Best vegetarian pho I've ever had and it's not easy to find tasty veggie pho with yummy broth.

Decent bowl of pho, but the broth and meat and accoutrements are better at Pho 14 - maybe better noodle texture here. That said, this place is right up there with the best pho that DC has to offer. dmo out read more

Tried this place during my solo visit to DC. I particularly love the hole-in-the-wall and neighborhood feel. Those are usually the most authentic places anyway. Since the spicy lemongrass pho was raved about, I decided to try it. I sat at the counter area and ordered spicy lemongrass pho and Vietnamese iced coffee (my go-to). I even asked for the next level of spiciness since I like my food extra spicy! OMG everything was delicious! To top everything off, I met two great people and ended up having great conversations about Vietnamese food and travel. I love when that happens. The owner also chatted with us and it was fantastic. read more

Pho Viet - Delicious spicy lemongrass pho. I asked for the next level of spiciness. - Vietnamese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Their lemongrass pho with brisket is unequivocally the best pho in DC (it very well may honestly be the best pho I've tried anywhere...) Cannot recommend highly enough. I'm ordering take-out from Pho Viet on Wednesday and am very excited to get my comfort food on. Thank you for staying open and offering take-out during the quarantine!! read more

It is a rare and precious thing to find a place in DC where one can get a large quantity of high quality food cheaply. Pho viet is a little hole-in-the-wall place whose portions are anything but. The spicy lemongrass pho is incredible and the Thai tea is a must have. The noodles are the best I've had in DC for less than $20. read more

Pho Viet - Spicy Lemongrass Pho and Thai Tea - Vietnamese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The best bowl of spicy noodles soup in my life was eaten here. I'm not even kidding. Located in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of WDC, the restaurant felt like a place you would walk into in the heart of Hanoi. There are around 30 seats total. Each table has a set of condiments and utensils (pepper, grounded chili, sriracha, etc). Owned and served by a husband and wife couple (Nina and Michael), you feel like you're home because they are extremely friendly and adorable. We absolutely loved the spicy lemongrass with red chili noodle soup here. I was feeling a little under the weather and was magically fixed by this bowl of pho xa ot (lemongrass chili). So If you're either hungry, hungover, or even terminally ill...this bowl of pho will always make things better! If you don't believe me, ask my friend and fellow yelper, Vy L, who goes here 3-4 times a week. The pho is fantastic! The broth is incredibly flavorful! Aromatic, sour, and spicy with the taste of the lemongrass and red chili. You have no choice in the size of the bowl but you will definitely be filled. Prices are great: here are some examples 2 summer rolls: $3.95 Vermicelli bowl of grilled honey lemongrass chicken: $7.95 Lemongrass with red chili pho with tai (rare beef) and bo vein (meatballs): $7.50 I highly recommend this place for pho whenever you're in the Northern VA/WDC area. read more

Pho Viet - Pho xa ot(lemongrass with red chili) - Vietnamese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Sadly, when you run a restaurant, no matter how many wonderful meals you may have served in the past, it only takes one bad case of food poisoning to soil your reputation forever. Pho Viet has been my go-to pho spot in DC for about three years now. But one horrible case of food poisoning means I will not be going back. My wife and two friends and I all shared a meal here, and all four of us were ghastly sick within a few days. Two of us had beef pho, one had chicken pho, and one had a non-soup dish. All of us got sick. Maybe it's possible the source of our food poisoning was elsewhere (though that's hard to imagine given that this was the one meal all four of us have ever shared after which all four of us became simultaneously ill), or even just a momentary lapse of judgment on the part of someone working the restaurant that night, but the pain that followed is not something I wish on anyone - not even a snooty hipster browsing Yelp. read more

