Sidestreet pho is our go to Vietnamese place in Alameda! I will say their pho is probably the least preferred thing I've ordered since it's heavier on the spices than your traditional pho, but everything else I've ordered there has been delicious. We frequently order their vermicelli bowls and their bun rieu. I have been here a number of times and the service is always amazing, and the quality of food has always been consistent. read more

It's been awhile since I reviewed Side Street Pho. Noticed that I only gave them 3 Stars. That was many years ago and I must report that their quality has improved since then. I would give them 5 Stars, but I am holding back 1 star because they are not always reliable with respect to pick up orders. For example: The Bun Xao (4/5) here is excellent. I take off 1 star because once I picked up this order and once, they forgot to include the sweet fish sauce which is an essential side with this dish. The Bun Bo Hue (4/5) is also excellent. It's the best I have ever eaten though I have not been to Hue, Vietnam to measure this, but I have had many bowls of this as it is my favorite Vietnamese dish. However, just this weekend, we placed two orders for pick up. Both did not include the cubed pig's blood. That to me is my favorite part of the dish especially when combined with the lime juice and the excellent spicy and flavorful broth the serve for this. When you drive 30 minutes to pick up an order and return home excited to eat what you're craving and it is missing the most important ingredient, it is truly disappointing. I will say that the broth was pretty close to perfect. It would have been perfect with the pork blood and a side of Vietnamese Coriander which they did not provide as well. Previously, I have order the Bun Bo Hue here and they've once forgotten the leaves; another time they forgot the plum sauce, and another time they forgot the shrimp paste which needs to be added to the broth. These little details matter. So I will have to say that this place should be 5 stars because the quality is there. They just flake out consistently on the key ingredients. Bun Bo Hue isn't a very difficult dish to cook. I just requires time and the right ingredients. Once I learn how to make this on my own, this place will not have much significance to me anymore as I know I could make it better because I know all the appropriate ingredients. read more

Absolutely the best ox tail pho. So delicious and flavorful. The staff is always so friendly I'm so glad I found this gem.

Dreaming of the oxtail pho I had at Sidestreet Pho last weekend. The oxtail was tender. The broth was perfect- rich and filling. The limeade I had to go along with the pho could have used a bit more flavor, but overall this is a solid pho spot in Alameda. read more

Sidestreet Pho - P3 PHO DUOI BO OXTAIL - Vietnamese Near Me - Alameda, California

After returning for years, about once a week, we can confidently say you won't find better service, food, or staff. Highly recommend!

Best beef broth I've ever had! This is def one of my favorites places for Pho. The vegetables are fresh and the noodles soft and tasty. If you want to have Pho on an elevated level, you must try this! I usually go during the early afternoon and there's always a table available! read more

Sidestreet Pho - Tofu & Vegetable Pho with Beef Broth - Vietnamese Near Me - Alameda, California

ONLINE DELIVERY REVIEW: I didn't think it was possible to have good pho delivered, but Sidestreet has found a way. Of course there is some assembly required, but everything was packed so well, you can enjoy pho from home. The cooked noodles are cold and placed in a box, and the meat (sliced ribeye in this case) was wrapped in plastic and placed on top of the noodles. The broth was in a separate plastic container and was still warm. The veggies (bean sprouts, basil, and jalapeño) were in a separate plastic bag. They even give you little packets of hoisin and sriracha sauces. If you like your pho piping hot like I do, once assembled, I recommend nuking it for a minute. What we ordered: + Sliced rib eye pho - once assembled and nuked for a minute, it's as good as having it at the restaurant. Broth is so tasty and meat was tender. + Imperial rolls - they now put the imperial rolls on parchment paper to separate it from the lettuce, so it's still super crispy. + Shaking beef with garlic noodles - Flavorful cubes of beef with very garlicky noodles. Really good, especially if you love garlic. read more

