This place is seriously underrated. It always serves up the best pho. So fast doesn't matter when. It might be even faster than drive thru. Consistent results ! It's definitely my favorite pho for this side of town. They always have your pho ready in 5-10 min . The restaurant is very clean and quiet , great place for a lunch or a dinner with a friend . read more

Xin chào Yelpies !! If you're looking for a place to eat with the family or a group of people this is the spot. They know how to handle large groups with ease. The menu has a great selection of traditional dishes that will tingle your taste buds. Once you order get ready because the food comes out fast and hot. Big win in my book... My only concern was our server was more interested in what was going on in his ear phones than listening to me complete my order so my daughter added my drink when they came back with the papaya salad.. which was very tasty and refreshing. read more

For Happy Valley, this is my top choice for Vietnamese food. A good selection of beef noodle soup. That's the best category of food here. Spacious with lots of seat. Parking in the plaza. Nice decor. Good customer service. read more

Pho Zen - Vietnamese Near Me - Happy Valley, Oregon

As one of the few pho options in the deep suburbia of Happy Valley, Pho Zen has one of the most attractive interiors on the west side. There is plenty of seating and parking, the service is on point, and the prices are on par with most full service Asian spots in the neighborhood. Sadly, the food is where they miss the mark the most. Until they get that straightened out, I'm really just hoping for something more. As noted, the ambiance and interior is next level. There was a lot of thought put into the decor, with the "windows" above the booths, the stylish ceiling pattern, the heavy emphasis of red through the lanterns and paper cranes, and even the lion head at the entrance is a true catcher. The bathroom situation is clean and the Vietnamese pop music playing over the airwaves is a nice touch. Unfortunately, my group and I were not feeling most of the food. While the fried spring rolls (cha gio) were crunchy and somewhat hearty, the summer rolls (goi cuon) were a disappointment. The dedicated pho section has been a $15-16 bowl for several years at this point, but the lowlight was the most important part of the dish: the broth. It was murky, bland, and even a tinge on the sweet side. For my dac biet (special) bowl, I had a handful of tasty cuts (primarily the tendon and fatty brisket) but the rest of the meats were a tinge too touch for my preference. Their vermicelli (bun) with grilled pork (thit nuong) and egg / spring rolls (cha gio) was solid but hardly outstanding. The excess lettuce at the bottom of the bowl is usually to be expected but this was a bit much. The char of the thit nuong was nice but the fish sauce (nuoc mam) needed some extra funk that I wasn't getting from the bowl. The Vietnamese coffee is pre-made, so it's already in a cup loaded with big chunky ice cubes for folks on the go. Overall, the food was a let down, especially given the price, but everything else (service, ambiance, parking, etc.) was on point. There are some tweaks that can be made and Pho Zen has the potential to make significant improvements on a food front. If they manage to correct this aspect of their business, they are no doubt a top contender for the neighborhood and beyond. ___________ (#1) Somewhat expensive. read more

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Nice space, decent service, but the food misses the mark. I appreciate that the women's restroom is the closest to the hallway and comes equipped with toilet seat covers, a small but welcome detail. The other restroom is gender-neutral. Service was prompt and sufficient, and the ambiance is clean and pleasant. But unfortunately, that's where the positives end. The food was mediocre at best. If you're craving quality Vietnamese, you'll find much better options within a 15-minute drive toward SE Portland. One dish I can't forget, but wish I could is the Mì Xào Giòn. The noodles were stale, clearly store-bought, and soggy under a bland, flavorless sauce. The combo meat and seafood felt like an afterthought, cheap cuts, no seasoning, no soul. If you're here for aesthetics, fine. But if you're after flavor, you're better off zen-ing away from this place. read more

Pho Zen - View from the booth adjacent to the yellow kitchen wall. - Vietnamese Near Me - Happy Valley, Oregon

Pho broth is excellent I get the pho1 special minus the tripe extra lime ‍ love the atmosphere service and food. Salad rolls and lemon grass chicken are also great. read more

Always delicious pho! And they will sell extra tendon. So that is a happy thing! Beautiful restaurant -- and also a quick turnaround for an order to go! read more

Hello Yelpers, New to me, very nice decor with real wood, friendly prompt service. The origami is very neat up on the lamps. We ordered our favorite Pho with brisket and tempura prawns appetizer. Peace & Many Rich Blessings read more

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My wife and I stopped in here after watching a movie since she had craving Pho. We walked in and were very pleased with the atmosphere. The restaurant has a beautiful decor and is very relaxing. We were ordering our meal within 5 minutes of being seated and eating within 10 minutes of that. Our meal tasted amazing and the portion sizes were just right. We ordered the salad rolls, lemon grass chicken and beef pho. All of it was great. We only had water to drink and even though we were there talking for 3 hours and they still kept our water glasses full. We will be making this a regular for us! read more

Pho Zen - Beef Pho, lemongrass chicken and shrimp salad rolls. - Vietnamese Near Me - Happy Valley, Oregon

I went there and there were a couple flies at our table. But the food is delicious and I ordered the pad Thai with shrimp but it didn't include shrimp, it also had chicken in it but it was okay. Although it was pretty good. And the Thai tea was very good. If you are in Happy Valley, should try this place. read more

