Nice little pho place in mountain view Located in a small strip mall, this pho place is decent. The interior isn't the fanciest, but it's clean and orderly, with typical wooden tables/chairs etc There were quite a lot of patrons given the time of day (around 3 pm), so the place is actually fairly popular. In terms of food quality, it was actually much better than expected. The bowl the used to serve the pho was pretty classy, and the pho broth was pretty good, with just the right amount of flavor. The portions weren't the biggest, but it was enough to make you full, and there was enough meat to make the pho seem balanced still. Overall, a decent place to stop by for a bowl of pho. read more

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Granted, I could easily say the same about plenty of other things (burgers, pizza, ramen...the list goes on!), but pho is definitely one of my favorite foods to eat. It's warm, filling, and comforting. Plus, it's uber convenient, given all of the Vietnamese restaurants the Bay Area has to offer. That being said, despite all of my trips up and down The Peninsula, I've never had a go-to spot between San Mateo and San Jose. That is, until now! For the most part, Pho Avenue's menu is pretty standard (pho, rice plates, vermicelli, starters, and a half dozen or so house specialties), but with the choice of beef, chicken, and vegetarian soups for your noodles. Still, the menu is somewhat narrow compared to some of SF and San Jose's Vietnamese restaurants, but it's also a lot cleaner than most. Which, in this case (as well as Ben Tre's, which I've reviewed before), disproves the notion that good pho is synonymous with "dirty pho". Or, at least, serves as the occasional exception to the rule... Deviating slightly from my usual order of pho, I opted for something meatier by getting a large (#11) PHO DAC BIET - Combination of Rare Steak, Meatballs, Flank, Tendon, Tripe, and Brisket ($10.50). Although it was comparatively light on noodles, the bowl was loaded with goodies (and no cilantro!). However, the real highlight was the broth - deep, rich (though a bit oily), not too salty, and pretty beefy (from all the meat!). It's not the best I've had, but it definitely ranks among the the better ones. As much as I liked the pho though, I must say that the Mi Xao Chay (Vegetarian Chow Mein) that I tried was a bit disappointing. While the veggies were decently fresh, the overall taste was kind of boring. Not in terms of being bland, but in the sense that it tastes like any generic dish from any generic Chinese or Vietnamese restaurant. In addition, service was a bit uneven as well (friendly, but they didn't seem to come around too often), but Pho Avenue is still a great spot if you're looking to get your regular fix of pho. If/when you should drop by though, just be sure to keep your eye out since it's easy to pass right by them. Not that the pho isn't worth making a u-turn for! read more

Pho Avenue - (#11) Pho Dac Biet (Combination Pho) - Vietnamese Near Me - Mountain View, California

My sinuses were giving up on me and I needed some soup, STAT! I had Electric Avenue on my mind, but Pho Avenue was my true destination! I haven't had much time to explore for food places around my office. Feeling under the weather surely sucked, but urge to feel better was a priority. Since I haven't had pho in a while, I passed by Pho Avenue a couple times and finally decided to grab a bite here. When I arrived around 3pm-ish, the place was a busy for a petite restaurant. The menu was very simple to read. I was craving for some Pho Ga (chicken pho), and I was in luck that they served it here! I placed my order and in less than ten minutes, my order was already served to me, steamy and hot. This yummy bowl of soupy goodness was composed of shredded chicken, onions, and shallots. Accompanied with the pho was the standard condiment plate of cilantro, mint, sprouts, lemon wedges, and jalapeno slices. The broth was full of flavor and tenderized the chicken in the pho. The veggies in the pho and the condiment plate were crispy and fresh. The noodles broke away with ease, yet still soft and chewy to eat. The service was fast and friendly. A legit pho spot, in my opinion, within walking distance is a win for me! read more

Pho Avenue - Pho Ga (Chicken Pho) - Vietnamese Near Me - Mountain View, California

I suggest ordering their grilled beef with grilled prawns and vermicelli, it was sooo good. They roll a whole piece of beef, then grill them. Nom, nom, nom!! It was moist and well marinated. It comes with 6 sticks. Well worth the price. I came here after work, and they were fairly new in business so there wasn't that much crowd. The atmosphere was very nice, clean and modern. The staff were friendly, and gave great recommendations. Location is right across Whole Foods, and there are some parking at front (private lot). I will definitely come back here again when I am in the area. Until then, Cheers! :p read more

