Fast and quick service what more can you ask from a Authentic pho restaurant? We live in Costa Mesa so to drive to Westminster to have "real pho" is about a 15-20min drive on top of that we are not a big fan of the traffic jam on the 405. Aside from their quick service finding English speaking Vietnamese establishment is like finding a rainbow unicorn. I love that they never get my order mixed up or have any trouble whatsoever with my never ending requests. I think it's safe to say we have now found our "regular" pho stop ;) read more

Pho Saigon Pearl - Rare steak & fatty flank yummmmss - Vietnamese Near Me - Irvine, California

Walking around this plaza, we were debating what to eat for dinner and although it didn't win by an overwhelming majority based on its reviews, we decided to try Pho Saigon Pearl. A typical pho place, there are lots of tables and patrons crammed into a somewhat small venue. The restaurant itself looks attractive with some modern decoration. The atmosphere is somewhat rushed; every table is full and there's people waiting outside for a seat, although it never seemed to be outrageously busy. We were seated and rushed to order almost immediately. I made some quick decisions--for an appetizer, I ordered the Cha Gio Saigon and a small Pho Dac Biet for my meal. My friend ordered the Com Bo Luc Lac. The Cha Gio arrived very quickly and were piping hot and freshly fried. I usually don't order Cha Gio because they tend to be so greasy, but thought I'd give this a try since it's advertised as their "signature appetizer". I immediately regretted my decision. The Cha Gio were practically soaked in grease and looked unappetizing, with darkened, burned pieces on the wrapper. I barely finished my first roll and did not eat any more rolls after that. The pho was much better, although it was pretty average as well. I tried some of the Com Bo Luc Lac and the presentation, along with the taste and flavor of the entrée, made me regret ordering pho in the first place. The Com Bo Luc Lac was definitely the winner that evening and if I were to venture to Pho Saigon Pearl again, I would choose that instead. Good, quick service but average food. I agree with most of the other reviewers, 3 stars. read more

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Been here several times. Not the best Viet food I've had but it's the only one in DJ. The food comes out pretty quick too. 3.5 stars *The pho is fine. I just wish they put more tendons and meat in the combination one. You have to almost dig for it *Pork chop rice is good and so is the beef cube rice. They come with salad and portios are pretty good ***Chicken wings are pretty tasty and yummy! Coated with honey My Che Ba Mau/Rainbow drink was very sweet and it was pretty much missing the third color. It had lots of red azuki beans and green jelly but not enough of the mung beans. Overall, a good place to grab quick dinner. Yelp 100 Challenge! 2015:18/100 read more

Quick Update. Never mind. There are way too many people here. So, the best way to make a profit and keep fast service. Skimp on the quality. Watered down soup and enough MSG to make you drinks a glass of water for every spoon of Pho soup that you drink. Even the porkchops and egg rolls.. is that salt? No it's MSG. I will pass. Unless I'm desperate, but I rather drive far away to have some better Pho. read more

I ordered #50 vermicelli w/grilled pork. The vermicelli is not a right one, it was thick & hard. The grilled pork tasted salty & not even grilled. Vegetable is terrible & not enough fish sauce. I'm so disappointed & wouldn't recommend for anyone to come here read more

- Locale Destination - It's on Alton Pkwy and Jamboree Rd in Irvine. It's in Diamond Jampobree (Big restaurant plaza). You can only get into it from Alton. Whoever design the shopping plaza was dumb. It's hard to get in, to find a parking structure, designs etc. Right by coffee shop and crawfish place. Ambiance: Simple, a bit modern side of pop and mom. Service: Minimal. Parking: Avoid peak times and carpool. And lots of dumb Irvine residents who drive crazy in the parking lot. So be careful. - Gluttony Expedition - #1 appetizer: Egg rolls you'll wrap with lettuce, cilantro, mints and pickles. Vietnamese places mostly make better egg rolls than Chinese ones. However, this wasn't the case. The egg roll was pretty much meh, nothing special. I had it better. Chicken pho: The pho broth was very sweet. I think they use MSG. My über healthy minded PIC got a tummy ache after. It was ok. A bit too sweet for my like. The portion was skimpy - both noodle and condiments. Very forgettable pho overall. - Conqueror's Deduction - Nothing wow, though it was crowded. Food here is just ok and a bit overpriced for what it is. It's Irvine. What do you expect? Go to Tustin for pho if you didn't want to drive all the way to Little Saigon. They have several better spots for cheaper price than this. read more

