This review is long over due. This place used to be a Vietnamese spot we loved going to. I was sad when it closed. After it closed, it turned to another restaurant that we never tried. Then we discovered Pho Golden took over. I'm sooooo happy this is here because it's the closest to Vallejo that sells banh xeo and banh cuon! I'm very picky with Vietnamese restaurants. I got tired of the same places that only had the local rice plates, the same pho etc. The owner is super friendly. I THINK she's the owner, but every time we leave she says "see you tomorrow!" Very tempting to come back the next day, but not good for our tummies. lol We used to drive all the way to Castro valley just to get banh xeo! Here is what we had on two different occasions: Banh khot: a mini version I like to say of the banh xeo. Less messy and easier to eat. So good and made perfectly. Has a great crunch and I have nothing else to say except it is exceptional! Banh cuon: this is my all time favorite!! I love how light and simple it is. Don't get me wrong, it can get filling if you eat all of it. lol The rice flour crepe is a nice and thin layer. Soft and chewy and satisfies my craving. The fried shallots are a nice touch. I could eat this everyday if I could! Banh xeo: This is my second favorite! I get this at almost every Vietnamese restaurant when it is available. So far, pho golden has nailed down the batter and crunch factor. It's nice and thin as it should be. Crunch throughout and not soggy at all! I recently had a soggy one here in Vallejo and it was a little disappointing. This is why we cross the bridge just to get this dish. If you haven't tried the, this is your sign! You won't be disappointed. If only we didn't have to cross a bridge for this, we might be here every other weekend! read more

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This place had one of the best soups I've had in a while. I ordered #44 (Hu Tieu) and it was delicious! The Vietnamese coffee was also amazing, strong and not overly sweet like some places make it. Definitely a must go if you're craving Vietnamese. They also have Bahn Mis which I will be trying next! read more

It was my first time eating at Pho Golden. I'm so impressed by the food ‼ I had the Vermicelli with Grilled Shrimp with the egg roll it was so delicious and fresh ! My Mother had the Pho seafood soup she absolutely loved it. The broth was so tasty and complimented the noodles and seafood perfectly ‼ As Fresh as Could be they are so welcoming and hospitable! I Highly recommend eating here I can't wait to go back soon ‼‼‼ read more

I had high hopes for this place because I really want a good Vietnamese restaurant in Hercules. The staff is very friendly. The problem is that there are a couple issues with their food quality. We got a catfish clay pot for $17.50 and it came with a good amount of rice and some salad. Unfortunately, some of the salad lettuce were browning and one slice of cucumber was bitter. The catfish sauce was very tasty but the fish (3 pieces) itself was hard and dry. I have had catfish clay pots many times because I was obsessed with it in the past. The best catfish claypots uses very fresh catfish and it melts in your mouth. Unfortunately, this catfish was obviously previously frozen and has been frozen for a while. The price is not high but for $17.50, I expect the fish to be a little fresher and not something hard and dry because it has been frozen for possibly months. I can easily cook frozen fish at home so when I go to a restaurant, I expect the fish to be fresh. We also tried the garlic noodles with chicken. This dish was also $17.50. While the noodles were plentiful and the chicken portions were pretty good, the amount of oil used in the noodles was insane. There's a photo of the oil pooling together in the corner of the box. They must have used half a cup of oil at least and that is not necessary. This is the most oily garlic noodles I have ever seen. Also they forgot to salt the noodles so it had no flavor. My husband said the spice balance on the chicken wasn't right and tasted odd. The staff packaged the food well and were friendly so I hope they succeed but they need to have quality control in their food. The fish should not be old and hard and the lettuce should not be browning on the edges. They can be more light handed on the oil and remember to salt their noodles. Maybe they're having a bad day but we're not coming back until they figure it out. read more

Pho Golden - Oil pooling together - Vietnamese Near Me - Hercules, California

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First time trying this place, and I believe they've only recently opened. The owner was really friendly and in such a good mood-she was even singing while cleaning the tables, which made the whole place feel more homey and welcoming. The restaurant is still pretty new, but they already have plenty of seating and a really nice atmosphere. We ordered the grilled pork fresh spring rolls for $10.50, and I highly recommend them. I loved them-the flavor was exactly my kind of taste, fresh and really satisfying. I also had the combination beef noodle soup, which was $16.50 for a large bowl (medium is $15). The broth was so delicious that I barely needed to add any extra seasoning at all, which says a lot because I usually adjust my soup a little. Honestly, everything on the menu looked so good that I'll definitely have to come back and try more dishes. read more

