Wow! After a fun-filled weekend in Havasu, my friends needed some delicious rejuvenation! And I'll tell you what! Pho is the Desert surpassed all my expections.. (mind y'all that I'm from Garden Grove so I'm in the Mecca of all the pho spots!) I got pho with Filet Mignon Brisket!! OOOO weee! Yummy in my tummy. The broth flavor was beefy and soothing for my soul! And the meat was tender and flavorful! I also got the Cafe Sua Da, which was strong!! My gf also got the Bun Bo Hue, which was bomb and authentic as well. I highly recommend this Vietnamese joint! The husband/wife owners were super sweet and accommodating! P.S. they also have delicious Mochi Donuts *drools* read more

After a weekend trip, all I wanted on the drive back home to Orange County was some good Asian food. I'm so glad we found this place! As soon as my friends and I walked in, we were warmly greeted by both the staff and the owners. Everyone was incredibly kind, welcoming, and attentive. Even though it was an extremely hot day, I was craving pho and ordered the Pho Đặc Biệt--and it definitely hit the spot. We came in with a large group of 17 people, and our server was patient, organized, and made sure everyone's order was taken correctly. The most impressive part was how quickly all of our food came out despite the size of our party. Everything we ordered was delicious, and the service made the experience even better. I can't wait to come back and try more items on the menu! read more

8.5 out of 10 I travel the country and always stop at the most popular pho restaurants This one doesn't disappoint read more

Pho of the Desert - Pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Indio, California

Omg this place Saving me for my crazing Vietnamese food. We wlont he way back from lake havasu and looking for Vietnamese food this place pop up with a lot reviews gave it a try and definitely love it. The place clean and huge and service was fast . The food is very good and the portion is huge. We want to try others dishes too but so full and come back another time . read more

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Stopped by this restaurant on the way home from Coachella with a group of 12. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant was spacious, and we found a table immediately.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The pho was alright. The broth wasn't that flavorful, and eye round steak was a bit dry, but brisket was good. The egg rolls were also good. The servers were friendly and attentive, which made the experience better. read more

If you want a nice place to eat don't come. [[HIGHLIGHT]]This place is not clean. The floor is slippery and their restroom is horrifying[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. But they are one of the few places that have Bon Bu Hue. The last time I came here we only grabbed their smoothie boba drink. My daughter loves the avocado one and the strawberry one. We got both. The server insisted both were made with REAL fruit. We got the strawberry drink back and it was an orange hue. I told her it was not strawberry and she insisted it was. I took a sip and it tasted STRONGLY of orange. I told her lady who made it if she did not believe me she should take a sip. She then finally showed me the puree can she was using. She said she had run out of the strawberry and that she used just a tiny bit of another puree tub. It was kumquat ( orange ) and the puree was not real fruit. I requested she make another drink and if she didn't have strawberry to make another avocado. She kept indicating it was such a small amount of the kumquat it should not change the taste and I needed to just drink it. I insisted that is not what I ordered. She kept saying she didn't have strawberry puree. I had the front desk lady confirm I was getting the drink I wanted as the other lady was dismissive. I got another strawberry drink. Looks like she had more puree ( not real fruit) and she just didn't want to open it. Sadly I don't think I will eat here again. And I think a health inspector should visit this place. read more

Pho of the Desert - Not real fruit - this place is not clean - Vietnamese Near Me - Indio, California

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Loving the large, spacious interior.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The broth here is aromatic and with the right amount of salinity. Their Vietnamese coffee doesnt dissappoint either. Try this before your next starbucks. read more

Thought I'd try this place and ordered the seafood noodle. When my order arrived, it looked very nice, but it had mostly beef and vegetables on top of the noodles (see pic). I thought maybe I said the wrong item number, so I just started eating. When the manager came by, I double checked with him if I ordered the seafood dish. He said yes, I ordered correctly. The I pointed to my food and told him there's no seafood in my dish. Then he said... "no more seafood"! He didn't speak English well, so I let it go. When I paid my bill, I pointed the error out again to the manager/cashier, he just said "it's fine". So make sure you order correctly! I think the food could be good, but that kind of non-apologetic service sucks. read more

Pho of the Desert - Supposed to be egg noodle with seafood... but this was probably the beef dish. - Vietnamese Near Me - Indio, California

