Standard phở here with a fairly nice flavour. I had the steak and brisket. You get nice fresh herbs too. Wide rice noodles and more than i could finish. Prices are London-high. Service was friendly, although they did forget my order
Ellen C.
Tu valoración: 2 Milpitas, CA
Coming from the Bay Area, California and being a Vietnamese American, I was curious to see how good or bad Vietnamese food is in London. I already had expectations that it would probably be hard to find authentic vietnamese food here, and this place was the closest my boyfriend and I found around the area where we were at. I had the Phở Bo(beef) Xao. When I got my plate, I had no clue why there were cold bean sprouts and fish sauce on one side so I found that odd. Don’t get me wrong, the food was good and I was content, but of course it’s nothing like vietnamese food back home in California. I would highly recommend making a trip to California, either the Bay Area, specifically San Jose, or Los Angeles for real authentic vietnamese food! Other than that, the service was great! And you get a postcard to take home if you’re a tourist.
Louisa K.
Tu valoración: 2 London, United Kingdom
I remember first trying Phở when I was at Westfield Shopping Centre. I had ordered the Phở with Tofu and Mushrooms and absolutely loved it. Half a year later I found my self near Liverpool Street in need of a late dinner. I was looking forward to having another Phở next to Spitalfields Market. To my surprise I ended up not liking my Mushroom Phở at all this time. I don’t know if something went wrong that day but I don’t think I’ll risk going there again. Sorry Phở!
James K.
Tu valoración: 2 London, United Kingdom
I enjoyed my meal — I had the chicken and shrimp rice. My girlfriend has some chicken noodles and found a hair, we mentioned it and were told«it’s lemongrass» I said we know what lemongrass is and we know what a hair is, and this is a hair. The manager then proceeded to show us a bowl of lemongrass as though it was a new concept to us. The whole thing was very strange and confusing — in central London, in 2015 does she really think we don’t know what lemongrass looks like? My food was pretty good, but because of the bizarre behaviour of the manager I won’t be bothering again.
Victoria D.
Tu valoración: 4 London, United Kingdom
Delicious food, helpful staff. It’s quiet, a bit of peace is always enjoyable in crazy London.
Alexander A.
Tu valoración: 4 High Wycombe, United Kingdom
Really good healthy feeling food. Tasty stews with fresh flavours. Just what you want after a gruelling day at work. Set in super cool Spitalfields market as well with plenty of pub options & parking after 7.30
James H.
Tu valoración: 4 London, United Kingdom
Been coming to Phở branches since I’ve found it few months ago. The phở tastes almost similar to the ones I find back in San Gabriel Valley(Los Angeles). Though I do wish the Phở Tai meat was cut thinner as sometimes it can be quite a tough chew. Otherwise, keep up with making that nice broth!
Rob H.
