Best place for pho for the canyon park area. + for food tasty and offer variety - not the most friendly service + for prices great value - does not take discover card + offer take outs - no customer service...as they don't care about you. Wish they would smile more. Yes, I will go back, yes I will bring my friends...again.
(4)
Dee C.
I come from a very Asian area and am Asian myself. I grew up eating Vietnamese food (especially pho). Where I'm from, you can get away with awful service if your food is good. Unfortunately, at Bamboo House, neither the food nor the service is any good. The staff treats you like you're an annoyance and when the food comes out, it might look great, but most of it is mediocre. I loaded up my pho with every meat they had because I love a nice beefy flavor. Despite my order, the soup was thin and terribly bland. It was so bland that even after adding lime juice and other condiments to the soup, it still wasn't passable. Their Thai iced tea, much like their pho, is a thin version of what a proper Thai iced tea should be. They try to mask their lack of tea flavor with condensed milk, but then you just get watery condensed milk. We were so unsatisfied with our food that we went next door to Aca Las Tortas to get some tacos afterward. There are so many other options for good food in this area. Please don't waste your time here unless you like to be treated like a second-class citizen and eating a tasteless semblance of Vietnamese food.
(1)
Eddie M.
Practically hidden from view at a very busy intersection (Hwy 527 and 228th St. SE), this is a locals joint run by a hard-working family. The clean and spacious interior seats about 50 and caters to a diverse clientele of neighborhood families, construction workers, and weekend hackers. There's plenty of parking, even on weekends. The menu hosts 56 items, including 18 versions of pho (which is why you dine at a place such as this). There is no "pho dac biet" or special pho; however, item #17 with its cuts of brisket, flank, tendon, tripe, and fatty flank (practically all rubbery fat) is basically synonymous with other's so-called "special." There are two sizes of bowls-- $8.65 for the guys and $7.65 for the gals. Your bowl will be accompanied by a sparse serving of sprouts and one thin branch of fresh basil. Condiments include the standard (Sriracha and hoisin sauces) along with a mini-jar of chili pepper oil (aka sate sauce) as well as a salt-crusted fermented fish sauce dispenser. What's missing is the garlic chili sauce that everyone else seems to offer, and is considered more complex than basic Sriracha. Service is quick but the presented bowl begins with a thin, light-colored soup base. This is good for those on a salt-restricted diet but pho-philes label this a deficiency. My bowl had three blobs of pure rubbery cuts of fat that I removed for longevity purposes. The noodles were not stuck to the bowl in a coagulated lump like at other places. The brisket was adequate in both quantity and quality. Some places have that not-made-for-review vibe and this is one of them. Obscure location. Hard working family. Clean dining spot. Food made to satisfy a hunger, not to go wow! over. More of a classic eat-it-and-beat-it diner, which isn't a bad thing at all.
(3)
Christine Y.
I popped in with a friend the other day for a light lunch. I've been going on and off over the years since it's near the yoga studio I frequent but most of the time I order pho. And maybe because there's been changes in management? Or just different chefs in the kitchen? Sometimes it's perfect (the broth not too oily, not too sweet), other times meh. I ordered a grilled pork bun (vermicelli noodle bowl) this time around. Let me tell you, it was a piece of art. Everything was so fresh, the colors vibrant, urging me to dig in! And it was delicious. Grilled meat can end up dry and tough but theirs was actually moist and flavorful. I really enjoyed it. Service is strange and leaves something to be desired. The middle aged woman who took our order and rang us up could care less about our satisfaction. When I asked for a box it had these massive holes cut out of the corners of the lid. Okay.. On the flip side, the gentleman who carried food out to our table was full of smiles, good vibes, and good intentions. There you have it. Go for the food, not for the service or ambience.
(4)
Adam L.
First time here, had the small #15 (everything)pho...broth was great but I think they must use allot of msg, my arm always starts tingling when msg is used portion was decent and service was average for Vietnamese joints...not friendly but they got my food to me quickly... I would go back if in the area but I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here
(4)
Jenn G.
The food here is great ! The service is good depending on who is serving you. We have been going here for a couple years now and we've never had any problems with customer service ... Until now. Recently a new girl started working here . Her customer service SUCKS. She's the one with blue highlights or whatever in her hair. She doesn't say hi or greet you when you come in and sit down . She doesn't ask if we're ready to order , she just stands there by our table. She doesn't say thank you. So has the "i don't want to be here" attitude . 5 stars for the food 1 star for the girl with blue highlights
(1)
Ariel Z.
Your basic pho place. They also offer a bunch of other Vietnamese dishes, but I'll be honest and say that I've only ever come for the pho. I like the veggie version (which for some reason only comes in the largest size), which has lots of crunchy veggies and tofu. My husband's been happy with whatever meat pho option he's ordered. I got a pretty tasty bubble tea here once, as well. They don't have a whole lot of flavors, but it was blended well and the tapioca wasn't overly chewy.
(3)
Lindsey M.
Ok- while I do not consider myself a Pho expert, I know what tastes good and what doesn't. I have been craving Pho and decided to come here because of its proximity to my house. I got take out but while I was waiting, I was noticing jalapeño pieces on the floor along with gross stains, a tad off putting. The Pho was just ok, it didn't have anything special about it. I also ordered the shrimp fresh rolls and they didn't taste good. They had an off taste to them and since it was shrimp in there, I stopped eating it and wouldn't finish it. Don't need to come back here, even if it is close to where I live.
(2)
Nick C.
Eating here is your typical pho experience: Order - Food comes in 2 mins - Splurge Sriracha and hoisin sauce - Eat - Ask if they accept American Express - Pay with Visa card - Bounce - Come back in a week. Just like how Buddha intended pho to be. I'll be back.
(4)
Jillian F.
Broth: good! Rare sliced beef: generous portion Fresh rolls: PERFECTION with a crunchy surprise Price: great! Atmosphere: I don't care the food is just so good
(5)
Anthony B.
Vietnamese food is some of the best cuisine in existence, and this is a great example in the Bothell area. 7 of us came in for a Friday lunch break and they were so accommodating and friendly. The service was great and funny, but don't forget you need to pay at the counter! I had egg rolls and Banh Mi. The egg rolls were great, stuffed with tons of pork and fried perfectly crisp. The Banh Mi filling was fantastic. Large pieces of grilled pork covered in sweet mayo and fresh veggies (no skimping on jalapenos either). The bread was a bit soft for my taste, only because they don't toast them here. They vermicelli bowls were fresh and filling! Their fish sauce was really nice and not overly pungent. We unanimously agreed to add this to our lunch rotation.
(4)
Christina H.
I have been coming to this place for Pho for 4+ years, still good. Service is prompt and friendly, food is good. If you don't want to drive far from Bothell/Canyon Park area, this is a solid joint for Pho/Fresh roll/Bhan Mi.
(4)
Rachel J.
The pho here is great. The broth was very flavorful, all the ingredients were fresh and delicious, everything I expect for pho. The restaurant was clean and the decor was nice. we will definitely return and try more of the menu.
(5)
Thomas H.
Food is fine, but service is really really bad and rude. The owner and two lady waitress are worst.. I recommend to go other places to eat Pho. Seriously.
(1)
Adrian A.
I have been here many times, but I don't usually sit down for food and I will explain this later. Food quality is generally great and consistent. Their rice dishes have pretty decent portions, and the grilled pork is actually really good. However the service is usually bad/below par. This is the primary reason why I order to go instead. However after tonight, I have decided not to go here anymore. After finish our meal, we went up to the cashier to pay separately, my friend who isn't that familiar with Vietnamese cuisine forgot what he had ordered, so he asked the lady politely. But instead of replying nicely, she gave my friend a weird look and gesture then continue without saying another word. And yup, we r not going there anymore
(1)
Jamie R.
I'm a phonatic... Pho fanatic, get it? Haha. Anyway, yes I love pho, I eat it once, twice sometimes more per week. Not all pho is created equal, most is edible but some def better than others. Bamboo House is close to my work so we go a lot at lunch, it's not my favorite pho but it's decent. I find it pricier than most, and they skimp on the meat. The broth is good, not spectacular. I almost always get the number 4 which is the rare rib eye and brisket. The fresh rolls are tasty, and have a crunchy spring roll strip in the middle that I like. Bottom line, I'll go for lunch at work but I wouldn't go out of my way or make a special trip to go.
(3)
Zach M.
My go-to spot for Pho in Bothell! I judge a Pho place on three factors: the flavor of the broth, the portion of meat and noodles, and the quality of their Banh Mi. Bamboo house excels in all these regards. The family that owns this place is always very pleasant. They'll always greet you with a smile, and thank you on your way out. The service is always quick! My food comes out fast when I dine-in, and is always hot and ready when I pick-up.
(4)
Alie L.
I love the pho. Could live on the pho. Very reasonable price too considering how full you get! Yes the atmosphere is almost non-existant because the tables are crammed up together and if it's lunchtime, it feels like the person next to you could easily listen in on your conversation if they wanted to. And their front door. Will you PLEASE fix your door so it doesn't feel like you're wrestling with Thor every time you need to go in?? Thank you :)
(5)
H. J.
Not impressed with their pho. The flavor of the broth was ok, but the round was tough and the brisket was very fatty and grisly
(3)
N J S.
The drop in stars is for the customer service. I know they close at 9pm, and it was almost 8:30pm when my hubby was craving for noodles. I didn't go since my daughter was feeling ill, but he went with my MIL and they got there in about 10 min since this place is close to where we live. Basically, as soon as they walked in the owner or whomever had told him that they have 15 min to order and eat, which was really rude of her to say so since we've came here a few times...had good service and food. I understand the staff would love to stop working/ cooking/ serving/ cleaning and go home, but if you don't open until 9pm, then change your hours... but this is a restaurant, and customer service aside from serving good food should be just as much of a priority. My family had a restaurant, however when customers come in 15 or 10 minutes to our actual closing time, my mom would still cook for them.... at times, the customers would ask if they can eat inside, and for us, as tired as we were, we told them to go ahead. Anyways due to the rush for my husband and MIL to eat and leave...when he got home, he realized he forgot his phone and glasses...he had to rush back after their closing time. Surprised he didn't get yelled at for having them to unlock their doors.
(3)
Tom B.
A rock-solid pho place just off 405 in Bothell. Nothing wrong with it at all. Plenty of parking, though it's tucked back a bit from the road. Nice inside--clearly designer colors on the walls, with tablecloths under glass on every table. Big flat screen on the back wall. The service definitely favors the regulars here; if you walk in and they don't recognize you, they can hardly wait to process you and be done with it. They're nice to the locals, though, especially the older mom types. I suppose they like their regulars and that's alright. The food comes out quickly and they do a nice job. Good broth and solid fresh ingredients. No lime among the condiments, which is a little weird, but alright. I would come back if I were in the area, but you'll almost certainly drive by a better pho place to get here from almost anywhere, so it's not really worth the trip. I'd come in pretty often if I lived nearby, but it sounds like there's probably better pho nearby too.
(3)
Ann W.
Not sure what happened to the pho but it's definitely not very good anymore. We used to love it here but they must have changed the broth somehow. Too bad we have to drive further for better pho. Hope they fix the problem.
(3)
Muujguu U.
Love the food. But they could work on their customer service a bit. They are a little unenthusiastic and sort of mean. And maybe since you are running a business you could clean the floors and the tables a little more. Its sort of dirty. But thanks for the great food.
(4)
Carol T.
Service is pretty bad here but the portions are giant! There is quality springrolls but a bit too tight compared to other places. The lack of vietnamese people around makes me question if this place is legitimate or not. Their Pho isnt really that hot. Overall the experience was fair.
(3)
Andrea S.
Have been here two times in the last month, and have to say that it's a solid place! First time, just had the fresh rolls and pork banh mi. I was hungry, it was cheap and delicious-- just like banh mi should be. Nothing life changing, but it's the little things that make it solid (i.e. fresh bread that's slightly crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside). Second time, I had the fried egg rolls and beef stew (bo kho). OMG I had never had Vietnamese beef stew before, and it's changed my life. It's saltier and spicier than regular pho, and had huge chunks of beef. There was a little more fat than I would have preferred, but I overlooked that cause the broth was so good while I dunked my French bread repeatedly until it was sadly gone :( The ambiance is probably on the same level as Pho Than Bros.. but I come here for the food and the place I fell in love with Bo Kho.
(4)
Jin L.
It's convenience right off the 405 exit and Bothell Everett Hwy makes it worth stopping by when you have a craving pho. The soup is really good, the meat is fresh and tender and the noodles are firm. I'm not a fan of the sweet and sour sauce that they provide with the egg roles. The traditional chili and fish sauce style dipping sauce that most pho restuarants offer tastes better.
(3)
Adil Y.
First time here, looking for Vietnamese food in the neighborhood. You really have to want to get in, the door requires lots of force to open. Asked about it the boss explained that the kitchen hood creates a vacuum. To me it means there is no adequate fresh air vent in the building. Floor is nasty at 7pm with no patrons in view and one employee sitting at a table playing with an iPad while wearing sanitary gloves, instead of taking a vacuum to good use. I wonder why? I partly blame it on Washington's lax sanitation code enforcement. Orders arrive fast. Spring rolls are fresh and tasty with generous amount of peanut sauce, plates are clean, presentation is ok. Lemongrass tofu is delicious, temperature is hot. Egg rolls pass the muster. Sandwich bread is fresh and the sandwiches taste very good. Never really had a bad sandwich before. Overall I would say the food is worth coming again with a long term expectation that issue will be addressed.
(4)
H L.
Due to location and distance, this is our default go-to place for pho and other Vietnamese food. Overall, the food is good, but could be improved in a few areas. The pho is decent; not great, but also not terrible. The pho broth is well cooked and consistently flavorful, the noodles are plentiful, however the meat, which I find is very fatty/rubbery, could be improved. The other dishes I've tried, for the most part, is also pretty good.. The staple Vietnamese fish sauce they have is very flavorful and I consider it better than average. The owners are always friendly and welcoming, which is definitely a plus. Overall, I absolutely recommend this place for those that are local, but I wouldn't go out of my way and drive a long distance for it.
(3)
Kierra M.
I live close here but I just stop going there due to their service is so freaking slow. If you want water, you literally have to ask it or make sure they get your attention. Food is ok. On weekends, dining can be so noisy so it's good for pick up, not a sitdown.
(3)
Brittany L.
I may be a snob about a few things like espresso, sushi, and pizza, but I am no pho snob. Not even in the slightest. I can't tell you the difference between an excellent broth and a mediocre broth (which seems to be the most important factor of pho) I just know that when I have it, I like it. The minute the bowl of pho is placed in front of me I start loading it with sauces and fixings that I usually like, so that might be why I never know the difference between good and sub-par pho. I do know that the minute my bowl at Bamboo House was set in front of me, the smell of the broth was different than the average smell of pho -- in a good way. It had the normal aromas but a touch more spicy, and a little more buttery. It was absolutely freezing outside so I was pleased that the broth was also piping hot when it arrived. Between the hot broth and the sriracha, I was thoroughly warmed. The service was friendly and fast, and judging by how the owner seemed to know most people coming through, Bamboo House has built up a strong amount of regulars. The only bummer was that there could have been more noodles and meat. When I was done, over half the bowl was still full of broth. I've also been here in the past and have had their sandwiches which were decent and their bun which was pretty good, too. For being in this area which very limited options, you can't beat it.
(4)
Diane S.
Been coming here for 8 years. Love the family owned business. Great food and people. They play kids shows on the TV which we also love.
(5)
Laura P.
I was very impressed with this establishment. It has a nice and welcoming environment with great decor. I ordered take out - but it is a place where I'd feel comfortable sitting down at and eating in. It's not like most Pho joints i've been to where the windows are steamy and it's hot and muggy inside. I was pleasantly surprised!! Onto the most important thing : the food. SO good! I ordered the chicken Bahn Mi sandwich which was pretty delicious, but the Pho was where it got me. The meat was cooked to perfection, and the broth was so yummy and flavorful. It came with all the fixings, jalapenos, sprouts, mint, onions and plum sauce. Pho is one of my favorites and I know I will be frequenting this spot on the reg! Hooray!
(5)
Wesley W.
Flavorful broth, fresh tasting ingredients, and fast service. Bamboo place does nearly everything right. However, the reason it only gets 3 stars is the price. It only offers two sizes of pho, small and large. Their large is close to around 9 dollars, and when you consider the fact that most pho places offer their extra large for $1-2 less, you're not getting the best value for your money. Also, they don't provide you with creme puffs. This isn't a make or break issue, but when you've got other pho options, I don't see much of a reason to pick Bamboo House over its competitors.
(3)
kc b.
Probably my favorite pho place in Bothell. I've tried almost all of the different pho and they are all good. I particularly like to eat the vegetarian pho because it is loaded with tons of veggies! It is clean and never too crowded. The prices are about average but the food is tasty. This place holds a special place in my heart because I realized the owners knew my relatives. The service is pretty fast and the food has been consistently good. Just wish the prices were cheaper or had some deals. You go up to the cash register to pay. Note: Door is really hard to push open.
(4)
Ilya P.
The service: relatively quick. Atmosphere: tiny, family style restaurant. Food: Serves the general Vietnamese fare, pho, noodle bowls, spring rolls, etc. The Pho is better than other places, you can really smell the cloves and spices in the soup. Don't sit by the door, as it gets rather drafty.
(5)
William B.
Been visiting bamboo house for several years now - the decor has settled down, tastefully painted, asian themed artwork, big screen TVs on two sides. The owner knows me well enough now that I just wave and smile and soon the incredible Gai Cuon (shrimp spring rolls) appear with the wonderful bamboo house peanut sauce. I have to rate the Gai Cuon as the best available - a deep fried crunch stick fills the middle which adds a wonderful texture, no other place on the east side takes the trouble to do this. I always get #16 small, beef pho with most of the exotics - tendon, tripe, etc. Noodles always cooked perfectly, but occasionaly the broth misses (for me) and once in a while they forget to add the tripe (I really like the texture of this too). Ample condiments available, and an abundance of thai basil, bean sprouts and a lime wedge accompany each as well. I wish they would offer an add-on of 1 spring roll for us single diners :) A full serving is too much for one, but I love it so always get it. For some reason they dispense the paper napkins one at a time (instead of having it on the table), and they forget to bring them occasionally - annoying to have to ask for one. Bamboo House is the best Pho in Bothell (yes better than that 'other' place kitty corner from it), and better than the two places in Woodinville, so if you're looking for good Pho go here, and GET the Gai Cuon.
(4)
Tim H.
4 stars for Pho?!?!?!?!? Must be pretty awesome stuff! ...and it is... Fish Sauce that is like crack... It makes my teeth ache in a good way because it is so sweet and delicious.... MMMMM.... But I get the Pork, Egg Roles and delicious vermicelli bowl--- and HOLY SHIT is it the best thing you can buy--- harkens me back to that trip to Vietnam... except the fish sauce in Nam, it tastes like fish cakes that have been baking outdoors for months-- salty and fishy deliciousness-- which this isn't-- but hey, this is 'Merica! I try to make the guy at the front counter with all the tattoos smile at me... He is all business class. Try this place and find your zen.
(4)
Ricky A.
My pho was great. Funny staff, solid atmosphere. Good little spot to get some Thai/Asian fusion type stuff. I would recommend it to anyone.
(4)
Joyce L.
I visit Bothell every winter and ate at Bamboo House for the past 3 years. I just visited today and the lady waitress (probably owner) couldn't provide decent service. She couldn't even bring napkins or enough bean spouts/basil plate for pho for 6 of us. She only brought one plate. I did noticed that the lady waitress was nicer to her regular customers which I can understand. Also, I don't think the lady waitress can handle stress or lunch hour rush. Pho is okay. It's nothing to die for. I say go to What the Pho for better service and food.
(2)
Jennifer W.
I went here last night with my husband, we enjoyed our Pho, and had some rolls as well. Our rolls were slightly cold on the inside still (they are frozen before they heat them up), but it was busy last night and we were starving, and so went with it and ate them still without complaint. I live five minutes away and I was having a hankering for another Pho this afternoon, so I decided to go alone just an hour ago and get some Pho. I also ordered a Thai iced tea. It's my favorite drink in the whole world. Somehow, this one just didn't taste right, after 2 sips I asked if I could return it, that I was very sorry but it just didn't seem right and I didn't like it. The girls told me they had to ask the manager, went behind the scenes, and came back saying that the Manager said "no." I'm sorry, but I wasn't willing to drink something that tasted off, something that I wouldn't enjoy (and perhaps something was wrong with it?). A little peeved, I decided to take my Pho with me, so I didn't have to eat it at the restaurant, leaving my hardly-drunk mystery drink on the table. I feel that it's terrible business practice to insist that a customer pay for a drink they don't like or fear is "off." For the $3.50+ tax they insisted on charging me, they lost at least $200 of business, my family would have gone there at least once a month, but not anymore!
(1)
Michael R.
I cannot say enough great words about this place. Most authentic Pho I have ever been to in the States, and I travel all over the U.S. for work. My ten year old son cannot get enough of this place and would eat it daily if we allowed it. Every menu item is excellent and the prices are fantastic!!!
(5)
Christian H.
Excellent pho! Their bun chay is also amazing and the fish sauce is lovely. They are good with extra instructions like "no noodles", extra veggies, extra fat. I have so far had their rare beef pho and fatty flank pho-both are excellent. The broth is really good and I usually sit for an extra 10 minutes and finish off the broth. Great place.
(5)
Stacy M.
Went here for the first time during my lunch break with a coworker. I ordered the seafood Pho as well as their Vietnamese coffee. Within a couple of minutes both items were in front of me. The Pho was large enough to have for lunch and bring leftovers home for dinner. It was delicious, minus the fact that the shrimp tasted a little bit 'off'. My coffee was strong, but oh so good! The only complaint that I have is that we were not offered napkins or checked on throughout the meal. Overall, I was a happy customer and will most likely be back to try it out again!
(4)
Krystal J.
I took a chance here (literally) as I had never had Vietnamese food before going here. I didn't know what half the menu was and ended up pointing at something random. Luckily it was delicious. I wish I could remember what the dish was called, but if I can get good food by pointing at a picture I'm sure others can as well.
(4)
Katalina M.
There is no doubt that their food is excellent. I have been impressed with both pho, sandwhich and noodle dishes. But the Thai iced tea is not so great, It's made from a bottle. I believe they actually home-make the pho broth with bone because we found a bone once in our soup....instead of other places that just add the ready-made flavour to the water. The service is actually terrible EXCEPT for the older gentleman whom I believe is one of the owners..He is very kind and very helpful and makes me want to return. For whatever reason the lady that works there has terrible service and sometimes leaves me standing there for no apparent reason as I'm waiting to be helped...weird! Anyways, excellent food, will return.
(4)
Kory A.
Ok. This is my first review on Yelp. I'm in Seattle visiting family for the holiday and we all were craving PHO. I'm a PHO snob coming from LA and expectations are high and this is definitely not making my list of places. Service is horrible. They messed up our entire order, didn't get our drinks until later, served apps and one order of PHO before everyone else. I read a ton of reviews for PHO in this area and this surprisingly had one of the top votes. In my opinion I highly do not recommend it. I'm going to find a better place closer to Seattle to see what other options there are when I come back to WA.
(1)
Diana C.
Nothing special, but decent Pho place close to work. They have the vermicelli bowls, rice plates, and banh mi so I guess the variations in the menu make up for the lack of the whoa factor. The prices are decent and the service/speed is okay.
(3)
Lexie H.
Just went to Bamboo House for the first time and overall had a good experience. I ordered the Pho Ga and it was sitting in front of me in less than ten minutes. The broth was good, wasn't as rich in taste, but still very good. I would definitely recommend checking this place out.
(4)
Danielle L.
I cannot say their service is great but their foods were the best. I love their spring rolls. The best roll that I've tasted. The source was delicious and the rolls were crispy. Their pho were also very good. We had seafood pho and pho with well-done brisket. I'd like to recommend the second one. It is good and has many pieces of brisket. Some review mentioned that the location is not right but I didn't have any problem with the location. When I wanna have a pho, I will go back this place again.
(5)
Andrew F.
Good Pho, the location could be a bit better (kind of hidden from the road, but that's OK). There's nothing particularly special about this Pho, but I do come here frequently since it's close to where a friend of mine works and the soup is better than What The Pho? nearby (less salty).
(3)
Queri J.
I've been here a couple of times for the Pho. It's not the best Pho broth I've had, but it still hits the spot. Today i ordered the Fresh Rolls. Again, this place is pretty good. It's not the gratest I've had, the rice wrapper seemed a little dry and they used mint instead of thai basil, but it was delish in comparrison to the other local places.
(3)
Heidi P.
I really enjoyed my first time visit at Bamboo House!!! My boyfriend and I met up there for lunch and he had a large bowl of pho, and I the spring rolls. The spring rolls were some of the best I've ever had!! The thing that made them special was the bit of fried rice paper in the center, which gave the roll extra crunch. The pho was flavorful and came with the usual condiments. The inside of the place is also really nice and the staff was very friendly. Our food also arrived rather quickly. I'm really looking forward to trying their bahn mi on my next visit back. They have a lunch special of a bahn mi and a can of pop for $4.50!
(4)
Alex M.
Best. Pho. Ever. I realize that saying that is throwing down a gauntlet of sorts in Washington, but serious. Best. Pho. Ever. It's a few $$ more than the average joint, but it's well worth it. Personal fav is the "Bamboo House Special" (bun). Delicious! Family run, consistently amazing quality and friendly service. Wide menu selection, and to go orders are always ready quick. If you work anywhere near Canyon Park, give these guys a try...and you're welcome in advance (you'll be thanking me after you try it!)
(5)
Ryan L.
Pho could use more meat in it, but otherwise consistently good. I love to put a ton of Sriraccha in my broth, so you can take that with a grain of salt though. They have good spring rolls served with decent peanut sauce, and I almost always get them. I've only had one of their rice dishes. It was delicious, but when I come here it's for the pho. But after seeing some of the pictures posted here by other users I may have to try some of their other dishes. Their prices are reasonable, serving sizes are generous. I'm a big guy and I can get full with their regular (small) sized bowl. Food doesn't take very long, even with a lot of people there.
(4)
Mark G.
The Pho is one of the best in the north end. I've had a good number of the other items on the menu and they are all great. The price is reasonable. The staff is always friendly.
(5)
Joanne E.
My husband and I are regulars here - food is flavorful and always on point! We always have to have the tofu spring rolls and my husband is always happy with his pho. I think their prices are higher than your average pho place and I wish the floors and condiments were much cleaner - the only reason why this isn't 5 stars.
(4)
NANCY H.
First of all, the food was really delicious! The skewers were very juicy and the noodles were nice and slippery. The 3 stars comes down to the prices and service. They are $1-$2 too high. You shouldn't pay $3.75 for iced tea unless you can afford it or you really want one. The day we went, the male server seemed like he was very irritated and didn't seem very welcoming. The women who did work there were totally opposite, though. I will have to stick to Pho Express and Specialties for my go-to Pho place in my area. I will probably visit this place again when I am a feeling slightly spendy or just order take-out. Good For: overpriced food, fresh drinks
(3)
Joe S.