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This place is your typical Irvine pho store. People don't really come here because the pho is delicious, no they go to westminister for that. But you come here because there's only so many stores within DJ and this happens to be one of those stores that tends to be open late (compared to the rest of Irvine). The service is pretty fast, the food is decent (but not super memorable). This place is worth just three stars because it really is just A-OK. Everything is just alright, nothing is fantastic. read more

5 stars because this place just does it all right! The restaurant is clean and the interior design is modern and bright. The staff are very friendly and attentive, but were never over bearing. The two appetizers we ordered...the fresh spring rolls and the jumbo black prawn tempura were both incredibly delicious. Perfect start for our meal. My gf ordered some vermicelli bowl that was huge and offered a variety of flavors and textures which she loved. I ordered the Com Bo Lak Lak(filet mignon w/ grilled onions and mushrooms) and it was unbelievable! The steak was perfectly executed and so juicy! Ordered a fresh coconut beverage to quench the thirst and was a perfect addition to our meal. The prices are very reasonable and with the winning combination of flavor and freshness, and great service...I would definitely dine here again if I were in the area. read more

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I am very pleased that they opened a really tasty pho restaurant right down the street from where I live. I really enjoy heading over to Diamond-Jamboree plaza to grab good eats. This is the best pho restaurant in Irvine hands down. The prices are very reasonable and they take debit cards, which is a rarity. I have tried their dac biet (special) pho and really enjoyed it. I also have tried their rotisserie chicken, shaky beef, cafe sua da (iced coffee), and crispy fried egg rolls and all of it has been very tasty. The atmosphere is very clean and new with the staff providing great service. If you live in Irvine area and don't want to make the trek to Westminster to eat good Vietnamese food then go here. Oh yeah, if I hear another person ask for brown rice at a Vietnamese restaurant I think I might explode.... haha read more

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I have to update my review because we come here pretty regularly for a late night bowl of pho and it really hits the spot. The pho itself isn't spectacular as far as pho goes, but it's soothing and good enough. The ingredients are fresh, the service is good, and the place is very clean and modern. I always get the pho dac biet (combination pho) - $7.95 for the regular and $8.95 for the large. Make sure you ask for a side of vinegared onions - they don't give it to you unless you request it, but it really adds an extra dimension to the soup. Husband doesn't like pho (I know, right?!) so he always gets a rice plate with grilled beef ($6.95). The beef is really tender and well marinated. We usually share an order of vietnamese spring rolls ($5.50), but it's nothing special. Too much vermicelli noodles and not enough meat. The prices here are higher than average, but that's typical Irvine. read more

Mediocre food, tight space, and extremely slow service. I only come here when I really need a quick pho fix in Irvine. [Area]: Located inside DJ plaza so parking is always going to be tough. There is a good size seating but it's very tight and cramped. Not ideal for big groups. [service]: For the amount of workers they have, they're extremely slow and forgetful. I usually don't mind repeating a request because we're only human but if you're just standing around after I asked for a Togo box twice, that's kind of annoying. [food]: Im not entirely sure why but pho broth here doesn't taste quite like what I'm used to. And the chicken used for pho ga is super dry. read more

Pho Saigon Pearl - Vietnamese Near Me - Irvine, California

I always come to DJ, but this is my first time here. I came on a Sunday night and had trouble finding parking per usual, but the wait here wasn't long. It was full house tonight, but I waited only about 5 minutes. There is seating both in and outside which is good for people who prefer that. I would say that their menu have a big range of noodles and rice. I had the typical pho filet + meat ball combination. It was #21 I believe and I liked it because it gave me the option to choose the type of meat I like since I usually don't eat the tendon or tripe. There is also an option to choose between small or large which is also GREAT because I can never finish my food. 5 stars for option! In all seriousness I think that the food was good, but it didn't blow my mind. The service was quick, they were all very polite, spoke English well so there isn't a language barrier. They speak both Vietnamese and English if anyone wanted to know that. It is decently priced and a really good location since there isn't a lot of pho places around Irvine. I'd recommend it if you're craving Vietnamese food and didn't want to drive anywhere too far! read more

Pho Saigon Pearl - #21 with rare beef and beef balls - Vietnamese Near Me - Irvine, California

Living in Irvine for the past decade, I've come to the conclusion that there really are no solid pho restaurants outside Westminister, I came here based on the reviews that this place servers "better" pho in Irvine and I was disappointed. I ordered the "Pho Tai" large. The broth was not extremely salty but not that flavorful either. It lacked the tastiness that I enjoy in authentic pho soups. I probably won't be coming back here again and will stick to the my favorite places in the heart of Little Saigon. read more