**UPDATED May 31, 2011** Still the best Pho in DC. They now have outdoor seating. They seemed to have slightly updated their decor. Delicious as always, the broth has improved since my first time (I have been back multiple times between first and current review), meat is still a good amount (maybe a TINY bit less). Also, have had the tapioca a few more times, and it has been better too. A solid 5 now. **ORIGINAL April 24, 2010 REVIEW** Best Pho in DC. I'm a Southern California girl who doesn't/didn't live in Westminster, but I know good and need good Pho. I was content on never having Pho in DC and just going home to California for it. But I smelled something that reminded me of Pho when I was walking home from yoga today, so I HAD to satisfy the craving. But what to do...I banished the idea of ever going to Pho 75 in Arlington (seriously, don't go ever, it's not worth it) so I looked on Yelp, saw the great reviews, canceled plans with my friends (yea, it was THAT serious) and went. First impression: so this really ISN'T a basement. I was expecting stars leading me down below street level and it was just a nice slight decline ramp that led me down to it. Still well-lit and yes, clean It reminded me of the Pho places back home, nice and attentive owners/servers, the correct sauce set up, even the menu looked right. Oh, oh! The music. Faaaantastic. It's what you should expect from a Pho place (think old songs that are familiar to you, but played in a electric/Asian style). Price: $7.50 for a bowl of Pho ($8.50 if you want the deluxe beef bowl). Not trying to rip me off? THANK YOU!! Summer roll: summer in your mouth. They didn't skimp on the filling at all and provided just the right amount of peanut sauce. Pho: Great big bowl size, perfect broth, noodle, meat proportion and heaping mounds of the bean sprouts, mint, and lime plate. Broth was light and could stand for a bit more flavor, but I was happy with what I got. Plus after a few dips of the meat into the hoisin/sriracha and chopsticks back into the bowl (and scarfing of the bowl), you barely notice it. I finished ALL of the broth =) Avocado smoothie with boba: ordered because Mary K. mentioned it and said it didn't taste bad. First time having avocado smoothie and was surprised that it tasted so good. But it was a TINY bit bland and the boba tasted more like the white/clear Tapioca balls. Dessert: fried banana. Reminded me of banana stuffed funnel cake. Also served with the perfect amount of ice cream. You know how sometimes you go to a place like...ooh let's just say BJs and they never give enough ice cream with your Pizookie and you think "man, when I open up a restaurant, I'm totally going to be generous with the ice cream," this is what they did. Negatives: Far from me. Closed on Tuesdays. Service can be a bit slow, but that's because there are only two people working in the front. They are ACTUALLY working and not trying to ignore you, so cut them some slack. If you get their attention, they will come help you right away. They are also attentive with the water/tea and when I went up to the counter to ask for the little saucers, the Mr. insisted that he bring it to my table and not just hand it to me, fantastic! Also, the Mrs. is cute =) Cash only for orders under $10, but are you really going to just spend $10? Verdict: It's really 4.5 stars, it would be a perfect 5 if there was just that tiny bit more flavor in the broth and the boba was more tangible (but this is me being a picky SoCal girl). I don't live anywhere near Columbia Heights, however I will be back here at least once every two weeks, no joke. Pho 75 could stand to learn a bit from them (I'm still bitter at the horrible service I got there and disappointed with all the hype). Also, don't go to any other Pho place in Georgetown...riiiip off! P.S. DC, it's pronounced "fuh" not "foh." I didn't think this would be necessary but a customer who came in today proved me wrong. read more

Picked up my niece from school for a girls get away weekend in NYC and we were starving so we decided to have some pho (quick and easy) before we head out. This was my first time in DC and I wanted to try a pho place. (I try pho in every state I visit). The waitress weren't very friendly and as I looked around I wasn't sure we made the right choice in choosing this place. Small but cute place I must say though. We ordered some fried egg rolls, fresh spring rolls, two bowls of pho and my sister ordered a rice and pork chop plate in which she was disappointed with. The meat was fatty! The broth to the pho was ok. Nothing special. I wished I had more time in DC so I can try other places but that will have to wait. read more

Pho Viet is a tiny hole-in-the-wall tucked away on 14th street, less than a half mile away from the Columbia Heights metro station. It is hard to find, but it is so worth the find. I just discovered this hole-in-the-wall gem today, and I have to admit I went for lunch and then went back again for dinner. Food: The real standout here is the spicy lemongrass chili pho ($8.50), as other Yelpers have raved about. The broth is fragrant, flavorful, and packs a great punch. I asked for it medium spicy and it was already on the upper limit of my spice tolerance, which is admittedly not very high. If you are a little more sensitive to spicy foods like myself, make sure you ask them to tone down the spice level. I also tried the vegetarian and regular pho ($7.50 each), but they are not quite the standouts that the spicy lemongrass chili pho is. The broth is very clear and not quite as flavorful as at other pho restaurants, but I also attribute that to the much-appreciated lack of MSG in the soup. I would order the vegetarian/regular pho on a day where I wanted a simple, clear soup. One last standout: the egg rolls ($3.95). They are amazing. Definitely the best egg rolls I have ever eaten - perfectly crispy without being heavy, and so incredibly flavorful. These are must have. Service: I did not dine in either time (it was a lazy Sunday...), but the owners of this place are so friendly. The husband, Michael, took his time with me to walk through the menu, highly recommended the spicy lemongrass chili pho, and then offered me a glass of water with lime in it while I waited. His wife treated me similarly when I returned and joked as I was leaving, "So I'll see you tomorrow?" Very possible. I highly recommend this place whenever you are craving your next soupy fix. read more

