Pho 97
1120 Maunakea St,Ste 176, Honolulu, HI, 96817
Pho 97 Menu
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Address :
1120 Maunakea St,Ste 176
Honolulu, HI, 96817 - Phone (808) 538-0708
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :8:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Kevin B.
In a part of town where these restaurants abound (down on Maunakea in Chinatown), picking a place at random is, generally, a crap-shoot. Well, we had been on a banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich) kick lately and this place had a sign in the window for it. Sold. The place is small and unremarkable in appearance. The kitchen is small and run by Vietnamese women (Good Sign #1). You have to walk through the cramped kitchen to use their bathroom (Good Sign #2). We were the only non-Asian people in there (Good Sign #3). I ordered the pork sandwich and my wife, the BBQ chicken. Both were great, but I give the edge to the chicken. Nice, fresh veggies and herbs. Meat cooked right. Good, fresh baguette. Can't fault the food here. It was great. All for less than $15. Color me happy. If you walk out the door and hook a left and walk down a few storefronts, there's a tropical fruit store that also does smoothies and bubble tea, using their fresh fruits. I highly recommend following your meal here up with one of their shakes.
(4)T Y.
Their simmered catfish is f*king mean
(4)Tom S.
ate here after a late night of studying. fast service as it was only me and a couple of patrons in the restaurant. good place for pho
(5)V M.
Pho 97 was ok...not the best Vietnamese food I've had but it satisfied me enough for lunch. There were a lot of people coming in for lunch, surprisingly. The price was a little high for average tasting food. The staff weren't very attentive...one waitress in particular was busy standing in front of the flat screen tv watching a soap opera even when she saw me waiving to get her attention. I probably waited like 10 minutes to get the check. I didn't get my water refilled or anything. I wouldn't come back here if I visited Honolulu again.
(3)Christa W.
If you like tofu and veggies in your bowl, Pho97 is the only place in Chinatown to plop down and eat. The tofu chunks are beautiful giant pillow-like slices, never those wrinkly-hard reconstituted squares some places get away with giving people....and they aren't shy with the broccoli. Great broth and noodles too. Kind of the only place I go for pho. Only thing....you might want to bring your own water, in the grand tradition of pho spots they give you refills pretty much never.
(4)k k.
The best thing about Pho 97 is actually not the pho. It's the spicy beef noodle soup, Bún bò Hue. The soup for this spicy beef soup is so delicious and has a lot of lemongrass flavor. I've tried the spicy beef noodle soup in other places, and this is by far the best!! The beef is so tender and has so much flavor. I highly recommend this dish. I took my Vietnamese friend there, and she confirms that this is very authentic. I've also tried the pho there, and I find the broth a bit bland. It's strange everyone thought it was salty....hm... I find the pho at Mai Lan down the street a lot better.
(4)Mike Q.
pho 97 is rapidly becoming my favorite haunt when i need a bowl of pho. of course i have usually been drinking "when i need a bowl of pho" so a lot of small things tend to go unnoticed. but even when wasted beyond recognition, i have pleasant recollections of a good product, plenty of sides and a soup which is surprisingly sobering. i like this place. maybe i've liked it way too many times.
(3)Cool C.
Huge portions and reasonable prices. And Vegetarian options YAY!!! I had the Vegetarian Bun, and Fresh Rolls. There was so much food, that I couldn't eat it, and had to take it to go. I put it in the fridge, and the next day it was just as tasty...
(5)veesa a.
This place is not that bad. The people are friendly, food comes out quick, and their ice coffee fresh.
(3)Vicky C.
Hangover food. Absolutely fulfilling. Quick. Cheap. And their spoons don't smell like bleach.
(3)Micah P.
Went to Chinatown for lunch and found Pho 97. Had pho with beef balls and tender beef. Also had veggie summer rolls. Summer rolls were very simple and good with a satay dipping sauce. Broth of the pho was better than Green Papaya but pho was much less hearty. Gf had vegetarian pho and she liked it better than green papaya's as well. Very cheap too bowl of pho was $6.50 and rolls were $4.50. Solid pho spot. Still searching for that spot on Oahu that really satisfies my pho craving.
(3)Norm G.
Wanted to try a pho place I hadn't tried yet, so ambled on in here this past Labor Day weekend. Don't remember what number pho I ordered, but it was the one with the round steak and beef balls. The broth smelled wonderful and tasted good, too! The only reason I didn't give them five stars was that I was extremely thirsty after eating here, which made me think there was too much salt (or similar substance) in the broth. Still delicious though, and I will probably return for more.
(4)Emiko T.
You know when you walk out of a restaurant so thoroughly satisfied and happy with what you just ate? Walking out of Pho 97 was like that for me and I can still taste the crispiness of the generous helping of banh seo or crepe. Again, with my Vietnamese ambassador in attendance, he agreed that it was a delicious experience. Then walked right next door to the market and got a $3.50 pineapple. How much better could it get?!
(4)Foodie E.
One of my favorite pho places. I keep coming back and have never been disappointed. Large portions, good prices. Winners include the rice vermicelli in broth dishes like bun bo hue (spicy beef noodle soup hue style), bun mang vit (you get a generous portion of cold sliced duck and a fabulously punchy ginger dipping sauce) and the bun rieu (crab meat noodle soup). Btw these dishes also come topped with a few cubes of coagulated cooked pork blood - don't be afraid, it's like jell-o! The place is a little grungy but you will pay way more at a spotlessly clean and modern place like Pho One on Kapiolani.
(4)Kelli G.
This is my favorite Pho place in town. Meat is fresh, broth is delicious, prices are great!
(4)Jennifer H.
I like this place. Love the catfish soup... the pho and spring rolls are just great.... its so healthy. I saw cockroaches crawl over my table tho but then again its in Chinatown and its an old place. Food tastes good tho. I hope they did something about controlling the roach population! Very nice place to eat at if you're in Chinatown and craving Pho.
(3)Satoru Y.
