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    Pho Lab

    4.7 (574 reviews)
    ModerateVietnamese, Noodles, Soup
    Closed 10:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

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    PHO LAB ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

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    Flies landing on our food
    marcen m.

    Disappointing experience, unfortunately can't recommend. There was a fly landing on our table and around our food multiple times while we were eating. Not exactly appetizing when you're mid-meal. Service was the bigger issue though. Our server took our order and then completely disappeared. We sat there for a long time waiting for the check, checking the room hoping someone would swing by, and eventually just gave up and went to pay at the front ourselves. No one checked on us once. On top of that, the food itself was just okay. Nothing that would make up for the wait or the flies. Between the bugs and the lack of service, I won't be back.

    Cabin B.

    I decided to give Pho Lab another try and came back with a few friends because we wanted to try some of the newer menu items. Unfortunately, this visit was a completely different experience from my first one. The biggest issue was the number of flies inside the dining area. There were so many that we spent most of our meal constantly swatting them away instead of enjoying our food. It became distracting enough that it affected the entire dining experience. What concerned me the most was seeing that many flies indoors while people were eating. As a customer, it made me wonder how the restaurant is managing cleanliness overall, including around the food preparation areas. I obviously can't speak to what happens in the kitchen, but the situation was concerning enough that it made me lose confidence during the meal. It's unfortunate because I had a positive impression from my previous visit, and that's why I decided to come back. I really hope this was just a temporary issue and that management addresses it quickly, because no one should have to spend an entire meal fighting off flies. Based on this experience, I probably won't be returning until the issue is resolved

    Betty G.

    Got a list of suggested local restaurants via email by Yelp so decided to try Pho Lab out. Was so surprised how good it was. I got the combo pho and everything was delicious. The brisket was very lean and so tender. Meatballs were very good. Rare steak and tripe were also tender. Broth was good. So I took my husband, my sister and her husband back a week later. The three (3) of us ordered the same, combo pho, and my husband got the shaken beef with garlic noodles. Everything was good but the brisket in the pho was more fatty this second time around. Service was also better the first time. Second visit, service was slow. We sat and waited for a long while and no one came to take our orders. The owner came around and checked on us later when we were done eating. She's always so nice. Absolutely a great local pho restaurant to visit when we don't want to drive to the Little Saigon.

    Michelle N.

    Yummy! So happy there is another good pho place in South OC! I don't have to drive all the way to garden grove. Price is reasonable, the bowl is big, however it could use more meat! The broth comes out piping hot, tastes great, authentic, and delicious. It did take a while for them to get our order (because the World Cup was one) and then the food did take a while to come out. But I would overall come back!

    Spring roll shrimp
    Rick S.

    Came back to try the shrimp spring rolls - freshly made, light and delicious with the peanut sauce. Also got my usual pho combination - a solid choice with lots of meat and savory broth. Staff were welcoming and attentive. Ambiance is airy and casual.

    Alexis T.

    Saturday late night dinner. Called to see when their last-seating time would be and we made it just in time. Delicious per usual, and the food came out lightning fast. Til next time!

    Keycee D.

    Came across this spot one night while trying to figure out dinner and decided to check out Pho Lab for some pho. My husband and I both ordered the pho combination and added the rib bone. The broth itself was really good--flavorful and comforting--but the rib bone didn't quite hit for me. It wasn't as tender as I expected, and I think it could've been cooked a bit longer to get that fall-off-the-bone texture. We also ordered their fried chicken wings, which are a must every time we come here. They're perfectly fried and seasoned, and honestly delicious even on their own. The garlic butter dipping sauce is a great bonus, but not even necessary. Even our 3-year-old loves the wings. The restaurant itself is pretty spacious, and we've never had to wait for a table. They do seem to get a lot of to-go orders though. Overall, solid food and a place we'd come back to.

    brisket pho, shrimp spring rolls
    Denice J.

    One of my favorite Pho spots in OC. Broth is always so delicious and hot. Food comes out quickly and the meat is so tender. I love the crispy spring rolls here so much definitely a must try when you stop by. Staff is so kind and friendly and service is top tier. It's always so clean inside and the music is low but still enjoyable. Definitely stop by for your late night pho cravings.

    Maritza S.

    The good at Pho Lab is absolutely delicious. The meat is tender and the broth rich. The pho with beef bone is my favorite. The meat falls off the bone. The service is just ok. My biggest complaint is the cleanliness. The floors and booths are always dirty which can be off putting. FYI if you pay cash you get a discount.

    Christine S.

    My favorite place to come for the rib pho. The meat is so tender and juicy and falls right off the bone. The staff is friendly and service was so quick. Definitely give it a try!

    Golden Bao
    Christine T.

