In high school in the 90's, my friends and I would go here EVERY day for lunch for pho. But to me the real star of the show is under the Specialty items on the menu. Bun Bo Xao - lemongrass beef vermicelli bowl. Places that actually would serve this dish are usually pretty bland to me as they would use generic iceberg lettuce, cucumbers, carrots, sprouts, and just plain beef with portions that barely fill me up. This place takes it up a notch with their sautéed beef and onions, shallots, peanuts (I always ask for extra), bean sprouts, basil, and green leaf lettuce with a side of their fish sauce to pour on top. So amazingly delicious. Just look at the picture! Sometimes I would order two bowls just for me! The place may be a whole in the wall kinda establishment, but I find its places like these where you find some amazing dishes that doesn't seem dumbed down for American tastebuds. And yes, they don't take cards but there is an ATM there. read more

Pho Bac - The BEST Bun Bo Xao (Lemongrass Beef Vermicelli) in Seattle. - Vietnamese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Came here on a rainy Friday night when I was super sick, hoping the pho would be the cure. It's a walk-in and seat your self kind of business so don't get mad when a waiter doesn't greet you immediately. I ordered the large special pho and it came out in less than 5 minutes! The pho was so steaming hot and good. They gave a plentiful, fresh amount of basil and bean sprouts. Definitely would come here again to satisfy my pho cravings PS. Even if you can't finish the large size pho, still order it cause it's only $1 more than the small and they give you sooooo much read more

Pho Bac - large pho dac biet with basil, bean sprouts, jalapeños and lime side. - Vietnamese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Fast, relatively inexpensive & delicious flavor. Everything you're looking for in a neighborhood pho shop!

Don't let the exterior fool you - the BEST Pho is Seattle's southend. It is all in the broth ... chicken or beef ... either won't disappoint. CASH ONLY, so hit the ATM down the street and slurp up. (btw - the shrimp with veggie noddle is also wonderful if soup isn't making' the top of your list). read more

I'd say this place is the perfect place to just sit down and eat with your family and friend. Bathrooms are a bit questionable by still usable. Kinda wish they fixed up that part. But you know what, maybe that's he magic of the place. I don't know how to explain this place. You know the pho is super good and I won't deny that. Customer service is just okay. Definitely will continue to support this business here and there. read more

I swear this is the best Pho in Seattle!!! So authentic and always makes me feel good!

Got to Pho in the neighborhood. The broth is some of the best in town. We get extra beef and use it for cheesesteaks for another meal.

Service was good; however, broth lacks flavor and too salty. Pho Bac is supposedly from northern VN, where one would eat with larger flat rice noodles instead of the thinner one. Unfortunately, there is no option for larger noodles here. read more

Best Pho I've had big bowl #15 and iced Vietnamese Coffee served with tea. It was delicious and the broth the main point was perfect and savory. I've had enough Pho in my life time to know what is good great or excellent. This place is excellent and has great speedy customer service! read more

Hands down my favorite pho place in Seattle. The broth boils for hours and you can see the mom's bustling in the kitchen to make all of the tasty dishes. For this trip in, I ordered the number nine - large pho with round steak, brisket, tendon and tripe. Also, as a note to how good the broth is, I typically don't add anything extra to the soup. If I'm in the mood for something spicy or sweet, I'll put the sauces in a plate on the side and dip the meat or noodles separate from the main bowl so as to not contaminate the primary stock. Am I crazy? maybe, but I'm clean like that. And it turned out that I was super hungry today, so I ended up ordering a chicken + veggie plate over rice and sautéed with only garlic and salt. I have a crazy sensitivity to night shade vegetables, so it was great that they could accommodate my needs with simple spices. Next time around, I need to try the prawn and beef dishes! read more

This place overall is really dirty, there is Pho Hiho at about the same price in georgetown and it is way better. The tea they give complimentary tasted dirty who knows when the last time the kettle was washed. The chicken pho was absolutely horrible the chicken tasted too fatty. I got the beef pho which was better but the soup itself is super oily and the noddles are super mushy. Overall this place sucks with how hostile the staff is and for the pricing it is not worth it at all. Avoid this place as much as possible. Lastly they only take cash. read more

The food and the environment really make me feel like I am in Saigon. The soup is very rich with a slightly sweet flavor. Generous helpings of meat in the big bowl. read more

