Pho Sate

I love their broth and the special chili pepper sauce.
Good as a hangover cure, but don’t expect stellar service.

This Phở place definitely lived up to its reputation. Being from SoCal, I was a bit skeptical about all the rage going on about the phở here. But I was pleasantly surprised! I got the Phở Tai. The sate sauce didn’t taste that amazing on its own but I decided just to dump it into my phở bowl since that’s what everyone else who reviewed on Unilocal seemed to do. And oh man. Yes that tasted GOOOOD! I finished every single drop of that beef broth. Every. Single. Drop. Btw, the regular sized bowls are pretty filling! :)
Also, you HAVE to get the chicken egg roll. I don’t usually order appetizers at Vietnamese restaurants but I will definitely be ordering these again next time I visit. I wish they gave us four rolls instead of two though.
Oh! But if you want to order the soy milk, be advised its just the canned ones. Boo :(
Overall, this phở restaurant is worth going to and it was especially good on a cold snowy day! The service was wonderful as well!

Yum! We ordered chicken spring rolls and phở and it was delicious. My new favorite Vietnamese restaurant in the area :)

Their chicken egg rolls are superb and I love their seafood phở which is delicious. The service is friendly and professional and there is a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. We will be back! This is truly a hidden treasure in Falls Church.

This is one of my favorite Phở places in the area. What makes them unique is their home-​made sate sauce. It has a very unique taste.

I wasn’t even hungry when I stepped into this place, but ended up eating a whole bowl of phở and their spring rolls.
I tried their pork and chicken spring rolls and they were really good. They were made fresh and were perfectly crispy.
But the best thing was their phở. It came with a really flavorful hot pepper oil. I literally dumped the whole bowl of this stuff in my phở and fell in love. The phở was tangy from the lime and spicy and flavorful from the hot pepper oil. It was briny and I literally drank all of the soup and left an empty bowl. I wouldn’t say that they have the best phở, but I don’t know how I’m going to eat phở without that oil anymore.

My favorite go-​to-​Phở restaurant. The cheapest phở (in the area); menu bowls at $ 7.00+ for Small or Large size bowls. I REALLY like the extra onions on the Phở and cleanliness of the very open concept and extension. The chicken egg rolls are very good. We ordered twice for $ 3.49 of 4 egg rolls. Very VERY good w/​duck sauce!..
I also like the extended Fri/​Sat times; now open until 11:00 PM! I eat here at least once a week w/​my son and my parents! Used to love Phở 75, but now a regular at Phở Sate! I haven’t tried the fat noodles, but will write another review when I do. Good price, service, and hot soups and dishes!

Best Phở I’ve had and the nicest staff. Sorry Phở 75, love you, but you’ve been bumped.
Forget Nyquil, antibiotics, decongestants. A bowl of soup with extra jalapeños, sate sauce, some sriracha for good measure, and squeeze the lime juice — my head is clear!
Coming back for more, but without the head cold.

A year and a half ago, I swore off Phở Sate forever because every time I went there after their reopening I left with a huge tummy ache.
Less than three days afters these words lefts my lips, my family planned a meetup at the restaurant. I was going to quietly drink a bubble tea while everyone enjoyed their meal but of course my hunger got the best of me and I ordered a bowl of phở. Only this time instead of my stomach cramping up in pain, I was met with happiness and warm feelings. Either my stomach has finally developed immunity to the phở or they changed back to their old recipe.
I’ve gone back frequently since then and am happy to report that Phở Sate has finally reached the five star status it has always deserved again. Pop bottles, bitches… the old guard is back!

I’m comparing two different Vietnamese restaurants in two different cities, but I knew from the first taste of my food that my dish was going to be good and that this restaurant was going to be ten times better than the last Vietnamese restaurant I reviewed/​ate at. I got mi hoanh thanh (egg noodles) with fried tofu and PINEAPPLE! Yes, pineapple-​something you don’t see very often in Vietnamese noodle dishes but what drew me into this dish. The noodles were so well-​textured and flavored, and the fresh vegetables/​garnishes perfectly balanced the savoriness of the noodles and fried tofu. I also had the café sua da, which wasn’t too sweet with the right touch of bitterness. For some reason, I was still sleepy after the café sua da, but I think that’s more of a personal problem than a restaurant problem (or at least I hope so). I’ll definitely be returning here in the future!

