Pho 1
5764 Baltimore National Pike, Catonsville, MD, 21228
Pho 1 Menu
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Khai /appetizers
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Hu Theu/rice Noodle Soup
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Pho/ Noodle Soup Of Beef
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Side Orders
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Desserts
Healthy Meal suggestions for Pho 1
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Khai /appetizers
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Hu Theu/rice Noodle Soup
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Pho/ Noodle Soup Of Beef
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Side Orders
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Desserts
Visit below restaurant in Catonsville for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Catonsville for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
5764 Baltimore National Pike
Catonsville, MD, 21228 - Phone (410) 719-7500
- Website https://pho1md.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :10:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
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Nikeita P.
For starters this place has LOTS to choose from. The hubby and I decided to share the Thai Iced Tea which was amazing!!!! I order the shrimp egg rolls that came with a small salad on the side. The egg rolls were good but I realized not all of them were shrimp. I think their was some pork in two of them which has made my tummy a little upset considering I'm not much of a pork eater . Overall, the food was good and the service was pretty good - this is coming from a girl who is not a Pho fan at all. If your in the area and looking for a cheap, yet fulfilling eat, be sure to stop here!!!
(4)Dee D.
It's hard to find good Pho in Baltimore.. I have had some good Pho a few times on the west coast. This place was pretty decent. Very basic. You sit, order and pay at the register. Chopsticks, spoons, sauces all on the table. Cash Only unfortunately. So be prepared. Fresh broth, big chunks of chicken. Spring rolls and papaya salad were very tasty. The beef was very good. The waiter took our orders and the server returned literally in about 2 minutes with super hot food. They give you sprouts,jalapeños,basil and lime on the side to season your bowl as you like. Just take cash, I tried to come here before and had to pass because I didn't have any on me. I will return.
(4)Heidi F.
I visit Pho 1 pretty frequently. The service is fabulous and they always recognize me. I always eat in and enjoy the dim lighting as well as the strange pop music! The food is fabulous and great deal. I usually get #18 and my boyfriend get #45. These are great, and fresh. I use to eat Pho when it was cold now I crave it all the time!
(5)John M.
My first time trying Vietnamese Pho and I can't give this place a better recommendation. Had the spicy noodle soup and it was awesome. Service was great. If you're close by or driving through, make sure you stop.
(5)Fan P.
I like the spicy soup! It has ingredients (like sea food) that other Vietnam places usually don't put in spicy soup~ Only thing I don't like is that they don't take discover card, only visa and master card..
(5)Caroline K.
SURROUNDING: It's in a large low-end shopping center off of route 40. There is lots of traffic, but it's easy to park. SERVICE: This place is probably the fanciest pho place I have been to. Very well decorated with chandeliers and wide-screen TVs displaying their menu. Took us about 10 minutes to get our pho. FOOD: We had pho tai and pho gau. Broth for my pho gau was very greasy and salty. My fatty brisket was almost too fatty to eat. I also got takeout here once, and the portion was surprisingly decent for a small. PRICE: ~8/small, ~10 large BOTTOM LINE: Great atmosphere but mediocre food.
(3)Geneva J.
I really like the décor of the place. The staff seem to be pretty attentive as well. I went once years ago and recently decided to try it out again. I ordered egg rolls assuming they would be something like spring rolls but this egg roll had some sort of meat roll inside. The roll was ok but in the future I'll know to inquire about veggie roll only. I ordered the Vietnamese spicy noodle bowl. I was told by the waitress it contained pig feet (being from the south I do like pig feet) but instead it had some other meats inside. I only recognized the steak meat. I have no clue what the orange ball of meat.... and I didn't ask.... just pushed it to the side.... ok I nibbled it a bit but decided to just put it aside. Other than mystery meats the soup was yummy. I think I will try one last time and be very specific with finding out the contents of my meal before deciding.
(3)Robert W.
I'm not sure why this place doesn't have better reviews. A few years ago, my buddies and I used to come once every other week months at a time. We took a hiatus, and started my pho infatuation again. 1) place is really clean 2) staff is friendly and efficient 3) fried spring rolls- crispy and tasty 4) salted fried shrimp- served with jalapenos/sauteed onions- perfectly crispy and head to tail edible. 5) pho 1- a true pho-natic understands the broth is the key. I find their blend of spices perfect. I'm sad by the mediocre reviews, but they will always be my favorite place in Baltimore (next to Mekong Delta)
(5)Danny C.
Their Pho is far from #1. It's not great. At all. I mean you have to drench the soup with Sriracha sauce and Hoisin sauce for extra flavor. DRENCH.. Aside from that, their rice dishes aren't bad. I also like their Vermicelli with it's fresh veggies and delicious fish sauce. Their menu is extensive so don't expect the food to be top notch. Rice with Pork Chop or Grilled Chicken are always safe bets for those who're new to Vietnamese cuisine. The fish sauce may not smell good but it goes really well with the rice dishes. Service is consistently good and they have a TV you can watch if you're bored. If you care a lot about the decor of a place, this place is probably 1 of the more cleaner and better places than the other Pho places in the area.
(3)Lashanda L.
Vietnamese restaurant that serves Korean beef. It's good and I've been back. Service is quick and I leave full on rice and Korean beef.
(4)Kim J.
I LOVE this place!! The seafood pho is the best - lots of chunks of various seafood! Add the red garlic type sauce in a bottle on the table and lots of the brown, thick soy sauce like sauce in a bottle on the table!! I love the vietnamese wings - crispy and delicious.
(5)David L.
I would say this rest they hire 90 % worker inside and out ! They did pretty good job so far ! In Maryland we got large population of Spanish people ! They working very hard for their family ! This is a good example ! Good job !
(4)Kim A.
I thought this was definitely one of the better pho places I have tried in the Baltimore area. I was impressed by the set-up, cleanliness, modern decor, and menu selection. What I liked about the pho was the awesome broth, the abundance of meat, and the preparation of the noodles. The prices were standard and the hours were accommodating. I will be coming back.
(4)Matthew T.
I haven't been to this place in a while. They have improved their interior and it looks great. Definitely recommend this place. Big portions and wide variety of food. More than just vietnamese. Thai tea is awesome here.
(4)Rudy Z G.