Yay for having a good pho place in Irvine!!! It's about time!!! PHO TAI My go to pho. The broth is clean, flavorful, and the noodles are good. I ask for meat on the side and they did so. Nothing to complain about at all. The veggies are also fresh and clean. BUN THIT NUONG CHA GIO + TAU HU KY I love this dish, and this place is pretty awesome. The fish sauce is not too strong but gives a great flavor to the meats. The meats are tender and well marinated. I love the shrimp and the beef, and I also asked them to add the tofu skin. COCONUT JUICE Delicious and refreshing. SERVICE Service here is quite good. They are so nice and courteous, and some have some awesome sense of humor as well. read more

Pho Saigon Pearl - Bun thit nuong cha gio + tau hu ky - Vietnamese Near Me - Irvine, California

This used to be my favorite pho place in Irvine but I realized it's just not as good as I thought. Having plenty of good pho places in 626, I haven't had pho in the OC in a while. I was craving pho one day so we came here. Service is okay, pretty fast as usual for pho. Not much to talk about here. The pho in itself just seemed lacking in flavor. I feel like I had to add a lot of hoisin sauce and sriracha in order to make my pho salvageable. The noodles are a little different too in that they were a little too hard. Maybe I just came on a bad day, I don't know. They also give lemons instead of limes (if that's a concern). Overall I guess this place fulfilled my craving but it just wasn't as satisfactory as I recalled it to be! read more

Pho Saigon Pearl - Pho Tai - Vietnamese Near Me - Irvine, California

This place is extremely small, they try to squeeze the tables in as many as they can. If feels like eating in a sardine can. Service? Where is the service? When we were ordering, the waiter is writing everything down, but when he came back he left out one of our order. After we just finish our noodle, the waiter can't wait to give us the bill while I was still waiting for my order. Our table is too close to the kitchen door, we don't want to get hit by running workers, so we requested to change our table, the waiter refuse to replace us and told us that the tables beside the wall is for bigger groups. And 2 minutes later, he let a couple sit there. I assumed that he was too lazy to move us around. Even there is nothing on the table yet. He is not friendly at all and he never smiled. He got a lot of sweat on his front head, it keeps dripping and he never wiped it off, I just pray that his sweat won't drop into my pho or perhaps that sweat is the secret ingredient of the Pho Saigon pearl. I got Pho dac biet: Broth is overly salted, it didn't have a beef/pork or any flavor on it. It feels like the chef is using the artificial flavoring in the broth, soft tendon have the texture like elastic hairband, it's too tiring to chew it. round steak, beef brisket, fatty flank were in the soup for a very long time, it's tasteless and hard. Mr.Q got number 21, Pho 3 mon: He told me that his tongue were numb after the salty noodle and he got a headache cuz the MSG is drying his brain out. Hahhaa... This place has no view, tables are soooooo close to each other, screaming kids atmosphere, lazy waiter and you will feel extremely thirsty. I won't recommend any of my friend to look at sweaty lazy waiter and eating overly salted noodle. read more

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-Pho and com tam heaven. -Friendly and quick service. -Ample seating and clean environment. -Delicious Vietnamese fast food. Aces in my book! read more

I wasn't satisfied with the service here. Granted, I was eating by myself, still it's no excuse to ignore me for like 10 minutes or more. I had to wave my menu up in the air to show them I was ready to order my food. Yah, it took them long enough that I was compelled to order another dish because I got more hungry during that long 10 minute wait. Not only was the service sub-par but their plates and small dishes were dirty. Gee whiz c'mon. Oh well, I was satisfied with the egg rolls. Well I had to order it because I was getting hungry during my wait, so I'm not sure if I liked them because of the right amount seasonings and flavors or it could have been my stomach wanting more because of the extensive hungriness. And of course, I had to get some of the pho dac biet since this is a pho joint. The broth was a bit bland, but the chili paste, mint leaves, peppers did help out. Plenty of nice noodles and meat though so I was nourished throughout the very last bite. read more

Pho Saigon Pearl - Egg rolls - Vietnamese Near Me - Irvine, California

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Big Kudos for this restaurant! They opened at 6pm for the first time and I came in to eat at 8pm. Already very organized and full of people! Service was exceptional despite having every table filled in the restaurant. I was told that the servers were all family members, so the workers didn't have minimum wage syndrome. Staff are friendly and quick. Ordered the #26 Seafood Noodles. Noodles were great, seafood was fresh, and all the veggies (bean sprouts, limes, etch) were very fresh! Only complaint I have was that the Thai tea came out with a big mound of whipped cream and the server didn't ask if I wanted it, but no big deal. All in all a great Pho restaurant in Irvine now open till 11pm, not too shabby! And also, staff and cooks are actually Vietnamese, so food is authentic! :) Will be back! read more

