Phó Van Fresh

Phở Van in the Pearl is one of those new restaurant concepts where you pay before sitting down and receiving the food. It’s very McDonald’s like in that respect, and I don’t like it. Having said that, Phở Van provides consistent, above average (if not spectacular) dishes and they are open late in a trendy district that strangely enough, closes quite early. There aren’t any surprises here. Phở broth is good, or great. Noodle dishes are of ample size, quite filling, and come out hot. It’s a clean restaurant with decent, open atmosphere. Phở Van isn’t a destination restaurant, but if you’re in the neighborhood, it’s worth stopping in for a refreshing and light lunch or dinner.

Not as fresh and the name suggests.
I ordered the veggie and tofu bowl to go with rice noodles. While the noodles, cucumber, mint and lettuce were fresh, the carrots and green beans were limp and grainy– they tasted like canned veggies. The carrots and green beans were almost half of the bowl, which would have been fine if they were fresh, but they were not and ruined the bowl.
This place has good atmosphere and service but hopefully what I ordered was not the norm. I would not go back here again unless I actually got all fresh ingredients like the name suggests.

Steaming bowls of phở with delicious, flavorful fresh ingredients, this place is surprisingly authentic in their food. I’m not going online, I was adamant about trying this place since it looked like a trendy Americanized Vietnamese spot. Eating here reminded me much of the many bowls of phở I ate on a trip to Hoi An, Vietnam. The vegetarian and Beef are delicious as well as the classic spring rolls are delicious!

Hipster service and greasy food. I liked the food much better when it was Phở Van. Not impressed.

I stopped here for veggie phở and it was exactly what I was hoping for. Fresh ingredients and tasty!

Probably the best place for Vietnamese food in the Pearl/​Downtown area, but definitely not the best Vietnamese food in Portland.

Was here today lunch time. Saw it while doing my morning walk and decided to have lunch there. The place was clean and busy. The phở tasted bland for me compare to the phở restaurant I ate at in Las Vegas and or to the other places I’ve been to. The only thing I didnt like about this place was the horrible customer service of the cashier who took my order. Who do business that let their employees not greet the customers or even say hi? Not even a smile, no thank you at all. Do they even have a customer service training? I even left a note on the table and hand a note to the cashier to let them know how unwelcoming human he was. Wont come back here anymore. Not that impressed at all.

Fresh, quick, delicious. Hands down probably the best tasting Thai food I’ve had in a long time. #11 #FTW (for the win). Papaya salad leaves a sensation of wanting more and more. And for a quick pick me up their iced Vietnamese coffee will give you a kick in the rear! Thanks Phở Van for completing my week with a great lunch!

I was hesitant to try this place because it seemed more Americanized for authentic Vietnamese cuisine, but they exceeded my expectations. I ordered their Phở beef and it was delicious! You order at the register and seat yourself, the service was impeccable even for this type of set up. Thai tea was also topped with chia seeds which I appreciated. Very clean place, above and beyond great service, and a pleasant experience.

The in house yogurt is amazing! Also the pork and crispy roll bowl with noodles is very good. Jen the bartender is very friendly and makes specialty cocktails. I have also had a consistently tasty bowl of phở there. This is my favorite Vietnamese spot!

Went here while on my lunch break and I needed some Phở. You order at the front and then they give you a number while you wait. The place is pretty huge and has a mixture of booths and cafeteria style seating. I ate the beef Phở and it was very good (they also give you a side of lime, bean sprouts, and pepper). They also provide you with napkins, utensils, sauces, and a bottle of water. The service was swift and fast and I enjoyed my Phở and I’ll be back!

Our friend took us to this place. He said he like it so he want to let us try. First walk in to the restaurant we just kind of making small talk with the guy at the register like how are you? And his responses made us laugh. He said it’s Friday night and he can’t wait to just be done and over with. Well to me that was not a good greet. The food was good. They mess up on my order because the same guy at the cash register got my order wrong so they changed it for me but wanted to charged more $ 3. I think if it’s your mistake then you should own up to it. Not just come and talk to a customer like it’s their fault. Everything else was good except him. So still a good spot to get phở just please ignore the guy

Stopped by on the way back from a cupcake place down the street, so glad that I did. I ordered the crispy chicken rolls to go, which came with hoisin sauce. It was just under 7 dollars and so worth it. The wait was about fifteen-​twenty minutes, which was a little surprising since they weren’t all that busy. And the waitress seemed like we were in her way or somewhat being a thorn in her side. But, both of those things aside, I will come back. They have a straight forward menu, and I’ve gotta try their ginger crème brûlée.

