In my opinion, this is the best Thai food in Wilmington. You can tell it's family owned and they care about what they serve you.

** I would like to note ahead of time I have been going to pho cafe for YEARS and have raved about it to all my friends and family. It's been my #1 pho spot in all of wilmington- so I am GREATLY disappointed and feel robbed** I called ahead to place an order for beef pho ( which they prep batches 8 hours ahead of time, AKA premade, not yes distributed) and bánh mì. After giving payment over the phone I realized I needed to call back to request no cilantro (or basil) due to concern for the nationwide outbreak of Cyclospora (if you haven't heard of this, please look it up and be cautious/ aware). This is a parasite linked to cilantro, basil, and bagged salads causing severe illness such as diarrhea and vomiting across the nation, starting on May 1st, 2026. So I called the restaurant back to request the accommodation, they proceeded to tell me that they "do not do accommodations or alterations". I explained to them that if they could not accommodate me, I would like a refund for my order because I no longer want the food due to not wanting to risk it (this food was going to be dropped off to my pregnant sister, moreso reason to not want to risk it!!). They responded and said they neither cannot accommodate a refund or my SIMPLE ask to remove cilantro and basil. I told them I would reach out to my bank if they cannot proceed with proper customer service and they basically hung up on me. I walked into the establishment and told them in person why I wanted the refund and informed them of the nationwide outbreak.. the woman (owner) told me that their distributor (Sysco) would give them a heads up if their cilantro was contaminated. I looked it up, and CDC has not yet been able to identify specific suppliers YET (so obviously Sysco is still a POSSIBILITY, again, that I don't want to risk). I informed the owner of my research findings and she proceeded to refuse a refund, stating "making accommodations is inconvenient and we would lose profit if we were to refund you" , even though I did not take food home with me because I no longer wanted it. Owners argued the food was already made, which I argued back that the broth is prepped HOURS ahead of time and their veggies are pre bagged, so nothing was cooked on the spot for me that wasn't already prepped. I told them being denied my refund is basically stealing my money since I am not taking food home and I continued to press for a refund. They told me they were going to call the police and asked me to leave. I got in my car and waited and called the non emergency police department to get advice on the situation. The police department told me to contact 'The Better Business Bureau East Coast ' as it was not a lawful situation. I re-entered the establishment and told them I'd be doing so as well as leaving a Facebook review. At the end of the day, I will be contacting my bank for a refund due to being DENIED one by the business. However, I do want to put it out there that Pho Cafe has HORRIBLE customer service, I am absolutely appalled. Yes, I agreed to payment, but once found out accomations could not be made, I requested a refund almost within two minutes of my order. I am human, I sometimes think to ask for accommodations after the fact. However, that does not give right for an establishment to refuse proper customer service and any flexibility to refund or even give a credit for once the outbreak is cleared if they CHOOSE to only serve their meals with cilantro and basil and CHOOSE not to accommodate other preferences. Have a nice day everyone, Pho Cafe lost AT LEAST ONE customer today. What a shame. read more

I have come to this place for 8 years but will not return. The food quality has been going downhill for a long time and is now really mediocre. **however, the key reason I won't be back is the male owner. He holds court in the small restaurant, yelling insults about customers being stupid, and hateful tirades against various groups of people. He clearly needs therapy. read more

I have been to an enormous amount of Pho restaurants and I know amazing Pho from horrible Pho and I wouldn't say this was horrible, but it was less than desirable, I absolutely love pho with meatball and the foe I had there today. Those were not Vietnamese meatballs, so those were almost like somebody took Hamburg put it in a bowl, took little pieces out and spun them up as balls and just cooked them and that was it they were 100% not Vietnamese meatballs. I also ordered a fresh shrimp spring roll and it was not fresh. It was not very good and the peanut sauce that it came out with terrible. The portion size was super small and the price was quite expensive. I would not go back to this location again. The service was OK that was just a young woman at the counter that basically took your order and just a very, very small restaurant and she brought the plate out to you when it was done in the ambience and the restaurant is super small read more

To be honest, the past couple of visits haven't been as good as past dines. Placed an online order for delivery and when it got to me, some items were completely different - called them And they said they ran out of their steamed rice rolls and instead gave me......plain white rice. Head scratcher and I wish they could have reached out to tell me before hand. Dined in and got their BBH. From the initial look of it, I could tell it wasn't going to be as flavorful and not as good as past bowls. Definitely lacked the definite flavor of a BBH, no red tone, no spice or oil. Wasn't bad bowl of noodles, but not BBH by any means. Not sure if just different cooks/staff overall, but not the sure fire authentic viet spot as I remembered. Would still recommend this semi-hole in the wall over the "popular" Asian restaurant over there. read more

