My bf and I always visit Pho Element when we pass by San Mateo! The food has been consistently delicious and we always order the same couple of items in rotation. We particularly love their HaiNan Chicken Rice, Pho Ga, butter tofu, and omg their GINGER SCALLION SAUCE!!! Service is always quick and all the workers are so attentive. Parking is quit difficult tho... like REALLY difficult unless you get lucky. Don't let that steer you away from this place though because I promise it is worth it! read more

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I had such an awful experience here. I ordered the chicken pho, and I was surprised when they told me they don't serve bean sprouts, lemon, basil, or mint.. the traditional toppings that normally come with pho. That really threw me off, especially because I saw a Yelp review before coming that showed bean sprouts with the pho. Secondly, they served my pho with thick, flat noodles instead of the traditional rice noodles you normally expect. I politely asked the waitress if those were the only noodles they offered, and she told me they also have the traditional pho noodles.. you just have to request them. I've honestly never had to ask for regular pho noodles anywhere else, so that was really strange to me. The broth was also very watered down and lacked flavor. The chicken was dark and honestly didn't even look like chicken, which made me not want to eat it. I took two bites of my bowl and ended up leaving very disappointed. I also want to mention that parking was a hassle. There's very limited street parking, which made the experience even more frustrating. I understand that every pho restaurant has its own recipe, and I'm very open-minded when it comes to trying different places. I'm not a picky eater at all, but this experience was just way off from what I'd expect when ordering pho. I'm honestly not sure how this place has so many positive reviews based on the experience I had. The one positive thing I can say is that the customer service was good. The staff was kind and attentive throughout my visit. Unfortunately, the food itself was a 0/10 for me, and I wouldn't come back. read more

Jerry makes this place special. Yes, he is the person who answers the phone and makes sure that your order is exactly what you want including the quantity. He's also the person who makes all sorts of accommodations -- thanks Jerry to putting our takeouts into pots and not containers. His upbeat energy, friendly spirit, and can do attitude makes it so easy to grab food on a lazy weekday evening or a busy weekend. We order the same dishes every single time: Beef pho, chicken pho, BBQ pork spring rolls (my favorite!!), Hainanese chicken and rice, garlic string beans, chicken cabbage salad, and chicken papaya salad. Can't go wrong with any of these. Extra one star for the service! read more

Wow surprised I never left a review since we come here so often. They are known for their Hanoi style chicken pho. My Vietnamese friend from out of town once brought me here and told me it's her favorite pho spot in the Bay Area! She was surprised the restaurant doesn't have Vietnamese owners. However, I think their rare beef pho is THE BEST in the area. Super tender. Their portion size is big, so I usually share a large rare beef and meatball pho with my husband. If we are really hungry, we will add in an imperial roll too. Apparently, for imperial rolls and the butter tofu appetizer, you can order half portions. That's really great to know because we are always debating whether to order because we can never finish. The fried butter tofu is also delicious. We tried it for the first time today. We also tried the wine sauce oxtail pho, and it is so good. They cook the oxtail for 4Hrs+. Over the years, we've tried a variety of items and all are solid, but the ones mentioned above are the standouts. Also, their service is 100! read more

Tried here based on a Reddit recommendation and it certainly didn't disappoint. Enjoyed the flat rice noodle instead of the typical noodle in the pho. Butter tofu dish was fantastic. Went back a second time and tried a bunch of their lunch dishes and enjoyed the chicken garlic noodles, among others. read more

I like coming here when I want a cozy bowl of pho. My favorite is #20. A small bowl is $20.75. Feels a little pricey. I've eaten in the restaurant and gotten take-out before and have overall had good experiences with both. Expect a line if you plan to eat in-person. I started calling ahead to make sure they have beef broth because sometimes they run out. I like to drown my pho with sriracha and lime. I do wish their water cups weren't so tiny or they would at least leave me a pitcher of water. I feel like I'm always asking for a water refill. read more

Pho Element - 20 - Rare Beef (Filet Mignon) Noodle Soup - Pho Tai - Vietnamese Near Me - San Mateo, California