Okay, it's about time I write a review for this place. Let me start by saying that I am 100% Vietnamese and I grew up eating some of the best home cooked Vietnamese dishes, this includes ph. If you live in Columbia Heights (or anywhere in the District of Columbia) this is by far the best and most authentic Vietnamese spot you can find. Yes, there is another Vietnamese restaurant in Columbia Heights, however, at least in my opinion, it is NOT WORTH the money. Yes, the visual appeal of the other place is better (atmosphere), yes, it's in the area of Columbia Heights, yes, it's bigger, but is the food better? No, no it's not. I now live at the Navy Yard metro area, but used to live in Columbia Heights with my sister, so I've been to Pho Viet more times than I can recall. It's hidden and a few blocks away from the metro, but it's worth the trip. The spring rolls are fresh, the ph is FANTASTIC (can't compare to my mom's, but still good!), the Bun Thit Nuong (Vermicelli with Vietnamese Grilled Pork) is filling and delicious! If you're into spicy food, I would recommend their spicy noodle dish, (I don't remember the name nor the number, but it's the only spicy noodle dish they have) I highly recommend giving theirs a try. Yes, I still come here from the Navy Yard to have Vietnamese food (whenever I don't feel like driving to Eden) without paying an arm and a leg for a bowl of soupy deliciousness (like the other Vietnamese place in the Columbia Heights)! If you haven't been, you should go! Skip the other Vietnamese places and come to Pho Viet for some true Vietnamese cooking! Oh, don't leave without having their ice coffee (cà phê sa á), it's refreshing and will wake you up instantly! Enjoy! read more

You're gonna have to go to VA (or make it yourself) if you want better pho in the area. Skip the regular broth and get the spicy lemongrass broth; it's what they do best and it's pretty unique amongst the many places I've visited. They do tone it down for people who aren't used to spiciness, so order it "extra spicy" and thank me later. About 10.50 for a substantial bowl, which is a steal in the DC proper with everything being so overpriced. Soup is subjective and everyone's a critic. I'm not Vietnamese, but I grew up with pho from holes in the wall that only take cash. This place keeps me coming back. Everybody seems to go out expecting restaurants to measure up to mom's homemade stuff that's cooked for 2-3 days; that's just not going to happen in DC where demand is off the charts for convenience. Four stars for ratio of flavor/portion/convenience; arguably a little inconsistent sometimes but never to the point where I'd stop coming. It'll have a place in my heart as long as I'm nearby. P.S. - order a mango smoothie on your way out. read more

This review is in two parts. Let's start with the good stuff: The spicy lemongrass pho dac biet was flavorful. You can really taste the lemongrass broth in all its glory. Now, for part two. Never coming back to this place again. For starters, the daughter(?) working here was really brusque and surly. She'd bark at me, and other diners, "Are you done!" when she was about to clear the tables. She also asked me to place my used paper napkin in the bowl when she was clearing my table. Have you ever experienced anything like this before? Then, upon signing my receipt, I had to ask for a copy. Which had me thinking, "DC is environmentally conscious for sure, but are people cutting back on paper use by not providing customer receipts?" As for the food, I've had better. The fried spring roll appetizers were clearly leftovers and re-warmed, with a tiny piece of lettuce and no mint with which to wrap them. The spicy lemongrass pho - while flavorful - was lacking in meat. A few pieces of beef, and meatballs cut into quarters instead of halves. The restaurant is tiny and gets very loud, with hipsters screaming at each other about relationship issues and the like. Bottom line: Come here if you enjoy the hipster experience in Columbia Heights, with its clientele proclaiming this is "the best food ever!" and "amazing!" And, if you enjoy listening in on conversations where every other word is "like, like," and "like, like," and responses consist of "right, right, right", then you'll be in restaurant heaven. read more

So I hate to rock the boat, but I think the original broth is actually a better bet than the spicy lemongrass broth. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed that bowl of super spicy hot pho that I ordered, and this might be the first time I've ever chosen mild over spicy. But after trying my brother's original broth I realized that all the subtle flavors of pho broth--the star anise and beefy umami and thai basil--are totally drowned out by the overwhelming single note of heat in the spicy broth. Plus with the original, after you enjoy some of the broth in its unadulterated form, you're always free to throw in spoonfuls of the fresh chili paste that is on every table. Broth aside, I really appreciated that the beef round came out rare. I just wish there had been more of it. read more