I moved to Baltimore about 4 months ago and I've been dying for good bowl of Pho. I was honestly excited when I saw this place. This place is all kind of wrong. Walking in the lighting was very dim; comparable to those at a fancy restaurants. the upholstery was falling apart. I sit down and was quickly with a menu and a cup of water. The menu was also ridiculously fancy looking Looking at the menu was a aghast at the pricing. $10 for a bowl of Pho. ridiculous. Looking over a neighboring booth, I saw that the bowls were quite small too. I give the menu back and quickly walked out of the restaurant.
(2)Michelle C.
Ordered carry out tonight. Pho tai, summer rolls and egg rolls. Even though I went straight home (I live roughly 5 minutes away) and assembled my soup, the broth was lukewarm at best. I had to heat it so I could cook my thin slices of steak in it. There was no sriracha or hoisin like you normally get with carry out pho. I like to use the two as a dip for my meat. Disappointed but I made do with BBQ and my own trusty bottle of sriracha. They also didn't include the chili oil I asked for. Didn't have any at home so, boo. I like to use it in my pho for heat on the tongue. The other standard accompaniments were there, fresh and there was plenty of basil, which I love. That being said, I wasn't wowed by the taste of the broth. It wasn't bad just not delicious. The summer rolls were just ok, kinda bland and I didn't care for the peanut dipping sauce. The egg rolls (summer rolls) were delish however. Crispy and hot. I'd return for those. I'd also return to try some of the other dishes (the grilled pork chop for one), but it won't be my go to spot for pho. Too bad. They're really close to my house. Service was very friendly and they offer you a beverage while you wait for your order. Restaurant was clean and had about 5 families eating in while I was waiting for my food.
(3)Brooke T.
This was my initial initiation into the land of Pho...but I have since matured and I have definitely had better. Sooo located on Rte. 40 in the same shopping center as the Sprint, Sam's and the like. Parking is fair at best, I mean it is a rather busy area. The inside is nothing to fuss over, several chairs, booths, not too much color.... I have dined in and taken out, the service while dining in was fair; although, the sever did forget some items. I think the experience of getting pho is better while dining in though. The pho itself is okay, however, as I mentioned before, I have had better. The broth isn't as tasty or fulfilling, the spices given aren't like other places. I think after my recent experience, I'll stick with my other place.
(2)Carrie O.
Update time, whoo! Unfortunately since our last review, Pho #1 has somewhat lost its lustre as far as the food is concerned. I am not able to really have pho for myself anymore, due to the diabetes diagnosis (and pho spikes me like a mofo, just saying), so I actually tried something else that I'd been wanting for a while - the beef and shrimp vermicelli (I think it was 47, but don't quote me on that). LoML had his usual chicken pho. For me, the vermicelli was actually damned good. It was a bit tart and vinegary with a hint of spice. I would have liked more meat, however, and there didn't seem to be a lot provided. I tried a little of LoML's pho broth, and.... I don't know, but it just tasted kind of "off" to me. Now, LoML puts NOTHING in it - no sriacha, no hoisin, nothing - so maybe it was just a matter of personal taste. The spring rolls were... okay. After having the ones at Mekong Delta (which still trump all of the others I've ever had), it seemed a little like a letdown. Prices were still good at 20 bucks for the two of us, so that's at least something. The choice of background music is still horrific, heh. This place, however, has nothing on the pho restaurants in the D.C. metro. I still maintain that I've never had better Viet food than that place with the screwy name in Rockville, heh (I think it was Pho Nom Nom. Heh, heh.) We'll come back if we're in the area but we're not going to be making any special trips out here. I hope it improves. Tip for Diabetics: Pho spikes me high and spikes me hard, so I don't get it for myself anymore. The vermicelli didn't seem to hurt as much, so maybe that might be an option for you. But be warned - noodles are noodles no matter if they're in soup or standalone or what, so I would recommend a lot of walking around and/or heavy exercise to counter the effects. Or a big-assed bolus. Just sayin'. Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor. YMMV. Seek medical advice and tailor my review to your situation. I simply provide opinion.
(3)Ebon'e C.
I love this place !!! me and my husband go here a lot and we are always happy with the service and food they even know my 3yr old by name and all the staff stops to say hi to him. I love the spicy pork blood soup which I get with rice noodles cause it come with a reg pasta that is to tick for soup in my opinion and shrimp spring rolls with a Thai ice tea. One day we will try the alligator but for now we stick to the soup.
(4)Mellen H.
...Before I review, I should mention that I am in no way a pho aficionado or expert. I only discovered it within the past year, and until this experience, I have NEVER dined in. I have only done take out from two places in strip malls near my house. My experience with pho has always been the noodle soup, so I've never branched out to other menu items... Right off the bat, the smell of this restaurant put me off. It was a burnt, odd smell. My friend and I ordered the shrimp spring rolls (based on other Yelp reviews). The peanut sauce was tasty, and my first few bites of spring roll were okay...until my friend found a hair in his. We then put our remaining spring rolls down and left about 3/4 of them uneaten. I don't see how you recover from hairy spring rolls...or how you can possibly expect more than 1 star after that. I had the shrimp pho. My friend had the chicken pho. We tasted each other's broth. The chicken pho was awful. It literally had NO taste whatsoever. It was unflavored boiled chicken in barely flavored water. The shrimp pho was only marginally better. I added sriracha and some of the spicy sauce on the table to get rid of the bland taste. It's unfortunate, as this was my friend's first pho experience, and I had really talked it up before we went in. If this was my first pho experience, I'd honestly cross it off the list and never be back. It did seem like the place was doing a decent lunch business, as we got the last booth. Maybe people like flavorless soup with boiled meat inside and hairy spring rolls. Not me.
(1)Zach H.
