Usually, restaurants do not have the time to make fresh pho broth every morning. So generally, this means that a majority of restaurants will basically refrigerate or freeze the broth. While this method is okay, it definitely does not produce really rich broth because what they'll do is they'll just ladle out the amount of frozen broth for your bowl and then do what's necessary. That isn't the case with SEA. SEA's broth is fresh and the flavor is strong. I'm sorry to say this for my own mom considering I'm a full-blooded Vietnamese, but SEA makes better pho than her. What SEA gives you is homemade in a matter of only fifteen minutes of waiting. I've also had their rice plates and it's authentic and filling. The broken rice, though generally a lower grade of rice than Jasmine is delicious when made right. The option for different types of meat or cut is also very different from most restaurants. This is the place I take my boyfriend to whenever he has this craving for Viet food, and it never disappoints. He himself admits it's one of the best pho places he's been to and he's quite the eater. Do yourself a flavor and enjoy an authentic bowl of pho right here in Rochester. read more

Super friendly staff, some oddball patrons. Could use a little scrub a dub dub. read more

We come to try the phos second time because we have a satisfied experience last time but the result was disappointed.We order the beef special pho was as good as usual but the seafood pho was way different from our expect.You can never call something have only 3 baby shrimps inside seafood combo without telling us those crab meat are sold out advanced.Specially the seafood pho was more expensive than the beef special.Eventually they take off the bill of seafood one for us was reasonable.The serve was okay but we might go to another Vietnam restaurant next time. read more

SEA Restaurant - The beef special pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Rochester, New York

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I went again recently and it was much better than I remembered---I had the pho with everything, and actually finished all of the broth in the bowl, and the meat had a nice flavor and tenderness. read more

I was so disappointed. I went here once a week for many years and this most recent time I went, the soup was VERY salty. Like couldn't even drink it. =/ Disasterous. So disappointed. read more

Really small place, probably 12 tables, so it took 15 min during the lunch rush to get a table. Spring rolls were so fresh! Brisket pho was so good! I want it every cold day! read more

The pho was good just slightly on the sweet side. The calamari appetizer was too salty for me. I ordered it based on someone else's review and I wouldn't recommend it unless you like salty foods. Ice coffee was on par. Service was quick!!! read more

I love SEA Restuarant! I had my first taste of Pho here and am hooked. I tried Dac Hoa shortly after but found the environment and food in SEA better. Great prices and delicous, healthy food. Hmmm, just writing about this Pho makes me want to go right now! read more

SEA is great! The food is delicious and very reasonably priced for what you get. They have the best fried squid EVER! My favorite entree is the house vermicelli which comes topped with shrimp, pork and diced egg roll and always tastes fresh. My husband swears by their Pho. It's a small placed that can get easily packed but the service is fast and the food is definitely worth the wait. read more

I checked this place out and from the outside it wasn't what I expected on the inside. It was very nice. The server was very sweet and friendly. Gave us plenty of time to decide. I came with someone who isn't a big veggie person. I was surprised they were very accommodating, since I pointed out they had fried rice but comes with veggies. I asked if they could just make it plain without veggies. I would've expected them to say no because it's difficult to find places that are willing to separate. It was still very delicious! Plus their Thai milk tea is excellent. read more

I believe SEA has the best Phō in Rochester. The fried squid, fresh spring rolls, and prices are great too!

SEA (South East Asian cuisine and Vietnamese Pho) Nice blend of Laotion,Vietnamese and some Thai influenced dishes. Good Pho (hard to find around here) customized to your taste, good Spring Rolls, excellent other dishes. Choices aren't as big as some places but everything we had was great. Attentive staff, friendly atmosphere and nice part of the Monroe Ave strip (read no beggars,street people or shootings unlike some other parts). Small cozy atmosphere,good food reasonable prices. read more

Pho was spot on. It could use a little more beef but otherwise same price as a bowl around the San Jose area. Service was polite and curious. Overall nice little place in the wall to enjoy a meal on a rainy/snowy Rochester night. read more

This smaller, cozy restaurant makes an excellent Pho! This warm bowl of goodness is what I crave on a cold winter's day. The Beef Special and the Chicken varieties are my favorite. Also worth trying is the spicy squid appetizer... it's delicious! Prices at SEA are inexpensive---I'm always amazed when the check arrives and, for a party of two, it amounts to $16 or so. Not bad for dinner... read more