This is a food poison story. I've always thought that since I left China and came to the US, I said goodbye to food poisoning. But I was wrong. Here's what happened: I went to this place last Thursday evening in a group of 4. The best part of the night is that it only took us an hour before we see our food. The beef I got was raw, and the soup was lukewarm that by the time I finish eating, the beef was still raw/red... The food was mediocre btw. After 10 hours, I woke up with a sore throat and a shit load of delicious YELLOW mucous. Then I had diarrhea, and after another day I started to feel sick and weak. Then I lost my appetite and couldn't eat, and in the meantime I had to spit out my mucous and drink water every 5 minutes... Then I had a fever and laid in bed for the weekend and missed seeing the cherry blossom!!! However, I'm the luckiest among my group. All the other 3 had diarrhea and throw up everything in their bodies and lost shit loads of weight, plus having fever and sore throat. Then we realized there's some connection among us that we all got sick at around the same time with similar symptoms cuz we all ate at pho Viet! Please, make America great again! read more

As this is the first place I've actually had pho in DC, it was quite good. Would I trek to Columbia Heights rather than Northern VA for pho? Probably not. However, Pho Viet is still quite good. Came here yesterday evening for dinner with a few friends. Being recommended by them, I decided to come along. All of us order our bowls with spicy lemongrass. I order the number 11 (pho dac biet) along with a side of spring rolls. My friends order the pho tai with lemongrass and vegetarian pho. The spring rolls, although freshly made, were lacking. With only one cut shrimp and no pork, it was just noodles and lettuce. The pho was good though. The broth was delicious and the spicy lemongrass was just spicy enough. Pho Viet doesn't skimp on portion sizing for their pho either as that I could not finish my bowl. Bowl was $9.50, somewhat pricey but not as bad as one would expect. Overall, comparable to pho in NoVA. I was surprised at how good my bowl was. I will visit again if I find myself in Columbia Heights. read more

Being Vietnamese, I've tried a majority of, if not all Vietnamese restaurants in the DMV area and this is the worst one. My friends and I came here for a late Saturday lunch and the restaurant was still busy. We started with the fresh summer roll, which was fresh and delicious. Lunch was off to a good start. But then, we proceeded to order 1 pho, 2 Vns rice, and 1 vermicelli noodles. My friend, who had pho, said it tasted "meh". My dish, vermicelli noodles with spring rolls and dried shredded pork was actually horrible. The pork had gone bad it actually tasted sour. I can tolerate if the taste is "meh" but I can't tolerate a restaurant that serves food that went bad. It's a NO NO. Please do yourself a favor, walk a couple blocks past this restaurant to Pho 14, where you will taste much better Vietnamese food. read more

REVIEW FROM THRILLIST.COM http://www.thrillist.com/columbia-heights/pho-viet Pho Viet Lovingly steeped soup in a Columbia Heights basement 3513 14th St NW; Columbia Heights; 202.629.2839 Diligently monitoring prolonged, delicate processes can lead to a huge payoff, or a huge letdown: staring at bacteria yields groundbreaking medicines, while staring at childbirth yields only bank-breaking babies. Producing something great from endless hours of pot-watching: Pho Viet. Just opened, Pho's a take-out/eat-in, subterranean 30-seat hole-in-the-wall, run by a Vietnamese family so dedicated to traditionally prepared beef & noodle soup, they'll mind the kitchen the entire 8-12 hours necessary for their broth to properly boil, the most protracted Boiling Point since Gandhi agreed to go on MTV. Flavored with cow bones, the pho's served with a plate of garnishes (sprouts, jalapenos, lemon, & Asian basil), and comes loaded with proteins like "beef eye round", "well done brisket", meatballs, flank, and "soft tendon", the same nickname Grecian mean girls gave Achilles. If you're not feeling soupy, there's plenty more Viet-fare, like vermicelli rice noodle bowls with lemongrass beef, pork, or chicken, and fish-sauced rice plates like a grilled pork chop/dried shredded pork combo, and a "special dish" with egg noodles, ham, and carrots mixed with Chinese sausages and egg yolks, the same snack Rocky funneled in between sets of rickshaw shoulder presses before his underdog victory over a juiced up Yao Ming inspired even hardcore Party members to stand up and cheer, and then there's no more Communism ever. Pho ain't got no liquor license, but are whipping up unique non-booze, like the Tapioca Pearl Smoothie, Iced Vietnamese Espresso, and Ice Tamarind w/ Crushed Peanuts, a very painful way to ensure no more babies. read more

Pho Viet - MENU - Vietnamese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