Tu valoración: 4 London, United Kingdom
I remember going to Phở many moons ago and not being very impressed — this was back when Vietnamese food was pretty new to me too, so I hadn’t been back since. It’s undergone an extensive rebrand in the intervening period and after being recommended by a number of different people, I decided to give it another shot. This branch of phở is exactly how you’d imagine a slightly trendy-ish Vietnamese restaurant near Spitalfields. To. A. Tee. I bet there’s one restaurant outfitters who have an Argos-type catalogue of settings and basically do every restaurant in London(this reminds me of the Northern Chinese restaurant on Lisle Street which had North African décor — I’m 90% sure its predecessor was also Chinese, so I can only assume that that particular package was on offer. This is totally and utterly unrelated to this review so I’ll STFU now). Phở goes for a fairly cosy feel(fairly dimly lit, obvs) despite the quasi-brutalist smooth concrete walls also found in House of Ho(remember, Vietnam IS a communist country after all). I don’t know if it’s the walls, but as a result, the main room is pretty resonant so I’d have to work harder in conversation here than other places(albeit not as bad as the deafening bathroom acoustics of Cay Tre in Soho). However, I am El Lobo Solitario. so no such problems this time round. I went for one of the large spring rolls and a Phở Tai Lan(the garlic variant) with an extra raw egg(mm, salmonella roulette). I liked the spring rolls — not too greasy, crispy outside, and nice — if not overly flavourful– filling. I would have liked a bit more variety in filling texture, but really it was a decent rendition with a good dipping sauce to boot. I thought the phở had a good flavour, and compared favourably to a number of places on Kingsland Road. The beef quality isn’t the best, but the soup was pretty satisfying on the whole. I don’t get some of the complaints about here, it was nowhere near anything resembling bland and I’ll be definitely returning in the future. Being a bit upmarket, there aren’t any options in the odd beef bits department(tendon, tripe), but that’s fine. It’s not the most authentic in the world but then again it’s not trying to be — if that’s what you’re looking for, go to any one of the numerous Viet places in Shoreditch. However, I felt that phở does what it does pretty well. I also had a Viet coffee — pretty good, although I felt it could be stronger, and it lacked the signature chocolate-ness of a really good one. Still, the staff did manage to prepare it properly(no leaks here) unlike quite a few places. House of Ho still do my favourite one in town, but this one suffices in a pinch. Overall, a good experience, plus the waiter returned my wallet which I’d left on the table. Oops. Extra tips then. No complaints here and I think Phở’s done a good job of pulling itself out of mediocrity.
Susan Y.
Tu valoración: 2 London, United Kingdom
Live pretty close to here and thought, why not, maybe a British chain restaurant could be okay… nope, I thought wrong. It’s ‘fa’ not ‘fo’. Staff can’t even pronounce the name of your restaurant? Off to a good start. To summarize the food here: ITSJUSTNOTAUTHENTICTASTINGATALL. Why are the noodles thick? Why are they undercooked? Where are the basil leaves? Spaghetti meatballs in my phở? Yea, no thanks. Soup doesnt have much flavor, only rescued by Sriracha. The Vietnamese coffee tasted like instant coffee with condense milk. Im giving two stars for the clean environment and the staff are quite nice. Definitely not coming back again. Maybe Im just spoiled by Southern California and its abundance of cheap, authentic Vietnamese food.
Chris B.
Tu valoración: 3 Syracuse, NY
I have to admit I truly love phở it’s one of my favorite things to eat. I’ve had my share of phở over the years all over the place. This shop is a bit different than my usual places dare I say a bit upscale? My usual places are typically family run and not usually is a lot of English spoken. The broth here was actually quite good. The noodles were the wide variety which I usually don’t care for much and rarely have I seen them in phở. The meat was good different but good. I would say it was a higher quality meat prepared with more culinary knowledge rather than family tradition Overall a solid place to eat and very clean. I’d go back but my phở love will always include tripe and cartilage
Ally W.
Tu valoración: 3 London, United Kingdom
Phở is a staple in Vietnamese cuisine and it is hard to go to a Vietnamese restaurant without seeing Phở on the menu. Naturally, when I see a restaurant named Phở, I have high expectations. I have to say this chain is consistent and the noodles here are good, but not great. I find the beef noodle soup a bit on the light side. Though the soup is supposed to be clear, it should be full of flavor, which is a bit lacking here. However, it is so close to my flat, so it has become my go-to whenever I feel like a hot and spicy noodle soup to chase away the winter chill. Besides Phở, they also offer other popular dishes, like grilled meat on vermicelli noodles and stir-fry with rice. I have never tried those dishes, so I can’t really comment on them. What I do like is their take out. Very thoughtful. The noodles and soup are packed separately, so the noodles won’t get soggy. The container for noodles is like a proper noodle bowel, big and deep. You also get all the fixings in small packages. You can assemble your Phở whenever you are ready and your noodles will taste fresh.
James N.
