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    Pho Bac Cafe

    3.9 (201 reviews)
    InexpensiveVietnamese
    Open 9:00 am - 7:00 pm

    Order Pho Bac Cafe Takeout or Delivery

    Pho Bac Cafe Vietnamese Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    PHO BAC CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Pho Bac Cafe

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    Shrimp Pho
    William K.

    Good broth. Nice ladies. Neat and clean. I find myself here several times a week. Full belly at a reasonable price.

    Beef pho
    Grace K.

    I loved beef pho. It's nice to choose the size too! I prefer small portions. Also, Vietnamese coffee was great here. Service was perfect. Servers are attentive and kind. She gave me a short Vietnamese lesson :) They gave us green tea! Oh my goodness! Seattle pho restaurants charge for tea :( Atmosphere is great for pho. If I can request, I would love the background music louder. I heard a sound of Vietnamese music quietly. I wanted to listen more :) Highly recommend this place!

    Jala D.

    I frequent pho restaurants often and this is the best one yet. Most flavorful and dense broth I've ever had. Good quality steak & fresh ingredients. Very authentic, so not much English spoken by employees-but I wouldn't have it any other way. Customer service 10/10. I now come here weekly. Even good for takeout. Amazing work here.

    #2 Well Done Beef Pho
    Eddie J.

    Looking for some great Pho in Tacoma? Then head up to Pho Bac Cafe in Hilltop on S. 11th Street. We ordered the well done beef Pho and it was awesome! The broth, beef, and noodles were so good on a cold day! Definitely check them out!

    Grilled pork and vermicelli noodles
    Fred S.

    I ordered take out from here. Originally was going to order door dash but it was $71.00 on door dash and only a little over $40.00 to order directly to the restaurant and pick up myself. The food was prepared super quickly and was ready when I arrived. Their pho broth is unctuous and rich, it was absolutely delicious. Their grilled pork was one of the better Vietnamese dishes I've had in WA! We also ordered a kids pho with meatballs and some spring rolls. My daughter loved her pho and the spring rolls were standard aka delicious since I love spring rolls. I will definitely be back to this place, one great thing about it is they are actually open on Sundays!

    Shrimp pho
    Alison P.

    Visiting our son in Tacoma, he wanted to take us out to lunch for pho. He said it was the best in town so we decided to try it. We love pho. We're no experts, but we know what we like and we have some pretty good ones in Seattle. I ordered the small shrimp pho. Husband ordered the small veggie pho with tofu. Son ordered the large beef pho. Shortly after we ordered a guy came out of the kitchen and announced, "So sorry, we just ran out of bean sprouts. The driver has not arrived. Maybe he's stuck in the snow." There were groans and someone yelled out, "Don't shoot the messenger!" Another said, "That's okay, I don't like bean sprouts." There was laughter and no one left because of it. Our food was served. The waiter said to me, "Sorry for the sand in your bowl. It won't kill you." He laughed. I could see it was just fine pepper. I smiled and said, "It's okay. I don't mind sand in my soup!" We all enjoyed our meal. The soup was not overly salty. 5 good size shrimp in my bowl. A little sriracha gave it a kick. It's nice to know there are still comics during this pandemic. I will definitely return!

    Spring roll
    Cynthia F.

    Tacoma has great Pho restaurants. This is one of them. There are two other pho restaurants on the same block. How do they manage to all stay in business. You go in, order at the counter and then sit at your table. They'll bring to tea. I am not a pho expert but it is a good bowl of soup.

    Beef pho
    Jangwook L.

    One of my friend from vietnam recommended this restaurant. I was seeking some chance to visit this restaurant and finally made it. I ordered small beef steak pho. It was served quick around 5 minutes. Temperature for broth little low it was not super hot to cook vegi gatnish quickly but hot enough to cook them throughly. Broth flavor was light and deep. Scilantro and green onion was added as a base so it gives pleasant combination of taste with broth. I asked if they have onion oil, and they do. After adding onion oil, broth get heavier enough tho. I loved it. I feel time flies fast once I stared pho. I was able to finish mine quickly.

    Rare Beef and Meatballs Pho
    Boba H.

    This is the best Pho in Tacoma, I would even go as far to say Washington, possibly even the west coast. Sonny treats you like family, super friendly and caring. The broth is the heart of Pho and nobody makes a better broth. Family owned and operated since the 80's and it definitely feels like it. If you're looking for great pho look no further 100/10 yes I meant to put 100 out of 10 that's how good it is.