(Disclaimer: This review is based solely on the boba drinks, not any of the food) My friends and I were in the area and had a boba craving so, naturally, we consulted Yelp to assist us on our quest. Looking at what was in the nearby vicinity, we found that this place and thought "why not?". We walked up to the counter and proceeded to order our drinks. The options were extremely limited, but it's clear by the name of this place that the drinks are not a primary focus so I won't knock them for that. We ordered a total of 4 drinks and all different flavors... and, sadly, I don't think I've ever been more disappointed with boba drinks. My friends echoed that sentiment. The tapioca pearls (boba) were an unpleasant mixture of under-cooked and over-cooked so some had the texture of overdone rice and others had the texture of chewy rocks. I wish that was my only criticism. The "fruit" smoothie itself had a peculiar flavor with a somewhat chalky aftertaste. Overall, we all left completely unsatisfied with only the feeling that we should go somewhere else to get boba drinks just to help forget about the ones we just consumed. I'm unable to comment on the food or the dining service as we didn't eat here, but I'm less inclined to come for food despite the number of good reviews because of the blatant disregard they have for their boba drinks.
(2)John Y.
Best pho in the area in my opinion. I've been to over a dozen pho spots and Pho 1 has consistently been my go to. The broth is always piping hot and the spring rolls are a great appetizer. I also went of course and ate the lemon chicken, the bbq steaks and have never been let down.
(5)Emily K.
The pho is standard, you really can't go wrong with pho. I really enjoy the summer rolls and spring rolls here.
(4)Honest H.
Went in at an off hour staff was eating dinner around 4 o'clock. Ordered three things off the special menu on the sign in the foyer. Came back in 15 minutes waited 5 more took it home. Was shocked at how bad everything was - dry pork, tasteless noodles with a sauce that had tough hot pepper seeds; pad thai - noodles were ok, no sauce or peanuts or basil or lemon. Greasy tough squid rings. Of course it's not the same as when it comes right out, but still this was inedible. A waste of 30 bucks. Maybe the cook was unhappy having his meal interrupted. They didn't act happy to see us. I should have taken the hint.
(1)Helen C.
Their pho is good, but not great. It's in a strip mall with tons of other stores nearby. Service was fast and friendly.
(4)Lucia G.
I had never had Vietnamese cuisine so I had no idea what to order. When mentioning that to the waiter he helped me order and showed me what sauces went with what foods. Everything he suggested was delicious. Bo luc lac, pho and spring rolls...yum!
(4)Justine S.
The overall rating on this place should be so much higher... I love pho, I have Vietnamese family, this place is outstanding-bowl no. 37 all the way--met the chef once, she's super cool This is my only "regular" joint (upwards of 30 visits in the past year) and it always delivers-delicious food, nice yet still casual decor, speedy and accommodating service, and drinks are quite reasonably priced. Love it! EDIT: they upped their prices! Meanwhile I found Pho Saigon (just up the road), and it's so much better AND it's BYOB! Sorry Pho No. 1, you lost me to Pho Saigon
(4)R S.
Most food selection I've seen in Md Pho joints. Soup was light...which I prefer. (Yet flavorless for some) Rice plates, variety of soups to seafoods authenthic Vietnamese style cooking.
(5)Ravey R.
I love this place. Dine in and get carry out almost once a week. The people are friendly, always remember our order even when I come with different people. Always on point!! The drinks are amazing as well
(5)Ma-e M.
There are some Pho competition in the neighborhood but I like Pho 1 has a different vibe. To me, it's inviting but the music playing is oldies that will make you sleepy. Could be the reason why I was influenced to buy a $5 bucks viet iced coffee. Pho noodles is tasteful and a small bowl is a lot to finish. I like the ambiance of this place and for that reason, this Pho is 1.
(4)Weiwen N.
I had the beef pho here. It was acceptable but not great. It just wasn't as flavorful as others I've had. Mekong Delta in Baltimore Pho Dat Thanh in Columbia are better. The Vietnamese iced coffee is very good and the prices are good, however.
(3)J C.
We go all the time. They have the most varieties of Pho around the area. Seafood, vegetarian, beef and chicken. They make their stock fresh daily and it tastes great! Their Thai tea is worth going for and the vietnamese coffee as well. Service is good and better than other Pho places that make u feel like an outsider. You must try the summer rolls. We always get ours without the pork. Tastes better that way. The other food is good too but we always get the Pho. They are really accomodating for allergies too. I took a friend who was gluten free and they brought the cook out to talk to her about what type of dish she could have. She loved the food and the service. Certain days the owner is around and he is a chef from Las Vegas and very personable too. Take it from a foodie who is married to a chef and works with the gourmet food industry. It's a local down home Pho shop for everyone.
(4)Charlie C.
Not good at all. Place does not seem very sanitary. All Hispanic service did not understand. Sorry.
(1)Ericka S.
It was ok. I've had better. Nice space, server was friendly just wasn't wowed with my choice. I had the shrimp and crabmeat Pho. It was imitation crab meat.
(3)Ian M.
The pho at Pho #1 is inconsistent and, with such good pho restaurants in the Catonsville area, that means I won't be choosing Pho #1. I've had amazing pho here, mediocre pho here, and flavorless pho here. When it's good, it's great. When it's not, it's meh. That said, their vietnamese coffee is perhaps the best around (although I've yet to find a way to make it that doesn't leave a mess).
(3)Adina K.
Eh. It was cheap, but you can definitely find better pho in the Baltimore/DC metro area. There wasn't nearly enough meat and the meat included is not of very good quality. The broth doesn't have much flavor to it either. I also need to agree with previous reviews regarding the service. It does take a long time and it's just not a warm place. In a pinch I would eat here again, but it's certainly not a place I'd recommend or go out of my way to visit again.
(2)Simone L.
I love the pho here. I usually get the seafood one. Comes with shrimp, scallops and imitation crab meat. I also like the spring rolls and Korean BBQ.
(4)Pastel I.
Food was ok but the staff is horrible!! My bill came out $15 but they charged me $25 on my card!! Stupid i will never go back again!!
(2)Emily P.
I had their iced vietnamese coffee. Can someone tell me if I was drinking sewer water? Pho was bland...and so greasy that your lips would be smacking on their oil. I could only finish few bites of it.
(1)Emily L.