Bamboo House was a place I frequent often before moving out of state. I remember it to be petty good and it was convenient since it was close to work at the time. While visiting family for the holidays, I thought I would stop by for some pho. Everything is pretty much the same with the exception of a few things. They carpeted their floors, which I'm not a big fan of because I can only imagine how gross it must be over time with all the food and soup stain lingering down there. I don't understand why they did that when the previous stained concrete floor looked really nice and worked just fine. I order a bowl of pho and some spring rolls. The spring rolls must have gotten a little smaller and the noodles in the pho was a little softer then before. The flavor of the soup was a little bland this time around. But nothing a little bit of fish sauce, chilli pepper and hoisin sauce can't fix. The spring rolls and sauce was pretty good. I love the fried eggroll wrap they put in the spring rolls. I was hoping that the noodles would be a little harder and not so soft. And they do skimp on the meat. Unfortunately, I think the new owners may have taken the flavor and place down a notch. Easy fix though. Service was good but not the most attentive bunch. I can deal with that since I was preferring to be left alone while I was enjoying my lunch. Sometimes these mom and pop businesses don't have the best service not because they don't care, but it's just how it is. I expect it and so I am okay with it. Overall, I enjoyed it.
(4)
Leah P.
Best PHO in Bothell. Never lets me down. The broth is amazing, the staff is friendly and the place is clean! Price is good too!
(5)
Kelly L.
Thank god my co-worker brought me to this restaurant. I work in Bothell so there aren't many options around. If I had time, I'd come here at least twice a week. I've actually only ordered their pho so far but out of the 3 times that I have been here, it's been very good each time. I always get the Pho Dac Biet (you basically get everything - all types of beef, beef ball and tripe) but sometimes they skimp on the tripe. Service is very fast too.
(4)
Morgan L.
I was stuck between one and two stars. I'm not saying I would NEVER come here again, but I can tell you it will be a last resort (as in What the pho across the street is closed and my Yelp iphone app was down to find another place thats close) I got Pho Ga to-go, they only offer it in large ($7.45). I CAN NOT stand how they package it to-go. First of all, the broth container was not a large, and the separate container of noodles, basil, bean sprouts, etc were lacking, they didn't even give me jalapenos. Another BUMMER was they mixed the sriracha and hoisin sauce together in a tiny container. Never have seen this before. So if you want it separate, make sure to ask! The broth it self tasted off, like it was over seasoned. I added the sriracha/hoisin sauce and it was spicy enough to mask the taste. The chicken was good, but overall was the worst pho I have had so far. I tried the chicken banh mi, and sigh. Another disappointment. The bread tasted like it was from Safeway, wasn't that "this is such good bread! where...how did they make this!?". Just tasted too much like I could of made it.... and I have no idea where I would start. They should vacuum their floors, correct spelling errors on their menu and work on their food. I was really hoping to love this place!
(2)
Matt N.
I've been here several times on Sunday right after church. Of the Pho places in the area, this seems to be the best one. I enjoy their selection of Pho and also they have the sandwiches if your'e not in the mood for pho. They have 2 sizes for Pho, small and large, there's no medium. They have a lot of sauces to choose from when you get your pho. One of the downsides to eating here, is they don't have the little plates for mixing your sauces, Also if I remember correctly, they only give you 1/2 napkins per person, which helps them keep cost down, but for me who sweats a lot when eating spicy food or a hot bowl of pho, One of the downsides is that they charge an extra $.50 for credit cards if your purchase is under $10, but they give you a lollypop/ dum dum. I wil come back. I would rather go to Than Brothers, but it's not exactly the closest place to here, but stil a great place to go for pho. On a side note, they usually have a pixar or some animated movie on the TV like Wally, or Ice Age 2, which can be great for the kids.
(4)
Calvin M.
The place is clean, the waitress was friendly, and the pho ($7.50) came in a huge bowl. But it wasn't that good. They didn't give a lot of meat and there were strips of fat in my bowl. It' suppose to be flank steak with meat and fat. But for some reason, the meat wasn't there. My friends didn't have the fat strips theres, so it looks like I'm the unlucky one. I also ordered the spring roll ($4). It was small and I don't like how they put a fried strip of noodle in there. My friends really liked it here. So if they want to come back, I'll tag along. Otherwise, I won't be coming back.
(2)
April S.
Continuing my exploration of Bothell cuisine it was about time for me to search out a local place to get Pho. So I stopped into Bamboo House for lunch today to check it out. *Disclaimer: The very first Pho I ever had was at Than Bros on Broadway. This ends up being the standard I use when checking out new places to get Pho.* The place is clean and bright. They have two large TV's on the wall, one for adults with sports on and one for kids that was playing The Lion King. Neither TV had the sound on, so while I'm not a big fan of TV's in restaurants it wasn't a total deterrent. I was dining with my 6 year old daughter (Elfgirl who is also a Than Bros fan). We shared some summer rolls, she had the small pho with rib eye steak and a lemonade, and I had the large pho with rib eye/meatballs and a ice coffee with condensed milk. The summer rolls were delicious and the peanut sauce they came with was tasty too. Elfgirl also loved the summer rolls and exclaimed that they tasted great. They only have large and small sizes of pho, but the small was about the same size as a medium at Than Bros. The pho was good, not as rich of a broth as I've had before but tasty. Their was ample noodles and meat in our portions and we were both pleasantly full when done. The only real complaint was that the iced coffee wasn't very good. I think I just did not like the particular coffee that they are using. Though the lemonade my daughter had was nice and sweet (hard to find around here) and in the future I'd just get lemonade instead. The service was fast and the prices were decent. I'll still go to Than Bros more often than not, but Bamboo House is a good substitute for when I don't feel like driving to the next town for dinner.
(3)
Melissa F.
Pretty decent and gets the job done for pho and other dishes. I give it an above average for pho in the area. :)
(4)
Sabrina G.
I went to this place because of the reviews but let me tell you the server viet lady was rude from when we walked in. When she was taking our order i specifically asked her for a small rice dish #24 and told her if she had that that in kids portion and make sure it was not spicy since my 3 year old was going to eat it. She says "oh yeah (with an accent ) "sure sure".. okay so then our food comes out and tell me why she brought a huge plate #24 dish made extra spicy chicken on it and an extra children's pho (i never asked for) so i tell her that is not what i had asked for and she YELLS at me saying "you wanted a small childrens order so i brought pho!!" and gives me a grim and refused to take it back! Oh no! I was not going to have someone yell at me from her mistake so I explained to her that my daughter cannot have spicy and it wasn't her size meal plus we did not ask for children's pho.. She is furious then asks me to give it back! hellooo, that was some rude service!! and tell me why their servers all have a attitude problem. One can't even understand when the table next to me asked for just a cup of ice no water!!" he called on the other server to translate yet that ice took awhile to be delivered. Their food is 3 stars. Service is 0. Who knows what they put in their food in the back of the kitchen and how well they managed to wash their dishes with dirty hands!!! The place looks just okay, with painting the wall, hanging pictures any place will look okay. The truth is it's so dirty in their with dust never been wiped and let's not get to the worst part the bathroom..!! Do Not Eat Their
(1)
SOYOUNG S.
Please be careful watch your step~!!!! very slippery floor~!!!!!! This was my first time visiting at the Bamboo House since its close by my house. First of all I tried to enter the store, the door was way too heavy and they even have sign say door is heavy. OK.. this is nice that they let me know door is heavy. I walked in to the store and I could tell floor is very slippery. I was trying to be careful but I fell so bad. I tried to stand up and it was very very slip er and fell again and hit my head to someone else's table. I finally make it to my table where my friend is... The Waiter or owner's son who ever that is walk up to me and said "THIS IS WHAT HAPPEN IF YOU WEAR HIGH HILLS!" This guy never asked me if I am OK. I was pretty mad at that point and asked him back if I am suppose to wear TENNIS SHOES when I visit your restaurant. He didn't say anything and walked away. I was waiting for someone to come ask me if I am OK. . No one seems like care. The owner asked if we want to order. I told them no we are leaving. She said "THAT'S FINE WITH ME" What kind of service is that? Even customers who were eating at the restaurant told me if I got hurt I should call health department or do something. I am going to spread this news to all over the place.. These people only care about making money~!!!!!!! Do not care about others. I had big bruise on my knee and had back pain. I almost thought about hire an attorney, but I will be the better person. Restaurant like that has to OUT OF BUSINESS ASAP~!!!!! Ladies.. If you are wearing heal please do not go there is you do not wants to get an embarrassment
(1)
Rebecca L.
no. i will not go to bamboo house again. why? because their service. is. terrible. if it was thanh brothers terrible or even mcdonald's terrible (where it was expected to be non existent) then maybe i would have been more forgiving, but no. i expected a little bit of service. but their service is worse than mickey d's or thanh brothers. why do you ask? - it took them 15 minutes to take our order. if i was on a date, it would have been fine, but i was there on a 30 minute lunch break. - they did not serve me water when we sat down. - they took the wrong order and when i tried to let them know, they ignored me. then when i finally did tell them, they didn't change it and still charged me for what they gave me. - they scoffed at me when i asked for a to-go box because i didn't finish eating what they gave me. personally, i don't even know why i even paid. i should have just left. terrible. i think this was one of the worst dining experiences i've had in a while. i would rather go to what the pho. at least when i go there, i get what i ordered and be charged for it. not eat what i didn't want and be charged for that. ugh. **reply to Haison d** I understand that it is a family run business. But if you are that busy, why not hire more staff? If customer service is a main priority, then wouldn't it be prudent to have your business model expressive of that? I'm more than happy to go there again and check it out, but not if the lack of service is something that is consistent. (please see jojo's review). Let me know when you hire more people. until then, i have no reason to go.
(1)
Mike K.
The pho is actually pretty good!!! The bamboo house special vermicelli bowl is really good and so are their bhan mi sandwiches!! I would recommend checking it out if you are in the area!
(4)
Chrystal P.
When I first came here, I got my pho take out and it seemed really bland. After about a year, I returned many times, and found that to change. The pho and entrees are delicious. I strongly suggest the fresh spring rolls (they add mint leaves for a nice touch). The service has always been satisfactory, but the anorexic day waitress likes to do that Asian thing where they call you a fat-ass in subtle ways. The BMI disagrees. She was lucky I was always hungry on my lunch break, or I may have punched her.
(4)
Mattias L.
This place was pretty good. The portions were a bit small and the broth was weak. Service was a bit slow for a Pho resturant. I always use chopsticks, so this didn't bother me, but silverware was just stuck in a holder in the middle of the table, not very sanitary. I had a medium bowl with rare steak and flank, and would say the size was comparable to a small size at other places. It tasted ok overall, but the broth was a bit on the weak side.
(3)
Aaron W.
Being an Asian American, I grew up on all kinds of classic Asian fare. Pho being one of them. Bamboo House in Bothell is actually a pretty decent spot in a primarily white area away from Seattle. The cha gio is pretty good, although their sauce is awkwardly sticky, and their broth tastes pretty good. They also have ALL pho condiments right at your table (3 or 4 different hot sauces / chili pastes, etc). Torn between 3 and 4 stars, I went with 3 because it just doesn't live up to the pho I grew up on.
(3)
Leah H.
I went to eat pho at this restaurant with my boyfriend and his uncle. We just finished finishing for salmon for about 3 hours and it was showering all day -- so, a hot bowl of pho was something we wanted for brunch. I am a big fan of pho and have not had any since I moved from southern california. The one I had in Eugene was such a disappointed that I was weary about eating pho here. My boyfriend's uncle ordered for us and whatever number it was... it was delicious. There were beef flanks, slices of beef and pork and the soup was flavorful! I ate everything and drank almost all of my soup. The next time I visit Bothell, I will be eating pho here again.
(4)
Maricris F.
It got better this time. Know the owner and very prompt at my orders.
(4)
Riss J.
My second visit I took a friend here for lunch, and I'm giving Bamboo House an upgrade to 4. If this trend continues, they will be a 5 by my 3rd visit. Taking on Quinn's "encouragement", I went for the #15. Flank, tripe, round steak, tendon and something fatty-or-other. I also dived into trying out differing levels of chili sauce, basil, sprouts and what not. The additional ingredients definitely added much more complexity to the pho than my first time. I still wasn't able to finish a small, and am looking forward to my leftovers later. The ladies working here are just ridiculously sweet. It was fun chatting them up while they also ate their lunch. My friend and I were the only patrons left, the lunch rush for this area being long over. They do read our reviews, and do have a love of yelpers. Yay for them! One more little star for my lunch company. When a Southern man who spent 8 years in Tokyo in the Navy doesn't mock you or even care you can't use chopsticks to save your life, ladies--he's a keeper. ;-) They are also now sporting 2 yelp loves us stickers...so I'm amending my theory...1 sticker can be the kiss of death to the land of complacency, but 2 stickers mean they are keeping up with the excellence.
(4)
Russell S.
I had a great experience at Bamboo House the other night. Good Pho and reasonably priced for the large portions in the small bowl for 6.75. All of the ladies that waited on my wife and I were pleasant and funny! I will definitely return in the future! I agree with the other Yelper that if you sit by the door it does get drafty, but not the restaurants fault.
(5)
Vince K.
I'm not a pho or Vietnamese food expert, but as a life-long eater of food, I was very happy with what we had, and saw others enjoying. Polite & fast service, delicious, fresh & memorable food, and frankly, cheap. As a Lacto Ovo Pescatarian, there were many non-meat options to choose from, and my wife & daughter had great steak pho and grilled pork items. Start with the rockin' tofu spring rolls. We'll be back!
(4)
wheatberry s.
3.5 stars. Vietnamese food is quite tasty and Bamboo House does it right. I had a bun with char grilled chicken, and it all went down very happily. This time I decided not to add hoisin sauce. I added the orangish-sauce that customarily comes with the dish and thought my bun was flavorful enough. Bamboo House is clean and simply decorated. The owners are really nice and were able to recognize my friends who occasionally frequent this place. The owners very welcomely took and played with my friends baby while we enjoyed our meal. Bamboo House makes pretty good Vietnamese food, keeping in mind, we're in the 'burbs.
(4)
Josephine L.
I've been meaning to post an updated review of this restaurant. At my husband's urging, I decided to give Bamboo House another chance after they changed owners. I ordered the pork vermicelli bowl. It was really good! It's the dish I'll always order now when I go there. The pho has also improved and owner is very nice. She remembers us and always know the usual my husband orders (he's a regular there). Tip: if you decide to try the vermicelli bowl, order some peanut sauce on the side and mix it in with the fish sauce that comes with it - it's so yummy!
(3)
Michael C.
They have the best Tendon Pho I have ever had. The tendon is soft and the noodles are very good. Overall a great place to have lunch. The price is a bit high but very reasonable and the service is fast.
(4)
Kat T.
Life's Short - Eat Pho! Bamboo House is easy to miss hidden behind the 7/11 in Canyon Park, but it really shouldn't be missed! If you like this popular Vietnamese soup go there NOW! Their pho is hot, huge and tasty. The broth is excellent. Not bland at all. The price is reasonable: Large $6.95 or Small $5.95. The space is warm and contemporary. They advertise family owned if that's your thing. I recommend the #5 Pho Tai, Bo Vien (Noodles soup with eye round steak and meat balls) add extra lime with your basil and bean sprouts. Mmmmmmmm... When having Pho in Bothell "What The Pho" used to be my favorite but Bamboo House just knocked them off the Gold Medal Podium.
(5)
Robert N.
Butts in seats , turn and burn are two things that come to mind . As I enter the Bamboo the hostess/waiter shouts How many , One I say . She points at the table enter to door , oh great I think . The table is not clean she comes over I hope to clean said table , no she gives me menu that has has better days . She ask me something that I could not understand , SO I say what ? Then she is gone . She returns asking if I am ready to order , I say no and before I have time to ask my questions she is gone again . When she return I order a small beef pho with iced coffee and condescend milk . The beef pho shows up within seconds , the iced coffee show up 6 minutes later . Being in the F and B field one knows its drinks first the food people . The beef pho was good as was the iced coffee , I am still wired but the lack of clean table and the fact it just butts in seats place I doubt I will return .
(2)
Meredith S.
Yummy! The food here is bomb. I ordered the veggie pho and some fresh spring rolls. So authentic and tasty!!!! Very clean and the wait staff is friendly. The service was a little slow, so I wouldn't try to go here for your lunch break unless you don't intend on going back to work.
(5)
Giny M.
i believe they have changed owners. now it's just typical, ok pho. it's a lot dirtier and of course, the heat is barely on. before it was a nice family business. now, according to the chopstick wrapping, it's part of a crappy chain of two such places. what a shame.
(2)
meghan m.
This place has been a weekly visit for me and my fiance for a few months now. The staff is friendly and the service is quick. The spring rolls are the best. EVER. I get the #12 and the broth is flavorful, not too salty and perfectly accented by the sprouts, basil and jalapeno. One night after a particularly bad pizza experience (waited for an hour....no delivery....thanks pizza hut!) we drove up to Bamboo House hoping they were open...it was just as they were closing. The owner, upon seeing us dejectedly staring in the window, waved us in and let us order. We figured we would just take it to go but she insisted it was okay that we stayed. We sat and enjoyed our food and watched a Vietnamese award show while she gabbed with some other late guests. We never felt rushed and left extremely satisfied and happy that our pizza never arrived. BAMBOO HOUSE TO THE RESCUE!
(5)
Dena R.
Love, love, love this place. The shrimp rolls are my favorite, peanut sauce is excellent, very tasty, the Pho is also very good. The place is clean and pleasant and the staff is genuinely nice and friendly. It's family owned and much better than that overpriced disappointment with the clever name across the street... Glad to finally have a Vietnamese place in Bothell.
(5)
Joy C.
I am thrilled that there is finally a Pho house near my house! I haven't been this excited since the Than Brothers Pho came up to Lynnwood. And while Than brothers will always be the best Pho in the state, the closeness of Bamboo House is tantalizing. If you want the best Pho, go to Than Brothers in Lynnwood. If you want Pho in Bothell, go to Bamboo House. It's family run, and what a great family they are. I don't find the broth bland - it's carefully crafted and subtlety perfumed. I've talked to the owner/chef who said that he's done much tinkering to get the broth just right compared to other Pho houses. AND the yummy sandwiches, which were on the menu, but then off the menu and not included in the new menu, but now available per a sign on the door, are BACK. It is the perfect blend of yummy grilled pork (chicken is available, but, uh, it makes no sense) herby cilantro, spicy jalapeno, cool cucumber, and tangy pickled, shredded diakon & carrot all wrapped up in a French roll. mmmmmmm. I'd go get one right now but the baby's sleeping and I'm on my own tonight. Dang it! I've only had one of the grill items, and it was full of flavor - I think it was the mixed grill. I prefer Bamboo house over What the Pho. Period.
(4)
H. L.
The facility is very clean and new. I've now tried the Pho and Fried Rice. The Pho is great, however the Fried Rice was a little on the salty side. They facility has a great flat screen t.v. and they're usually showing some sports channel. The waitresses are very friendly, but the cooks who usually sit outside when it's slow have emotionless expression. So it makes you wonder where the love is in my food.
(4)
Chris K.
My wife and I ate here with some friends last night because we heard it was a good spot given we're pretty big fans of Pho. It started off on the right path with staff quickly setting up some baby high chairs and making us feel at comfortable. Lighting was good. Place was clean, had a decent ambience. Pho quality was above average and tasty. However, once our bowls of Pho arrived, it took a very dramatic turn for the worse. the WAIT STAFF WAS NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN. Multiple times I had to hold my hand up to get the staff's attention. The kicker - We decided we wanted thai iced coffees with milk after our dinner. Ten minutes later they show up in low quality styrofoam "to-go" cups. I take the lid off to find the entire cup packed with ice, with only about 25% of the cup actually filled with coffee. When we ask what the problem is, instead of trying to correct the issue the woman tells us "thats way it supposed to be". Really, and we're charged $2.50 for it? Top it off it tastes like I'm drinking some SAE 5W-30 motor oil.Won't be passing through here agian.
(1)
Keiko W.
Holy Sweet God of Pho! Someone FINALLY put a phoking Pho Restaurant in Bothell. No more driving to Woodinville or Lynnwood to get my hot noodle fix. Until "What the Pho?" came to be a month ago, I could honestly say that the Bamboo House was the best Pho in Bothell. Still, I would say that its the best value around. The prices are right, the soup is hot, and the place is spotless. My big complaint is that the broth is BLAND. Still, beggars can't be choosers. As for the rest of their menu items, the grilled dishes are pretty good (a bit greasy), but everything else is unbelievably fresh and green.
(3)
Peter L.
After three years of craving pho in Bothell the night after a weeknight out, there are now two pho places in Bothell. Bamboo House hits the spot in many ways. The pho is decent, but as Keiko W mentions, a bit on the bland side. Some of the grilled dishes, as well as the egg rolls are a little greasy. But one nice plus is the cream puff with the meal.
(3)
Pma e.
all i got is one word. "aight" i've had better but for bothell there arent many options so beggers can be choosers. especially if you want pho for lunch during work. service is alright. when they get busy, they need to be more organized. they forget to give water or even refill. they forget to take people's orders in the order that they came in and don't clean the tables right away so others can sit at the table when there's a long line waiting. if they want to keep up their business...get organized when you're busy otherwise people will stop eatting there b/c of frustration.
(3)
Michael M.
I'd have to say this is the best Vietnamese restaurant in the area. The food and the service are both very good. My favorite item here so far is the Bun Chay, which I highly recommend, It's number 37 in the vegetarian section of the menu. The sauce on the tofu is especially good, I'd recommend getting it with natural tofu. As far as drinks go, I'd recommend the coconut juice, it seems to go great with any of the items on the menu. The coconut juice isn't too sweet, but it isn't almost flavorless either, which is great. Anyway, be sure to check this place out, it's great, and I hope you enjoy it.
(5)
W S.
Service: Normal for Vietnamese food... Poor. ambiance: Normal for Vietnamese restaurant... Poor. Oh and the front door is both heavy and has a vacuum seal, no I'm not joking. I can bench press about 200 ibs easy and it regularly takes 2 tries to open the door. Food: Excellent, love the food, especially the fresh rolls and Pho but they have so much more great stuff. I really only care about the food so for me it's 4 stars.
(4)
D E.
Love #20, I've had that one a couple of times now. My husband is a fan of #5. The seafood soup, however, I will never get again. The shrimp are not deveined. Shrimp is not that hard to clean. There were only four, but each one had a fat black intestine hanging out of it. Gross. We have only ever done takeout - the service for that is fine. We'll go back, just not for #19. Nasty. They seem to have an A-team & a B-team. A is on their game.. B doesn't know that you paid for your order five minutes ago, and seriously messes up. We ended up with one container of just broth because they had placed all the meat from both our orders in one container.
(4)
Merrilee O.
My "first time" with pho happened here. I'm a newbie. So, I don't have much to compare this place against quite yet, but I have to say it was far better than I was expecting! The broth was deliciously flavorful, and I loved all of the fresh ingredients I could add to my bowl. I played it safe and asked for the same dish as my fiance, but was very happy with the skirt steak he chose. Overall, a very tasty bowl of pho! The only problem I had with the place was the service... it seemed like our order took forever when other customers were getting theirs more quickly... and there weren't even very many people in there! For being so vocal about being a family owned business - something I consider important - I feel like they could take far greater pride in their excellent food. Regardless, I am eagerly anticipating a return visit. I wish it wasn't all the way up in Canyon Park, but it's worth it!
(4)
Kristen G.
I am never let down when I order 37 bun chay, vegetarian and sooo goood! My husband loves the large steak and flank. We both enjoy dining in the restaurant and drinking a hot coffee. Service is fast and very friendly, feels like you are a valued guest.
(5)
Anthony C.
coming from san jose, ca which has the largest vietnamese population outside of vietnam and has probably the largest amount of PHO restaurants in the country, i have to say bamboo house sticks out. the Broth is tastee, as expected you can spice it up with chili sauce or hirachi. the veggies are always fresh and the price is perfect. the wait staff is very friendly and family run and do recognize their repeat business and the friendliness shows. at this time i have been there at least a dozen times and have never walked away disappointed, only fat and full. i have tried a curry dish that was pretty good, very flavorful and reheated well. their spring rolls are refreshing and yummy. a suggestion to new PHO enthusiasts is to have their chicken soup and add some basil leaves to it, you will really enjoy the flavor it brings to your taste buds and enjoy the cuisine you have just been introduced to. well worth your time on those pissy cold PNW winters. if you are planning a late night out and have it in mind, go get a bowl of PHO to go and stick in your fridge and when you get in from your drunken wanderings make sure to eat your noodles before you pass out as it will cure the hangover from ever happening :)
(4)
John R.
I like this restaurant. Its very clean and comfortable and the staff is always friendly. The pho is very good as well as the spring rolls.
(4)
Rich C.
The pho broth is not as tasty compared to pho from the SF Bay Area or in Socal, but not too bad overall.
(3)
Rob S.
Decent soup, that's bout it
(3)
Elin D.
Love this place. It's nothing fancy but you can tell everything is made from scratch and that their broth doesn't come from a can.
(4)
Lorna D.
Just tried the fresh summer spring rolls with pork, shrimp, bean sprouts, cilantro, basil, carrots and vermicelli noodles wrapped in a thin rice wrapper and accompanied with a peanut sauce. It was delicious. All of the ingredients were fresh and there was even a crunchy surprise in the middle. The basil was absolutely LOVELY!! I could taste it through and through. I could taste everything completely separately in one bite and yet enjoy all of the different textures in my mouth.. Crunchy, smooth, chewy... MMMM!! Only drawback is that I needed to add fish sauce b/c I felt it was missing ang the rolls weren't wrapped at the end so the noodles were hanging out. This appetizer was only $3.95 and it served plenty. They serve 2 long rolls and cut it into 4 pieces or 4 halves. But those halves could equal 2 pieces served in Seattle Vietnamese restaurants. So the best part is the portioin served for the amount of money spent!!! I love this place!!!
(4)
Dietmar S.
When Bamboo House opened roughly 9 months ago if felt as a tremendous relief. When you have worked in an area for many years and know all the places inside out you are craving for anything new. Of course, it helps that I like Vietnamese food. The Pho is delicious but I am particularly fond of the curry noodles. The interior is tasteful and the service friendly and good. My only beef is that the price is rather high for a lunch place. I rarely end up paying less than $10 (prior to tipping).
Best place for pho for the canyon park area. + for food tasty and offer variety - not the most friendly service + for prices great value - does not take discover card + offer take outs - no customer service...as they don't care about you. Wish they would smile more. Yes, I will go back, yes I will bring my friends...again.
(4)
Dee C.