A staple along El camino, we came on a busy weekend so had to wait about 20min. Large inside with a good amount of seating. Parking along El camino or in lot behind restaurant. Service is quick and friendly. They specialize in northern style pho, so expect wider noodles and different toppings, but still delicious nonetheless! We were really impressed by the seasonal shaking beef, that decibel was a standout. The tofu appetizer was fried to perfect crispness but could've been a little saltier (or come with a sauce). Pho and chicken were good. Overall definitely hit the spot and so convenient for when you need your viet for fix! read more

We been coming here for years and their consistency is awesome. Still my go to place for Bun Rieu, pho and many others! Finally tried their Ox tail wine sauce in soup noodles. Wow! I waited so long because I enjoy the other dishes too much! Great service and food! Keep it up PE! read more

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Pho Element in San Mateo is a solid go-to if you're craving Vietnamese food. The vibe is casual and relaxed -- nothing fancy, just a comfortable spot to sit down and enjoy a good meal. I ordered the BBQ pork with imperial roll and vermicelli noodles, along with the bone-in chicken curry. Both dishes were around $25 each, which felt pretty reasonable for the portion sizes. The vermicelli bowl was packed -- the BBQ pork was flavorful and well-seasoned, and the imperial roll added that perfect crispy contrast. Everything tasted fresh and well-balanced. It also comes with nice dipping sauce which I added to the bowl. The bone-in chicken curry was another standout. The chicken was tender, the broth was rich and comforting, and it paired really well with rice. Definitely one of those dishes that hits the spot. Portions are generous -- I had plenty of leftovers, which is always a plus. Service was super fast and efficient, making it an easy choice for a quick lunch or dinner. If you go around 1pm or so you can beat the lunch rush but there are lots of seating options (no outdoor). Parking is a bit tough since it's just off of el Camino but there is some parking in the back. Or limited on the street. Overall, a great casual spot with solid portions and speedy service. I'd definitely come back. read more

Pho Element - 12 - 34 - BBQ Pork and Imperial Roll with Vermicelli - - Bn Tht Nng & Ch Gi - Vietnamese Near Me - San Mateo, California

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We arrived soon after lunch time would have been over. We were seated immediately. Our order was taken quickly and the food came quickly. The food was delicious and plentiful. We will be visiting again. read more

Pho Element - Short ribs with vermicelli - Vietnamese Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Visited during the weekend lunch rush and this place was packed! Luckily, they have a few reserved parking spots in the back for customers. As a first-timer, I was pleasantly surprised. The appetizers had generous portion, particularly the chicken papaya salad. It was definitely shareable. The shrimp spring roll rice paper was a bit too chewy for my liking; will probably skip this next time. Both the chicken and beef pho were solid. It's hard to find a truly good chicken pho in the Bay Area, but the clear, flavorful broth here was delicious and didn't taste too salty or with msg. My only complaint was that a server was shouting names for tables so loudly that I actually got accidentally spat on from across the room. It was a bit gross and definitely affected my experience a bit, despite the food being good. read more

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Pho element neeeeever disappoints! I love their chicken pho along with the five spice chicken and shrimp rolls. Yummy, yummy, yummy. Food: 5 Service: 5 A staple in San Mateo read more

The highlight of my meal was the butter tofu, the outside was crispy but the inside was so soft and melted in your mouth. Never had anything like this before and would come back just for this dish. The Pho on the other hand was ok, I did not like the wide noodles in it as in my opinion Pho should have a smaller noodle. The broth was good but was not given any bean sprouts or basil, just limes and jalapeño's. As I was eating my dinner at 8:30 pm which is 30 minutes before close I was told I needed to close my tab. With this request I felt pushed to finish my dinner. The waiter was going around to all the tables to cash out. I might go back, if I do it's for the tofu and not the Pho read more

Pho Element - 22 - Rare Beef Filet, and Beef Meatball Noodle Soup - - Ph Ti B Vin - Vietnamese Near Me - San Mateo, California