Hello anise! Apparently that's Pho '97 in a nut-shell. I wanted to give this place a try, since I heard some good things about it. I decided to go outside of my comfort zone, and explore new places to get a hearty bowl of pho. I don't crave it too often, though I have tried many takes on it over the years. I've had some good and some bad. This place ranks somewhere at the mediocre. First off, the appetizers weren't that great. The Summer Rolls tasted like they were made last summer. The wrapping was that cheap stuff that sticks to everything: I hate that. The Spring Rolls tasted a little on the "ripe" side; aside from the excessive amount of those chinese mushrooms. The Spring Rolls had a blahzay texture, and tasted like I could get them from any SouthEast Asian quickie mart. Not to mention they barely give you any mint leaves or lettuce on the side. Now for the reason that I came: the pho. The pho had too much anise. I know people love that strong flavor, and I do as well. But there was so much in there that it drowned the flavor of everything else out. I could barely taste the natural beef flavor through the anise. The broth itself was not diversely flavored with a combination of ingredients; the anise took the bullhorn. Cinnamon? Ginger? Nope. They did have some good table condiments though. They even had the fish paste. Other than that they had the usual assortment. Is the food authentic? Yes, and it is cheap. The whole meal is very affordable, and the food comes out promptly. However, the initial service was not that great. The food is just not that exciting to me. Pho 97 is okay, but nothing to write home about.
(2)Christine E.
I don't know how the food is because I didnt get a chance to actually eat it. Within the first five minutes a roach ran across my table. Filthy.
(1)Sally T.
nothing to write home about or make a special trip to. the service is slower than molasses and not the friendliest. the woman who sat us couldn't crack a smile to save her life. anyway, i ordered the bun bo hue and my boyfriend got the papaya salad. i've had way better elsewhere. the noodles in the bun bo hue looked like it was re-blanched so it was overcooked and mushy. it was in bits and pieces so i had to eat it with a spoon. the broth was cloudy which typically means it's been sitting for a while and re-boiled. i think i got jipped also because the pieces of pigs blood was missing and i swear it's always in bun bo hue. the papaya salad was mediocre. the papaya was sliced sort of thick, the luc muom that it came tasted water down. really nothing to rave about. too bad, pho 97. i'm not coming back.
(2)Olivia D.
I think this is my new favorite pho place in Chinatown to go to when To Chau is closed. The spicy beef pho is the best I've ever had. The broth is flavored with lemon grass, chili oil, and spices, and comes with a plate of beansprouts, curly ong choi stems, herbs, jalapenos, and lemons. They also put more hunks of braised beef and meatballs in their spicy beef soup than any other place I've been to. Yum yum!
(5)Haole G.
I am mostly a fan of their veggie pho. They actually put in a TON of veggies so its not just noodles and tofu. They have all the condiments and more, and while it's a bit sketch, so what. I buy my regular groceries in Chinatown so I can't judge.
(4)Lisa K.
Fast, cheap and tasty. Pho has good flavor with a decent amount of meat and I like the fact that they're not so skimpy on the vegetables.
(4)todd r.
Decent pho and very fresth ingredients for the do-it-yourself spring rolls. I think the servers in restaurants actually in Vietnam spoke more English than at this restaurant. The spring rolls were a roll-it-yourself affair with a provided plate of fresh vege and pounded shrimp. There was, however, a conspicuous lack of lemon grass which crucial to any Vietnamese dish. The pho was solid, but not a home run. i would skip the "beef balls" and just go with the sliced beef.
(3)Carol L.
Order #20, Pho with rare steak ask for it on the side dip it and eat it with the noodles. Don't forgets to use ALL and I do mean ALL the basil, bean sprouts, lemons, okay and a few Jalapenos :) They even give u a few shreds of the Ong choi stalk!! The soup is sooooo good no msg tasty and comforting. U gotta go!! Oh and a glass of Thai ice coffee always is good too! The soup keeps u coming back..its always all gone down to the last drop! :)
(4)Janice O.
Had pho here for the first time. Went with a friend who has been there before. I was a little skeptical but went anyway. The pho was good. Broth had a little anise flavor which was very tasty. The veggies were good and they had lime. The make your own rolls were very good and we were able to substitute chicken instead of pork. We went close to closing but were still allowed to order. We weren't rushed at all. My only mistake was using the bathroom! Lol my friend did warn me! Will definitely go back despite the bathroom. Flavor was good and price was good!
(4)Russell M.
Have been here a couple of times before with friends. Prices are cheap!!! Ordered two #24, PHO w/ special combination of Beef. $12.50 for both. Plenty of sprouts, basil, and noodles to boot. I will be back. There is a parking lot just across the street if street parking isn't available.
(4)Bun M.
The Banh Mi adventure begins! I saw some videos of people eating Banh Mi, and like all non-advertisements, it worked! Now to find the best Banh Mi on the island. My first stop is Pho 97. I tried their chicken Banh Mi as their grilled pork plate looks a little funny, like they just put red food coloring on it. The Banh Mi took about 5 minutes to come out and was nice and warm with a little bit of crunch. It came with cilantro, pickled daikon and carrots, cucumber, peppers, and a tiny bit of sauce, maybe the patte? Well it needed more spread because it was quite dry. The chicken was decent and tender, but nothing special, maybe needs a bit more lemongrass to jazz it up.
(3)Marissa R.
First of all this place was not my first choice but the other place was closed. Came in, sat down, and what seemed to be an owner staring at us. A waitress comes and ask if we're ready and my boyfriend was about to order when she just walks away. We finally order and I order number 22. When I get my pho immediately I notice the back part of a cockroach floating my soup. I call the waitress she says "oh" takes my soup away brings me a new one. I get no apology or offered maybe even a discount or how about take the soup off my tab. So we're paying and it took me 3 times asking to finally get a box or my check. It took everything I had to continue eating the rest of my food. I am just too nice to throw a fit. So I decided to write a review. Stay clear of this place. Unprofessional environment, rude employees, roaches in the soup.
(1)Gwen N.