Delicious, I so wish I would have taken a picture of our yummy pho bowl before devouring it but we were so hungry and it was so good it was obliterated into our stomachs before we could snap a pic. First off CASH ONLY, they do have an ATM machine not sure what the service charge is, we happened to have cash on hand so we were lucky. They are very attentive so this is a self seated restaurant, upon entering you chose the table of your choice and they bring you a menu immediately. Very friendly waitresses and very on top of all tables. We ate here after church on a sunday around 1:30pm, plenty of seating was available upon arriving. I will say my fiance mentioned that the restroom were very dirty, it dis not affect me as I dont ever use public restrooms unless my bladder is about to burst. So if you are picky about restrooms like I am go before you come here. This did not affect me so it dis not affect the rating on this place. The Food was so good words cant describe all I can say is that we are a Vietnamese household so its great to find a location that serves authentics vietnamese cuisine. It really hit the spot we were very satisfied and agreed that we would both return with family next time. read more

The pho is delicious but they didn't have the other things that are listed on their menu online :(

I am not exaggerating when I say that Pho Bac is as good as you can get to pho made to taste like how it is supposed to be made in Vietnam. I have scourged the PNW for a pho place that I can settle down and accept that it is the BEST pho place, and finally I have found it. For so long I have been blinded by the pho places that are nearest to me, thinking that this is the best I can settle with, but with the suggestion of my girlfriend, we finally traveled to Seattle, WA and Pho Bac have given vigor back into my lifeless taste buds. Oh how the rewards of my arduous journey have paid off. Pho Bac offers a medium and large size for their pho. I had the medium (twice within two days) size with rare steak. Their soup is swimming with bone materials that they have used to flavor their soup, which makes the soup sweet and rich, but not overly sweet like sugar would do. Their steak is rare and is cooked as you mix up your soup, not cooked prior to coming to you, which makes it soft, juicy, and melts in your mouth. Their noodle is fresh and of the right degree of chewy, which holds just the right amount of soup as your slurp it up without having you to take too much time chewing through the noodles. If I can give more than 5 stars, I would give more! I would come back here again and again and again and again! read more

This is the real pho bac. Messy interior, but some of the best if not the best Pho in Seattle. Tip the waiters/waitresses well they work very hard. read more

This is officially my new favorite pho place in my part of Seattle. It's still not quite my beloved Pho No. 1 in my old SF stomping grounds, but it's definitely the best of the pho I've had since moving to Seattle at the end of 2017. Yes, the ambiance of the place (and surrounding neighborhood) leaves something to be desired, but if you can get past that, the actual food itself is pretty good. Hubs and I have done a lot of traveling, and honestly, this place, for as gritty as it looks and with its decor, actually reminded us of a lot of places we've had meals in, in Hong Kong and in Vietnam. My benchmark dish is pho ga, which isn't on the menu, but that they do make on request! Awesomeness: they use a grilled chicken, not the white meat strips that most places use, which tend to also dry out in the process. Delish! Hubs got his usual pho bo, and the broth for both did taste the same. Part of how I gauge whether I like a particular pho place is how much condiments I have to add to get a flavorful broth, and at this place, it wasn't much, just a few drops of fish sauce. Portion sizes are huge as well, so you definitely get your money's worth. This place is just far enough from us that we couldn't go a few times a week like I'd love to, but once a week, or every other week, this is a place we'll work into our routine! Good stuff! read more

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Authentic, and they even have the authentic-secret pho's red sauce! Glad to to say that I found the pho that is better than the rest. Forget about where else you eat, you can't argue with the number of Vit eating here. I have people from all over the world visiting me, and this is where I take them to eat. I have brought this best bowl to all of my friends and acquaintance and no one is dissatisfied, they all said its changed their lives, the Broth here is outstanding. Very friendly customer service, food comes quick. Cash only. read more

They took a long while to serve my food and this place isn't the cleanest the forks are kinda dirty but the food is amazing and the best I've ever ate recommended. read more

I love coming to eat at this place, however the service has gotten from bad to worse. It's hard to have the waitress understand what we order and how we want it delivered.The Pho is very good. read more