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The portions here are pretty big. I got a small beef pho and I wasn't able to finish. The broth has a light flavor and there's ample amounts of beef. I was a little disappointed by the noodles because they fell apart easily, but they carried the soup flavor well. I really enjoyed the imperial roll, the filling and the crunchy outside go together really well! The shrimp spring roll was good as well too, and I liked that the peanut sauce comes with a spoon so you don't have to dip. The inside has simple dark wood decoration, with some booths and some tables. Service was pretty quick! Parking is hard to find though, I think there may be some limited parking behind the building but otherwise street parking is the way to go read more

Pho Element - 23 - Rare Beef Filet, Brisket and Meatbeef Ball Noodle Soup - - Ph B c Bit - Vietnamese Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Pho Element is a small Vietnamese restaurant located on El Camino Real in between Downtown San Mateo and the Hillsdale Mall. There's very limited street parking (be prepared to parallel park). The interior seems to be a little worn down, but nothing too bad. To be honest, Pho Element will never be my first choice when craving Vietnamese food. While their broth is tasty, it doesn't really taste like the traditional, authentic pho broth that I'm used to. In addition, they're crazy expensive and have smaller portions. Their "large" beef pho is $20+. Typically when I eat pho, I get full and have leftovers. However at Pho Element, I easily finished the entire large portion. I also took my meal to-go instead of dining-in, and the broth container wasn't fill up the entire way (maybe 3/4th full). read more

Pho Element - 20 - Rare Beef (Filet Mignon) Noodle Soup - - Ph Ti - Vietnamese Near Me - San Mateo, California

I've become a regular at Pho Element. I still stand by being thirsty after getting the Pho Ga with giblets, but after venturing to other items on the menu I'm a lot happier with my meals. Pho Ga is still great, but the Vermicelli bowls are one of the best around. The restaurant is kid friendly and the service is top notch. My only qualm is how parking is a challenge but nothing that has ever stopped us. read more

#taste - 5/5 #portion size - 5/5 #service - 5/5 #value - 4/5 #recommendation(s) - you should get the coconut tofu slush if you're into coconut and soft tofu! #tip - parking is sparse as there are a few spots on the street in front and a small lot in the back #context - this is a gem in San Mateo. #like - our go to items are the imperial rolls, hainanese chicken and chicken pho. The rolls are a nice combination of crunchy texture with savory insides. I drown them in the accompanying fish sauce. The hainanese chicken is boneless which is so convenient and the rice is flavorful. I can eat pho all the time so this is a nice change up if you're more into chicken. To me the broth is also less oily than non chicken pho. #dislike - I guess the parking is inconvenient at times. read more

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The food was delicious and came out very fast after we placed our orders. The staff is polite attentive and very prompt, they're constantly checking around to make sure all the tables are taken care of and people are sat down promptly. I appreciated the generous portion size for the small, it was fulfilling, satisfied my craving and my appetite. I love these wide noodles and the way they prepare their pho with the noodles, broth, shrimp, green onion, and fried garlic I believe. It also came with a side of lime and jalepenos but honestly their hot sauce is all you need for added spice, don't forget to try it!! They also ask if you want tea or water when you sit down :) The room is a bit chilly when you walk in but you warm up after eating some pho so I didn't mind it. The restaurant was filled with people, I can tell they have customers who return often. They also have big tables for larger parties if you want to book a pho lunch or dinner with your family and friends. Overall, we love this place, our 3rd time here & we came from San Leandro just to come here and it's so worth it! The price is also great, there are pho businesses in the east Bay Area charging $20+ for large pho and that's a 50% increase since I first starting going to that specific restaurant. so in my opinion, I believe pho element charges fairly for their style of cuisine, generous portions, and quality of food. Overall, we love this place, we hardly talk while eating because we're just taking it all in enjoying our meal and we hope to come back again. thank you pho element! read more