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COVID TIMES 11/13/20- PICK UP ONLY Thursday-Monday DO NOT ORDER FROM HERE They are not ready for their up pick orders. I ordered at 5:55PM and they said it will be ready by 7pm. I get here at 6:59 and there's over 20 people waiting outside. There is one person running back and forth to the kitchen and checking in people at the same time. None of our orders are ready on time. They just seem like they aren't prepared for online order and pick ups. They have amazing food but they are not prepared or have have a good system going. Not sure how long they have this unorganized system going, but it is deficient non-efficient. There isn't much parking on this busy street so having an overflow of people waiting is not convenient at all, no reason to order 1 hour in advance to have to come and stand outside in the 50 degree weather for another 30 mins. Take your money else where. read more

Sidestreet Pho - Store front during covid - Vietnamese Near Me - Alameda, California

My Dad and I came here for dinner on a Tuesday night. We were able to park just in front on the street. There is a small parking lot on the side but it's dark and there have been concerns of break-ins there so we opted to park where we could keep an eye on our car. Service was very friendly, they weren't too busy and we were able to be seated right away. There is outdoor seating set up but it was pretty chilly that night so we opted to stay inside. We ordered the Fresh Spring Rolls to start, my Dad got the broken rice plate with pork, and I got Beef Pho with Sliced Ribeye. We also got Thai Iced Teas. Thai Iced teas are pretty on par with most other South Asian restaurant Thai teas, nothing too different/unique, just tasty. Food came out very quick and fresh. The spring rolls were very flavorful, the variety of protein inside was an interesting and delicious combo. The rolls were packed very tightly, lettuce was crunchy and there was a bit of everything in every bite. The only small complaint would be that the peanut sauce is a little thick so it doesn't spread as easily when you dunk it but easy to spread with a spoon. My Dad's rice plate was a good portion, the pork was juicy with a good amount of fat. The side salad was fresh. My Pho was very delicious, good flavor in the broth, the Ribeye was still pink when the bowl arrived which was nice so I could let it cook to my desired done-ness in the soup. Beef was tender, the noodles were a very good portion, side garnish of basil leaf and bean sprouts were fresh. I personally would have preferred a slice of lime over lemon to top my soup with but still nice bit of zest and obviously fresh. They had several take-out/delivery orders come through while we were there and a couple more tables come in. Not crazy busy for a Tuesday but definitely good business. Overall the dishes are a little on the pricey side but I'm finding many restaurants have had to increase their costs as everything else has gone up as well. Service was very friendly and food was fresh and delicious. There are definitely other options if you are looking for a more homestyle/casual place but this is a slightly more trendy/upscale atmosphere (especially seeing some of their wine and beer selection.) Would come back for a nicer sit-down meal. read more

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Been a customer for a while, they have a great service. Today really stood out to me where I wanted to leave a review. Ordered 2 bowls of pho, and half way through the meal I found a piece of hair in it, they immediately offered to replace both bowls for me and even voided the transaction. That's the great service I know! read more

This is hands down the best Vietnamese pho restaurant in the greater East Bay / Bay Area. If you are ever in town, this spot is low-key but very popular amongst locals because of the care and flavor in each of its unique dishes. The ambiance is very chill, friendly, and the place is decorated with photos of Vietnam. The pho broth is aromatic and full of garnishes, making it the perfect bowl to warm the soul. Parking is limited but an easy walk from downtown and Park St. If you are planning to go, don't forget to make reservation ahead of time. read more