    Small pho with everything and coffee.

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    9 months ago

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    4 months ago

    Great food and sweet ladies the restaurant was clean I'm so happy we found this restaurant by accident! My kids ate everything too!!!

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    3 years ago

    I've had better pho, but I've also had a lot worse. I can picture this being a good regular spot for locals.

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Way better than pho king. They give you much more meat. Always had to order extra meat at pho king so it was more expensive

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    3 years ago

    The Pho sucked a little bit less the more I ate. It's the first time I've ever added salt to a bowl of Pho

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    6 years ago

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    Page 1 of 6

    Pho Bac Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Pho Bac Cafe

    Does the tofu pho have vegetarian broth?

    Yes and chicken

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    VK Viet Kitchen

    VK Viet Kitchen

    4.7(341 reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Large group friendly

    YESSS!! This is THE place for Vietnamese food! They are indeed authentic!…read more I have been missing the smell and taste of staple Vietnamese dishes ever since I moved out of California a few months ago. I used to receive Mom's vietnamese home cooking frequently and I lived near the Asian hubbubs with easy access to all the cuisine, but now I have to discover new places here in Washington to satiate my taste buds. Everything I've tried so far has been good. I've been content. But here!! I ordered takeout through Doordash, and as soon as I picked up my food, an aroma of so many flavors filled up my car. Parking is kinda annoying since it's on the street but I arrived within 30 mins of opening hours so it wasn't terrible yet. The restaurant already had at least a table or so, with customers, so I wouldn't be surprised if it got busier later. There's a fair amount of space and tables for hungry stomachs! The food was about ready by the time I arrived, and the 30 min drive home left me feeling famished and ready to dig in. Thankfully, I was not disappointed. Everything was packaged well so that nothing spilled during the car ride, and everything was so yummy! I ordered more than I originally intended... I was craving com tam (broken rice) and couldn't find a satisfactory place near my residence, so I drove all the way here to Tacoma.. and then I figured, I might as well order their Banh Xeo too! The photos online made it look so good, and it ended up tasting amazing! Slightly crispy and stuffed just enough with bean sprouts, meat, and other goodies. Perfect after drizzling some of the sauce over it. The Com Tam was also made well, and definitely hit my cravings with its classic ingredients. I ordered a Large Pho Bo Vien (meatball) for my son, and was sooo tempted to eat some myself. The broth smelled fresh and the noodles were cooked nicely. Decent portions for everything, too. I definitely need to return to try out more of their food. So far, it has made me one happy Viet gal :)

    The sprinkley, cloudy, chilly day called for something soupy. After all the sandwiches we had…read moreduring our hikes in the Olympics over the past few days, we were feeling for Asian cuisine. We were headed to Tacoma and I came across VK Viet Kitchen on Yelp. Food looked great and reviews were plenty enough. Table is free for all as long as it's available. Once we sat down, the owner came to talk to us pretty quickly. He asked if we've eaten at the restaurant before and how we found out about them. They're a long time standing business around the area, so even on a random Wednesday lunch hour, most of the tables were full. The menu is extensive! There's a lot of menu items that are new to us, but between the three of us, we got the Green Apple Salad with Tofu (S1) and Crab Meat Fried Rolls (A18) to share. My partner got the Bun Rieu Tom Cua (V4) and my brother got the Bun Bo Hue (V3). I opted for Hu Tieu with Soup (P15). The green apple salad was pretty good. It's got a lot of tangy flavor to it because they used green apples and they mixed in a lot of apple slices. It also goes surprisingly well with the tofu and it's nice that they cut up the tofu into bigger matchsticks to match the apple slices. As for the Crab Meat Fried Rolls - these were really nicely fried. Nice, crunchy outer exterior and lots of crab meat in the inside. The pickled veggies was a nice palate cleanser. Finally, for my Hu Tieu, the soup was amazing! It's a nice, light, clear and nourishing broth. It's comforting for the chilly day. They provided a lot of pork liver, kidney, shrimp, squid, and even a quail egg in there. I like the addition of chives as well. Awesome Vietnamese restaurant to take a lunch break at. Employees were friendly and efficient. It was also really nice of the owner to talk to us and just get us comfortable. I've bookmarked this place for the next time we come visit Seattle!

