What a hidden gem!! This business is so easy to walk by without noticing because it is understated. The food, however, is anything but simple. Their entrees are bursting with flavor and at such a good price point for Bethesda. Their menu is on the walk when you walk in and you order from the person at the counter. All their vegan options are labeled and they use seitan as their protein. I ordered the vegan flaming beef and my friend tried the vegan vegetable curry. The presentation of both meals was stunning! I love that the beef came with a side salad and the curry came with a generous portion of rice and garnish on the curry. The seitan beef was cooked so well! It was a great texture and was meaty without being too realistic. The flavor was so savory and seasoned perfectly. I did not want to put my fork down I gobbled my meal up! I did not try the curry but definitely want to order it next time as my friend enjoyed it. I am so thankful this business has many vegan options and all the vegetarian items were cheaper than the meat entrees. It was only $12 for dinner in Bethesda which is so hard to find. I am definitely coming back to try more of the menu and telling all my friends about this local treasure. read more

Rice Paddies Grill - #9V Vegetable Vegan Curry Rice Platter and #3V. Vegan Flaming Beef Rice Platter - Vietnamese Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

Been coming for years and it's always served me well. But I really do think it's time for a face lift. It was 97 degrees outside and there was no AC running. The walls are dingy the tables are sticky and it doesn't feel the cleanest although the food taste clean. Just needs some tlc but the food is still good so that's nice. Hope to see improvements come soup season read more

Beware ordering online for takeaway. I placed an order for food on a Sunday afternoon only to find when I arrived at the restaurant that it was closed. Very frustrating as I was late to the lunch I had planned with a friend. Had to call GrubHub and arrange for a refund and so on and so forth. Not sure why they are not following their hours or allowing online take away orders to be placed when they are closed. read more

Ordered take out Sunday dinner: spring & crispy rolls, beef and pork rice noodle dishes. The best item was the crispy roll. The rice noodles in the beef noodle dish were over cooked. It didn't have the chewy consistency. The beef was a little tough. The take out was ready for pick up right on time. read more

Pho from here is fantastic! I always get tofu and it's cooked perfectly! The staff are always friendly too

This best rice noodles combination in Bethesda. It's very tasty and yummy. I'm working in Bethesda, I'm usually ordering R6 combo with noodles or rice it your choice and cost 15$. I'm ok with price, But one thing, they not give much noodles like pictures show. Normally, I never complain about that. But prices 15$ and noodle not expensive like steak. The owner should give a bit more noodles for price. For the meat is fair they gives good enough. Any way But I'm enjoying VN food. read more

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My favourite Vietnamese restaurant in Downtown Bethesda not far from most of the major hotels there. Excellent food and self service, read more

Rice Paddies Grill - #1 Grilled Caramel Chicken Rice Platter - Vietnamese Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

Super simple restaurant with amazing food. I love that there are a lot of vegan options and the food is fresh and delicious. Amazing pho broth. read more

Was craving Vietnamese food for dinner one evening and found Rice Paddies to be within walking distance of my office building. Tried to place a to go order over the phone, but it kept going straight to voicemail. Should have been a sign to go elsewhere, but still made my way over. Ordered the R6, grilled combo over rice vermicelli noodles. The dish came with a variety of meats (chicken, beef, and shrimp), as well as a fried egg rolled. It also came topper with sliced cucumbers, beansprouts, lettuce, green scallions. Overall I thought the dish was just okay. The chicken was over cooked and tasted like plain chicken. The shrimp was also overcooked. The beef wasn't bad. It had the most flavor out of all the meats, but was still ok. The egg roll was standard. Did the R6 satisfy my craving, no, but it could have been worst. With lots of food options in the downtown Bethesda area, don't think Rice Paddies would be at the top of my list. read more

Rice Paddies Grill - Vietnamese Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

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We order delivery from this modest restaurant a few times a month. It is delicious, and our teenagers fight over the crispy spring rolls every time. They are that good. I love the shrimp summer rolls, and we all love the chicken pho, each packed with care into two bowls. My daughter is a vegetarian, and the vegetable tofu pho is beautiful and filled with fresh vegetables. We love Rice Paddies! read more

