It was great food! Only problem is.. We were rushed out by the owner... He seemed to want to flip out table super fast .. Even though three other tables were open and nobody was waiting.. Wasn't very pleasant to me. Good food. Just ruined by a rush.. read more

Pretty good, but I will say that I've had better in San Francisco. Banh Xeo was decent. Pho was good and didn't have MSG according to my dad and brother Vietnamese ice tea was tasty Bun noodles with grilled pork was good, but portion size was a bit skimpy While the food was fine, service wasn't great. The waitress kept trying to serve the drinks and food over my 5 month old son sleeping in his infant car seat carrier. Um...you should NEVER lean over an infant with hot food/drinks! We tried to tell her to serve through the other side of the table, but she either didn't care or didn't understand. We finally had to move our son. read more

My wife and I went here because of SRQ reviews praising this establishment and because we have been spoiled by enjoying really wonderful Vietnamese food while living in Portland, OR. This is probably the best local Vietnamese food in the Sarasota/Bradenton area. My Lemongrass Curry Chicken was really too salty, but I'm going to write this as a one off and not the way the dish normally comes. . The underlying flavor I was looking for when this is done well, was okay, but not really there; and the chicken was tough and kinda blah as well. My wife loved her Tofu and stir fried vegetable dish, so I'm going to give Pho Cali another shot. I'm hoping to move this review from two to four stars in the future. In any case it still ranks higher than Saigon Lady in my ranking of Vietnamese places to eat. read more

*Overall 3.5 Stars* I've been here twice but do not remember my first time (which probably means it wasn't impressive haha) Decor: 3.5/5 -fairly spacious with seating for about 50 people -largest table they can accomodate is about 5-6 -sit close to the kitchen and it'll have a strong fish sauce smell (my mom didn't like it) Service: 3/5 -they're maybe too efficient? We were asked if we were ready by a female, in which we replied no, then less than 30 seconds later we were approached by a male server asking if we were ready to order. Chill please! :p Food: 3.5/5 -I ordered their famous #39 with the beef flank, tripe and tendon for $9.50. The bowl is larger than the average head and the amount of protein given was actually quite generous. The dish would be a steal at $6-7 but seeing how we went during dinner the price point of $9.50 is kind of pushing it. I've never seen pho costing over $8, especially in NYC. -The broth is definitely from beef (vs chicken which is cheaper) and it was good but I've definitely had better in Texas. Overall the pho is good but nothing to brag about. read more

Pho Cali - #39 pho @ $9.50 - Vietnamese Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Dank veggie pho; i dream about the vermicelli bowls. Better than any veggie pho I've tried in NYC. Pho Cali is a gem!

When I travel, I almost always look for Vietnamese food, one, out of all the Asian types of food, this type has a consistency that I don't find in any other ethnic foods. Two, its my favorite kind of food anyways. Having said that, I came here my second night in this very scenic town and was a little let down. I ordered my usual basic spring roll and the beef pho. The MSG was really heavily used and the soup was pretty much undrinkable for me, I get pretty wiped out when food has a lot of this stuff. The place seemed to be doing a pretty good business. The spring roll was decent, but nothing special... read more

Awesome food in a good atmosphere. I enjoyed my summer rolls and will go back again to try other items

I had a great time with friends and ate the pad thai, it was great. I would recommend anyone to go here. Sarasota parking is hell, the city planners are not bright with the parking but has no reflection on this spot. read more

Big Fan. Big. Huge Pho was delicious. Place is a bit of a dive, but the service and food were outstanding. Loved it. Might be the best Pho I have had in the states. read more

Caution: Parking in this area is a disaster! I highly recommend the Pho here - it's good, well priced and tasty. The chicken entrees (Chicken with Rice and Chicken Friend Rice) were predominantly dark meat which we weren't expecting. Tried a few other items including spring rolls, pancakes, etc but would only go back for the Pho. read more

DELICIOUS. Wish they had it back home. Stopped here with my family on vacation after also eating at Miss Saigon the previous day (yes, we're on a Vietnamese kick). The stir fries were delicious, and the soups were quite good too according to my family. The place was bustling with activity at 8 PM, a time of night where Miss Saigon almost seemed on the verge of closing. Extensive menu, fast service, delicious food. What more can you ask? read more

WOW! What a totally pleasant surprise! As a newly transplanted New Yorker, one of the things I was worried about when deciding to move to Florida was that I'd really miss the amazing ethnic food that's so easy to find in NY. After trying Pho Cali, I realize that is not so at all. This was absolutely outstanding and I can already tell I'll be back frequently. Gabriel and I went in for lunch and ordered 2 dishes and a bubble tea to share. The bubble tea was lychee slush, made with real fruit. It was icy and sweet and totally refreshing and we slurped it down very happily after being outside in 85 degree weather. Our dishes were the grilled shrimp vermicelli with peanuts and the shrimp and pork lotus stem salad. Both were light and healthy, with a sweet vinegary sauce on the side. I loved the lotus stems which were new to me- I'd only had lotus flower roots before, and the crunchy fried shallots on top added to the interesting combination of textures. The shrimp were incredibly fresh, cooked perfectly and lightly grilled. The thin strips of pork were full of flavor, but very lean and not at all overpowering to the delicate dish. We left feeling satisfied but not stuffed, exactly what we were hoping for. All of this for a check of around $25 including tip. Oh yes, we will certainly be back soon. Hooray Pho Cali! read more

