We made a rookie mistake - we visited this place the same week it opened. Bet you know where I'm going with this. The service was bad on all fronts. 1. The person that seated us did not give us menus. 2. We had to wait over 5 minutes for our waitress to acknowledge our table, then it took another few minutes for her to bring the menus and she didn't leave sushi menus; we had to ask for "one" about 5 minutes later when she returned. She literally gave us one a few minutes after that. One for three people. 3. We ordered drinks and an appetizer at her 2nd visit (about 10 minutes into the visit). 4. She delivered our drinks about 5 or 7 minutes later. We didn't have silverware and I had ordered a hot tea and I needed a spoon to pull out the tea bag and stir in the sugar. After waiting for over 10 minutes for her to return, I finally used the corner of my bag to stir my tea. 5. We flagged her town a few minutes later and she brought silverware for the table. ... ...... ........ .......... Want to know when she brought our appetizer? She never did. 6. About 45 minutes into the "meal" she brought our sushi roll, which was meant to accompany the meal but we were grateful to have it, hungry were we! ... ...... ........ 7. Right at an hour of being there, my friends finally got their Pho with a promise that my order (Steamed Rice with Stir-fry Shrimp and Vegetables) would be up soon. ... ..... ....... 8. About 12 minutes later, we finally told her to cancel my meal, I'd hit a drive-thru on the way back, unless they could have it out within 5 minutes. We explained that we were all late to work at this point and had to go. 9. About 5 minutes later, she showed up with my meal and asked if I would like her to box it up. As my friends were still eating, I decided to shove the delicious-looking food down. 10. We had called the manager over to our table once during the meal (after we had waited almost an hour for the food). At the end of the meal, the waitress brought our ticket over (and we really didn't think she would do THAT before I was done eating) and my friend handed it back and asked her to ask her manager to comp our meal. 11. The manager was over in a flash and said she gave us 50% off. My friend said that it wasn't enough b/c all three of us had to use leave time b/c we were so late back from lunch. She finally agreed and comp'd our full meal. 12. *classy move* We left the waitress 20% of what the meal would have cost us b/c we felt she wasn't properly trained and that wasn't her fault. She tried. NOTE: Yes, the place was busy but we saw about 85% of the patrons come and go while we waited for our menus, drinks, silverware, sushi, meals, and ticket. The reason they got two stars and not one: 1. My main course was delish (although the broccoli in my stir fry was still cold). 2. The sushi was FANTASTIC. 3. The manager did the right thing in the end and comp'd our meals. When she comp'd our meals, we promised to return. And we will, for the sushi.... in a few weeks once they have their feet under them. And I will review them again if their service has changed. To be continued...
(2)
David C.
Yelp had mixed reviews but it's early in the ball game for this business, so I figured I'd see for myself and give it a shot. Service was actually prompt, very pleasant and attentive. Not super busy but they show good customer service skills. Prices are very reasonable. So far, a 4+ star performance. The food didn't quite stack up from my perspective. I had a Philadelphia sushi roll and bowl of beef and meatball pho. The sushi roll was a little skimpy on the fish portion but the overall taste and construction of the roll was basically good. The pho had a nice amount of meat and the other, standard components were in nice proportion. The broth seemed very weak, though. If they would develop a deeper flavor for the broth (the most important part in my opinion ) it would bring my score up considerably. With all that said, I'd give them another shot and perhaps try some other menu items. Not a bad experience at all. Just lacked a little.
(3)
Alice L.
Ate here last night and loved everything about our meal. We had the Pho Tai Nam, the Pho Chay (vegetarian!) and the Ahi crunch roll. All was delicious. The pretty presentation of the sushi was backed up by the quality-- fresh and tasty! We'll look forward to trying more next time since we only tried one roll. The Pho was great too. As far as I can tell, the other places in town do not serve a vegetarian pho, so it was exciting to find that Pho Pho does have a Pho Chay. The vegetarian broth didn't disappoint on flavor. Fragrant and rich. Yum! Finally, the Pho Tai Nam was wonderful. The beef was very tender and the broth was so so good. One of the owners or managers volunteered that the Pho was gluten free. Although my husband and I do not have trouble with gluten and are not gluten-free, I'm glad to hear that friends who can't do soy sauce may be able to eat here. Hoping Birmingham catches on and that this place can have some staying power!