This is a tiny Vietnamese food joint in the heart of Bethesda. That pretty much means parking will be difficult. They do have a little parking lot right next to the building and if you're lucky you might snag a spot. Once you do make it inside the store, you can easily tell it mostly serves as a lunch spot for nearby workers and residents. The food is pretty good here! I went with the Flaming Beef and the seasoning was perfecto! They don't bring out your food for you and you bus your own table. I'm a fan of this hole-in-the-wall! read more

Rice Paddies Grill - Vietnamese Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

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There weren't any recommendations on yelp, so I ordered the bun bo hue. The food came out very quickly. I don't think it's the most authentic flavors, but the dish was still good. Normally, the broth should be spicy, but this was more savory. The beef was well cooked but still soft. read more

Rice Paddies Grill - Store front - Vietnamese Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

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Was craving pho noodle soup while in the area and decided to try this place and see it for myself. While it's located in the heart of downtown Bethesda, right off Wisconsin ave and walking distance from Bethesda row area, the place looks like a kinda hole-in-a-wall type of place. But you know what means, that's usually the best one. I think we probably for here right before lunch rush hour since they weren't that many people then, but 10-15 mins during our dining, people started coming in and even had to wait for seating. It is pretty small but enough space to accommodate , Hhmm maybe 25 people I think? Now onto the food and service.. as you came in, you order at the counter and pay prior seating and your food will be called on the side counter for you to pick up. No service where your food being delivered to you, but hey it is a small space it's not that hard to listen to your number and walked up to the counter to retrieve your food . Food- I decided to try the seafood pho that came with shrimp and scallop, the broth omg it was actually really good that I started just drinking it without putting any sriracha or plum sauce on it. You ca taste the seafood on the broth. Oh also, the shrimp is already peeled for you. My friend ordered the beef pho which is also good but she prefers my seafood broth apparently. For appetizer, we opted in for the spring rolls, they come with ground chicken, pork and shrimp, mushroom and vermicelli noodles. And they're quite tasty and crispy which for sure I'll be ordering again in the future. Overall, great food and no wonder it seems to be pretty popular. One drawback for regular pho eaters and who likes to eat different kinds of combo on their meat, this place doesn't have like tripes and other fun stuff as you would normally get on all beef combo. It's basically just sliced round steak/beef , more of the cleaner non fat cut. Oh and they also have vegan option!! More on the menu! read more

Rice Paddies Grill - Pho side - Vietnamese Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

We ordered food from Rice Paddies Grill through Uber Eats. I started with the shrimp summer roll and had the Grilled Chicken with caramel sauce for my meal. The food was very fresh, and tasty. Summer roll and fish sauce were traditional and delicious. The chicken was a little dry, but well flavored. My friends had the Pho Brisket sliders and green curry, and really enjoyed their meals. Overall, a good experience and look forward to trying some other things on the menu. read more

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It was definitely worth it! I love their beef pho noodle soup but the wings are so bomb. Would love to try other items on the menu. read more

Rice Paddies Grill - Caramelized Garlic Wings, Pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

I've been here once before Covid and I believe I had beef pho, which I wasn't very impressed with. However, since then I've started dating a pescatarian so I've had to be mindful of menu options. I had no idea rice paddies grill was pescatarian, vegetarian, AND vegan friendly!! There were many exciting options so the moment I found out I knew I had to try this place again. I ordered the grilled lemongrass beef this time, and my bf ordered vegan pho. We had summer rolls on the side. The grilled lemongrass beef was very tasty, my only issue was I felt the noodles were a bit too wet compared to other dried vermicelli dishes I've had. The vegan pho was phenomenal. We were so pleasantly surprised by the delicious wholesome broth. It was a sweeter broth (we think from the carrots), but it was a great soothing broth. The tofu, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, and some greens were provided generously, and were tasty as well. The summer rolls were good, no complaints. Covid-wise, it looks like this place is strictly carry out and it easy to drop by and grab the appropriate takeout bag they placed on the table at the door. I honestly forgot whether the man was wearing a mask or not--he only appeared as I left the store and I was in a hurry. We look forward to trying this place again, and I'm so happy I've now found the perfect vege/vegan restaurant for my vege/vegan friends!! read more