The atmosphere is the best part of the restaurant. Soup spoon brought to the table had an onion resting in it. Must have been leftover from the dishwasher. One of the menus had food all over it. The food was okay. Crunchy noodles were nothing special and the pho was basic. Our water was never refilled. We had to ask for our order to be taken and ask for our bill at the end. Probably won't go back. read more

Been wanting to check this place out for awhile now. I was the only one there when I arrived right before noon, was seated promptly, and decided on salad rolls because they didn't offer crispy egg rolls. I wanted tendon tripe and brisket pho but that also wasn't on the menu. I asked if I could have that combo and she said ok. I asked for salad rolls but she didn't ask me what kind lol then it kind of went sideways, I got salad rolls with neither shrimp, pork or tofu lol, and my pho came out immediately but they gave me the special pho with everything in it instead of what I asked for lol. Portions are good sized, broth is bland and the tendon was like nothing I've ever had it was like jelly snot so gross lol salad rolls were tough like rubber but veg was fresh. Garnish plate was meh only 1 tiny circle of jalapeño oh well, I probably won't go back and now know why I was the only one there read more

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Nice hidden gem. It's a good place for a quick bowl of pho. Salad rolls are pretty big. Usually isn't too packed.

We went to the newly opened Korean place next door but they were out of business (already) so we decided to give Pho Zen a try. Food: ordered three items and the total was $52. Papaya Salad. It was too sweet and tasted blend. Appetizer combo, came with 3 potstickers, 2 tempura shrimps, 2 panko shrimps looked just like the ones from Costco freezer section and one tiny fresh salad roll cut in half. Pad Thai noodle, again, too sweet and blend. Their main seasoning was sugar. The portions were plenty but it tasted too gross to eat beyond few bites. Since neither of us enjoyed the food, there were quite a lot of left over. My friend politely but firmly declined to take the left overs. I took them home but I could not bear the thought of eating this food again so it went straight into the garbage. Ambiance, nicely decorated but questioned the clearness. The table was sticky and small flies flying around. Service: inefficient. I had to ask few times for simple basic items such as water, plates, napkins and the check. We should have gone to the Happy Valley Food Cart instead. For sure, not coming back and that explains why we were the only customer during the prime dinner hours. read more

I mostly get to-go from here and it's always been good. A favorite on the menu for my family and myself is the Chicken Pad Thai, and of course the Pho. They also make excellent spring rolls. It's great for take out because the food is almost always ready in 10 minutes, and somehow often times less. Staff is nice, and interior is clean. read more

The Pho was average. Broth was weak in flavor the the noodles were clumped into a ball. Had to use a fork to separate the noodles. Service could be improved. Had to ask for napkins and side sauce that was ordered. read more

I frequently visit this establishment because of the speedy service that the servers always provide. The pho has a consistent flavor each time, but definitely needs seasoning/sauces and isn't as flavorful as other pho restaurants in Portland. But because it's locally in Happy Valley, it's a convenient lunch spot that isn't too packed, has lots of parking, and offers pretty decent pho, for the price. The servers are attentive and the food comes out very fast! My go-to order is the P8 (tendon and tripe pho) with the shrimp salad rolls. Their salad rolls are YUM!! read more

Pho Zen - P8: tendon and tripe pho; shrimp salad roll - Vietnamese Near Me - Happy Valley, Oregon

Noodle is good soup is hot, service so so, this place looks good, will come back again for the noodle.

In my opinion the pho was good, the salad rolls were chewy and clearly a day old, and the peanut sauce was...meh. Plus all they had in the salad rolls was shrimp and lettuce. Why no bean sprouts or carrots? A basil or mint leaf would have been tasty. Been there a few times to support a local business, but tonight they abruptly kicked us out with a full glass of wine at 8:45 saying they were closed when the hours on the door said 9:00. Rude! We live in happy valley and WON'T ever go back there. Way too many other options for good food and experience. read more

I have eaten here a number of times. My personal favorite thing on the menu is Pho and their Vietnamese coffee. First, their service is great. It is the same person each time I have come, which gives me the impression it is a family business. He is always friendly and no nonsense. He takes orders quickly. They are magicians in the kitchen. Every order is brought by quickly, even when I have to request accommodation for food allergies. Everything is quite good. Vermicelli noodle dishes are just as good. My least favorite has been pad thai. There was nothing wrong with the dish, I would rather have pho. The blackened shrimp on their pad thai was wonderful. I am usually part of the late lunch crowd. It is quiet during this time. The dining area and bathrooms are also cleaned and well stocked. I have ordered table service and to go. Neither impacts the quality of the food. This is a place I treat myself when I am in town. I also give them props for addressing food allergies. I know it is a pain when a main ingredient has to he omitted. They have always been understanding and kind. Thank you so much! read more

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found a long HAIR in my pho and still charged us for it too!! also don't order their salad rolls - the shrimp still has its poop line attached and not cleaned properly. read more