Delicious, fresh phở and the Salmon Spring Rolls were tasty. I would highly recommend.
You order at the counter. Service is swift. Staff is friendly. Location is spacious with great natural lighting. Bike parking west on Glisan St.

I really like this place! A casual, functional, and clean interior, and the phở I had was pretty good. You order and pay first, I went with Chicken Phở, and then take your number and seat yourself. There are the classic chopsticks, soup spoons, sauces, and napkins combo organizers spaced about the place, with a glass bottle of water and clean glasses next to each, so you are fully prepped with the necessities for enjoying your meal when it arrives.
My Chicken Phở was impressive on various fronts. The chicken was tender, the soup was flavorful (but not full of msg, I would know because I get msg-​glow), and the noodles were just right. The service was very quick and nice too. I would come back to try other items on the menu or even get the Chicken Phở again ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

If you want a bowl of phở, and you’re in the neighborhood, then it’s worth coming here. I’ve had better vermicelli in Los Angeles, for sure, though…
I tried the Ginger Chicken dish, per a recommendation from a local, and it pretty much lived up to her praise. The brown rice paired really well with the ginger chicken… and they slice up fresh ginger, which adds a great bite to the dish. The chicken looked a little weird, which is my only criticism. I guess I question the quality of their poultry.
I also placed an order on the phone, and the front counter rep forgot to put in my order until I arrived at the restaurant to pick-​up. He comped my whole meal, though, which was incredibly nice (and made the wait worthwhile). Really appreciative of his customer service.

Got some food to-​go tonight because we were in the area. I swore this place off but wanted to give it another try because I thought my last visit was a one-​off but based on today’s experience it wasn’t. The crispy rolls consisted of two half size rolls. The phở was greasy and the meat was pretty much all fat except two pieces of round steak. The portion sizes were extremely small. If you go anywhere else you’ll get twice as much broth and noodles. If you want phở and egg rolls like I did don’t waste your time here.

This place was awesome! Great service! Great flavor! Traditional and crafty! I had the chicken phở soup and pork belly buns! Yum! Thanks for the great experience!

We love their variety of ban mi, rice, and noodle bowls and continuously crave for their iced green tea with chia seeds. It sounds weird but it is super delicious and a much healthier alternative to tapioca. We come here all the time and are always happy with the friendliness of the staff.

If you want to eat great food in style, this is your spot! Everyone eats together in a sense with the long tables. Great place for groups or just eating alone – you won’t feel alone. Great food; lots of flavor. Even has a bar in the back.

This place is great for its location. Its clean with happy fun staff. Its great to grab or order in advance for a fast lunch.
The veggie Curry and the veggie Phở need some work. The veggie phở has no flavor and they could use a few more mushrooms.

Been here twice for happy hour and went home fat and happy both times!
Chicken dumplings are absolutely amazing, as is the pork belly. Just get them, you will be happy you did. Papaya salad is fair — not great, not bad.
Phở is ok, nothing to write home about really… Originally I came here because I liked the phở at Phở Van in Beaverton, and this one is closer to me. Honestly, it doesn’t compare — their strength is in the small plates. Tendon in the phở is still decent, but not as buttery and broth is not as good as the other location.
Bartender is a badass and overall cool dude.

Have not had Phở Bo beef & noodle since Silk transitioned to Phở Van fresh. Same goodness, but now you can add add tendon, tripe or meatballs. Broth cook for 15 hours with marrow & spices. We tried Phở with meatballs. Very good, quick lunch.

We went on happy hours, the food was pretty good and the portion is decent too not too small. We love the chicken curry and spicy chicken dumpling. It was really good. The service was fast, the bartender made us a good cocktail

Atmosphere A+. Great booths and communal tables. Fun. Great ambiance
Food A. Beef Phở and chicken dumplings and cab all great. Quality of beef in phở was superior.
Staff A+. Front of house staff from order takers to super friendly guy bussing tables. Everyone appreciated my business and made me feel welcome.