(5)
Donna A.
This place has some potential. I rate it at 3 stars because of inconsistency. I get the pho cha (vegetarian pho) every time I come and it has been different almost every time. At it's best it is flavorful without being too salty, and has a good mix of vegetables with some tofu. At it's worst it's overly salted, has a shocking abundance of onions and more tofu than vegetables. The service is very attentive. Pho pho has a great atmosphere for a quick lunch. I hope this place evens out!
(3)
Do-Yeon C.
I love Korean style, Sushi Bibimbap (Heodupbap) here. Owner is Korean and I think they have Veitnamese chef for Pho. Sushi Bibimbpa tastes so good, perfect menu for summer. The only downside is the price: it is a little bit pricey: 20USD. I think it is really worth it.
(5)
Massimo F.
Really great place, especially for lunch time. The place is very nice, super clean, wait staff is cordial and welcoming. Food wise I would say that while both sushi and phone aren't the top in town they actually are very good, consistently! Definitively a good lunch spot in Five Points
(5)
Thomas C.
Surprisingly good pho right in Five Points in a restaurant that deserves more traffic Ambience/Service: There's been a lot of talk about the service here. I came on a Monday night with few other customers and service seemed quite attentive. The restaurant was recently renovated and seems like a good refresh. There is a sushi bar to sit at and a private room near the entrance. Food (I'm vegetarian): Seeing pho chay or vegan pho on the menu was great. I knew I was ordering that even before I walked through the door. I was also asked if I wanted a sushi menu which I agreed to and ended up getting a veggie roll, since people have mentioned that the sushi was better. I have to say the pho was much better than the sushi for me. The sushi was done with a deft hand, the rice was cooked quite well and the veggie roll had asparagus, carrots, cucumber and avocado. Solid but standard. The pho was great. Mixed vegetables, fresh button mushrooms, and cubes of fried tofu that were also deftly done - silken tofu deep fried and fresh. Most importantly the broth was pretty flavorful - I've definitely had better vegan broths but this was quite good. The basil/sprouts/jalapeno looked a little sorry but the taste wasn't compromised. Pho is the comfort food of Vietnam. I would totally call this meal comfort food. I'll probably just stick with the pho and can see myself coming here frequently
(4)
Christina D.
Great food, excellent service. Pho was fresh, yummy and worth the drive into the city. Great way to start a weekend.
(5)
Rosie O.
Great location., convenient and the service was friendly and attentive. If I could give a half star for friendliness I would. The food is just not that great. It's OK. And it's fine for a quick work lunch to vary up the week.
(2)
Jessica G.
Had lunch here on a Thursday. The atmosphere was nice. The poor server was so kind and understanding to the gluten allergy people at our table. I definitely recommend the bubble teas. I had a mango one. The pho was ok. I felt like I was missing something but don't know what. I was all still a good lunch and I enjoyed it.
(4)
Dylan G.
Why is this place not packed?! Very good atmosphere, service, and most of all style of flavor! Only negative is no alcohol yet but coming soon.
(5)
Scott C.
I am always a bit hesitant to try sushi at a place that does not specialize in it, because sushi as an after-thought is usually not good sushi. I was pleasantly surprised at the sushi at Pho Pho. I have gone back exclusively for the sushi, and it has been consistently good. Rice is always perfectly cooked, fish is very fresh, and some of the rolls (try the sunrise and sunset) are particularly original and tasty. The price on the sushi may be overpriced by about 20%, but it is acceptable given the quality. Service has improved since the bumpy opening a few months ago, and is fine now.
(4)
Nick P.
Went there with an old friend for lunch today. Service was very good and quick. Both of us got pho with beef and brisket and it was very good. Meat was tender and the broth was flavorful. Should have added some more soy for salt but overall was a great bowl of pho especially with the weather cold and rainy.
(4)
Mallory K.
This place is great! We had the homemade shrimp spring rolls and pho with thinly sliced beef, tendon, and tripe. Everything tasted fresh and delicious. The service was great also. Everyone was friendly and attentive. Our meal was also only $24 for two people, which is really good for the quality and amount of good that you get. I will definitely be coming back. Can't wait to try their sushi next time!
(4)
Luke P.
Unassuming from the outside and nicely renovated from the inside. Fantastic generous tasty food.friendly staff.