When I moved to the U Street area coming from Ballston, I was worried about the lack of ethnic Vietnamese or Pho options in the District. There's Chinatown but everyone thats been around this town knows that Chinatown is a designated tourist trap - and thats not the kind of food I was looking for. What I was looking for is ethnic Vietnamese - not something that's watered down and hyper-expensive. Something that is raw and real. The kind of restaurants that Mr.Bourdain would approve of and maybe become featured in an episode of No Reservations. The only options I thought I had were all the way in Virginia/Maryland and the thought of that depressed me - being both a new DC resident and ethnically Vietnamese. Then I heard through the grape vine about Pho Viet and Pho 14. Just a bike ride up north on 14th Street from U Street and they both seem to check out well on yelp. Seem to get good ratings. I trust my friends and I somewhat trust Yelp. So I kept those 2 places in mind. 3 weeks in living in the District and not having Pho for that long. The Environment: Approaching the vicinity, there was outdoor seating with lighting decorations that reminded me of my visit to Saigon last year. The restaurant was clean and the servers were Vietnamese. I was too busy enjoying my Pho to notice if the server was checking up on us but overall, the environment definitely checks out. It was a quiet Monday so, I wouldn't be able to tell you how the Restaurant would handle themselves on a busy night but I would say this place is cozy. There were a bar that sat ~4 and several tables - guesstimate of seating 25 customers inside and maybe 15 more outside. The Pho: I like meat. So I got the Dac Biet special. Took 6 minutes after order for it to come out - somewhat slower than standard but I'm in no rush. The meatball was something else - in a good way - had that delicious aftertaste - I'll be sure to get extras next time. The meat was good - I had a hard time looking for fat as compared to other Pho restaurants in the area - I guess that can be a good or bad thing depending on your outlook. The broth was refreshing and good. This is all for $8.50 in DC. THATS REALLY GOOD. I've now decided that I'm going to be a regular customer here. There were a lot of other Vietnamese items on the menu as well - didn't try them so I can't say. This includes banh mi and vermicelli as well as different flavors of boba tea. I'm glad to know that I don't have to make the trip out to Eden just to pick up Vietnamese food anymore. Comparing to other Pho Restaurants in VA - This one definitely beats out the Pho 75 chain in VA. This place would go toe to toe with Pho Sate (Falls Church, VA) - just depends if you're in the mood for that Sate sauce that they got there or not. read more

I like to write about places that I absolutely adore, in case you see that more than half of my reviews are 5 stars. This is as good as it gets. Delicious, cheap Vietnamese food served to you by a jolly man and angry woman. Easy to access by metro, delicious humongous portions of pho, and some very interesting/authentic drinks, which is what this review will focus on. Order the cold tamarind drink, and you'll get a tall glass of slightly sweet, brown liquid (carbonation is an option) with delicious roasted peanuts throughout. My personal favorite is the Vietnamese lemonade, which tastes more like an achhar drink (for you familiar with South Asian cuisine). It's slightly fermented lemons (think nimbu aacchar, South Asian foodies) diluted in cold water, which you can get carbonated, and sweetened to a perfect balance of sour and sweet. The jolly man warned me that this isn't your typical lemonade, which I thought was helpful -- don't get it expecting something very sweet and tasting like fresh lemons. Downsides: the restaurant isn't huge, so might get crowded, but I've never seen this happen... read more

Terrible experience! I went here about a week ago with two other friends. We all ordered different dishes. Our bill came to $49 with tax and tips. Just one problem - we all left starving!!!!! The portions were ridiculously small. For example, I got a catfish hot pot. It came in a small bowl, but the kicker was that the catfish, which was in a greasy sauce, only covered about the bottom 1 inch or less of the bowl! I think there were maybe four tablespoons of catfish, which is a very inexpensive fish, and I believe the cost was $9.95. So, after we left hungry, we walked down the street and each bought $7 sandwiches at a Mexican food stand. We felt that our meal at Pho Viet was nothing more than an "appetizer" for $49! And, by the way, the three of us are all slender people, so our appetites are pretty normal. So, I thought it fair that I speak to the owner at Pho Viet to tell him how we felt, before going home and writing a bad review. What I expected was an apology from him and some kind of accommodation, such as a discount on our next meal at his restaurant. Unbelievable! The owner shouted at me, and told me that if the three of us left hungry, it was our fault, because two in our group did not finish our rice when we ate dinner! Can you imagine????? Don't, don't eat here unless you want expensive appetizers! read more

the worst!! I'm not sure if the beef is beef! I took it to be examine! even my children thought something was fishy with the meat! never again read more