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To be honest, I had no idea there was a place to get pho in Bethesda until a co-worker suggested that I go here. Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure this is the only place to grab a bowl of pho in Bethesda, even with all of the diverse options in the area. The restaurant itself is small. You place your order at the counter first & walk towards the left to find the dining area. Your order is called out & you retrieve your meal up by the kitchen. The options for pho are limited. I think there's a vegan, chicken, and beef option. There's not much variety in terms of the other traditional ingredients used like tripe or tendon, but that might just be because of the demographic of the surrounding neighborhood. The soup was not my favorite. The portion size was small and the meat, not sure what cut they used, was scarce & tough. The broth tasted a little too sweet for my preference and was not hot enough to cook the add-ins (basil, bean sprouts, etc.). The acidity from the mini lime slices made a slight difference in balancing the flavor out, but I still wish it was more savory. I've also tried one of their rice dishes (lemongrass chicken) & it just seemed like cheap carry-out. The rice was dried out in some parts & there were more lemongrass bits and haphazardly cut onions than protein. This place doesn't really hold up to the other pho places in the DMV. It's not worth the cost for the quality of food you receive. There's other places where you'll get a nicely portioned bowl of soup that's richer in flavor for way less. It's just convenient for being the only establishment that sells pho in the area. read more

Came here all the time growing up, and still get food from here whenever I can - especially in the winter. All the pho broths are very good. They have fewer fixings than some other restaurants up towards Rockville, but still yummy. The meat/chicken in the broth isn't amazing, but the noodle portions are ample and delicious. The rice noodle bowls are also delicious. I'm a big fan of the caramelized chicken. Portions of everything are large and well worth it. read more

I met a friend her for lunch on Sunday. I grew up in Bethesda, but I've never been to this place before! I perused the menu the night before and settled on the short rib rice platter. The short ribs were savory with just the right amount of sweetness, like they had been marinating all night. The dressing for the salad was amazing. It tasted both simple and complex, and I was tempted to ask for the recipe. The white rice was your standard white rice, but it complemented the ribs and vegetables nicely. I had a tangerine la croix with my meal, and you could have almost convinced me that I wasn't dining in a patio area in Bethesda, and I was instead having a meal in the Vietnamese countryside. The total for my meal came to $20. I'll definitely be adding this restaurant to my list of regulars for when I visit Bethesda! read more

Rice Paddies Grill - Asian Short Ribs Rice Platter! - Vietnamese Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

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PT the owner is amazing! He provides exceptional friendly service and makes sure everyone leaves satisfied. My fav dish "R6 Combination with Rice instead of Rice noodle is soooo delicious. Once I get one combination it never fails I need one every other day throughout the week and the Raspberry Hibiscus tea mixed with Pear Lemonade is a vibe! read more

If you could get past the utter filth of the kitchen and main area, the food used to at least taste good. Not great but decent. That's no longer the case. The quality of the food has gone downhill. I made the mistake of giving it one last try after two very poor experiences. The salad was tasteless. The pho looked like I ordered it off a kiddie menu. And that's after I paid for extra noodles and extra chicken. When I called to complain, a very rude woman offered to give me extra chicken. How nice of them to offer me what I already paid for ... and invite me to make a return trip to pick up those 2oz of chicken! Steer clear and take the time to go to Rockville or Silver Spring to satisfy your hankering for pho or any other Vietnamese dish. read more

As a fellow Vietnamese in Bethesda the food is amazing. Very affordable compared to other pho spots in Montgomery county nonetheless anywhere in downtown Bethesda. 100% would recommend read more

RUDE!! The guy was extremely rude to me then I requested extra sriracha he gave me one pack. I'll never understand how you can be mean to someone spending their hard earned money on your establishment. read more

We got our food to go because it was so crazy packed inside. It may have affected the quality? It was good solid food, nothing too crazy. Its quite chaotic and the area to order is quite small. The Pho was pretty good, but could have been a bit more flavorful. There were three of us that basically ordered the same thing, just different proteins. All felt kind of the same way. BTW, this was during lunch. read more