    More like 3.5 stars. I came for lunch excited to try a new spot for Pho since I was in the area. Sadly it was just ok. The broth in the pho was too light in flavor which is more telling of a northern style pho. I prefer a southern style pho so please take that into consideration with my review. I also got the golden bao which was interesting. I never had a fried version of the bao. I'm glad I tried it because the texture of the crispy outside with a soft dough on the inside was nice. That being said, I wish it was more juicy. I was looking for the wonderful meat juices that normally come with a steamed bao. Vietnamese coffee was also just ok. I was looking for that bold coffee depth of flavor but it also seemed a little on the light side.

    Garlic Noodles w/ Tiger Prawns
    Karen A.

    This neighborhood pho restaurant have a good selection of appetizers, pho, vermicelli noodles, and rice dishes. I ordered the garlic noodles with prawns and enjoyed it. Noodles are very tasty & prawns are cooked right & very flavorful. Staff are really friendly & attentive. Will definitely come back to try other dishes.

    Rachel C.

    I got the combination pho which came with tripe brisket, flank, tendon, and meatballs. It was really comforting and reminded me of the pho I had growing up. They were generous with the portions and it was well-priced. This might be my go-to spot for pho moving forward

    Pork rolls

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    3 months ago

    This is my family's favorite place for lunch and dinner! The staff is sweet and the food is delicious!

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    21 days ago

    Very good food, service, clean and good vide. Strongly recommend, especially try the Filet Mingon garlic noodle or rice.

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    7 months ago

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    8 months ago

    Very clean place. The pho is impeccable! The customer service is super friendly!!! A must visit in South OC!

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    6 months ago

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    22 days ago

    David was absolutely amazing. Such good service will definitely be back again. Thank you so much !

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    3 months ago

    Great food and friendly service. Ordered the ribeye fries and the pho your way and everything was super good and well priced.

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    Page 4 of 15

    Pho Lab Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Pho Lab

    Frank’s dumplings & noodles by sheungshui  - SheungShui Seafood Hotpot

    Frank’s dumplings & noodles by sheungshui

    4.4(407 reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $$

    A friend brought us to try this noodle spot in Lake Forest…read more This restaurant is part of the Shang Shui group, which has two locations next to each other. We visited the simpler Shang Shui Noodle House(Frank's dumplings and noodles) while the restaurant next door, Shang Shui Bistro(Frank's bistro Chinese cuisine) , focuses more on elevated Hunan and Cantonese dishes. Once we walked in, we could just find a seat and order through the QR code menu. It was convenient since we could take our time looking through the options. We ordered: 1. Roasted Duck Noodle Soup $19.99 2. House Special Fish Fillet Noodle Soup $15.99 3. Pork Knuckle Noodle Soup $16.99 Everything tasted pretty good! I ordered the signature fish fillet noodle soup, which was one of their recommended dishes. My husband thought the fish soup had the best flavor among the three dishes we tried. The portions were just right, and the prices were very reasonable. For the noodles, I would recommend choosing udon or ramen. My husband and our friend chose rice noodles, but they became too soft and broke apart easily when picking them up with chopsticks. After dinner, we stopped by Frank's bistro Chinese cuisine next door to take a look. The interior is much more upscale, and they also use a QR code menu. Most dishes are around $20 and up. We chatted with one of the staff members, who mentioned that they opened in August last year and focus on authentic Cantonese and Hunan cuisine. He was also proud to share that their dishes are freshly prepared, not the typical pre-made food you might find elsewhere. Will definitely come back to try the dishes at Shang Shui Bistro next time. Sharing this spot for anyone looking for Chinese noodles or authentic Chinese cuisine in the area! Frank's Dumplings & Noodles 20651 Lake Forest Dr STE A-102, Lake Forest, CA 92630

    We've been meaning to try this place for awhile now. We've tried their sister restaurant Frank's…read morenext door and wasn't impressed when they first opened. It's been awhile so I'm willing to give it another shot. Plenty of parking outside, the restaurant itself is really cute with tasteful decor. You order with a QR menu from the table. We ordered fish noodle soup, the 3 dumplings and soy sauce chicken with rice. Everything was pretty good! The fish noodle soup had a good fish profile in the soup, with a kick of white pepper which I liked. It tasted clean and healthy. The dumplings were really good. It definitely tasted like in house made dumplings. Much better quality than other restaurants in the area. The soy sauce chicken rice wasn't bad. But I thought the price was a little egregious. It should be max $15. All in all I'm glad we gave this "chain" another chance.