Viet fried egg rolls were tasty. Number 1 Pho with every thing was good to excellent, broth was tasty, not greasy but it was a just a little mild for my taste. Service was above average. The server tossed my bottled water when I went to a bio break, later she apologized and offered me a fresh ice cold bottle. It was nice as it was a hot ROC day even for a Texan with temperature in the 90s. You cannot go wrong with SEA, Pho and ER are good. And it is cheap. Enjoy. read more

This place was great, unfortunately it is closed now. But they do still have their other location at mt hope.

This is a great little restaurant. The pho is tasty and very filling. Generous proportions. The shrimp salad is great. Love the sweet dressing and the fried squid is a must have. Will definitely return. read more

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Ive had SEA bookmarked for ages and couldn't wait to try it.... unfortunately, I was very let down. We placed an order for pick up and got there a few minutes before it was ready. Despite reading off the order to my boyfriend and packaging it while he was there, they gave him someone else's order. We were super bummed when we got home and discovered that the vermicelli bowl I was so looking forward to was MIA. We called them and they told us to come back and get the right food, but didn't offer much in the way of reparations. 20 minutes later we finally sat down to eat and the food was obviously much colder than it should have been. The peel and eat shrimp also left much to be desired so that, in combination with the (lack of) temperature, leads me to say that I can't see myself going back here. The highlight of the meal was the fried egg roll, but it wasn't enough to save the overall rating. Obviously most people have a better experience here so I hope our situation is the exception not the rule! read more

SEA Restaurant - House vermicelli bowl. Fried spring roll on top was the highlight - Vietnamese Near Me - Rochester, New York

SEA Restaurant is a small, tucked away place on a corner on Monroe that is probably easy to miss. I got vegetable spring rolls and seafood pho, both of which were tasty. It's also incredibly cheap, about $16 for two people, and would highly recommend. read more

Probably the best Pho in Rochester. I know, that's not saying much. Incredibly cheap and very fast service. read more

SEA Restaurant - great pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Rochester, New York

Went in with the kiddies and got a bowl of their seafood Pho. The restaurant is small and was a bit concerned about the quality. But when I did get my bowl I impressed with its size, I almost couldn't finish it. It was my first time eating Vietnamese food and the kids and I liked it. read more

SEA Restaurant - Seafood Pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Rochester, New York

That place is oh my god perfect! Thats the best Vietnamese Restaurant i ever been at in my life! When I was horribly sick with flu, i was referred to get beef broth with steak, rice noodle and beansprouts pho. My stomach settles down really fast!! Price is very reasonable. I got that pho for under 10 dollars and the bowl is huge! Fulled me up. Very medicinal and health. Those Vietnam people really know what to do with something real. 20 time better than wegman's shit read more

Have eaten here about 5 times in the past couple of months. The food is delicious, service is quick and attentive, and the prices can't be beat. Everything is fresh, well seasoned and the portions are generous. Calamari appetizer is delicious - slightly sweet and spicy. The Bun (vermicelli) dishes are delicious and the portions are huge. Pho is also delicious, portions are huge, end up taking home at least as much as was consumed at the table. Staff is friendly, place is clean and the service is lighting fast. read more

Great meal, fast service. Crispy noodles 20 and regular 21 delicious! Siracha also added good flavor