Feel bad giving this review, but there's just too many misses. The wait: We came in first when they unlock the door and found our seat immediately. Instead of taking our order, the host attended to seating everyone else, getting water, then took on multiple to go orders + other patron before getting to us. The order and service. We order (1) normal Pho with ribeye slices without onions. We got instead Pho briskets + some fatty stuff + onions. The worse part is the guy lied in front of us and said this is ribeye without onions. I pointed all thr onions and wrong meat. I agrred to take it anyway and scoop out the onions. They gave me the ribeye on the side. 2nd order is worse. We order thin noodles with shrimp, meat, and eggs. Ask for noodles to be warm. We got jist the noodles and meat. They came back the 2nd time with meat and eggrolls. They came back a 3rd time to give the shrimp on the side. Then the noodles are ice cold. The food: pho is bland, but okay. The vold noodles was hard to eat. The meat is cold and chewy, the noodles are cold, the eggrolls are cold, soft and tasted funky. We looked over to nearby tables and saw more missed orders sent back, staff yelling at other staff for not knowing where what food goes where. Drinks are sent back. read more

This was so gas that I forgot how to walk after. I came from Orange County here for Coachella and this food is definitely comparable to the food in Little Saigon back where I live. read more

Pho of the Desert - Rice w/ pork chop - Vietnamese Near Me - Indio, California

I do not often write a review for an issue but mostly I exclaim the greatness of our beautiful small businesses in the location where I live. Last evening I decided to order takeout via delivery. We ordered a banh mi, a pho, a mango smoothie, a few spring rolls and the shrimp and pork with nice vernicelli noodles and salad. My husband commented that the pho was not clear and it was greasy. My pork dish and the eggrolls and spring rolls were tasty with their dipping sauce. The banh mi was pretty fresh. Not really a crusty French bread but it had fresh jalapeno and greens. Somehow all the meats were unappealing but the flavor was not bad. It was a texture thing to me. Not fresh, maybe previously frozen? The mango smoothie was thin and tasteless and I chose not to finish it although I am a fanatic about mango boba drinks. Half of the food was consumed last night and half this lunchtime. I would always give a place a second go if I thought there had been a rough night or something, but come on. Shrimp? Meat? Cooking temperatures? Sources? I don't know. It was probably pretty quiet and some shortcuts may have been taken when thousands of concertgoers were not there to necessitate the purchase of good quality ingredients. I am not mad at the prices but I do return with a big appetite if a place shows pride of ownership, creative meals, and evidence that clean and healthy practices are being followed. I am not feeling right today and their food was all I have consumed since yesterday. My delivery person was quick so I have no complaint there. Health departments do watch for issues. Something was not right here last night. read more

Pho of the Desert - Order details 6/29/25 - Vietnamese Near Me - Indio, California

I placed a Phone order and was ready within 15 minutes, which was the good part, very hard to understand the person that answered the phone didn't give me a price, or anything,. I ordered pho with no meat, I get there, and it's ready. When I asked for the price, the lady said 17 and I asked, even with no meat, and she just laughed. $17 for just the broth and rice noodles to me was just ridiculous. Granted, they do give you a huge amount of rice noodles, and the broth was very flavorful. I think there should be some sort of discount if you're just ordering that with no meat . [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant is located in a shopping center next to Food for less, and a little rundown.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I'm a big fan of Pho and frequent many in Orange County... Unfortunately, because of the bad service and over pricing, I will not be back. read more

This is where I will go for the best Pho in the Coachella Valley!! Several others closer to me, but I'll make the ride because it's so much more delicious broth!! that's very important in Pho read more

Pho of the Desert - Vietnamese Near Me - Indio, California

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We loved the pho here but weren't fans of the fried rice. It had crunchy pieces of rice and garlic which aren't our vibe but may be someone else's! We got the brisket pho and the chicken breast pho along with the lemongrass chicken for our son. The pho came with a lot of noodles in a big bowl which was great!! 10/10! The lemongrass chicken wasn't that great, it was dry and my son didn't end up eating much. Overall we would come back for the pho! read more

In response to the business owner, I appreciate your response. Please know I did bring it up to the server immediately as soon as I saw the bug floating in the pho. As soon as he put it down on the table in front of me, I noticed it right away. When I mentioned it to him he took it back and someone else came and asked if I wanted a new batch. I had already been waiting for a long time for the 2 items I ordered. Service was very slow although the restaurant only had a couple of tables. I did not want to wait any longer. Sorry it didn't work out. read more

The bun thit nuong at this restaurant was so good. Additionally, the service was amazing. I highly recommend this restaurant when you're in Indio! read more

Pho of the Desert - Bun thit nuong - Vietnamese Near Me - Indio, California

The best pho and customer service!! A must try if you're in the desert. I would give this place 10 stars if I could read more