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Maybe the best Vietnamese place in Mountain View right now. There used to be a handful of them but most of the good ones dies years ago. This space has had a bit of a curse though and i hope they buck it. The previous Mediterranean resto had the best hummus id ever had though the rest of the food was ok. The Wings place was decent, the previous pho place i skipped, and the diner before that was horrible. Got the full combination pho which had all the meats. Super good broth, quality meats, and well seasoned. The iced coffee has a hazelnut twinge which while not traditional is tasty. It's pretty low key and spartan but it's about the food. Definitely worth checking out despite the crappy locale. Hope they succeed! 4.3 stars read more

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Pleasantly surprising pho! If you've read any of my pho reviews you've become accustomed to me saying it: "Broth, Broth Broth...".Pho Avenue broth is crisp, clean and wonderfully aromatic. If you like star anise then this is the broth for you. The noodles were properly cooked and not heavily clumped, the meat was fresh and plentiful and the sprouts plate clean and crisp. Portions are above average, a large pho is a meal for two normal appetites. Prices are area appropriate, the space is no-nonsense Vietnamese and clean. The staff was quick and friendly. Pro-tip: Parking is tight in front of Pho Avenue; but there is ample parking below Whole Foods across the street. Worth a visit if you are in the area. Cheers! read more

Pho Avenue - Large #11 Jim P. style. - Vietnamese Near Me - Mountain View, California

The the meat ball is cold inside. Vegetable plat is small and less. Combination PHO is 13.95+tax read more

The prices are going up but the quality has gone down. Ordered my large pho to-go; the order had cilantro in place of basil with less meat than usual. It was a disappointment. I'll give them one more chance. read more

Free WiFi! 5/5: The shrimp and pork over vermicelli is very good: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/pho-avenue-mountain-view-3?select=hJdpQLPgSGfkiCoaBUqh4A#rt7iouozG95pPSJMANzS2w Great seasoning, nicely grilled. shrimp are very pump. generous amount of pork. Noodles are perfectly al dente, and have the perfect level of dryness to them. A winner. 3.5/5: The Vietnamese Iced Coffee is OK: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/pho-avenue-mountain-view-3?select=hJdpQLPgSGfkiCoaBUqh4A#hJdpQLPgSGfkiCoaBUqh4A It's pre-mixed, so you don't have to wait. They add a lot of hazelnut syrup, which masks the underlying coffee flavor. It is missing the deep, rich, complex coffee flavor; it tastes too much like "coffee/hazelnut flavored drink." Vung Tau II in Milpitas is still the gold standard. (Some other Vietnamese places also add flavorings to ca phe sua da; Phuong Thao in Sunnyvale adds French Vanilla creamer) read more

Pho Avenue - ca phe sua da (Vietnamese Iced Coffee). It has hazelnut syrup. - Vietnamese Near Me - Mountain View, California

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Came here with some friends to grab pho. The portions are a good size and we were all full at the end of our meal. The tendon is particularly good! read more

Pho Avenue - Combination pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Mountain View, California

Been coming here off and on for a few years now. It's always a decent bowl of pho. Service is always nice. Restaurant is always clean. As with other Vietnamese food in the area, it's no San Jose... but it's good and will keep coming back. read more

Didn't expect it to be quite this good, being a dumpy little place off the side of the road. Don't get me wrong, dumpy Vietnamese restaurants are usually the best ones, but generally speaking, that's true of the ones that have been around forever. Pho 99 means it's been around since 1999, and usually that's a really good sign that people liked them enough to come for 15 years and keep them in business. So Pho Avenue, Circa 2014, hadn't proven itself to me. Food is five stars, cleanliness is five stars. Service is three stars, they pretty much drop and run. Which isn't unheard of in restaurants of this type, but with the nicer aesthetic (food and decor), I thought perhaps they'd elevate their status with good customer service, but not so much the case. Still, good cheap Vietnamese food in a clean restaurant near work. That's a winner. read more

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Not bad not bad. I might even like this as much as the pho hoa at san antonio rd. I got #6 pho with different meat and it wasn't bad. I appreciate the fact that they offer 2 rolls for $4, unlike other restaurant charging full roll for over $6 what if I only want 1-2 rolls, I wouldnt want to order 3 rolls lol Place wise looks clean and nicer than typical pho places. They use nice bowls for pho and service not bad. Parking lot right outside shared with other stores. Sadly they dont have bun rieu or bun bun hue (idk how to spell it lol) they just have the plain pho beef broth or chicken or veggie. Oh well... I will still come back to satisfy my pho needs and maybe try different dishes! read more

Pho Avenue - Simple phoo - Vietnamese Near Me - Mountain View, California

Took the boys for some pho, and we were a pretty disappointed with the experience. The pho broth was greasy and the noodles were pasty. We ordered spring rolls that were brought out after the entrées and not very fresh. The service is generally pretty sketchy, but the good food usually makes up for it. Not today, though... read more