I don't know much about Southeast Asian food, and I tend to be squeamish about meat, but I still LOVE this place. For under ten dollars, you can get a healthy, filling, flavorful meal and have a great cultural experience at the same time. It also helps that it's walking distance from our house (although we usually drive,) the wait staff is all very friendly, and they have a full bar! As I said, I'm a little funny about meat, but I do like the chicken pho. I usually order shrimp, but I've also recently discovered the vegetable / tofu version, which is full of fresh, crunchy carrots, broccoli, baby corn and napa cabbage. All pho comes with the expected garnishes of Thai basil, lime and bean sprouts, and they're good about bringing extra and / or cilantro upon request. There's Sriracha on every table. If you're in the mood for sweets, I love their Thai tea and fruit smoothies. Be adventurous! I would be remiss if I didn't mention the time a group of us came in for soup and ended up ordering the alligator special. Oh my GOSH. They brought out a huge burner and a giant lump of butter and we grilled the meat ourselves, then wrapped it with vegetables and herbs in rice wrappers. It was an incredible meal, and our server was kind enough to demonstrate how to cook, prepare and enjoy the food. I think she had almost as much fun as we did!
(3)A. P.
They have vegetarian pho!!! Seriously, I think it's easier to find a unicorn than finding a good authentic place that has a fully veggie option. Too many places will call something a "Veggie Pho" but when you ask about the broth, its still the beef broth. This comes with vegetarian broth, lots of veggies, chunks of fried tofu and of course, the noodles. My fiance is Vietnamese and even he said the veggie broth has all the usual pho spice flavors just lacks the meatiness. The service is extremely fast. I'm taking off a star because there is not a single vegetarian appetizer. Sometimes watching my fiance munch away while we wait for our dinner gives me serious food envy.
(4)Stephanie K.
There are some competing pho places in the Catonsville area, but this is my favorite one. While it doesn't compete with some of the places closer to DC that serve ONLY pho, it definitely fulfills my cravings and I also like the atmosphere. I've always had great service and I like that most of the seating is booths. Thanks Pho 1!
(4)Tim H.
I eat a lot of pho. I eat a lot of summer rolls and spring rolls too. This place serves a decent bowl of pho and their appetizers are pretty good too. This place offers a wide variety of dishes on their menu. My wife likes the noodle dishes with meats and vegetables while I prefer to stick to pho. I have been to this place more than a dozen times and I have to say their pho broth is consistently the same. Try this place out if you are in the area and are craving Vietnamese food.
(3)Paul J.
Date & time of service: 5/23/2014 6:30 p.m. Pho #1 is usually very good. Today it was exceptionally bad. The food was late. The waiter service was very poor.
(1)Patricia R.
Was here with the ladies of the family and we all left full and happy! My grandma was in the mood for Chinese and quite frankly, I'm not a fan of what the city has to offer so we came out to Pho #1. I've been a fan of Pho since my days back in Silver Spring, and figured its close enough, she'll never know its not Chinese! lol Service: awesome Food: 5+ yums I had regular chicken pho, my mom had one but it had seafood in it, and my grandma had steamed rice with beef and broccoli. I was glad that they don't cook with a lot of salt and grease, etc. because my grandma really can't be eating all that, and it was still very appetizing to her without it. Pho met our dietary and hunger needs - I'm pleased!
(5)John B.
Checked out this place after recommendation from a friend. My first experience with Pho was at the Mekong Delta Cafe in downtown Baltimore. As expected, I became a fan after this first experience. Pho #1 is located in the shopping center closest to 695, next to the Sam's Club. When walking into restaurant, it was very clean and had that "new restaurant" feel. Simple decor and dimly-lit interior. There were a few parties that were already seated when we visited in the early evening. We had a server ask us for our drink order and appetizers within about 2-3 mins. of sitting down. One minute passed and we had our drink and appetizer. We then put in our order for pho. Being my first time here, I ordered the "#1" on the list of pho which included rare steak, tripe, tendon and something else I believe. I ordered a small as my friend told me their portions are large. After about literally 3-5 minutes, we had our pho, nice and hot (really quick!). For the appetizer, we got the spring rolls. There were two that came with the order along with a side of some sort of peanut dipping sauce which was delicious! The spring rolls were a bit on the small side, which I wasn't used to, but still extremely pleasant to eat. The "small" pho portion is certainly enough for one person. They provide you with a plate of fresh basil and other items to optionally add to your pho. The tables are also stocked with soy sauce and sriracha (YES!). The pho broth was very nice, some of the best I've had so far. Very savory, a nice medium consistency. The meat is cooked beautifully, the noodles cooked perfectly and the broth brings this harmonious dish all together. Very impressed with everything thus far. I ordered a "Bia 33" beer with my order which tasted just like a Vietnamese lager. Very simple beer and went well with the pho. It's like a Vietnamese Budweiser, yet better flavor. The owner/manager stopped by our table after we were done and he started discussing beers with me. He told me about "Chang" beer that they also have, and offered me a rather healthy sample to try -- a very courteous gesture in my opinion. The "Chang" beer had a lighter, bit more sour taste than the Bia 33. It reminded me of Heineken, which I'm no longer a fan of, but the "Chang" beer was more flavorful. On the way out, we ordered a thai iced coffee. I believe we got the "bubble" version as there were a bunch of, what tasted and felt like tofu, gelatin pieces at the bottom of the cup. I wasn't too much a fan of that, but that's just my personal preference. The coffee itself was great, very rich and chocolatey, but the "bubbles" just threw me off. (The coffee can be ordered without the gelatin "bubbles.") I'm already looking forward to my next trip here, which should hopefully be in the next couple weeks as I'd like to bring a few friends over so they can try it for themselves. With the winter season soon approaching, a place like this could become an easy home away from home with their delicious hot pho.
(4)Sunny D.
so it's pho. and it's cheap. and it's easy. i guess that's the draw? i've been hearing about pho FOREVER, but never actually tried it until i came to this place on a fluke. lost in catonsville with a pregnant friend and both of us starving, i let her pick what/where to eat...and i honestly think she just selected the first thing she saw out the car window. fine. it was cold; soup sounded good. we were promptly greeted and seated. the place was quiet and a little...sticky. not terrible but they could definitely use a good scrub/mop. egh. i wasn't excited about having my pho cherry popped here. still, we ordered and enjoyed some hot tea while we waited. the pho arrives and holy huge steaming bowls!!! these things were bigger than our heads and filled to to the brim with veggies (mine), meat (hers), noodles and broth. wow. i got a little excited. unfortunately, i think it was just my hungry eyes taking in the sight of so much to eat. what my bowl of pho had in heat and abundance, it lacked in flavor. i spinkled in a couple of the spices from the rack at the table, and squirted in a bunch of sriracha. that gave it a different kind of heat, but still not much flavor. my preggers friend happily slurped away at hers, so maybe it was just me [or maybe it was her greedy fetus]. i don't see another occasion for me to go to catonsville or patronize pho #1, so we may never know. but i will give pho, in general, another chance.