(5)
M. H.
Have been here twice now, trying the pho dac biet the first time and second time went with bun thit nuong. Both times food was plenty adequate. While not quite the best in Birmingham (Saigon Noodle House has that honor, in my opinion) the food and service were definitely better than Pho Que Huong, which has taken a serious nosedive in the past few years due to new chef or management (not sure which). The sushi is absolutely delicious and their sushi chef takes his craft seriously. They also offer some staple Korean dishes (bul go gi, be bim bap, kal bi, etc) which I have not yet tried but am looking forward to doing so. While they cover three different styles of Asian food, the owners and staff are Korean for the most part, so don't order in Vietnamese :). Just point or use their numbering system. There are some areas that need improvement I think (accoutrements with the pho like bean sprouts and cilantro are sparse sometimes depending on availability, and sometimes noodles are underdone) but overall I'd say this place is doing it pretty well. If they can make the minor changes I think this place can go very far, especially given its location in 5 points as there are really no other VN restaurants near the downtown area. It's by no means Buford Highway (atlanta) quality but for being in 5 points--I'll take it.
(3)
Peter H.
I was super excited when I saw this place open, I can't get enough of Pho. Decide to give this place a try right away. Bottom line is that you can judge a Pho restaurant by the broth. The broth here is decent,but it's missing that hint of sweetness and richness, and you can't tell they try to compensate that with a lot of sweet onions, because literally half of your veggie toppings are sweet onions. The meet is very good, The steak is prepare well, and the brisket is extremely tender. The noodle with season with too much pepper, and that's the problem, I feel like the whole dish was over powered by pepper. They were missing that sweetness and richness in the broth, so they tried to compensate that with other ingredients. Over all, the Pho was good, but not the best, (Saigon is still the best in town) The price is reasonable and I will definitely be back whenever I'm around downtown.
(4)
Janet G.
The beef pho was a disappointment, yet just as described in other reviews. The broth has little flavor, & the contents were slim. I had just a few pieces of beef- too large so I asked for a knife- & the name says rare but the slices were gray & chewy. I'm not a fan. The vegetables were onions.... That's it. Bubble tea was just ok, I've had better. Sorry Pho! Read your reviews!
(3)
SouthernFoodie M.
Ate here two nights in a row. It was SO good! The service was spot on, and had no issues. I had sushi and spring rolls, and both were good sized portions and very good. Hubby had rice and veggies dish. Not sure why the ratings are not higher? Additionally, on the second night - the sushi chef - who may be the owner??? - came by to check on us to see if we enjoyed dinner. Awesome.
(5)
Kathryn D.
We popped in last night late (8:40) for a quick bite to eat. Pho is some of my ultimate comfort food and on a cold, blustery day I was craving comfort above all else. Since the initial reviews were dicey, I was a little concerned but not enough to be deterred. I'm so happy I gave this place a chance. The pho was so yummy: a hearty, flavorful broth with generous meat portions and cooked-to-perfection noodles. Our appetizer (fresh spring rolls) didn't arrive until after the soup and they were 'meh' but the Pho was so outstanding I'll let a lackluster roll slide. Even better: they have bubble tea and it is so good, not overly sweet and served smoothie style (my preference) instead of on ice cubes. The service was super attentive and kind. I anticipate going here a lot since it is right around the corner from where I work and I hope they have staying power. This is exactly the kind of place that 5-points (and all of downtown) was missing.
(5)
Jo D.
Wow! So happy we found this place! Sharp minimalist decor & clean. Food was fabulous! Incredible Mt.Fuji sushi roll. Staff was incredibly helpful & friendly. We were really hungry after a long day in the city. It was refreshing to be welcomed with big smiles! And our dinner was served shortly after ordering it! Our food was as flavorful as it was beautiful. Wish we had this restaurant back in Oklahoma!
(5)
Janet C.
I had takeout from here today. The staff was friendly, but most importantly the food was fantastic! I had the vermicelli noodle dish with pork egg roll and beef. It was like noodles topped with a salad, a sliced egg roll and perfectly grilled beef. The egg roll and beef were SO full of flavor, and not over-cooked at all. Tender beef, and a light crunchy egg roll were wonderful toppings over the noodles. And the "salad" balanced out the entire dish. Can't wait to go back and dine-in for a different pho dish; I'll have to try the sushi menu as well. Go see Pho Pho!!