My family and I were in Chinatown beause we needed some exotic fruits and flowers...but first, we needed lunch. There were 13 of us, so I was basically looking for any place that had room for all of us as most of the restaurants in Chinatown are small and cramped. Pho 97 is located right next to one of the entrances to Maunakea Marketplace. It's a bit run down, but nothing too horrible. We did see a critter or two running around, but I've grown up eating in places like this and it wasn't unusual for us. Good thing is that we didn't see any critters in our food. As usual, always wipe down your utensils before using it! Everyone got different entrees, but most of us ordered pho. When in a pho place, order the pho, right? Overall, it was pretty good, no complaints. It wasn't the best pho I've ever had, but it was far from the worst. They offered fruit smoothies (sinh to) too, but since we were right next to Maunakea Marketplace, we all decided to get smoothies there instead as there were more flavor options. TL;DR: Reasonable prices, fast service, good food. It was a good find, considering I didn't check out the reviews on Yelp before walking in. Parking is the same situation as the rest of Chinatown--find a parking garage.
(3)Phuong M.
Absolutely of all the pho joints I tried this one makes me giddy every time I know I will be coming here. I crave their pho so much! The broth is clear but the flavors are so deep and exactly the type of broth that needs to be in a bowl of pho! I always get the full combo and love me steak moo'ing so I always get it outside and leave it out till last minute and after I throw in all the fresh goodness veggies they give you, fresh bean sprouts, fresh Thai basil, this other herb I can't remember name but has citrus subtle flavor and of course squeeze in a generous piece of lemon! I make my hot spiccccy dipping sauce with hoisin sauce, satay (very fragrant -spicy and garlicky) and of course my favorite cock sauce - sriacha and I have to add the fresh jalapeños in the mix cause nothing seems spicy enough and voila!!! A mean fit for a queen!
(5)Marc J.
I had my first banh mi sandwich there it was so good have not had one as good sense, green papaya salad with shrimp is the best love this place, old school place,real food
(5)Will C.
You know what impresses me? Businesses that are in it to win it. Take a walk with me if you will.. Its 7:45 am. I'm hungry. I could walk down the street and grab some warm meat buns BUT.... I want pho. Pho 97 says they don't open till 8, but the door is open and there are people already sitting down. I peer in and behind me comes a lady from the street and smiling says "Sit anywhere!" Alright. She drops her bag, brings a menu and water and I put my order in. Make that money. I cannot tell you how many times I've been disappointed by businesses that either cannot be bothered to honor their advertised business hours and/or just treat their paying guests terribly. Bravo to Pho 97.
(4)Doris D.
One of the few places in Chinatown that is open for dinner, and it's cheap too. I got a spring roll bun for $7-8. It was good. My husband got the bun bo hue which comes with beef (super tough), pork shank (actually part of a pig's foot), and steamed pork slices (like the ones in banh mi). The broth was ok, a bit spicy (wanted more spice), and (in my opinion) had too much MSG.
(3)Addie L.
The pho is slightly above average but the duck soup is the star of the restaurant. Both dishes are very reasonably priced ($8 for large pho) and $10.50 (duck soup). There are some good points for the pho: the soup has a nice balance of spices and beefy flavor, generous amounts of beef tons of noodles, and it came heaping hot. Biggest weakness is: where is the soup? After adding the veggies and mixing it up, there was hardly any soup left. The duck soup is like a light and tasty version of duck noodle soup. It even came with a plate of duck with a dipping sauce. Our Vietnamese friend says that it's only served on the weekends. The service is quick and efficient but not very friendly.
(4)K T.
Mediocre. If you are looking for good priced pho (most choices are $8 for a regular sized bowl and $9.25 for a large sized bowl), try this place. The pho did not blow my socks off, BUT they do give a lot of noodles and meat for a regular sized bowl which is nice. The restaurant, located in Chinatown, is a bit old--like your typical sticky vietnamese place.
(3)B L.
The cleanliness was a huge concern... Didn't seem very clean... The workers were rude as well.. The favor if the food was not as good as I expected ... I could have made it myself
(1)Moshe H.
One word , chicken 2 words , chicken sandwich They make a mean mean chicken sandwich you can just call ahead and grab on the go Comes in crispy baguette with chicken pate and all around s Tasty as hell Oh and it's 5,75$ If you have time ask for the BBQ chicken plate ,the butter fish also awesome.
(5)Robert D.
Not the cleanest place I've ever been - but the BBQ chicken sandwich is so Ono - I highly recommend it. and only $6 The Pho is great of course. The place is comfortable and plenty busy with local Vietnamese ...always a good sign. Chinatown parking.
(4)Kristin I.
This place is good and also busy. My friend brought me here because she needed pho but didn't want to walk all the way to Cuu Long, so lazy... jk!!! But it was really good. The pho broth was good, I really liked it because they didn't put parsley in it. I had the medium vegetable pho. It had all the vegetables I liked in it. It came with carrots, cabbage, broccoli and tofu. They have two sizes for the pho dishes, medium and large. The medium was the perfect size for me and i think the medium was $6.75 for the vegetable pho. The beef was $6.50 i think. I wish i was hungry to try the summer or spring rolls, but the pho filled me up just right. And I'm trying to cut out caffeine so i didn't get to try the Vietnamese iced coffee, my favorite =( . Parking is street or any of the paid lots in China Town. But is definitely walking distance from downtown. Its one block farther than lucky belly. If you need pho close to downtown try this place out. We went around 12:20 and we got the last two seats. The tables are community so you may have to share with another group.
(5)Florence K.