I come from a very Asian area and am Asian myself. I grew up eating Vietnamese food (especially pho). Where I'm from, you can get away with awful service if your food is good. Unfortunately, at Bamboo House, neither the food nor the service is any good. The staff treats you like you're an annoyance and when the food comes out, it might look great, but most of it is mediocre. I loaded up my pho with every meat they had because I love a nice beefy flavor. Despite my order, the soup was thin and terribly bland. It was so bland that even after adding lime juice and other condiments to the soup, it still wasn't passable. Their Thai iced tea, much like their pho, is a thin version of what a proper Thai iced tea should be. They try to mask their lack of tea flavor with condensed milk, but then you just get watery condensed milk. We were so unsatisfied with our food that we went next door to Aca Las Tortas to get some tacos afterward. There are so many other options for good food in this area. Please don't waste your time here unless you like to be treated like a second-class citizen and eating a tasteless semblance of Vietnamese food.
(1)
Jenn G.
The food here is great ! The service is good depending on who is serving you. We have been going here for a couple years now and we've never had any problems with customer service ... Until now. Recently a new girl started working here . Her customer service SUCKS. She's the one with blue highlights or whatever in her hair. She doesn't say hi or greet you when you come in and sit down . She doesn't ask if we're ready to order , she just stands there by our table. She doesn't say thank you. So has the "i don't want to be here" attitude . 5 stars for the food 1 star for the girl with blue highlights
(1)
Eddie M.
Practically hidden from view at a very busy intersection (Hwy 527 and 228th St. SE), this is a locals joint run by a hard-working family. The clean and spacious interior seats about 50 and caters to a diverse clientele of neighborhood families, construction workers, and weekend hackers. There's plenty of parking, even on weekends. The menu hosts 56 items, including 18 versions of pho (which is why you dine at a place such as this). There is no "pho dac biet" or special pho; however, item #17 with its cuts of brisket, flank, tendon, tripe, and fatty flank (practically all rubbery fat) is basically synonymous with other's so-called "special." There are two sizes of bowls-- $8.65 for the guys and $7.65 for the gals. Your bowl will be accompanied by a sparse serving of sprouts and one thin branch of fresh basil. Condiments include the standard (Sriracha and hoisin sauces) along with a mini-jar of chili pepper oil (aka sate sauce) as well as a salt-crusted fermented fish sauce dispenser. What's missing is the garlic chili sauce that everyone else seems to offer, and is considered more complex than basic Sriracha. Service is quick but the presented bowl begins with a thin, light-colored soup base. This is good for those on a salt-restricted diet but pho-philes label this a deficiency. My bowl had three blobs of pure rubbery cuts of fat that I removed for longevity purposes. The noodles were not stuck to the bowl in a coagulated lump like at other places. The brisket was adequate in both quantity and quality. Some places have that not-made-for-review vibe and this is one of them. Obscure location. Hard working family. Clean dining spot. Food made to satisfy a hunger, not to go wow! over. More of a classic eat-it-and-beat-it diner, which isn't a bad thing at all.
(3)
Christine Y.
I popped in with a friend the other day for a light lunch. I've been going on and off over the years since it's near the yoga studio I frequent but most of the time I order pho. And maybe because there's been changes in management? Or just different chefs in the kitchen? Sometimes it's perfect (the broth not too oily, not too sweet), other times meh. I ordered a grilled pork bun (vermicelli noodle bowl) this time around. Let me tell you, it was a piece of art. Everything was so fresh, the colors vibrant, urging me to dig in! And it was delicious. Grilled meat can end up dry and tough but theirs was actually moist and flavorful. I really enjoyed it. Service is strange and leaves something to be desired. The middle aged woman who took our order and rang us up could care less about our satisfaction. When I asked for a box it had these massive holes cut out of the corners of the lid. Okay.. On the flip side, the gentleman who carried food out to our table was full of smiles, good vibes, and good intentions. There you have it. Go for the food, not for the service or ambience.
(4)
Adam L.
First time here, had the small #15 (everything)pho...broth was great but I think they must use allot of msg, my arm always starts tingling when msg is used portion was decent and service was average for Vietnamese joints...not friendly but they got my food to me quickly... I would go back if in the area but I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here
(4)
Ariel Z.
Your basic pho place. They also offer a bunch of other Vietnamese dishes, but I'll be honest and say that I've only ever come for the pho. I like the veggie version (which for some reason only comes in the largest size), which has lots of crunchy veggies and tofu. My husband's been happy with whatever meat pho option he's ordered. I got a pretty tasty bubble tea here once, as well. They don't have a whole lot of flavors, but it was blended well and the tapioca wasn't overly chewy.
(3)
Lindsey M.
Ok- while I do not consider myself a Pho expert, I know what tastes good and what doesn't. I have been craving Pho and decided to come here because of its proximity to my house. I got take out but while I was waiting, I was noticing jalapeño pieces on the floor along with gross stains, a tad off putting. The Pho was just ok, it didn't have anything special about it. I also ordered the shrimp fresh rolls and they didn't taste good. They had an off taste to them and since it was shrimp in there, I stopped eating it and wouldn't finish it. Don't need to come back here, even if it is close to where I live.
(2)
Nick C.
Eating here is your typical pho experience: Order - Food comes in 2 mins - Splurge Sriracha and hoisin sauce - Eat - Ask if they accept American Express - Pay with Visa card - Bounce - Come back in a week. Just like how Buddha intended pho to be. I'll be back.
(4)
Jillian F.
Broth: good! Rare sliced beef: generous portion Fresh rolls: PERFECTION with a crunchy surprise Price: great! Atmosphere: I don't care the food is just so good
(5)
Anthony B.
Vietnamese food is some of the best cuisine in existence, and this is a great example in the Bothell area. 7 of us came in for a Friday lunch break and they were so accommodating and friendly. The service was great and funny, but don't forget you need to pay at the counter! I had egg rolls and Banh Mi. The egg rolls were great, stuffed with tons of pork and fried perfectly crisp. The Banh Mi filling was fantastic. Large pieces of grilled pork covered in sweet mayo and fresh veggies (no skimping on jalapenos either). The bread was a bit soft for my taste, only because they don't toast them here. They vermicelli bowls were fresh and filling! Their fish sauce was really nice and not overly pungent. We unanimously agreed to add this to our lunch rotation.
(4)
Christina H.
I have been coming to this place for Pho for 4+ years, still good. Service is prompt and friendly, food is good. If you don't want to drive far from Bothell/Canyon Park area, this is a solid joint for Pho/Fresh roll/Bhan Mi.
(4)
Rachel J.
The pho here is great. The broth was very flavorful, all the ingredients were fresh and delicious, everything I expect for pho. The restaurant was clean and the decor was nice. we will definitely return and try more of the menu.
(5)
Thomas H.
Food is fine, but service is really really bad and rude. The owner and two lady waitress are worst.. I recommend to go other places to eat Pho. Seriously.
(1)
Adrian A.
I have been here many times, but I don't usually sit down for food and I will explain this later. Food quality is generally great and consistent. Their rice dishes have pretty decent portions, and the grilled pork is actually really good. However the service is usually bad/below par. This is the primary reason why I order to go instead. However after tonight, I have decided not to go here anymore. After finish our meal, we went up to the cashier to pay separately, my friend who isn't that familiar with Vietnamese cuisine forgot what he had ordered, so he asked the lady politely. But instead of replying nicely, she gave my friend a weird look and gesture then continue without saying another word. And yup, we r not going there anymore
(1)
Jamie R.
I'm a phonatic... Pho fanatic, get it? Haha. Anyway, yes I love pho, I eat it once, twice sometimes more per week. Not all pho is created equal, most is edible but some def better than others. Bamboo House is close to my work so we go a lot at lunch, it's not my favorite pho but it's decent. I find it pricier than most, and they skimp on the meat. The broth is good, not spectacular. I almost always get the number 4 which is the rare rib eye and brisket. The fresh rolls are tasty, and have a crunchy spring roll strip in the middle that I like. Bottom line, I'll go for lunch at work but I wouldn't go out of my way or make a special trip to go.
(3)
Zach M.
My go-to spot for Pho in Bothell! I judge a Pho place on three factors: the flavor of the broth, the portion of meat and noodles, and the quality of their Banh Mi. Bamboo house excels in all these regards. The family that owns this place is always very pleasant. They'll always greet you with a smile, and thank you on your way out. The service is always quick! My food comes out fast when I dine-in, and is always hot and ready when I pick-up.
(4)
N J S.
The drop in stars is for the customer service. I know they close at 9pm, and it was almost 8:30pm when my hubby was craving for noodles. I didn't go since my daughter was feeling ill, but he went with my MIL and they got there in about 10 min since this place is close to where we live. Basically, as soon as they walked in the owner or whomever had told him that they have 15 min to order and eat, which was really rude of her to say so since we've came here a few times...had good service and food. I understand the staff would love to stop working/ cooking/ serving/ cleaning and go home, but if you don't open until 9pm, then change your hours... but this is a restaurant, and customer service aside from serving good food should be just as much of a priority. My family had a restaurant, however when customers come in 15 or 10 minutes to our actual closing time, my mom would still cook for them.... at times, the customers would ask if they can eat inside, and for us, as tired as we were, we told them to go ahead. Anyways due to the rush for my husband and MIL to eat and leave...when he got home, he realized he forgot his phone and glasses...he had to rush back after their closing time. Surprised he didn't get yelled at for having them to unlock their doors.
(3)
Tom B.
A rock-solid pho place just off 405 in Bothell. Nothing wrong with it at all. Plenty of parking, though it's tucked back a bit from the road. Nice inside--clearly designer colors on the walls, with tablecloths under glass on every table. Big flat screen on the back wall. The service definitely favors the regulars here; if you walk in and they don't recognize you, they can hardly wait to process you and be done with it. They're nice to the locals, though, especially the older mom types. I suppose they like their regulars and that's alright. The food comes out quickly and they do a nice job. Good broth and solid fresh ingredients. No lime among the condiments, which is a little weird, but alright. I would come back if I were in the area, but you'll almost certainly drive by a better pho place to get here from almost anywhere, so it's not really worth the trip. I'd come in pretty often if I lived nearby, but it sounds like there's probably better pho nearby too.
(3)
Ann W.
Not sure what happened to the pho but it's definitely not very good anymore. We used to love it here but they must have changed the broth somehow. Too bad we have to drive further for better pho. Hope they fix the problem.
(3)
Muujguu U.
Love the food. But they could work on their customer service a bit. They are a little unenthusiastic and sort of mean. And maybe since you are running a business you could clean the floors and the tables a little more. Its sort of dirty. But thanks for the great food.
(4)
Carol T.
Service is pretty bad here but the portions are giant! There is quality springrolls but a bit too tight compared to other places. The lack of vietnamese people around makes me question if this place is legitimate or not. Their Pho isnt really that hot. Overall the experience was fair.
(3)
Alie L.
I love the pho. Could live on the pho. Very reasonable price too considering how full you get! Yes the atmosphere is almost non-existant because the tables are crammed up together and if it's lunchtime, it feels like the person next to you could easily listen in on your conversation if they wanted to. And their front door. Will you PLEASE fix your door so it doesn't feel like you're wrestling with Thor every time you need to go in?? Thank you :)
(5)
H. J.
Not impressed with their pho. The flavor of the broth was ok, but the round was tough and the brisket was very fatty and grisly
(3)
Andrea S.
Have been here two times in the last month, and have to say that it's a solid place! First time, just had the fresh rolls and pork banh mi. I was hungry, it was cheap and delicious-- just like banh mi should be. Nothing life changing, but it's the little things that make it solid (i.e. fresh bread that's slightly crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside). Second time, I had the fried egg rolls and beef stew (bo kho). OMG I had never had Vietnamese beef stew before, and it's changed my life. It's saltier and spicier than regular pho, and had huge chunks of beef. There was a little more fat than I would have preferred, but I overlooked that cause the broth was so good while I dunked my French bread repeatedly until it was sadly gone :( The ambiance is probably on the same level as Pho Than Bros.. but I come here for the food and the place I fell in love with Bo Kho.
(4)
Jin L.
It's convenience right off the 405 exit and Bothell Everett Hwy makes it worth stopping by when you have a craving pho. The soup is really good, the meat is fresh and tender and the noodles are firm. I'm not a fan of the sweet and sour sauce that they provide with the egg roles. The traditional chili and fish sauce style dipping sauce that most pho restuarants offer tastes better.
(3)
Adil Y.
First time here, looking for Vietnamese food in the neighborhood. You really have to want to get in, the door requires lots of force to open. Asked about it the boss explained that the kitchen hood creates a vacuum. To me it means there is no adequate fresh air vent in the building. Floor is nasty at 7pm with no patrons in view and one employee sitting at a table playing with an iPad while wearing sanitary gloves, instead of taking a vacuum to good use. I wonder why? I partly blame it on Washington's lax sanitation code enforcement. Orders arrive fast. Spring rolls are fresh and tasty with generous amount of peanut sauce, plates are clean, presentation is ok. Lemongrass tofu is delicious, temperature is hot. Egg rolls pass the muster. Sandwich bread is fresh and the sandwiches taste very good. Never really had a bad sandwich before. Overall I would say the food is worth coming again with a long term expectation that issue will be addressed.
(4)
H L.
Due to location and distance, this is our default go-to place for pho and other Vietnamese food. Overall, the food is good, but could be improved in a few areas. The pho is decent; not great, but also not terrible. The pho broth is well cooked and consistently flavorful, the noodles are plentiful, however the meat, which I find is very fatty/rubbery, could be improved. The other dishes I've tried, for the most part, is also pretty good.. The staple Vietnamese fish sauce they have is very flavorful and I consider it better than average. The owners are always friendly and welcoming, which is definitely a plus. Overall, I absolutely recommend this place for those that are local, but I wouldn't go out of my way and drive a long distance for it.
(3)
Kierra M.
I live close here but I just stop going there due to their service is so freaking slow. If you want water, you literally have to ask it or make sure they get your attention. Food is ok. On weekends, dining can be so noisy so it's good for pick up, not a sitdown.
(3)
Ilya P.
The service: relatively quick. Atmosphere: tiny, family style restaurant. Food: Serves the general Vietnamese fare, pho, noodle bowls, spring rolls, etc. The Pho is better than other places, you can really smell the cloves and spices in the soup. Don't sit by the door, as it gets rather drafty.
(5)
Michael R.
I cannot say enough great words about this place. Most authentic Pho I have ever been to in the States, and I travel all over the U.S. for work. My ten year old son cannot get enough of this place and would eat it daily if we allowed it. Every menu item is excellent and the prices are fantastic!!!
(5)
Brittany L.
I may be a snob about a few things like espresso, sushi, and pizza, but I am no pho snob. Not even in the slightest. I can't tell you the difference between an excellent broth and a mediocre broth (which seems to be the most important factor of pho) I just know that when I have it, I like it. The minute the bowl of pho is placed in front of me I start loading it with sauces and fixings that I usually like, so that might be why I never know the difference between good and sub-par pho. I do know that the minute my bowl at Bamboo House was set in front of me, the smell of the broth was different than the average smell of pho -- in a good way. It had the normal aromas but a touch more spicy, and a little more buttery. It was absolutely freezing outside so I was pleased that the broth was also piping hot when it arrived. Between the hot broth and the sriracha, I was thoroughly warmed. The service was friendly and fast, and judging by how the owner seemed to know most people coming through, Bamboo House has built up a strong amount of regulars. The only bummer was that there could have been more noodles and meat. When I was done, over half the bowl was still full of broth. I've also been here in the past and have had their sandwiches which were decent and their bun which was pretty good, too. For being in this area which very limited options, you can't beat it.
(4)
Diane S.
Been coming here for 8 years. Love the family owned business. Great food and people. They play kids shows on the TV which we also love.
(5)
Laura P.
I was very impressed with this establishment. It has a nice and welcoming environment with great decor. I ordered take out - but it is a place where I'd feel comfortable sitting down at and eating in. It's not like most Pho joints i've been to where the windows are steamy and it's hot and muggy inside. I was pleasantly surprised!! Onto the most important thing : the food. SO good! I ordered the chicken Bahn Mi sandwich which was pretty delicious, but the Pho was where it got me. The meat was cooked to perfection, and the broth was so yummy and flavorful. It came with all the fixings, jalapenos, sprouts, mint, onions and plum sauce. Pho is one of my favorites and I know I will be frequenting this spot on the reg! Hooray!
(5)
Wesley W.
Flavorful broth, fresh tasting ingredients, and fast service. Bamboo place does nearly everything right. However, the reason it only gets 3 stars is the price. It only offers two sizes of pho, small and large. Their large is close to around 9 dollars, and when you consider the fact that most pho places offer their extra large for $1-2 less, you're not getting the best value for your money. Also, they don't provide you with creme puffs. This isn't a make or break issue, but when you've got other pho options, I don't see much of a reason to pick Bamboo House over its competitors.
(3)
kc b.
Probably my favorite pho place in Bothell. I've tried almost all of the different pho and they are all good. I particularly like to eat the vegetarian pho because it is loaded with tons of veggies! It is clean and never too crowded. The prices are about average but the food is tasty. This place holds a special place in my heart because I realized the owners knew my relatives. The service is pretty fast and the food has been consistently good. Just wish the prices were cheaper or had some deals. You go up to the cash register to pay. Note: Door is really hard to push open.
(4)
William B.
Been visiting bamboo house for several years now - the decor has settled down, tastefully painted, asian themed artwork, big screen TVs on two sides. The owner knows me well enough now that I just wave and smile and soon the incredible Gai Cuon (shrimp spring rolls) appear with the wonderful bamboo house peanut sauce. I have to rate the Gai Cuon as the best available - a deep fried crunch stick fills the middle which adds a wonderful texture, no other place on the east side takes the trouble to do this. I always get #16 small, beef pho with most of the exotics - tendon, tripe, etc. Noodles always cooked perfectly, but occasionaly the broth misses (for me) and once in a while they forget to add the tripe (I really like the texture of this too). Ample condiments available, and an abundance of thai basil, bean sprouts and a lime wedge accompany each as well. I wish they would offer an add-on of 1 spring roll for us single diners :) A full serving is too much for one, but I love it so always get it. For some reason they dispense the paper napkins one at a time (instead of having it on the table), and they forget to bring them occasionally - annoying to have to ask for one. Bamboo House is the best Pho in Bothell (yes better than that 'other' place kitty corner from it), and better than the two places in Woodinville, so if you're looking for good Pho go here, and GET the Gai Cuon.
(4)
Tim H.
4 stars for Pho?!?!?!?!? Must be pretty awesome stuff! ...and it is... Fish Sauce that is like crack... It makes my teeth ache in a good way because it is so sweet and delicious.... MMMMM.... But I get the Pork, Egg Roles and delicious vermicelli bowl--- and HOLY SHIT is it the best thing you can buy--- harkens me back to that trip to Vietnam... except the fish sauce in Nam, it tastes like fish cakes that have been baking outdoors for months-- salty and fishy deliciousness-- which this isn't-- but hey, this is 'Merica! I try to make the guy at the front counter with all the tattoos smile at me... He is all business class. Try this place and find your zen.
(4)
Ricky A.
My pho was great. Funny staff, solid atmosphere. Good little spot to get some Thai/Asian fusion type stuff. I would recommend it to anyone.
(4)
Jennifer W.
I went here last night with my husband, we enjoyed our Pho, and had some rolls as well. Our rolls were slightly cold on the inside still (they are frozen before they heat them up), but it was busy last night and we were starving, and so went with it and ate them still without complaint. I live five minutes away and I was having a hankering for another Pho this afternoon, so I decided to go alone just an hour ago and get some Pho. I also ordered a Thai iced tea. It's my favorite drink in the whole world. Somehow, this one just didn't taste right, after 2 sips I asked if I could return it, that I was very sorry but it just didn't seem right and I didn't like it. The girls told me they had to ask the manager, went behind the scenes, and came back saying that the Manager said "no." I'm sorry, but I wasn't willing to drink something that tasted off, something that I wouldn't enjoy (and perhaps something was wrong with it?). A little peeved, I decided to take my Pho with me, so I didn't have to eat it at the restaurant, leaving my hardly-drunk mystery drink on the table. I feel that it's terrible business practice to insist that a customer pay for a drink they don't like or fear is "off." For the $3.50+ tax they insisted on charging me, they lost at least $200 of business, my family would have gone there at least once a month, but not anymore!
(1)
Christian H.
Excellent pho! Their bun chay is also amazing and the fish sauce is lovely. They are good with extra instructions like "no noodles", extra veggies, extra fat. I have so far had their rare beef pho and fatty flank pho-both are excellent. The broth is really good and I usually sit for an extra 10 minutes and finish off the broth. Great place.
(5)
Stacy M.
Went here for the first time during my lunch break with a coworker. I ordered the seafood Pho as well as their Vietnamese coffee. Within a couple of minutes both items were in front of me. The Pho was large enough to have for lunch and bring leftovers home for dinner. It was delicious, minus the fact that the shrimp tasted a little bit 'off'. My coffee was strong, but oh so good! The only complaint that I have is that we were not offered napkins or checked on throughout the meal. Overall, I was a happy customer and will most likely be back to try it out again!
(4)
Krystal J.
I took a chance here (literally) as I had never had Vietnamese food before going here. I didn't know what half the menu was and ended up pointing at something random. Luckily it was delicious. I wish I could remember what the dish was called, but if I can get good food by pointing at a picture I'm sure others can as well.
(4)
Katalina M.
There is no doubt that their food is excellent. I have been impressed with both pho, sandwhich and noodle dishes. But the Thai iced tea is not so great, It's made from a bottle. I believe they actually home-make the pho broth with bone because we found a bone once in our soup....instead of other places that just add the ready-made flavour to the water. The service is actually terrible EXCEPT for the older gentleman whom I believe is one of the owners..He is very kind and very helpful and makes me want to return. For whatever reason the lady that works there has terrible service and sometimes leaves me standing there for no apparent reason as I'm waiting to be helped...weird! Anyways, excellent food, will return.
(4)
Kory A.
Ok. This is my first review on Yelp. I'm in Seattle visiting family for the holiday and we all were craving PHO. I'm a PHO snob coming from LA and expectations are high and this is definitely not making my list of places. Service is horrible. They messed up our entire order, didn't get our drinks until later, served apps and one order of PHO before everyone else. I read a ton of reviews for PHO in this area and this surprisingly had one of the top votes. In my opinion I highly do not recommend it. I'm going to find a better place closer to Seattle to see what other options there are when I come back to WA.
(1)
Diana C.
Nothing special, but decent Pho place close to work. They have the vermicelli bowls, rice plates, and banh mi so I guess the variations in the menu make up for the lack of the whoa factor. The prices are decent and the service/speed is okay.
(3)
Lexie H.
Just went to Bamboo House for the first time and overall had a good experience. I ordered the Pho Ga and it was sitting in front of me in less than ten minutes. The broth was good, wasn't as rich in taste, but still very good. I would definitely recommend checking this place out.
(4)
Danielle L.
I cannot say their service is great but their foods were the best. I love their spring rolls. The best roll that I've tasted. The source was delicious and the rolls were crispy. Their pho were also very good. We had seafood pho and pho with well-done brisket. I'd like to recommend the second one. It is good and has many pieces of brisket. Some review mentioned that the location is not right but I didn't have any problem with the location. When I wanna have a pho, I will go back this place again.
(5)
Andrew F.
Good Pho, the location could be a bit better (kind of hidden from the road, but that's OK). There's nothing particularly special about this Pho, but I do come here frequently since it's close to where a friend of mine works and the soup is better than What The Pho? nearby (less salty).
(3)
Queri J.
I've been here a couple of times for the Pho. It's not the best Pho broth I've had, but it still hits the spot. Today i ordered the Fresh Rolls. Again, this place is pretty good. It's not the gratest I've had, the rice wrapper seemed a little dry and they used mint instead of thai basil, but it was delish in comparrison to the other local places.
(3)
Joyce L.
I visit Bothell every winter and ate at Bamboo House for the past 3 years. I just visited today and the lady waitress (probably owner) couldn't provide decent service. She couldn't even bring napkins or enough bean spouts/basil plate for pho for 6 of us. She only brought one plate. I did noticed that the lady waitress was nicer to her regular customers which I can understand. Also, I don't think the lady waitress can handle stress or lunch hour rush. Pho is okay. It's nothing to die for. I say go to What the Pho for better service and food.
(2)
Heidi P.
I really enjoyed my first time visit at Bamboo House!!! My boyfriend and I met up there for lunch and he had a large bowl of pho, and I the spring rolls. The spring rolls were some of the best I've ever had!! The thing that made them special was the bit of fried rice paper in the center, which gave the roll extra crunch. The pho was flavorful and came with the usual condiments. The inside of the place is also really nice and the staff was very friendly. Our food also arrived rather quickly. I'm really looking forward to trying their bahn mi on my next visit back. They have a lunch special of a bahn mi and a can of pop for $4.50!
(4)
Alex M.
Best. Pho. Ever. I realize that saying that is throwing down a gauntlet of sorts in Washington, but serious. Best. Pho. Ever. It's a few $$ more than the average joint, but it's well worth it. Personal fav is the "Bamboo House Special" (bun). Delicious! Family run, consistently amazing quality and friendly service. Wide menu selection, and to go orders are always ready quick. If you work anywhere near Canyon Park, give these guys a try...and you're welcome in advance (you'll be thanking me after you try it!)
(5)
Ryan L.
Pho could use more meat in it, but otherwise consistently good. I love to put a ton of Sriraccha in my broth, so you can take that with a grain of salt though. They have good spring rolls served with decent peanut sauce, and I almost always get them. I've only had one of their rice dishes. It was delicious, but when I come here it's for the pho. But after seeing some of the pictures posted here by other users I may have to try some of their other dishes. Their prices are reasonable, serving sizes are generous. I'm a big guy and I can get full with their regular (small) sized bowl. Food doesn't take very long, even with a lot of people there.
(4)
Mark G.
The Pho is one of the best in the north end. I've had a good number of the other items on the menu and they are all great. The price is reasonable. The staff is always friendly.
(5)
Joe S.
Bamboo House was a place I frequent often before moving out of state. I remember it to be petty good and it was convenient since it was close to work at the time. While visiting family for the holidays, I thought I would stop by for some pho. Everything is pretty much the same with the exception of a few things. They carpeted their floors, which I'm not a big fan of because I can only imagine how gross it must be over time with all the food and soup stain lingering down there. I don't understand why they did that when the previous stained concrete floor looked really nice and worked just fine. I order a bowl of pho and some spring rolls. The spring rolls must have gotten a little smaller and the noodles in the pho was a little softer then before. The flavor of the soup was a little bland this time around. But nothing a little bit of fish sauce, chilli pepper and hoisin sauce can't fix. The spring rolls and sauce was pretty good. I love the fried eggroll wrap they put in the spring rolls. I was hoping that the noodles would be a little harder and not so soft. And they do skimp on the meat. Unfortunately, I think the new owners may have taken the flavor and place down a notch. Easy fix though. Service was good but not the most attentive bunch. I can deal with that since I was preferring to be left alone while I was enjoying my lunch. Sometimes these mom and pop businesses don't have the best service not because they don't care, but it's just how it is. I expect it and so I am okay with it. Overall, I enjoyed it.
(4)
Leah P.