(4)
David M.
Service was absolutely awful. We got seated and waited a good 15-20 minutes just to get our order taken. Almost walked out; the table next to us did. Food was okay, but one of our orders didn't make it to the table until long after most of the table was done with their food. Sushi was of average quality and the pho noodles were congealed together. It may be Birmingham, but we've all had better.
(1)
Guy D.
Still have some operational issues to work out. Staff was very friendly (almost too friendly) and service was fast. Pho was good but condements (lime, pepper, sprouts, a and basil) seem to have been in an overly cold refrigerator - just slightly frozen. Which dried out the lime, wilted the basil and turned it a blackish color. The sprouts, while they managed to hold their crunch, were brown. And while this did not seem to change the flavor, it certainly took away from the experience. My tuna tataki arrived after the pho. It was good, but there was just a drizzle of ponzu under the tuna. Place seems to have potential - will need to go back after a few weeks to see.
(3)
Preeyam P.
I have been to Pho Pho twice now. I should say both times the restaurant has been clean and the staff is very friendly. My first time I stuck to sushi and was quite impressed. However my roll arrive tempura style and nowhere on the menu did it mention that or that it would be fried so that was unexpected but the roll was good nonetheless. My next time here I ordered the stir fry noodles with tofu, quail eggs, and vegetable and was unpleasantly disappointed. The dish was a greasy equivalent of mall chinese food lo mien. It was about 10% vegetables and tofu and 90% greasy noodle and there was a grand total of ONE quail egg on top of the entire dish. The grilled veggies were fantastic in the dish. After I picked them all out with the tofu the plate looked untouched because of all the noodles. I was not a fan. I did also order sushi (california roll with lemon on top) and the sushi was fantastic. I also very much so enjoy the guava candy at the end of the meal. I'll be coming back for the service and sushi but unfortunately not much else.
(3)
Will B.
I was able to finally to try this new spot. And going here was high on my list since I am a pho-natic. (Pause for laughter). I have frequented this exact space numerous times with the sushi places that were here before. Nothing has really changed with the decor. But it is clean and spacious. I did find it interesting that they also served sushi here. Most pho places don't cross into that realm. But this is a sushi town. So give the people what they want. The service was great. Friendly and efficient. Just the way it should be. I got the P-2 (thin beef and brisket) with extra beef (I always want more meat in my pho!). It was very tasty and always great to warm your body and soul. The broth did lack the richness of other broth's I have had. But it was still very good. Since I am a pho eater and not cooker, I don't know what gives the broth that depth. But I would think the time spent simmering would help. The pho places that claim to cook it for numerous days, are where the best broth's I have had. If you are in the downtown area, this is certainly worth a stop in.
(4)
Wes C.
I had the single worst dining experience I've ever had here. I knew the place had only been open for 5 days and I was prepared to give it the benefit of the doubt on many levels. We were seated and it took four requests to get menus, silverware and drinks. Getting these items took around 15 minutes and it was only then that we were able to order appetizers and food. Our appetizers had not been delivered 40 minutes later. We were a party of three and many parties of equal size came in ordered and left before our appetizers arrived. After multiple requests and 55 minutes our sushi arrived. This would have been great except we also ordered spring rolls. When we mentioned this to our waitress she looked like a deer in the headlights and didn't apologize or offer to get them for us. She simply looked confused as if she had no idea what to do. We cancelled that order and enjoyed a decent volcano roll. Thirty minutes later two bowls of pho arrive. The broth overwhelmingly tasted of star anise and there were no scallions or cilantro in the recipe. We had to ask for jalapenos and the mint that was brought out was wilted and slimy. My dining partner had seafood in their beef pho and it was rubbery and overcooked. My beef was nowhere near rare - It was well, well done. The noodles were clumped together so that the middle of the "nest" was not cooked and the outer noodles were overdone. Two bowls of pho - Did I mention we had three diners? The last entree did not arrive until the other two diners had finished their entree. The owner came to apologize. She didn't so much apologize as made excuses though. She said they didn't hire a waitstaff and that they would get better. We had to chase down our check, which was recieved an hour and 40 minutes after we were first seated. TL;DR - Service was so bad it was absurdly funny and the pho/entrees were really, really bad. Sushi was decent but the service here is so bad it makes Surin's service seem stellar by comparison.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Trendy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Billie M.