Not authentic at all apart from being tasteless. I ordered the spring rolls, a pretty standard dish. They used spaghetti noodles and peanut sauce tased like custard with banana and honey mixed in. Other dishes were just lightly stir friend veggies with white rice. I have to say, I could make better food at home and create more flavour. The high rating is misleading. This place has been around 20+ years and at some point the food may have been good but not anymore. read more

To Go Review: A warm treat when your co-worker braves the cold rain for lunch & brings back Pho for you to try...handclaps for the Pho Newbies. After looking over the online menu I ordered the Vegan Pho Bowl, with other variations including Chicken, Beef, Meatball & Veggie yet in Meat Stock. Upon its arrival to my desk, I started my Pho journey. There are two parts of preparation before consuming; the Cabbage, Spinach, Rice Noodles, Sprouts, Herbs & Lime Wedges in a plastic bowl & the accompanying Vegan Broth in a tall container. I mixed it together & enjoyed a Pho-nomenal, hearty & tasty soup. Additionally, the menu offers a nice size selection of Appetizers, Rice Dishes, Salads & Entrees. & not to leave out the non-meat eaters, you too can enjoy Vegan Lemongrass 'Chicken' or Flaming 'Beef'. When the office crew walks over to Rice Paddies Grill for their bi-weekly Vietnamese craving, I too can enjoy the delicious Pho...even if its via To-Go. read more

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The chicken curry was delicious. Not spicy. Lemongrass flavor made a really nice lemon curry to combo with potatos, carrots, and rice. --Bethesda Maryland Location read more

Do you have what it takes to brave through downtown Bethesda and find a parking spot? If you happen to be one those lucky drivers to score a cheap street side parking, you will be welcomed to one of the best vegeterian pho places in Betheda area. Lot of veggies, rich and flavorful broth. They call the broth vegan instead of vegeterian! Wish their to go packaging was better, highly prone to leaking. read more

Rice Paddies Grill - Vietnamese Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

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SIMPLY AMAZING!!! Delicious, authentic and fresh Vietnamese food in a rather Americanized neighborhood. The restaurant is set up fast-casual style where you order up front when you walk in then seat yourselves. It's not a fancy spot but it's definitely a great place to get a bomb meal. read more

Rice Paddies Grill - Top: beef pho, bottom: combo rice platter - Vietnamese Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

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Ate here yesterday for lunch and I gotta tell you that it was good food, but not the greatest Vietnamese food I've had. Its decently priced considering the location in Bethesda, but it doesn't help that the guy taking our order was rude. Customer service is first priority. The flavors were definitely in the grilled lemongrass chicken that i had, but the peanut sauce for the fresh spring rolls were a little watered down . Probably won't eat here again. read more

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This place is definitely different from the pho places I'm used to. Look at the menu and you can see the choices are pretty minimal. Yes, they add the extras (bean sprouts and all) in for you, which isn't what I'd prefer. Today I had the pork vermicelli bowl with a spring roll. The pork was marinated very well so it was super flavorful. The Noodles were fatter than I'm used to, but that was fine with me. The problem in my bowl was the spring roll. The flavor was missing though it looked like any other spring roll I've had. I also tried the summer roll. Those things also needed some flavor. The shrimp wasn't flavorful in it either. I wouldn't order them again - and I'm a summer roll fanatic. So, if you're in the area and want some noodles, this place is fine - just don't expect to be blown away. read more

Rice Paddies Grill - Pork vermicelli bowl w/spring roll. - Vietnamese Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

I only made it to Rice Paddies once while working in Bethesda, but really liked it. I had the lemongrass beef vermicelli, and found everything to be fresh and flavorful. The portion is huge and they don't skimp on the beef. I always get my vermicelli bowls with spring rolls, and those were good too. This place gets packed, and it's small, but the owner is super friendly. read more

Rice Paddies Grill - Beef and noodles - Vietnamese Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

This was horrible! Do NOT eat here. There was hair in my food and the chicken was not edible!! Huge mistake trying this place. ***Edit: refund was given when I walked the food back to them and showed them the hair and nasty chicken*** read more

Rice Paddies Grill - Hair in food - Vietnamese Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