Oh wow where do I start? Phở sate has literally been in my digestive system since I was a wee young kid slurping on just plain noodles and broth. This was the absolute go-​to place for our traditional «Sunday brunch» back in the early 90s before the owners moved it to Graham Road from the Annandale Road location. Yes, you can call me the OG of phở sate. Phở sate has been through many stages of my life, I could say we are life partners. From using a fork at age 7 to helping me transition to chopstick at age 9; phở sate was always there to keep my Vietnamese culture in check.
As I started to grow into my adulthood, I begin to venture out to different phở places, a few were great, but many disappointed. Was it because I was bias to my beloved phở sate? Was it because it was literally in my blood? No. Phở sate was just so damn good! There are many variations of phở to choose from, but the only way to do it right is by ordering: Phở dac biet bo vien — LARGE! Even if you cannot pronounce it, sound it out! It’s literally includes everything you would ever want in your bowl of phở. Be adventurous and own that bowl of phở!
P. S. Order a side of café sua da! (Vietnamese coffee with condense milk)

I love phở. It’s probably my favorite food so I know my phở =)
This place is different than others. The sauce they give you way to put in the soup make the soup so yummy and give a deep taste to the broth.
The chicken egg rolls are also yummy too!

This is one of my most favorite Phở places to go to. However, this doesn’t get a full five star because of late I’ve been experiencing some very meh customer service… Maybe it’s because I go during the most popular hours? I don’t know…
One time i went with my mom and she asked for a fork (she doesn’t like using chopsticks all the time) and the waiter never gave one to her. That same day when we were given our drinks one of the straws were already unwrapped. When they get very busy it seems like the waiters are running around not paying much attention to the people sitting down… Not to mention the wait for the food is HELLA long on a busy day (I had to wait 30 mins to get two bowls of Phở)…
Overall I feel like the customer service is slowly going down hill… the Phở is still yummy but…

Phở Sate is a solid star for Vietnamese noodle soups in a region where we are spoiled for choice in Vietnamese offerings. It takes the guesswork out of the many restaurants at Little Vietnam down the road where service and menu might be too foreign for some. The menu is clear, extensive, and the offerings are excellent. The service is attentive and fast. The restaurant itself is spacious and cheery with fairy lights and bright walls. In short this is an excellent outing for both families and solo diners.
As it was my first time here, I bypassed the egg noodle soup combinations (with interesting cuts of meat and seafood), and went for a plain phở. The broth was outstanding and the portions of meat and noodles were generous. As others have noted the Sate sauce, with fried garlic in a chilli oil is adds a warming, earthy touch to the broth if you can stand a little heat. It’s deeply satisfying.
At $ 7.95 for a large bowl, you can hardly ask for better value. Northern Virginia has numerous, incredibly good phở offerings. If I move away I’ll miss the Phở selection here very much. Having tried multiple phở offerings, I am a discerning about my broths. Trust me, Phở Sate has an outstanding broth and their entire presentation is really solid.
As I was beginning to nurse a cold, I came out for a bowl to ward it off. I already feel better. I should call Phở Sate a Vietnamese broth apothecary. The broth will cure whatever ails your body and spirit!

This WAS the best phở in the area. Was, now they don’t even heat up your bowl of broth before serving it to you.
Step 1. Take out broth from giant pot,
Step 2. Throw in meats you ordered
Step 3. Give to customers
Most phở places generally reheat your broth and reintroduce everything back in slowly, giving you a nice steamy bowl of hot phở. The owner and staff are slacking while food service and quality have been decaying. Sadly another restaurant giving in to laziness. Time to go back to Eden Center to get proper phở.

Best phở in this area. The broth is really delicious. Came around 7pm on Friday and this place was packed. Granted it was cold but I never seen it so packed with Asians. I also really like their taro egg roll. The service is quick, you pay up front. The broth tasted like you had a party of flavors in your mouth.