We made a rookie mistake - we visited this place the same week it opened. Bet you know where I'm going with this. The service was bad on all fronts. 1. The person that seated us did not give us menus. 2. We had to wait over 5 minutes for our waitress to acknowledge our table, then it took another few minutes for her to bring the menus and she didn't leave sushi menus; we had to ask for "one" about 5 minutes later when she returned. She literally gave us one a few minutes after that. One for three people. 3. We ordered drinks and an appetizer at her 2nd visit (about 10 minutes into the visit). 4. She delivered our drinks about 5 or 7 minutes later. We didn't have silverware and I had ordered a hot tea and I needed a spoon to pull out the tea bag and stir in the sugar. After waiting for over 10 minutes for her to return, I finally used the corner of my bag to stir my tea. 5. We flagged her town a few minutes later and she brought silverware for the table. ... ...... ........ .......... Want to know when she brought our appetizer? She never did. 6. About 45 minutes into the "meal" she brought our sushi roll, which was meant to accompany the meal but we were grateful to have it, hungry were we! ... ...... ........ 7. Right at an hour of being there, my friends finally got their Pho with a promise that my order (Steamed Rice with Stir-fry Shrimp and Vegetables) would be up soon. ... ..... ....... 8. About 12 minutes later, we finally told her to cancel my meal, I'd hit a drive-thru on the way back, unless they could have it out within 5 minutes. We explained that we were all late to work at this point and had to go. 9. About 5 minutes later, she showed up with my meal and asked if I would like her to box it up. As my friends were still eating, I decided to shove the delicious-looking food down. 10. We had called the manager over to our table once during the meal (after we had waited almost an hour for the food). At the end of the meal, the waitress brought our ticket over (and we really didn't think she would do THAT before I was done eating) and my friend handed it back and asked her to ask her manager to comp our meal. 11. The manager was over in a flash and said she gave us 50% off. My friend said that it wasn't enough b/c all three of us had to use leave time b/c we were so late back from lunch. She finally agreed and comp'd our full meal. 12. *classy move* We left the waitress 20% of what the meal would have cost us b/c we felt she wasn't properly trained and that wasn't her fault. She tried. NOTE: Yes, the place was busy but we saw about 85% of the patrons come and go while we waited for our menus, drinks, silverware, sushi, meals, and ticket. The reason they got two stars and not one: 1. My main course was delish (although the broccoli in my stir fry was still cold). 2. The sushi was FANTASTIC. 3. The manager did the right thing in the end and comp'd our meals. When she comp'd our meals, we promised to return. And we will, for the sushi.... in a few weeks once they have their feet under them. And I will review them again if their service has changed. To be continued...
(2)David C.
Yelp had mixed reviews but it's early in the ball game for this business, so I figured I'd see for myself and give it a shot. Service was actually prompt, very pleasant and attentive. Not super busy but they show good customer service skills. Prices are very reasonable. So far, a 4+ star performance. The food didn't quite stack up from my perspective. I had a Philadelphia sushi roll and bowl of beef and meatball pho. The sushi roll was a little skimpy on the fish portion but the overall taste and construction of the roll was basically good. The pho had a nice amount of meat and the other, standard components were in nice proportion. The broth seemed very weak, though. If they would develop a deeper flavor for the broth (the most important part in my opinion ) it would bring my score up considerably. With all that said, I'd give them another shot and perhaps try some other menu items. Not a bad experience at all. Just lacked a little.
(3)Alice L.
Ate here last night and loved everything about our meal. We had the Pho Tai Nam, the Pho Chay (vegetarian!) and the Ahi crunch roll. All was delicious. The pretty presentation of the sushi was backed up by the quality-- fresh and tasty! We'll look forward to trying more next time since we only tried one roll. The Pho was great too. As far as I can tell, the other places in town do not serve a vegetarian pho, so it was exciting to find that Pho Pho does have a Pho Chay. The vegetarian broth didn't disappoint on flavor. Fragrant and rich. Yum! Finally, the Pho Tai Nam was wonderful. The beef was very tender and the broth was so so good. One of the owners or managers volunteered that the Pho was gluten free. Although my husband and I do not have trouble with gluten and are not gluten-free, I'm glad to hear that friends who can't do soy sauce may be able to eat here. Hoping Birmingham catches on and that this place can have some staying power!