I almost had a finger served along with my bowl of pho! Yup. I swear when the lady put my bowl of pho in front of me, her finger was in my soup. Kinda Gross...but...whatever. I came here for lunch with my dad and my brother, and it was PACKED. I had to wait about 5 minutes for a table, and the tables are community. The three of us shared a 6-person table with 2 guys, only separated by the condiment tray on the table in between us. My brother and dad started off with their usual iced Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk, which my dad noted was a very weak coffee. I don't drink coffee so I can't say much about it. We all ordered pho, and I ordered my usual pho with rare steak and brisket. ASIDE from the fact that I saw the server's finger in my bowl of soup as she dropped it off, I decided to let it go, because I didn't want to be rude, and I ate my pho. Besides, the hot soup should burn off any bacteria that should be on her hands, right? And PLUS...her hands SHOULD BE clean because she should be washing her hands constantly, especially working in the food industry! After first taste of the broth, I thought it was delicious. It was definitely one of the better broths I have had, although it did lack a sweetness, and wasn't as full and deep as I would like my pho broth to be. However, Pho 97 definitely ranks in my top 3 for pho broths in Honolulu. I would also like them to improve on the temperature of the broth when it is served to me. I added my bean sprouts and Thai basil, and I feel like it didn't cook as well as it would have if my soup was piping hot. Service could definitely use some improvement (umm, like...not serve my bowl of pho with your finger in it!), because it was definitely a bit curt. I kinda felt like they just stood next to our table and expected us to order without us saying anything. I'll definitely be back if I'm in the Chinatown area! As long as they don't serve my pho with a finger in it again....
(4)Tia P.
This has to be the worst PHO place I ever laid my chopsticks in!! I order pho with meatballs and ..... Got only ...3 balls in the pho. Unreal that had to be a ripoff. Sure $7 for a bowl but come on bro... At least add some more meatballs in there. Smdh... Oh and the worst part is ... The bowl had a bug on the side... I didn't even bother eating ....
(1)Jennifer C.
Awesome cheap lunch before Chinatown grocery shopping. I had the bun rieu (crab meat soup, $9) and the hubby had the grilled pork platter ($15). I loved the bun rieu. Salty, sour and yum! I've only had it one time before trying it at Pho 97, and Pho 97 easily beat it. Here, they gave a nice amount of the crab meat / egg mixture, two pieces of pig trotters, and some pig's blood. I wasn't a fan of the pigs blood, but the pig trotters were a nice addition. The grilled pork platter was a beast. You're given all the components to make your own grilled pork summer rolls. You might think $15 is a bit pricey for a dish at a regular Viet joint, but the platter probably could last two meals. Tip: Expect to have to share a table during crowded times.
(4)Andrew E.
My last update. Come here for the food, not the service. Today the worker had the audacity to tell me to move when I took a seat. Seriously, I came in and sat down where I usually sit, and he told me to move! Only redeeming factor is the pho... Sigh.
(2)Bj B.
Food was much better than expected. The pho is good and would give OC folks a thrill. I had the crispy fried noodles (mi xao don) which was very good. My kids had the wanton noodles, which was good and kid approved. We had shakes (xin to) which was good too. The people were friendly. I would definitely go again.
(5)Russel M.
Nice Restaurant located in Chinatown. Our favorite item on the menu is the build your own Summer Rolls. Pho is very good along with the Lemongrass Chicken. BYOB
(5)Angela K.
I get #20 beef outside. Love there hot paste in the jar. Don't know what's in it but its good. My hubby don't like noodles so he gets the lemon grass chicken plate. He really likes it. The weekdays at lunch is super busy but I just went on a Sunday 1030 ish and got to hang out without not feeling rushed.
(4)Bruce R.
Just left PHO 97 I ordered #12 wonton w/ saimin. It had wontons, shrimp, pork and squid I added the bean sprouts. I didn't like the squid, everything else was great loved the broth. Husband ordered #20 PHO w/ slices of rare steak he was very happy. They had large portions for the price one bowl could have feed us both. Really liked it would highly recommend
(4)Bryan W.
Service is terrible and the workers constantly yell. They don't seem to care about their customers. Waitress came around once to drop off the food and did not refill water. Lousy place
(1)Matt M.
good pho and great spicy lemon grass chicken. not the cleanest place im mean its china town but never dissapointed after a meal
(3)Keith K.
I usually order lemon grass chicken at Vietnamese places, but not here. This place serves a great "roll your own" summer roll. I've had it with pounded shrimp and chicken [not a menu item--just ask]. Way too good. If I could eat it all day, I would. Smile...
(5)F K.
I have been going consistently to this pho for the past 15 years for the following reasons: Portion size: a large is actually a large and will get an adult man full Price: cheaper than all the surrounding phos and way better than those in kaimuki and kapiolani Meat: always generous in portion especially in the combination Service: food always out in less than 10 mins and water cup always refilled Location: pretty much in the epic center of Chinatown closest pho to the mauna kea underground parking garage (100 meters away) Spring rolls, pho combination and summer rolls are what I recommend. Try the green bean drink if your stomach can handle beans cause it's healthy and good. I like to hop and round and try new pho places but no where is ever as consistent as here when it comes to taste. Sure the setting isn't fancy or spotlessly clean, but come on, you're in Chinatown...
(5)Jalyn-Roderick F.
they charged us $5 for the food we usually eats.. I dont understand why they do that.. maybe they want tip so they charge us that amount.. but its against the law.
(1)Boki C.
My family in laws favorite place. I always order the crab tomato noodle soup that has lotsa goodies in there (blood, vietnamese sausage, pork knuckles) & my husband always orders their pho. We are never disappointed. I recently also tried their lemon beef salad - very tasty. Food is very fast and always piping hot! =) Spacious enough for chinatown and really cold A/C if you dig that. There's also a flat screen TV for those who like to catch football on Sundays.
(4)Vivian Y.
I always get my pho from here mainly because the pho is just more flavorful than all the other places I have been to. Portion sizes are huge (but as are other pho places). The one thing that I have consistently been getting is the combination pho or the grilled pork vermicelli. If you order take out, it only takes them ten minutes to prepare it and be on your way. One of my past bosses who had cancer lost his sense of taste and would not eat because everything was bland. However, he was able to eat properly at this pho restaurant because it is that flavorful! There is a ten dollar minimum fee for credit cards. Parking is only street side.
(4)Ashley N.
Food is decent. Service is also decent. However, they need to clean up the restaurant. We were seated next to the wall, and within 1 sitting I've witnessed 1 spider and 2 cockroaches. The place also looks like it needs a major renovation as well.
(2)Vi N.
This place is really good and affordable for what you get. The average price is about $9 and the store is local so it's right next to Chinatown. It's one of the best Viet places in Hawaii and I recommend it
(5)Conifers J.