Pho Avenue - Greasy broth and pasty noodles - ew! - Vietnamese Near Me - Mountain View, California

This is one of more genuine pho places around. When we arrived here, we were greeted and seated quickly. Immediately, I liked the fact that they have small dipping dishes on the table. About half of the pho places in the area do not have these dipping dishes and that annoys me to no end. How is one supposed to dip the meats without these little dipping dishes? The fact that they have the dishes is a big plus for me. The soup is very flavorful. You can tell that it's been cooked for a long time so the flavor really settled in. The menu has all of the usual pho options so it doesn't take long to decide for people like us. They took our orders quickly and put the orders in. We also orderd some drinks. To our surprise, the drinks were quickly prepared and came to us without much delay -- another plus. The pho came quickly and it was piping hot. The noodles were cooked just right so we slurped it up. This is a good pho place. read more

Pho Avenue - fresh condiments - Vietnamese Near Me - Mountain View, California

Always lots of Pho spots to check out in the Bay Area but not a lot that are great especially if you wish to want to have a vegetarian version, where the broth can be a definite hit or miss. This spot ends up coming out to be pretty darn good. First off the parking is crazy here as there are multiple shops each with their own parking stalls. One day PA spots were full so I parked in the Subway spot because I thought maybe they would be cool to share spots. Well I got a notice after my lunch that they will tow my car next time and they wrote down my licence plate. So beware... but aside that if you are desperate there is parking in the lot behind this tiny strip center. On to the place itself the service here is quick and there is almost always a spot. They only have a couple of veggie items on the menu but what they do have is very good. I pretty much always go for the veggie pho and it's always great. I ask for extra Jalapenos because they normally just give you a couple slices which doesn't do it for me. The bowls come in small or large and it's only a buck or so more for the large but I still get the small because it's enough for an average eater. When it comes to noodles I'm kind of picky. I like noodles that are cooked but also firm and chewy and these noodles are just like that. The broth is light but also flavorful especially if you add the extra jalapenos. They do have sriracha if that's your thing. The veggies they add are numerous and they are cooked perfectly. It also comes super hot so buy the time you add all the cold sprouts and the heap of basil and lime you are good to go. Very efficient payment so you don't have to wait for your check. You basically go up to the counter and pay. They take only cash unless your bill comes to over $10. Any bowl of pho will be over the limit so it's not normally an issue. They also seem to not be tip oriented as it's pretty self serve oriented so it's pretty much a bargain to get good portion of healthy veggie noodle soup. 5 stars even with the bad parking situation. read more

This review is primarily on their chicken pho. I've been here twice since we've moved to the South Bay. It gets the job done if you want a bowl of pho but it's nothing above average, taste and service- wise. The broth in the pho is really simple, not a lot of extra flavor. The noodle quality is also average. They had all the normal fixings to put into the soup except cilantro. The price for a small pho was a little steep $10. These places get away with poor service, pay at the counter, stand offish service because of their low prices but maybe it's a South Bay inflation kinda thing. The environment was decent, I didn't see anything unclean but it doesn't look nice either. They don't really go out of their way to make their restaurant stand out. Overall it was a good experience and if you're looking for an average chicken pho place, this is it. read more

Pho Avenue - Chicken pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Mountain View, California

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Decent pho but on the pricey side. I liked how much tendon was added especially since the places I've gone before only put like 1 or 2 chunks. The shrimp and pork vermicelli was pretty good. The Thai iced tea was also really good and with the right amount of sweetness. The table was a little sticky but the service was decent and the food came quickly. Update. I came back again for pho and removed a star after. My friend and I were both so thirsty with a dry mouth feeling following dinner and have a theory that a lot of msg might've been used. read more

This place is tiny, but it has small differences in decor from your usual pho shop that can set it apart. The wooden table design, the mini fish sauce bottles, the plastic spoons with the lip handle to keep it from falling in the soup, individual napkins as opposed to the metal box that holds stacks of them, an individual mug of hot tea instead of a pot, etc. Anyway, on to the food. The broth is very fragrant. Some places I've tried lately have been on the "light" side which I find to just be bland. The amount may not seem like much at first but the bowl is deep rather than wide so it was the right amount in my opinion. There was a toothiness to the noodles, so they weren't overcooked. I enjoyed the thin cut of the steak. We also ordered 2 orders of eggrolls (4 total) that came with dipping sauce, and they were standard. They give an abundant amount of veggies to accompany the soup. Overall, the price is good for quality and quantity. I'd come back. read more