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This spot in the Willow Avenue Center has gone through a few changes in ownership in recent years (Anh's Kitchen, Pho TNT, Pho Ha Noi 89). Hoping this owner has better fortune and a longer stay. We came here for a Sunday lunch. There were a few other customers. The first thing I noticed when entering was not the smell of food, but the smell of incense. Our food: Pork Chop Combination Rice Plate - the restaurant made an excellent tender pork chop. Other parts were made to our liking as well - fried egg and extra crispy fried chicken and imperial roll (fried spring roll) Bun Bo Hue - this dish always has a lot of different textures in there between the meats, bone cross-sections, and pork blood. Wish the blood was a little more silky, but this was a flavorful dish Banh Khot - we've seen this as an appetizer before. It's considered an entree here and it does come with a lot (9 or 10 pieces). Flavor and crunch are ok - prefer it to be crispier. This dish was served with mint and lettuce. Wonton Rice Noodle Soup - the kids ordered this one. I thought it was ok, but just an odd combination of rice noodles, wontons, shrimp, bbq pork, and crispy shallots. Kind of like Vietnamese Chinese food. I was missing cilantro from our dishes, but we were satisfied from our first experience here. Excited that we have our local Vietnamese restaurant option again. Hoping to come back and check out the Pho and Banh Mi. read more

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This has to be the 4th restaurant occupying the space. Seem like this space is jinx with high rent. I have nothing bad about Pho Golden but the space the restaurant is at. Why did I give Pho Golden a four star review. Once I saw the $15 minimum to use credit/debit I found out prices of the food were over $15 except for the Banh Mi sandwiches which were $9. I was tempted to try the sandwich if I got other food that I can go over the minimum to use credit card. As far as the food and service at Pho Golden was good! I was greeted right away when I enter the restaurant. It was me dinning at the restaurant. The Beef Stew Noodles Soup was fantastic. Rarely any restaurant has Beef Stew on their menu. I manage to eat everything that was in the bowl especially me drinking the broth inside. The inside of the restaurant looks the same as the previous tenant. It isn't fancy like the last one but it is decent. Seem like nobody took the TV off the wall but they still provide different channels to watch on. I will give Pho Golden anothertry and hopefully my review will be five stars. read more

Pho Golden - Beef Stew - Vietnamese Near Me - Hercules, California

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Glad i got to try this place out! Came in on a hot day so it was pretty calm on a Sunday evening. The space is relatively small but table sizes come around to service about parties of 5/6. Not sure if they can move the tables around. The staff is pretty friendly and very fast service, food came out in about 10-15 minutes. The food was pretty ok, the flavor kind of died down throughout the meal but thats not to say it wasn't good, it definitely was ! Restaurant is in a somewhat busy plaza with a bunch of small businesses around however parking is easy to come by! Overall, it's a nice place to drop by for a quick meal with loved ones especially being the only pho restaurant in Hercules. read more

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Came to this place since other pho restaurants closed a little early. We just came from a soccer game and we were all hungry. Luckily this restaurant was able to accommodate our large party. The food was old for pho. I ordered the Bun Bu Hue and everything was great, but they did run out of the pork blood. If I had hat, I would have given them a 5 star rating. Definitely give this place a try if you have that pho craving. read more

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Update- I knew I wanted to return to taste their pho and yum- did it deliver! The large beef combo was the way to go- premium steak, brisket, meatball, tendon, tripe in a piping hot tasty bone broth and tender rice noodles. It was exactly what I needed on that cold and rainy day. The owner was very friendly and provided attentive and quick service. She brought out some hot tea, utensils, condiments and my pho fixings. She also helped me pack my leftover pho. The owner confirmed they do catering - $70 for small trays and $130 for large trays. Ambiance is simple with ample seating. So happy to have found a new and tasty Vietnamese spot super close to home! read more

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Ordered from Pho Golden for a take-out lunch. The restaurant was empty and my order took about 20 mins to be ready. The tofu banh mi had nice fresh bread. The pickled veggies were tasty but the sandwich was a bit bland and needed some sauce. The vegetable chow fun had a good amount of veggies and tofu. The dish relied on fried onions to bring flavor to the dish. There was a lot of corn starch as the sauce was pretty thick. Overall, food was ok. Plenty of parking in the large parking lot. And plenty of tables to dine in. read more

Pho Golden - Tofu banh mi - Vietnamese Near Me - Hercules, California

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I wanted to tell you about the bahn mi and imperial rolls I ordered. I like the taste of both. Next time I'll ask to leave the mayo off the sandwich (I usually do when ordering a bahn mi's / just wanted the unadulterated version). It was tasty and the beef was tender. The rolls were really delicious. My only feedback is the wrapping was crispy and not "chewy" like imperial rolls I had at other places. I've bee back several times and have had well made delicious food every time. read more

Pho Golden - Imperial rolls - Vietnamese Near Me - Hercules, California

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service was great despite it being one person. she was super attentive and made sure we were taken care of. all the dishes were good and the bun bo hue was one of the better ones I've had. the banh xeo was really good too that I almost had to get another one. glad this spot opened up and the portions were huge and can't wait to come back to this one read more

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I saw that they had Clay Pot Catfish on the menu and had to try it out. It was very good, wish it were a little more caramelized and had more spice to it. I did still enjoy it though. They only give a small portion of rice, had to get an extra side. Took about 20 min for the food to come out so might not be the best thing to order while on a short lunch break. read more

