It's my go-to pho place in the area. They got the best portion of pho and meat with reasonable price. Simply order through the counter and they will deliver your food to your table. I highly recommend their bun bo hue and eggroll! read more

Stopped by after a grocery run and thought the food was overall pretty mediocre. The staff here is very friendly though! You need to order before you sit down, they give you a number and you can sit anywhere. We ordered the pho rare steak & tendon and the lemongrass beef vermicelli. The broth of the pho was only ok, the flavor wasn't memorable or very deep. The vermicelli was disappointing because the beef wasn't that tender or flavorful. I might come back again to give it one more shot since it is very convenient to where I live read more

Pho Play - Lemongrass beef vermicelli - Vietnamese Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Lots of parking, also lots of seating inside. Family owned & operated. You order and pay first then pick a seat and they bring it out. They have multiple sauces available on the table to alter your pho or other dishes. There were 6 of us and we ordered separately. Our food came out super fast. Truly all of our food was pretty basic. We've all had better pho that was more flavorful. The fried wontons weren't very filled inside. My sister who got the rice paper rolls felt like the meat inside was bland. Good place for a lunch or dinner, but overall kinda mid. read more

Pho Play - Rice Paper Rolls Pork, pho chicken, grilled pork bowl & fried wontons - Vietnamese Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Love the broth, fresh veggies, meat. Quiet place. U place your order at the register and they bring ur food to u.

Food is great! You pay at the front and then get your food brought over to the table. One thing that threw me off though is that when I asked for hot water I was charged 2$. Before I wasn't charged for water but now playing 2$ per person that wants hot water. I don't agree with this charge but I enjoy eating here and would recommend the food to anyone. read more

Pho Play - Pho Rare Steak - Vietnamese Near Me - Castro Valley, California

The food and service was excellent. Consistent food items. Bunch Mi is great. I get the vegan so good. This trip I ordered the vegan Pho. Equally good. Broth so layered and fresh. read more

Great food! I ordered the Pho with rare beef and meatballs and it was delicious. I also got the shrimp rice paper wraps and asked for extra peanut sauce. Ice (front desk cashier/server) was super attentive and helpful. Great early dinner on a Monday afternoon I even had the whole place to myself which was a plus. read more

Conveniently located right off the freeway, Pho Play is quick and easy to access and get a great Vietnamese experience. Modern looking restaurant with inside and outdoor dining offering a traditional Viet fare. Although I'm not Vietnamese, I was thinking I would see the Vietnamese names of the dishes. I was a little confused when I saw it in English, LOL. The menu was organized by type of dish; appetizer, pho, banh mi, bao buns, grilled, and specialty. I was searching for Bun Thit Nuong. It's grilled beef over vermicelli noodles. I was happy to see it under the grilled section listed as lemongrass beef. Yay! I also ordered the fried egg roll and the brown sugar boba milk drink. The food came out, like most Viet restaurants, very quickly. Like less than 5 minutes. The pork and veggie eggroll was crunchy, tasty, and the fish sauce is always a great compliment to the roll. The grilled beef was very delicious. There was a large quantity of beef and noodles. It was marinated with lemongrass as expected, perfectly grilled, and very tender. The brown sugar boba milk drink was a little disappointing. It was served in a slim mason jar and you could see the brown sugar and boba at the bottom. But the brown sugar that gives the drink its name was quite skimpy. When I took the straw and stirred the bottom into the milk, it didn't even change the color of the drink. When I took a sip of it, my disappointment was complete. Like, in Darth Vader voice, "Your disappointment is complete". Whatever. I forgive them because the meal was very tasty, filling, and made me happy. ***There is an item under the specialty section named Pho Play Challenge.*** You must eat 2 lbs of noodles, 1/2 lb of protein, and 2 quarts of broth in 1 hour. The rules are 1 person, 1 hour, no bathroom breaks, and keeping it down for 5 minutes. If you Chinle the challenge following the rules, they comp you the meal and you win the cash jackpot. Thank you Pho Play. read more

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This place was bad, the food seemed old as if they're stretching leftovers too far. The pho meat was cooked before being added to the broth and the chicken had a bad Chinese food flavor and tasted nothing like a typical Vietnamese grill. I will never go back. read more

Very small portions the soup was very small and for the price you pay I would at more noodles it was disappointing

Just the drinks! Thai tea 10/10 $4 for 24 oz - wish it had more creamer - sweetness and tea flavor was on point Matcha green Thai tea 10/10 $4 for 24 oz - wish it was more creamy - LOVED this! Not really matcha but more of a green tea mixed with Thai tea and it's amazing Overall, nice service and drinks came out fast. Can't wait to stop by to try the rest of their menu! This place was super aesthetic and they do curbside pickup!! read more

Pho Play - Matcha green Thai tea (left) and Thai tea (right) - Vietnamese Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Food is always great! Fast and hot and plentiful. Value and flavor. Definitely one of our favorites for Vietnamese food.