    Photos
    VK Viet Kitchen
    VK Viet Kitchen
    VK Viet Kitchen

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    Tho Tuong BBQ - Combination noodles

    Tho Tuong BBQ

    4.4(270 reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$

    Ambiance: This is a little confusing shop. It has hanging meat in its window like a classic…read moreChinatown take out restaurant but it's run by a Vietnamese family and has a Vietnamese-themed mural on the wall. They play electro dance music and the TV just cycles between short clips of cities like Rio de Janiero. Nothing is particularly cohesive but service is very friendly and they show up where it counts, the food. Food: I'm an American born Chinese kid from California and the food here could go head to head with anything in San Diego or LA. The broth is clean and simple Chinese style soup, not too salty and perfectly reduced. They load the bowls with tons of protein and are very flexible with whatever combination of proteins you want. The cha sui is perfect with just the right amount of sweet glaze and a touch of char to keep it interesting. The roast pork has one of the crispiest skins I've had which you can just let soak in the broth to your desired consistency. The duck is moist, tender, and relatively meaty (sometimes restaurants source scrawny ducks which are mostly bone). The weakest part of dish is the which have that store-bought taste and could be fresher and slightly more al dente. Overall this some of the best Chinese BBQ I've had, as good as any major city I've been. Definitely worth a try if you're in the area!

    Tho Thuong BBQ is SO good!! I genuinely love everything they have…read more It's a small, cozy spot and it definitely gets busy, but honestly it's 100% worth the wait. The food comes out flavorful, fresh, and just hits every time. You can tell they put a lot of care into what they serve. The atmosphere feels lively because of how packed it gets, which kind of adds to the experience. Even when there's a wait, it moves pretty fast and once you're seated, it's all worth it. If you're thinking about going, just go and be prepared to wait a little, but trust me, you won't regret it.

    Photos
    Tho Tuong BBQ - Interior (taken from the back of the restaurant)

    Interior (taken from the back of the restaurant)

    Tho Tuong BBQ - Combo rice plate

    Combo rice plate

    Tho Tuong BBQ - Noon 9.8/24. Almost sold out, line on left takeout, seating line out dooe 8 deep

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    Noon 9.8/24. Almost sold out, line on left takeout, seating line out dooe 8 deep

    Cafe La Vie - Pork Bahn Mi ;)

    Cafe La Vie

    4.6(97 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    Cafe La Vie has easily become my go to spot. Ever since my wife put me on, it's basically turned…read moreinto a weekly ritual. They never miss every visit is consistent, fresh, and hits every time. Opening at 6am makes it clutch for early mornings too. Pork and shrimp noodle soup is my go to here . Service is amazing, the owners are great, and the ambiance really feels like a true Vietnamese café hangout spot. It's the kind of place you can just sit, eat, and vibe.

    This place has been a Vietnamese staple in Tacoma for years. You'll often see a bunch of men…read moregathering here having coffee with their friends before they go about their business everyday. This place is consistently busy. There's indoor and outdoor seating. The building is a small house and has enough space for about 20-30 people inside. Probably another 20-30 if outdoor seating is available. You seat yourself or order from the front if hou are ordering takeout. Tables get cleaned immediately as soon as people leave. Service is quick and the workers are friendly. Their bánh mì đặc biệt (deluxe sandwich) and the cà phê sửa đá (iced condensed milk coffee) are my typical go-tos. The sandwich has layers of meat and portioned appropriately. The pâté adds a rich umami flavor and the Vietnamese bơ (mayo) gives it a buttery flavor. The veggies are always healthy and seem fresh. Also their jalapeños actually have a kick unlike most places I've been to. I recommend this staple to anyone looking for a solid Vietnamese sandwich in Tacoma. Great place to chill and have coffee to start your day. They have other foods like noodle soups, stews, and a rice plate. I haven't tried any of them, but it might be something I might look into in the future

    Photos
    Cafe La Vie
    Cafe La Vie - Special Vietnamese French Sandwich (Deluxe)

    Special Vietnamese French Sandwich (Deluxe)

    Cafe La Vie - Hello!!!!

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    Hello!!!!

