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    Pho Papa

    3.8 (796 reviews)
    ModerateVietnamese, Soup, Noodles
    Closed 8:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Pho Papa Photos

    Business Info

    PHO PAPA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Classy
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Pho Papa

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    Reviews With Photos

    Anh P.

    Come back after a long time, their food always hits just like the first time! This is one of the top pho spots in the Bay Area for sure! I always order pho dac biet, a very filling meal with huge beef portions (brisket, raw, tendons, rib etc). Their pho broth is a highlight, it's northern style with a clear broth and very flavorful. Unfortunately we arrive too late when the store is almost close, so they ran out of fresh rice noodles (which I highly recommend ordering if you have a chance - fresh noodles have a very smooth and silky texture). Still quick service & clean store! I always recommend this pho spot to all of my friends!

    Alice H.

    Everything was delicious, and the service was incredibly fast. I ordered my usual order, the #1 Beef noodle soup with the special beef rib, and it did not disappoint. The broth was rich and flavorful without being too salty, and the variety of beef cuts added great texture.

    Dac biet and oxtail soup side
    Quoc H.

    Parking: Large plaza with a lot of spots but quite packed. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Interior: very viet authentic vibes, moderately clean, not that spacious. Good up to medium size groups or splitting up bigger groups.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Wait Time: No wait mid afternoon weekend and food came in about 5-10min Items Order: 6/10 Dac Biet $17.35L - Some of the meats ran out but they're literally a pho shop?? Also it was during the day so dinner crowd did not even arrive yet. Noodles were very mid but there was no mention of fresh noodles options. It looks like they have it but you need to ask because not on menu. Meat was average but small portion. Broth was actually solid. Sriracha is knock off not standard. 2/10 Oxtail Soup $9.9- THEY FREEZE THEIR OXTAIL AND SERVE IT COLD!!! The broth from the oxtail soup was lukewarm when it arrived unlike the hot broth from pho! The meat inside was also cold. This means their oxtail was premade frozen and just defrosted with the broth. On top of that the oxtail portion is extremely small and tough meat. HORRIBLE QUALITY SO AVOID Card Fee $2.93 - no mention on menu either

    Dac biet special. Barely any meat and broth is really dark not traditional northern style more southern style.
    Matt V.

    Pho Papa gets a lot of hype, but my experience didn't fully live up to it. [[HIGHLIGHT]]On the plus side, the outdoor seating is a nice touch, especially if you want a more relaxed, casual vibe.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service was quick and efficient, which I appreciated. The meat itself was tender and clearly good quality, so they're doing something right there. That said, the broth was a letdown for me. It leaned too sweet and had a darker profile than I prefer, which took away from that clean, balanced pho flavor you expect. The bigger issue though was the portioning. I ordered a special and it came with no meatballs which was odd for a "special dac biet", and the amount of meat was surprisingly small. It honestly felt like there was barely any protein in the bowl. You could clearly see a lot of noodles, which is not what you want with pho. At most other spots, the meat is layered generously on top to the point where the noodles are almost hidden. That wasn't the case here. Overall, it's a decent spot with good service and tender meat, but the broth and portion size need work. I'd come back if they fix the balance and start being more generous with the meat.

    Number 4 small with no flavor no love in the broth
    Cheryl G.

    Finally tried this place an it's no for me. Menu is a one pager with a variety of drinks to choose from. I had the number 4 small with thin noodles. You can choose thick but there's no fresh option. Bowl was brought out super fast, piping hot. I don't mix anything into my broth at any pho place. I like to try the pureness of the broth origin. The number 4 with brisket and steak looked good but it missing everything. No love in the broth what so ever. No depth or flavor it was not good. It tasted bland and sad. I texted my husband and said I'm not bringing you here.

    2 Phở Đặc Biệt (1) & Phở Chin (9)
    emily d.

    My and my parent's favorite pho spot in the bay and SJ. Always go to 1. Phở Đặc Biệt for them and 9. Phở Chin for me. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Best broth with easy service and nice interior and exterior seating.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Also large servings for the price point and never disappoints, I always look forward to this coming home.

    I want to try everything on their menu
    Lucy P.

    They have remodeled, kept the price the same and provided much better customer service

    Beef Rib Special ($8)
    Alisa B.

