Pho Saigon has what one would expect on a decent Vietnamese menu, and the dishes are definitely tasty enough. Having frequented many (perhaps a hundred or more) Vietnamese restaurants since the '70s, I would say the food and prices are reasonable, but nothing outstanding. That said, they definitely have the potential to stand out...if only the service was ALSO, at minimum, reasonable.
Aside from the initial politeness of our server, this was some of the worst service I've experienced anywhere. There was a low volume of customers (no more than five tables at any given time), yet, once served, the servers sat at a table chatting and watching people without attending to their needs. There were a couple instances of customers raising their hands and just-short-of flailing to get a staff member's attention. Twice, we attempted verbally to get a refill on a drink and were rather pointedly ignored. (The guy was about two feet from us, turned his back upon being spoken to, then walked away.)
The server was suddenly "attentive" to customers once it was apparent they had finished their meals. He actually attempted to ignore us as he walked past; I'm guessing he just wasn't sure we were finished because I had half of my dish still in my bowl (pushed in front of me as a cue). Once we asked for the check, he was rather quick to provide such (non-itemized, only including a total) and scurried away without even asking if I might perhaps want a to-go container, forcing us to wait until we could ask for one once we regained his attention.
The culinary experience is the only salvaging factor here, but you can get that elsewhere, so I'd say this place is nothing special. I'll be driving past Pho Saigon in the future.
My ratings would be sorted as follows:
- Menu Offerings: 4 stars
- Food Quality: 3 stars (average)
- Value: 3 stars for Vietnamese, but 4 compared to other cuisines (3.5/4.5 if they would actually provide you with the free refills seriously touted by the server; our total sans tip was $19.00 for two people, and one of us had a beer [$3.50])
- Parking/Accessibility: I don't rate these unless there's something horrible at a 5-star restaurant, BUT I think it's worth noting that it's in a strip mall in a safe neighborhood, so there is very easy access.
- Environment: 3 stars (not a special date spot, but certainly fine: clean, attired well enough, and quiet)
- Service: 1 star (zero if not for the polite greeting and seemingly kind demeanor) read more