(2)Chosei K.
This is the first pho restaurant I visited in Maryland and the one I frequent the most. While I enjoy the beef pho (the chicken pho is just ok and the shrimp pho was subpar), I absolutely love their vermicelli noodles with char-broiled beef and shrimp. I order it every time I come here now. This is a great place to bring friends to celebrate an small occasion because they have the space for it and it's a nice looking restaurant.
(4)Leo D.
Got Pho Tom tonight for carry out. We might not be pho experts but, Every time we go, eat in or carry out, we are very pleased and happy.
(5)EJ H.
I've always gotten pretty prompt service, the only thing that's lacking for me is cleanliness and quality of food. Broth has no flavor and te meat is jut full of marbeling and fat. I ordered the rare steak and brisket and unfortunately both we're quite bland on top of the already flavorless broth. Maybe they gave me leftovers from the previous night? I AM here pretty early, I do realize .... In any case, step it up Pho#1!! You were great a yr ago, what happened?!
(3)Quinn W.
It was delicious! Best pho in the area that I have had. I had the #15 and the meat was very well cut, and the broth was perfect.
(5)Trang N.
I only go here because it's the closest pho place to my school. If I had other options (like my usual Pho Real), I wouldn't be going here. The pho is mediocre, I can eat it, so it's whatevs. What drives me to hate this place is the owners. There are two men who are completely cold and snobby. If you the owners are reading this: take a tip. Don't yell at your new employees so harshly in front of customers. Learn some professionalism. And when people ask why is the pho taking so long, be polite! Don't need to shake your head and reply with an attitude. Anywho, they offer all different sorts of dishes that are pretty good from what I tried. I just wish their service didn't SUCK.
(2)Justin F.
Came here a few weeks ago and was disappointed they no longer taken Restaurant.com coupons, but GLAD they still welcomed us, took our orders quickly, and were happy to have us. Delicious beef cubes with egg on rice, tomatoes onions, and lime. A la noodles! Great service, cool decor, plus two TVs in the distance.
(5)Stevie J.
Place is bright and airy. Service was attentive. Decent pho, but definitely not the best and not one I'll return for. And yes, the boba in the drinks are inconsistently cooked (as one reviewer mentioned) so you will get something from mushy to rock hard all in one drink.
(3)Lucy V.
The pho is mediocre at best and the bun bo hue is overly greasy. The Vietnamese coffee was decent.
(2)Robin S.
Delicious Pho! Try the pork & shrimp spring rolls, the peanut sauce is the best! Be sure to experiment with the 3 different spicy sauces, sriracha, smoked chili paste and regular chili paste! The vinegar onion really adds a dynamic touch to your Pho. Don't be afraid of the tendon or brisket, they're delicious! You must get an iced coffee, let it steep for a bit, I always enjoy it like dessert at the end of my Pho to cool everything down.. So yummy!
(5)Shayna S.
I love Pho #1. I really do. I want to marry the place and make sweet, sweet food love to it. You do have to go in knowing you won't get good service and that they include the tip. However, their prices are so cheap, that the tip is so minimal and the food is so good...it's totally worth it.
(4)Special K.
The pho here is just AWFUL! First time, we ordered pho w/ well done flank - the meat was not edible at all since every piece was all fat. The broth was very watered down - needed to add lots of sauce. Second time, we ordered pho w/ chicken since the beef was all fat during our previous visit. Well, while the chicken was ok, this time, the broth tasted like canned chicken broth that you buy at a grocery store. Needless to say, we will not be back...
(1)Shannon S.
I was surprised when I entered because it was cleaner/bigger/nicer than I had expected from just seeing the store front in the strip mall. I had to pick up a rental car near by and found this place through a quick google search. Our waiter was there before we even sat down and promptly brought us drinks. He continued to be very attentive and took our orders as soon as we were ready. We ordered the shrimp spring rolls and they were pretty tasty. I liked the peanut sauce more than the actual roll though. I also ordered shrimp pho and my mom ordered hers with chicken. We both agreed that it wasn't the most exciting dish, but it was good. The broth is a little bland, but I'm not familiar enough with Vietnamese food to know if this is the norm or not. The portions were huge and we left plenty in the bowl and were still very full. Overall it was a good experience and the price of our bill matched the quality of the food.
(4)Hung T.
The pho here is decent. It used to taste better and more flavorful but they've since changed that. It is now smaller servings, less meat, and a more watered down broth. However, their rice dishes are pretty good like the cornish hen with yellow rice and com tam. Now when i say decent, im comparing it to viet food in Socal...nothing can beat Socal viet food. When I get the com tam, i order a fried egg on the side...however they charge 50 cents for it. -__- I think com tam should always include fried egg at no extra charge. They also have boba! I got the durian smoothy boba once and it was aight. Wasn't fresh durian, more like durian flavor (I guess they don't want the store to stink?) The tapioca balls were actually quite good since it wasn't overcooked and still chewy. Service is above average for pho places and you can just pay separately at the counter and not worry about splitting the bill. Wish there were more viet places to choose from, but for now this place will have to do.
(3)Kimberly C.
When people talk about "chicken soup for the soul" I think of Pho. Maybe my idea of the best pho is not "authentic", but I prefer my Pho Ga to have some veggies. So, if the restaurant does not serve it like that (there are some that do!), I order the veggie pho (minus the tofu) and added chicken.* All that is to say, maybe because I dressed non-ga pho up as Pho Ga, that is the reason the broth was so bland. For Pho to really soothe my soul the base (the broth) has to be phenomenal, and this wasn't. The broth did have a spicy kick to it, which was nice, and most of the veggies tasted really fresh and were cooked to perfection. The chicken was a bit on the dry side. Overall I would rate this place 2.5 stars. The service was nice and fast. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The iced tea was a bit off - tasted more like iced coffee, which I do not like. I would consider coming back to try some of the other dishes, but I really expect a "whole in the wall authentic" restaurant to knock a standard like Pho (which is what the restaurant is named after!!!) out of the park, and I just didn't taste it. *The extra half a star was for the hilarious convo that my server and I had about whether I wanted Pho Ga plus veggies, or Veggie Pho plus Ga. I told him "whatever" and he did the latter. Maybe the former would have been more flavorful, but then he should have more strongly suggested that combo!!