Pho Element - Shrimp pho small size - Vietnamese Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Food here is amazing, the staff was very friendly, came here multiple times and the food does not disappoint. This time I came in a Friday and the waiter brought to our attention that on Fridays they have a special if you get the ox tail soup you get a free beverage of your choice. The ox tail soup was delicious and I got a free che ba mau (three colored dessert). Win win. read more

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I went here with my coworkers because it was a short walk from our workplace. It was pretty busy since it was lunch time on a Monday. I ordered the Rare Beef Noodle Soup. My bowl came in around 15 minutes. One of the things I love about this place is that the rice noodles are thicker as I usually prefer thicker rice noodles over vermicelli. The soup was hot, clear, and flavorful. It was a great bowl of pho and would be the perfect comfort food for a chilly day. The portion size was good as I felt satisfied after finishing the bowl. Our server was attentive to providing us napkins and checking in on us, despite the busy lunch hour. Whenever my coworkers decide to come out for lunch, we're definitely visiting again! read more

Pho Element - rare beef noodle soup - Vietnamese Near Me - San Mateo, California

Came here on a Saturday for lunch, party of 7. Our mom wanted soup so we took the whole family here. I called to join the waitlist since there 7 of us (you can do it on yelp for 6 or less). There is a small parking lot in the back, but we parked on the street. Upon arrival, we were greeted and seated promptly. They told us their specialty which was the chicken pho, bun rieu (crab soup), and ox tail pho. Food came out quickly and everything was delicious! No assigned server but anyone we asked for help was courteous and super attentive. Excellent customer service. They got packed shortly after. So make sure you get on the waitlist. Would like to come back and try the rice plates next time! read more

Pho Element - Menu - Vietnamese Near Me - San Mateo, California

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ORDER Rare Beef Beef Brisket Pho (#21) STARS (stand out qualities) -Food (3.5/5 stars) - the combination pho meat was tender and decent -Service (4/5 stars) - pretty friendly and quick service; not all staff are friendly but one of them was -Ambiance (4/5 stars) - clean and comfortable environment; decent bathrooms STAIRS (areas of growth) -Wish the pho soup had more flavor in the soup -Additional charge required for sprouts, mint leaves, etc (free on other pho places I've been to!) TIPS -Small private parking in the back; otherwise, street parking available m I was not impressed on this first try but, if it's convenient, I will want to try curry pho and other dishes. read more

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The food is delicious and the service very friendly! I love the pho and appetizers! The costumer service are great!!!!

Was craving pho in the San Mateo area and saw the reviews for this place so decided to check it out. Everything on the menu sounded really good. Usually I pick my go to choice which is bun rieu but they told me it was sold out and I was shocked since it was only 5pm. I'm not sure if they only make a few portions each day or if I just got unlucky. I guess I have to come back to try it next time! We got the satay rare beef pho and the shaking beef with tomato rice. Both were super delicious. We usually have a go-to restaurant in SF for these dishes so to be able to get both at one place makes it quite convenient. My fiancé actually prefers the shaking beef here slightly more because their dressing leans more on the sweeter side than tangy. The rare beef in my pho melts in my mouth but the broth is just a tad more water-y and not as thick so the flavor wasn't as pronounced. Overall, we would love to come back and I would like to try some of their other stand out dishes. It looks like they do a lot of to-go orders too since I saw them packing to-go containers the entire time in the back. Location is quite spacious so lots of tables available and service was quick. They offered hot tea or water and I actually quite like the hot tea, I think it was chrysanthemum tea. Parking around the area might be tougher since it's along El Camino Real. read more

Heads up that they are located on a busy street and there is only street parking. We were seated right away and our server was friendly. Food came out fast too. My only complaint was that when we first got seated, our server asked if we would like water or tea. We asked for water. We later asked if we could please have some tea. He was about to take our water cups away? I thought that was a bit strange. read more

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Brought hubby and he was satisfied by pho # 23! Service was excellent, she asked if onions and cilantro was ok so it was added directly into our bowls. She brought us limes and jalapeño slices. I noticed the menu stated bean sprouts would be an additional $2. It was cool inside and a bit dark but that was fine since we had hot tea and the hot soup. read more