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First want to say I have been living in Bethesda my whole life and I am 39 yrs old- just NOW finally checking out Rice Paddies and I am soooo sad I haven't been coming here sooner. I had such a nice lunch date with my son who loves Ramen but was skeptical, once he tasted it he said this is better than Ramen! I agree, it was the most delicious soup ever!!!! I got the beef pho size small and it was HuGE! He got the chicken, both delicious! The lady working there was so pleasant and sweet, will definitely come back with my whole family especially when it gets chilly! I hope carry out is just as good! Thanks for a great experience! read more

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Bethesda is an amazing area with an abundance of culinary options to enjoy a great meal at different pricing points. I decided to try "Rice Paddies Grill" last week and try their Pho dish. For dinner, I visited this quaint-looking restaurant for that had caught my eye before but I've never made time to actually go in and give their food a try. Location and parking: Overall, a 6/10 in easiness of parking. This place is located on Bethesda Ave and Wisconsin Ave. It is quite easy to find it, and there is ample public parking (free every weekend) half-a-block away from it. If you are lucky, you'll find street parking very close to the actual restaurant. Although there is a tiny parking lot right next to the restaurant (it maybe has 8-10 parking spaces available), it is shared with a nearby Starbucks, and it is usually full all the time. Your best bet is to park in the public lot and walk the half a block to the restaurant. Décor: Overall, a 1/10 in decor. I love quaint and cozy restaurants, and I had anticipated this place to be one of them, judging from how small it looks from the outside. I also appreciate when owners choose to invest in décor and overall creating a comfortable feeling that can easily enhance the meal experience. Upon walking in, I realized this place was indeed small, which I don't mind. Unfortunately, and to my dismay, it had such a poorly-decorated carry-out feeling that it actually took me by surprise. Immediately upon walking in, you face the cashier who is ready to take your order. I did not appreciate the several boxes, cups and overall crowded wall that greets you upon walking through their main entrance door (see image for reference). It caused a very poor impression, and a simple rearranging of these items in proper storage in non-visible parts of the restaurant would go a REALLY long way into improving the décor and minimizing this really bad first impression all of your customers are exposed when they visit. Also, the color of the walls was somber borderline depressing (as shown in the picture), and the tables and chairs were equally uncomfortable and screamed a "cheapy" feeling. Simply from judging the décor, I already knew that their food would really have to be flavorful and deliver an amazing experience to my taste buds for my evening to be turned around, or I was going to have a very unpleasant dining experience overall. Service & Price: Overall, a 5/10 in service and price. Service is minimal, as you literally walk-in, order your food, take a number, and get up to pick up your own food when your number is called. My interaction with the cashier was great, and is probably the reason why I won't give this place a 1 star. The pricing points for the Pho dishes I tried at Rice Paddies are average around this area, although based on previous Pho I've tried in several other establishments, our order had too few protein pieces to justify the price. The prices for the order of spring rolls were also average. Food and Drinks: Overall, a 5/10 in food and drinks. We ordered Pho (one with chicken and one with beef) and some spring rolls. While I have had Pho before, I unfortunately have to agree with other reviewers here that for the pricing point this place charges, you literally get a Pho overloaded with noodles, at the expenses of having very little protein in it. The chicken pieces where so few, that I just laughed when I realized I had paid for mostly chicken broth and noodles. The beef Pho was the same; very "skinny"! To be fair, the spring rolls were delicious, and the overall flavor of the soup was a bit below average, but not too far below. Overall, the menu offers enough variety to satisfy those looking for Vietnamese cuisine. While I can only vouch for what I ordered and tried (Chicken Pho, Beef Pho and Spring Rolls), I would recommend adjusting your expectations if you are looking for an above average flavor experience. I wasn't able to achieve one with the food served. Opportunities for improvement: 1. Re-organize your main entry to remove the horrible clutter you display and all patrons see upon walking in to your restaurant. It is a very off-putting experience. 2. Invest in nicer tables, more comfortable chairs and nicer bowls for your customers who dine on site. 3. Maybe invest in décor (warmer colors, nicer painting, better organization in your bathroom) that actually enhances your customer's dining experience. 4. Don't skimp out too much on the protein added to the Pho dishes. In conclusion, the food is average at best, and definitely not something I am eager to try again. While I might visit again in a few months to try a different dish and see if they are able to deliver an above average meal, based on this experience, this is not in my priority list. read more