Cozy little basement Vietnamese joint at 14th and Otis. Immaculately clean with exposed brick walls, requisite makeshift shrine to Asian deities, and a small counter that seats five in addition to a half dozen or so tables. The name is a bit misleading, because they do have a full a full menu of Vietnamese specialties, but I went for the Beef Special: pho with beef eye round, flank, soft tendon, and meat balls; a giant meal in a bowl for ony $8.50, accompanied by the usual basil, bean sprouts and lime wedge. No vegetarian pho, but there are several vegie options on the menu including vegetarian egg rolls and vegetarian fried rice. They don't have a liquor license, but they do give you a free pot of tea with your meal. A great addition to Columbia Heights! read more

I got #13 with the Spicy Lemongrass Chili Broth. OMG the broth was AMAZING! If you love spicy, definitely get this broth, it was fantastic. Great flavor and heat, definitely don't need to add any more sriracha to this. Beef was wonderfully melt-in-your-mouth tender and tasty. The additional plate of fresh basil leaves, bean sprouts, and limes added great crunchy texture and fresh flavor to the pho. The bowl is HUGE (you can easily split it between 2 people) so it is a fantastic value. Green Papaya Salad is decent. Tamarind Drink is authentic and tastes awesome (they make it by hand, it doesn't come out of a can), the flavor is very tangy sweet. They top the drink with roasted peanuts which adds nice texture, too. For dessert, the frozen coconut banana pop is not too heavy and is a great way to finish off the meal. Their Avocado Smoothie here is also AWESOME. The restaurant is small but very clean and well-maintained. The bathroom is spotless, which is awesome. Service is decent. Great place to catch up with a friend. Highly recommend. read more

Yummy pho, let's go! I walked my skinny arse from Petworth in the snow storm to check out their grand opening. And I must say, I like this place better than Pho 14 (also in Columbia Heights, down the street). Why? Porque they give generous amounts of sprouts, basil and especially, the meat. Yessss. The broth is decent and wholesome too! Let's hope they keep it up! You know how some new business goes... read more

I've been coming here for more than two years and boy did the quality of their pho slip. If not for the lemongrass flavor, I would have stopped coming a long time ago. Here's the problem with Pho Viet. They've gotten too greedy. Let me lay it out for you. Generally, in a large bowl of pho, I only get 4-5 very thin slices of meat at best. If you pay $2 for the extra meat, they give you 2 thin slices. If it's a meatball, they cut up two small meatballs into fours. And a large bowl isn't really large. It's medium at best. Not enough noodles and not enough meat to justify the $10 price tag they charge you. If you don't believe me, just order their spring rolls. Vietnamese spring rolls should come with shrimp and pork. Theirs don't have pork in it at all. It's really just one shrimp slices into halves. They don't even give you whole shrimps!! They split only one! Their spring roll is the biggest rip-off of all time. And finally the service. The mom & pop team has gotten more impatient each year with the customers. I ask them one question about the check and they roll their eyes and talk to me like I'm an idiot. I don't know if I'll be going to this place again. For similar price, I can now go to my new favorite vietnamese restaurant which offers 2x more selections on their menu and pho that is 4x better in terms of both quantity and quality - Mimosa Restaurant - near 18th and Willard in Dupont Circle. It's also closer to my house. read more

In the rapidly expanding field of Vietnamese restaurants near my house, Pho Viet wins. Not only is the pho itself on par if not better than Pho 75 -- my standard for the area, but a bit of a hike out in Arlington -- it also has spring rolls, and the folks serving you actually seem like they want you to be there. And unlike Pho 14 down the street, the soup broth isn't sweet and there aren't a bunch of TVs blaring in the dining area. The owner Michael was also exceedingly nice, and the complimentary hot tea was a nice touch. read more

Pho Viet - Pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Thank god. It took me three months to find this place (actually it has not been open that long). Solid Pho. Nice people. Support your local small business! If you are looking for Pho, you know what it is and I will not go into a great amount of detail. The broth could have been a little more flavorful and the basil a bit more ample but, on the whole, this is the best I've had in DC proper, which has pretty low pho standards from what I've see thus far. The green papaya salad, also a staple, is a very solid entry. Get it. Add to your life. Cash only. The place is reasonable and family run (they live upstairs) by nice folks. We had four people at dinner and everyone left happy. read more