For pho, it was pretty weak in the broth, and slices of beef were cooked too long and tough, esp considering the competition in the area. Perhaps the non-pho fare is better.
(2)Diane E.
Rule #1: Learn to pronounce Pho. I clearly had no idea... Rule #2: Be adventurous...but don't be afraid to modify your order. I came here yesterday with a couple of co-workers. One ordered the hot crab soup...hold the pig's blood please. Ya think?! Ha :-) Another ordered the Pho with chicken and I ordered the Pho with tofu and vegetables. A big plate arrived with bean sprouts, various greens including mint, basil and some lemon wedges. Delicious and filling...and not a diet-buster. Reasonably priced. Service was a little hit or miss. We waited a long time to get our bill, so we just got up and went to the cash register to pay there. Working on the edge of Chinatown offers a variety of places to eat. While there are closer Pho restaurants to our office, my co-workers prefer this place. I'm sure I'll be back.
(4)Wendy K.
This is my second visit here and both times the service was ridiculous. I don't care if the food is good. If the customer service sucks so does everything else. The attitude of these workers makes your mouth have a sour taste in it. Therfore it made the food suck! Plus it's dirty and cramped. Not coming back.
(1)Zar A.
Yes, I like the pho here. Bun Bo Hue - nah Chau - nah Ho Thieu - nah I'll take the pho. They got good pho. I come here for lunch, I come here for breakfast. A small hole-in-the-wall and very easy to pass by. But, they know how to make pho. Don't bother asking for the extra fat oils on the side though. Whenever I come with Anna D, they deny her of her side fat oils! Ha Ha Ha, probably for her own good!
(4)Ed L.
First Pho house I have been to in Chinatown in a while, since I had a not so stellar experience the last time. Pho 97 is located in the heart of China town, and to have a Vietnamese restaurant nestled in there is not that hard to ponder. The restaurant itself is small, like most of them are. I felt weird being in one in Chinatown - of all places. But whatever, that's another story for another day. The place was half full when I was there for lunch, but I was fortunate to get a table instead of waiting or finding another Vietnamese restaurant in the vicinity on my Yelp app. I didn't like the fact that it didn't look like a real restaurant, especially when it felt like I was in a large storage unit, and the ambiance was just... not there at all... The service was quick, but could be improved. Too quick actually. They just shove the menu in front of you and hand you a glass of water. While that may be typical of some restaurants, this one they don't really say hi or smile. At least that's what happened with me. Anyway, the menu is quite extensive. They have a lot of choices on the menu, which I thought was promising. I just wanted my Pho. This place is a hole in the wall, like so many China town establishments are. I ordered the large Pho with summer rolls, which is pretty much the combo I normally shoot for. Summer rolls are da best, since spring rolls are just deep fried. I can't handle the grease too much. The Pho wasn't too great, and the portion size was quite telling and lacking. The taste wasn't good either. I rather pay $10+ for better Pho. The extra noodles was good, although the soup needed sprucing up. More meat please! Overall, this place can do better. I would like to come back and see how far along they've come since my last visit, but I will wait, since there are more Pho houses to go to on Oahu. Maybe I will try something else other than Pho, but I doubt that. C-
(2)Corrine C.
Plus - quick, convienent location in Chinatown, decent prices Minus - felt kind of dark and cramped. The bathroom is through the kitchen. I ordered a vermicelli noodle bowl, the hubby got a udon noodle bowl, and my son tried the banh mi. The food was good but the ambiance was lacking. Midway through our meal a group of campaigners came through the restaurant to spread their message... nice bunch of people but felt kind of intrusive. Guess I'm not used to that happening back home.
(3)A G.
Broth tasted smokey but better after adding red rooster and hoisin sauce. Average noodles and meat. At least it was cheaper than the average bowl of pho on the island.
(3)marissa t.
Super good value for your money. The large pho with beef was less than $7!!! The meat was tender (some fatty pieces though), the vegetables were fresh, and the service was fast. It must be good if everyone in there looked vietnamese except me... right?
(3)Lee H.
I finally found my pho place! Sorry Pho Bistro 2, but this is my favorite Pho place in town!! (For SOCAL people: I like this place better than Golden Deli in San Gabriel) I only know the pho, but it's good and not cinammony, like some other places. Meat combo Pho is $6 something and the large is $7 something. If the large is not enough you can add more noodles later for a $1. I do find the large is too small for me. If you like the soup boiling hot you have to ask them to bring it to you very hot. Service is simple, but friendly. Parking can be a challenge on the street, like most places in Chinatown.
(5)Tracy M.
The chicken was great and it still looks yummy, however, I am a pescatarian so I honestly do not know now. But the seafood and veggie dishes are still very yummy and it is always crowded for lunch, which is always a good sign. Prices are just right and everything I tried so far is taste great! You won't regret it!
(4)Esther Y.
Had a bowl of pho here and shared a rare beef salad before checking out First Fridays in Chinatown. Definitely recommend the rare beef salad...it's not something you'd typically order at any other pho restaurant, so it's special here. Nick mentions that they have a "build you own summer rolls" thing. That's what I do at home, and it sounds like it would be fun to do, but I'm kinda against the idea of paying to work for my food at a restaurant, haha. Although I do pay for yakiniku Korean BBQ buffets where you grill it yourself...hmmm. The pho itself was nothing to write home about. It's not bad, and it's better than Pho Saigon down the street. I'd venture to say it's better than Pho Bistro 2. But when you're comparing to To Chau and Ha Long...it can't stand its own.
(3)Kliff L.
All i got to say is this place is extremely unsanitary.
(1)Jesse C.
Afaik, this restaurant was sold by its owner. He then opened Pho 1 on Kapiolani. Not much has changed with it. In fact, I prefer Pho 97 over its original owners new restaurant. The pho's ok but I like the crab soup. Its hard to find and then do it well. The rare beef salad is also one of my favorites.
(3)Leimalani F.