Updating my SEA review to include more info about my favorite dishes there and some tips. Firstly, this place is a good and cheap - it won't break the bank and if you're a fan of Asian food and pho, you'll most likely leave feeling very satisfied. Secondly, the food here is certainly more Vietnamese than any other southeast Asian country. I don't think I would order much beyond the Vietnamese menu here. Thirdly, the decor is bare bones. It's not bad to sit down and eat there, but it's probably not the best place to take someone you're trying to impress. On the flip side, they package their pho perfectly for take-out, so this is usually the manner I tend to order food from here. The downside to take out at SEA is that the best dish on the menu does NOT travel well. The spicy squid is a spectacular and must-get appetizer here on the menu. I love lashings of salt on my seafood, so this savory and crispy dish is perfect for me. We always order the beef pho special for $7.25. If you're getting this to-go, the noodles and broth are of course packaged separately and fare well for re-heating or travel. As for what goes into the pho, the beef special is a combination of flank, brisket, rare steak, tendon, tripe and meatballs. I've been eating "weird things" in my pho since I was about 12 years old, so I understand that tendon and tripe and rare beef gross people out. But for those of you who like a little adventure, the beef special is the way to go. The meat that goes into pho isn't very flavorful and doesn't stand up on its own. It's not meant to. The broth (supposedly cooked for hours) and the accompaniments are meant to add flavor to the meat. I really like rare beef in my pho because the broth is typically hot enough to cook the meat to a tender medium rare by the time it gets to me. The secret to enjoying pho is to be willing to add in all the dressings -- the beansprouts, the basil, the cilantro and chilis. The basil and cilantro are particularly important and the beansprouts add extra texture. My pho always gets several shakes of chili sauce and fresh chilis if they're available. Sweating when you're eating pho is a good sign. Seriously! SEA has reliable and excellent pho at great prices. In the winter months, this place is a regular staple for me. Pho takes some getting used to, but once you're hooked, you'll be an addict for life! read more

Had the chicken pho. Was very good, and a really large portion. Service was great, greeted me right when I walked in. I Will definitely go back to try more items on the menu. read more

SEA is probably my favorite restaurant in town when it comes to no frills tasty eats for a good price. The pho here is as awesome as everyone else here says it is. Really savory and subtlely spiced(star anise, cinnamon, etc) broth filled with a variety of tender cuts of beef, rice noodles, and veggies. This is deeply satisfying comfort food without the calories or heavy feeling. The super cheap price only sweetens the deal. And like everyone else says, yes, the squid appetizer is top notch. read more

The food here is great! I practically tried everything on the menu and cant complain about anything. Being a frequent customer since the grand opening, not much has changed but the service: once you come here a few times and get to know everyone here it feels like home. Everyone is so friendly and welcoming. & being in the heart of rochester; it's a great place to grab a quick snack whether your eating alone or with friends and/or family. read more

Very delicious place to enjoy some pho. The Mt Hope location was closed so we came here since I really needed to get my pho on! I got a beef pho (regular size) and it was enormous! My husband got bbq beef with rice and it was equally delicious. They were out of thai tea when I was there and I guess it was just absolutely impossible to bring me any so hopefully next time my timing will be better. read more

I love it here. Its the best!! I always order the Pho Special. For appetizer I would order the fried squid, spring rolls or eggrolls (can't choose sometimes). Food comes out hot and great. I wouldn't get it anywhere else =D read more

When I'm in need of Pho in Rochester, SEA is always my go-to. They do what they do perfectly. I always get an order of fresh spring rolls, which are delicious and fresh; and an order of chicken Pho. Dinner for two comes in just over $20 and this is seriously the best tasting broth I've had in the area. It just can't be beaten, and for that reason it's a mainstay for Asian cuisine in Rochester! read more

I don't get to eat Pho very often, but coming to Rochester and picking this restaurant was definitely a choice I don't regret. My love for pho was so bad that at times I would go like 8 to 10 times in a month. For me, noodles with soup is a typical dish I would eat at home since my parents are cooks themselves. So, naturally my expectations would not be high at all. Going into the restaurant in 2011, I decided to order Pho and the Fried Squid. The Fried Squid is somewhat good, but at times it can be a bit more spicier than usual. Nonetheless, I enjoy that and I definitely recommend that for your appetizer. I noticed the appetizers are increasing in price as of late... so it is up to your discretion if you willing to pay more. I wouldn't personally because I usually go for pho. The soup for pho was really delicious and they put a fair amount of meat in the soup which is great and for under 8 bucks for extra large bowl, it is solid. I usually go for their special because I like the variety of meats they put in the pho. The soup has a lot more MSG flavor (or whatever they put in it) and it does not taste like real authentic Vietnamese pho. I have been to other places where they put much more meat, broth is not so salty or MSG heavy and noodles for that price. I also had their pad thai and it is solid, but at times they put too much sauce or little sauce which kinda ruins the consistency. Nonetheless, the overall quality of food is really good. I definitely recommend for anyone who likes Pho to go to Sea Restaurant. It is one of the few restaurants in Rochester I highly recommend you all to go to especially during winter season! read more

Best pho I've found in Rochester area so far! Great service, I will definitely come again.