Pho Element - Pho - Vietnamese Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Finally had a chance to return here! I've been craving pho and it's been so cold lately! Pho hit the spot! Tried their BBQ Spring Rolls for the 1st time. Beautiful presentation, tasty and fresh, but the outer rice noodle wasn't quite soft enough, so eating the rolls was tough to bite through and chew. That was a huge bummer. If the rice noodle had been soaked longer in warm water, it would have been perfect and much easier to eat. I was starving and it was freezing cold, so I decided to order the large 3 beef pho bowl. Tons of tender meat, I was really impressed! But the part I didn't care for was that the noodles were overcooked. The bowl was served with piping hot, tasty broth and maybe I took too long eating most of the spring roll appetizer and didn't tend to mixing/tossing my pho with my Peppers, Plum and Sriracha sauces like I should have. I was bummed that my pho noodles were slightly overcooked. If I return, I'll be sure to mix and eat my pho asap to avoid having overcooked pho. The broth was tasty and not salty which was great. The other issue I had was that a couple of the beef balls contained a huge amount of fat grizzle which wasn't pleasant. Ugh! Lastly, although the large pho came with a lot of beef, I felt like they could have also added more pho noodles. I was still craving more pho noodles after finishing the entire bowl. Ugh! :0( Friendly, fast and efficient service again. Clean dining area too, YAY! Hopefully it was just an off day. read more

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Meh, everything about this joint was just average. Service wasn't great - while the staff was nice, it was way too rushed and chaotic. We sat down and no less than a minute after we got the menus, the staff came by and asked what we'd like to order. I understand the attempt at efficiency, but it was off-putting. Menu items were pricey and the pho didn't come with any of the traditional additions - mint leaves, bean sprouts, jalapeños. Imperial rolls were pretty good though. Overall, wouldn't recommend as you can find better spots if you drive a couple miles south to Palo Alto or Mt View. read more

Best chicken pho in San Mateo! The portion was huge and had lots of meat which is my favorite. The spring rolls and fish cakes were also very good appetizers. Highly recommend this place if you're a fan of delicious food! read more

Pho Element - Fish cake spring rolls - Vietnamese Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Broth = Life. The broth here is amazing!! Came with my 13 year old. He got the Pho Gà and I had the Bún Riêu, both were AMAZING!! We didn't get to try any of the appetizers or rice plates but from what we saw, they looked just as good. Service was fast and the ambiance is what fares with most Pho restaurants. We got there right before the rush but even with the influx of people, tables turn fast and the wait didn't seem long. All in all a great place to get Pho! We will be back. read more

Pho Element - 18 - Chicken Noodle Soup - - Ph G - Vietnamese Near Me - San Mateo, California

Pho is northern style, aka flat rice noodle! The food was tasty but a lot of the noodles were cut short and disintegrated easily. I thought the Dac Biet Bo Vien was good but my cousin didn't really enjoy her Sate Beef Noodle. There is a small parking lot in the back but I think parking elsewhere would be better as it's really tough and tight to get out. Mmmm service was nice, I thought the servers were really friendly and attentive. However, I had given them my card in the beginning so I didn't have to fight my cousin later on for the bill, and they automatically added 18% tip for themselves. It was just the two of us. Usually even when you want to pay early on, we still have the option to decide how much we want to tip. Yes I would've wanted to tip 18% anyways, but I don't appreciate how they made that decision for me. read more

We visited Pho Element on a busy Friday night and had a short 10-minute wait for a table for three. The service was incredibly fast and friendly, which we appreciated. We ordered the five spice chicken noodle soup, beef noodle soup, Vietnamese coffee, and a mango drink. Even the "small" portion sizes were quite generous. The broth in both soups was flavorful and the meat was tender. They were out of beef broth so we had to settle for chiken broth. The noodles were pretty good as well. I wish there was more meat in the pho. It definitely felt a little heavy on the noodles than the meat. Overall, we had a good experience at Pho Element. The food was tasty and the service was excellent. We would definitely return and try some of their other dishes. read more