I've been coming here since they first opened, so I don't write this review lightly, but it seems they've recently started serving lower quality bits and pieces of steak in their pho, which is disappointing at $16/bowl. Service was prompt and decor/atmosphere are cohesive. read more

Very delighted to have found this pho place! I live in Dublin and it has some good pho places, but today I wanted to try a new place. Searched on internet and found Pho play and it had good reviews. After a short drive we got here. The place is pretty big with lots of seating area and the decor is simplistic but modern. We were hungry so quickly ordered their signature pho with rare beef, brisket, and flanks. The pho noodle came soon after we sat down and it looked delicious! First, the broth was aromatic and seasoned very well and still tasted just as good at the end after I finished the noodles. Secondly, the pho noodles were cooked just right and had nice texture, and to my surprise, it didn't really get soggy as it sits on the soup. Even though it's pricey (around $15 per bowl), I would rather eat here than pay $12 to eat an unsatisfying bowl of pho. We also tried the egg rolls and that was good but nothing worth mentioning. Will come visit again. read more

Came here twice, parking depends on time of day and/or occasion. Today, the order came fairly quick. Ordered at around 6:30pm, parking was somewhat packed, to like 90% by my estimation. The pho is okay, nothing special or unique. I haven't been here for about 7 months and the pho dac biet price was raised from $13 to $17. What broke me mentally today was that i ordered and paid for the 24oz thai tea and got the 16oz thai tea. Maybe i should've noticed, or checked; was my first time ordering a drink from the place and was tired from a day's work and a 40 minute drive thru traffic. Regardless, won't be coming back anytime soon. read more

Pho Play - Ordered and paid for 24oz and got the 16oz :( - Vietnamese Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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This placed served me old meat. I ordered a chicken Vietnamese sandwich. I bit into it and the meat was disgusting. I couldn't differentiate if the meat was chicken or pork. It did not taste fresh at all. It looked dark and had dried up pieces to it. I called to get a refund and they made it impossible. I asked if the meat was fresh and the employee wouldn't answer the question. She reluctantly refunded me after many minutes of going back and forth with her. Never again. read more

Pho Play has been my "go to" choice for quick, healthy take away food when I'm in the neighborhood (Castro Valley) orders are easy via online or phone & you can pay via square or at pick up. You can also order in person. Food is fresh & tasty & service is friendly. I've had their summer rolls, pot belly buns & banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich). Each order can be customized to your choice of protein (pork, chicken, shrimp, beef, including tofu only for vegetarians) but I'm omnivorous when it comes to Vietnamese food. Their bao (buns) are pillowy soft with a hint of sweetness. Perfection to me. Lots of parking available as this is located in a strip mall. read more

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This is my favorite place to go when I'm in Castro valley 10/10 I love this place and there food is SO good I could eat it all day I recommend the seafood pho read more

The food is flavorful, great portions at very good prices. The restaurent is clean and the staff is efficient and helpful. The outdoor tables are regularly sanitized now during Covid and they have heaters too! Ordered the tofu spring rolls and the chicken Banh mi (minus the pate), both were so good. Tiffany our waitress served with a smile. The restroom is super clean!! All in all, I'm going back read more

Pho Play - Chicken Banh mi and Tofu spring rolls - Vietnamese Near Me - Castro Valley, California

First time I tried this place was several weeks ago. Food was aplenty and thus fulfilling. I order the trip with tendon phó and was very pleased. Didn't need to order extra anything and I still got full. The appetizers taste great. I will go back again as I am still looking for my replacement phó shop since the last one closed down while I was living out of state. read more

This has got to be the BEST pho place ever. I have tried other spots and I don't find them appetizing like pho play, this one is and always will be my go to. Very nice inside too & good customer service ! read more

Pho Play - Shrimp pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Pho is always good! I normally always get the rare steak pho, and the broth is always very delicious! have also gotten egg rolls and they are very good. The portion size is also good for what you are paying for. Customer service is great, and the service is fast, the food usually comes out within 5 minutes. read more

Pho Play - Vietnamese Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Came here for lunch with a small group of family. More of your modern style of decoration. Plenty of parking since it's in a plaza. You start off by ordering your food at the front before you sit down, which is a bit different from your traditional pho restaurant. We got PHO PLAY which was their version of the combination. The food came out quite fast as it wasn't as busy, the portions were decent for the price and the flavor was on point. Also tried out 2 different meat for the rice plate (pork belly and lemongrass beef). Both meat was very well marinated, full of flavor. I would come back if I'm in the area craving for Pho. read more