Good food fast! I've tried the Pho, fish sauce chicken wings, beef salad, Grilled Salmon Salad and the Vermicelli Bowl. They are all awesome! The pho broth is really flavorful and it's served with lots of noodles and beef. The veggies are always fresh. The Zen Vermicilli bowl is a fave of mine. I loved all of the fresh veggies. It was a large portion and all of the protein was well seasoned. Another fave of mine is the beef and Grilled Salmon Salad. The salmon was cooked to perfection and it was a large portion. The beef salad was different from other ones I've had but I liked their take on it. The veggies are always fresh so I'm all about it! The decor is impressive when you walk in, it's a large space. The husband and wife have always been nice. read more

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Super friendly, always fast with great food! Whenever we call to place a pickup order the wait is only ever a few minutes. Owners are very nice. Definitely a go to the day after a night out. So Pho king good. read more

We love going to pho zen. Pho is a staple in our house! Perfect for a rainy day! We love the chicken pho and the Thai iced teas

Walked in and left soon after due to a horrible smell of cleaning solution and another bad smell I won't mention here. Told hostess we changed our mind and she didn't seem too concerned or not too surprised, one of the two. read more

My chicken pho was extremely underwhelming, but my partners curry was downright terrible. Lots of folks mention the speediness of the foods delivery but to me food that is delivered too soon shows a lack of effort/quality. Unfortunately I couldn't recommend this place. Go into Portland where they do phenomenal pho! read more

I enjoy this spot, and I eat here fairly often. The other Vietnamese restaurant nearby literally has nothing on the menu that I can eat as a vegetarian (I ordered vegetarian spring rolls over there and they came with pork in them ). But not here at Pho Zen! I like their vegetarian pho (In general: eat pho in the restaurant; it is never as good when you eat it to go; it gets cold and the sauces are missing and the noodles can overcook.) I've had their stir-fried tofu, which I liked (I suggest a side of peanut sauce), too, but my favorite is the lemongrass tofu dish. The service is basic, and the atmosphere is okay. It's clean, there's plenty of parking, the portions are good-sized. read more

Food is a 3 star service is a 3-4 star I have the time because they're never busy ... and that brings up the ambience Ambience is a one star should easily be a four to five star ... but the place is so dirty the windows haven't been cleaned in months and months and months the tables are not that clean. GENERAL a place that once was not long ago pretty nice we sunk do to poor poor management. read more

This place is definitely one of the most beautiful restaurants i've step foot into. The lighting and decorations are so gorgeous. The service was insanely amazing. The server took our order and not even 5 minutes later, our food was already out! they were not stingy with the noodles and beef in the pho, like other Vietnamese restaurants are. The prices were very reasonable and the food was delicious. we will for sure be back! read more

Completely excellent. Literally ate here when it has been 95+ degrees outside and am not bothered by any means. Fast service and high quality read more

Craved some hot soup on a rainy Sunday. We were seated and served ice water with lemon. Waiter took our order quickly and food came out in no time. Chicken was dry. Soup came out extra hot Yet tasty. 4 star for burning my tongue. read more

Pho Zen - Chicken pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Happy Valley, Oregon

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The pho here is surprisingly decent. The broth isn't too fatty and tastes clean. They also have the cheapest price for pho in the Portland metro area. Food came out within 10 minutes of ordering. read more

A def YES if you're ever in the mood for Vietnamese food. Great food, ambiance, and service. Order the Vietnamese coffee, egg rolls, and chicken wings. Broth was also amazing. Visiting from the Bay Area and was thoroughly impressed and satisfied. Will be back when in the Portland area! read more

Pho Zen - Rare beef and brisket pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Happy Valley, Oregon

I had the brisket pho and it was really delicious. Next time I go back I'll try other dishes, but I'll definitely be back. Great service too. read more

Don't get anything with the shrimp it isn't cleaned clearly. was excited to bite into a spring roll and now I can't eat. truly revolting, i expected better. read more

Pho Zen - dirty unclean shrimp - Vietnamese Near Me - Happy Valley, Oregon

Such good pho and very big portions! The spring rolls with peanut butter dip is highly suggested, my all time favorite thing here is the curry chicken! The perfect spice and sooooo amazing. Always have had great and fast and friendly service. read more

Love this local Japanese place, very yummy pad Thai and my favorite chicken noodle soup! so happy it is right next to my house. read more

Pho Zen - Chicken noodle soup - Vietnamese Near Me - Happy Valley, Oregon

I had a salmon bowl, aside from the salty salmon that was inedible, I enjoyed the vegetables and noodles.

It was near the AirBnB rental, so we gave it a try. We ordered Zen traditional rice and Zen vermicelli dishes. The vermicelli was not fresh. It was reheated, and by the time we got home, 1 mile away. It has cool down and gotten hard. The flavors were ok, definitely not worth the money or calories spent. read more

I love their food and have been going regularly for a year even take out during covid. However the last two times I went I was so disappointed in the serving size of the lemon grass tofu. I swear it's half the portion size of what it used to me but even more expensive than before. Are you under new ownership or something? Please double your portion size. read more

Pho Zen - Lemon grass tofu. - Vietnamese Near Me - Happy Valley, Oregon