SIDESTREET PHO WHEN: Friday @6pm So I've been here twice now during the pandemic ever since they opened again--and they have a very simple and easy structure when ordering take-out: 1.) You can order via DoorDash or Cavier 2.) You can order directly from their website which is the way better option. When I first ordered the other month, you couldn't place an order until 5pm (which is when they open for dinner), and they end up being back ordered which causes an u expected long delay. But they've got it all fixed. You can now order starting at 4pm! For my second time around, I was able to place my order around 4:30pm and schedule for pickup at 6pm! Also, if you want to ensure you sit end up with an unexpected delay, just wait until they text you that your order is ready to pick up. So for the last couple of times I've ordered take out, here's what I've gotten: SIDE OF SAVORY DONUT (cháo quẩy) - $3 You'd recognize these at Chinese establishments as Youtiao, which is a long golden-brown deep-fried strip of dough. Here they cut them down into smaller piece which I really appreciate! I just pop them one by one even though I'm sure these were intended to be eaten in noodle soup. It's fresh--warm and crisp and fun as a side to snack on! K3. GOI CUPN DAU HU BO (Vegetarian Fresh Rolls) - $9.00 Spring Roll Filled with Tofu, Avocado, Crunch Strip, Vermicelli, Cucumber, Lettuce, Fresh Mint, and Pickled Daikon, + Carrot, Peanut Sauce. This appetizer is both light and feeling--overall refreshing and delicious! I love that fried crunchy strip that gives it this nice texture, mixed with the soft avocado and tofu. I absolutely love the dipping peanut soft--both sweet and savory. Everything comes together so well! This is my favorite appetizer! I tell myself this is the healthier option than the one with meat (also very good). X1. BO LUC LAC (Shaken Beef) - $17.00 GARLIC NOODLES - $3 (otherwise it comes with rice). Wok Tossed Cubed Filet Mignon. I'm very impressed with this dish. The been used so flavorful and tender--there's plenty of it! This entire dish is big so there's always leftovers for me. What they don't mention on the menu is how this plate includes julienne cut carrots , chunks of onions, chopped lettuce and climates, all drenched in the flavorful meat juice! You definitely see all the chopped garlic in the noodles. If you're not in the mood for noodle soup I highly recommend this dish. I can't get enough of this place. Looking forward to ordering take out again! read more

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The soup was very tasty (bit too much oil), according to the owner its cooked overnight. I went to few vietnam restaurants, so far this place has best soup. Fried Calamari was ok. read more

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Fast, flavorful, and plenty of it. That's how I describe their pho ga. The noodles are light, the broth full of flavor, and all the fixings are fresh. read more

Absolutely delicious Pho! Our calamari was perfect and so were our drinks. Wish I would have taken a picture. The customer service was excellent as well. I would definitely recommend read more

I wanted to try this place because my friends raves about it so much. But I had a bad experience with a lady up front. She was very rude. I came in a on a rainy day wanting to order, we were on a time crunch because we had to pick up our fur baby before the place closed. I walked in, I ordered. She told me it would be a 20-30 min wait... I called my husband to see if it was okay and he didn't want to wait. I told the lady, I'm sorry never mind my husband doesn't want to wait. She said in a rude condescending tone, "you can't wait 20 mins?" Ma'am you said 20-30. Sorry but no we can't, it was slow in there. You're telling me it takes you 20-30 mins to grab me pho with already made noodles and broth? Lol, ok. Anyways, I'm sure this place is great if you're not on a time crunch. But also, you guys need to reach your waitresses proper manners. read more

My family and I came here for dinner the other day and it was nice to have some Vietnamese food other than pho in the East bay! We ordered the banh xeo as an appetizer but it ended up coming to our table after the rest of the food arrived. It was still very delicious though and one of the best I've had in the bay. I ordered the bun bo hue, my go to noodle soup, and I was a bit disappointed with it. The broth isn't as strong as most places and the noodles were over cooked that it just fell apart in my chopsticks. The meat and herbs were still good but the other half was very okay. We also ordered the tumeric fish and that dish was very flavorful! Perfectly cooked and a very unique dish that I've never tried before. Overall I think this place does have its pros and cons when it comes to the food so I would just be aware of that. Still a solid spot though so definitely check it out if you're in the area! read more

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Haven't been here in a long long time. Why?!?!?!? It's amazing! Ordered delivery tonight and it was outstanding! Had the sliced ribeye pho. Sooooooo good! It was the best pho broth I have ever had. Such great flavor. Also got the calamari and that was excellent as well! Order a banh mi sandwich with grilled pork. Haven't ate it yet but that is for lunch tomorrow. It looks great! I will definitely be ordering here much more. read more

my all time favorite pho. great portions and prices. inside and outside seating is comfortable and clean. staff is great