Digging this place. Have gotten take-​out several times and eaten in the bar twice. Phở is great and curry is also great. The ambiance and décor in the restaurant is super chic but feels casual and not uptight. The bar ambiance feels more flashy and is a great spot to grab drinks w/​the ladies or on a date. Service is great. Will continue to pick up late night phở here. The hours were wrong on their website & showed up one night when they were closing, so double check they are open.

Great décor, good service, a couple of vegan options, draft beer — lovely lunch. No, this is not super authentic Vietnamese food. It’s way too sweet, underspiced and lacks complexity. I had the vegetarian phở which truly lacked vegetables… and spices. Could have used more anise and much less sugar!
The vegetarian salad rolls were quite nice, but again, way too sweet. The tofu inside the roll is sauced so it’s difficult to keep the sugar content down — the peanut sauce is also mostly sugar.
Having said that, it’s a very cute place, the service is good and it’s an awesome casual lunch.

I’m kind of a phở snob so to be honest, I was not expecting this place to be that great, but I totally «judged a book by its cover» with this place.
I ordered the beef phở. Wait time was pretty average for Friday during a busy lunch rush. 5 – 10 mins. And the phở was delicious. Broth was hot and flavorful and their standard bowl included flank and brisket– my fav. And there was plenty of meat. The portion size was enough to fill me– not too big or too small. The noodles were awesome and perfectly cooked (if your noodles are overcooked/​mushy, I find that absolutely disgusting and will never return).
My co-​worker enjoyed hers as well and the establishment was clean and laid back. We’ll return for sure. $ 8.50 for phở is a little overpriced in my opinion, but not out of the question. I’m used to $ 5 – 7 for a bowl, at other places I’ve been to. Thus a 4 star instead of 5.

Phở Van Fresh, you’ve got me hooked. I like you because of your laid back feel, friendly service, and adorable interiors. I think the thing is it feels natural, it’s not like they’re trying too hard to be something they’re not. I love the map of Vietnam inside, I found myself pointing at different areas and talking about the country like it was just yesterday I had been there.
My girlfriend loves Vietnamese food and because of her I have re-​fallen in love. We came in last night around 8pm and it wasn’t busy but there were only a few free tables. I ordered the classic banh mi and was pleasantly surprised by how much it reminded me of the banh mi I had when I was younger in Seattle. It was that little bit of soy with the mayo that really reaffirmed it all for me. I hate crunchy bread and I had no issue with the crunch factor. My girl got the tofu phở and said it wasn’t bad. I tried the broth and it actually reminded me more of the sweet and sour Vietnamese soup than anything. We also split tofu spring rolls and I have to say that Phở Van has come the closest to what I’m used to my mom making when I was young.
All in all, I’d gladly come back here! The banh mi seriously can’t be beat.

It’s finally winter! (yes, I know it’s September, but the true essence of #pdxwinter is chilly drizzle from now until May. AND I LOVE IT.)
So we’re walking through the Pearl on a slightly drizzly evening last week and come across this unassuming, nondescript place that I’m sure I’ve walked by a hundred times. It’s like a fast casual phở joint. Chi-​Phở-​Tle. There’s uncovered outdoor seating, which will have to do, as we’re dragging a dog around. My boyfriend orders inside, and our phở is delivered promptly. We wait a few more minutes to get some utensils, but no biggie. As we wait, I read that the restaurant name has changed several times in the past couple of years. No wonder I didn’t recognize it.
My tofu/​veggie phở didn’t disappoint. Very flavorful and fresh. Even better with tiny drops of acid rain that are gentle plinking into the surface of my soup. Delightful (no, really). My boyfriend got some kind of meaty phở and, judging by his excessive slurping, apparently liked it. So did the dog.
I’ll be back next time I have a phở craving. Two thumbs and one paw up.