    Photos
    Frank’s dumplings & noodles by sheungshui  - Interior

    Interior

    Frank’s dumplings & noodles by sheungshui  - Buns

    Buns

    Frank’s dumplings & noodles by sheungshui  - Bone-in bangbang chicken

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    Bone-in bangbang chicken

    Sunny Dumpling House - XLB

    Sunny Dumpling House

    4.2(884 reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$

    Our order was made right in front of us. How could it be any…read morefresher? The place is very small but clean. Someone was nice enough to guide us through the menu and everything we tried was delicious. What's not to like?

    I've been coming to Sunny Dumpling House long enough to remember when the dumplings felt much more…read morecarefully made. That's probably why the decline is so noticeable. The biggest problem is unfortunately the thing with the restaurant's name on it. The xiao long bao used to feel delicate and deliberate. On this visit, nearly the entire basket had already leaked before we touched them. Once a soup dumpling loses its soup into the steamer, you're basically eating a steamed pork dumpling with an identity crisis. The wrappers also felt heavier than I remember, with thick pinched tops that became dry and doughy. The pork filling itself was decent, but the overall construction just felt rushed. The boiled pork and chive dumplings had the opposite problem of what I want from a dumpling wrapper. Too much dough, not enough filling experience. The chili wontons were considerably better because the wrappers were thinner and more supple. If that texture showed up across more of the dumpling menu, I'd probably feel very differently. There are still good dishes here. The rice cakes were chewy and satisfying and disappeared quickly at our table. Bok choy was simple and solid. The pig ear had good flavor and texture, although ours leaned salty and a little softer than ideal. What pushes this down to two stars is everything surrounding the food. Ordering and paying are heavily pushed through QR codes, yet the system isn't particularly intuitive. I tried paying through Apple Pay with Amex several times before realizing it simply wasn't accepted, with no useful explanation on screen. Service feels similarly detached. Everyone appears extremely busy, yet getting help with ordinary things can be strangely difficult. During our visit one of my kids spilled water beside the table and we were told it could simply be cleaned after we left. I'm not asking for white glove service, but sitting next to a puddle while eating is an odd solution. The restroom situation doesn't help. You have to retrieve a key and head upstairs into an older restroom that feels completely disconnected from the otherwise modern ordering setup downstairs. That's ultimately my issue with Sunny Dumpling House now. There are pieces of a good restaurant still here and a few dishes I enjoy. But the execution has become uneven, the service feels increasingly automated without becoming easier and the dumplings themselves are no longer good enough to compensate for it. I'd rather have fewer systems and better dumplings.

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    Sunny Dumpling House - Dining area.

    Dining area.

    Sunny Dumpling House - Dumplings

    Dumplings

    Sunny Dumpling House - Beef noodle

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    Beef noodle

    SUP Noodle Bar - Irvine - Beef Belly Dry Noodles & Wagyu Carpaccio

    SUP Noodle Bar - Irvine

    4.3(3.3k reviews)
    6.5 mi
    $$

    I normally don't particularly like pho, it's my wife that makes me go. But the pho soup here is…read morequite delicious! If I eat food I usually leave the bowl of soup, but pretty much finished this one! If you can't decide which one to get, I'd recommend the combination pho. The worst thing you can do is see other people's food and wish you got theirs. Well no more FOMO thanks to the combo pho! My only pet peeve is we have a family of 5, but the hostess sat us at 4 top and stuck on a chair at the end. It gets pretty crowded on the table when we have an extra set of plate, bowl, cup, silverware, etc, so we're a little cramped. I wouldn't have batted an eye, but we came at 11:15 and the restaurant was way less than half full. But it's not the first nor last time it'll happen, so I'm not knocking off any stars because of it.

    Worst service I have ever experienced on a Saturday lunch on August 15th. We signed up for the…read morewaitlist, but still had to wait another 20-30 minutes after our table was ready. Then, when we finally came into the restaurant, they asked us to walk back outside because they still needed to set up the table. I have no idea what needed to be set up when the table was already cleaned, especially when we had hungry, impatient children with us. Once we were finally seated and ordered our food, it took forever to arrive. Whenever we tried to get a server's attention, they seemed to avoid eye contact. We at least waited for 40 mins for our dishes to come to the table. The combination pho was definitely tasty. The broth and pickled onions really tell a story, and the food itself was enjoyable. However, I don't know if I would come back again because of this level of service. Good food can only go so far when the overall dining experience is this frustrating.

    Photos
    SUP Noodle Bar - Irvine - Our Beef Belly Pho Lunch Special is back! Valid for dine-in only from 10AM to 4PM.

    Our Beef Belly Pho Lunch Special is back! Valid for dine-in only from 10AM to 4PM.

    SUP Noodle Bar - Irvine - The answer to all your cravings!

    The answer to all your cravings!

    SUP Noodle Bar - Irvine - Garlic Chicken Wing with Aji Sauce

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    Garlic Chicken Wing with Aji Sauce

    Pho Lab - vietnamese - Updated September 2026

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