You want delicious Pho? Make this your go-to Pho in Sarasota when you need a Pho Phix. We come from New York and never had Pho anywhere near as good as Pho Cali. The place is not fancy but the food is great and the service is fast and friendly. We had the Pho with rare steak and Vietnamese meatballs and the Lemongrass Chicken Pho. You'll sweat, you'll swoon, you'll swear you'll be back. And you will, it's that good. read more

Everything you want a Vietnamese noodle house to be. As a bonus the service is awesome. Very satisfied with our meal. First visit so still feeling my way around the menu. read more

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I spent a few months in the Saraosta area last year and Pho Cali never failed to lift my I-miss-the-Northeast blues. Sarasota is amazing but it sucks in the Asian food department.Thankfully, though, Downtown Sarasota has Pho Cali to diversify it's dining selection. Pho Cali is a laid back establishment with delicious, authentic Vietnamese food. I highly recommend this place - you won't be disappointed. This place gets very busy during dinner, especially when the Snowbirds are in town. I'm not sure if they take reservations but call in to ask because a line does form for this place. read more

The Pho is passable, but only because there are no other alternatives in the area. The food quality and prices would earn this place 1 to 2 stars at best if it had any competition such as in NY or LA...but in light of being the only Pho place around, I need to adjust my rating, as well as my expectations...too bad. read more

Bargain priced and casual and with large portions. Attentive service and busy atmosphere, as well. the menu offers an impressive selection of Vietnamese soups and dishes over rice. I like Pho Cali, perhaps only once a month but surely reasonably often and so over many years. read more

Both the seafood pho with added vegetables that I ordered and the spicy lemongrass shrimp pho that my husband chose were delicious. We arrived before noon on a Tuesday and the restaurant managed their busy lunchtime extremely well. Fast and friendly, but we had a 1pm appointment so we didn't linger. Great place with excellent food. read more

Pho Cali - Seafood pho with added vegetables (front) and spicy lemongrass shrimp pho (back) - Vietnamese Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Very authentic place and delicious food! The soups are very good and the place is always full of people. Fast service and you dont have ro wait long for your food.... read more

Poor service. Dined in had pad Thai (ok) then ordered 2 orders of spring rolls to go but only received 1 order. Won't be returning

This is one of the best spots for Vietnamese food. This restaurant has been in business ever since I can remember growing up in town. Husband would go there once a week for many years when he worked in downtown. And many years later, the food is still exceptional. We ordered in today and everything was very delicious. I saw some negative posts and it motivated me to write this, as we are long term customers and residents. And over all these years we never had one bad experience at Pho Cali. Enjoy!!!! read more

Completely recommend this place if your looking for delicious Vietnamese food. We had the flank pho and it was so delicious and fresh there's always a crowd but it's obviously a sign that..... it's good!! read more

Pho Cali - Vietnamese Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Went for lunch at this busy place, short wait and host quickly seated companion and self. Fairly extensive menu with small plates/bowls to larger fare. We chose spring rolls (2 per order), 2 kinds - shrimp and shredded pork, companion had Thai soup (slightly spicy, she said "just right") and I had the shrimp rice noodle soup( choice of rice or egg noodles. all the choices were tasty and service was very good. a little pricey for lunch,,,$32 w/o tip and no drinks, worth it for "on occasion". would definitely go again! happy trails read more

I bought a Groupon for Pho Cali and WOW! We were so pleasantly surprised. The food, presentation and service was all above average. We def recommend this hot spot. The patio is a great place to spend some quiet time for a romantic dinner. We've had dinner there at least 4 times already, and Pho Cali never disappoints! Bon appetit! read more

Awesome really good authentic Vietnamese food. Super nice staff! The rare flank steak pho was super flavorful and the meat cooked nicely with the soup. Also got the avocado smoothie. It was really sweet and creamy read more

Excellent veggie pho! Very friendly staff! The fresh spring rolls were also delicious! I will definitely be going back! read more

Pho Cali - Veggie pho! Yummy! - Vietnamese Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

I'm giving this place a 2 not because of the food. We love the pho here, the broth is great. However, the place is always hot, smells awful and the costumer service is horrible. Also, the portions aren't as big as you'd expect from a Vietnamese place and overpriced. But hey it's sarasota, so whatever. I can't give it more than two, just because the broth taste good. I'm looking for experience when I go out. read more