Pho 97 is short for "97 kine soup with rice noodle" Seriously though, this little hole-in-the-Maunakea-rubble makes at least 30 different kinds of Vietnamese soup. I've been here on multiple occasions with my Pop. If you can look beyond the dingy, crowded, storage room ambiance, I think this joint has a lot to offer. Their menu is huge (like 5 pages) listing everything from pho to bun, to Vietnamese crepes, to bahn mi sammies, to beef wrapped in lot leaf, to Vietnamese fondue. I love coming to more authentic Vietnamese places like this that cater to the community of individuals who realize that Vietnamese food is a lot more than just pho. Pho 97 and Bac Nam are the clear winners in terms of authenticity and variety. That being said, I have yet to try a dish that really knocks my socks off. The pho is good, but it has a thin, light colored broth. Some people appreciate this type because it is not salty or overpowering. Personally, I like really strong contrasting flavors of anise, cinnamon, and beef bone, so this is not my favorite broth. But to each his/her own! I also disagree with the reviewer who stated that this place is all about the anise. Where? *sniff sniff* Where? I will say that the pho is always packed with goodies. Plenty of tripe and other weird meat parts in Dad's bowl. Plenty of veggies on the plate to share. They often give mint and shaved banana flower as well. I've had the seafood pho, which is good. Spring rolls are fine. Nothing extraordinary here other than the price, which seems high ($7.50). The bbq pork summer rolls are bland ($4). I do enjoy the Vietnamese fish soup. This is also a very light broth, accented with lemongrass and fried garlic. The chunks of flaky white fish are delicious and they usually throw in a few shrimp as well. This comes with vermicelli noodles and a plate of lemon, mint, and banana flower to garnish. Noodles were overcooked :( Other items of note: Spicy Vietnamese beef soup - after reading the earlier reviews, this is on my must order list. So far the best I've had is at Saigon on King St. They also have crab soup, which unlike the haolified version at Pho Mai, comes with pigs' parts and pigs' blood (Not sure if my hapa haole side is ready for that one). I am definitely ordering the catfish soup (yum!) and the spicy, sour seafood soup in the near future, but these are more expensive (between $10 and $14). Other soup types include won ton mein, chicken and anise soup, pork and shrimp; the list goes on and on. NOTE: Parking in the Municipal garage below Maunakea cost $1.50. This place is always PACKED at lunch. Don't be shy and pull up a seat next to a stranger. I usually leave the customary seat in between so I'm not vying for elbow room with someone I don't know. You will need to stand up and wave your arms for service, but what did you expect at this price point? Also, Chinatown is stepping it up cuz they now take CREDIT CARDS!!! BEST recommendation is to order one pho and one other type of soup so you get different items to garnish your soup with. I like try them all!!!
(4)Jessie L.
Food is good, but the reason why i gave it a 2 star is mainly because of food portions and service. the lady with the short hair had this firm face and they don't say sorry to you when they forgot to give you the sirloin steak in your pho. I ordered a medium, but I can eat it in 3 bites. (so little man)... And I can see that the waitress made a mistake on the other customer's table, and she had to ask about the menu about three times a row. the price increased but the portion size is lesser than before. but the food is good though.
(2)Jaedyn C.
This review update is long overdue! I've never really had the chance to dine in 97 since it was always busy whenever I came here so I always just opted for take out. Not to mention, I never bothered to try their pho which was a stupid mistake if you ask me! A friend of mines took me here last year for some pho, at first I was weary since the only pho place I frequented in Chinatown was Pho My Lan. Now I am a Pho 97 regular! I'm sorry My Lan, it's just their pho fills me up! I always get a regular combo minus the tripe and for around $6 and some cents, this meal is perfect for a skinny KorePino meat loving girl like me! Compared to My Lan, their meat combo actually has a LOT of meat! That's one thing that converted me to P97, another thing that got me was that it was also give or take 25 cents cheaper than My Lan and more meat too! I've only ever ate their Kalbi-Shrimp plate lunch combo and the combination pho and all in all it's pretty damn good. Service can vary from time to time, it all just depends on how busy it is and who is working. On busy days your water cup may not be refilled, but it won't hurt to just flag down one of the workers for a refill since they are pretty accommodating to that. Since I go often, the women usually know my regular order whenever I go, so I usually wait the most 10 minutes to get my food. Like most places in the Chinatown/Downtown are, the time to avoid a lot of food establishments are during the lunch rush from 11am-1pm. Since Pho 97 is a pretty small place, all the seats can get filled up pretty fast especially during lunch time. For me, I like to eat either before work or after work and just snack during lunch, so in my opinion the best times to go eat at Pho 97 are usually in the mornings between 8-9 am or mid afternoon from 3-4:30. No crowds, lots of seating and food comes out faster too!
(5)nick m.
I really like this place. I think their vietnamese menu is different enough from the surrounding sea of pho specialty places to warrant trying them out. For example, the 'build your own summer rolls' is amazing. They give you a big bowl of hot water, tapioca/rice wrappers, and you can pick shrimp or pork and they give you a huge dish of fixins to basically make your own vietnamese taquitos. That's the easiest way I can explain it. The pho decent compared to the other local shops (i've verified this with unsuspecting third parties I used as taste testers), but some of the more interesting things on the menu- salty lemonade, for example- are worth trying out !
(4)Roger P.
One of my favorite pho restaurants to eat at. The food alone is 5 star. Pho is great, the beef is lean and not clumped together. Vegetables are plentiful and fresh, so are the various sauces to add to the bowel. I've been going the since 1997. It's fast and convenient. A little divish, but that what I'd expect from a inexpensive pho restaurant in Chinatown.
(4)Brian J.
I was in Chinatown searching for a good place for lunch and found this little place. The pho was awesome. I got the combo pho (sliced steak and beef balls) and it had tons of taste. The price was reasonable and the noodles weren't too soggy. Nothing sucks more than soggy ass noodles. The people working that day, who seemed like the owners, were really nice. I will definitely go again.
(4)Joy L.
The pho here is just okay. We ordered the beef pho and the summer rolls. The broth for the pho was way too light. It needed more salt and flavor. I thought the noodles were overcooked too. However, there was a nice amount of beef to the pho. Nevertheless, I'm sure there are much better places for pho in Chinatown. The summer rolls were delicious, but I'm definitely not picky about them. The menu at Pho 97 was really extensive though, and the place is located right in the heart of Chinatown. Overall, convenient location but very mediocre food.