Pho Golden - Clay Pot Catfish - Vietnamese Near Me - Hercules, California

This is a cozy spot for Vietnamese foods that tastes authentic and cooked with care! It's hard to find Banh Cuon and Banh Xeo in this area of East Bay so I was so excited to go here. I'm Vietnamese and the food and restaurant felt so comforting and nostalgic to be in. Banh Cuon had soft, chewy rice rolls with savory filling and paired with the veggies, it wasn't too heavy. Banh Xeo had a thin, crispy crust and rolling it in the lettuce wrap and dipping in fish sauce was so good! Balanced very well. read more

Pho Golden - Banh Cuon - Vietnamese Near Me - Hercules, California

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Friendly people, clean and busy! I had the beef pho. Broth was so delicious sis not need any alterations. Will definitely come back next time I'm in the bay! read more

Pho Golden - Beef pho medium - Vietnamese Near Me - Hercules, California

My partner and I were craving a nice warm meal on a rainy Tuesday and decided to try a very local pho restaurant. The atmosphere was very homey and looked like a mom and pop shop which we always love to go to. The service was quick and helpful, we knew what we wanted and it got out on the table in about 10 minutes or less! The sandwich was delicious and bread was light and crispy like a banh mi should , I got the beef and it was season absolutely amazing. My partner got the chicken pho soup and it was good , the noodles were the perfect thickness and broth was nice and light but tasty. She was under the weather and it hit the spot! We also got a Thai tea and iced coffee and both were good, they were a little light on the coffee I ordered but once I asked for more they were able to fill it up and it was very tasty and a must try! Overall we will be back again to try the other items on the menu! read more

Pho Golden - Chicken soup pho and the beef banh mi - Vietnamese Near Me - Hercules, California

I had the dry egg noodles with seafood and soup on the side. It was delicious - the broth is nice and flavor is just perfect, the toasted garlic added a nice touch to it! Our waitress was super kind and attentive. She told me this is their second location, in addition to the one in SF. Can't wait to come back and try other things on the menu! read more

Pho Golden - Dry egg noodles with seafood and soup on the side - Vietnamese Near Me - Hercules, California

Welcoming enjoy with Pho Golden We have variety kinds of food like Bánh xeo, Bánh khot Bánh hoi read more

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All I got to say is we finally got an authentic VIETNAMESE restaurant in Rodeo! Been ordering on a weekly basis since trying it. My wife and I have had Their pho, banh knot, bbh, beef stew, banh canh, and garlic noodles with grilled beef/chicken. Everything on point! Great portions! their banh mi which could use some work. Was light on the filling so couldn't really taste much other than the bread. If you're looking for some authentic Vietnamese food, then you're looking at the right place. The owners are very nice. Go support! read more

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Pho Golden absolutely exceeded my expectations! I ordered the pho dac biet, and it was hands down one of the best bowls of pho I've had. The broth was rich, aromatic, and clearly simmered for hours -- full of deep, comforting flavor without being overly salty. Every spoonful tasted fresh and authentic. read more

I've witnessed this place change names several times my 6 years of living in Hercules. I am finally happy with the product Pho Golden serves. The pho broth is well balanced to my liking. The previous owners used a heavy amount of spices that it was hard to get a good taste of the beef flavor. I had the beef stew, pho combination, combo rice plate and beef vermicelli. Each item was delicious and tasted very fresh. I will be a returning customer. read more

The Bun Bo Hue is legit ! The Pho and Shrimp fried rice was enjoyed by the kiddos, The Thai Iced Tea w boba and fried banana ice cream was delicious - this is my new fave restaurant read more

Tasty food. Good value. Great portion size. Located in Hercules, Willow Avenue where Anh's Kitchen used to be located. read more

Pho Golden - #54. Beef ribs with fried egg, chicken wing, and egg roll. - Vietnamese Near Me - Hercules, California

Was very tasty. Had the Beef Pho and broth was perfect amount of salty to me. Meat seemed slightly light in quantity compared to some other places I enjoy but not a deal breaker at all. Very good, will return read more

We came here after a soccer game with the family and it was exactly what we needed. We ordered a few bowls of pho and the spring rolls (which were so good!). Everything was super fresh, flavorful, and delicious. The woman at the front counter was incredibly kind and made sure to check in on us to see if we needed anything else. I didn't catch her name, but her service really stood out. The pho bowls are very generous, they definitely don't skimp on the meat or noodles. Overall, it was a great experience and we will definitely be back. I highly recommend giving this place a try.. you won't be disappointed. read more

Tried this place today the service was great. Sandwiches are really good. Can't wait to go back and try the Pho.

Steak pho was good, but the place looks filthy the floors have trash all over and overall looks like it doesn't get cleaned. Same with the restroom this place is fairly new and it already looks run down! read more

Great food and friendly staff. My son had a beef Pho with tofu spring rolls. I had the brisket Pho.

Clean area, nice service, serving the beef noodles: broth is too salty which kept away the soup taste. That is most important part for Vietnamese Meat is fine with skinny slice cut. But it's ok. Fish sauces serve by request. Any how is ok but need to improve read more

The best pho restaurant in hercules and richmond, pinole area our family really enjoyed the food, cleanliness, and it service,

Amazing, cheerful service and delicious flavorful food. Food came out quickly. A definite go to for some pho on a chilly day.