trash receptacle appeared full. A clean restroom reflects a restaurant's attention to detail, and this one needed better maintenance. Value - 2/5 The prices are higher than many comparable Vietnamese restaurants, but the overall quality and customer service did not justify the cost. Overall Rating: 2.5/5 I had high expectations because Pho 79 has earned many awards and has an excellent reputation. I respect what the restaurant has accomplished over the years. However, awards do not replace consistent customer service. The pictures speak for themselves. They show the open entrance during lunch service, the empty napkin holder, the condition of the men's restroom, and the food we were served. While the restaurant is attractive and the pho was acceptable, the difficult parking, poor customer service, weak air conditioning, lack of attention to detail, and non-traditional spring rolls made this visit disappointing. I hope management views this as constructive feedback and works to maintain the standards that earned Pho 79 its reputation in the first place.