Im a huge pho fan so we decided to order takeout. I had the chicken pho, it was good but I've had better. I also had the fresh veggie spring rolls, the peanut sauce is soooo good! We also ordered the bbq beef which I honestly found really dry with no flavor, even with the sauce. The fried squid looks really good but I want to dine in at the restaurant to try. I will more than likely try their food again. read more

Best pho and squid in town. My children love this place and often asked to have dinner here

Have been here many many times. Always enjoy the great service and the nice atmosphere for a quick bite. Very grateful having this place in the neighborhood and the friendly people who run this place. Again, it's a very nice place for a quick bite. read more

Stopped here for lunch today. Ordered 11A off the menu as a suggestion from a friend. Best beef Pho I have ever tasted. great fresh veggies and spices to go with it. Also ordered the spring rolls (a little too much lettuce and too little flavor). The star of the show outside of the pho was the fried squid appetizer. Wonderful flavor and just the right amount of spice. What a lunch!!!! Lunch for 4 with appetizers and drinks was under $40.00. Run, don't walk here if you love pho............ read more

Sorry Sea, I really wanted to like you...and perhaps it was a bit much to ask for good Thai food two days in a row, but I just was so not impressed. Firstly, it's a little more haggard inside than Sak's. Ok, so their prices are a bit cheaper...still not a great first impression. I ordered 2 plates of Spring rolls so we could each have one, and the pho with beef and meatball. My one daughter ordered two apps...shrimp salad, and chef's special chicken wings. My other daughter ordered crispy noodles with a bowl of wonton soup. I was initially annoyed by the casual order of food arrival. She first brought out the shrimp salad...several minutes go by...then she brings out the won ton soup...several more minutes go by, then finally the Spring rolls...I assume the soup and spring rolls are pre-made...couldn't all of these items have been brought out at once? Fail. OK, so the food...I tried a wonton, and it was delicious. Great texture and tasted home made. Broth was good as well. But that's when what I will hereafter refer to as pork lunchmeat first appeared. My daughter lifted up a thin slice of uniformly shaped meat out of her soup, which we both thought at first was a slice of turkey...I soon figured out that this was the pork they use in everything....yuck...bland, tasteless thin slices of compressed pork roast that did not taste fresh, and reminded me of stale turkey. And call me crazy, but something about the uniformity and shape of that slice just screamed that it was purchased elsewhere pre-cooked, and not made in house. Another fail. The pork lunchmeat made another appearance in the spring rolls. The wrapper had the nice sticky and chewy consistency of the one from Sak's, but that's where the similarities ended. There was one butterflied medium shrimp...totally bland and tasteless, a whole bunch of shredded iceberg, and I couldn't detect much of anything else..maybe some mint. It did not have the diversity of ingredients, textures and flavors present in the Sak's version, and just didn't work for me. The peanut dipping sauce also failed to impress. It seemed almost pudding like consistency, which rubbed me the wrong way, and didn't seem home made either, though I could be wrong on that. I mostly used sriracha to dip and drown out the flavor of the dreaded pork lunchmeat inside. My daughter really liked her shrimp salad, though it didn't look particularly appetizing to me. The wings were crispy, sweet, and a little spicy, though I'm not sure what made them "Chef's special" as opposed to the other wings on the menu. At $4.95 for 4 wings, it seemed about $2 too much, but my daughter really liked them. Ok, something's gotta be good here right? Next comes my daughter's crispy noodles...This had the appearance of uncooked Ramen, but a little more spread out and brown. Kind of like those La Choy noodles from the seventies...anyway, we had both kind of envisioned more of a pan-fried noodle that was moist but had some crunch to it from being stir fried...no, these were just crunchy noodles with stir fried veggies on top. So glad I did not order that as I was thinking about it. My daughter actually really enjoyed it, but then again she walks around eating raw ramen while her ramen noodles are cooking, so not exactly a foodie. Finally, long after my daughter's noodles, my pho arrived. Looked good. I was disappointed that the sprouts, basil and chili that were described in the menu as add-ins came out without the chili, and I should have asked for it, but I was lazy and just squirted in some sriracha. Broth was OK, but lacked complexity. Noodles were good texture and plentiful. But there was that pork lunchmeat again. It tasted a little better in the soup as it had cooked in the broth and improved with osmosis, but the meatballs were grey and gave me the heebie jeebies...more the consistency of sausage...and made out of god knows what "gray" meats. perhaps I just don't understand Pho. And if that's the case, I admit, maybe I have no idea what I'm talking about, but after hearing it described so many times by others, I was envisioning this broth, rich with complex asian flavors, fresh chilis, and spices, and it just seemed like somewhat flavorful brown broth. I will say there certainly was a lot of it. There must have been half a gallon of broth. I think I ate a quarter to a third of it and left the rest. I don't know, my girls said they liked their food, and usually they won't say much if they don't like something, so I am going to give these guys the benefit of the doubt and round up to three stars, instead of the two that I would have awarded had I dined alone. Sak's kicks this place down the street in my opinion. My lunch there was more like a dinner, and cost only a little more than my Sea dinner, but with free soup and spring roll. I plan to give Viet Thai in Irondequoit a chance as that seems to have better reviews and it's in our hood, and we have a coupon. read more