(3)Skinga A.
not the best of service..but the pho is thee best..i go here at least twice a week and am never disapointed..
(4)Annie K.
Out of all the Pho places I've been to, Pho 97 is my favorite. I always end up going back for great tasting Pho. The soup base is flavorful. The noodles are perfect texture. The rare steak is sliced thin enough to be cooked in the soup. Some place have such a thin slice of rare steak that I just shreds in the soup. The beef balls dont have the yucky clear cartilage thingy in it. I hate those things. I usually get my food quick. It's great. Love it. Even the spring rolls are perfect.
(5)Peter H.
Certainly one of the best places in Honolulu for Pho. Their broth is just right, not too salty or with MSG or fat. Good fresh noodles. They bring a heaping plate of veggies for your pho. Love their pho. Will be coming back...
(4)Veronique N.
I think this is the best pho ever! This is where my family comes!
(5)Zhen L.
I haven't been back here for over four years; the first time I ever went there. I came here four+ years ago with a friend to catch up a bit. Maybe I caught them on a bad day, but the service was pretty bad. I think there were only two other parties there that night, and they already had their food. I recall that the table was still dirty and wet when we were seated. The Pho was okay; seemed watered down and tasted bland. I don't recall specifically what happened in the end that caused me to avoid this place, but it was something regarding the bill. I don't know how they are now, but I think this is one restaurant that I actually had a bad enough time to never return. Whenever I pass by it, I am reminded of its service. Two-stars for the Pho.
(2)Glen L.
I have literally eaten in every pho restaurant at Little Saigon (Westminster, CA) and I have to say that unfortunately this place does not measure up. While the service is indifferent, which is fairly typical in this type of restaurant, the beef pho I ordered came with the most tasteless broth I have ever tried. Another thing I noticed is that after I ordered, the staff spoke perfect Cantonese. That should have clued me in that I was not going to get authentic pho. On the plus side at least they take credit cards, which is plus for someone like me since I rarely carry cash. The low prices are a welcome relief after getting ripped off daily in Waikiki.
(2)theresa s.
pho 97 is mostly authentic-- i am vietnamese-- except for some dishes, but an overall good vietnamese restaurant. the service is always fast. it has begun to be very crowded at lunch, so we have to go a little earlier than usual in order to snag a table. everything i have eaten is very good, i especially like the crab soup, spicy beef soup, and pho (yes, i am a soup person). the grilled meat on bun has great flavor. i love that it opens at 8 am and i able to get my pho craving any time i want!
(4)Frank G.
The pho at Pho 97 isn't anything special. The great part is they have com tam dishes that are really made with broken rice. Several other Vietnamese restaurants in town have com tam on their menus, but don't serve the broken rice. Com tam is synonymous to peasant food, as it's the broken grains when the rice is sorted at the processing facility. It's the texture that makes it different, and Pho 97 has a good com tam dac biet (house special broken rice) dish with egg loaf, shredded pork & pork skin, grilled pork & a fried sunnyside up egg, served with fish sauce.
(4)Jackie W.
I am not one to write a review but the service was so horrible in this place that I just had to. You have been warned, if you want to be treated like crap then by all means eat at this less than stellar Pho establishment. I've been on the island for 7 years now and have eaten at just about every Vietnamese restaurant. I will NEVER go back to this place and here is why. For starters we sat ourselves at an empty table because no one greeted us. We waited for over 10 minutes (it was NOT busy) before we had some menus thrown onto the table. We waited another 10 minutes to order our meal and the waitress was rude, practically leaning against my arm with her hip. After we ordered our meal/drinks we had asked for straws (3 times to be exact) before ever getting any straw to drink the nasty water that had some red and black particles floating in it. Gross. After we received our food which was about a 2.5 star rating on taste (I've had way better...try Pho 5-0 or Green Papaya) we had to ask the waitress halfway through the meal where the Preserved Lemonade drink was. Oh and not to mention we had to ask 2 seperate times for the small bowls to mix our chili garlic oil, hoison sauce, and hot chili sauce in, they were also tossed onto the table like the menus were. I will never eat here again even if it is the last Vietnamese restaraunt on the island! HORRIBLE HORRIBLE SERVICE, Pho 97 should be ashamed.
(1)Jessie R.
I love how pho places in Chinatown are so cheap. I got a bubble drink afterwards with the $2 I saved ;) Anyways, I got a large bowl of pho with vegetables and tofu. I was a little sad that it only came with 2 pieces of tofu :( I turned my bowl of pho upside down in a failed attempt to find another piece. Sadness. But they gave a generous plate of the extras (beansprouts, lemon, jalapenos, and "leaves" as my friends call it haha). Despite the missing tofu, I left quite full and satisfied.
(3)Stefanie M.
I agree with many of the other reviews about this place, the Pho isn't amazing but from what I tasted or saw of the other dishes is what makes this place "A-OK". A large pho for less than $7 is a steal now days so that definitely is a plus. All of the items on the menu were also very reasonably priced but then again I would expect that of any restaurant located in the middle of China Town. I ordered the summer rolls and large Pho Dac Biet. The summer rolls were great! They had both pork and shrimp, and was filled with lots of yummy vegetables. The pho was good, but like I said before I've definitely had better tasting pho. The Pho was accompanied by your standard veggies of bean sprounts, basil, lemon and Jalapenos. The vegetables were noticably fresh so I appreciated that. Other members of our party had vermicelli with Springrolls, roast beef sandwich, and spring rolls. Everyone seemed very pleased with their selections. Something different about this place is that they use thicker vermicelli noodles. Most places I frequent use the thin vermicelli. Tastes the same but does give the food a different texture than I'm used to. Another plus about this place is that they have a few Flat screen TVs. Pho and Sunday Football is a great combination! One down side was that it took us three tries to get our water refilled. Apparently the first person wasn't assigned to water refilling. The second person got distracted, and only after asking a third time our request was granted. It's a slim chance I'll make the trip just to eat Pho here, but maybe if I'm in the area I'll stop through again.