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This is our go to spot for Pho. Prior to Covid, we enjoyed dining in at the restaurant. Staff is always friendly and food is always delicious. We recently called in a pick up order, because I was craving some Pho. I had a minor issue with my order, called them and explained my situation and they were so friendly! The gentleman apologized and offered to replace the order, which was so nice of him. Highly recommended for delicious food and friendly service. read more

Probably the best pho in the Palo Alto/ Mountain View Area :) I usually order #9 pho since it comes with tendon. read more

Pho Avenue - #11 small, $8.95 - Vietnamese Near Me - Mountain View, California

Great pho and decent service. I would definitely go there again since it's in a convenient location.

Best flavor for broth. But skimped on the thai basil

Upon entering this restaurant,I noticed the decor was quite simple. What was missing in the ambience more than made up the the deliciousness of the pho!!! The portions are generous and the hospitality and service was superb....our server...so incredibly friendly and attentive!!! I'm so looking forward to coming back and trying more delicious fare!!!! read more

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New place buried in the nonsensical shopping center at 2500 El Camino Real, despite the fact that El Camino is still in the 4000's range on the other side of the street. Whatever. This place is new so you have to be a little lenient. That being said, they're pretty tasty regardless. I got one of thier specials, Banh Mi Bo Kho ($8.95) cuz it was cold and was craving something a little more substantial than pho. I was a little shocked that it was significantly smaller than the bowls of pho however. The flavor of the broth was very good (might be a little salty if eaten plain) - the tomato, lemongrass, and anise could very easily be picked out - but it was a bit... watery... for my tastes. II feel like beef stew is a dish where the stew should almost coat the meat and should be slightly viscous when stirred, and this was just kinda... juicy? I don't know. Maybe it's just their style. I haven't had their pho but other reviews seem to indicate that it's pretty tasty. I'll be back to try it. --- sweet: really flavorful beef stew, relaxed environment bitter: small parking lot, comparable to Pho Vi Hoa in terms of price. read more

Pho Avenue - Banh mi bo kho. Bit more watery than usual, but good flavor. - Vietnamese Near Me - Mountain View, California

Background: I was meeting a friend for lunch. I've never had Vietnamese food, but there is a first time for everything. Experience: I showed up and the parking was limited to a tiny lot with most spots being 10 or 30 minute duration. When I walked in I was instantly greeted and was told to grab a seat anywhere to the right. When my friend came in, we chatted for a few minutes and the waitress came over. She brought out two waters and asked for our order. We hadn't made looked over the menu yet. She came back 5 minutes later. I ordered the chicken fried rice and he ordered the pho #11 (can't remember what exactly was in it). After she brought out our food she never came back to check on us. We eventually got her attention and she brought out a box and the check (although there are signs that say pay at the front). The food: He ate all of his, but I was not too fond of mine. It seemed like it had egg in it, which I didn't expect. The chicken was mostly white meat though. My advice: I'm not sure if I will return, this could be a really good Vietnamese place but i may not like Vietnamese. read more

Pho Avenue - Fried rice-chicken leftovers - Vietnamese Near Me - Mountain View, California

I've been curious about this place for a while so I finally decided to try their pho. I ordered the meatball & steak pho. The steak looked pink when I got it but after leaving it to cook in the soup a bit more, it changed color. I wasn't quite sure if that's how it's supposed to be or if they gave me undercooked meat. But after taking a bite, it didn't seem to taste raw. I've never had shabu shabu but I'm guessing that's the idea of it? Anyway, the soup was great. It had no aftertaste like the last bowl of pho I had at a different restaurant. I like how the soup had a really unique taste. It's somewhat a combination of sweet and salty? As for the noodles, they were throughly cooked and what I expected. :) I ordered a large bowl so it was roughly $9.50. I've been to other places where the bowls were much cheaper. But hey, there isn't really much option around here. The only thing I don't like about this place is the dining area. It gives me the impression that the kitchen is potentially dirty (and I don't like thinking that). I haven't seen their bathroom yet, but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt that it's clean. I might come again but settle for a meatball only pho. read more

Pho Avenue - Meatball & Steak Pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Mountain View, California

I've been getting my Pho from Pho Avenue for the past 3 months. Out of those three months, its safe to say that I've been there 5-6 times. Lol, I know, I've become a regular quite fast. I love Pho Avenue, because their service is amazing. The people there, are always attentive, kind, and always have a smile on their face. If I need to call in my order, I know it will be ready in less than 15 minutes, they are really fast and give you great portions. My favorite order is #14, the VEGAN Pho. Their broth is from vegetables, and has a great taste. The tofu and vegetables are always fresh and cooked to perfection. If ever in the are, and in the mood for Pho, go ahead and give them a try. Food is sooo good. read more