I don't even live in Rochester anymore, but after my searches for pho in a couple of cities since I had to come back and leave a review. N.B. I've only ever had the pho at SEA (and the fried squid), and I care pretty much nothing at all about service or atmosphere so long as they don't steal my credit card or drop water on my head. It's cramped for sure, and street parking only. I wouldn't go with a large group unless it's a really odd hour. Servers are always nice, but sometimes inattentive or overly busy. I've had good pho, and bad pho, and terrible pho, and amazing pho. SEA is amazing pho, and I've never experienced any consistency issues. The broth is clear, with just the right about of fat glistening at the top, with really good complex and clean flavor. Don't doctor it up with sriracha or hoisin - if you like that stuff, put it in a small plate to the side and dip your meat in it instead. Better just to crack open the Thai chili peppers they give you (sometimes you have to ask) and drop them in, and add some basil and a squeeze of lime to brighten it up. I always got #6 (thin sliced round and brisket) with extra noodles - I happen to like my carbs, like any good Asian, and they are certainly generous with the meat. The brisket is also something special - melt-in-your-mouth and beefy, the kind of texture BBQ joints are always chasing. If they had a #6 that came with tripe, I'd have gotten that, because the tripe I've stolen out of my husband's bowl of #1 has always been tasty. The extra large bowl is kind of ridiculous - not sure how anybody can finish it, unless you eat one meal a day. Also, sometimes when we were extra hungry, we'd get the fried squid as an appetizer. It's a little spicy in just the right way, and always cooked very well. read more

I tried this restaurant for the first time today and I have to say I am INCREDIBLY disappointed and needless to say I will not be coming back. The Pho was Ok borderline good and is the reason I gave this place two stars instead of one. Their Pho is not greasy and light on the MSG which is always a plus however they do not have a variety of meat. Even though they listed all the beef cuts, in reality they only have eye-round, tripe, brisket and meatball. I ordered Pho with meatball and tendon, I got meat ball and fatty brisket. I have worked in a Vietnamese restaurant for 5 years so I am very familiar with all the cuts. My boyfriend order the vermicelli with chicken and it was awful. The vermicelli was under cook and been sitting out so it started to dry out. The chicken was ok. Their homemade sauce is good. We also ordered spring rolls for appetizer. While the spring roll itself is Ok their size was pathetic. It is a size of your index finger...no kidding. It is the smallest spring roll I have ever see. For $3/order (you get two) was over priced. Another point, this place is really small, don't let the picture fool you. There is about eight tables in this place. In the end, if you do decide to try this place I would only recommend get the Pho, get anything else and you will be disappointed. They are not authentic Vietnamese foods, and not many varieties either. They also do not serve Bun Bo Hue (spicy beef vermicelli soup) one of my favorite dish. Take my review with a grain of salt since I have not tried everything in that place. But for me I will not be coming back. Side note: I am Vietnamese and I was born and raised in Vietnam for 14 years. I also worked in a Vietnamese restaurant for 5 years so I'm pretty confident about my taste in Vietnamese food. Happy eating read more