    It's a decent spot to get some pho in San Jose! Seating is pretty cramped and there can be a long waitlist on the weekends, but it's worth a visit! The broth can be on the oily side, but the flavor is good! Light and not too salty. They are really generous with the portion of beef! Almost more beef than noodles!! The beef rib special is yummy and high quality! The two of us shared this and it was FALL OFF THE BONE tender!

    Kevin D.

    The pho had a rich broth. They didn't have the fat noodles when I went. The pho was good but it's pretty average compared to other pho restaurant.

    Pho Tai Chin
    Juliet T.

    Growing up, I've usually had Pho Papa as take out but for this visit, I dined in with my friends. I ordered a small (#4) Pho Tai, Chin with flat noodles. The broth was good and clear, but nothing spectacular. I liked that they were generous with their meat though! The sizing was also the perfect portion for me. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant is pretty small/cramped, I think I elbowed the people behind me a few times (sorry!).[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]There were a lot of little flies flying around and a few spiders/cobwebs in the window corners.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    Sarah C.

    Pho Papa is good! But..... I got the #1 and wanted to sub the tendon with the meatballs, and didn't know I was going to be charged a sub fee. I know you could add it for additional price but damn! I should just said no tendon. It would've been nice for the server to ask. They also charge a 3% fee for card so cash is preferred for this place. I got an order of the hanh dam which I like putting sriracha over it. Super good. Besides the substitution issue, everything was fine. Didn't realize pho got super expensive over the past couple years. After paying card for 2 small bowls of pho (1 with substitution) with the hanh dam, the total after tax was $43.24! Without tip! Wow. I tipped $8, but but no pho is ever worth paying over $50.

    Amanda M.

    I came here on weekend since I wanted some pho. It was a good sign when I saw on the menu they only serve pho. I got the small Phở Đặc Biệt which came with thinly sliced beef, brisket, flank, tendon, fat brisket and fresh noodles. I also got a side of their beef rib. The food came out pretty quickly after ordering. The broth itself is a little sweet for me on its own, but they have fish sauce and lime to help balance it out. The meat quality was good and a big portion for a size small. The beef rib was much bigger than anticipated but it was also delicious. Overall, this is good pho. Will come back here again.

    Grace N.

    Finally got to try Pho Papa in January. When my dad was still alive he raved about this place whenever he went up to SJ to visit. My partner and I finally got to try it and it was very good. Broth and meat were good and the fresh noodles were yummy! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Store was clean and staff was fast and efficient![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Simple, delicious and yummy! Highly recommend!

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    Service wasn't so good with unfriendly staff; and the pho broth was flavorless. I could've made better pho at home

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    1 year ago

    Pretty good Beef Pho and Fresh Lemon with soda and we got our order very fast would love to come here again

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    Page 4 of 20

    Pho Papa Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Pho Papa

    Do they take card or only cash?

    Both.

    Do you have any vegetarian pho and vegetarian options?

    No. This place is not vegetarian friendly.

    Is the business open for dine in now?

    Outdoor seating is now open

    What's the best soup I am sick so that's why I am asking?oh sorry to be pacific for cold and fewer?

    they put so much MSG not good for your health ok

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    (261 reviews)
    0.2 mi
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    I've had Leung Noodle bookmarked for so long and it did not disappoint. It's pretty popular at all…read morehours (even during the morning when they open) so be prepared for a slight wait at times, but service is quick. I love how customizable the menu is. You can order soup or dry style, then choose between 6 different types of noodles, then finally choose your broth. The possibilities are endless! We went with the classic which was dry, combination noodles (which includes egg noodle and rice noodle), and nam vang (shrimp and pork). This is their most popular order and you can't go wrong! If you order it dry, it comes with a side of soup. My issue with Hu Tieu Nam Vang at other restaurants is that sometimes it's too dry and there's not enough sauce. Not a problem at Leung Noodle! They have a perfect amount of sauce that coat all the noodles really well. Tons of meat too - I'm not even able to finish it! They have sides that you can use like pickled garlic and chili spice. Would recommend getting a side of Chinese donuts too. It pairs really well with the noodles!

    It was decent. I'd rate it a 3.5 stars. I thought the portion looked small but it turned out to be…read morejust the right amount. The wonton is not good. Needed more flavor. The fried shrimp dumpling is not worth it. Legit looked like har gow but they deep fried it. Broth was good tho. The noodles had a nice chew. Although, I couldn't really tell if they used 2 types of noodles: egg noodles and Hu Tieu because of the dark sauce already mixed at the bottom. Service is a bit stand off ish. Funny how I can understand what they are saying. Prompt service tho. I'd come back if I was craving some Hu Tieu Nam Vang.