Pho of the Desert - The best pho I ever had AND the best customer service!! I would give the place 10 stars if I could! A must try if you're in the desert - Vietnamese Near Me - Indio, California

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First time here and the food is really good. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant is open and clean.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Really friendly staff members making sure we are getting what we need. Highly recommended! Really good Thai tea!!!! read more

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I always crave something light but filling and this place never misses! The freshness is unbelievable and plenty of options for vegetarians/vegans :) Family own business that quite literally cooks the love into each meal. read more

Pho of the Desert - YUMMY tofu spring roll with peanut sauce 3 - Vietnamese Near Me - Indio, California

[[HIGHLIGHT]]This place is disgusting. Very dirty and the food isn't good.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Came here on the way back to Arizona. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The walls and tables were dirty.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I ordered pho and fried rice, the fried rice was crunchy like they overly fried or used day old dried rice. Horrible experience. Barely ate the food. read more

While visiting Indio, I suddenly found myself craving pho. Being originally from Southern California--and now living in Las Vegas--I've been spoiled with great pho spots over the years, so I was excited to try this place after seeing the positive reviews. I ordered the tofu and vegetable pho, and my husband ordered a beef pho (either flank or brisket). On the surface, everything looked right: the bowls had all the classic ingredients you'd expect. But what was missing was the "love." The broth was extremely hot--hotter than the typical comforting warmth pho usually has--and unfortunately lacked flavor. It tasted like something essential had been forgotten. Good pho usually has depth, richness, and care in every sip, but this bowl felt flat and rushed. We also ordered the egg rolls, and that was another disappointment. The wrappers looked warped, and the lettuce served alongside was wilted, giving the impression that the dish had been sitting out too long. The woman working there--possibly the owner--was kind enough to refund us for the egg rolls, and I genuinely appreciated that. Based on our experience, I can only assume that either the reviewers who gave this place high marks may not know what truly great pho tastes like... or perhaps there's a different chef who cooks on other days. Food is more than ingredients placed in a bowl; it's an expression of the person preparing it. It's art, comfort, and passion mixed together. Maybe the kitchen just wasn't having the best day when we visited. I always want to support local spots, but for me, this visit fell short of what pho should be. read more

Ordered a Brisket Pho, Spring rolls, and a chicken bahn mi. The spring rolls and chicken bahn mi were delicious and I was very pleased with the flavors. The reason I'm giving 3 stars is because my husband ordered a Brisket Pho and he was very disappointed in the lack of brisket in it for the price tag ($16) I believe and I was looking at his soup and agreed it did lack I understand prices have gone up but it was just disappointing if we come back we'll remember to order extra meat. read more

April 2024. If you're here for COACHELLA, expect price gouging for everything on the menu. Per other Elite reviews, it seems like they do this every year. Not to mention the trademark infringement of the Coachella logo on their current menu and the fact that they ONLY SELL bottled water and don't have free drinking water which is another illegal move in the State of California: "The Law. According to California Civil Code Section 114376, restaurants in California are required to offer free, fresh drinking water to their patrons" The PHO is currently $19.90 before tax and tip. Vermicelli (bun) is also $19.90 and Bahn mi $13.90. Three months ago it was $16, the non-Coachella price. We also substituted one of the dishes' vermicelli with rice and were charged an extra $3 which was not informed to us. The Vietnamese food gets a 2/5 for someone who is from the San Gabriel Valley. The food is fine but far from satisfying. Everything is premade and assembled upon order so the thinly grilled pork and shrimp had that "been sitting on the counter" texture. It all came out in about a minute. The 1 star is for the unfortunate approach they've taken to take advantage of the festival goers for the month. Very saddened to see this sneaky business tactic happen. It is not a place I will ever return to again. read more

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They pulled out their Coachella menus on us with price gouging. If it's a good restaurant, they will get customers regardless, even more without the Coachella menu. Food: 6/10 they gave very little meat. My piece of meat was 50% bone as shown in the video. Our table also ordered #52 I could be wrong, it was a vermicelli dish. They gave so much noodles and veggies but only 1-3 thinly sliced cut meat. We also got one togo order but didn't open to check. THERE WAS ONLY ONE PIECE OF THINLY SLICED MEAT for the vermicelli dish. The food was okay, but for the price I had to pay not worth it. Service: we asked one of the server if there's peanut in one of the bowl because we specifically specified that we can't have peanut due to allergies, but the server replied with "I don't know, they just gave it to me. I guess not." lol playing guessing game on people's life. I asked if she could just go confirm with the kitchen, but she asks me back if I still want the dish. So unprofessional. Also, you either buy filter water like water bottles or get tap water. They were gonna charge us for water, too. The fact that they increased the price and want to charge us for every little thing is ridiculous. Will not be back again. read more

Pho of the Desert - Vietnamese Near Me - Indio, California

The portions are getting smaller every time. I placed an online order for pickup and when I got home the order was missing items.