Great food. Pound for pound contender for best lunch spot in Sarasota. Extensive selection of pho, noodle and other dishes. Something for everyone. Owners could not be nicer and more accommodating. Garlic scallops incredible. Great spot. read more

Pho Cali - Garlic scallops - Vietnamese Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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This dining experience was a total disaster, steer clear from this place. The server apparently did not understand my order and what she brought was not what I wanted. While my friends ate their soup, I waited for a replacement, egg rolls, which came greasy tasting of rancid oil and burnt on the outside. They were inedible. At that point another waiter came over and became argumentative with me, insisting that the server was new that's why she got it wrong. I asked for owner, and he came over to the table and picked a fight while I tried to keep my composure. When I requested an adjustment to the bill, he threw a fit and made quite a scene which was so incredibly rude and awkward for myself and my guests. Just to put an end to this series of unfortunate events, I went ahead and paid the whole bill, and then owner came over and threw a second bill down on the table for the egg rolls AGAIN. When we said we had already paid for them on the first bill, he really got furious and stomped off in a huff. Wish I had read the other bad reviews first, but we just walked in off the street... read more

My daughter and I went here for lunch and we had the pho and it was delicious. The bowls are huge and 2 people could share a bowl because they give you so much. We want to go back and try some of the other menu items. Very clean and staff was very attentive. read more

I don't live in Sarasota but visit every year, and each trip includes a visit to Pho Cali. One of the best restaurants in the city (really). Love the coconut lemongrass tofu, and their grilled pork is always perfectly cooked. Very affordable for Main Street, and the service is fast. read more

I was ready to lose faith on finding any decent Asian food around this part of the country but I found this! I've eaten here twice and will surely return for the food. Both times I went, ordered the grilled pork, egg roll, and shrimp vermicelli (#78). It was comparable to anything I could get in Vietnamese dense areas of California. The one thing I'm dissapointed with though is the spring rolls. It lacked the herbs and vegetables that I'm used to. Also the shrimp placed in them was not fresh. The peanut sauce it came with didn't have enough hoisin sauce and sugar mixed in so it was blander than what i'm used to. Additionally the price was a bit high for Vietnamese food but I can't complain since they portions are huge. Overall I had a good experience and would recommend this place to other Asian food deprived individuals. read more

We were walking around downtown Sarasota, and were looking for a nice place to eat outside, and have something different. My husband ate at a Greek place down the street, and I found Pho Cali. Pho Cali doesn't have an outside eating area, but I ate outside at the Greek place next to him. I really haven't had much Pho, and now I am really dreaming about it. The service there was great. I was pretty clueless and they guided me in the right direction. I haven't stopped dreaming about this place since I was there. My dish consisted of shrimp and meat, noodles, veggies, and a mint seasoning. I am not sure of the name of the dish. read more

Great variety, super fresh and plentiful ingredients and a wonderful clean place right on Main St. Been here a few times, each time good and they do a brisk business. No one was disappointed in our group and we're going back for CERTAIN! read more

They close at 3 pm. We came at 2 pm an order a vietnamese ice coffee to go and was shocked when the server said that are out of coffee, come back at 5 pm when they reopen. Vietnamese ice coffee is made per glass not per pot. Out of coffee? Bad service and rude read more

Pho is pho. I've never really had bad pho. Pho here was very good, albeit a bit pricier than other Vietnamese restaurants. We had Pho Tai and Bun Bo Hue (spicier version of pho to my untrained tongue) -- satisfied with both. Portion was generous. read more

Pho Cali - Bun Bo Hue - Vietnamese Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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The second place we went for lunch was Pho Cali. Now this is the second time I have eaten here. The first time I had some type of beef noodle soup. I actually didn't really like it. It was not that the soup tasted bad...I just didn't care for the taste (I let my friends talk me into getting it). This time was a much better experience. I got the shrimp pad Thai and it was great! I have never had pad Thai before so I thought I would try something different. I couldn't have made a better choice. It was so tasty and the waitress was sooooo friendly (seems to be a pattern here in FL). It doesn't look like much on the outside, but it defiantly had some good Vietnamese food! read more

I can't believe I haven't reviewed Pho Cali yet! This is my go to Pho spot! Heaping bowls of delicious pho. I get number 53C everytime. Spicy Shrimp lemongrass with veggies. I've also have been with others who have gotten other food besides the pho and everyone loves it. Also if you haven't try the quail wings! They're pretty special too! I need to stop writing this because now all I want is to go back immediately. read more

Wasn't the best pho I had. Disappointed with the noodles. It was over cooked so it broke into little pieces, making it difficult to eat. The broth was a bit salty for my taste. They were pretty generous with the amount of meat though! read more

They worked very well with my gluten allergy! Very understanding and knowledgeable! Good prices and they have hot tea! Food is great, environment is relaxed. read more

Pho Cali - Vietnamese Near Me - Sarasota, Florida