Best PHO in Bothell. Never lets me down. The broth is amazing, the staff is friendly and the place is clean! Price is good too!
(5)
Kelly L.
Thank god my co-worker brought me to this restaurant. I work in Bothell so there aren't many options around. If I had time, I'd come here at least twice a week. I've actually only ordered their pho so far but out of the 3 times that I have been here, it's been very good each time. I always get the Pho Dac Biet (you basically get everything - all types of beef, beef ball and tripe) but sometimes they skimp on the tripe. Service is very fast too.
(4)
Morgan L.
I was stuck between one and two stars. I'm not saying I would NEVER come here again, but I can tell you it will be a last resort (as in What the pho across the street is closed and my Yelp iphone app was down to find another place thats close) I got Pho Ga to-go, they only offer it in large ($7.45). I CAN NOT stand how they package it to-go. First of all, the broth container was not a large, and the separate container of noodles, basil, bean sprouts, etc were lacking, they didn't even give me jalapenos. Another BUMMER was they mixed the sriracha and hoisin sauce together in a tiny container. Never have seen this before. So if you want it separate, make sure to ask! The broth it self tasted off, like it was over seasoned. I added the sriracha/hoisin sauce and it was spicy enough to mask the taste. The chicken was good, but overall was the worst pho I have had so far. I tried the chicken banh mi, and sigh. Another disappointment. The bread tasted like it was from Safeway, wasn't that "this is such good bread! where...how did they make this!?". Just tasted too much like I could of made it.... and I have no idea where I would start. They should vacuum their floors, correct spelling errors on their menu and work on their food. I was really hoping to love this place!
(2)
Matt N.
I've been here several times on Sunday right after church. Of the Pho places in the area, this seems to be the best one. I enjoy their selection of Pho and also they have the sandwiches if your'e not in the mood for pho. They have 2 sizes for Pho, small and large, there's no medium. They have a lot of sauces to choose from when you get your pho. One of the downsides to eating here, is they don't have the little plates for mixing your sauces, Also if I remember correctly, they only give you 1/2 napkins per person, which helps them keep cost down, but for me who sweats a lot when eating spicy food or a hot bowl of pho, One of the downsides is that they charge an extra $.50 for credit cards if your purchase is under $10, but they give you a lollypop/ dum dum. I wil come back. I would rather go to Than Brothers, but it's not exactly the closest place to here, but stil a great place to go for pho. On a side note, they usually have a pixar or some animated movie on the TV like Wally, or Ice Age 2, which can be great for the kids.
(4)
Calvin M.
The place is clean, the waitress was friendly, and the pho ($7.50) came in a huge bowl. But it wasn't that good. They didn't give a lot of meat and there were strips of fat in my bowl. It' suppose to be flank steak with meat and fat. But for some reason, the meat wasn't there. My friends didn't have the fat strips theres, so it looks like I'm the unlucky one. I also ordered the spring roll ($4). It was small and I don't like how they put a fried strip of noodle in there. My friends really liked it here. So if they want to come back, I'll tag along. Otherwise, I won't be coming back.
(2)
April S.
Continuing my exploration of Bothell cuisine it was about time for me to search out a local place to get Pho. So I stopped into Bamboo House for lunch today to check it out. *Disclaimer: The very first Pho I ever had was at Than Bros on Broadway. This ends up being the standard I use when checking out new places to get Pho.* The place is clean and bright. They have two large TV's on the wall, one for adults with sports on and one for kids that was playing The Lion King. Neither TV had the sound on, so while I'm not a big fan of TV's in restaurants it wasn't a total deterrent. I was dining with my 6 year old daughter (Elfgirl who is also a Than Bros fan). We shared some summer rolls, she had the small pho with rib eye steak and a lemonade, and I had the large pho with rib eye/meatballs and a ice coffee with condensed milk. The summer rolls were delicious and the peanut sauce they came with was tasty too. Elfgirl also loved the summer rolls and exclaimed that they tasted great. They only have large and small sizes of pho, but the small was about the same size as a medium at Than Bros. The pho was good, not as rich of a broth as I've had before but tasty. Their was ample noodles and meat in our portions and we were both pleasantly full when done. The only real complaint was that the iced coffee wasn't very good. I think I just did not like the particular coffee that they are using. Though the lemonade my daughter had was nice and sweet (hard to find around here) and in the future I'd just get lemonade instead. The service was fast and the prices were decent. I'll still go to Than Bros more often than not, but Bamboo House is a good substitute for when I don't feel like driving to the next town for dinner.
(3)
Melissa F.
Pretty decent and gets the job done for pho and other dishes. I give it an above average for pho in the area. :)
(4)
Sabrina G.
I went to this place because of the reviews but let me tell you the server viet lady was rude from when we walked in. When she was taking our order i specifically asked her for a small rice dish #24 and told her if she had that that in kids portion and make sure it was not spicy since my 3 year old was going to eat it. She says "oh yeah (with an accent ) "sure sure".. okay so then our food comes out and tell me why she brought a huge plate #24 dish made extra spicy chicken on it and an extra children's pho (i never asked for) so i tell her that is not what i had asked for and she YELLS at me saying "you wanted a small childrens order so i brought pho!!" and gives me a grim and refused to take it back! Oh no! I was not going to have someone yell at me from her mistake so I explained to her that my daughter cannot have spicy and it wasn't her size meal plus we did not ask for children's pho.. She is furious then asks me to give it back! hellooo, that was some rude service!! and tell me why their servers all have a attitude problem. One can't even understand when the table next to me asked for just a cup of ice no water!!" he called on the other server to translate yet that ice took awhile to be delivered. Their food is 3 stars. Service is 0. Who knows what they put in their food in the back of the kitchen and how well they managed to wash their dishes with dirty hands!!! The place looks just okay, with painting the wall, hanging pictures any place will look okay. The truth is it's so dirty in their with dust never been wiped and let's not get to the worst part the bathroom..!! Do Not Eat Their
(1)
SOYOUNG S.
Please be careful watch your step~!!!! very slippery floor~!!!!!! This was my first time visiting at the Bamboo House since its close by my house. First of all I tried to enter the store, the door was way too heavy and they even have sign say door is heavy. OK.. this is nice that they let me know door is heavy. I walked in to the store and I could tell floor is very slippery. I was trying to be careful but I fell so bad. I tried to stand up and it was very very slip er and fell again and hit my head to someone else's table. I finally make it to my table where my friend is... The Waiter or owner's son who ever that is walk up to me and said "THIS IS WHAT HAPPEN IF YOU WEAR HIGH HILLS!" This guy never asked me if I am OK. I was pretty mad at that point and asked him back if I am suppose to wear TENNIS SHOES when I visit your restaurant. He didn't say anything and walked away. I was waiting for someone to come ask me if I am OK. . No one seems like care. The owner asked if we want to order. I told them no we are leaving. She said "THAT'S FINE WITH ME" What kind of service is that? Even customers who were eating at the restaurant told me if I got hurt I should call health department or do something. I am going to spread this news to all over the place.. These people only care about making money~!!!!!!! Do not care about others. I had big bruise on my knee and had back pain. I almost thought about hire an attorney, but I will be the better person. Restaurant like that has to OUT OF BUSINESS ASAP~!!!!! Ladies.. If you are wearing heal please do not go there is you do not wants to get an embarrassment
(1)
Rebecca L.
no. i will not go to bamboo house again. why? because their service. is. terrible. if it was thanh brothers terrible or even mcdonald's terrible (where it was expected to be non existent) then maybe i would have been more forgiving, but no. i expected a little bit of service. but their service is worse than mickey d's or thanh brothers. why do you ask? - it took them 15 minutes to take our order. if i was on a date, it would have been fine, but i was there on a 30 minute lunch break. - they did not serve me water when we sat down. - they took the wrong order and when i tried to let them know, they ignored me. then when i finally did tell them, they didn't change it and still charged me for what they gave me. - they scoffed at me when i asked for a to-go box because i didn't finish eating what they gave me. personally, i don't even know why i even paid. i should have just left. terrible. i think this was one of the worst dining experiences i've had in a while. i would rather go to what the pho. at least when i go there, i get what i ordered and be charged for it. not eat what i didn't want and be charged for that. ugh. **reply to Haison d** I understand that it is a family run business. But if you are that busy, why not hire more staff? If customer service is a main priority, then wouldn't it be prudent to have your business model expressive of that? I'm more than happy to go there again and check it out, but not if the lack of service is something that is consistent. (please see jojo's review). Let me know when you hire more people. until then, i have no reason to go.
(1)
Mike K.
The pho is actually pretty good!!! The bamboo house special vermicelli bowl is really good and so are their bhan mi sandwiches!! I would recommend checking it out if you are in the area!
(4)
Chrystal P.
When I first came here, I got my pho take out and it seemed really bland. After about a year, I returned many times, and found that to change. The pho and entrees are delicious. I strongly suggest the fresh spring rolls (they add mint leaves for a nice touch). The service has always been satisfactory, but the anorexic day waitress likes to do that Asian thing where they call you a fat-ass in subtle ways. The BMI disagrees. She was lucky I was always hungry on my lunch break, or I may have punched her.
(4)
Mattias L.
This place was pretty good. The portions were a bit small and the broth was weak. Service was a bit slow for a Pho resturant. I always use chopsticks, so this didn't bother me, but silverware was just stuck in a holder in the middle of the table, not very sanitary. I had a medium bowl with rare steak and flank, and would say the size was comparable to a small size at other places. It tasted ok overall, but the broth was a bit on the weak side.
(3)
Aaron W.
Being an Asian American, I grew up on all kinds of classic Asian fare. Pho being one of them. Bamboo House in Bothell is actually a pretty decent spot in a primarily white area away from Seattle. The cha gio is pretty good, although their sauce is awkwardly sticky, and their broth tastes pretty good. They also have ALL pho condiments right at your table (3 or 4 different hot sauces / chili pastes, etc). Torn between 3 and 4 stars, I went with 3 because it just doesn't live up to the pho I grew up on.
(3)
Joanne E.
My husband and I are regulars here - food is flavorful and always on point! We always have to have the tofu spring rolls and my husband is always happy with his pho. I think their prices are higher than your average pho place and I wish the floors and condiments were much cleaner - the only reason why this isn't 5 stars.
(4)
NANCY H.
First of all, the food was really delicious! The skewers were very juicy and the noodles were nice and slippery. The 3 stars comes down to the prices and service. They are $1-$2 too high. You shouldn't pay $3.75 for iced tea unless you can afford it or you really want one. The day we went, the male server seemed like he was very irritated and didn't seem very welcoming. The women who did work there were totally opposite, though. I will have to stick to Pho Express and Specialties for my go-to Pho place in my area. I will probably visit this place again when I am a feeling slightly spendy or just order take-out. Good For: overpriced food, fresh drinks
(3)
Leah H.
I went to eat pho at this restaurant with my boyfriend and his uncle. We just finished finishing for salmon for about 3 hours and it was showering all day -- so, a hot bowl of pho was something we wanted for brunch. I am a big fan of pho and have not had any since I moved from southern california. The one I had in Eugene was such a disappointed that I was weary about eating pho here. My boyfriend's uncle ordered for us and whatever number it was... it was delicious. There were beef flanks, slices of beef and pork and the soup was flavorful! I ate everything and drank almost all of my soup. The next time I visit Bothell, I will be eating pho here again.
(4)
Maricris F.
It got better this time. Know the owner and very prompt at my orders.
(4)
Riss J.
My second visit I took a friend here for lunch, and I'm giving Bamboo House an upgrade to 4. If this trend continues, they will be a 5 by my 3rd visit. Taking on Quinn's "encouragement", I went for the #15. Flank, tripe, round steak, tendon and something fatty-or-other. I also dived into trying out differing levels of chili sauce, basil, sprouts and what not. The additional ingredients definitely added much more complexity to the pho than my first time. I still wasn't able to finish a small, and am looking forward to my leftovers later. The ladies working here are just ridiculously sweet. It was fun chatting them up while they also ate their lunch. My friend and I were the only patrons left, the lunch rush for this area being long over. They do read our reviews, and do have a love of yelpers. Yay for them! One more little star for my lunch company. When a Southern man who spent 8 years in Tokyo in the Navy doesn't mock you or even care you can't use chopsticks to save your life, ladies--he's a keeper. ;-) They are also now sporting 2 yelp loves us stickers...so I'm amending my theory...1 sticker can be the kiss of death to the land of complacency, but 2 stickers mean they are keeping up with the excellence.
(4)
Russell S.
I had a great experience at Bamboo House the other night. Good Pho and reasonably priced for the large portions in the small bowl for 6.75. All of the ladies that waited on my wife and I were pleasant and funny! I will definitely return in the future! I agree with the other Yelper that if you sit by the door it does get drafty, but not the restaurants fault.
(5)
Vince K.
I'm not a pho or Vietnamese food expert, but as a life-long eater of food, I was very happy with what we had, and saw others enjoying. Polite & fast service, delicious, fresh & memorable food, and frankly, cheap. As a Lacto Ovo Pescatarian, there were many non-meat options to choose from, and my wife & daughter had great steak pho and grilled pork items. Start with the rockin' tofu spring rolls. We'll be back!
(4)
wheatberry s.
3.5 stars. Vietnamese food is quite tasty and Bamboo House does it right. I had a bun with char grilled chicken, and it all went down very happily. This time I decided not to add hoisin sauce. I added the orangish-sauce that customarily comes with the dish and thought my bun was flavorful enough. Bamboo House is clean and simply decorated. The owners are really nice and were able to recognize my friends who occasionally frequent this place. The owners very welcomely took and played with my friends baby while we enjoyed our meal. Bamboo House makes pretty good Vietnamese food, keeping in mind, we're in the 'burbs.
(4)
Josephine L.
I've been meaning to post an updated review of this restaurant. At my husband's urging, I decided to give Bamboo House another chance after they changed owners. I ordered the pork vermicelli bowl. It was really good! It's the dish I'll always order now when I go there. The pho has also improved and owner is very nice. She remembers us and always know the usual my husband orders (he's a regular there). Tip: if you decide to try the vermicelli bowl, order some peanut sauce on the side and mix it in with the fish sauce that comes with it - it's so yummy!
(3)
Michael C.
They have the best Tendon Pho I have ever had. The tendon is soft and the noodles are very good. Overall a great place to have lunch. The price is a bit high but very reasonable and the service is fast.
(4)
Kat T.
Life's Short - Eat Pho! Bamboo House is easy to miss hidden behind the 7/11 in Canyon Park, but it really shouldn't be missed! If you like this popular Vietnamese soup go there NOW! Their pho is hot, huge and tasty. The broth is excellent. Not bland at all. The price is reasonable: Large $6.95 or Small $5.95. The space is warm and contemporary. They advertise family owned if that's your thing. I recommend the #5 Pho Tai, Bo Vien (Noodles soup with eye round steak and meat balls) add extra lime with your basil and bean sprouts. Mmmmmmmm... When having Pho in Bothell "What The Pho" used to be my favorite but Bamboo House just knocked them off the Gold Medal Podium.
(5)
Robert N.
Butts in seats , turn and burn are two things that come to mind . As I enter the Bamboo the hostess/waiter shouts How many , One I say . She points at the table enter to door , oh great I think . The table is not clean she comes over I hope to clean said table , no she gives me menu that has has better days . She ask me something that I could not understand , SO I say what ? Then she is gone . She returns asking if I am ready to order , I say no and before I have time to ask my questions she is gone again . When she return I order a small beef pho with iced coffee and condescend milk . The beef pho shows up within seconds , the iced coffee show up 6 minutes later . Being in the F and B field one knows its drinks first the food people . The beef pho was good as was the iced coffee , I am still wired but the lack of clean table and the fact it just butts in seats place I doubt I will return .
(2)
Meredith S.
Yummy! The food here is bomb. I ordered the veggie pho and some fresh spring rolls. So authentic and tasty!!!! Very clean and the wait staff is friendly. The service was a little slow, so I wouldn't try to go here for your lunch break unless you don't intend on going back to work.
(5)
meghan m.
This place has been a weekly visit for me and my fiance for a few months now. The staff is friendly and the service is quick. The spring rolls are the best. EVER. I get the #12 and the broth is flavorful, not too salty and perfectly accented by the sprouts, basil and jalapeno. One night after a particularly bad pizza experience (waited for an hour....no delivery....thanks pizza hut!) we drove up to Bamboo House hoping they were open...it was just as they were closing. The owner, upon seeing us dejectedly staring in the window, waved us in and let us order. We figured we would just take it to go but she insisted it was okay that we stayed. We sat and enjoyed our food and watched a Vietnamese award show while she gabbed with some other late guests. We never felt rushed and left extremely satisfied and happy that our pizza never arrived. BAMBOO HOUSE TO THE RESCUE!
(5)
Dena R.
Love, love, love this place. The shrimp rolls are my favorite, peanut sauce is excellent, very tasty, the Pho is also very good. The place is clean and pleasant and the staff is genuinely nice and friendly. It's family owned and much better than that overpriced disappointment with the clever name across the street... Glad to finally have a Vietnamese place in Bothell.
(5)
Joy C.
I am thrilled that there is finally a Pho house near my house! I haven't been this excited since the Than Brothers Pho came up to Lynnwood. And while Than brothers will always be the best Pho in the state, the closeness of Bamboo House is tantalizing. If you want the best Pho, go to Than Brothers in Lynnwood. If you want Pho in Bothell, go to Bamboo House. It's family run, and what a great family they are. I don't find the broth bland - it's carefully crafted and subtlety perfumed. I've talked to the owner/chef who said that he's done much tinkering to get the broth just right compared to other Pho houses. AND the yummy sandwiches, which were on the menu, but then off the menu and not included in the new menu, but now available per a sign on the door, are BACK. It is the perfect blend of yummy grilled pork (chicken is available, but, uh, it makes no sense) herby cilantro, spicy jalapeno, cool cucumber, and tangy pickled, shredded diakon & carrot all wrapped up in a French roll. mmmmmmm. I'd go get one right now but the baby's sleeping and I'm on my own tonight. Dang it! I've only had one of the grill items, and it was full of flavor - I think it was the mixed grill. I prefer Bamboo house over What the Pho. Period.
(4)
H. L.
The facility is very clean and new. I've now tried the Pho and Fried Rice. The Pho is great, however the Fried Rice was a little on the salty side. They facility has a great flat screen t.v. and they're usually showing some sports channel. The waitresses are very friendly, but the cooks who usually sit outside when it's slow have emotionless expression. So it makes you wonder where the love is in my food.
(4)
Chris K.
My wife and I ate here with some friends last night because we heard it was a good spot given we're pretty big fans of Pho. It started off on the right path with staff quickly setting up some baby high chairs and making us feel at comfortable. Lighting was good. Place was clean, had a decent ambience. Pho quality was above average and tasty. However, once our bowls of Pho arrived, it took a very dramatic turn for the worse. the WAIT STAFF WAS NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN. Multiple times I had to hold my hand up to get the staff's attention. The kicker - We decided we wanted thai iced coffees with milk after our dinner. Ten minutes later they show up in low quality styrofoam "to-go" cups. I take the lid off to find the entire cup packed with ice, with only about 25% of the cup actually filled with coffee. When we ask what the problem is, instead of trying to correct the issue the woman tells us "thats way it supposed to be". Really, and we're charged $2.50 for it? Top it off it tastes like I'm drinking some SAE 5W-30 motor oil.Won't be passing through here agian.
(1)
Keiko W.
Holy Sweet God of Pho! Someone FINALLY put a phoking Pho Restaurant in Bothell. No more driving to Woodinville or Lynnwood to get my hot noodle fix. Until "What the Pho?" came to be a month ago, I could honestly say that the Bamboo House was the best Pho in Bothell. Still, I would say that its the best value around. The prices are right, the soup is hot, and the place is spotless. My big complaint is that the broth is BLAND. Still, beggars can't be choosers. As for the rest of their menu items, the grilled dishes are pretty good (a bit greasy), but everything else is unbelievably fresh and green.
(3)
Peter L.
After three years of craving pho in Bothell the night after a weeknight out, there are now two pho places in Bothell. Bamboo House hits the spot in many ways. The pho is decent, but as Keiko W mentions, a bit on the bland side. Some of the grilled dishes, as well as the egg rolls are a little greasy. But one nice plus is the cream puff with the meal.
(3)
Pma e.
all i got is one word. "aight" i've had better but for bothell there arent many options so beggers can be choosers. especially if you want pho for lunch during work. service is alright. when they get busy, they need to be more organized. they forget to give water or even refill. they forget to take people's orders in the order that they came in and don't clean the tables right away so others can sit at the table when there's a long line waiting. if they want to keep up their business...get organized when you're busy otherwise people will stop eatting there b/c of frustration.
(3)
Michael M.
I'd have to say this is the best Vietnamese restaurant in the area. The food and the service are both very good. My favorite item here so far is the Bun Chay, which I highly recommend, It's number 37 in the vegetarian section of the menu. The sauce on the tofu is especially good, I'd recommend getting it with natural tofu. As far as drinks go, I'd recommend the coconut juice, it seems to go great with any of the items on the menu. The coconut juice isn't too sweet, but it isn't almost flavorless either, which is great. Anyway, be sure to check this place out, it's great, and I hope you enjoy it.
(5)
Giny M.
i believe they have changed owners. now it's just typical, ok pho. it's a lot dirtier and of course, the heat is barely on. before it was a nice family business. now, according to the chopstick wrapping, it's part of a crappy chain of two such places. what a shame.
(2)
W S.
Service: Normal for Vietnamese food... Poor. ambiance: Normal for Vietnamese restaurant... Poor. Oh and the front door is both heavy and has a vacuum seal, no I'm not joking. I can bench press about 200 ibs easy and it regularly takes 2 tries to open the door. Food: Excellent, love the food, especially the fresh rolls and Pho but they have so much more great stuff. I really only care about the food so for me it's 4 stars.
(4)
D E.
Love #20, I've had that one a couple of times now. My husband is a fan of #5. The seafood soup, however, I will never get again. The shrimp are not deveined. Shrimp is not that hard to clean. There were only four, but each one had a fat black intestine hanging out of it. Gross. We have only ever done takeout - the service for that is fine. We'll go back, just not for #19. Nasty. They seem to have an A-team & a B-team. A is on their game.. B doesn't know that you paid for your order five minutes ago, and seriously messes up. We ended up with one container of just broth because they had placed all the meat from both our orders in one container.
(4)
Merrilee O.
My "first time" with pho happened here. I'm a newbie. So, I don't have much to compare this place against quite yet, but I have to say it was far better than I was expecting! The broth was deliciously flavorful, and I loved all of the fresh ingredients I could add to my bowl. I played it safe and asked for the same dish as my fiance, but was very happy with the skirt steak he chose. Overall, a very tasty bowl of pho! The only problem I had with the place was the service... it seemed like our order took forever when other customers were getting theirs more quickly... and there weren't even very many people in there! For being so vocal about being a family owned business - something I consider important - I feel like they could take far greater pride in their excellent food. Regardless, I am eagerly anticipating a return visit. I wish it wasn't all the way up in Canyon Park, but it's worth it!
(4)
Kristen G.
I am never let down when I order 37 bun chay, vegetarian and sooo goood! My husband loves the large steak and flank. We both enjoy dining in the restaurant and drinking a hot coffee. Service is fast and very friendly, feels like you are a valued guest.
(5)
Anthony C.
coming from san jose, ca which has the largest vietnamese population outside of vietnam and has probably the largest amount of PHO restaurants in the country, i have to say bamboo house sticks out. the Broth is tastee, as expected you can spice it up with chili sauce or hirachi. the veggies are always fresh and the price is perfect. the wait staff is very friendly and family run and do recognize their repeat business and the friendliness shows. at this time i have been there at least a dozen times and have never walked away disappointed, only fat and full. i have tried a curry dish that was pretty good, very flavorful and reheated well. their spring rolls are refreshing and yummy. a suggestion to new PHO enthusiasts is to have their chicken soup and add some basil leaves to it, you will really enjoy the flavor it brings to your taste buds and enjoy the cuisine you have just been introduced to. well worth your time on those pissy cold PNW winters. if you are planning a late night out and have it in mind, go get a bowl of PHO to go and stick in your fridge and when you get in from your drunken wanderings make sure to eat your noodles before you pass out as it will cure the hangover from ever happening :)
(4)
John R.
I like this restaurant. Its very clean and comfortable and the staff is always friendly. The pho is very good as well as the spring rolls.
(4)
Rich C.
The pho broth is not as tasty compared to pho from the SF Bay Area or in Socal, but not too bad overall.
(3)
Rob S.
Decent soup, that's bout it
(3)
Elin D.
Love this place. It's nothing fancy but you can tell everything is made from scratch and that their broth doesn't come from a can.
(4)
Lorna D.
Just tried the fresh summer spring rolls with pork, shrimp, bean sprouts, cilantro, basil, carrots and vermicelli noodles wrapped in a thin rice wrapper and accompanied with a peanut sauce. It was delicious. All of the ingredients were fresh and there was even a crunchy surprise in the middle. The basil was absolutely LOVELY!! I could taste it through and through. I could taste everything completely separately in one bite and yet enjoy all of the different textures in my mouth.. Crunchy, smooth, chewy... MMMM!! Only drawback is that I needed to add fish sauce b/c I felt it was missing ang the rolls weren't wrapped at the end so the noodles were hanging out. This appetizer was only $3.95 and it served plenty. They serve 2 long rolls and cut it into 4 pieces or 4 halves. But those halves could equal 2 pieces served in Seattle Vietnamese restaurants. So the best part is the portioin served for the amount of money spent!!! I love this place!!!
(4)
Dietmar S.
When Bamboo House opened roughly 9 months ago if felt as a tremendous relief. When you have worked in an area for many years and know all the places inside out you are craving for anything new. Of course, it helps that I like Vietnamese food. The Pho is delicious but I am particularly fond of the curry noodles. The interior is tasteful and the service friendly and good. My only beef is that the price is rather high for a lunch place. I rarely end up paying less than $10 (prior to tipping).
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No 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
Tj W.
Best place for pho for the canyon park area. + for food tasty and offer variety - not the most friendly service + for prices great value - does not take discover card + offer take outs - no customer service...as they don't care about you. Wish they would smile more. Yes, I will go back, yes I will bring my friends...again.
(4)Dee C.
I come from a very Asian area and am Asian myself. I grew up eating Vietnamese food (especially pho). Where I'm from, you can get away with awful service if your food is good. Unfortunately, at Bamboo House, neither the food nor the service is any good. The staff treats you like you're an annoyance and when the food comes out, it might look great, but most of it is mediocre. I loaded up my pho with every meat they had because I love a nice beefy flavor. Despite my order, the soup was thin and terribly bland. It was so bland that even after adding lime juice and other condiments to the soup, it still wasn't passable. Their Thai iced tea, much like their pho, is a thin version of what a proper Thai iced tea should be. They try to mask their lack of tea flavor with condensed milk, but then you just get watery condensed milk. We were so unsatisfied with our food that we went next door to Aca Las Tortas to get some tacos afterward. There are so many other options for good food in this area. Please don't waste your time here unless you like to be treated like a second-class citizen and eating a tasteless semblance of Vietnamese food.