(2)Mary M.
this is my second home... given how often i come here. i love pho and this is the ONLY good one near Baltimore. Pho #12 the combination meats with egg roll & vermicelli is delicious! combination meat with broken rice is also good.
(4)brian g.
Good pho isn't easy to come by in Bmore. They may not be the best but #1 is pretty good. The pho broth is really top notch and they also have some tasty smoothies, just don't get boba in them bc it'll freeze and taste groady. Service was quick and friendly
(4)Matthew L.
I think it's pretty good. The meat is tender. The broth is a little bit on the lighter side and they are a bit skimpy on the noodles. The Pho was tasty. The summer rolls were delicious. The restaurant is nicely decorated. The biggest plus is that it's cheap. $10 with tip and tax for a full meal. Can't beat it.
(3)Shellby f.
I love me some Pho, and after going out to Towson and having a wonderful experience at that Pho resturant every time; I was excited to find Pho#1 was in my neighborhood. My Towson experience is completely diffrent from my two tries at Pho#1. The first time I went to this place was for a sit down meal. Their waiters seem to have no clue on how to handle customers. In fact our waiter was nearly non-exsistent the entire time we were there. It took him 15 mins to ask us what we wanted, a 20 min wait on the food, and then he just never showed back up. We had to wave someone else over to get the check and to pay. During all of this the owner was out having a lovely chit chat with some people I guess are his friends. He didn't even so much as glance at what was occuring in his shop. As for the Pho it was overpriced and bland. I usuially do not add any extra condiments to my Pho I like to savor the taste of the broth and the meat. However, I don't think I could have gotten through that bowl without adding something. Their spring rolls were ok but I've had better. The place itself is really nice looking. Lot's of big tv's, but I feel for the amount they spent on tv's and high tech looking lights they could have put that into improving their food. Sadly I tried them again for take out since they are the closests and I was hungry. It was pretty much the same bland and boring experience as the first time. Would not reccomend this place. It looks all shiney and promising but it's just a waste of space.
(2)Francis U.
Inexpensive, tasty, good portions. As for service, yes, if you expect an elegant dining experience you may be disappointed. Let it slide and go get the waiter.
(4)Abe L.
I think this place is great. Good tasting broth for the Pho - and a HUGE menu of other authentic dishes to choose from. My buddies and I stop by here pretty regularly - and the 4 of us eat enough for an army. Anyhow - it's a great deal, and tons of food. Try the fried shrimp, and the meat plate combo if you're loading up on protein. And of course - a #1 w/ meatballs. Check out the Durian shake if you're feeling adventurous.
(4)Britannica N.
My girlfriend introduced me to this place during my sophomore year in college. It was the first time I ever had Pho, and I loved it! We've since been back to this place countless times, and it's obvious from the other reviews that this place is definitely hit or miss. There are some nights that the soup is fantastic - sweet, salty, rich, plenty of noodles, tender meat, and piping hot. Other nights, the broth can be a bit bland, the meat can be mostly fat, and the noodles can be quite lacking. I will say that I've never left the place unhappy. The owner is very approachable and can always be seen behind the bar making drinks. I sometimes get his coconut boba tea drink, and it's great! I always make sure that he makes it, though. There is a mysterious closed off room in the back, and you can sometimes smell cigarette smoke, despite their efforts of concealing it. I'm not sure what is going on back there, but it always sounds like a party... The waitstaff is straight-forward - they come to take your order, they serve it to you, and they make sure to come back to refill your drinks. I can respect that. Anyway, overall the place can be hit-or-miss, but even on their off nights, it still tastes a lot better than the other restaurants around here. The prices have gone up, but it's still under $10 after tip for a bowl of their soup.
(4)Marsha W.
We like this place for a cheap meal out. The soups are good and are the noodle or "bun" dishes. The menu is a little hard to understand by the staff is patient. The Thai Ice-T is worth the trip!
(3)Den F.
Their pho is pretty disgusting. It tastes watered down and very sweet. They have a large variety of other dishes. Their vermicelli noodles are kinda crunchy... think undercooked, but weird. Their rice dishes are okay. Its the one place in Maryland that I've found AVOCADO SMOOTHIES!!! YUM.
(2)David G.
the food here is pretty good. Considering the other choices around it's not too bad. The pho has gotten much better recently, but still is a little on the heavy side with the flavoring. Quick service and a nice staff compliments this place well! Also super fast carryout!
(4)tania t.
Boo. Disappointed yet again by the lack of great Vietnamese food in Baltimore. Been here a few times and had good memories so headed back for some body-warming pho and was punished with burping up pho smell for the rest of the evening. Sorry to be so graphic. Despite the lackluster pho and egg rolls (where are the imperial rolls that other places have?), the Thai Iced Tea was amazing. Probably will look for another pho outlet instead of trekking back here. Update 1/21/09: Unfortunately, there are hardly any other places for pho in Bmore (I believe there are two: Baltimore Pho and Minato), so we ended up back here tonight. Satisfied though! I ordered pho #27 (bbq pork, crab, and shrimp pho with egg noodles) and the broth seemed to house less MSG than usual and the flavor was good. Best part: I didn't feel sick after I ate here, a very good sign. :) BTW, Tony R., I think this place must have on and off nights and I hope I stumbled on an off night when I had that awful experience at Pho #1. You must have lucked out on your visits, but I have to tell it like it is. No sugar coating it here.
(2)D K.
Nothing extravagant here but that's par for the course for most pho places. The pho is inconsistent. Some days, the broth is full of flavor; other times, it's very bland. The main reason I come back is because of the salted shrimp. It's very flavorful with good crunch. The ancillary lettuce and green onion bedding is almost as good as the shrimp with the shrimp breading and oil acting as the dressing. If it weren't for this dish, I don't know if I'd come back as much as I do. Their grilled meat plate is also very tasty and consistent. If their pho was more consistent, then I'd be a more frequent regular despite the distance from where I am.