Pho Avenue - This #14 Vegan Pho, was a to go order. Super yummy. - Vietnamese Near Me - Mountain View, California

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It is a well kept secret that Vietnamese restaurants serve great steaks. This restaurant is no exception. They offer traditional pho, dumpling wraps and rice plates. The latter dishes are delightful presentation of some tender bbq'ed meat (typically pork and beef) plus an assortment of munchies to go with the meat at reasonable prices. My only recommendation to the chef is to use the salty marinate a little more judiciously to allow the customer to adjust the intake of salt at the table. read more

I actually enjoyed our pho and our experience here! Finally a relatively good pho spot in the peninsula. The prices are standard, but slightly cheaper than the pho joint across the street. $10 for a regular and $11 for large. However, unlike that other place, they packed the bowl with tons of meat and noodles. I was really full afterwards, which is surprising given how most pho places nearby skimp on the portions. 3 stars for the taste but 4 stars for the customer service and the bang for your buck. One of the workers, think she works in the kitchen, took our order and was extremely friendly to us. She complimented on my poor Vietnamese accent =]. I had the large pho with rare steak and meatballs, the bf had the large pho dac biet (which contains all the meat types). We also tried the egg rolls sampler for around $7, which came with 4 different type of spring and egg rolls. I was slightly disappointed that half of that were vegetarian rolls. They were okay, it came with 3 different types of sauces: peanut sauce, the sweet and spicy chili sauce, and fish sauce. My pho came out first and there were tons of meat balls and they tasted great! The broth was light, not too oily. The bf enjoyed the tendons in his bowl, they gave him tons of meat as well. Overall we left feeling satisfied and stuffed. I would definitely come back here! read more

I cannot recommend this place. I ended up tossing my Luke warm soup. Flavor, cuts of meat, broth.. not a fan.

Ordered P10 (flank and tripe). Fairly certain the pho broth is made only of msg/bouillon. The broth is salty, lacking depth of flavor and light in color. Tripe was not fresh nor crunchy and had a weird brown discoloration. Service was okay, I was the only one in there on a Sunday afternoon. Restaurant has modern furniture but ceiling tiles missing from the ceiling were taped over with plastic film. read more

Pho Avenue - Missing ceiling tiles with plastic film duct taped over it. Jan 2020 - Vietnamese Near Me - Mountain View, California

Happy to report that vegan options are available. I ordered vegan pho & spring rolls. Both were great, and will definitely come back when I'm back in the area. read more

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The BEST Vietnamese Pho in town I had so far . Recommend to try this place, if you want some rice plate or Pho . They have some new items are really good . This is the BEST Pho ever . I love it so much ..!!! read more

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It's decent but expensive with Pho costing around 14 it should be excellent...service is non existent,they basically take your order and that's it.No checking to see if everything is ok or if you need anything. When I signal the guy to bring me the check he makes a motion saying come to the counter ...customer service is definitely not a priority. read more

Slightly expensive for lunch. Also the banh xeo was super oily.. good customer service though.

I was on a business-trip in the BayArea and pondered upon Pho Avenue based on a noodle craving AND the food/service was A+++ Recommend it for sure read more

I like their beef pho a lot, the broth is tasty yet clean. Love adding like and a bit of that herb they bring you with the pho. The fresh spring rolls are also good although there was once that the skin didnt feel that fresh. The restaurant is nice but has no aircon, pretty hot in the summer afternoons. Pay with card (only Visa and mastercard) from $9 minimum. Service is correct, not rude than others. read more

Stop by here for a late lunch/early dinner this past Thursday while I was working in the Mountain View area. It wasn't too busy at the time, since I went in between the lunch and dinner rushes. The food was pretty good. I enjoyed the fried tofu appetizer and the vegetarian pho. Service was friend and fast. The location is also very convenient being right on El Camino Real. read more

Pho Avenue - Fried Tofu Appetizer - Vietnamese Near Me - Mountain View, California

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Went here two weeks back. This place is small, but the food arrives like a fast food joint! We were seated as soon as we got here. But for the order to be taken it took 10 mins; But once they took the order, the food arrived pretty soon. We ordered Spring Roll and pho noodle soup( veggie). It was good. I wouldn't mind going here again. But it wasn't great great, neither did I feel they really care about customer. For some odd reason we felt they were rude/negligent! read more

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