(1)Eddie M.
Practically hidden from view at a very busy intersection (Hwy 527 and 228th St. SE), this is a locals joint run by a hard-working family. The clean and spacious interior seats about 50 and caters to a diverse clientele of neighborhood families, construction workers, and weekend hackers. There's plenty of parking, even on weekends. The menu hosts 56 items, including 18 versions of pho (which is why you dine at a place such as this). There is no "pho dac biet" or special pho; however, item #17 with its cuts of brisket, flank, tendon, tripe, and fatty flank (practically all rubbery fat) is basically synonymous with other's so-called "special." There are two sizes of bowls-- $8.65 for the guys and $7.65 for the gals. Your bowl will be accompanied by a sparse serving of sprouts and one thin branch of fresh basil. Condiments include the standard (Sriracha and hoisin sauces) along with a mini-jar of chili pepper oil (aka sate sauce) as well as a salt-crusted fermented fish sauce dispenser. What's missing is the garlic chili sauce that everyone else seems to offer, and is considered more complex than basic Sriracha. Service is quick but the presented bowl begins with a thin, light-colored soup base. This is good for those on a salt-restricted diet but pho-philes label this a deficiency. My bowl had three blobs of pure rubbery cuts of fat that I removed for longevity purposes. The noodles were not stuck to the bowl in a coagulated lump like at other places. The brisket was adequate in both quantity and quality. Some places have that not-made-for-review vibe and this is one of them. Obscure location. Hard working family. Clean dining spot. Food made to satisfy a hunger, not to go wow! over. More of a classic eat-it-and-beat-it diner, which isn't a bad thing at all.
(3)Christine Y.
I popped in with a friend the other day for a light lunch. I've been going on and off over the years since it's near the yoga studio I frequent but most of the time I order pho. And maybe because there's been changes in management? Or just different chefs in the kitchen? Sometimes it's perfect (the broth not too oily, not too sweet), other times meh. I ordered a grilled pork bun (vermicelli noodle bowl) this time around. Let me tell you, it was a piece of art. Everything was so fresh, the colors vibrant, urging me to dig in! And it was delicious. Grilled meat can end up dry and tough but theirs was actually moist and flavorful. I really enjoyed it. Service is strange and leaves something to be desired. The middle aged woman who took our order and rang us up could care less about our satisfaction. When I asked for a box it had these massive holes cut out of the corners of the lid. Okay.. On the flip side, the gentleman who carried food out to our table was full of smiles, good vibes, and good intentions. There you have it. Go for the food, not for the service or ambience.
(4)Adam L.
First time here, had the small #15 (everything)pho...broth was great but I think they must use allot of msg, my arm always starts tingling when msg is used portion was decent and service was average for Vietnamese joints...not friendly but they got my food to me quickly... I would go back if in the area but I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here
(4)Jenn G.
The food here is great ! The service is good depending on who is serving you. We have been going here for a couple years now and we've never had any problems with customer service ... Until now. Recently a new girl started working here . Her customer service SUCKS. She's the one with blue highlights or whatever in her hair. She doesn't say hi or greet you when you come in and sit down . She doesn't ask if we're ready to order , she just stands there by our table. She doesn't say thank you. So has the "i don't want to be here" attitude . 5 stars for the food 1 star for the girl with blue highlights
(1)Ariel Z.
Your basic pho place. They also offer a bunch of other Vietnamese dishes, but I'll be honest and say that I've only ever come for the pho. I like the veggie version (which for some reason only comes in the largest size), which has lots of crunchy veggies and tofu. My husband's been happy with whatever meat pho option he's ordered. I got a pretty tasty bubble tea here once, as well. They don't have a whole lot of flavors, but it was blended well and the tapioca wasn't overly chewy.
(3)Lindsey M.
Ok- while I do not consider myself a Pho expert, I know what tastes good and what doesn't. I have been craving Pho and decided to come here because of its proximity to my house. I got take out but while I was waiting, I was noticing jalapeño pieces on the floor along with gross stains, a tad off putting. The Pho was just ok, it didn't have anything special about it. I also ordered the shrimp fresh rolls and they didn't taste good. They had an off taste to them and since it was shrimp in there, I stopped eating it and wouldn't finish it. Don't need to come back here, even if it is close to where I live.
(2)Nick C.
Eating here is your typical pho experience: Order - Food comes in 2 mins - Splurge Sriracha and hoisin sauce - Eat - Ask if they accept American Express - Pay with Visa card - Bounce - Come back in a week. Just like how Buddha intended pho to be. I'll be back.
(4)Jillian F.
Broth: good! Rare sliced beef: generous portion Fresh rolls: PERFECTION with a crunchy surprise Price: great! Atmosphere: I don't care the food is just so good
(5)Anthony B.
Vietnamese food is some of the best cuisine in existence, and this is a great example in the Bothell area. 7 of us came in for a Friday lunch break and they were so accommodating and friendly. The service was great and funny, but don't forget you need to pay at the counter! I had egg rolls and Banh Mi. The egg rolls were great, stuffed with tons of pork and fried perfectly crisp. The Banh Mi filling was fantastic. Large pieces of grilled pork covered in sweet mayo and fresh veggies (no skimping on jalapenos either). The bread was a bit soft for my taste, only because they don't toast them here. They vermicelli bowls were fresh and filling! Their fish sauce was really nice and not overly pungent. We unanimously agreed to add this to our lunch rotation.
(4)Christina H.
I have been coming to this place for Pho for 4+ years, still good. Service is prompt and friendly, food is good. If you don't want to drive far from Bothell/Canyon Park area, this is a solid joint for Pho/Fresh roll/Bhan Mi.
(4)Rachel J.
The pho here is great. The broth was very flavorful, all the ingredients were fresh and delicious, everything I expect for pho. The restaurant was clean and the decor was nice. we will definitely return and try more of the menu.
(5)Thomas H.
Food is fine, but service is really really bad and rude. The owner and two lady waitress are worst.. I recommend to go other places to eat Pho. Seriously.
(1)Adrian A.
I have been here many times, but I don't usually sit down for food and I will explain this later. Food quality is generally great and consistent. Their rice dishes have pretty decent portions, and the grilled pork is actually really good. However the service is usually bad/below par. This is the primary reason why I order to go instead. However after tonight, I have decided not to go here anymore. After finish our meal, we went up to the cashier to pay separately, my friend who isn't that familiar with Vietnamese cuisine forgot what he had ordered, so he asked the lady politely. But instead of replying nicely, she gave my friend a weird look and gesture then continue without saying another word. And yup, we r not going there anymore
(1)Jamie R.
I'm a phonatic... Pho fanatic, get it? Haha. Anyway, yes I love pho, I eat it once, twice sometimes more per week. Not all pho is created equal, most is edible but some def better than others. Bamboo House is close to my work so we go a lot at lunch, it's not my favorite pho but it's decent. I find it pricier than most, and they skimp on the meat. The broth is good, not spectacular. I almost always get the number 4 which is the rare rib eye and brisket. The fresh rolls are tasty, and have a crunchy spring roll strip in the middle that I like. Bottom line, I'll go for lunch at work but I wouldn't go out of my way or make a special trip to go.
(3)Zach M.
My go-to spot for Pho in Bothell! I judge a Pho place on three factors: the flavor of the broth, the portion of meat and noodles, and the quality of their Banh Mi. Bamboo house excels in all these regards. The family that owns this place is always very pleasant. They'll always greet you with a smile, and thank you on your way out. The service is always quick! My food comes out fast when I dine-in, and is always hot and ready when I pick-up.
(4)Alie L.
I love the pho. Could live on the pho. Very reasonable price too considering how full you get! Yes the atmosphere is almost non-existant because the tables are crammed up together and if it's lunchtime, it feels like the person next to you could easily listen in on your conversation if they wanted to. And their front door. Will you PLEASE fix your door so it doesn't feel like you're wrestling with Thor every time you need to go in?? Thank you :)
(5)H. J.
Not impressed with their pho. The flavor of the broth was ok, but the round was tough and the brisket was very fatty and grisly
(3)N J S.
The drop in stars is for the customer service. I know they close at 9pm, and it was almost 8:30pm when my hubby was craving for noodles. I didn't go since my daughter was feeling ill, but he went with my MIL and they got there in about 10 min since this place is close to where we live. Basically, as soon as they walked in the owner or whomever had told him that they have 15 min to order and eat, which was really rude of her to say so since we've came here a few times...had good service and food. I understand the staff would love to stop working/ cooking/ serving/ cleaning and go home, but if you don't open until 9pm, then change your hours... but this is a restaurant, and customer service aside from serving good food should be just as much of a priority. My family had a restaurant, however when customers come in 15 or 10 minutes to our actual closing time, my mom would still cook for them.... at times, the customers would ask if they can eat inside, and for us, as tired as we were, we told them to go ahead. Anyways due to the rush for my husband and MIL to eat and leave...when he got home, he realized he forgot his phone and glasses...he had to rush back after their closing time. Surprised he didn't get yelled at for having them to unlock their doors.
(3)Tom B.
A rock-solid pho place just off 405 in Bothell. Nothing wrong with it at all. Plenty of parking, though it's tucked back a bit from the road. Nice inside--clearly designer colors on the walls, with tablecloths under glass on every table. Big flat screen on the back wall. The service definitely favors the regulars here; if you walk in and they don't recognize you, they can hardly wait to process you and be done with it. They're nice to the locals, though, especially the older mom types. I suppose they like their regulars and that's alright. The food comes out quickly and they do a nice job. Good broth and solid fresh ingredients. No lime among the condiments, which is a little weird, but alright. I would come back if I were in the area, but you'll almost certainly drive by a better pho place to get here from almost anywhere, so it's not really worth the trip. I'd come in pretty often if I lived nearby, but it sounds like there's probably better pho nearby too.
(3)Ann W.
Not sure what happened to the pho but it's definitely not very good anymore. We used to love it here but they must have changed the broth somehow. Too bad we have to drive further for better pho. Hope they fix the problem.
(3)Muujguu U.
Love the food. But they could work on their customer service a bit. They are a little unenthusiastic and sort of mean. And maybe since you are running a business you could clean the floors and the tables a little more. Its sort of dirty. But thanks for the great food.
(4)Carol T.
Service is pretty bad here but the portions are giant! There is quality springrolls but a bit too tight compared to other places. The lack of vietnamese people around makes me question if this place is legitimate or not. Their Pho isnt really that hot. Overall the experience was fair.
(3)Andrea S.
Have been here two times in the last month, and have to say that it's a solid place! First time, just had the fresh rolls and pork banh mi. I was hungry, it was cheap and delicious-- just like banh mi should be. Nothing life changing, but it's the little things that make it solid (i.e. fresh bread that's slightly crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside). Second time, I had the fried egg rolls and beef stew (bo kho). OMG I had never had Vietnamese beef stew before, and it's changed my life. It's saltier and spicier than regular pho, and had huge chunks of beef. There was a little more fat than I would have preferred, but I overlooked that cause the broth was so good while I dunked my French bread repeatedly until it was sadly gone :( The ambiance is probably on the same level as Pho Than Bros.. but I come here for the food and the place I fell in love with Bo Kho.
(4)Jin L.
It's convenience right off the 405 exit and Bothell Everett Hwy makes it worth stopping by when you have a craving pho. The soup is really good, the meat is fresh and tender and the noodles are firm. I'm not a fan of the sweet and sour sauce that they provide with the egg roles. The traditional chili and fish sauce style dipping sauce that most pho restuarants offer tastes better.
(3)Adil Y.
First time here, looking for Vietnamese food in the neighborhood. You really have to want to get in, the door requires lots of force to open. Asked about it the boss explained that the kitchen hood creates a vacuum. To me it means there is no adequate fresh air vent in the building. Floor is nasty at 7pm with no patrons in view and one employee sitting at a table playing with an iPad while wearing sanitary gloves, instead of taking a vacuum to good use. I wonder why? I partly blame it on Washington's lax sanitation code enforcement. Orders arrive fast. Spring rolls are fresh and tasty with generous amount of peanut sauce, plates are clean, presentation is ok. Lemongrass tofu is delicious, temperature is hot. Egg rolls pass the muster. Sandwich bread is fresh and the sandwiches taste very good. Never really had a bad sandwich before. Overall I would say the food is worth coming again with a long term expectation that issue will be addressed.
(4)H L.
Due to location and distance, this is our default go-to place for pho and other Vietnamese food. Overall, the food is good, but could be improved in a few areas. The pho is decent; not great, but also not terrible. The pho broth is well cooked and consistently flavorful, the noodles are plentiful, however the meat, which I find is very fatty/rubbery, could be improved. The other dishes I've tried, for the most part, is also pretty good.. The staple Vietnamese fish sauce they have is very flavorful and I consider it better than average. The owners are always friendly and welcoming, which is definitely a plus. Overall, I absolutely recommend this place for those that are local, but I wouldn't go out of my way and drive a long distance for it.
(3)Kierra M.
I live close here but I just stop going there due to their service is so freaking slow. If you want water, you literally have to ask it or make sure they get your attention. Food is ok. On weekends, dining can be so noisy so it's good for pick up, not a sitdown.
(3)Brittany L.
I may be a snob about a few things like espresso, sushi, and pizza, but I am no pho snob. Not even in the slightest. I can't tell you the difference between an excellent broth and a mediocre broth (which seems to be the most important factor of pho) I just know that when I have it, I like it. The minute the bowl of pho is placed in front of me I start loading it with sauces and fixings that I usually like, so that might be why I never know the difference between good and sub-par pho. I do know that the minute my bowl at Bamboo House was set in front of me, the smell of the broth was different than the average smell of pho -- in a good way. It had the normal aromas but a touch more spicy, and a little more buttery. It was absolutely freezing outside so I was pleased that the broth was also piping hot when it arrived. Between the hot broth and the sriracha, I was thoroughly warmed. The service was friendly and fast, and judging by how the owner seemed to know most people coming through, Bamboo House has built up a strong amount of regulars. The only bummer was that there could have been more noodles and meat. When I was done, over half the bowl was still full of broth. I've also been here in the past and have had their sandwiches which were decent and their bun which was pretty good, too. For being in this area which very limited options, you can't beat it.
(4)Diane S.
Been coming here for 8 years. Love the family owned business. Great food and people. They play kids shows on the TV which we also love.
(5)Laura P.
I was very impressed with this establishment. It has a nice and welcoming environment with great decor. I ordered take out - but it is a place where I'd feel comfortable sitting down at and eating in. It's not like most Pho joints i've been to where the windows are steamy and it's hot and muggy inside. I was pleasantly surprised!! Onto the most important thing : the food. SO good! I ordered the chicken Bahn Mi sandwich which was pretty delicious, but the Pho was where it got me. The meat was cooked to perfection, and the broth was so yummy and flavorful. It came with all the fixings, jalapenos, sprouts, mint, onions and plum sauce. Pho is one of my favorites and I know I will be frequenting this spot on the reg! Hooray!
(5)Wesley W.
Flavorful broth, fresh tasting ingredients, and fast service. Bamboo place does nearly everything right. However, the reason it only gets 3 stars is the price. It only offers two sizes of pho, small and large. Their large is close to around 9 dollars, and when you consider the fact that most pho places offer their extra large for $1-2 less, you're not getting the best value for your money. Also, they don't provide you with creme puffs. This isn't a make or break issue, but when you've got other pho options, I don't see much of a reason to pick Bamboo House over its competitors.
(3)kc b.
Probably my favorite pho place in Bothell. I've tried almost all of the different pho and they are all good. I particularly like to eat the vegetarian pho because it is loaded with tons of veggies! It is clean and never too crowded. The prices are about average but the food is tasty. This place holds a special place in my heart because I realized the owners knew my relatives. The service is pretty fast and the food has been consistently good. Just wish the prices were cheaper or had some deals. You go up to the cash register to pay. Note: Door is really hard to push open.
(4)Ilya P.
The service: relatively quick. Atmosphere: tiny, family style restaurant. Food: Serves the general Vietnamese fare, pho, noodle bowls, spring rolls, etc. The Pho is better than other places, you can really smell the cloves and spices in the soup. Don't sit by the door, as it gets rather drafty.
(5)William B.
Been visiting bamboo house for several years now - the decor has settled down, tastefully painted, asian themed artwork, big screen TVs on two sides. The owner knows me well enough now that I just wave and smile and soon the incredible Gai Cuon (shrimp spring rolls) appear with the wonderful bamboo house peanut sauce. I have to rate the Gai Cuon as the best available - a deep fried crunch stick fills the middle which adds a wonderful texture, no other place on the east side takes the trouble to do this. I always get #16 small, beef pho with most of the exotics - tendon, tripe, etc. Noodles always cooked perfectly, but occasionaly the broth misses (for me) and once in a while they forget to add the tripe (I really like the texture of this too). Ample condiments available, and an abundance of thai basil, bean sprouts and a lime wedge accompany each as well. I wish they would offer an add-on of 1 spring roll for us single diners :) A full serving is too much for one, but I love it so always get it. For some reason they dispense the paper napkins one at a time (instead of having it on the table), and they forget to bring them occasionally - annoying to have to ask for one. Bamboo House is the best Pho in Bothell (yes better than that 'other' place kitty corner from it), and better than the two places in Woodinville, so if you're looking for good Pho go here, and GET the Gai Cuon.
(4)Tim H.
4 stars for Pho?!?!?!?!? Must be pretty awesome stuff! ...and it is... Fish Sauce that is like crack... It makes my teeth ache in a good way because it is so sweet and delicious.... MMMMM.... But I get the Pork, Egg Roles and delicious vermicelli bowl--- and HOLY SHIT is it the best thing you can buy--- harkens me back to that trip to Vietnam... except the fish sauce in Nam, it tastes like fish cakes that have been baking outdoors for months-- salty and fishy deliciousness-- which this isn't-- but hey, this is 'Merica! I try to make the guy at the front counter with all the tattoos smile at me... He is all business class. Try this place and find your zen.
(4)Ricky A.
My pho was great. Funny staff, solid atmosphere. Good little spot to get some Thai/Asian fusion type stuff. I would recommend it to anyone.
(4)Joyce L.
I visit Bothell every winter and ate at Bamboo House for the past 3 years. I just visited today and the lady waitress (probably owner) couldn't provide decent service. She couldn't even bring napkins or enough bean spouts/basil plate for pho for 6 of us. She only brought one plate. I did noticed that the lady waitress was nicer to her regular customers which I can understand. Also, I don't think the lady waitress can handle stress or lunch hour rush. Pho is okay. It's nothing to die for. I say go to What the Pho for better service and food.
(2)Jennifer W.
I went here last night with my husband, we enjoyed our Pho, and had some rolls as well. Our rolls were slightly cold on the inside still (they are frozen before they heat them up), but it was busy last night and we were starving, and so went with it and ate them still without complaint. I live five minutes away and I was having a hankering for another Pho this afternoon, so I decided to go alone just an hour ago and get some Pho. I also ordered a Thai iced tea. It's my favorite drink in the whole world. Somehow, this one just didn't taste right, after 2 sips I asked if I could return it, that I was very sorry but it just didn't seem right and I didn't like it. The girls told me they had to ask the manager, went behind the scenes, and came back saying that the Manager said "no." I'm sorry, but I wasn't willing to drink something that tasted off, something that I wouldn't enjoy (and perhaps something was wrong with it?). A little peeved, I decided to take my Pho with me, so I didn't have to eat it at the restaurant, leaving my hardly-drunk mystery drink on the table. I feel that it's terrible business practice to insist that a customer pay for a drink they don't like or fear is "off." For the $3.50+ tax they insisted on charging me, they lost at least $200 of business, my family would have gone there at least once a month, but not anymore!
(1)Michael R.
I cannot say enough great words about this place. Most authentic Pho I have ever been to in the States, and I travel all over the U.S. for work. My ten year old son cannot get enough of this place and would eat it daily if we allowed it. Every menu item is excellent and the prices are fantastic!!!
(5)Christian H.
Excellent pho! Their bun chay is also amazing and the fish sauce is lovely. They are good with extra instructions like "no noodles", extra veggies, extra fat. I have so far had their rare beef pho and fatty flank pho-both are excellent. The broth is really good and I usually sit for an extra 10 minutes and finish off the broth. Great place.
(5)Stacy M.
Went here for the first time during my lunch break with a coworker. I ordered the seafood Pho as well as their Vietnamese coffee. Within a couple of minutes both items were in front of me. The Pho was large enough to have for lunch and bring leftovers home for dinner. It was delicious, minus the fact that the shrimp tasted a little bit 'off'. My coffee was strong, but oh so good! The only complaint that I have is that we were not offered napkins or checked on throughout the meal. Overall, I was a happy customer and will most likely be back to try it out again!
(4)Krystal J.
I took a chance here (literally) as I had never had Vietnamese food before going here. I didn't know what half the menu was and ended up pointing at something random. Luckily it was delicious. I wish I could remember what the dish was called, but if I can get good food by pointing at a picture I'm sure others can as well.
(4)Katalina M.
There is no doubt that their food is excellent. I have been impressed with both pho, sandwhich and noodle dishes. But the Thai iced tea is not so great, It's made from a bottle. I believe they actually home-make the pho broth with bone because we found a bone once in our soup....instead of other places that just add the ready-made flavour to the water. The service is actually terrible EXCEPT for the older gentleman whom I believe is one of the owners..He is very kind and very helpful and makes me want to return. For whatever reason the lady that works there has terrible service and sometimes leaves me standing there for no apparent reason as I'm waiting to be helped...weird! Anyways, excellent food, will return.
(4)Kory A.
Ok. This is my first review on Yelp. I'm in Seattle visiting family for the holiday and we all were craving PHO. I'm a PHO snob coming from LA and expectations are high and this is definitely not making my list of places. Service is horrible. They messed up our entire order, didn't get our drinks until later, served apps and one order of PHO before everyone else. I read a ton of reviews for PHO in this area and this surprisingly had one of the top votes. In my opinion I highly do not recommend it. I'm going to find a better place closer to Seattle to see what other options there are when I come back to WA.
(1)Diana C.
Nothing special, but decent Pho place close to work. They have the vermicelli bowls, rice plates, and banh mi so I guess the variations in the menu make up for the lack of the whoa factor. The prices are decent and the service/speed is okay.
(3)Lexie H.
Just went to Bamboo House for the first time and overall had a good experience. I ordered the Pho Ga and it was sitting in front of me in less than ten minutes. The broth was good, wasn't as rich in taste, but still very good. I would definitely recommend checking this place out.
(4)Danielle L.
I cannot say their service is great but their foods were the best. I love their spring rolls. The best roll that I've tasted. The source was delicious and the rolls were crispy. Their pho were also very good. We had seafood pho and pho with well-done brisket. I'd like to recommend the second one. It is good and has many pieces of brisket. Some review mentioned that the location is not right but I didn't have any problem with the location. When I wanna have a pho, I will go back this place again.
(5)Andrew F.
Good Pho, the location could be a bit better (kind of hidden from the road, but that's OK). There's nothing particularly special about this Pho, but I do come here frequently since it's close to where a friend of mine works and the soup is better than What The Pho? nearby (less salty).
(3)Queri J.
I've been here a couple of times for the Pho. It's not the best Pho broth I've had, but it still hits the spot. Today i ordered the Fresh Rolls. Again, this place is pretty good. It's not the gratest I've had, the rice wrapper seemed a little dry and they used mint instead of thai basil, but it was delish in comparrison to the other local places.
(3)Heidi P.
I really enjoyed my first time visit at Bamboo House!!! My boyfriend and I met up there for lunch and he had a large bowl of pho, and I the spring rolls. The spring rolls were some of the best I've ever had!! The thing that made them special was the bit of fried rice paper in the center, which gave the roll extra crunch. The pho was flavorful and came with the usual condiments. The inside of the place is also really nice and the staff was very friendly. Our food also arrived rather quickly. I'm really looking forward to trying their bahn mi on my next visit back. They have a lunch special of a bahn mi and a can of pop for $4.50!
(4)Alex M.
Best. Pho. Ever. I realize that saying that is throwing down a gauntlet of sorts in Washington, but serious. Best. Pho. Ever. It's a few $$ more than the average joint, but it's well worth it. Personal fav is the "Bamboo House Special" (bun). Delicious! Family run, consistently amazing quality and friendly service. Wide menu selection, and to go orders are always ready quick. If you work anywhere near Canyon Park, give these guys a try...and you're welcome in advance (you'll be thanking me after you try it!)
(5)Ryan L.
Pho could use more meat in it, but otherwise consistently good. I love to put a ton of Sriraccha in my broth, so you can take that with a grain of salt though. They have good spring rolls served with decent peanut sauce, and I almost always get them. I've only had one of their rice dishes. It was delicious, but when I come here it's for the pho. But after seeing some of the pictures posted here by other users I may have to try some of their other dishes. Their prices are reasonable, serving sizes are generous. I'm a big guy and I can get full with their regular (small) sized bowl. Food doesn't take very long, even with a lot of people there.
(4)Mark G.
The Pho is one of the best in the north end. I've had a good number of the other items on the menu and they are all great. The price is reasonable. The staff is always friendly.
(5)Joanne E.
My husband and I are regulars here - food is flavorful and always on point! We always have to have the tofu spring rolls and my husband is always happy with his pho. I think their prices are higher than your average pho place and I wish the floors and condiments were much cleaner - the only reason why this isn't 5 stars.
(4)NANCY H.
First of all, the food was really delicious! The skewers were very juicy and the noodles were nice and slippery. The 3 stars comes down to the prices and service. They are $1-$2 too high. You shouldn't pay $3.75 for iced tea unless you can afford it or you really want one. The day we went, the male server seemed like he was very irritated and didn't seem very welcoming. The women who did work there were totally opposite, though. I will have to stick to Pho Express and Specialties for my go-to Pho place in my area. I will probably visit this place again when I am a feeling slightly spendy or just order take-out. Good For: overpriced food, fresh drinks
(3)Joe S.
Bamboo House was a place I frequent often before moving out of state. I remember it to be petty good and it was convenient since it was close to work at the time. While visiting family for the holidays, I thought I would stop by for some pho. Everything is pretty much the same with the exception of a few things. They carpeted their floors, which I'm not a big fan of because I can only imagine how gross it must be over time with all the food and soup stain lingering down there. I don't understand why they did that when the previous stained concrete floor looked really nice and worked just fine. I order a bowl of pho and some spring rolls. The spring rolls must have gotten a little smaller and the noodles in the pho was a little softer then before. The flavor of the soup was a little bland this time around. But nothing a little bit of fish sauce, chilli pepper and hoisin sauce can't fix. The spring rolls and sauce was pretty good. I love the fried eggroll wrap they put in the spring rolls. I was hoping that the noodles would be a little harder and not so soft. And they do skimp on the meat. Unfortunately, I think the new owners may have taken the flavor and place down a notch. Easy fix though. Service was good but not the most attentive bunch. I can deal with that since I was preferring to be left alone while I was enjoying my lunch. Sometimes these mom and pop businesses don't have the best service not because they don't care, but it's just how it is. I expect it and so I am okay with it. Overall, I enjoyed it.