[[HIGHLIGHT]]My kids absolutely love this place.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Perfect for any weather and very good service[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] . You get seated right away and food is served fairly quickly read more

I love coming here, they are fast and attentive and friendly people. Thank you. Food was amazing & [[HIGHLIGHT]]the environment was friendly[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Our friends live in Indio. I asked the two them if they've ever been. Oh yeah. Said the food was good but the prices were too high for a bowl of pho. Hubby & I live in the Bay Area. We're accustomed to high food prices. We went for lunch after the Art festival at the Empire Polo grounds. The front looked very unassuming. Once inside it's very roomy. Plenty of booths and rectangular tables for larger dining parties. Hubby always orders the pho combo at any Vietnamese restaurant while I lean towards the grilled pork with egg rolls vermicelli cold noodles bowl. We both enjoyed what we order. 90% of everything on the menu goes for $16.09. Odd until you get your bill. Our two orders cane to $35.00. Easy arithmetic all the way around. Service was quick and efficient. Located at the Food 4 Less shopping center. I plan to come again the next time I'm in the Coachella Valley. Plenty of free parking. read more

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All the food were so good! Amazing service and staff. Would definitely come back again!!!

Even now i go there i get the same food every time and it tastes fantastic and it's always accurate season or the way they make it is so perfect every time. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Kudos to the Chef the place is nice to sit down and enjoy for some veggie mix egg rolls and plenty other things.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

The best pho I have ever had. The sweetest family runs this place. I love this place so much

Summer rolls, chicken wings and Vietnamese coffee are great! The pho broth is ok, not the best I ever had. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Popular place![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

The food was okay, but the service was bad. I asked for no vegetables, yet they still brought my dish with veggies. One of the servers then grabbed a spoon from the table and started brushing the vegetables off while the plate was still in front of me, which was really gross and uncomfortable. While I normally don't care much about the price and have been here before, the service has consistently not been good. The food was expensive, and although it was delicious, the poor service really took away from the experience. read more

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Friendly, good service, large portions. What's not to like! We were looking for New Years eats and saw their sign. Positive experience.

Pho was ok but the grilled pork vermicelli bowl was awsome. The sauce was perfectly seasoned and very tasty.

I just had the brisket and steak pho and it was so delicious. I come here every year for Coachella and this place is a must try. We come here about two times a week during Coachella and the owner of this place is so nice and sweet. I've also tried the vermicelli and it's so delicious and refreshing, especially after working all day in the heat. 10/10 recommend oh and the portions are huge read more

Pho of the Desert - Steak and brisket pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Indio, California

Amazing!! Pho was not bland at all. Service was fast. [[HIGHLIGHT]]A lot of people in and out. So it must be good.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The broth was light but pack with super flavor. The grilled pork spring rolls was super refreshing. read more

Pho of the Desert - Vietnamese Near Me - Indio, California

I was never into pho before getting recommended this spot. Great food, their staff is professional, friendly and welcoming. Now I've grown an obsession for their brisket pho, and I'd definitely come back here everytime! Best in the valley no question about it. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Clean, quick, and tasty![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Keep em comin read more

Pho of the Desert - Was recommended the 21. Pho Dac Biet! 10/10 - Vietnamese Near Me - Indio, California

Good food. Found this restaurant on Yelp and it is about 5 minutes off of the interstate. Located in a strip mall; we ordered our food to go since we were en route to Scottsdale. Service was fast and pleasant. Huge portions! We ordered three chicken banh mi that were easily about a foot long in addition to a chicken pho. Both the banh mi and pho were quickly prepared and ready within 15 minutes of placing our order. Give it a try; you'll enjoy it! read more

Pho of the Desert - Chicken pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Indio, California

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This is barely edging out Pho Vu down the street for us, and it's mostly about the Pho. Slightly richer taste, bigger serving, more steak. Also had the Bun Thit Nuong Cha Gio (Pork noodles with sliced eggroll) and it was delicious. Nice interior and great service. Can't go wrong with this place. read more

Pho of the Desert - Bun with pork & eggroll - Vietnamese Near Me - Indio, California