I am vegan and I love pho. This is problematic. I love pho because a little place in San Diego called OB Noodle House puts crack in their veg broth and I used to find any excuse to eat that ish. Including, but not limited to, the following: 1. I'm cold. 2. I'm sick. 3. I need to work out. I will run to OB Noodle House. I deserve rewards. 4. Hmm it's a nice day. I think I will go to the beach...then get some pho. 5. Fam is in town? They probably want pho. Duh. (If you didn't catch that rhyme you're pronouncing the name of this glorious food wrong) 6. Oh, you like sake bombs? Guess who has sake bombs! You're hungry right? I thought I may never be able to act on these excuses ever again! Especially after being thoroughly disappointed with Pho 14's veggie broth. It took me a few months to bounce back from that and take the risk of trying another, the only other, pho place in my 'hood. Let's just say I'm seeking excuses. Now, about the beach ... and sake bombs. read more

HANDS DOWN THE BEST PHO IN DC! I've been around pho places since I grew up in Texas (believe it or not, there's a huge Vietnamese population) and my dad is a "pho chef" so to speak. Although I don't think Pho Viet will blow away any home cooked pho, it definitely soothes anyone who is experiencing any homesickness (me). The eggrolls were alright and the dessert were unconventional to say the least, but the pho is spot on. The Lemongrass Pho is a combination of what I think traditional pho broth and the broth in Bun Bo Hue. I can definitely taste the latter. So it's nothing new if you had authentic Vietnamese cuisine. I had the lemongrass chili pho and it was ok. Quite flavorful but its just me, but I don't like Bun Bo Hue. However if you get any of their standard dishes , I was taken by how light and flavorful it was. A good rule of thumb is to look at the broth; if it's light, then you can bet that's a higher quality broth (assuming it's not watered down. That's where you actually have to taste it). All in all, it's worth the trek from Arlington to Pho Viet since I think they beat out all the restaurants in Falls Church. But it's like being big fish in small pond. Anyways, it's good never the less. read more

5 stars for being an Authentic and delicious Vietnamese restaurant in the heart of the district. Let's face it, there isn't a great selection of authentic good Vietnamese options in DC. You literally have to drive into Virginia (or MD) to satisfy your Vietnamese cravings. I've tried almost (I repeat, almost) all of the Viet restaurants in DC and none of them are impressive... until now. I work nearby and I randomly had a pho craving. Having been to the nearby Pho 14 already, I decided to give Pho Viet a chance and I'm so glad I did. You can't miss it, the outdoor seating is surrounded by decorative lights. We sat inside because they were willing to play the World Series on tv for us. Here's a clue when questioning the authenticity of a Viet place, the sound of Vietnamese music on the stereo! At that point, I knew it was going to be good. The dish that actually had me sold was the chili lemongrass pho (Pho xa ot). Flavor of the broth was spicy and truly addicting. I ordered raw slices of beef to be added to the pho. The beef looked and tasted like it was of great fresh quality. Noodles were perfect and had a nice bite. My bf ordered the bun (vermincellii) with spring rolls and pork. Have to say, the spring rolls were impressive. I've had a TON of spring rolls in my lifetime, but these were awesome. Now that I know that you guys exist, I will be back! read more

Pho Viet - Spicy lemongrass pho! - Vietnamese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

After having tried most of the top pho spots in Dc, Pho 14, Pho DC, this is hands down the best broth in Dc...pause. Recently they've added a chili oil and lemon grass pho to the menu, and these cats have just put the pho-king game on lock...seriously. There's this really fast speaking and pho delivering lady that works there too, so you get your soup in seconds. There's this fried banana drizzled with chocolate sauce accompanied by a scoop of vanilla ice cream desert thing there too. i don't even like bananas, but this was certainly a delicious treat...pause. I dream about this pho, son. read more

Definitely worth the hike out to Columbia Heights, even if it's a couple of blocks from the Metro. If you live in this neighborhood you are blessed! So, went with a couple of other vegetarians and we tried the spring rolls, the pho chay (vegetarian pho) and the hot tofu pot. All were excellently prepared, not with quite the expertise found on the west coast, but definitely awesome for the DC area. The wait stuff can be grumpy and fiesty, but don't let that deter you. What puts this place over the edge and makes it 5-stars instead of 4 for me was the drinks. Tried the salty lemonade, the tamarind, and iced coffee and they were all so well prepared and a deliciousness accompaniment to our meals. Don't miss out on them! read more

I've found it... I've finally found it. A Vietnamese restaurant that has pho that is comparable if not equal to pho in Vietnam. It's all about the broth when it comes to pho, and their lemongrass pho is a fantastic mix of tangy lemongrass, saltiness and a hint of sweet. The meat is fresh and not too thick and very tender, just the way it should be. The decor isn't fancy, but it's clean and has a friendly and light vibe. The owner is friendly and the service is fast. If I wasn't an unpaid intern, I'd be eating here every day. read more