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Me and my family got a lot of things on the menu. I didn't like my mango smoothie and wanted it to be exchanged. They said no and would not exchange or refund. hints why they have no business. read more

Chef or cook is rude. The lady at cash register is friendly, she is the only thing good about the place. We went to sit down and the chef yelled "I am sitting there!" I felt like Forest Gump on the bus when everyone was saying "seat's taken." Nobody sat there the entire time we tried to eat. The beef pho hardly had any beef. There was 2.5 ounces at most and 1 ounce was very chewy. If you crave protein don't come here. The shrimp pho only had 3 pieces of shrimp(small to medium). There was hardly a basil, or hardly any sprouts relative to other pho restaurants. The broth was watered down. The taste was bland. They serve it in plastic bowl so you can get some PFAS with your hot soup. You bus your own table, and on a 37 degree day they kept it was very cold inside. I would steer clear of this place due to rude service, lack of protein in pho, bland broth, and unclean dinning area and bathroom. read more

Pho Cafe - Chewy Beef - Vietnamese Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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I went there for the first time today. I was underwhelmed. The table we sat at was filthy! The owner doesn't seem to have an inside voice. If you're coming here to eat, you'd be better off getting it to go. I ordered spring rolls and their pho. There was something about the rolls that just seemed "off." I can't quite put my finger on it, but it was wasn't right. The pho was ok. I felt like some of the pieces of "meat" that were left in the soup would have been better placed in their waste bin. I won't come back. read more

The Sandwiches Are Amazing As For The Soup The Noodles In The Pho Are To Thin But Good

The best Pho I have ever had in any state. Delicious! You do have to bus your own table once you're done, but we don't mind. It is a very small place with only 4 or 5 tables. read more

Fresh tasting pho! Love the authenticity and atmosphere! Great prices and kind staff. I would recommend everyday all day! read more

Pho Cafe - Vietnamese Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Food is always good service is pretty quick considering it's usually just the owners. They are always nice.

Coming from Atlanta, where small pho is at least $15 I was blown away by the price and to be honest was a bit skeptical. But I was pleasantly surprised! The inside is small but cute. You order at the counter and seat yourself. Our food came out super fast! The tables are well stocked with utensils and spices! We ordered spicy beef noodle soup, combination pho and pan fried dumplings. Both soups tastes great and hit the spot on a chilly night! Dumpling were very tasty too. I will definitely make this my go to spot on my frequent trips to Wilmington. read more

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Delicious! Quick! Well priced! Small seating area but a lot of people do takeout so you can likely score a seat. Very casual and you bus your own table. The tables are well stocked with all condiments read more

Probably the best in town. The most delicious rich broth. Lovely family. A true Mom and Pop business. The banh mi are out of this world. Prices are very reasonable. When I'm in that side of town, I have to go there. Eat in - Take out, it's all good. read more

I came here as an Asian customer visiting for the first time this afternoon around 1.15pm, and I have never in my life been treated with such hostility at a restaurant. When I walked in, no one spoke to me, so I politely asked the older Asian male worker (50s+) if I could sit anywhere. Instead of answering like a normal human being, he aggressively pointed at a sign and shouted, "Can't you read? Order there!" Then he disappeared into the back. I explained to the lady at the counter that it was my first visit and I didn't know the procedure, but I did not appreciate being yelled at. That same man stormed back out, red in the face, screaming at me in front of everyone: "If you don't like it, don't eat here. This is America, I do not want your business." He kept raising his voice, moving closer and closer until he was right in my face. At that point I had no choice but to call 911 and tell him to back off. He hovered within an elbow's distance, spitting insults, repeatedly flinging the door open and yelling for me to get out, as though intimidation was the restaurant's idea of customer service. This was not just rude, it was harassment. I kept calm and told him again and again to lower his voice and treat people respectfully, but he only screamed louder. His behavior was so unhinged I genuinely feared for my safety until police arrived. If this man believes screaming "This is America" gives him the right to bully and humiliate customers, then he has completely misunderstood what America is about. Respect, courtesy, and decency should be universal. Instead, he treated me as if I were a second-class citizen in his self-proclaimed "America." No business should operate by terrorizing the very people who walk through its doors. If the idea of treating customers with basic dignity is too complicated for this establishment, then maybe it should stop pretending to be a restaurant and rebrand as a boot camp for verbal abuse. Folks, go to Pho Basil for Vietnamese food, where the service will not treat you the way this place does. read more