(3)David P.
This is almost the worst pho place I have ever been to. The broth was terrible; so bland!! The spring rolls were just oozing with oil as you bit into them; so you taste nothing but vegetable oil as you take a bite. The service was lousy!! Almost no one spoke decent English, the food came out late, the food came out cold, and they only filled my water cup once and that was at the end of the meal when I was running dry for a good hour!!!! This place gave me my worst pho experience in my life!! I have been going to eat pho since I before ten years of age and I am never returning again!!!!
(1)Danh T.
I love this place. I plan to come back today for 2nd time. Recomend Canh chua ca, dia long. Yep, I came back on Friday for Canh Chua Ca and Ca Kho To. I took the public bus there and came back in a few hours. You don't want to spend time there too late since it is not safe to be there after 8pm.
(4)Wayne S.
My Lan or Pho 97................ both good in their own ways. Love the spring rolls here and the large pho was pretty cheap.
(4)Liam C.
SO close to being five stars. My mom and I came here one night and for anyone who chooses to come here for dinner, you'll known that chinatown gets quite interesting after dark. We ventured past many obstacles between the parking lot to this restaurant but when we finally made it, we sat down in a nice cool table beneath a TV playing American movies. This was my first time here, and after only experiencing the other pho places outside of chinatown, the prices here were pleasantly lower. I ordered a medium beef combination pho for only $8, and if I'm not mistaken that same order would cost me at least a couple more bucks elsewhere! Portion was generous for the price, everything tasted fresh and did not disappoint. Overall, very satisfied with my eating experience but taking away one star for the service. The man working was very friendly with this other table that spoke Vietnamese but as soon as I tried to talk to him his facial expressions completely changed! Ahhh!
(4)Michael O.
Service is quick, and water service is actually quite attentive. Like most Viet restaurants, the food service itself is fairly curt and matter of fact - this is more than fine as there's a fine line between straight forward "what do you like?" vs. rude; but there is definitely a line there. Pho 97 is anything but rude so no worries - just manage your expectations if you're a tourist. Otherwise, I ordered the ground shrimp patties and seasoned pork meatballs over veggies and vermicelli noodles (Bun w/ Nem Nuong & Chao Tom). The meatballs were very tasty; nice mix of herbs...noodles slightly overcooked, but veggies, herbs, and lettuce crisp and fresh. Portion was good for average price ($10). My fiancée got spring rolls with lettuce wraps and vermicelli. Typical dish, but spring rolls weren't as flaky/crispy as they should be. Not bad, not great. I will come again to try their Bun Bo Hue and Bun Rieu (when it's not sweltering outside).
(3)Sam C.
Tasty food 5 stars. But place ant that clean, well its china town which was excepted. OrderEd comp Pho as always you guys should try it if you havnt.
(4)Jenny S.
If I had wrote my review after my first visit I would have given this place four stars, but after my second visit I am definitely sticking with one star! The food is decent, but what is keeping me from coming back is the lack of cleanliness of the restaurant. As I was eating my pho, I saw one roach across the table and that customer shooing the roach away and then I noticed a roach on my napkin! I'm not sure where the roach came from and how many there are, but I'm not willing to come back to find out... If it wasn't for the extra flavor of la' roach I would have recommend this place, but knowing what I know and what I saw I won't be ever coming back!
(1)Rafal S.
This used to be our favorite Pho restaurant when I was stationed in Hawaii before. Because we could not remember the name of this restaurant, we could not find it. The only thing that changed since five years ago, the fridge with the delicious desert drinks disappeared. Our Pho was just as delicious as I remember it!
(5)Garret U.
When the name of a restaurant is comprised of the name of a specific dish, that restaurant had better make that dish in spectacular fashion. It's a good thing then that Pho97 makes one heck of an excellent pho. I've had pho from many different restaurants and Pho97 is my favorite. From the outside the restaurant doesn't look like much. There's nothing fancy about the ambience, but the thing that keeps me coming back is the deliciousness of their pho; I think it's the broth that makes it so good. I can't praise it enough. Parking can be a bit of a hassle, but it's worth the trouble. I usually park in the municipal parking on smith street or the one on maunakea. Parking will usually cost around $3, more or less depending on how long you're there. If you go there for lunch, go early to avoid the crowd. If you make it there around 11am you should be fine. At noon the place will likely be packed and you can expect to wait. If it's your first time there try the pho. I mean, why would you go to a pho place and NOT get pho? I recommend the combination and ask for beef on the side. The tasty broth will be hot enough to cook the raw beef to your liking.
(5)Connie M.
One day, I was craving Vietnamese food, but wanted to venture out of my normal Pho places. Pho 97 was the first one I saw while in Chinatown, so that's where I went. Interior was a bit blah and the tabletops were still sticky, but I liked how extensive the menu was and their affordable prices. Like most places in Chinatown, you get better service when you speak their language. Sadly, I couldn't haha.. but I noticed that those who spoke Vietnamese had a friendlier experience with the waitress. As for me, it was brusk. Food came out extremely quickly. Almost too fast. The bun was in a gigantic bowl with freshly fried spring rolls, noodles and julienne veggies. The dipping sauce was sooo good! Best part is they take credit cards. Downside is the annoying Chinatown parking.
(3)Anita M.
Been coming here forever, since I was a little girl. The pho is tasty, I love the saimin with clear noodles, the spring rolls &' the BBQ chicken sandwich, My favorites there. They are SUPER fast, literally. You can order &' your order is there within 5 minutes.
(4)Darren S.
First time trying this place because it was the next option from our usual place in Chinatown at Pho My Lan, which was closed. Well, as we were deciding where to go, we stumbled upon Pho 97 and noticed there were quite a bit of people there so it tells us a) this place is good or b) everyone else there had no other options as well. Well, we were seated right away and after we placed our order, it did come within five minutes - so that's a plus, especially during lunch hour. But, this is where the buck stops. The broth for my pho was lukewarm - noodles must be eaten with piping hot broth!!! Additionally, the broth itself had little to no taste at all - very disappointing. I guess we won't be coming here every again.
(2)