My first 5 star for a Vietnamese restaurant. This was one of 2 Pho places listed as top 10 in the nation (according to a survey which I forgot). The other was also in Seattle (Pho Cyclo). Came here with high expectations and they did not disappoint. We were greeted with enthusiasm and seated promptly. The decor is typical of Seattle looking like a former cafe or so. The place was busy which was a good sign. Good mix of ethnicities. I obviously went for their pho (special) and ordered it with scallions. Was very impressed when the bowl was brought out with the scallions sliced and partly julienned. Presentation was nice but nothing fancy. Now for the broth. The color looked perfect and not oily or with a sheen. BEST BROTH EVER! Deep taste and we'll seasoned signifying it had been slow-cooked and simmering all night. The meats were well portioned and tender. Tendons melted in your mouth. The veggies were fresh with no signs of wilting. Fully satisfied and impressed! My son ordered the bbq pork fried rice and he praised it as well. Highly recommended and will definitely return next time I'm in the area. Well deserved national rating. read more

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Has Pho Bac become a franchise, or is this just a very popular name for pho joints? I remember back when there was just the pink place on the corner of Jackson... yeah, the one with the occasional cockroach looming over your head while you're slurpin your noodles. I think the pho at this one is ok, but my husband looooooves it and it's close to our house, so we go here all the time. If you like watching a big screen tv showcasing Vietnamese pop stars while you eat, you will love it. And it's modestly cleaner than the one on Jackson too. Be forewarned, there is no diet soda here. Every time we go, I still attempt to order a diet coke. I think they should know that there is a demand for it. One time the guy cracked a little joke about my request: "No diet coke......diet water." read more

The best "Pho in Seattle!" Rated by this Vietnamese Yelp Elite. Read below for How to eat Pho like a Vietnamese! However, they failed the Vietnamese Coffee test. This broth is legendary and hey even have the red bean sauce from back home, which 99% of restaurants don't have it, and the bootlegged Korean who imitate pho--Pho Tai, won't know what is in the sauce. It's a treat, and my secret place that I will share with you. All of my Facebook's friends have been begging for my recommendation. I've been holding this one out, but two years later it's time to share. I've been eating here for 23 years. How to eat Pho like a Vietnamese? If you want to know what Pho tastes like for a Vietnamese in Viet Nam(this is the correct way to write it. Put a space between the words.) try this pho. Ask for steam bean sprout, clean your utensil with lime juice, add all the herbs, add a little of the red and black bean sauce, asked for extra fat with green onion (Nuoc Beo, Hanh La). Pour the extra fat over. Have a little broth in your spoon, add noodle,meat, bs, herb, blow read more

So many five star ratings. Even though I like this place and plan on returning as often as the mood strikes, I have pretty high standards. Pho is no huge culinary feat. I don't hand out 4 and 5 star ratings for street food or cultural staples alone. That being said, the Pho Bac locations do Pho extremely well Decor is NOTHING to write about. Blech. I've seen better in abandoned mess halls in the middle of nowhere. But who gives a rip because the pho broth is BOMB. The prices seem to increase steadily, but so do their clientele. Day-workers,high school students, and other broke ass folks opt for here rather than the nearby taco trucks or teriyaki joints. Cash only. Unlike the Pho Bac down the way on Boren/Jackson, this location serves more than Pho, you know, stir fry, noodles dishes, etc. The service is quick, brusque but friendly, and accomodating. Yes, cash only. I know what to expect when coming here and it completely meets my expectation, every time. Perfect for staving off that cold or clearing up that congestion! read more

Cockroaches in the broth. I post this again because my previous comments got deleted for no reason

This place is AMAZING. Admittedly, I didn't care for it my first time there because the broth was lukewarm. But since that time over a year ago, the soup comes out piping hot and tastes delicious. I always get a large Pho Thai and an order of egg rolls (2). Both come for a super low price that you just can't get anywhere else, and both are scrumptious. I come here with Vietnamese friends who also say it rivals their homemade recipes, sometimes beats it! The employees are incredibly nice and have even let me roll my road bike in and lean it against a wall since there's no place outside to lock it up. The place isn't super clean, but hole-in-the-walls are the best in my opinion! I've also never encountered a hair or living creature in the place or my food, so I say we're all good. read more