No ones ever in this place because they close at 3 pm hahaha and their pho is average at best they should keep the doors open as long as possible with their mediocre product read more

Due to the increased crime rates, I have stopped going to Oakland International Blvd for my pho treat. My Vietnamese neighbors recommended Sidestreet Pho on Alameda near Park Street. My husband and I came for Friday lunch. There were about three tables eating around 11:45am. But at noon, all tables got filled up quick. Nice decor inside and clean toilet! I had Beef Combo Pho ($19) which was excellent with lots of beef, onion and cilantro in very tasty broth. My husband had Oxtail Pho ($19) which had the same tasty beef broth but came with three pieces of oxtail only; one bigger piece was very tender and delicious while two smaller ones were chewy! Friendly and speedy services. After tax and tips, the cost is about $25 each! Quite expensive for pho but every restaurant has raised their prices recently not just this one ... I would come again for the delicious Beef Combo Pho and recommend my friends. read more

Sidestreet Pho - Oxtail P3 PHO DUOI BO OXTAIL - Vietnamese Near Me - Alameda, California

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Overpriced. Small portions for the price. I think it's star anise?...broth is rather woody and too herby. I paid $30 for a order of 3 egg rolls and a bowl of pho. Outrageous. read more

Food was good quality ingredients excellent meat like ribeye steak The service was prompt and attentive. Every one was pleasant. And even with a full capacity lunch all went well and fast. The ambiance was perfect balance of singles couples and family of all ages Will definitely return read more

Sidestreet Pho - Banh Mi / Bread - Vietnamese Near Me - Alameda, California

I've been on a pho binge lately, don't know what got into me! But came by here with my mom. We've been here before, during the pandemic. We sat outside and had pho in plastic containers. This time around we sat inside! Service was great, super friendly! Mom got bun reu and young coconut drink, I got the ribeye beef pho (tai) and fresh squeezed limeade. Both of our cravings were completely satisfied. Mom wishes the rice noodles in her bun reu were thicker (they were really thin vermicelli) but loved the broth and toppings. The broth in my pho was good, though I think the cilantro could have been a bit fresher. Really liked my fresh squeezed limeade, so refreshing. Would come again! read more

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Came here on a Friday night, it's pretty busy. Good thing we joined the waitlist ahead of time. Overall, food and service are great! Will definitely come back! read more

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I just order veggie fried rice and this small box was $17! Such a high price for a tiny portion. read more

Sidestreet Pho - Veggie fried rice - Vietnamese Near Me - Alameda, California

I had the bun rieu this time. It was fine. Not necessarily memorable. I got a large and it was about $21. I don't consider that necessarily high. I didn't really enjoy the meatballs. They taste like something I ate as a kid but I can't necessarily name it. I wouldn't order it again. This restaurant is super cute, and there's tons of space. I used to go to side street pho all the time, but then I stopped. The wait times are so long, and I don't think it's necessarily worth it. My soup took 40 minutes to make. And this has nothing to do with the staff, the place is just popular. I think there are actually tons of other great Vietnamese places in alameda to get food, and after trying the food here after, I will continue going to those. read more

Clean, Chic, Upscale, restaurant that is a little pricier than lower-price, no-frill Pho restaurants across the estuary. Parking can be a challenge as it's close to a high school and nearby busy Park Street. Promptly seated at the front near the end of a Monday lunch period. Seats around 60... We ordered Crispy Pork or Imperial Rolls, Pho Beef Combo Regular, and Grilled Pork Bun. Ordered the rolls as an appetizer and had to wait as the food deliverer forgot to bring out plates (older couple next to us had plates for their Spring Rolls). We didn't want to be messy with the crackly fried wrappers thus waited til the server walked to the front of the restaurant for the wave for help. Sig other had the Bun and she clearly has had better describing the noodles as fragmented (end of lunch period and pre cooked noodles had broken down??) and Grilled Pork as not having much of a grilling. My Pho was good although the soup was a bit salty. Lots of Beef varieties in the combo: Brisket, Fatty Brisket, Tendon, Balls, and Tripe. Overall: decent food and service, great atmosphere, clean, a little pricier than usual. Easily four stars if they fix the Bun Noodles and less salt in the Pho stock. read more