Amazing and super fresh food with homemade chilli oil on the table, love the vibe, staff is amazing and so sweet, and a great deal. I'm a college student and eat here once or twice a week read more

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I since moved away from Wilmington but continue to go to Pho Cafe when I make trips back. The food is so GOOD and leaves me feeling good too. Great prices too. Not sure if April, the lady who gave us terrible service is still there, but the food deserves 5 stars. read more

Pho Cafe - Soggy bread coming off of the sandwich... - Vietnamese Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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We originally were going to go to Indochine but the wait was going to be over an hour for 2 people so we found this spot instead. Fair to say that I will be planning on coming back to this spot whenever I am in Wilmington. Even though the place was very casual the ambiance and food itself reminded me of home. I forgot to take a pic but we got the combination pho and spicy beef noodle soup both of which were delicious (the meats were very tender) The spot reminded me of another pho place that had closed down in Boston so I was very happy when we tried this place out! Would recommend supporting this small business! read more

Friendly counter service. Food was very good and authentic. Very small inside and you bus your own table. They do not take to go orders but you can get a container for left overs. Toppings could have been a little fresher but overall this was an enjoyable meal I would have again. read more

Pho Cafe - Rare Beef Pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

I ordered takeout from here on a Friday for dinner and came back for lunch the next day. If that doesn't tell you how good this place is, I am not sure what could convince you. I called on Friday and ordered the fresh rolls, meatball and beef pho and passionfruit boba fruit tea with double boba. I paid ahead on the phone, and by the time I arrived, everything was ready to go. I took it back to my room, and all of the condiments were present, and the food was super fresh. I left nothing but maybe a cup of broth left. The fresh rolls were incredibly fresh and flavorful. The pho was piping hot, and the meatballs were otherworldly. The boba was perfectly sweetened and refreshing, making me wish I'd ordered two. When I came back the next day, prior to heading out, I sat in and ordered the same exact thing, and it was just as good as the day before. This is definitely a hidden gem in Wilmington. My meal sat me back just over $16 and it was worth every penny. If you love good Vietnamese food this is the place for you. read more

The pho is great. The owner has anger issues. He will verbally assault you if you slightly inconvenience him. I feel really bad for his family and staff that works with him because they're always so apologetic for his actions. I used to go weekly and would giggle to myself at the weird remarks or push back I'd receive from asking for "extra mushrooms" or even something as simple as a togo lid. Tonight, there were two tables without food in the restaurant and when he called out the order number, neither table had their tickets. He preceded to freak out and when we asked if it was possibly the chicken pho we ordered, he went into an insane rant about how "he doesn't fucking know he's just running the shit" and that "he's not a slave" and wouldn't stop ranting from the kitchen long after he delivered the food to the right table. Me and my date were shocked at his outburst and embarrassed in front of the entire restaurant. I lost my appetite and I will not be returning. read more

MY FAVORITE PLACE EVER! The bun bo hue is the most flavorful dish it is seriously so amazing. I come here atleast once a week if not more. So happy they decided to bring back take out, since there is never any space in their small restaurant. I LOVE YALL read more

Pho Cafe - Beef Pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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I've been here so many times and the food is good don't get me wrong but when I pay full price plus tip and get run out of the store because I tried to make my Togo pho before I left is ridiculous. I waited 30 minutes for my food. The stinginess is crazy. The toothless lady at the counter YELLED across the entire restaurant "lady you can't do that" as if to embarrass me for trying to prep my food. How cheap can you be to physically yell at someone for using a sauce on a table that is meant for a paying customer. Apparently Togo customers aren't treated the same as dine in customers. Will not be back. read more

Pho Cafe - Vietnamese Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

My pho and boba tea were so yum!!! Hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Always a must! We hit this spot every time we come to town. The Vegetarian Pho and Boba tea for me

Can't get enough of this place! It's the only one I'll go to to get pho. It's a little small inside so seating is very limited, especially during peak times but the service is great and the prices are fair. read more

Pho Cafe - Vietnamese Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Look, the food was FIRE. ABSOLUTELY EXCELLENT. But, the restaurant as a whole is filthy. Service is fast but terrible? Like they take you order, bring your stuff, and you're never ever checked on again. A whole app was missed from my order (2 people, no change to ordered items, so the two spring rolls which should have been shrimp and pork were just shrimp. Alright. We both ordered soups exactly as menu stated and I added a shrimp app...soups were great. No mention or presentation of the shrimp. The food was excellent and honestly it wasn't with asking for but to be honest I never had a chance as the waitress literally never returned after bringing our food. I'm talking 40 minutes. With only a dozen tables it was very strange that most were dirty, but I also watched tv table next to us "get cleaned" and the waitress literally left chunks of food on the table and chairs. Don't get me started on the bathroom or hallway. The food is literally so good but it seems like the staf has zero pride and they might need to have a health inspector in there. read more