Having lived in Seattle and Iowa (yes, Iowa has a large Vietnamese population), I was spoiled with fantastic, cheap, and reliable Vietnamese food. Over the years, I've even figured out how to make pretty good pho at home. Since moving to DC, though, I've been mostly disappointed. Over cooked noodles, bland broth, dry pork in the bun dishes, and greasy spring rolls do not equal a good time. We even tried a place in VA to no avail. Then Pho Viet opened up. W O W. We went there when we first opened, and the aromas from the pho were great. Recently, I was in the mood to go back, and I saw they have a new lemongrass chili pho broth. I ordered the bun with lemongrass pork and egg roll, along with the new pho, and some summer rolls and had my husband--who didn't want to go btw--meet me there. My husband who was mr. negativity promptly FELL IN LOVE, and it wasn't with me. The new pho? Absolutely amazing. The aromas are overpowering and the heat is wonderful. There is absolutely no need to use any of the many garnishes on this soup because it carries itself. The summer roll is great. The bun has gotten better and is reliably good. My husband asks to go back every other day. For all you pho snobs, you need to go try it out. read more

There are no new words for Pho Viet other than GO HERE NOW. Sit down in a small but not-too-crowded English basement on the edges of Columbia Heights. Just order the beef pho, and be thrilled to see a bowl as big as your head come out with actual raw beef that cooks as it swims in the delicious broth. I also saw a young child eating a banh mi that looked out of this world. May have to investigate that next time, if I can tear myself away from the pho. read more

My friends and I decided to check this spot out after reading so many fab reviews on Yelp. Our experience was less than stellar, however. First of all, the customer service here plain sucks. The workers are not friendly, they take forever to come to you, they take forever to take your order, they take forever to check back with you, the food takes forever to come out... it was pretty bad. I also thought there weren't as many good combinations and that it was laughable that they charge extra for tripe, even though I don't prefer tripe. The pho itself was pretty decent, even though they don't give you as much meat as most pho places. I kept wondering how this place received so many favorable reviews, but I realized that a lot of regulars from the neighborhood come here and they are probably the ones who keep the business running. There are too many other exceptional pho places in the area for me to return here again. read more

This is the second Vietnamese place I know of in Columbia Heights: this one (Pho Viet) and Pho 14. Both are in walking distance from the metro though Pho 14 is very close to the metro. Pho 14 also has better ambiance and larger portion servings and menu options. Basically, Pho 14 has this place beat out EXCEPT FOR.... 1. Pho Viet is cheaper. 2. Pho Viet has more attention to its customers because there are less customers and therefore a larger server to customer ratio. 3. Faster Service OVERALL: Taste is okay and price is cheap (even though portion sizes are small). If I'm in the Columbia Heights metro, I'll probably choose Pho 14 if I'm craving Vietnamese food unless Pho 14 is too full. read more

As good as it gets for Vietnamese in the area. Seafood with Crispy Noodles (4A) is out of this world, and the Pho Chay (1A) is the best vegetarian pho I've had. The broth is incredible, as other reviewers have noted. The way they do takeout pho is great, too: they basically give you the semi-cooked noodles separate from the broth, vegetables, protein, and toppings (bean sprouts, basil leaves, jalapeños, chopped cilantro, chopped spring onions, lime wedges, and sriracha/hoisin). Get home, heat up the broth to cook the noodles and dump in everything else ... delicious. read more

Normally this is my go to spot for pho in DC proper. But last Sunday my friend and I had a very bad customer service experience. My friend ordered the lemongrass vermicelli beef (btw don't get that) and in the middle of eating it found a long, black hair. She alerted the manager and he brusquely took it away and asked her if she'd like another. She said no. Later, he came out with the check and explained that he took the dish off the bill. Now this is where it gets weird. He then also passive aggressively mentioned the hair they found in the food was blonde (aka couldn't have been theirs and was my friend's). This is where it gets weirder. Moments later, our waitress returns with a small tray, which we think will contain our credit card statement, but instead, had placed on it A STRAND OF HAIR. WTF. I calmly explained to the manager this wasn't appropriate behavior and that they'd lost a customer for life (since my friend had exited at this point because she thought it so ridiculous). Here's the kicker, the waitress said: "we don't even want her to come back". Now, as someone who has worked in the service industry this really ground my gears. Normally if you disagree with a customer, you complain about them in the back and then serve them with a smile in the front. In this case, the reaction certainly was out of order. Suffice it to say, we won't be going back. read more