Silk was unapproachable. Phở Van Fresh is hip, friendly, and makes me want to stop in every time I pass. Not only is the counter service quick and easy, but the whole block now smells amazing with the food they’re pumping out of the kitchen.
I went once on a rainy day this summer, but can’t wait to make more trips this fall/​winter as the temperature drops and hot bowls of phở and ramen become my go-​to craving. The format is very simple: walk in, order, take your number and everything is brought out to you. The Vietnamese coffee reminded me of a «Café Bomba» I had in Spain, and packs a punch (but is still sweet and delicious). I also had a vermicelli bowl, which was a good vegetarian option and very filling, but I wish the noodles had been warm too. It was a little pricier compared to the food carts downtown, but still better than a formal sit-​down place. I’ll definitely be back soon!

We stopped in for a quick lunch while shopping and kicking around portland.
You place your order at the counter, then take a seat and your lunch will be delivered.
The broth was very nice, not too salty. The chicken was nice cuts of meat.
I thought the pricing was fair as well.

We were staying a few blocks away from this spot and ended up eating here four times during our three weeks in Portland. Dined in twice and got take out twice. Our favorites were the crazy noodles with tofu and the sandwiches. The veggie spring rolls were also good. I was not a fan of the curry, which I got over noodles. Just didn’t have a lot of flavor. All the other dishes were really good.
It’s casual here. Stand in line, place your order and grab a table. They deliver the food to your table. They get really busy around lunch time, but still manage to get things out pretty quickly. A good bet if you are in the Pearl and want a fast and tasty lunch.

Love love love the new Phở Van Fresh concept! I used to live here and loved Silk, so decided to come in here with my family on our walk through the Pearl district on the hottest day in Portland. Ordered the Iced Green Tea with Chia seeds and I swear it was the best green tea I’ve ever had and saved me from heat stroke! I’ve never had Thai Green tea — only Matcha powdered green tea so was really surprised when the cute friendly guy behind the counter told me it was made fresh with leaves! So cool, so fragrant, so refreshing — I ordered 2 in a row!
We had just had breakfast so just really came in to duck out of the heat and to check out the new concept, but we had to try a Banh Mi as that was something one of my friends recommended to try first here. Have to say, the Classic (the traditional combo) with Homemade Pâté, Vietnamese ham and homemade pork belly was OUT OF THIS WORLD! For $ 6.95, it was a steal! We also
Decided to try the «Sloppy Joe» — a buttery-​carmelly smooth concoction of ground beef, Red curry spices topped with pickled red onions and thin slices of fresh green mango (genius!) and finished off with sprigs of fresh basil. The 4 of us were stuffed for under $ 20, but I wanted to try some of the other dishes which kept passing by us so I will def. be back before we leave!

Darling sweet guy at the counter. Friendly and effiicient.
Other than that, slow service. It took forever for us to receive our vegetable rolls, chicken dumplings, and papaya salad.
My daughter iced tea drink was serviced right away by the sweet cashier.
The vegetable rolls were fine, but the skin was a little tough to chew.
The papaya salad was a little too spicy for us and had fish chips in it, which took away from the fresh not too tasty papaya. We’ve had better.
The chicken dumplings were very good. My sort of vegetarian daughter agree they were the best of the 3 dishes. They were small, but had a nice sauce and a couple mushroom slices.
It was nice and busy, so I hope they make it.
We were sort of surprised at how expensive it turned out to be for a quick order at the counter lunch.

Formerly known as Silk — a restaurant with overpriced Phở… I undoubtedly hesitated to give this place a go. My friend lives in the Pearl and he desperately wanted to try this. The décor is great, hipster, and very Portland. I feel like they’re trying to be Luc Lac though.
You order as you come in and they give you a number so they find you after you’ve found a table. I ordered the Chicken Curry with noodles at 1 pm. My friend unfortunately showed up late (about 1:20 pm) and ordered just a regular bowl of phở. He arrived and ordered later than me and still got his food before I did. What were they doing for a good 30 minutes with my order? Horrible service with no notice of when my food was coming out. The cashier bringing out my friend’s phở didn’t even apologize for any delay on my food.
It came to the point that I asked for my food to go because I didn’t receive my food til about 1:40 pm and had to walk back downtown for a work meeting at 2 pm. Unbelievable. I will not return to this location. A revamp in name and décor hasn’t done any good. I can see right through it all and sure your prices may be slightly cheaper from Silk’s, but I take so much appreciation in an establishment that shines in customer service. Phở Van Fresh does not have that.