(4)Leah P.
Best PHO in Bothell. Never lets me down. The broth is amazing, the staff is friendly and the place is clean! Price is good too!
(5)Kelly L.
Thank god my co-worker brought me to this restaurant. I work in Bothell so there aren't many options around. If I had time, I'd come here at least twice a week. I've actually only ordered their pho so far but out of the 3 times that I have been here, it's been very good each time. I always get the Pho Dac Biet (you basically get everything - all types of beef, beef ball and tripe) but sometimes they skimp on the tripe. Service is very fast too.
(4)Morgan L.
I was stuck between one and two stars. I'm not saying I would NEVER come here again, but I can tell you it will be a last resort (as in What the pho across the street is closed and my Yelp iphone app was down to find another place thats close) I got Pho Ga to-go, they only offer it in large ($7.45). I CAN NOT stand how they package it to-go. First of all, the broth container was not a large, and the separate container of noodles, basil, bean sprouts, etc were lacking, they didn't even give me jalapenos. Another BUMMER was they mixed the sriracha and hoisin sauce together in a tiny container. Never have seen this before. So if you want it separate, make sure to ask! The broth it self tasted off, like it was over seasoned. I added the sriracha/hoisin sauce and it was spicy enough to mask the taste. The chicken was good, but overall was the worst pho I have had so far. I tried the chicken banh mi, and sigh. Another disappointment. The bread tasted like it was from Safeway, wasn't that "this is such good bread! where...how did they make this!?". Just tasted too much like I could of made it.... and I have no idea where I would start. They should vacuum their floors, correct spelling errors on their menu and work on their food. I was really hoping to love this place!
(2)Matt N.
I've been here several times on Sunday right after church. Of the Pho places in the area, this seems to be the best one. I enjoy their selection of Pho and also they have the sandwiches if your'e not in the mood for pho. They have 2 sizes for Pho, small and large, there's no medium. They have a lot of sauces to choose from when you get your pho. One of the downsides to eating here, is they don't have the little plates for mixing your sauces, Also if I remember correctly, they only give you 1/2 napkins per person, which helps them keep cost down, but for me who sweats a lot when eating spicy food or a hot bowl of pho, One of the downsides is that they charge an extra $.50 for credit cards if your purchase is under $10, but they give you a lollypop/ dum dum. I wil come back. I would rather go to Than Brothers, but it's not exactly the closest place to here, but stil a great place to go for pho. On a side note, they usually have a pixar or some animated movie on the TV like Wally, or Ice Age 2, which can be great for the kids.
(4)Calvin M.
The place is clean, the waitress was friendly, and the pho ($7.50) came in a huge bowl. But it wasn't that good. They didn't give a lot of meat and there were strips of fat in my bowl. It' suppose to be flank steak with meat and fat. But for some reason, the meat wasn't there. My friends didn't have the fat strips theres, so it looks like I'm the unlucky one. I also ordered the spring roll ($4). It was small and I don't like how they put a fried strip of noodle in there. My friends really liked it here. So if they want to come back, I'll tag along. Otherwise, I won't be coming back.
(2)April S.
Continuing my exploration of Bothell cuisine it was about time for me to search out a local place to get Pho. So I stopped into Bamboo House for lunch today to check it out. *Disclaimer: The very first Pho I ever had was at Than Bros on Broadway. This ends up being the standard I use when checking out new places to get Pho.* The place is clean and bright. They have two large TV's on the wall, one for adults with sports on and one for kids that was playing The Lion King. Neither TV had the sound on, so while I'm not a big fan of TV's in restaurants it wasn't a total deterrent. I was dining with my 6 year old daughter (Elfgirl who is also a Than Bros fan). We shared some summer rolls, she had the small pho with rib eye steak and a lemonade, and I had the large pho with rib eye/meatballs and a ice coffee with condensed milk. The summer rolls were delicious and the peanut sauce they came with was tasty too. Elfgirl also loved the summer rolls and exclaimed that they tasted great. They only have large and small sizes of pho, but the small was about the same size as a medium at Than Bros. The pho was good, not as rich of a broth as I've had before but tasty. Their was ample noodles and meat in our portions and we were both pleasantly full when done. The only real complaint was that the iced coffee wasn't very good. I think I just did not like the particular coffee that they are using. Though the lemonade my daughter had was nice and sweet (hard to find around here) and in the future I'd just get lemonade instead. The service was fast and the prices were decent. I'll still go to Than Bros more often than not, but Bamboo House is a good substitute for when I don't feel like driving to the next town for dinner.
(3)Melissa F.
Pretty decent and gets the job done for pho and other dishes. I give it an above average for pho in the area. :)
(4)Sabrina G.
I went to this place because of the reviews but let me tell you the server viet lady was rude from when we walked in. When she was taking our order i specifically asked her for a small rice dish #24 and told her if she had that that in kids portion and make sure it was not spicy since my 3 year old was going to eat it. She says "oh yeah (with an accent ) "sure sure".. okay so then our food comes out and tell me why she brought a huge plate #24 dish made extra spicy chicken on it and an extra children's pho (i never asked for) so i tell her that is not what i had asked for and she YELLS at me saying "you wanted a small childrens order so i brought pho!!" and gives me a grim and refused to take it back! Oh no! I was not going to have someone yell at me from her mistake so I explained to her that my daughter cannot have spicy and it wasn't her size meal plus we did not ask for children's pho.. She is furious then asks me to give it back! hellooo, that was some rude service!! and tell me why their servers all have a attitude problem. One can't even understand when the table next to me asked for just a cup of ice no water!!" he called on the other server to translate yet that ice took awhile to be delivered. Their food is 3 stars. Service is 0. Who knows what they put in their food in the back of the kitchen and how well they managed to wash their dishes with dirty hands!!! The place looks just okay, with painting the wall, hanging pictures any place will look okay. The truth is it's so dirty in their with dust never been wiped and let's not get to the worst part the bathroom..!! Do Not Eat Their
(1)SOYOUNG S.
Please be careful watch your step~!!!! very slippery floor~!!!!!! This was my first time visiting at the Bamboo House since its close by my house. First of all I tried to enter the store, the door was way too heavy and they even have sign say door is heavy. OK.. this is nice that they let me know door is heavy. I walked in to the store and I could tell floor is very slippery. I was trying to be careful but I fell so bad. I tried to stand up and it was very very slip er and fell again and hit my head to someone else's table. I finally make it to my table where my friend is... The Waiter or owner's son who ever that is walk up to me and said "THIS IS WHAT HAPPEN IF YOU WEAR HIGH HILLS!" This guy never asked me if I am OK. I was pretty mad at that point and asked him back if I am suppose to wear TENNIS SHOES when I visit your restaurant. He didn't say anything and walked away. I was waiting for someone to come ask me if I am OK. . No one seems like care. The owner asked if we want to order. I told them no we are leaving. She said "THAT'S FINE WITH ME" What kind of service is that? Even customers who were eating at the restaurant told me if I got hurt I should call health department or do something. I am going to spread this news to all over the place.. These people only care about making money~!!!!!!! Do not care about others. I had big bruise on my knee and had back pain. I almost thought about hire an attorney, but I will be the better person. Restaurant like that has to OUT OF BUSINESS ASAP~!!!!! Ladies.. If you are wearing heal please do not go there is you do not wants to get an embarrassment
(1)Rebecca L.
no. i will not go to bamboo house again. why? because their service. is. terrible. if it was thanh brothers terrible or even mcdonald's terrible (where it was expected to be non existent) then maybe i would have been more forgiving, but no. i expected a little bit of service. but their service is worse than mickey d's or thanh brothers. why do you ask? - it took them 15 minutes to take our order. if i was on a date, it would have been fine, but i was there on a 30 minute lunch break. - they did not serve me water when we sat down. - they took the wrong order and when i tried to let them know, they ignored me. then when i finally did tell them, they didn't change it and still charged me for what they gave me. - they scoffed at me when i asked for a to-go box because i didn't finish eating what they gave me. personally, i don't even know why i even paid. i should have just left. terrible. i think this was one of the worst dining experiences i've had in a while. i would rather go to what the pho. at least when i go there, i get what i ordered and be charged for it. not eat what i didn't want and be charged for that. ugh. **reply to Haison d** I understand that it is a family run business. But if you are that busy, why not hire more staff? If customer service is a main priority, then wouldn't it be prudent to have your business model expressive of that? I'm more than happy to go there again and check it out, but not if the lack of service is something that is consistent. (please see jojo's review). Let me know when you hire more people. until then, i have no reason to go.
(1)Mike K.
The pho is actually pretty good!!! The bamboo house special vermicelli bowl is really good and so are their bhan mi sandwiches!! I would recommend checking it out if you are in the area!
(4)Chrystal P.
When I first came here, I got my pho take out and it seemed really bland. After about a year, I returned many times, and found that to change. The pho and entrees are delicious. I strongly suggest the fresh spring rolls (they add mint leaves for a nice touch). The service has always been satisfactory, but the anorexic day waitress likes to do that Asian thing where they call you a fat-ass in subtle ways. The BMI disagrees. She was lucky I was always hungry on my lunch break, or I may have punched her.
(4)Mattias L.
This place was pretty good. The portions were a bit small and the broth was weak. Service was a bit slow for a Pho resturant. I always use chopsticks, so this didn't bother me, but silverware was just stuck in a holder in the middle of the table, not very sanitary. I had a medium bowl with rare steak and flank, and would say the size was comparable to a small size at other places. It tasted ok overall, but the broth was a bit on the weak side.
(3)Aaron W.
Being an Asian American, I grew up on all kinds of classic Asian fare. Pho being one of them. Bamboo House in Bothell is actually a pretty decent spot in a primarily white area away from Seattle. The cha gio is pretty good, although their sauce is awkwardly sticky, and their broth tastes pretty good. They also have ALL pho condiments right at your table (3 or 4 different hot sauces / chili pastes, etc). Torn between 3 and 4 stars, I went with 3 because it just doesn't live up to the pho I grew up on.
(3)Leah H.
I went to eat pho at this restaurant with my boyfriend and his uncle. We just finished finishing for salmon for about 3 hours and it was showering all day -- so, a hot bowl of pho was something we wanted for brunch. I am a big fan of pho and have not had any since I moved from southern california. The one I had in Eugene was such a disappointed that I was weary about eating pho here. My boyfriend's uncle ordered for us and whatever number it was... it was delicious. There were beef flanks, slices of beef and pork and the soup was flavorful! I ate everything and drank almost all of my soup. The next time I visit Bothell, I will be eating pho here again.
(4)Maricris F.
It got better this time. Know the owner and very prompt at my orders.
(4)Riss J.
My second visit I took a friend here for lunch, and I'm giving Bamboo House an upgrade to 4. If this trend continues, they will be a 5 by my 3rd visit. Taking on Quinn's "encouragement", I went for the #15. Flank, tripe, round steak, tendon and something fatty-or-other. I also dived into trying out differing levels of chili sauce, basil, sprouts and what not. The additional ingredients definitely added much more complexity to the pho than my first time. I still wasn't able to finish a small, and am looking forward to my leftovers later. The ladies working here are just ridiculously sweet. It was fun chatting them up while they also ate their lunch. My friend and I were the only patrons left, the lunch rush for this area being long over. They do read our reviews, and do have a love of yelpers. Yay for them! One more little star for my lunch company. When a Southern man who spent 8 years in Tokyo in the Navy doesn't mock you or even care you can't use chopsticks to save your life, ladies--he's a keeper. ;-) They are also now sporting 2 yelp loves us stickers...so I'm amending my theory...1 sticker can be the kiss of death to the land of complacency, but 2 stickers mean they are keeping up with the excellence.
(4)Russell S.
I had a great experience at Bamboo House the other night. Good Pho and reasonably priced for the large portions in the small bowl for 6.75. All of the ladies that waited on my wife and I were pleasant and funny! I will definitely return in the future! I agree with the other Yelper that if you sit by the door it does get drafty, but not the restaurants fault.
(5)Vince K.
I'm not a pho or Vietnamese food expert, but as a life-long eater of food, I was very happy with what we had, and saw others enjoying. Polite & fast service, delicious, fresh & memorable food, and frankly, cheap. As a Lacto Ovo Pescatarian, there were many non-meat options to choose from, and my wife & daughter had great steak pho and grilled pork items. Start with the rockin' tofu spring rolls. We'll be back!
(4)wheatberry s.
3.5 stars. Vietnamese food is quite tasty and Bamboo House does it right. I had a bun with char grilled chicken, and it all went down very happily. This time I decided not to add hoisin sauce. I added the orangish-sauce that customarily comes with the dish and thought my bun was flavorful enough. Bamboo House is clean and simply decorated. The owners are really nice and were able to recognize my friends who occasionally frequent this place. The owners very welcomely took and played with my friends baby while we enjoyed our meal. Bamboo House makes pretty good Vietnamese food, keeping in mind, we're in the 'burbs.
(4)Josephine L.
I've been meaning to post an updated review of this restaurant. At my husband's urging, I decided to give Bamboo House another chance after they changed owners. I ordered the pork vermicelli bowl. It was really good! It's the dish I'll always order now when I go there. The pho has also improved and owner is very nice. She remembers us and always know the usual my husband orders (he's a regular there). Tip: if you decide to try the vermicelli bowl, order some peanut sauce on the side and mix it in with the fish sauce that comes with it - it's so yummy!
(3)Michael C.
They have the best Tendon Pho I have ever had. The tendon is soft and the noodles are very good. Overall a great place to have lunch. The price is a bit high but very reasonable and the service is fast.
(4)Kat T.
Life's Short - Eat Pho! Bamboo House is easy to miss hidden behind the 7/11 in Canyon Park, but it really shouldn't be missed! If you like this popular Vietnamese soup go there NOW! Their pho is hot, huge and tasty. The broth is excellent. Not bland at all. The price is reasonable: Large $6.95 or Small $5.95. The space is warm and contemporary. They advertise family owned if that's your thing. I recommend the #5 Pho Tai, Bo Vien (Noodles soup with eye round steak and meat balls) add extra lime with your basil and bean sprouts. Mmmmmmmm... When having Pho in Bothell "What The Pho" used to be my favorite but Bamboo House just knocked them off the Gold Medal Podium.
(5)Robert N.
Butts in seats , turn and burn are two things that come to mind . As I enter the Bamboo the hostess/waiter shouts How many , One I say . She points at the table enter to door , oh great I think . The table is not clean she comes over I hope to clean said table , no she gives me menu that has has better days . She ask me something that I could not understand , SO I say what ? Then she is gone . She returns asking if I am ready to order , I say no and before I have time to ask my questions she is gone again . When she return I order a small beef pho with iced coffee and condescend milk . The beef pho shows up within seconds , the iced coffee show up 6 minutes later . Being in the F and B field one knows its drinks first the food people . The beef pho was good as was the iced coffee , I am still wired but the lack of clean table and the fact it just butts in seats place I doubt I will return .
(2)Meredith S.
Yummy! The food here is bomb. I ordered the veggie pho and some fresh spring rolls. So authentic and tasty!!!! Very clean and the wait staff is friendly. The service was a little slow, so I wouldn't try to go here for your lunch break unless you don't intend on going back to work.
(5)Giny M.
i believe they have changed owners. now it's just typical, ok pho. it's a lot dirtier and of course, the heat is barely on. before it was a nice family business. now, according to the chopstick wrapping, it's part of a crappy chain of two such places. what a shame.
(2)meghan m.
This place has been a weekly visit for me and my fiance for a few months now. The staff is friendly and the service is quick. The spring rolls are the best. EVER. I get the #12 and the broth is flavorful, not too salty and perfectly accented by the sprouts, basil and jalapeno. One night after a particularly bad pizza experience (waited for an hour....no delivery....thanks pizza hut!) we drove up to Bamboo House hoping they were open...it was just as they were closing. The owner, upon seeing us dejectedly staring in the window, waved us in and let us order. We figured we would just take it to go but she insisted it was okay that we stayed. We sat and enjoyed our food and watched a Vietnamese award show while she gabbed with some other late guests. We never felt rushed and left extremely satisfied and happy that our pizza never arrived. BAMBOO HOUSE TO THE RESCUE!
(5)Dena R.
Love, love, love this place. The shrimp rolls are my favorite, peanut sauce is excellent, very tasty, the Pho is also very good. The place is clean and pleasant and the staff is genuinely nice and friendly. It's family owned and much better than that overpriced disappointment with the clever name across the street... Glad to finally have a Vietnamese place in Bothell.
(5)Joy C.
I am thrilled that there is finally a Pho house near my house! I haven't been this excited since the Than Brothers Pho came up to Lynnwood. And while Than brothers will always be the best Pho in the state, the closeness of Bamboo House is tantalizing. If you want the best Pho, go to Than Brothers in Lynnwood. If you want Pho in Bothell, go to Bamboo House. It's family run, and what a great family they are. I don't find the broth bland - it's carefully crafted and subtlety perfumed. I've talked to the owner/chef who said that he's done much tinkering to get the broth just right compared to other Pho houses. AND the yummy sandwiches, which were on the menu, but then off the menu and not included in the new menu, but now available per a sign on the door, are BACK. It is the perfect blend of yummy grilled pork (chicken is available, but, uh, it makes no sense) herby cilantro, spicy jalapeno, cool cucumber, and tangy pickled, shredded diakon & carrot all wrapped up in a French roll. mmmmmmm. I'd go get one right now but the baby's sleeping and I'm on my own tonight. Dang it! I've only had one of the grill items, and it was full of flavor - I think it was the mixed grill. I prefer Bamboo house over What the Pho. Period.
(4)H. L.
The facility is very clean and new. I've now tried the Pho and Fried Rice. The Pho is great, however the Fried Rice was a little on the salty side. They facility has a great flat screen t.v. and they're usually showing some sports channel. The waitresses are very friendly, but the cooks who usually sit outside when it's slow have emotionless expression. So it makes you wonder where the love is in my food.
(4)Chris K.
My wife and I ate here with some friends last night because we heard it was a good spot given we're pretty big fans of Pho. It started off on the right path with staff quickly setting up some baby high chairs and making us feel at comfortable. Lighting was good. Place was clean, had a decent ambience. Pho quality was above average and tasty. However, once our bowls of Pho arrived, it took a very dramatic turn for the worse. the WAIT STAFF WAS NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN. Multiple times I had to hold my hand up to get the staff's attention. The kicker - We decided we wanted thai iced coffees with milk after our dinner. Ten minutes later they show up in low quality styrofoam "to-go" cups. I take the lid off to find the entire cup packed with ice, with only about 25% of the cup actually filled with coffee. When we ask what the problem is, instead of trying to correct the issue the woman tells us "thats way it supposed to be". Really, and we're charged $2.50 for it? Top it off it tastes like I'm drinking some SAE 5W-30 motor oil.Won't be passing through here agian.
(1)Keiko W.
Holy Sweet God of Pho! Someone FINALLY put a phoking Pho Restaurant in Bothell. No more driving to Woodinville or Lynnwood to get my hot noodle fix. Until "What the Pho?" came to be a month ago, I could honestly say that the Bamboo House was the best Pho in Bothell. Still, I would say that its the best value around. The prices are right, the soup is hot, and the place is spotless. My big complaint is that the broth is BLAND. Still, beggars can't be choosers. As for the rest of their menu items, the grilled dishes are pretty good (a bit greasy), but everything else is unbelievably fresh and green.
(3)Peter L.
After three years of craving pho in Bothell the night after a weeknight out, there are now two pho places in Bothell. Bamboo House hits the spot in many ways. The pho is decent, but as Keiko W mentions, a bit on the bland side. Some of the grilled dishes, as well as the egg rolls are a little greasy. But one nice plus is the cream puff with the meal.
(3)Pma e.
all i got is one word. "aight" i've had better but for bothell there arent many options so beggers can be choosers. especially if you want pho for lunch during work. service is alright. when they get busy, they need to be more organized. they forget to give water or even refill. they forget to take people's orders in the order that they came in and don't clean the tables right away so others can sit at the table when there's a long line waiting. if they want to keep up their business...get organized when you're busy otherwise people will stop eatting there b/c of frustration.
(3)Michael M.
I'd have to say this is the best Vietnamese restaurant in the area. The food and the service are both very good. My favorite item here so far is the Bun Chay, which I highly recommend, It's number 37 in the vegetarian section of the menu. The sauce on the tofu is especially good, I'd recommend getting it with natural tofu. As far as drinks go, I'd recommend the coconut juice, it seems to go great with any of the items on the menu. The coconut juice isn't too sweet, but it isn't almost flavorless either, which is great. Anyway, be sure to check this place out, it's great, and I hope you enjoy it.
(5)W S.
Service: Normal for Vietnamese food... Poor. ambiance: Normal for Vietnamese restaurant... Poor. Oh and the front door is both heavy and has a vacuum seal, no I'm not joking. I can bench press about 200 ibs easy and it regularly takes 2 tries to open the door. Food: Excellent, love the food, especially the fresh rolls and Pho but they have so much more great stuff. I really only care about the food so for me it's 4 stars.
(4)D E.
Love #20, I've had that one a couple of times now. My husband is a fan of #5. The seafood soup, however, I will never get again. The shrimp are not deveined. Shrimp is not that hard to clean. There were only four, but each one had a fat black intestine hanging out of it. Gross. We have only ever done takeout - the service for that is fine. We'll go back, just not for #19. Nasty. They seem to have an A-team & a B-team. A is on their game.. B doesn't know that you paid for your order five minutes ago, and seriously messes up. We ended up with one container of just broth because they had placed all the meat from both our orders in one container.
(4)Merrilee O.
My "first time" with pho happened here. I'm a newbie. So, I don't have much to compare this place against quite yet, but I have to say it was far better than I was expecting! The broth was deliciously flavorful, and I loved all of the fresh ingredients I could add to my bowl. I played it safe and asked for the same dish as my fiance, but was very happy with the skirt steak he chose. Overall, a very tasty bowl of pho! The only problem I had with the place was the service... it seemed like our order took forever when other customers were getting theirs more quickly... and there weren't even very many people in there! For being so vocal about being a family owned business - something I consider important - I feel like they could take far greater pride in their excellent food. Regardless, I am eagerly anticipating a return visit. I wish it wasn't all the way up in Canyon Park, but it's worth it!
(4)Kristen G.
I am never let down when I order 37 bun chay, vegetarian and sooo goood! My husband loves the large steak and flank. We both enjoy dining in the restaurant and drinking a hot coffee. Service is fast and very friendly, feels like you are a valued guest.
(5)Anthony C.
coming from san jose, ca which has the largest vietnamese population outside of vietnam and has probably the largest amount of PHO restaurants in the country, i have to say bamboo house sticks out. the Broth is tastee, as expected you can spice it up with chili sauce or hirachi. the veggies are always fresh and the price is perfect. the wait staff is very friendly and family run and do recognize their repeat business and the friendliness shows. at this time i have been there at least a dozen times and have never walked away disappointed, only fat and full. i have tried a curry dish that was pretty good, very flavorful and reheated well. their spring rolls are refreshing and yummy. a suggestion to new PHO enthusiasts is to have their chicken soup and add some basil leaves to it, you will really enjoy the flavor it brings to your taste buds and enjoy the cuisine you have just been introduced to. well worth your time on those pissy cold PNW winters. if you are planning a late night out and have it in mind, go get a bowl of PHO to go and stick in your fridge and when you get in from your drunken wanderings make sure to eat your noodles before you pass out as it will cure the hangover from ever happening :)
(4)John R.
I like this restaurant. Its very clean and comfortable and the staff is always friendly. The pho is very good as well as the spring rolls.
(4)Rich C.
The pho broth is not as tasty compared to pho from the SF Bay Area or in Socal, but not too bad overall.
(3)Rob S.
Decent soup, that's bout it
(3)Elin D.
Love this place. It's nothing fancy but you can tell everything is made from scratch and that their broth doesn't come from a can.
(4)Lorna D.
Just tried the fresh summer spring rolls with pork, shrimp, bean sprouts, cilantro, basil, carrots and vermicelli noodles wrapped in a thin rice wrapper and accompanied with a peanut sauce. It was delicious. All of the ingredients were fresh and there was even a crunchy surprise in the middle. The basil was absolutely LOVELY!! I could taste it through and through. I could taste everything completely separately in one bite and yet enjoy all of the different textures in my mouth.. Crunchy, smooth, chewy... MMMM!! Only drawback is that I needed to add fish sauce b/c I felt it was missing ang the rolls weren't wrapped at the end so the noodles were hanging out. This appetizer was only $3.95 and it served plenty. They serve 2 long rolls and cut it into 4 pieces or 4 halves. But those halves could equal 2 pieces served in Seattle Vietnamese restaurants. So the best part is the portioin served for the amount of money spent!!! I love this place!!!
(4)Dietmar S.
When Bamboo House opened roughly 9 months ago if felt as a tremendous relief. When you have worked in an area for many years and know all the places inside out you are craving for anything new. Of course, it helps that I like Vietnamese food. The Pho is delicious but I am particularly fond of the curry noodles. The interior is tasteful and the service friendly and good. My only beef is that the price is rather high for a lunch place. I rarely end up paying less than $10 (prior to tipping).
(4)N W.
The only reason why I'm giving four stars is because I've only been two five different pho restaurants. Though this is my favorite place, I'm leaving wiggle room for what is possibly yet to come in my quest for the pièce de résistance of pho. That said, this place is utterly fantastic. Mind you, my husband and I only order the pho, so my review pertains to strictly pho. The broth is what makes this pho so incredible. There's no need for oyster sauce or hoisin sauce. As I'm nearing 50 and of the female persuasion, I like to stay away from salt-heavy foods. I'm more than familiar with morning salt bloat. There's a terribly delicious pho establishment in Kirkland, but the morning after salt-bloat is a nasty drawback. I have a hard time not finishing my entire bowl of meat, veggies, and broth. I've not experienced salt bloat from eating pho at Bamboo House - a definite plus for this middle-aged pho fanatic. I get takeout from Bamboo house all the time, and when I call in to place my order they know who I am, which is nice. The staff is incredibly friendly and helpful. I often pick up my order and note a packed house inside - good sign definitely. Back to the actual food. The broth is clean and flavorful. The meat and veggies are fresh. The noodles are perfect. It's hard to describe but the noodles have the right texture and are cooked perfectly. My husband loves Bamboo House, too. There's nothing better than a husband who asks me around 4 p.m. in the afternoon if I want to get pho for dinner. I know where I'll be headed for pickup - Bamboo House, definitely!
(4)Tj W.
Best place for pho for the canyon park area. + for food tasty and offer variety - not the most friendly service + for prices great value - does not take discover card + offer take outs - no customer service...as they don't care about you. Wish they would smile more. Yes, I will go back, yes I will bring my friends...again.
(4)Dee C.