(5)Donna A.
This place has some potential. I rate it at 3 stars because of inconsistency. I get the pho cha (vegetarian pho) every time I come and it has been different almost every time. At it's best it is flavorful without being too salty, and has a good mix of vegetables with some tofu. At it's worst it's overly salted, has a shocking abundance of onions and more tofu than vegetables. The service is very attentive. Pho pho has a great atmosphere for a quick lunch. I hope this place evens out!
(3)Do-Yeon C.
I love Korean style, Sushi Bibimbap (Heodupbap) here. Owner is Korean and I think they have Veitnamese chef for Pho. Sushi Bibimbpa tastes so good, perfect menu for summer. The only downside is the price: it is a little bit pricey: 20USD. I think it is really worth it.
(5)Massimo F.
Really great place, especially for lunch time. The place is very nice, super clean, wait staff is cordial and welcoming. Food wise I would say that while both sushi and phone aren't the top in town they actually are very good, consistently! Definitively a good lunch spot in Five Points
(5)Thomas C.
Surprisingly good pho right in Five Points in a restaurant that deserves more traffic Ambience/Service: There's been a lot of talk about the service here. I came on a Monday night with few other customers and service seemed quite attentive. The restaurant was recently renovated and seems like a good refresh. There is a sushi bar to sit at and a private room near the entrance. Food (I'm vegetarian): Seeing pho chay or vegan pho on the menu was great. I knew I was ordering that even before I walked through the door. I was also asked if I wanted a sushi menu which I agreed to and ended up getting a veggie roll, since people have mentioned that the sushi was better. I have to say the pho was much better than the sushi for me. The sushi was done with a deft hand, the rice was cooked quite well and the veggie roll had asparagus, carrots, cucumber and avocado. Solid but standard. The pho was great. Mixed vegetables, fresh button mushrooms, and cubes of fried tofu that were also deftly done - silken tofu deep fried and fresh. Most importantly the broth was pretty flavorful - I've definitely had better vegan broths but this was quite good. The basil/sprouts/jalapeno looked a little sorry but the taste wasn't compromised. Pho is the comfort food of Vietnam. I would totally call this meal comfort food. I'll probably just stick with the pho and can see myself coming here frequently
(4)Christina D.
Great food, excellent service. Pho was fresh, yummy and worth the drive into the city. Great way to start a weekend.
(5)Rosie O.
Great location., convenient and the service was friendly and attentive. If I could give a half star for friendliness I would. The food is just not that great. It's OK. And it's fine for a quick work lunch to vary up the week.
(2)Jessica G.
Had lunch here on a Thursday. The atmosphere was nice. The poor server was so kind and understanding to the gluten allergy people at our table. I definitely recommend the bubble teas. I had a mango one. The pho was ok. I felt like I was missing something but don't know what. I was all still a good lunch and I enjoyed it.
(4)Dylan G.
Why is this place not packed?! Very good atmosphere, service, and most of all style of flavor! Only negative is no alcohol yet but coming soon.
(5)Scott C.
I am always a bit hesitant to try sushi at a place that does not specialize in it, because sushi as an after-thought is usually not good sushi. I was pleasantly surprised at the sushi at Pho Pho. I have gone back exclusively for the sushi, and it has been consistently good. Rice is always perfectly cooked, fish is very fresh, and some of the rolls (try the sunrise and sunset) are particularly original and tasty. The price on the sushi may be overpriced by about 20%, but it is acceptable given the quality. Service has improved since the bumpy opening a few months ago, and is fine now.
(4)Nick P.
Went there with an old friend for lunch today. Service was very good and quick. Both of us got pho with beef and brisket and it was very good. Meat was tender and the broth was flavorful. Should have added some more soy for salt but overall was a great bowl of pho especially with the weather cold and rainy.
(4)Mallory K.
This place is great! We had the homemade shrimp spring rolls and pho with thinly sliced beef, tendon, and tripe. Everything tasted fresh and delicious. The service was great also. Everyone was friendly and attentive. Our meal was also only $24 for two people, which is really good for the quality and amount of good that you get. I will definitely be coming back. Can't wait to try their sushi next time!
(4)Luke P.
Unassuming from the outside and nicely renovated from the inside. Fantastic generous tasty food.friendly staff.