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honestly, i don't know how people can differentiate between pho. it all tastes the same to me if you add enough hoisin sauce and sriracha.... or is that just me??? prices are about 6-7 bucks per bowl, and they give you a sizable amount for the small one. drinking the soup is the best part! its where all the flavors meet to have a party in my mouth. the interior is clean and the staff are semi helpful. My friend said her water tasted like tap water??? I didn't understand her since it tasted perfectly fine to me. but then again, i'm not a very picky eater/drinker... this place is more like a 3.5/5 stars just because it takes longer for me to find parking than to actually eat the meal. FML. But I understand its not pho saigon pearl's fault. so i won't spank them for being naughty.. fuck you diamond jamboree! read more

Pho Saigon Pearl - Number 19 - Vietnamese Near Me - Irvine, California

Don't listen to the so-called pho snobs and "experts". I just dropped by for some pho and pork rolls after reading some reviews, and lemme tell ya, the haters need to pack up and GO HOME. When I first got there, I was seated at a table immediately. In less than a minute I had ordered and my waiter put all my pho ingredients and water on the table without me even seeing! (talk about awesome service eh?) My order of grilled/charbroiled pork rolls was out within 5 minutes. And omg they were to die for! (#5 is what's I got) I was even able to get more peanut sauce after the first bowl was finished. Another 5 minutes later I recieved piping hot pho with flavorful broth. (#24 with beef). Goodness it helped soothe my aching throat. And the beef was so tasty! Service was superb, food was amazing, if you're in a mood for pho, go to Pho Saigon Pearl. Hey hey the decore is pretty sweet too. ;P read more

Pho Saigon Pearl - #5! :D - Vietnamese Near Me - Irvine, California

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This is the best Pho I have had and I have eaten Pho in countless cities and locations. Love these guys and love all aspects of the menu. Egg Rolls, Grilled Pork Spring Rolls, Filet Pho and the lemon grass vermicelli are my favorites but it's all great! read more

Pho Saigon Pearl is the best place I ever try before, I really love them food and them worker so perfectly, good service, always helping the customer. Good place for PHO. read more

The food is good. BUT, the service isn't very friendly. I'm used to smiles and attention when dinning out. So 4.5 for FOOD and about 1.5 service, should be about 2.5. But 3 is fair. I keep on coming back because my friend loves the PHO here. I like it too. Scale one to ten, the pho is about 8.5. If you're looking for descent PHO and don't care about friendly service, you'll enjoy your meal here. read more

After working late, being super hungry, and with not much available in the Irvine area, I was craving some Asian food. After shopping at HMart, we came across Pho Saigon Pearl and was soooo ready to eat.. The Inside dining area was a bit cramped, and where the host sat us was next to a little group of college kids, which I didnt mind, however, sharing table sections where our elbows brush, while we eat was awkward and somewhat uncomfortable, but nonetheless, the staff was friendly, alert and trying their best to be hospitable. Place is clean, service is fast. Maybe a little too fast?? It seems that the servers were either trying to rush food out quickly, or to hover us while we eat, just to rush us out and quickly bus our table. hmm....But I must say food is decent, tasty and filling. Perks: Portions are a good size. Location is close to other great asian restaurants, and is located in the Diamond Jamboree shopping center. Downsides: Dining area is small, and some tables are super wobbled. Watch out that food doesnt spill all over. KNOW before you GO: Im sure if you have been to the DJ shopping center,espcially on weekends, there is no doubt about it:... parking sucks! Be cautious and patient for a spot. OverALL: Good times. Quick fix for pho or other Vietnamese dishes. Will be back again. read more

Pho Saigon Pearl - Spring rolls.. - Vietnamese Near Me - Irvine, California

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My buddy and I stopped in for lunch on our way to San Clemente from Hollywood. We left the 405 Fwy south on the Jamboree exit and drove to Alton Pkway - starved. I sparked up my yelp to find something fast in the area and there were several choices. I'm a fan of Pho so we entered at 11:45 am and instantly seated. The restaurant is elegantly decorated, clean and has a delicious food aroma circulating. Our waiter Caaq came to the table and patiently stood over us as we had several questions. The place was already busy and several waiters were bringing food and buzzing around in a well orchestrated team. This is one very well managed strip mall restaurant. They've been in business for seven months and they have it down. I ordered the Pho Tom #25 and Todd ordered chicken with lemongrass and chili flakes #37. The food was served in less than ten minutes. We were in a rush and did not even mention it. My broth was deliciously hot but not burning, the shrimp was cooked to perfection, fresh, succulent and crisp to the bite. The noodles were perfectly cooked. There was little room for improvement. I would suggest more herbs to place on the broth. I received a tray of fresh soybean sprouts, fresh jalapeno slices and fresh basil leaves. I would suggest they offer more fresh herbs to place on the broth like fresh mint. This is why I lowered the rating to a four star. Todd's order was aromatic and I was impatiently waiting for the invitation to sample. As soon as the invitation came, my chopsticks were in action before he completed the sentence. Delicious. I would have preferred his place had less white rice and some sort of vegetable side besides sliced fresh tomatoes. There was plenty of delicious chicken and it was $6.95 - wow. Overall, the restaurant, service, food quality, parking, location was phenomenal. As Arnold Schwarzenegger once said, " I'll be back. " read more