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If you're craving a steaming bowl of pho that warms your soul and tantalizes your taste buds, look no further than Sidestreet Pho. This Alameda gem has quickly become my go-to spot for this quintessential Vietnamese dish, and their Pho Tai is one of best I have tasted. read more

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I was disappointed this evening when I went to Sidestreet Pho in Alameda. Unfortunately we arrived at around 8:00 pm and we were not served until close to 9:15 pm. A couple of customers that arrived after us were served before us. We patiently waited but after an hour of waiting and being the only customers in the restaurant without food, we proceeded to inquire about how much longer it would be. We were told that certain Pho takes longer than others yet no one came around to check in or let us know. Also, why serve a dish that takes over an hour to cook without proper prep. We were the last customers in the restaurant and the last ones to be serve. To top it off, as they were closing down, they proceeded to open the door as we were finishing our dinner, letting in a burst of cold air. How inconsiderate. We're so excited about grabbing Pho, but we're disappointed by the service and experience . read more

Sidestreet Pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Alameda, California

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Food's great service is great. Walking distance from home like many Alameda restaurants. The broth that builds the great bowl of pho is always good. Great Cafe decore. read more

3.5 stars. When it rains, lines for pho get longer, just saying. Luckily, Yelp's waitlist is available here, so use the app to anticipate wait times and plan accordingly. Interior: Spacious and well decorated for a Vietnamese restaurant Service: Better than average and very welcoming Food: Average. I ordered the bun rieu and liked it, but my friends, who are actually Vietnamese, ordered the bun bo hue, and felt it was missing spice, or a certain flavor. We also had the roll sampler, with fried and spring rolls. Overall, the food was tasty and cured my hangover. My Vietnamese friends though, left a little unsatisfied. read more

For the price, not sure it's always worth the drive for me. The flavors are good but doesn't give me that simple home y taste although nothing compares to home. The bun thit nuon was tasty. Was an up and happening place with great ambiance. Servers were friendly and very helpful! read more

Sidestreet Pho serves authentic Vietnamese cuisine in a small restaurant on Encinal near Park St in Alameda. The Nguyen Family creates outstanding dishes that reflect what owner Hahn enjoyed as a child in Saigon. Pho is a staple amongst the many dishes but anything ordered off their menu is a culinary delight. Garlic noodles, spring rolls, garlic wings and shaken beef are my favorites and at a recent event for the Boys & Girls Club, Sidestreet Pho introduced a Vietnamese street taco that had people lining up to try. It was the perfect amount of beef, cheese and crunch that came with Vietnamese salsa and a Pho dipping broth. It was memorable and showcased the families desire to give back as they helped the Boys & Girls of Alameda. Our family loves Vietnamese food and Sidestreet ranks on the top of my list. Great food and great people at Sidestreet Pho equates to a five star review. Yes, it is "as good as it gets". read more

First stop when I landed from the airport. This was the only thing really open on the island after 9pm so we decided to stop here. The chicken wings were yumm, we ordered the Vietnamese crepes and it could of been crispier. The highlight for me was the Chinese donuts that came with the chicken rice porridge. Oh man, was it good!!! Cute place, open late and overall delicious food. read more

The best Vietnamese food I've ever had!Chicken Pho was really delicious, the soup is very clear and flavorful. Rice Plates was perfect! read more