I come from a very Asian area and am Asian myself. I grew up eating Vietnamese food (especially pho). Where I'm from, you can get away with awful service if your food is good. Unfortunately, at Bamboo House, neither the food nor the service is any good. The staff treats you like you're an annoyance and when the food comes out, it might look great, but most of it is mediocre. I loaded up my pho with every meat they had because I love a nice beefy flavor. Despite my order, the soup was thin and terribly bland. It was so bland that even after adding lime juice and other condiments to the soup, it still wasn't passable. Their Thai iced tea, much like their pho, is a thin version of what a proper Thai iced tea should be. They try to mask their lack of tea flavor with condensed milk, but then you just get watery condensed milk. We were so unsatisfied with our food that we went next door to Aca Las Tortas to get some tacos afterward. There are so many other options for good food in this area. Please don't waste your time here unless you like to be treated like a second-class citizen and eating a tasteless semblance of Vietnamese food.
(1)Jenn G.
The food here is great ! The service is good depending on who is serving you. We have been going here for a couple years now and we've never had any problems with customer service ... Until now. Recently a new girl started working here . Her customer service SUCKS. She's the one with blue highlights or whatever in her hair. She doesn't say hi or greet you when you come in and sit down . She doesn't ask if we're ready to order , she just stands there by our table. She doesn't say thank you. So has the "i don't want to be here" attitude . 5 stars for the food 1 star for the girl with blue highlights
(1)Eddie M.
Practically hidden from view at a very busy intersection (Hwy 527 and 228th St. SE), this is a locals joint run by a hard-working family. The clean and spacious interior seats about 50 and caters to a diverse clientele of neighborhood families, construction workers, and weekend hackers. There's plenty of parking, even on weekends. The menu hosts 56 items, including 18 versions of pho (which is why you dine at a place such as this). There is no "pho dac biet" or special pho; however, item #17 with its cuts of brisket, flank, tendon, tripe, and fatty flank (practically all rubbery fat) is basically synonymous with other's so-called "special." There are two sizes of bowls-- $8.65 for the guys and $7.65 for the gals. Your bowl will be accompanied by a sparse serving of sprouts and one thin branch of fresh basil. Condiments include the standard (Sriracha and hoisin sauces) along with a mini-jar of chili pepper oil (aka sate sauce) as well as a salt-crusted fermented fish sauce dispenser. What's missing is the garlic chili sauce that everyone else seems to offer, and is considered more complex than basic Sriracha. Service is quick but the presented bowl begins with a thin, light-colored soup base. This is good for those on a salt-restricted diet but pho-philes label this a deficiency. My bowl had three blobs of pure rubbery cuts of fat that I removed for longevity purposes. The noodles were not stuck to the bowl in a coagulated lump like at other places. The brisket was adequate in both quantity and quality. Some places have that not-made-for-review vibe and this is one of them. Obscure location. Hard working family. Clean dining spot. Food made to satisfy a hunger, not to go wow! over. More of a classic eat-it-and-beat-it diner, which isn't a bad thing at all.
(3)Christine Y.
I popped in with a friend the other day for a light lunch. I've been going on and off over the years since it's near the yoga studio I frequent but most of the time I order pho. And maybe because there's been changes in management? Or just different chefs in the kitchen? Sometimes it's perfect (the broth not too oily, not too sweet), other times meh. I ordered a grilled pork bun (vermicelli noodle bowl) this time around. Let me tell you, it was a piece of art. Everything was so fresh, the colors vibrant, urging me to dig in! And it was delicious. Grilled meat can end up dry and tough but theirs was actually moist and flavorful. I really enjoyed it. Service is strange and leaves something to be desired. The middle aged woman who took our order and rang us up could care less about our satisfaction. When I asked for a box it had these massive holes cut out of the corners of the lid. Okay.. On the flip side, the gentleman who carried food out to our table was full of smiles, good vibes, and good intentions. There you have it. Go for the food, not for the service or ambience.
(4)Adam L.
First time here, had the small #15 (everything)pho...broth was great but I think they must use allot of msg, my arm always starts tingling when msg is used portion was decent and service was average for Vietnamese joints...not friendly but they got my food to me quickly... I would go back if in the area but I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here
(4)Ariel Z.
Your basic pho place. They also offer a bunch of other Vietnamese dishes, but I'll be honest and say that I've only ever come for the pho. I like the veggie version (which for some reason only comes in the largest size), which has lots of crunchy veggies and tofu. My husband's been happy with whatever meat pho option he's ordered. I got a pretty tasty bubble tea here once, as well. They don't have a whole lot of flavors, but it was blended well and the tapioca wasn't overly chewy.
(3)Lindsey M.
Ok- while I do not consider myself a Pho expert, I know what tastes good and what doesn't. I have been craving Pho and decided to come here because of its proximity to my house. I got take out but while I was waiting, I was noticing jalapeño pieces on the floor along with gross stains, a tad off putting. The Pho was just ok, it didn't have anything special about it. I also ordered the shrimp fresh rolls and they didn't taste good. They had an off taste to them and since it was shrimp in there, I stopped eating it and wouldn't finish it. Don't need to come back here, even if it is close to where I live.
(2)Nick C.
Eating here is your typical pho experience: Order - Food comes in 2 mins - Splurge Sriracha and hoisin sauce - Eat - Ask if they accept American Express - Pay with Visa card - Bounce - Come back in a week. Just like how Buddha intended pho to be. I'll be back.
(4)Jillian F.
Broth: good! Rare sliced beef: generous portion Fresh rolls: PERFECTION with a crunchy surprise Price: great! Atmosphere: I don't care the food is just so good
(5)Anthony B.
Vietnamese food is some of the best cuisine in existence, and this is a great example in the Bothell area. 7 of us came in for a Friday lunch break and they were so accommodating and friendly. The service was great and funny, but don't forget you need to pay at the counter! I had egg rolls and Banh Mi. The egg rolls were great, stuffed with tons of pork and fried perfectly crisp. The Banh Mi filling was fantastic. Large pieces of grilled pork covered in sweet mayo and fresh veggies (no skimping on jalapenos either). The bread was a bit soft for my taste, only because they don't toast them here. They vermicelli bowls were fresh and filling! Their fish sauce was really nice and not overly pungent. We unanimously agreed to add this to our lunch rotation.
(4)Christina H.
I have been coming to this place for Pho for 4+ years, still good. Service is prompt and friendly, food is good. If you don't want to drive far from Bothell/Canyon Park area, this is a solid joint for Pho/Fresh roll/Bhan Mi.
(4)Rachel J.
The pho here is great. The broth was very flavorful, all the ingredients were fresh and delicious, everything I expect for pho. The restaurant was clean and the decor was nice. we will definitely return and try more of the menu.
(5)Thomas H.
Food is fine, but service is really really bad and rude. The owner and two lady waitress are worst.. I recommend to go other places to eat Pho. Seriously.
(1)Adrian A.
I have been here many times, but I don't usually sit down for food and I will explain this later. Food quality is generally great and consistent. Their rice dishes have pretty decent portions, and the grilled pork is actually really good. However the service is usually bad/below par. This is the primary reason why I order to go instead. However after tonight, I have decided not to go here anymore. After finish our meal, we went up to the cashier to pay separately, my friend who isn't that familiar with Vietnamese cuisine forgot what he had ordered, so he asked the lady politely. But instead of replying nicely, she gave my friend a weird look and gesture then continue without saying another word. And yup, we r not going there anymore
(1)Jamie R.
I'm a phonatic... Pho fanatic, get it? Haha. Anyway, yes I love pho, I eat it once, twice sometimes more per week. Not all pho is created equal, most is edible but some def better than others. Bamboo House is close to my work so we go a lot at lunch, it's not my favorite pho but it's decent. I find it pricier than most, and they skimp on the meat. The broth is good, not spectacular. I almost always get the number 4 which is the rare rib eye and brisket. The fresh rolls are tasty, and have a crunchy spring roll strip in the middle that I like. Bottom line, I'll go for lunch at work but I wouldn't go out of my way or make a special trip to go.
(3)Zach M.
My go-to spot for Pho in Bothell! I judge a Pho place on three factors: the flavor of the broth, the portion of meat and noodles, and the quality of their Banh Mi. Bamboo house excels in all these regards. The family that owns this place is always very pleasant. They'll always greet you with a smile, and thank you on your way out. The service is always quick! My food comes out fast when I dine-in, and is always hot and ready when I pick-up.
(4)N J S.
The drop in stars is for the customer service. I know they close at 9pm, and it was almost 8:30pm when my hubby was craving for noodles. I didn't go since my daughter was feeling ill, but he went with my MIL and they got there in about 10 min since this place is close to where we live. Basically, as soon as they walked in the owner or whomever had told him that they have 15 min to order and eat, which was really rude of her to say so since we've came here a few times...had good service and food. I understand the staff would love to stop working/ cooking/ serving/ cleaning and go home, but if you don't open until 9pm, then change your hours... but this is a restaurant, and customer service aside from serving good food should be just as much of a priority. My family had a restaurant, however when customers come in 15 or 10 minutes to our actual closing time, my mom would still cook for them.... at times, the customers would ask if they can eat inside, and for us, as tired as we were, we told them to go ahead. Anyways due to the rush for my husband and MIL to eat and leave...when he got home, he realized he forgot his phone and glasses...he had to rush back after their closing time. Surprised he didn't get yelled at for having them to unlock their doors.
(3)Tom B.
A rock-solid pho place just off 405 in Bothell. Nothing wrong with it at all. Plenty of parking, though it's tucked back a bit from the road. Nice inside--clearly designer colors on the walls, with tablecloths under glass on every table. Big flat screen on the back wall. The service definitely favors the regulars here; if you walk in and they don't recognize you, they can hardly wait to process you and be done with it. They're nice to the locals, though, especially the older mom types. I suppose they like their regulars and that's alright. The food comes out quickly and they do a nice job. Good broth and solid fresh ingredients. No lime among the condiments, which is a little weird, but alright. I would come back if I were in the area, but you'll almost certainly drive by a better pho place to get here from almost anywhere, so it's not really worth the trip. I'd come in pretty often if I lived nearby, but it sounds like there's probably better pho nearby too.
(3)Ann W.
Not sure what happened to the pho but it's definitely not very good anymore. We used to love it here but they must have changed the broth somehow. Too bad we have to drive further for better pho. Hope they fix the problem.
(3)Muujguu U.
Love the food. But they could work on their customer service a bit. They are a little unenthusiastic and sort of mean. And maybe since you are running a business you could clean the floors and the tables a little more. Its sort of dirty. But thanks for the great food.
(4)Carol T.
Service is pretty bad here but the portions are giant! There is quality springrolls but a bit too tight compared to other places. The lack of vietnamese people around makes me question if this place is legitimate or not. Their Pho isnt really that hot. Overall the experience was fair.
(3)Alie L.
I love the pho. Could live on the pho. Very reasonable price too considering how full you get! Yes the atmosphere is almost non-existant because the tables are crammed up together and if it's lunchtime, it feels like the person next to you could easily listen in on your conversation if they wanted to. And their front door. Will you PLEASE fix your door so it doesn't feel like you're wrestling with Thor every time you need to go in?? Thank you :)
(5)H. J.
Not impressed with their pho. The flavor of the broth was ok, but the round was tough and the brisket was very fatty and grisly
(3)Andrea S.
Have been here two times in the last month, and have to say that it's a solid place! First time, just had the fresh rolls and pork banh mi. I was hungry, it was cheap and delicious-- just like banh mi should be. Nothing life changing, but it's the little things that make it solid (i.e. fresh bread that's slightly crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside). Second time, I had the fried egg rolls and beef stew (bo kho). OMG I had never had Vietnamese beef stew before, and it's changed my life. It's saltier and spicier than regular pho, and had huge chunks of beef. There was a little more fat than I would have preferred, but I overlooked that cause the broth was so good while I dunked my French bread repeatedly until it was sadly gone :( The ambiance is probably on the same level as Pho Than Bros.. but I come here for the food and the place I fell in love with Bo Kho.
(4)Jin L.
It's convenience right off the 405 exit and Bothell Everett Hwy makes it worth stopping by when you have a craving pho. The soup is really good, the meat is fresh and tender and the noodles are firm. I'm not a fan of the sweet and sour sauce that they provide with the egg roles. The traditional chili and fish sauce style dipping sauce that most pho restuarants offer tastes better.
(3)Adil Y.
First time here, looking for Vietnamese food in the neighborhood. You really have to want to get in, the door requires lots of force to open. Asked about it the boss explained that the kitchen hood creates a vacuum. To me it means there is no adequate fresh air vent in the building. Floor is nasty at 7pm with no patrons in view and one employee sitting at a table playing with an iPad while wearing sanitary gloves, instead of taking a vacuum to good use. I wonder why? I partly blame it on Washington's lax sanitation code enforcement. Orders arrive fast. Spring rolls are fresh and tasty with generous amount of peanut sauce, plates are clean, presentation is ok. Lemongrass tofu is delicious, temperature is hot. Egg rolls pass the muster. Sandwich bread is fresh and the sandwiches taste very good. Never really had a bad sandwich before. Overall I would say the food is worth coming again with a long term expectation that issue will be addressed.
(4)H L.
Due to location and distance, this is our default go-to place for pho and other Vietnamese food. Overall, the food is good, but could be improved in a few areas. The pho is decent; not great, but also not terrible. The pho broth is well cooked and consistently flavorful, the noodles are plentiful, however the meat, which I find is very fatty/rubbery, could be improved. The other dishes I've tried, for the most part, is also pretty good.. The staple Vietnamese fish sauce they have is very flavorful and I consider it better than average. The owners are always friendly and welcoming, which is definitely a plus. Overall, I absolutely recommend this place for those that are local, but I wouldn't go out of my way and drive a long distance for it.
(3)Kierra M.
I live close here but I just stop going there due to their service is so freaking slow. If you want water, you literally have to ask it or make sure they get your attention. Food is ok. On weekends, dining can be so noisy so it's good for pick up, not a sitdown.
(3)Ilya P.
The service: relatively quick. Atmosphere: tiny, family style restaurant. Food: Serves the general Vietnamese fare, pho, noodle bowls, spring rolls, etc. The Pho is better than other places, you can really smell the cloves and spices in the soup. Don't sit by the door, as it gets rather drafty.
(5)Michael R.
I cannot say enough great words about this place. Most authentic Pho I have ever been to in the States, and I travel all over the U.S. for work. My ten year old son cannot get enough of this place and would eat it daily if we allowed it. Every menu item is excellent and the prices are fantastic!!!
(5)Brittany L.
I may be a snob about a few things like espresso, sushi, and pizza, but I am no pho snob. Not even in the slightest. I can't tell you the difference between an excellent broth and a mediocre broth (which seems to be the most important factor of pho) I just know that when I have it, I like it. The minute the bowl of pho is placed in front of me I start loading it with sauces and fixings that I usually like, so that might be why I never know the difference between good and sub-par pho. I do know that the minute my bowl at Bamboo House was set in front of me, the smell of the broth was different than the average smell of pho -- in a good way. It had the normal aromas but a touch more spicy, and a little more buttery. It was absolutely freezing outside so I was pleased that the broth was also piping hot when it arrived. Between the hot broth and the sriracha, I was thoroughly warmed. The service was friendly and fast, and judging by how the owner seemed to know most people coming through, Bamboo House has built up a strong amount of regulars. The only bummer was that there could have been more noodles and meat. When I was done, over half the bowl was still full of broth. I've also been here in the past and have had their sandwiches which were decent and their bun which was pretty good, too. For being in this area which very limited options, you can't beat it.
(4)Diane S.
Been coming here for 8 years. Love the family owned business. Great food and people. They play kids shows on the TV which we also love.
(5)Laura P.
I was very impressed with this establishment. It has a nice and welcoming environment with great decor. I ordered take out - but it is a place where I'd feel comfortable sitting down at and eating in. It's not like most Pho joints i've been to where the windows are steamy and it's hot and muggy inside. I was pleasantly surprised!! Onto the most important thing : the food. SO good! I ordered the chicken Bahn Mi sandwich which was pretty delicious, but the Pho was where it got me. The meat was cooked to perfection, and the broth was so yummy and flavorful. It came with all the fixings, jalapenos, sprouts, mint, onions and plum sauce. Pho is one of my favorites and I know I will be frequenting this spot on the reg! Hooray!
(5)Wesley W.
Flavorful broth, fresh tasting ingredients, and fast service. Bamboo place does nearly everything right. However, the reason it only gets 3 stars is the price. It only offers two sizes of pho, small and large. Their large is close to around 9 dollars, and when you consider the fact that most pho places offer their extra large for $1-2 less, you're not getting the best value for your money. Also, they don't provide you with creme puffs. This isn't a make or break issue, but when you've got other pho options, I don't see much of a reason to pick Bamboo House over its competitors.
(3)kc b.
Probably my favorite pho place in Bothell. I've tried almost all of the different pho and they are all good. I particularly like to eat the vegetarian pho because it is loaded with tons of veggies! It is clean and never too crowded. The prices are about average but the food is tasty. This place holds a special place in my heart because I realized the owners knew my relatives. The service is pretty fast and the food has been consistently good. Just wish the prices were cheaper or had some deals. You go up to the cash register to pay. Note: Door is really hard to push open.
(4)William B.
Been visiting bamboo house for several years now - the decor has settled down, tastefully painted, asian themed artwork, big screen TVs on two sides. The owner knows me well enough now that I just wave and smile and soon the incredible Gai Cuon (shrimp spring rolls) appear with the wonderful bamboo house peanut sauce. I have to rate the Gai Cuon as the best available - a deep fried crunch stick fills the middle which adds a wonderful texture, no other place on the east side takes the trouble to do this. I always get #16 small, beef pho with most of the exotics - tendon, tripe, etc. Noodles always cooked perfectly, but occasionaly the broth misses (for me) and once in a while they forget to add the tripe (I really like the texture of this too). Ample condiments available, and an abundance of thai basil, bean sprouts and a lime wedge accompany each as well. I wish they would offer an add-on of 1 spring roll for us single diners :) A full serving is too much for one, but I love it so always get it. For some reason they dispense the paper napkins one at a time (instead of having it on the table), and they forget to bring them occasionally - annoying to have to ask for one. Bamboo House is the best Pho in Bothell (yes better than that 'other' place kitty corner from it), and better than the two places in Woodinville, so if you're looking for good Pho go here, and GET the Gai Cuon.
(4)Tim H.
4 stars for Pho?!?!?!?!? Must be pretty awesome stuff! ...and it is... Fish Sauce that is like crack... It makes my teeth ache in a good way because it is so sweet and delicious.... MMMMM.... But I get the Pork, Egg Roles and delicious vermicelli bowl--- and HOLY SHIT is it the best thing you can buy--- harkens me back to that trip to Vietnam... except the fish sauce in Nam, it tastes like fish cakes that have been baking outdoors for months-- salty and fishy deliciousness-- which this isn't-- but hey, this is 'Merica! I try to make the guy at the front counter with all the tattoos smile at me... He is all business class. Try this place and find your zen.
(4)Ricky A.
My pho was great. Funny staff, solid atmosphere. Good little spot to get some Thai/Asian fusion type stuff. I would recommend it to anyone.
(4)Jennifer W.
I went here last night with my husband, we enjoyed our Pho, and had some rolls as well. Our rolls were slightly cold on the inside still (they are frozen before they heat them up), but it was busy last night and we were starving, and so went with it and ate them still without complaint. I live five minutes away and I was having a hankering for another Pho this afternoon, so I decided to go alone just an hour ago and get some Pho. I also ordered a Thai iced tea. It's my favorite drink in the whole world. Somehow, this one just didn't taste right, after 2 sips I asked if I could return it, that I was very sorry but it just didn't seem right and I didn't like it. The girls told me they had to ask the manager, went behind the scenes, and came back saying that the Manager said "no." I'm sorry, but I wasn't willing to drink something that tasted off, something that I wouldn't enjoy (and perhaps something was wrong with it?). A little peeved, I decided to take my Pho with me, so I didn't have to eat it at the restaurant, leaving my hardly-drunk mystery drink on the table. I feel that it's terrible business practice to insist that a customer pay for a drink they don't like or fear is "off." For the $3.50+ tax they insisted on charging me, they lost at least $200 of business, my family would have gone there at least once a month, but not anymore!
(1)Christian H.
Excellent pho! Their bun chay is also amazing and the fish sauce is lovely. They are good with extra instructions like "no noodles", extra veggies, extra fat. I have so far had their rare beef pho and fatty flank pho-both are excellent. The broth is really good and I usually sit for an extra 10 minutes and finish off the broth. Great place.
(5)Stacy M.
Went here for the first time during my lunch break with a coworker. I ordered the seafood Pho as well as their Vietnamese coffee. Within a couple of minutes both items were in front of me. The Pho was large enough to have for lunch and bring leftovers home for dinner. It was delicious, minus the fact that the shrimp tasted a little bit 'off'. My coffee was strong, but oh so good! The only complaint that I have is that we were not offered napkins or checked on throughout the meal. Overall, I was a happy customer and will most likely be back to try it out again!
(4)Krystal J.
I took a chance here (literally) as I had never had Vietnamese food before going here. I didn't know what half the menu was and ended up pointing at something random. Luckily it was delicious. I wish I could remember what the dish was called, but if I can get good food by pointing at a picture I'm sure others can as well.
(4)Katalina M.
There is no doubt that their food is excellent. I have been impressed with both pho, sandwhich and noodle dishes. But the Thai iced tea is not so great, It's made from a bottle. I believe they actually home-make the pho broth with bone because we found a bone once in our soup....instead of other places that just add the ready-made flavour to the water. The service is actually terrible EXCEPT for the older gentleman whom I believe is one of the owners..He is very kind and very helpful and makes me want to return. For whatever reason the lady that works there has terrible service and sometimes leaves me standing there for no apparent reason as I'm waiting to be helped...weird! Anyways, excellent food, will return.
(4)Kory A.
Ok. This is my first review on Yelp. I'm in Seattle visiting family for the holiday and we all were craving PHO. I'm a PHO snob coming from LA and expectations are high and this is definitely not making my list of places. Service is horrible. They messed up our entire order, didn't get our drinks until later, served apps and one order of PHO before everyone else. I read a ton of reviews for PHO in this area and this surprisingly had one of the top votes. In my opinion I highly do not recommend it. I'm going to find a better place closer to Seattle to see what other options there are when I come back to WA.
(1)Diana C.
Nothing special, but decent Pho place close to work. They have the vermicelli bowls, rice plates, and banh mi so I guess the variations in the menu make up for the lack of the whoa factor. The prices are decent and the service/speed is okay.
(3)Lexie H.
Just went to Bamboo House for the first time and overall had a good experience. I ordered the Pho Ga and it was sitting in front of me in less than ten minutes. The broth was good, wasn't as rich in taste, but still very good. I would definitely recommend checking this place out.
(4)Danielle L.
I cannot say their service is great but their foods were the best. I love their spring rolls. The best roll that I've tasted. The source was delicious and the rolls were crispy. Their pho were also very good. We had seafood pho and pho with well-done brisket. I'd like to recommend the second one. It is good and has many pieces of brisket. Some review mentioned that the location is not right but I didn't have any problem with the location. When I wanna have a pho, I will go back this place again.
(5)Andrew F.
Good Pho, the location could be a bit better (kind of hidden from the road, but that's OK). There's nothing particularly special about this Pho, but I do come here frequently since it's close to where a friend of mine works and the soup is better than What The Pho? nearby (less salty).
(3)Queri J.
I've been here a couple of times for the Pho. It's not the best Pho broth I've had, but it still hits the spot. Today i ordered the Fresh Rolls. Again, this place is pretty good. It's not the gratest I've had, the rice wrapper seemed a little dry and they used mint instead of thai basil, but it was delish in comparrison to the other local places.
(3)Joyce L.
I visit Bothell every winter and ate at Bamboo House for the past 3 years. I just visited today and the lady waitress (probably owner) couldn't provide decent service. She couldn't even bring napkins or enough bean spouts/basil plate for pho for 6 of us. She only brought one plate. I did noticed that the lady waitress was nicer to her regular customers which I can understand. Also, I don't think the lady waitress can handle stress or lunch hour rush. Pho is okay. It's nothing to die for. I say go to What the Pho for better service and food.
(2)Heidi P.
I really enjoyed my first time visit at Bamboo House!!! My boyfriend and I met up there for lunch and he had a large bowl of pho, and I the spring rolls. The spring rolls were some of the best I've ever had!! The thing that made them special was the bit of fried rice paper in the center, which gave the roll extra crunch. The pho was flavorful and came with the usual condiments. The inside of the place is also really nice and the staff was very friendly. Our food also arrived rather quickly. I'm really looking forward to trying their bahn mi on my next visit back. They have a lunch special of a bahn mi and a can of pop for $4.50!
(4)Alex M.
Best. Pho. Ever. I realize that saying that is throwing down a gauntlet of sorts in Washington, but serious. Best. Pho. Ever. It's a few $$ more than the average joint, but it's well worth it. Personal fav is the "Bamboo House Special" (bun). Delicious! Family run, consistently amazing quality and friendly service. Wide menu selection, and to go orders are always ready quick. If you work anywhere near Canyon Park, give these guys a try...and you're welcome in advance (you'll be thanking me after you try it!)
(5)Ryan L.
Pho could use more meat in it, but otherwise consistently good. I love to put a ton of Sriraccha in my broth, so you can take that with a grain of salt though. They have good spring rolls served with decent peanut sauce, and I almost always get them. I've only had one of their rice dishes. It was delicious, but when I come here it's for the pho. But after seeing some of the pictures posted here by other users I may have to try some of their other dishes. Their prices are reasonable, serving sizes are generous. I'm a big guy and I can get full with their regular (small) sized bowl. Food doesn't take very long, even with a lot of people there.
(4)Mark G.
The Pho is one of the best in the north end. I've had a good number of the other items on the menu and they are all great. The price is reasonable. The staff is always friendly.
(5)Joe S.
Bamboo House was a place I frequent often before moving out of state. I remember it to be petty good and it was convenient since it was close to work at the time. While visiting family for the holidays, I thought I would stop by for some pho. Everything is pretty much the same with the exception of a few things. They carpeted their floors, which I'm not a big fan of because I can only imagine how gross it must be over time with all the food and soup stain lingering down there. I don't understand why they did that when the previous stained concrete floor looked really nice and worked just fine. I order a bowl of pho and some spring rolls. The spring rolls must have gotten a little smaller and the noodles in the pho was a little softer then before. The flavor of the soup was a little bland this time around. But nothing a little bit of fish sauce, chilli pepper and hoisin sauce can't fix. The spring rolls and sauce was pretty good. I love the fried eggroll wrap they put in the spring rolls. I was hoping that the noodles would be a little harder and not so soft. And they do skimp on the meat. Unfortunately, I think the new owners may have taken the flavor and place down a notch. Easy fix though. Service was good but not the most attentive bunch. I can deal with that since I was preferring to be left alone while I was enjoying my lunch. Sometimes these mom and pop businesses don't have the best service not because they don't care, but it's just how it is. I expect it and so I am okay with it. Overall, I enjoyed it.
(4)Leah P.
Best PHO in Bothell. Never lets me down. The broth is amazing, the staff is friendly and the place is clean! Price is good too!
(5)Kelly L.