I always go to the same place for pho in Irvine, so I thought I'd try Pho Saigon Pearl for a change.... I think I'm gonna stick with the other place... For a Friday night, the place wasn't too crowded. Our group was seated almost immediately and were given menus. There really isn't much to say about the menu - I feel like pho places always serve the same stuff.. spring rolls, vermincelli, pho, etc... I ordered the small pho tai per usual. The food came out rather quickly but I was a little disappointed with the food. I like my soup to be reallyyy hot, especially on rainy days. The pho I got was lukewarm and tasted kind of watered down. There was a lot of meat in it though - it was more than enough to make me full. Maybe I'll come back to try the other stuff on their menu! But I'd rather go some place else for pho. read more

Small area but they get you in pretty quickly. They have two locations, one in spectrum and one at Diamond Jamboree.. DJ's parking is well awful most times but it is a great center. I came at lunch time, expected to wait a while but we were seated instantly. I love that they have a combo for lunch where you can get egg rolls. I love egg rolls from Pho places so that made my heart really happy. I ordered the rare steak, ended up with the rare steak and brisket not what I wanted but it was good. Broth was nice and flavorful but came out a little colder than most places. Overall I like the quality and I like the flavor. Being seated and then asked to move to a different table right before our food came out was a little odd but oh well we ended up in a booth so that was awesome! read more

So happy to find a good pho place in Irvine! Friend and I saw the place and decided to give it a try. The place is small but cute and the decor is welcoming and clean. We ordered Spring rolls which were delicious. My one complaint would be the overcooked wrap that was breaking as I picked up roll :(. The peanut sauce is different from all others I've tasted has a salter base which I loved. I ordered small a pho with rare steak & tripe the soup was yummy my one complaint would be too much onion which kinda over powered the soup. But portions were pretty generous and well balanced between meat soup and noodles. Conclusion? The place is pricer than other pho places my other complaint would be the bean sprouts were not as fresh as I wished but overall this place fulfilled my pho cravings (: read more

Pho Saigon Pearl - Vietnamese Near Me - Irvine, California

Very simple place with no frills in their service. The minute you walk in, they indicate from across the room where you could sit and the menus come out straight away. No friendly chit-chat here. Once they take your order and get your food, you don't really speak to your waiter again. Unless you ask for the check. The pho broth here is excellent! The meat portion is skimpy with the raw slices, but if you order #24, with the grilled meat, the portion is larger. I highly recommend that! read more

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Probably my least favorite pho spot in Irvine. [WAIT TIME] Every time I find myself in this plaza for pho, there's always at least a 5-10 minute wait. [SERVICE] Minimal service, rushed, and somewhat forgetful. I understand that it's a small restaurant and they're trying to increase turn-around time since it's always packed, but it's no reason to rush your customers. Servers have shown impatience with my group when not all of us are ready to order. It takes us a while to wave someone down if we want extra bean sprouts of another spoon, and sometimes we have to ask more than one server before we finally get it. [FOOD] I always order the pho tai -- pho with rare steak (hard to mess up). The soup broth is alright, but I've had better pho at 3AM in Fountain Valley. read more

I am not so comfortable giving this place a two star rating because I really like the people who work there and know they try hard to make the place better than it is. The real problem with this restaurant is how they prepare the food: it's just not as fresh and tasty as it could be. The focus seems to be on the appearance of the food, not the quality and freshness of the food. We've had two really bad meals there where either the egg rolls were spoiled or the tofu was spoiled. This is such a shame because we all want to like this place and find it a great location for some good Vietnamese food. I hope someone who works there reads these reviews and implements systems and procedures to ensure fresh, quality food. Everything looks so good on the outside but the quality is lacking on the inside, where it really matters. I'm still, like other Yelpers, holding out for some quality Pho in Irvine. read more

Horrible service just ruined my day! Servers aren't trained at all! Food with no chopsticks and he blamed us about not to tell him there is no chopsticks. How funny read more