Came across this new pho place and decided to give it a try. The restaurant is more modern vibe and not a traditional selection of pho options. I decided to try their special which is spicy lemongrass based. It had pretty good flavor and was not overly spicy just had a nice kick to it. I also tried their spring rolls and they were HUGE. Overall food was food. Service was quick and the staff were nice. You have to order first before you are able to take a seat. Would come back to try some other dishes. read more

Came for lunch, service was very fast. We ordered our food inside, then snatched up a table outside and waiting for them to bring us our meal. The portions were fairly big, they definitely don't skimp out on the meat. We ordered the beef spring rolls, I didn't care too much for it, the shrimp ones were probably good, so I do wish I just had ordered that instead. I ordered the pork belly vermicelli bowl. Again, portions were fairly big, it also came with an over easy egg. Lots of meat! My friends ordered the BBH and combo salad.. they said it was ok. read more

Pho Play - Pork belly Verm bowl - Vietnamese Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Not a bad place to pick up some Vietnamese food. I appreciate the quick food preparation. My family placed our order at 11:45 AM and it was already ready for pick up before 12 PM. We ordered four items in total - Pho Play (dac biet) x 2 (one with soup modification), Spicy Lemongrass Bun Bo Hue, and for me, Salad Shrimp. Personally, I don't come across many Vietnamese restaurants that serve a salad dish so I wanted to give it a try. The place is well setup for contactless pick ups. All the orders that were ready was spaced out with written names on it. The counter place is all guarded with plexiglass and there is someone behind the counter if you have any questions. Sanitizer is also available for customers if needed. The Salad Shrimp comes with a container of fish sauce and sambal. For the amount of grilled shrimp and salad portion, I think it's a fair price. The salad includes a mix of lettuce, spring mix, bean sprouts, carrots, onions, some purple cabbage, and it comes topped with a fried egg. Can we just take a moment to appreciate how perfectly circular and beautiful that egg is?! That was the best part to eat. The shrimp is lightly grilled, but it is a little more on the bland side, but the amount of shrimp you get makes up for it. I appreciate how thin they sliced the greens so it's easier to chew and I also liked how the shrimps had a slight outer crunch to it. Some other notes and comments about the other dishes from my family: - Noodles from the Pho Play was slightly undercooked. Although, I would prefer it this way than it being soggy. - Because these are takeout orders, you may want to bring your soup back to a boil if you like your food hot. From the looks of it, portion and price point is fair for all the dishes. I think if you're craving for Vietnamese food and you're local to the area, it's a decent place to try. It's neither amazingly good or bad, but it was a satisfying meal. A solid 3.5 star, but rounding it up for the quick preparation and having all the safety measures in place! read more

Pho Play - Salad Shrimp - Vietnamese Near Me - Castro Valley, California

- cafeteria style, order/pay and then sit with your number - really big portions and reasonably priced - matcha green thai tea w boba: hype is not wrong, really good with a decently strong flavor, boba stayed chewy - pork belly salad bowl: big portion, they give you containers of sambal and fish sauce. i liked the marinade on the meat, but would probably try a different meat next time. the pickled veg was good and the bowl comes with a sunny side up egg - probably the best viet food in cv read more

Food- delicious but on the smaller portion size ( given the price ) Service - very bizarre method. You stand in line and pay for the order and then you are seated but you don't actually get " served " or a formal waiter. Ambiance - not the best , it's in a Safeway shopping plaza & feels like a " to go " place. They can really improve the dining area. read more

My go to pho spot their Thai teas are the best perfect ratio of milk to tea. My go to is the seafood pho

Neighborhood pho place located on a strip mall by 24 hour fitness and Petco. Friendly service with a variety of pho, banh mi, rolls and drinks. Not your mom and pop's pho joint but rather a contemporary twist. Order your food at the counter, a number is assigned and find a table. During the pandemic time, you were assigned a table. Luckily we are out of the woods where mask is optional. For a light selection, the fresh spring roll is a good choice otherwise you can't go wrong with any of their pho. My friends enjoy their banh mi. Good place for light meal with friendly service. read more

I can only speak for the banhmi here since I haven't hard their pho before in any of my visits, but speaking strictly to the banhmi, Pho Play makes one fantastic banhmi. Located in the same shopping center as Safeway (the one by Crow Canyon), Pho Play is near the free way entrance, but can also be accessible if you just take Crow Canyon as well, since that will eventually hit Castro Valley. I've tried the chicken banhmi, the lemongrass beef banhmi, but my favorite is probably still the pork belly banhmi. If you see the picture, you may notice that there's also a sunnyish side up egg (a couple, also, sunnyish because it's not runny), and I must recommend adding this to your banhmi as it's one of my favorite add-ons that I wish other banhmi places would offer. As for the rest of the banhmi, all of the ingredients are fresh, well seasoned, well made, and just has a very inviting feel to the sandwich as an entirety. Meat quality is just nicely done here, and you really can't go wrong with any of the banhmi you find at Pho Play. Again, I can only speak to the sandwiches here as I've not had the opportunity to try their pho. read more