This is the best of the Pho Bacs in my opinion. The pho is on par with Pho Bac throughout the city. For this type of no frills pho I believe this to be the best in Seattle. The main attraction however is the Spicy Chicken Chow Mein, with a side of spring rolls. These dishes combine for a delectable any time treat, and a necessity if you're hungover. I will come here again and again for this fantastic combination. Service is as you would expect from a hole in the wall type place. Interior is nothing to write home about but seems pretty clean, and the open kitchen allows you a peek into their kitchen cleanliness as well. Cash only, but there is an ATM and it is just around the block from a Wells Fargo. Just try it. You'll like it. read more

Delicious!! Haven't had pho in a long time, Pho Bac definitely hit the spot. Reminded me of my grandmas traditional pho. Prices are cheap, and friendly environment. 10/10 would recommend, I will be returning! read more

I was told this was one of the best pho restaurants in Seattle, and well, it lived up to the hype for me. The pho was amazing, and the broth was straight up the best broth I've ever tasted. There's not much more that needs to be said. It looks pretty sketchy on the outside, and it has all the makings of a hole-in-the-wall type of restaurant. The pho speaks for itself though, and I'd definitely come back here again. You can find parking in the lot right next to the building if you're lucky. Cash only but there's an ATM. Overall, if you love pho, look no further. read more

Food always great. Place is sketchy af. I keep coming back because I grew up in sketchy west Seattle so that doesn't bother me but every time I ask a friend to meet me here for lunch they think I pulled a prank. Oh well still good food would be a lot better and more crowded if it was less dirty. read more

Hands down best pho broth in all of greater Seattle. You can see the old Vietnamese ladies in the kitchen boiling the bones and see the beef bone marrow in the soup. I've lived in Seattle all my life and tried almost everything in the area, you wont find better. On the exterior it is super ghetto, but don't be deterred! That's when you know it is the real deal. read more

This is by far THE BEST pho place I have ever been to. I've been coming here for a while now and when I have to go to another pho place because I'm not close to Seattle it makes me remember how much I appreciate how great Pho Bac is, they are the best. I will be a lifelong customer! The chicken pho is delicious as well as the Vietnamese iced coffee. Also expect fast service and hot fresh food. If you haven't tried Pho Bac yet, you definitely need to go! read more

I went to this pho place because apparently it's one of the best in Seattle - thanks The Stranger. I haven't tried the pho yet, but I'm moved to write a review. And even if the pho is the best I ever had, I won't come back. The reason is pretty simple and very correctable: please for the love of god clean your restaurant! That place is so dirty. The greasy finger prints on the soda refrigerator looks like it hasn't been wiped for months. The same issue is on the front glass door. The inside is run down and it doesn't feel clean. Such a bummer. read more

Worth a visit, first time try this week, it takes a bit of nerve walk thru the barred door, but once inside an, you realize that this place is nearly full, you quickly get over the first impression. In fact, when we sat down, the waitress must have assumed that we were regulars, because she simply asked what we wanted for lunch . Wow, a place so popular that they don't need menus! I love it! Oh, snd btw, the phO, the hatlic sauce chicken, the portions??, yup! we'll be back soon read more

The prawns on rice gave my wife food poisoning, definitely not going back. On the plus side it wasn't overly expensive to get sick from the food read more

This is the only place in Seattle I go when I feel like Pho. I wouldn't say it's authentic northern​ Pho, but it tastes quite good.

Holy cow! This was amazing. I had the rare beef and tendon. The broth was excellent. The employees gave me so many jalapeños to put into the broth. It had some fatty flavor to it, and it was delicious. They did a great job with the cilantro and the evenness of all the other flavors. I will go back, remember it's cash only! Pretty old school, but totally worth it. read more

This place was recommended by my local family and the food was delicious and fresh. Vietnamese food is not my usual choice but I have to admit that the Chicken with Ginger and Onions plate sold me. I came with my son and gf who are both Pho fans and they were delighted and saddened at the same time because they don't live in Seattle so the chances of having it again are slim!!! So in conclusion highly recommended by experts and the newbie. I didn't give it the full 5 stars because the place could use some spruce-up, there were many uncleaned tables and they only accept cash (they do have an ATM), I guess after tasting the food all of these became minor issues. read more

I think my brother's a pho-phile...we were on vacation, and he made me drive straight from the airport...all over seattle, tryin to find this place...It was pretty good!! read more

Soup were really good. Friendly? Service and little sticky table and chairs. If you really want like Seattle Ba Bar type restaurant then think again. This is good for taste not an interior. read more