Why is this rated 4 stars? The two I am giving them is because I am overly nice.
Service: The service was decent. They came to refill our water a few times. I was a little irritated that after one minute of being seated a man came to get our order. I barely had a moment to look at the first page of a 6 – 8 page menu. A minute and a half later he was back. Also, instead of waiting for us to move our glasses to the edge of the table for a refill or asking us to make our glasses accessible, the server reached over our meal to refill our water (he used the side of the pitcher). It was rude.
Ambiance: The décor was cute! I was surprised at how well they worked with the almost neon lime green walls. There were a few mounted flatscreen that were running with the news and some TV shows. I really enjoyed that. The restaurant was busy at 1030−11pm and filled with welcoming chatter.
Food: No amount of jalapeño, lime, sriracha, or hoisin could save this phở. The broth lacked any flavor. It was bland and had way too much sodium. The meatballs were cut awkwardly, making them hard to grab. A huge complaint I have with with some Viet places is the quality of the steak. I was pleased that Phở Sate’s steak did not resemble Steakumms. The vegetables we were given were fresh. The jalapeños had a sharp bite, the basil had a fragrant smell, the limes were juicy, and the beansprouts were firm and had a nice snap. However, I left disappointed and unable to finish my steak and meatball phở.
Overall: I think this place is a popular destination because it is open late. Who wouldn’t crave a delicious bowl of phở at the midnight hours? …but this phở is not that great. I would wait until the next day to go somewhere else.

It’s the one reliable phở place, always.
Whenever I’m craving phở, I’ll think of phở Saté. They serve this saté sauce with your bowl of phở, a type of chili oil along with smoked/​burnt flakes that makes almost anything tastes delicious. Pour that sucker into your bowl and BAM your bowl turns into a seriously hawt dish.
Be wary if you are sensitive to spiciness, though. If the saté sauce won’t win you over, the broth will. It’s clear and flavorful. You can taste the hours of simmering which the broth has went through. All the complex herbs is right there! Warms you right up even when you’re feeling icy blue.
Don’t be afraid to explore other items in the menu. When a bowl of phở is not what you’re in the mood for, go for some of their rice dishes. The appetizers are worth giving a try as well.
Service is always quick (heck they stand over you while you’re deciding). Come here for the excellent bowl of phở. Sit alone and watch some games on the overhead TV screens, that’s fine too. Whatever floats your hungry tummy. No one looks up while they’re downing a bowl of phở saté.

I must say Phở Sate ranks as one of my top 5 phở restaurants in the Falls Church area. Yes, there are countless options, but I do think Phở Sate puts out a good product at a good price. As with most hole-​in-​the-​wall restaurants, the décor is very basic, but they do have a couple of flat screen TVs.
The phở was very good, with a flavorful broth that had a slight kick. The sate sauce that appears as a red chile and peppercorn oil was very tasty, and packs quite a punch. If you haven’t tried it yet, be careful with how much you add to the soup. I consider it a good value at just $ 7.95 for a large bowl (the regular is $ 7.50, so I don’t see how it makes sense to order the smaller version).
Another great phở option in Fall Church and certainly worth trying it just for the spicy sate sauce. Thumbs up!

I loved loved loved the food at Phở Sate! I ordered the 109 (the Tai, Chin, which was the eye round beef and brisket) and mixed in the sate sauce (that oily red mixture that smells like fried onions) and was in heaven! I love my phở spicy and that sate sauce was absolutely perfect — it was delicious, went down easy, and didn’t give me any stomachaches whatsoever afterwards. My phở tasted extremely authentic and was just $ 7.95 for a large and very generous portion. It’s definitely not the ripoff places you sometimes come across in DC proper. It’s really worth it to venture into the suburbs for good phở.
My fiancé ordered a stir fry rice noodle dish off the Sauteed Fat Rice Noodle section of the menu (not being in the mood for phở) and also really enjoyed it. I tried some of his and I was impressed.
Overall, the food deserves 5 stars, but the atmosphere and service left a little to be desired and I’ll have to give it 4.5 for now.
We will certainly visit again. It’s a bit of a drive from where we are, but it was completely worth it. I’ll be craving that sate phở!