TOTAL: $10.86 - Beef Pho SERVICE: Called in to place my order & the service was quick & friendly. Had my food ready in 10 minutes--even faster than I could get there! FOOD: I had never had pho before & I was blown away! Savory, complex & hearty, it would be hard to find a better way to spend $10. One of the cheapest & most filling meals I've had in a while & the flavor was out of this world! I'll definitely be back! TRAVEL: ~18 mins. Soup was piping hot when I got home. Noodles & herbs were packaged separately to keep fresh. Be advised that for takeout, you have to pay with card over the phone. If you're like me & you've never had Vietnamese food, go to Pho Café to expand your culinary horizons--you won't regret it! read more

Pho Cafe - Beef Pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Dined in on 05.15.25 at around 11:07am. I had my mom with me (because she had a Dr. Appt that morning) so she was trying this for the first time. Because I know the inside is super small, I had my mom read the menu outside on the window to prepare for what she wanted to order since she really only wanted broth and noodles to try for her first time. We walk in and stand there for a few mins waiting for someone to appear - finally a little lady walks around the corner, checks on something in the kitchen, sees us and says "I'll be with you in one minute." When she comes to the register to take our order she says "dining in or taking out?" We answer "dining in" and she says "what can I get for you?" I say "my mom would like only broth and noodles - not any of the extras like onions, scallions, or meat or the other toppings - she can only have broth and noodles. What do you recommend?" She says "oh you should get Plain Broth order - comes with only broth and noodles, that would be best." I say "perfect we will do plain broth which comes with only noodles and broth. And I will get vegetarian pho but I would like tofu and mushrooms - I don't want to waste the carrots, daikon, onions or scallions, so you do not have to give me those in my bowl - just broth, noodles, mushrooms, and tofu, please ma'am." And she says "no you can't order it that way - the carrots and daikon are big pieces - you just pick them out yourself. We serve the vegetarian pho only one way and you have to pick out, it's super easy you can do it." I say "yes maam but if you are chopping these vegetables up fresh and throwing them into my bowl of soup - I am just saying I don't want you to waste those pieces on me." She said "no you have to pick them out ok. Anything else?" The food comes to the table - and my mom's plain pho with just noodles has onions and scallions all in the bowl. She has to pick them out and of course I already know my bowl would be filled with carrots and daikon and onions since I didn't want them and they would put them in anyways. Before the lady leaves to walk away I say "oh ma'am may I please have 3-4 extra slices of lime?" She says "we only give you two slices of lemons for free, any more than that and we charge you for extras. We don't have lime - only lemons." I say "ok may I have a couple extras, please." Nothing ever comes out afterwards. The male cook who was working with the little lady came out into the kitchen - mind you this place is SMALL, max of 6 small tables & a counter style table facing the window - so we can hear him ranting & yelling at her about people speaking English & something else. He brings out food to one of the tables & another patron from a different table asks him in passing "what is that, that you are eating? That looks really good!" He grumpily says "rice cake - not sure how to explain to you in English ... you all just call anything Asian a cake something" and walks away. (Seemed like a brash and rude quick interaction but the patron didn't seem to care.) The man came back to sit at one of the 6 tables (because he had two plates of food and his iPad on the table) and the male cook says "yes it's rice and I'm not sure how to explain it to you." The patron says "how do you cook it - on your grill?" The male cook scoffs and says "we don't have a grill I just cook in a pan. So many Americans believe we don't understand or speak English and we do understand and speak English - it's Americans who can only speak one language ... a lot of other countries are much smarter than Americans and the one language you people know." And at this point I'm just thinking - why did this man become so bitter and go off on a tirade about Americans being dumb and only speaking one language - what is happening?? I say all this to reiterate - the restaurant is super small, the team seems grumpy or have a grudge for some reason, & the food is decent but don't expect anything special or any accommodations unless you press that you are allergic & even then I wouldn't advise going because that isn't to say they can accommodate you. read more