Rice Paddies Grill - Main entrance to the restaurant. This crowded wall greets you upon walking in and as you approach the counter to place your order. - Vietnamese Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

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With the quantity and diversity of food options in Bethesda, I was surprised to find this the only PHO coming up on Yelp in the area. Always up for a new PHO, I decided to give it a try. Spoiler- Good if you're in a pinch but not worth going out of your way. They do things a little different then most PHO places in that you have a choice of Beef or Seafood PHO and that's it. (maybe there was a vegetarian, I forget). The Beef comes with Eye Round and Brisket, which is what I got. I didn't notice any brisket in there. The meat was tender but there was not a lot of it. About $8.50 per bowl, one size. There were not a lot of noodles either. The toppings come already in the soup (bean sprouts, basil, jalapeno) with a lime on the side. This is clearly described on the menu. The broth tasted excellent. No issues there. You order at the counter, they call your number, and you carry the bowl to your table. While the broth was hot enough to cook the meat, it was not hot enough to cook my bean sprouts or onions. By the time I got to the bottom of the bowl they were still crunchy. I've been eating Pho for many years and the pattern I have found is that if the soup isn't hot enough to cook the veggies, you are more likely to have some stomach issues after you eat it. I guess if it isn't ladled from a simmering pot, it isn't hot enough to kill any bacteria that may be on the meat or other items. True to form, 90 minutes after eating there was a bit more gurgling down below than there should have been and I had an unplanned trip to the loo. Nothing severe, but enough to let me know. I also ordered an iced coffee. It is prepared for you in a plastic cup packed full of crushed ice with the coffee poured over. So, while it looks like a 12-16 oz. iced coffee, there really isn't much in there. They have a parking lot which is nice AND they have outdoor seating which is a treat for a Pho place. If you can't park in the 8-10 space lot, there is a public metered garage just down the street. The restaurant was friendly and the soup tasted fine. I didn't dislike the Pho and if I lived or worked in the area I'd give it a few more tries. But since I don't, I think when I'm down at Bethesda Row I'll try some of the many other options instead. read more

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I was a bit surprised at some of the rave reviews, but it's hard for me to try this place again after we had their pho. It was bland and seemed like someone just put instant ingredients in a bowl and threw it in the microwave for 30 seconds. I've made better food and I don't even cook. Maybe I caught them at a bad time on a bad day? But it was bad enough that it's not going to make me want to go back to try any of their other menu items. I wanted to like this place because it's a small business in my neighborhood. But I hate feeling ripped off, so no thanks. read more

worst vietnamese coffee next to no pork in entree noodles less than 3 inches long 3 stars only for dessert which was tasty and home made spring rolls read more

If you are looking for pho they literally have 3 options beef, chicken, seafood not sure why there isn't a way to select the types of beef like a normal pho shop. Place is a hole in the wall and not the cleanest. Pho was ok but not to the quality of a traditional DC area numbered pho shop. read more

Quick, casual and inexpensive Vietnamese food with Vegetarian and Vegan options - Appetizers, Pho, Rice Platters, Bowls, Teas and Desserts. You won't get the 5 star treatment here, as you place you order, pay for it and wait for your food. If you choose to eat in, you sit in old school table and chairs with self-serve condiments and utensils. If you're someone who prefers delivery, you can order online via UberEats, Chow Now, or DoorDash. My go to order is the Vegan Pho and the Vegan Spring Rolls with Vegan Sauce. My only hang up is no matter how many times I request for them to deep fry my Spring Rolls, they still come out kind of soggy. They could be more generous with the Vegetables but overall it is a tasty broth filling up my bowl and enough to share for two for under $14.00. Now here's the tricky part where patience has come into play. When you are placing an order for pick up it can be somewhat like pin the tail on the donkey as you never know how your order is going to end up or lacking something thereof, so make sure to always check takeaway orders. At some point, I will venture out and try other Veggie options on the menu, but for now I will stick to what I know. read more