(3)Michelle H.
This little hole in the wall place has some decent dishes, but you really need to be patient if you want to dine here. The lunch rush there yesturday consisted of 10 people, including myself and a friend and the 3 employees, and it still took us well over an hour to get out of there. It literally took 20 minutes for us to order and eat and twice that to just get our bill!
(2)Max L.
1.5 stars. more show than anything... one of the nicer pho restaurants ive been to. wait staff takes their merry time to take and bring out your orders. when they finally serve you your food, double check whether they actually got your order correct... chances are they didnt. the pho is nothing to get excited about. however, the avocado smoothie is. sounds odd, but its worth it. id give pho #1 one star, but the avocado smoothie deserves another 0.5. there are better alternatives in catonsville.
(2)Pete F.
Been here over 15 times, taste still pretty good, Pho Saigon have better taste. but doesn't take credit card. Their Bun Bo Hue is better then their pho IMO.
(4)Maya T.
I wanted some good Pho. It's comforting, it's filling, and it heals my soul. It really should be Pho noodle soup for the soul. And avocado smoothies and fried spring rolls should be required accompaniments to a Pho meal. From a quick search I realized that Pho #1 might be the only place in Baltimore other than Pho Dat Thanh that sells Avocado smoothies. And so there I went. For once, my avocado obsession has led me astray. This place is nothing to rave about. The avocado smoothie was overly sweet, and had shards of ice at the bottom. There is really no need to have a smoothie frozen to that extent, and if only they would process their smoothies fresh (I doubt any place does this though), they wouldn't need to keep them so cold. The spring rolls (these unfried) were bland from the choice of greenery, but the accompanying peanut sauce saved them. It also took me quite a while to find them on the menu, which is organized in a very confusing manner. Instead of arranging items based on whether they are appetizers, main courses, or otherwise, they're arranged based on the ingredients, like vermicelli dishes. This isn't great for those wanting to try a new appetizer, but can't pin point which dishes in each section are appetizers and which are not. The Pho can be smelled a mile away. Not necessarily a bad thing as long as the smell isn't reminiscent of MSG laden cup noodles. The broth, though very flavorful, had a slight bitter aftertaste I hadn't encountered before in Pho. I feel it might be due to the overstewing of an ingredient that goes into the broth. The noodles were improperly cut, so I got a nice variety of geometric shapes in my soup, from rectangles to squares to triangles. This doesn't interfere too much with flavor, but it is nice to slurp on long thin strands of broth soaked noodles without encountering the occasional clump of uncut ones. I ordered a Pho that came with both tendon and brisket, and made a mistake in doing so as the latter was more fat than actual brisket. It's really not too pleasant to eat fat in this form as its difficult to chew. I ended up not eating 90 percent of the meat. Overall, the food wasn't too bad in comparison to Baltimore Pho, but I won't be back as I'm convinced there's better.
(2)A. C.
(11/21/2009) This is one of the prettier pho places in the Greater Baltimore area. The menu is more extensive than just pho; however, the broth is weak and not fragrant; portions are somewhat smaller than what you might be used to for a noodle soup meal, and overall, there's less in your bowl (meat, garnish, broth). Spring rolls were crispy, a little oily. Summer rolls were decent specimens; sufficient vegetable, noodles and shrimp. I would neither rant nor rave about the place.
(3)Justin P.
I come to this pho joint every week and have never left disappointed. The reason why i didnt give five stars is because sometimes when i order alcohol they don't know whAt im talking about and a lot of times they don't have a bartender on duty it seems. Other than that the foods great and one of the servers knows my order. Number one with the raw beef on the side. It also helps thAt i have a coupon of 25 dollars off every time i go
(4)Jenn M.
This place is great. Service is always fast and the food is always good. I'll either get the Bun or the Pho - both have always been fantastic.
(4)Frank S.
I've tried three pho places in Baltimore. This one is by far the best. Simply delicious pho with good prices. I always like the #4. Also recommend: spring rolls (add sriracha to the peanut sauce), the whole fried talapia, the ice tea-lemonade (a Vietnamese half and half), & any of their shakes (yes, durian is delicious).
(4)Chiang K.
If you are used to the Pho places in Northern VA such as Pho 75 or Golden Cow, this place isn't quite up to that level. Now many of you probably are thinking the same thing as me. Making Pho has to be the easiest thing to make. Make some broth, add the noodles, and add the meat. Don't get me wrong, this Pho was good and the place I go to when I am in Baltimore area. Something about the broth and the meat they use at Pho#1 sets this place back a few steps from Golden Cow and Pho 75 of NoVA. This place also serves bun and other rice dishes. The grilled pork chop is pretty good. Keep in mind they tack on the tip automatically. I think that is fair considering some of the customers probably tip less than normal.
(3)Brig T.
Best Pho Ever! When I go in they make my pho special for me, with crispy noodles which is great. They also have a full bar, and stay open quite late in the evenings, so its a great place to chill after work. Ask Kenny (the owner) to make you up a drink of his choice - he comes up with great creations. They have a huge menu, and if you are in the know, you can order special things not on the menu, like wings. I gurantee that the wings are the greatest you will ever try, even if you disagree about the Pho. And I agree with Denise about the Avacado Shake - YUMMY!
(5)Alan D.
This place gets 3 stars because of the decor and variety. Not because of the soup, the soup is OK, not great. Portions are generous i always get the large #1. Overall not a bad place for the Baltimore area, i have had better though.
(3)Jeff C.
For a local Pho place, not bad at all. Not my favorite, but still pretty tasty. They've got a substantial menu, and their soup is not bad. Not the fastest place around, but still good for a quick lunch.
(3)Jim N.
Nice looking. Clean. But the pho was alright.
(3)Cerridwen F.