(5)M. H.
Have been here twice now, trying the pho dac biet the first time and second time went with bun thit nuong. Both times food was plenty adequate. While not quite the best in Birmingham (Saigon Noodle House has that honor, in my opinion) the food and service were definitely better than Pho Que Huong, which has taken a serious nosedive in the past few years due to new chef or management (not sure which). The sushi is absolutely delicious and their sushi chef takes his craft seriously. They also offer some staple Korean dishes (bul go gi, be bim bap, kal bi, etc) which I have not yet tried but am looking forward to doing so. While they cover three different styles of Asian food, the owners and staff are Korean for the most part, so don't order in Vietnamese :). Just point or use their numbering system. There are some areas that need improvement I think (accoutrements with the pho like bean sprouts and cilantro are sparse sometimes depending on availability, and sometimes noodles are underdone) but overall I'd say this place is doing it pretty well. If they can make the minor changes I think this place can go very far, especially given its location in 5 points as there are really no other VN restaurants near the downtown area. It's by no means Buford Highway (atlanta) quality but for being in 5 points--I'll take it.
(3)Peter H.
I was super excited when I saw this place open, I can't get enough of Pho. Decide to give this place a try right away. Bottom line is that you can judge a Pho restaurant by the broth. The broth here is decent,but it's missing that hint of sweetness and richness, and you can't tell they try to compensate that with a lot of sweet onions, because literally half of your veggie toppings are sweet onions. The meet is very good, The steak is prepare well, and the brisket is extremely tender. The noodle with season with too much pepper, and that's the problem, I feel like the whole dish was over powered by pepper. They were missing that sweetness and richness in the broth, so they tried to compensate that with other ingredients. Over all, the Pho was good, but not the best, (Saigon is still the best in town) The price is reasonable and I will definitely be back whenever I'm around downtown.
(4)Janet G.
The beef pho was a disappointment, yet just as described in other reviews. The broth has little flavor, & the contents were slim. I had just a few pieces of beef- too large so I asked for a knife- & the name says rare but the slices were gray & chewy. I'm not a fan. The vegetables were onions.... That's it. Bubble tea was just ok, I've had better. Sorry Pho! Read your reviews!
(3)SouthernFoodie M.
Ate here two nights in a row. It was SO good! The service was spot on, and had no issues. I had sushi and spring rolls, and both were good sized portions and very good. Hubby had rice and veggies dish. Not sure why the ratings are not higher? Additionally, on the second night - the sushi chef - who may be the owner??? - came by to check on us to see if we enjoyed dinner. Awesome.
(5)Kathryn D.
We popped in last night late (8:40) for a quick bite to eat. Pho is some of my ultimate comfort food and on a cold, blustery day I was craving comfort above all else. Since the initial reviews were dicey, I was a little concerned but not enough to be deterred. I'm so happy I gave this place a chance. The pho was so yummy: a hearty, flavorful broth with generous meat portions and cooked-to-perfection noodles. Our appetizer (fresh spring rolls) didn't arrive until after the soup and they were 'meh' but the Pho was so outstanding I'll let a lackluster roll slide. Even better: they have bubble tea and it is so good, not overly sweet and served smoothie style (my preference) instead of on ice cubes. The service was super attentive and kind. I anticipate going here a lot since it is right around the corner from where I work and I hope they have staying power. This is exactly the kind of place that 5-points (and all of downtown) was missing.
(5)Jo D.
Wow! So happy we found this place! Sharp minimalist decor & clean. Food was fabulous! Incredible Mt.Fuji sushi roll. Staff was incredibly helpful & friendly. We were really hungry after a long day in the city. It was refreshing to be welcomed with big smiles! And our dinner was served shortly after ordering it! Our food was as flavorful as it was beautiful. Wish we had this restaurant back in Oklahoma!
(5)Janet C.
I had takeout from here today. The staff was friendly, but most importantly the food was fantastic! I had the vermicelli noodle dish with pork egg roll and beef. It was like noodles topped with a salad, a sliced egg roll and perfectly grilled beef. The egg roll and beef were SO full of flavor, and not over-cooked at all. Tender beef, and a light crunchy egg roll were wonderful toppings over the noodles. And the "salad" balanced out the entire dish. Can't wait to go back and dine-in for a different pho dish; I'll have to try the sushi menu as well. Go see Pho Pho!!