Thank god my co-worker brought me to this restaurant. I work in Bothell so there aren't many options around. If I had time, I'd come here at least twice a week. I've actually only ordered their pho so far but out of the 3 times that I have been here, it's been very good each time. I always get the Pho Dac Biet (you basically get everything - all types of beef, beef ball and tripe) but sometimes they skimp on the tripe. Service is very fast too.
(4)Morgan L.
I was stuck between one and two stars. I'm not saying I would NEVER come here again, but I can tell you it will be a last resort (as in What the pho across the street is closed and my Yelp iphone app was down to find another place thats close) I got Pho Ga to-go, they only offer it in large ($7.45). I CAN NOT stand how they package it to-go. First of all, the broth container was not a large, and the separate container of noodles, basil, bean sprouts, etc were lacking, they didn't even give me jalapenos. Another BUMMER was they mixed the sriracha and hoisin sauce together in a tiny container. Never have seen this before. So if you want it separate, make sure to ask! The broth it self tasted off, like it was over seasoned. I added the sriracha/hoisin sauce and it was spicy enough to mask the taste. The chicken was good, but overall was the worst pho I have had so far. I tried the chicken banh mi, and sigh. Another disappointment. The bread tasted like it was from Safeway, wasn't that "this is such good bread! where...how did they make this!?". Just tasted too much like I could of made it.... and I have no idea where I would start. They should vacuum their floors, correct spelling errors on their menu and work on their food. I was really hoping to love this place!
(2)Matt N.
I've been here several times on Sunday right after church. Of the Pho places in the area, this seems to be the best one. I enjoy their selection of Pho and also they have the sandwiches if your'e not in the mood for pho. They have 2 sizes for Pho, small and large, there's no medium. They have a lot of sauces to choose from when you get your pho. One of the downsides to eating here, is they don't have the little plates for mixing your sauces, Also if I remember correctly, they only give you 1/2 napkins per person, which helps them keep cost down, but for me who sweats a lot when eating spicy food or a hot bowl of pho, One of the downsides is that they charge an extra $.50 for credit cards if your purchase is under $10, but they give you a lollypop/ dum dum. I wil come back. I would rather go to Than Brothers, but it's not exactly the closest place to here, but stil a great place to go for pho. On a side note, they usually have a pixar or some animated movie on the TV like Wally, or Ice Age 2, which can be great for the kids.
(4)Calvin M.
The place is clean, the waitress was friendly, and the pho ($7.50) came in a huge bowl. But it wasn't that good. They didn't give a lot of meat and there were strips of fat in my bowl. It' suppose to be flank steak with meat and fat. But for some reason, the meat wasn't there. My friends didn't have the fat strips theres, so it looks like I'm the unlucky one. I also ordered the spring roll ($4). It was small and I don't like how they put a fried strip of noodle in there. My friends really liked it here. So if they want to come back, I'll tag along. Otherwise, I won't be coming back.
(2)April S.
Continuing my exploration of Bothell cuisine it was about time for me to search out a local place to get Pho. So I stopped into Bamboo House for lunch today to check it out. *Disclaimer: The very first Pho I ever had was at Than Bros on Broadway. This ends up being the standard I use when checking out new places to get Pho.* The place is clean and bright. They have two large TV's on the wall, one for adults with sports on and one for kids that was playing The Lion King. Neither TV had the sound on, so while I'm not a big fan of TV's in restaurants it wasn't a total deterrent. I was dining with my 6 year old daughter (Elfgirl who is also a Than Bros fan). We shared some summer rolls, she had the small pho with rib eye steak and a lemonade, and I had the large pho with rib eye/meatballs and a ice coffee with condensed milk. The summer rolls were delicious and the peanut sauce they came with was tasty too. Elfgirl also loved the summer rolls and exclaimed that they tasted great. They only have large and small sizes of pho, but the small was about the same size as a medium at Than Bros. The pho was good, not as rich of a broth as I've had before but tasty. Their was ample noodles and meat in our portions and we were both pleasantly full when done. The only real complaint was that the iced coffee wasn't very good. I think I just did not like the particular coffee that they are using. Though the lemonade my daughter had was nice and sweet (hard to find around here) and in the future I'd just get lemonade instead. The service was fast and the prices were decent. I'll still go to Than Bros more often than not, but Bamboo House is a good substitute for when I don't feel like driving to the next town for dinner.
(3)Melissa F.
Pretty decent and gets the job done for pho and other dishes. I give it an above average for pho in the area. :)
(4)Sabrina G.
I went to this place because of the reviews but let me tell you the server viet lady was rude from when we walked in. When she was taking our order i specifically asked her for a small rice dish #24 and told her if she had that that in kids portion and make sure it was not spicy since my 3 year old was going to eat it. She says "oh yeah (with an accent ) "sure sure".. okay so then our food comes out and tell me why she brought a huge plate #24 dish made extra spicy chicken on it and an extra children's pho (i never asked for) so i tell her that is not what i had asked for and she YELLS at me saying "you wanted a small childrens order so i brought pho!!" and gives me a grim and refused to take it back! Oh no! I was not going to have someone yell at me from her mistake so I explained to her that my daughter cannot have spicy and it wasn't her size meal plus we did not ask for children's pho.. She is furious then asks me to give it back! hellooo, that was some rude service!! and tell me why their servers all have a attitude problem. One can't even understand when the table next to me asked for just a cup of ice no water!!" he called on the other server to translate yet that ice took awhile to be delivered. Their food is 3 stars. Service is 0. Who knows what they put in their food in the back of the kitchen and how well they managed to wash their dishes with dirty hands!!! The place looks just okay, with painting the wall, hanging pictures any place will look okay. The truth is it's so dirty in their with dust never been wiped and let's not get to the worst part the bathroom..!! Do Not Eat Their
(1)SOYOUNG S.
Please be careful watch your step~!!!! very slippery floor~!!!!!! This was my first time visiting at the Bamboo House since its close by my house. First of all I tried to enter the store, the door was way too heavy and they even have sign say door is heavy. OK.. this is nice that they let me know door is heavy. I walked in to the store and I could tell floor is very slippery. I was trying to be careful but I fell so bad. I tried to stand up and it was very very slip er and fell again and hit my head to someone else's table. I finally make it to my table where my friend is... The Waiter or owner's son who ever that is walk up to me and said "THIS IS WHAT HAPPEN IF YOU WEAR HIGH HILLS!" This guy never asked me if I am OK. I was pretty mad at that point and asked him back if I am suppose to wear TENNIS SHOES when I visit your restaurant. He didn't say anything and walked away. I was waiting for someone to come ask me if I am OK. . No one seems like care. The owner asked if we want to order. I told them no we are leaving. She said "THAT'S FINE WITH ME" What kind of service is that? Even customers who were eating at the restaurant told me if I got hurt I should call health department or do something. I am going to spread this news to all over the place.. These people only care about making money~!!!!!!! Do not care about others. I had big bruise on my knee and had back pain. I almost thought about hire an attorney, but I will be the better person. Restaurant like that has to OUT OF BUSINESS ASAP~!!!!! Ladies.. If you are wearing heal please do not go there is you do not wants to get an embarrassment
(1)Rebecca L.
no. i will not go to bamboo house again. why? because their service. is. terrible. if it was thanh brothers terrible or even mcdonald's terrible (where it was expected to be non existent) then maybe i would have been more forgiving, but no. i expected a little bit of service. but their service is worse than mickey d's or thanh brothers. why do you ask? - it took them 15 minutes to take our order. if i was on a date, it would have been fine, but i was there on a 30 minute lunch break. - they did not serve me water when we sat down. - they took the wrong order and when i tried to let them know, they ignored me. then when i finally did tell them, they didn't change it and still charged me for what they gave me. - they scoffed at me when i asked for a to-go box because i didn't finish eating what they gave me. personally, i don't even know why i even paid. i should have just left. terrible. i think this was one of the worst dining experiences i've had in a while. i would rather go to what the pho. at least when i go there, i get what i ordered and be charged for it. not eat what i didn't want and be charged for that. ugh. **reply to Haison d** I understand that it is a family run business. But if you are that busy, why not hire more staff? If customer service is a main priority, then wouldn't it be prudent to have your business model expressive of that? I'm more than happy to go there again and check it out, but not if the lack of service is something that is consistent. (please see jojo's review). Let me know when you hire more people. until then, i have no reason to go.
(1)Mike K.
The pho is actually pretty good!!! The bamboo house special vermicelli bowl is really good and so are their bhan mi sandwiches!! I would recommend checking it out if you are in the area!
(4)Chrystal P.
When I first came here, I got my pho take out and it seemed really bland. After about a year, I returned many times, and found that to change. The pho and entrees are delicious. I strongly suggest the fresh spring rolls (they add mint leaves for a nice touch). The service has always been satisfactory, but the anorexic day waitress likes to do that Asian thing where they call you a fat-ass in subtle ways. The BMI disagrees. She was lucky I was always hungry on my lunch break, or I may have punched her.
(4)Mattias L.
This place was pretty good. The portions were a bit small and the broth was weak. Service was a bit slow for a Pho resturant. I always use chopsticks, so this didn't bother me, but silverware was just stuck in a holder in the middle of the table, not very sanitary. I had a medium bowl with rare steak and flank, and would say the size was comparable to a small size at other places. It tasted ok overall, but the broth was a bit on the weak side.
(3)Aaron W.
Being an Asian American, I grew up on all kinds of classic Asian fare. Pho being one of them. Bamboo House in Bothell is actually a pretty decent spot in a primarily white area away from Seattle. The cha gio is pretty good, although their sauce is awkwardly sticky, and their broth tastes pretty good. They also have ALL pho condiments right at your table (3 or 4 different hot sauces / chili pastes, etc). Torn between 3 and 4 stars, I went with 3 because it just doesn't live up to the pho I grew up on.
(3)Joanne E.
My husband and I are regulars here - food is flavorful and always on point! We always have to have the tofu spring rolls and my husband is always happy with his pho. I think their prices are higher than your average pho place and I wish the floors and condiments were much cleaner - the only reason why this isn't 5 stars.
(4)NANCY H.
First of all, the food was really delicious! The skewers were very juicy and the noodles were nice and slippery. The 3 stars comes down to the prices and service. They are $1-$2 too high. You shouldn't pay $3.75 for iced tea unless you can afford it or you really want one. The day we went, the male server seemed like he was very irritated and didn't seem very welcoming. The women who did work there were totally opposite, though. I will have to stick to Pho Express and Specialties for my go-to Pho place in my area. I will probably visit this place again when I am a feeling slightly spendy or just order take-out. Good For: overpriced food, fresh drinks
(3)Leah H.
I went to eat pho at this restaurant with my boyfriend and his uncle. We just finished finishing for salmon for about 3 hours and it was showering all day -- so, a hot bowl of pho was something we wanted for brunch. I am a big fan of pho and have not had any since I moved from southern california. The one I had in Eugene was such a disappointed that I was weary about eating pho here. My boyfriend's uncle ordered for us and whatever number it was... it was delicious. There were beef flanks, slices of beef and pork and the soup was flavorful! I ate everything and drank almost all of my soup. The next time I visit Bothell, I will be eating pho here again.
(4)Maricris F.
It got better this time. Know the owner and very prompt at my orders.
(4)Riss J.
My second visit I took a friend here for lunch, and I'm giving Bamboo House an upgrade to 4. If this trend continues, they will be a 5 by my 3rd visit. Taking on Quinn's "encouragement", I went for the #15. Flank, tripe, round steak, tendon and something fatty-or-other. I also dived into trying out differing levels of chili sauce, basil, sprouts and what not. The additional ingredients definitely added much more complexity to the pho than my first time. I still wasn't able to finish a small, and am looking forward to my leftovers later. The ladies working here are just ridiculously sweet. It was fun chatting them up while they also ate their lunch. My friend and I were the only patrons left, the lunch rush for this area being long over. They do read our reviews, and do have a love of yelpers. Yay for them! One more little star for my lunch company. When a Southern man who spent 8 years in Tokyo in the Navy doesn't mock you or even care you can't use chopsticks to save your life, ladies--he's a keeper. ;-) They are also now sporting 2 yelp loves us stickers...so I'm amending my theory...1 sticker can be the kiss of death to the land of complacency, but 2 stickers mean they are keeping up with the excellence.
(4)Russell S.
I had a great experience at Bamboo House the other night. Good Pho and reasonably priced for the large portions in the small bowl for 6.75. All of the ladies that waited on my wife and I were pleasant and funny! I will definitely return in the future! I agree with the other Yelper that if you sit by the door it does get drafty, but not the restaurants fault.
(5)Vince K.
I'm not a pho or Vietnamese food expert, but as a life-long eater of food, I was very happy with what we had, and saw others enjoying. Polite & fast service, delicious, fresh & memorable food, and frankly, cheap. As a Lacto Ovo Pescatarian, there were many non-meat options to choose from, and my wife & daughter had great steak pho and grilled pork items. Start with the rockin' tofu spring rolls. We'll be back!
(4)wheatberry s.
3.5 stars. Vietnamese food is quite tasty and Bamboo House does it right. I had a bun with char grilled chicken, and it all went down very happily. This time I decided not to add hoisin sauce. I added the orangish-sauce that customarily comes with the dish and thought my bun was flavorful enough. Bamboo House is clean and simply decorated. The owners are really nice and were able to recognize my friends who occasionally frequent this place. The owners very welcomely took and played with my friends baby while we enjoyed our meal. Bamboo House makes pretty good Vietnamese food, keeping in mind, we're in the 'burbs.
(4)Josephine L.
I've been meaning to post an updated review of this restaurant. At my husband's urging, I decided to give Bamboo House another chance after they changed owners. I ordered the pork vermicelli bowl. It was really good! It's the dish I'll always order now when I go there. The pho has also improved and owner is very nice. She remembers us and always know the usual my husband orders (he's a regular there). Tip: if you decide to try the vermicelli bowl, order some peanut sauce on the side and mix it in with the fish sauce that comes with it - it's so yummy!
(3)Michael C.
They have the best Tendon Pho I have ever had. The tendon is soft and the noodles are very good. Overall a great place to have lunch. The price is a bit high but very reasonable and the service is fast.
(4)Kat T.
Life's Short - Eat Pho! Bamboo House is easy to miss hidden behind the 7/11 in Canyon Park, but it really shouldn't be missed! If you like this popular Vietnamese soup go there NOW! Their pho is hot, huge and tasty. The broth is excellent. Not bland at all. The price is reasonable: Large $6.95 or Small $5.95. The space is warm and contemporary. They advertise family owned if that's your thing. I recommend the #5 Pho Tai, Bo Vien (Noodles soup with eye round steak and meat balls) add extra lime with your basil and bean sprouts. Mmmmmmmm... When having Pho in Bothell "What The Pho" used to be my favorite but Bamboo House just knocked them off the Gold Medal Podium.
(5)Robert N.
Butts in seats , turn and burn are two things that come to mind . As I enter the Bamboo the hostess/waiter shouts How many , One I say . She points at the table enter to door , oh great I think . The table is not clean she comes over I hope to clean said table , no she gives me menu that has has better days . She ask me something that I could not understand , SO I say what ? Then she is gone . She returns asking if I am ready to order , I say no and before I have time to ask my questions she is gone again . When she return I order a small beef pho with iced coffee and condescend milk . The beef pho shows up within seconds , the iced coffee show up 6 minutes later . Being in the F and B field one knows its drinks first the food people . The beef pho was good as was the iced coffee , I am still wired but the lack of clean table and the fact it just butts in seats place I doubt I will return .
(2)Meredith S.
Yummy! The food here is bomb. I ordered the veggie pho and some fresh spring rolls. So authentic and tasty!!!! Very clean and the wait staff is friendly. The service was a little slow, so I wouldn't try to go here for your lunch break unless you don't intend on going back to work.
(5)meghan m.
This place has been a weekly visit for me and my fiance for a few months now. The staff is friendly and the service is quick. The spring rolls are the best. EVER. I get the #12 and the broth is flavorful, not too salty and perfectly accented by the sprouts, basil and jalapeno. One night after a particularly bad pizza experience (waited for an hour....no delivery....thanks pizza hut!) we drove up to Bamboo House hoping they were open...it was just as they were closing. The owner, upon seeing us dejectedly staring in the window, waved us in and let us order. We figured we would just take it to go but she insisted it was okay that we stayed. We sat and enjoyed our food and watched a Vietnamese award show while she gabbed with some other late guests. We never felt rushed and left extremely satisfied and happy that our pizza never arrived. BAMBOO HOUSE TO THE RESCUE!
(5)Dena R.
Love, love, love this place. The shrimp rolls are my favorite, peanut sauce is excellent, very tasty, the Pho is also very good. The place is clean and pleasant and the staff is genuinely nice and friendly. It's family owned and much better than that overpriced disappointment with the clever name across the street... Glad to finally have a Vietnamese place in Bothell.
(5)Joy C.
I am thrilled that there is finally a Pho house near my house! I haven't been this excited since the Than Brothers Pho came up to Lynnwood. And while Than brothers will always be the best Pho in the state, the closeness of Bamboo House is tantalizing. If you want the best Pho, go to Than Brothers in Lynnwood. If you want Pho in Bothell, go to Bamboo House. It's family run, and what a great family they are. I don't find the broth bland - it's carefully crafted and subtlety perfumed. I've talked to the owner/chef who said that he's done much tinkering to get the broth just right compared to other Pho houses. AND the yummy sandwiches, which were on the menu, but then off the menu and not included in the new menu, but now available per a sign on the door, are BACK. It is the perfect blend of yummy grilled pork (chicken is available, but, uh, it makes no sense) herby cilantro, spicy jalapeno, cool cucumber, and tangy pickled, shredded diakon & carrot all wrapped up in a French roll. mmmmmmm. I'd go get one right now but the baby's sleeping and I'm on my own tonight. Dang it! I've only had one of the grill items, and it was full of flavor - I think it was the mixed grill. I prefer Bamboo house over What the Pho. Period.
(4)H. L.
The facility is very clean and new. I've now tried the Pho and Fried Rice. The Pho is great, however the Fried Rice was a little on the salty side. They facility has a great flat screen t.v. and they're usually showing some sports channel. The waitresses are very friendly, but the cooks who usually sit outside when it's slow have emotionless expression. So it makes you wonder where the love is in my food.
(4)Chris K.
My wife and I ate here with some friends last night because we heard it was a good spot given we're pretty big fans of Pho. It started off on the right path with staff quickly setting up some baby high chairs and making us feel at comfortable. Lighting was good. Place was clean, had a decent ambience. Pho quality was above average and tasty. However, once our bowls of Pho arrived, it took a very dramatic turn for the worse. the WAIT STAFF WAS NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN. Multiple times I had to hold my hand up to get the staff's attention. The kicker - We decided we wanted thai iced coffees with milk after our dinner. Ten minutes later they show up in low quality styrofoam "to-go" cups. I take the lid off to find the entire cup packed with ice, with only about 25% of the cup actually filled with coffee. When we ask what the problem is, instead of trying to correct the issue the woman tells us "thats way it supposed to be". Really, and we're charged $2.50 for it? Top it off it tastes like I'm drinking some SAE 5W-30 motor oil.Won't be passing through here agian.
(1)Keiko W.
Holy Sweet God of Pho! Someone FINALLY put a phoking Pho Restaurant in Bothell. No more driving to Woodinville or Lynnwood to get my hot noodle fix. Until "What the Pho?" came to be a month ago, I could honestly say that the Bamboo House was the best Pho in Bothell. Still, I would say that its the best value around. The prices are right, the soup is hot, and the place is spotless. My big complaint is that the broth is BLAND. Still, beggars can't be choosers. As for the rest of their menu items, the grilled dishes are pretty good (a bit greasy), but everything else is unbelievably fresh and green.
(3)Peter L.
After three years of craving pho in Bothell the night after a weeknight out, there are now two pho places in Bothell. Bamboo House hits the spot in many ways. The pho is decent, but as Keiko W mentions, a bit on the bland side. Some of the grilled dishes, as well as the egg rolls are a little greasy. But one nice plus is the cream puff with the meal.
(3)Pma e.
all i got is one word. "aight" i've had better but for bothell there arent many options so beggers can be choosers. especially if you want pho for lunch during work. service is alright. when they get busy, they need to be more organized. they forget to give water or even refill. they forget to take people's orders in the order that they came in and don't clean the tables right away so others can sit at the table when there's a long line waiting. if they want to keep up their business...get organized when you're busy otherwise people will stop eatting there b/c of frustration.
(3)Michael M.
I'd have to say this is the best Vietnamese restaurant in the area. The food and the service are both very good. My favorite item here so far is the Bun Chay, which I highly recommend, It's number 37 in the vegetarian section of the menu. The sauce on the tofu is especially good, I'd recommend getting it with natural tofu. As far as drinks go, I'd recommend the coconut juice, it seems to go great with any of the items on the menu. The coconut juice isn't too sweet, but it isn't almost flavorless either, which is great. Anyway, be sure to check this place out, it's great, and I hope you enjoy it.
(5)Giny M.
i believe they have changed owners. now it's just typical, ok pho. it's a lot dirtier and of course, the heat is barely on. before it was a nice family business. now, according to the chopstick wrapping, it's part of a crappy chain of two such places. what a shame.
(2)W S.
Service: Normal for Vietnamese food... Poor. ambiance: Normal for Vietnamese restaurant... Poor. Oh and the front door is both heavy and has a vacuum seal, no I'm not joking. I can bench press about 200 ibs easy and it regularly takes 2 tries to open the door. Food: Excellent, love the food, especially the fresh rolls and Pho but they have so much more great stuff. I really only care about the food so for me it's 4 stars.
(4)D E.
Love #20, I've had that one a couple of times now. My husband is a fan of #5. The seafood soup, however, I will never get again. The shrimp are not deveined. Shrimp is not that hard to clean. There were only four, but each one had a fat black intestine hanging out of it. Gross. We have only ever done takeout - the service for that is fine. We'll go back, just not for #19. Nasty. They seem to have an A-team & a B-team. A is on their game.. B doesn't know that you paid for your order five minutes ago, and seriously messes up. We ended up with one container of just broth because they had placed all the meat from both our orders in one container.
(4)Merrilee O.
My "first time" with pho happened here. I'm a newbie. So, I don't have much to compare this place against quite yet, but I have to say it was far better than I was expecting! The broth was deliciously flavorful, and I loved all of the fresh ingredients I could add to my bowl. I played it safe and asked for the same dish as my fiance, but was very happy with the skirt steak he chose. Overall, a very tasty bowl of pho! The only problem I had with the place was the service... it seemed like our order took forever when other customers were getting theirs more quickly... and there weren't even very many people in there! For being so vocal about being a family owned business - something I consider important - I feel like they could take far greater pride in their excellent food. Regardless, I am eagerly anticipating a return visit. I wish it wasn't all the way up in Canyon Park, but it's worth it!
(4)Kristen G.
I am never let down when I order 37 bun chay, vegetarian and sooo goood! My husband loves the large steak and flank. We both enjoy dining in the restaurant and drinking a hot coffee. Service is fast and very friendly, feels like you are a valued guest.
(5)Anthony C.
coming from san jose, ca which has the largest vietnamese population outside of vietnam and has probably the largest amount of PHO restaurants in the country, i have to say bamboo house sticks out. the Broth is tastee, as expected you can spice it up with chili sauce or hirachi. the veggies are always fresh and the price is perfect. the wait staff is very friendly and family run and do recognize their repeat business and the friendliness shows. at this time i have been there at least a dozen times and have never walked away disappointed, only fat and full. i have tried a curry dish that was pretty good, very flavorful and reheated well. their spring rolls are refreshing and yummy. a suggestion to new PHO enthusiasts is to have their chicken soup and add some basil leaves to it, you will really enjoy the flavor it brings to your taste buds and enjoy the cuisine you have just been introduced to. well worth your time on those pissy cold PNW winters. if you are planning a late night out and have it in mind, go get a bowl of PHO to go and stick in your fridge and when you get in from your drunken wanderings make sure to eat your noodles before you pass out as it will cure the hangover from ever happening :)
(4)John R.
I like this restaurant. Its very clean and comfortable and the staff is always friendly. The pho is very good as well as the spring rolls.
(4)Rich C.
The pho broth is not as tasty compared to pho from the SF Bay Area or in Socal, but not too bad overall.
(3)Rob S.
Decent soup, that's bout it
(3)Elin D.
Love this place. It's nothing fancy but you can tell everything is made from scratch and that their broth doesn't come from a can.
(4)Lorna D.
Just tried the fresh summer spring rolls with pork, shrimp, bean sprouts, cilantro, basil, carrots and vermicelli noodles wrapped in a thin rice wrapper and accompanied with a peanut sauce. It was delicious. All of the ingredients were fresh and there was even a crunchy surprise in the middle. The basil was absolutely LOVELY!! I could taste it through and through. I could taste everything completely separately in one bite and yet enjoy all of the different textures in my mouth.. Crunchy, smooth, chewy... MMMM!! Only drawback is that I needed to add fish sauce b/c I felt it was missing ang the rolls weren't wrapped at the end so the noodles were hanging out. This appetizer was only $3.95 and it served plenty. They serve 2 long rolls and cut it into 4 pieces or 4 halves. But those halves could equal 2 pieces served in Seattle Vietnamese restaurants. So the best part is the portioin served for the amount of money spent!!! I love this place!!!
(4)Dietmar S.
When Bamboo House opened roughly 9 months ago if felt as a tremendous relief. When you have worked in an area for many years and know all the places inside out you are craving for anything new. Of course, it helps that I like Vietnamese food. The Pho is delicious but I am particularly fond of the curry noodles. The interior is tasteful and the service friendly and good. My only beef is that the price is rather high for a lunch place. I rarely end up paying less than $10 (prior to tipping).
(4)N W.
The only reason why I'm giving four stars is because I've only been two five different pho restaurants. Though this is my favorite place, I'm leaving wiggle room for what is possibly yet to come in my quest for the pièce de résistance of pho. That said, this place is utterly fantastic. Mind you, my husband and I only order the pho, so my review pertains to strictly pho. The broth is what makes this pho so incredible. There's no need for oyster sauce or hoisin sauce. As I'm nearing 50 and of the female persuasion, I like to stay away from salt-heavy foods. I'm more than familiar with morning salt bloat. There's a terribly delicious pho establishment in Kirkland, but the morning after salt-bloat is a nasty drawback. I have a hard time not finishing my entire bowl of meat, veggies, and broth. I've not experienced salt bloat from eating pho at Bamboo House - a definite plus for this middle-aged pho fanatic. I get takeout from Bamboo house all the time, and when I call in to place my order they know who I am, which is nice. The staff is incredibly friendly and helpful. I often pick up my order and note a packed house inside - good sign definitely. Back to the actual food. The broth is clean and flavorful. The meat and veggies are fresh. The noodles are perfect. It's hard to describe but the noodles have the right texture and are cooked perfectly. My husband loves Bamboo House, too. There's nothing better than a husband who asks me around 4 p.m. in the afternoon if I want to get pho for dinner. I know where I'll be headed for pickup - Bamboo House, definitely!
(4)