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    575 Miishien

    575 Miishien

    4.7
    (797 reviews)
    9.8 mi
    $$

    Really quite good. Convenient location right near the AMC Saratoga 14 movie theater. The seating…read moreis shared on long benches, so no real privacy per se, but it minimizes the wait times and makes things more efficient as far as getting people through. Ordering was via QR code on your phone, and there were enough choices to satisfy everyone in our party. The nice thing is you can order extra rice noodles (which are good!) for no extra charge. The spicy pork noodles was satisfying, flavor was layered enough to be interesting, I enjoyed the broth and had to restrain myself a bit from drinking it. So filling, satisfying, and quick - a good combination.

    3 of us came here for lunch on Jul 4 before catching a movie. The restaurant was conveniently…read morelocated right next to AMC Saratoga 14. Parking was easy. We arrived around 12:30pm, and were seated immediately at the corner of the communal table. Service was bare minimal but efficient. We ordered via a QR code, and helped ourselves to the water already at the table. There's a self-serve sauce bar near the entrance as well. The restaurant wasn't too big inside and there was a short line outside while we're there. The line went away pretty quickly, though. Food came out within 10 minutes after placing our order. I had their Signature Free Range Chicken Big-bus Miishien Soup for the "crossing the bridge noodles" experience. The broth was piping hot and very flavorful. I put all the fixings and noodles into the broth except the cashew nuts and the chicken, which I put in right before I was about to eat them. The chicken was very lean and tender. I even ate the skin as there's no fat attached to it. I also loved the texture of the noodles. The mushroom was great, just too little of it. I wish they had used corn ribs or another vegetable as the corn kernels were very hard to fish from the broth. While it was a delicious and satisfying bowl of noodles, the "Big-bus" version was a bit overpriced. Our daughter liked her Small Pot Spicy Ground Pork Miishien Soup (Less Spicy), especially how the mini Chinese donuts soaked up the broth. I had a bit of her broth and ground pork, and it was yummy with just a bit of numbing spininess. We both liked their pickles from the sauce bar and at the table. My husband enjoyed his Small Pot Spicy Ground Pork Miishien Soup with free extra miishien as well. After selecting Checkout on Chowbus, payment was done via a staff who came by. I signed up for their rewards program when I ordered, and got 10% off. I would love to come back and try their spicy beef noodles. I noticed a promo sign outside the restaurant for some of their noodle dishes (@$12.99) from Monday to Thursday, during specific hours.

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    7 Noodles & Sizzling

    7 Noodles & Sizzling

    4.5
    (126 reviews)
    7.2 mi

    This place brought back so many memories of Taiwan. I ordered the steak sizzling plate with a mix…read moreof the black pepper and mushroom sauces, and it was absolutely delicious. The steak was flavorful, the sauces complemented each other perfectly, and that classic sizzling presentation made the whole experience even better. I also tried the beef noodle soup. It leaned slightly on the sweeter side, but I actually really enjoyed it because the broth had so much depth and flavor. Compared to a lot of other restaurants where the soup tastes flat or bland, this one had a much richer flavor profile. Overall, the food felt comforting and nostalgic, reminding me of the Taiwanese sizzling steak houses and noodle shops I grew up visiting. I'll definitely be coming back to try more of the menu.

    Tried 7 Noodles & Sizzling for the first time - close to our house and has a pretty diverse menu…read more I was in a ramen mood and ordered the Signature ramen. It was solid, with good noodles, generous amount of pork, some fish cakes, veggies, and an egg. The broth was good, but not top tier. In a place that sells many types of dishes and doesn't specialize in ramen, I understand everything can't be best-in-class. The egg, though, was hard boiled and didn't have a soft center, which I like. That seemed like a bit of a shortcut to be honest. My wife ordered a sizzling dish and liked it - perhaps that's their speciality. Service was good, the inside was pretty typical - nothing fancy, but nothing missing either. Good overall, would come here again for convenience and because the food is solid.

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    Kali Noodles and Tea Bar

    Kali Noodles and Tea Bar

    4.4
    (481 reviews)
    4.5 mi
    $$

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    Condiments

    Pho Papa - vietnamese - Updated August 2026

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