    Lunar's Pho - Chicken Pho (Pho Ga)

    Lunar's Pho

    4.6(124 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    10/10 we ordered Oxtail and Steak Pho! Flavor was there it was really good! (Broth was different…read moreflavor than what I am used to) but I really enjoyed it! Service was great too server answered our questions. Restaurant spacing was nice . Parking wasn't too hard to find either Fish Sauce wings were great sweetness was there nothing too overpowering Crab Rangoon was good (I am not a crab Rangoon fan in general) but I ate like 1or2

    I stopped into Lunar's Pho in Tacoma for an early lunch. There were only a couple of people inside…read moreahead of me, so it was nice and quiet when I sat down. I ordered the calamari from the specials menu and the ginger steak pho from the regular menu. The biggest downside for me was the temperature inside the restaurant. It was one of those really cold, pouring rain days we've been having lately, and the dining area felt pretty chilly. I'm not sure if the heat wasn't on or if the space just takes a while to warm up, but it definitely stood out and I dreaded anytime another person opened the front door to let a rush of cold air inside. The other thing was how long the food took to come out. I stopped in during my lunch break, and from the time I ordered it took about 25 minutes for the food to arrive. Most pho spots I've been to are usually closer to the 8-10 minute range, so that was a bit of a surprise. I also saw banana cake on their specials menu, which I really wanted to try, but I ended up skipping it because I was worried it might take another 20+ minutes and I needed to get back to work. That said, the food itself was great. The calamari was fantastic and honestly should probably be added to their regular menu. It had a great crispy coating, was served hot, and the seasoning was really good. The texture was perfect too -- none of that rubbery calamari you sometimes get. I finished the entire plate. The ginger steak pho was also excellent, especially on such a cold day. I had never tried ginger steak pho before, but I'm glad I did. The broth was really comforting and helped warm me up, the steak slices were tender, and they didn't hold back on the ginger. The dish came with ginger already in the soup, the meat was wrapped with ginger shoots, and they even provided extra ginger on the side, which I happily added. Parking might be something to keep in mind if you visit during a busier time. Because of the terrible weather when I went, I got lucky and found parking right out front, but I could see it getting tight on a normal day. Overall, I would definitely come back. The food was really good, just plan for a little extra time if you're stopping in during a busy period.

    Photos
    Lunar's Pho - 09.2022

    09.2022

    Lunar's Pho - Lemongrass tofu Bahn mi Tofu Lemongrass (Banh Mi Dau Hu)

    Lemongrass tofu Bahn mi Tofu Lemongrass (Banh Mi Dau Hu)

    Lunar's Pho - Lemongrass tofu vermicelli bowl...SO GOOD

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    Lemongrass tofu vermicelli bowl...SO GOOD

    Rose Pho - Shrimp Pho

    Rose Pho

    4.6(966 reviews)
    13.1 mi
    $$

    I've tried so many different pho places but this is by far the most impressive in terms of taste…read moreand flavor. I've confirmed with the staff that they don't use msg because the soup tastes so good! I also didn't feel tired or super thirsty a few hours later so that's also a really good sign they didn't put msg or a lot of salt. Combination pho (5/5) Unbelievable taste, lots of flavor, soup came out piping hot and lots of fresh ingredients and meat. The noodle itself is also cooked perfectly. Vermicelli with pork and egg rolls (5/5) The pork is very tender and tastes delicious, the sauce that comes with it is not overly salty and you don't need to pour so much since the noodles and ingredients taste very flavorful already. The service here matches the amazing flavors. They are very attentive and always make sure we are happy the entire meal. The place looks very clean and well decorated. I would definitely want to come back and try everything on the menu!

    On a Friday night, I was craving a big bowl of bun bo hue and my husband decided to try the banh mi…read moresandwich. Def picky w/ my bbh however this place was a hidden gem for me. Broth was rich, flavorful with a nice kick/spice to it. Big size portion and generous on the meat. After one bite,I couldn't stop eating. My husband ended up getting the veggie banh mi sandwich. And you get the option of adding an egg with it which he ended up choosing. He said the veggie sandwich was super flavorful and would recommend to anyone that's vegetarian/vegan. Service: The lady greeted us with warmth, kindness and even sent us a prayer before our meal. I can't explain the feeling of outstanding service but if you want to feel welcomed, this is the place! Ambiance: This place has the cutest decor inside and when we walked in, jazz music was playing. Also very IG worthy for ambiance. I will be for sure coming back if I'm ever in the area!!

    Photos
    Rose Pho - Dining room.

    Dining room.

    Rose Pho - A14. Seafood Rangoon

    A14. Seafood Rangoon

    Rose Pho - Dining room

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    Dining room

    Pho Bac Cafe - vietnamese - Updated May 2026

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