Pho Play - Vietnamese Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Pho Play is simply amazing! The Pho is so fresh and the salads are awesome. I love the pork and shrimp read more

Pho Play - Salad with pork chops and shrimp. So darn good! - Vietnamese Near Me - Castro Valley, California

I don't like the food here at all. I think it's one of the worst pho in the bay area. I wish their food is better. I really do. Location is not too busy in a nice area. They need to step up in their broth and meat quality. I came here many times over the years and still hate it. The only reason i come here is when i need a quick lunch ... read more

Pho Play is a more modern and trendy pho restaurant. The tables were a bit high and it was not the most comfortable dining experience. It is kind of on the pricier side, but I feel like you are paying more for the ambience. I ordered the Pho Play, which is like their version of a combination pho. I also decided to try their Matcha Green Thai Tea because it sounded interesting, it was my first time trying that kind of drink, so I did not not know what to expect because I usually like matcha and Thai tea, but as separate drinks. The pho itself was decent, but it was average and definitely not worth the price when I could had went somewhere else for the same meal or a better pho at a cheaper price. read more

My friend and I got hungry and I suggested this place. Parking isn't hard to find since it is in a big lot. Once you step into the restaurant you are like, whoa! It is not your typical Vietnamese place. This place accepts cards! WOOOO! You order first then sit at any of the open tables. Fountain drinks, condiments, veggie add ons are all available on the side. The place is SUPER clean too. We both got Bahn mi sandwiches and they are HUGE. They are at least 25% larger than your regular sandwiches. If you aren't hungry, I would suggest sharing it with another person or take it to go. They aren't the traditional Bahn mi as well. Hard to explain since the one's I am used to is smeared with pate. I hardly taste the pate in the sandwiches. We also got egg rolls. I would skip that. It was OK. I would love to come back and try other things~ read more

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Easy parking spot located in shopping plaza next to 24 Hour Fitness. Order first at the register before sitting down. The staff brings condiments and utensils to you along with your food. Overall, portion is reasonable and filling. I had the meatball and steak bowl $16. Considering average prices for pho, this is the highest I've ever paid. The 3 star rating takes into account value for what you get. Broth is tasty but doesn't have distinct cardamom and spice flavors I prefer. Clean dining area and restroom, great A/C and plenty of seating. If you're looking for a place for a quick bite, this is the spot. But if you're looking for authentic flavor plus value, check out another spot. read more

Pho Play - Steak and beef ball $16 - Vietnamese Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Came here on a Sunday for lunch and surprised that they werent busy. They are located in a plaza right next to 24 hour fitness. Lots of parking in front of the restaurant. First impression of the restaurant was that it was very clean and modern. Walked in and we were greeted right away by friendly workers. Menu is right up front, so you have to order first then get seated. Their prices are a slightly higher compared to other pho places ive been too. They dont have a choice for small, medium or large bowls. Just one size and one price. We got the Pho Play bowl ($14) which is a combination of all their meats and we also got the Brisket and Flank bowl ($13) Also got the Grilled Pork Bao Buns ($8) got this togo Their bowls are pretty big, like a medium for most places. Their broth was good and the soup came out really hot. Their meat was super tender and the cuts were great. The bao buns were okay but its maybe because we didnt get to eat it fresh since we got it togo. They also have boba milk teas! I would love to try their Matcha Thai green tea next time. Overall, pretty impressed with their pho and would definitely come back! Also they accept credit/debit/apple pay! Which is great because lots of pho places are cash only. read more

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A pretty good place to eat at when you're craving Pho. It's very modern so you order the food and pay first and then they seat you after. The Pho I ordered was pretty good, but the broth was a little salty for me. I also ordered the Thai tea and that was really good actually. I ordered grilled pork baos to go and those were also really good. I would probably come back again when I'm in town of Castro Valley. Get the Thai tea, it was really good here. read more

Pho Play - Thai tea - Vietnamese Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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Service is always great here. Food is fresh and delicious!Workers seem happy and very attentive to your needs.

Yummy Pho! i love the decor and ambiance it feels very clean open and modern. The portions are really good i took a full container home and left with a full belly.The eggrolls were veggie eggrolls but didn't seem like it , it had a brown filling and i couldn't make out any veggies in there only mush which is the first time i have had that in a veggie egg roll. Service could be better, we never got checked on we had to go up to them 3-4 times and they are very stingy with their jalapeños and lime LOL. they only give you 2 slices of jalapeño and 1 lemon each and when i asked for more she gave me the same amount even tho we were 2 people. the siracha was watery for some reason. read more

Pho Play - chicken pho veggie Eggrolls - Vietnamese Near Me - Castro Valley, California