Sidestreet Pho - Rice plate - Vietnamese Near Me - Alameda, California

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It has been on my mind to give this place another try again and so I did today! The place is pretty cute. There's a little fenced outdoor seating area if you ever decide you wanna enjoy your food outside. I think this is new since I don't remember them having an outdoor seating area the last time I came here. Stepping inside, there's three rows of tables. On the right is where most of the two seaters are. On the left, the bigger tables, and then in the middle is a long table with individual seats. Pretty cute and organized layout. My family and I arrived around 11:30 AM on a Sunday so that we can beat the lunch rush in case there was any. Our server gave us a couple minutes with the menu before coming over to take our order. I ordered the Seafood Salad and my family ordered the Combination Pho. I had requested for them to just put a bit of peanut on the side for my salad. When I had asked for hot water, she said that their machine was out of order.. so no hot drinks for anyone. It only took about 10 mins to get our order onto the table. First thing I noticed was that the peanuts were not served on the side like I had requested, but no matter, maybe they just forgot or the waitress misunderstood me. The portion was definitely a lot smaller than I had anticipated. For $13, I would have expected it to be like a main course portion size, but it looked more like an appetizer. When I looked at the Yelp pictures, the salad looked like a good portion size, so maybe they shrunk the sizing? Not sure. But it wasn't enough, so I went ahead and ordered a Spring Roll as well. Taste: My salad was good, but there's nothing special about it. Both the calamaris and shrimps were nicely grilled. The calamaris came with a nice chew. The calamaris and shrimps were the best part of the salad - came with a just a hint of a crunch from the grilled edges. But aside from that, everything else on the salad was kind of one dimensional. As for the spring rolls, I think they could have used more pork in there. I got a lot of crunch from the vegetables and there was a decent amount of shrimps, but I could barely make out the pork. The dipping sauce was a bit too sweet for my liking. Maybe too much oyster sauce? I think they could have used more peanuts in the sauce base, because it didn't taste much like a peanut sauce even though I clearly saw peanuts as a garnish in there. My family said the pho was okay. Doesn't particularly stand out as good or bad. Overall, a pleasant meal, but not sure I would come out just for Vietnamese food again. I think I liked it the first time I tried this place, but maybe the quality went down. I feel like it made a good first impression and that's why I came out to Alameda for it again, but this time was more disappointing. The price you pay for the food just doesn't quite match up to the quality or quantity you get. Just a bit too steep in my opinion. read more

Sidestreet Pho - Seafood Salad - Vietnamese Near Me - Alameda, California

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We came in on a cold day and this place really hit the spot. I got the pho chin (brisket) and it was delicious. Service was quick and the food was fresh and tasty. I'll definitely be back for more. read more

Sidestreet Pho - P5 PHO CHIN BRISKET - Vietnamese Near Me - Alameda, California

Wonderful experience here! Always fresh and flavorful. Shaken beef was shaken perfectly. Chicken pho was robust and loaded with all the goodies. Will always comeback. Bravo. This restaurant treats their in-house, dine-in customers well and I appreciate that. Many, many restaurants in alameda have prioritized their delivery business whilst ignoring their guests in the dining room. Food delivery is now a racket--and the restaurants have hitched their wagons to the platform's out of fear to fail (without their delivery business). Treat your dining room customers better--ask your delivery drivers to silence their phones; keep their phone conversations outside; ask your staff to leave their phones off--phones, phones, phones....damn phones. Staff members distracted by their phones is the worst. read more

My family really enjoys Sidestreet Pho. A friend recommended this spot as the go-to for pho in Alameda. We don't eat beef (I know that's a popular protein choice for pho!), so we got chicken. Happy with this dish -- and with the broken rice chicken plate. You HAVE to try their chili oil. Seriously delicious, not too spicy, and great umami flavor. The staff is so sweet and they always repeat the order to make sure everything is all perfect! If you're lucky, you'll be able to snag a parking spot in front of the restaurant, but there's usually street parking nearby. The Vietnamese iced coffee is a little pricey for the size, but tasty! read more

Sidestreet Pho - KD3. Kids Com Bo Nuong -- steamed veggies were okay; chicken & rice were great! - Vietnamese Near Me - Alameda, California