Pho Element - Vietnamese Near Me - San Mateo, California

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The fastest pho food service ever. Our his came out within like 5 mins, which was crazy! I really like how soft and tender the filet mignon was, definitely top 5 out of all the pho places I've ever had. The noodles are wider than what I usually have, but it was still good! I wish the broth had a little more flavor however it still tasted really good and I would definitely come back next time I'm in town. The Thai tea has more of a tea taste, which I LOVE. Definitely recommend if this is your style. read more

Pho Element - 20 - Rare Beef (Filet Mignon) Noodle Soup - - Ph Ti 58 - Thai Iced Tea - - Tr Thi - Vietnamese Near Me - San Mateo, California

Great local place always full flavored pho broth. I usually like their large curry chicken pho because I end up taking home leftovers for the next day. Friendly staff, clean and honest. Parking in the back. It gets crowded during peak hours but not too long of a wait. read more

Came here for lunch with my coworker who recommended this spot and I am so glad he did! The service is extremely fast, and the place filled up for lunch on a Friday by noon. We started with their Saigon butter tofu, which was to dieeee for. Really thin and crispy outside, soft and creamy inside, and seasoned with the savory fragrance of peppers and onions. It was such a yummy starter and something even tofu haters could enjoy. Before the tofu could even cool down enough to eat, our main entrees came out to the table. I got the chicken and giblets pho and they were not stingy with the amount of poached chicken and chicken parts in there. I loved dipping the meat in a mix of hoisin and hot sauce. The broth was clean yet flavorful which paired so well with the silky wide rice noodles. For all the times I've had pho, I appreciated that I got 2 completely new items to me! My only wish is they would provide bean sprouts and basil. If I lived closer, I would be here all the time. read more

Pho Element - Vietnamese Near Me - San Mateo, California

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We were looking for something hot, hearty, and quick for dinner when we stumbled upon Pho Element. We called about 20 minutes before arriving, and the staff was really friendly and accommodating. When we walked in as a party of seven, the host we spoke to on the phone had already set aside a table for us, even though the place was pretty busy. He also gave us some great recommendations, and we were able to order quickly. We started with imperial rolls and spring rolls before getting our mains. I had the Bun Thit Nuong (BBQ pork vermicelli bowl), and it was good -- flavorful, with generous portions and toppings. Parking can be a bit tough depending on the time, but I'd definitely come back! read more

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Very busy and popular place. You sign in at the tell tablet and they are pretty good about fast seating. Good quality pho with large portions of meat. Noodles are a little different but good. One of the best in the area. The crispy imperial rolls are a tasty appetizer. Casual with fast and efficient service. read more

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Order #23 Favorite pho spot in the peninsula in terms of broth and meat. They're known for their chicken pho, obviously, but chicken breast is meh so I go with the beef pho. The eye round will get tough if you leave it in too long. Friend usually orders bun rieu which sometimes runs out on the weekend. I can also vouch for the shaking beef. No idea on the 34, but I have a pic of it. read more

Pho Element - #22 and shaking beeeeef - Vietnamese Near Me - San Mateo, California

High quality food and service! Ordered delivery and the phone service was friendly and communicative. The pho with rare beef filet and beef brisket was delicious. The meat was very tender and since the soup was packaged very hot and separately from the noodles and beef, the meat cooked perfectly after we poured the soup into the provided bowl. The spring rolls were excellent too and peanut sauce was great. The shaking beef with tomato rice was seasoned well and so tender, easily my favorite part of the whole meal (and everything was superb!) Next time I would love to try the Hainanese Chicken rice plate. Will definitely return. read more

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Came here on a Saturday afternoon with a friend and was seated right away. We tried the satay rare beef noodle soup and the beef pho. Both soups were incredibly flavorful and came with a generous amount of meat. The shrimp spring rolls were also delicious and it was served with a tasty peanut sauce. Overall, this is a solid spot for Vietnamese food. They offer a wide variety of dishes, the food is tasty, the service is friendly, and the atmosphere is comfortable. I highly recommend! read more

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