The first time we went there 7 months ago with some friends, the food was good, service was ok. We met up with the same friends 2 weeks ago and had a really bad experience. The food was acceptable, the service was awful! There was a big confusion with having 2 people trying to serve us. I wasnt done with my pho and wanted to take it home since I barely touched it after we had shared several appetizers. Someone approached us and asked if I wanted to take my soup home. I said yes, guy left to get some containers so I pushed my soup away. Someone came, took my bowl, then another guy came with my containers...guess what, the other guy that took my bowl tells us that my soup was gone! He threw it away already. By then I was already a little upset about having too many servers that don't communicate with each other. Guy that took my bowl kept saying he was sorry and promised to replace my soup. He brought me 2 containers of the broth. Plain broth! So I asked him where's the rest of my soup, he said it was coming. We paid our bill but never got anything else! Again, I asked for what the guy promised, he handed me a small box of plain noodles, no veggies, no meats. By that time I was really unhappy, I didn't even bother asking for anything or anyone. And no, there was no language barrier, the guy that made the mistake can clearly understand/speak English. He said sorry too many times("so sorry, I assumed you didn't want it when I saw you push the bowl away", was his exact statement to me. We're NOT going back there again!
(1)Jay L.
Pho tastes ok. It is actually not too bad. Problem was there service...i stood in front of the door for couple minutes and no one helped me. There were about 2 people who looked like an owner or manager but they just looked at me and did not care. Finally a guy came to me and asked me to be seated(he is the guy who cleans tables and dishes). I had to wait for more than 5 min to get my check and 15% tip was included.( seriously, i did not want to give them anything for services that i received). I complained and cashier said "oh it says on the menu" ( yes it was on very last page of menu). I told the cashier " isn't it supposed to be on the first page? and its ridiculous that you include 15% tip for just 2 people" the answer was " i'm not the owner". I gave Alex (guy who asked me to be seated - he was the only nice one in that restaurant) extra tip - just for him - and left. Oh, and they were grilling some meats on customer's table with no fan. Whole restaurant was filed with white smoke. It has to be some kind of fire violation. If you are looking for good service, don't go here.
(1)Scott P.
I've been coming here for a few years now, and it never fails to please. Their broth is sweet but salty, the veggies are always crisp and fresh, and the chicken wings are absolutely incredible (they're not on the menu, be sure to ask for them). The bartender always has new concoctions, but if you want to play it safe the shakes are always a win. The people are friendly, the service is quick, the food is exquisite, and I honestly can't find a single thing that I don't like about this place. Also, for the adventurous types, they have some more traditional (define: things we used to eat when we had NO options) fare such as blood and knuckles soup. Just sayin'...
(5)Paul S.
I generally liked this place. I like pho but I'm no expert (Italian... not Vietnamese)... and I thought that their soup was decent. The most impressive thing to me was the selection of other dishes. I often get annoyed at Vietnamese places because the menu has pho, summer rolls, and then some very bland super common japanese and chinese dishes for the less adventurous american diners... I want to try what real Vietnamese people eat when they are not eating pho or summer rolls. Being the adventurous diner I am, I was very pleased to see whole fish and shrimp(head, fins,legs, etc) and pages of various stews that I had never heard of on the menu. I liked their bubble tea, though my Korean friends I went with were less impressed. But... as many others here have said the service was horrible. The waiter (hispanic guy) was nice, but didn't seem super enthusiastic about doing his job and the Vietnamese staff were too busy sitting around talking to each other to even make eye contact. At one point the waiter wasn't around and we tried to ask the guy that appeared to be the manager for something and he basically ignored us. One thing I will disagree on with the other people here is them saying that this service is typical of Vietnamese places... I have personally always had good experiences at Pho places as far as service goes. As I said I dunno how good of a judge I am of food quality for pho but for good service in the Baltimore area I would recommend Pho Miss Saigon in Glen Burnie... but unfortunately they don't have as impressive of a menu as this place.
(3)Lynn W.
My family and I went to Pho#1 for dinner on Friday night 01/13/2012. I gave the waitress my $25 Restaurant.com gift certificate before ordering the food. The waitress told us that they no longer accept the gift certificates from Restaurant.com . I came home and found out that Restaurant.com is still selling Pho#1 gift certificate on its website. This is terrible. I felt being cheated. If a restaurant doesn't want to honor the gift certificate, then they should not participate in this program. Are they trying to use Restaurant.com gift certificate to lure the new customers in? It gave me a bad experience with the Restaurant.com gift certificate. We would never go back to Pho#1 and Restaurant.com should stop selling the Pho#1 gift certificates.
(1)Ale X.
Great Pho, very convenient at the intersection of Rt 40 with the Baltimore beltway (695). Also great are the spring rolls, duck/bamboo soup, pork casserole. . . and most of all, the avocado smoothie. Holy bejeezus. I think it must be what grass tastes like to grazers; at least, I hope so.
(5)Mike W.
This place is ok, but not great, or good. Now, I ate there one day and had the restaurant pretty much to myself. Just me, oh, and the waitress. She was eating at another table. Probably why it took so long for a bowl of pho ga. I don't want to be so negative about that because maybe it wasn't her fault. Maybe someone close to her had just died and she was using her chicken soup to comfort her soul. I'd say, in that case, she needed hers way more than I needed mine. I believe enough in karma not to spread ill will, but when it takes almost an hour to have a bowl of soup for lunch, something is wrong. And, getting a glass of water refilled? Or the check? Well, maybe they've fixed it up by now, hopefully. The soup wasn't bad, just not good enough to deal with the possibility of wasting another afternoon alone in a booth.
(3)CJ W.
fantastic homestyle vietnamese; authentic to a fault. i've been coming to pho#1 for years. it's a standby meet up for lunch with my friends and family. family owned and run by a woman (now retired) who grew up near my mom in saigon. after spending some time in the more remote areas in the south, i can say for sure that this food is the real deal. read the fine print on your dish description, otherwise you may end up with animals parts you've never eaten before. tripe, tendon, and blood pudding aside, there's plenty for your friend who thinks white rice is spicy. for everyone else, step up to the specials posted at the door, or at least try a few new things before settling forever on that bun cha gio, or bun bo hue. the portions are generous bordering on ludicrous and they will make special requests, as regulars can be treated to things not on the menu. i'll admit the language barrier, in addition to relatively sparse staffing can make for some service frustrations, so drag in your vietnamese war refugee mom for backup. if you don't have one, order a #1 and a thai iced tea with bubbles.
(5)