So glad we found this place. In Wilmington for spring break. Drove 30 mins from out Airbnb down at Carolina Beach to try this place out. Orders were viet with viet music playing. The inside is kinda small but cozy. Love us so viet food and the food came out so fast like less than 3 minutes after we ordered. We ended up going here twice for the week we stayed here. Once on Tuesday when we found this place and on Thursday for our last full day. We got 3 beef pho, 1 bun no hue, and 1 vermicelli bowl. We also got 5 banh Mis to go. We got 4 pho bowls and 1 banh mi. We also go 5 bobas. The price is so cheap here only $2.99 and they use real durian. Yummy. I couldn't finish my pho bowl but my cousins were able to sorta haha. Highly recommend I'd you like good food for an amazing price in efficient rim read more

Pho Cafe operates on a self-service model, which makes sense given the low prices. Order at the counter, and they'll bring the food, but you're responsible for your own water and clearing the table. The combination pho we ordered lacked both flavor and meat. Customer service was an issue; the male owner's response to a simple question about our bánh khọt was unnecessarily rude. Instead of receiving a polite update, the male owner responded rather curtly with, "Ask your mom about it, she should know how long it takes." We also heard him loudly criticize an employee. The atmosphere just felt toxic and I feel bad for those employees. Additionally, the single ceiling fan wasn't enough to keep the place cool on a 93-degree day. Eating hot pho while sweating was uncomfortable. Affordable, yes, but improvements are needed in food quality, customer service, and comfort. read more

This place is one of my favorite places to eat in Wilmington but a couple of months back they hired a woman that can not be helping their business. She is very rude. It's a small place so you can hear just about every interaction in the place and she is short and gruff with all of the customers. She need a serious attitude adjustment or she needs to be shown the door. It's ashamed that one person can ruin the atmosphere of your restaurant by themselves. The food is always great. This issue needs to be resolved sooner than later. read more

Pho Cafe - Vietnamese Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Came here for the first time after a family beach day and the price was reasonable but I've had better BBH and pho. The BBH taste better than the pho that's for sure. They didn't have soy sauce and the server was rude af. I would not come back here. read more

Pho Cafe - Spicy Beef Noodle Soup aka BBH. This wasn't bad for the price but I've had better. - Vietnamese Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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Delicious and fresh! Summer rolls and Bahn mis were delicious, bread and ingredients all perfectly prepared. Wanted to come back immediately - super friendly staff too. read more

Out running errands today, I spied the sign for this place. I love Pho so I turned quickly into the strip plaza. The interior is small, seats about 26-28 people. I was the only inside having lunch, while others did take-out. You order at the counter and pay your bill. I was given a total but when I pulled out the cash, the owner re-rung the bill stating she was giving me a discount. I wouldn't call it a discount. I think they charge more if you use a credit card, probably to cover the credit card fees. I ordered the bee Tai Pho, which was perfect for a cool fall day. I love the flavors of the broth, the fresh basil, onions, and other ingredients. Along with the pho, I had the meat fried spring rolls (Chả Giò). Two came in the order. Crispy, not greasy and while they were thin, they were scrumptious. I do wish they had served them with lettuce to wrap them in. As I write this review I am craving more of these crispy gems. I had leftover soup, which I'll enjoy tomorrow. Will be back! I'm so happy to have found this place. read more

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Stopped by for lunch on a Saturday - the place was decently busy! We ordered at the counter and grabbed a table nearby. We tried the fresh spring rolls, shrimp pho, and beef pho. All the good toppings and condiments available to doctor the pho to your liking. Food came out quickly and was cheap! I'd come back read more

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If you want some extremely flavorful Vietnamese cuisine, go here PHO SHO!!! Sorry, I had to... Seriously though, their Pho is so delicious and flavorful you just can't go wrong with this place. Husband got the Chicken Pho and I got the Bun Bo Hue (Spicy Beef Noodle Soup). Both were excellent with large portions. The leftovers were fantastic too. The place is small but luckily we hit it at a slow time and were able to eat in. The staff was awesome and I'm already ready to go back. read more

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The food was delicious will come again and bring others. I tried the Pho soup noodles with chicken. Next time I will try the beef, possibly a new dish to explore the menu options read more

Let me start by saying what a cute little Place to have Pho at, Great Setup and the Pho was very good. Downside it is so cute and Small if you go at lunch time and don't get there early "Forget about it". This day that I went was a beautiful day and even the outside chairs were also taken by time I left. You order at the register and they bring the Pho to you, How simple and Delicious Pho can be and on a cool day like today, throw a little Jalapeno in there and let it warm you from the Inside out. I Liked it and I will go back when I am in town for Business again. read more

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