(4)David M.
Service was absolutely awful. We got seated and waited a good 15-20 minutes just to get our order taken. Almost walked out; the table next to us did. Food was okay, but one of our orders didn't make it to the table until long after most of the table was done with their food. Sushi was of average quality and the pho noodles were congealed together. It may be Birmingham, but we've all had better.
(1)Guy D.
Still have some operational issues to work out. Staff was very friendly (almost too friendly) and service was fast. Pho was good but condements (lime, pepper, sprouts, a and basil) seem to have been in an overly cold refrigerator - just slightly frozen. Which dried out the lime, wilted the basil and turned it a blackish color. The sprouts, while they managed to hold their crunch, were brown. And while this did not seem to change the flavor, it certainly took away from the experience. My tuna tataki arrived after the pho. It was good, but there was just a drizzle of ponzu under the tuna. Place seems to have potential - will need to go back after a few weeks to see.
(3)Preeyam P.
I have been to Pho Pho twice now. I should say both times the restaurant has been clean and the staff is very friendly. My first time I stuck to sushi and was quite impressed. However my roll arrive tempura style and nowhere on the menu did it mention that or that it would be fried so that was unexpected but the roll was good nonetheless. My next time here I ordered the stir fry noodles with tofu, quail eggs, and vegetable and was unpleasantly disappointed. The dish was a greasy equivalent of mall chinese food lo mien. It was about 10% vegetables and tofu and 90% greasy noodle and there was a grand total of ONE quail egg on top of the entire dish. The grilled veggies were fantastic in the dish. After I picked them all out with the tofu the plate looked untouched because of all the noodles. I was not a fan. I did also order sushi (california roll with lemon on top) and the sushi was fantastic. I also very much so enjoy the guava candy at the end of the meal. I'll be coming back for the service and sushi but unfortunately not much else.
(3)Will B.
I was able to finally to try this new spot. And going here was high on my list since I am a pho-natic. (Pause for laughter). I have frequented this exact space numerous times with the sushi places that were here before. Nothing has really changed with the decor. But it is clean and spacious. I did find it interesting that they also served sushi here. Most pho places don't cross into that realm. But this is a sushi town. So give the people what they want. The service was great. Friendly and efficient. Just the way it should be. I got the P-2 (thin beef and brisket) with extra beef (I always want more meat in my pho!). It was very tasty and always great to warm your body and soul. The broth did lack the richness of other broth's I have had. But it was still very good. Since I am a pho eater and not cooker, I don't know what gives the broth that depth. But I would think the time spent simmering would help. The pho places that claim to cook it for numerous days, are where the best broth's I have had. If you are in the downtown area, this is certainly worth a stop in.
(4)Wes C.
I had the single worst dining experience I've ever had here. I knew the place had only been open for 5 days and I was prepared to give it the benefit of the doubt on many levels. We were seated and it took four requests to get menus, silverware and drinks. Getting these items took around 15 minutes and it was only then that we were able to order appetizers and food. Our appetizers had not been delivered 40 minutes later. We were a party of three and many parties of equal size came in ordered and left before our appetizers arrived. After multiple requests and 55 minutes our sushi arrived. This would have been great except we also ordered spring rolls. When we mentioned this to our waitress she looked like a deer in the headlights and didn't apologize or offer to get them for us. She simply looked confused as if she had no idea what to do. We cancelled that order and enjoyed a decent volcano roll. Thirty minutes later two bowls of pho arrive. The broth overwhelmingly tasted of star anise and there were no scallions or cilantro in the recipe. We had to ask for jalapenos and the mint that was brought out was wilted and slimy. My dining partner had seafood in their beef pho and it was rubbery and overcooked. My beef was nowhere near rare - It was well, well done. The noodles were clumped together so that the middle of the "nest" was not cooked and the outer noodles were overdone. Two bowls of pho - Did I mention we had three diners? The last entree did not arrive until the other two diners had finished their entree. The owner came to apologize. She didn't so much apologize as made excuses though. She said they didn't hire a waitstaff and that they would get better. We had to chase down our check, which was recieved an hour and 40 minutes after we were first seated. TL;DR - Service was so bad it was absurdly funny and the pho/entrees were really, really bad. Sushi was decent but the service here is so bad it makes Surin's service seem stellar by comparison.
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