Tu valoración: 4 九龍, Hong Kong
On a chilly day at the start of December, there are few things better than a Vietnamese phở to warm you up from the inside. I did a Unilocal search from my desk and noticed that this restaurant was within walking distance and had a good rating. It was certainly a popular day for phở! The line of people seeking Vietnamese was almost out of the door. The winter air was crisp and we were keen to access the restaurant proper and get our fill. The phở was delicious and I was satisfied in just the way I wanted. The first spoonful of the broth was moreish. I scooped several more full spoons of broth down before I started on the noodles and beef. The noodles were cooked just right(a little firm, as I prefer) and the beef was tasty. I finished the broth. All of it. To the last spoonful. I think this is a phở restaurant for newcomers to phở. The menu has helpful comments about the dishes so you know what to expect. The waitress asked me if I had had phở before, when she dropped off the phở with the side dish of leaves and lime. For a newcomer, I think she may have given some friendly advice about how to tackle the phở. This is a bankable Vietnamese restaurant near work and I expect that I will be back again this winter.
Gordon M.
Tu valoración: 4 Glasgow, United Kingdom
Wandering around looking for food options this popped up on Unilocal.We both love Vietnamese food and, having checked the menu, we eagerly entered. It was quiet when we got there, so the space, dominated by a brick wall and a long rugged wooden bench in the centre was very welcoming. We got a table for two and started to look at the menu, sensibly opting to share a starter — Chicken Bánh xèo, a delicious savoury Vietnamese crispy crêpe with rice papers & herbs. I’d not had the crispy crêpe and will admit I’ve not mastered rolling rice paper yet but it was all very tasty if a little messy! For main I plumped for Cm tm rang. A wonderful aromatic dish of spicy wok-fried broken rice with chicken & dried shrimp, a generous helping of that, with a dash of soy and the only challenge was my poor dexterity with chopsticks! Kirsty had the Chicken & Prawn Ph Xào. Wok fried flat rice noodles with lemongrass, chilli and Asian greens. Served with peanuts & nc chm I managed to snag a few bits of that too and it was as fresh and tasty as my dish. We also ordered a side of green veg(green beans and sugar snap peas topped with pan fried peanuts) which were ok. Oddly we were told they were out of peanuts, yet Kirsty’s dish definitely had them?! Service was good, food was fresh and tasty and for an eatery in London it was reasonably priced, win all round!
Nick S.
Tu valoración: 5 Washington, DC
I’ve walked by this place a hundred times going to or from Brick Lane and Spitalfields, but it’s always been packed and I’ve never made the time. Well now I’m glad I did, because it’s amazing. I had a shredded chicken salad that was light, crispy and flavorful. They also have very good Vietnamese iced coffee, but if you’re not used to it, the caffeine hit will be like nitro to your veins. You’ve been warned.
Stefan P.
Tu valoración: 3 London, United Kingdom
Came here one busy Saturday. We had squid and the veggy spring rolls to start. They were both excellent, particularly the spring rolls which were really fresh and not oily. Full marks there. My son had a chicken noodle dish which he said was his usual and was good. I had the papaya salad. I must say this was disappointing. There was a slight bitter undertaste and the papaya was AWOL. So far as I could tell it contained tiny slivvers of the fruit. I had expected some slices at least. Other than that, the service was brisk and efficient. Phở as a concept is to be welcomed, but I won’t have the cold salad again.
Tiffany H.
Tu valoración: 4 London, United Kingdom
This place has a very similar feel to the Phở in Oxford Circus. The tables are tight together and the atmosphere is cozy. The place can be a bit loud if it is a full house. I came here with my boyfriend and we ordered prawn goi cuon as starters, and we both loved the peanut sauce it came with. I ordered phở tai and I thought it was pretty good. I think I like Phở’s chicken phở more, but the beef was still very nice. My boyfriend ordered the phở dac biet, which has a very strong garlic flavoured broth. I found it very nice, but I still think I like plainer broth and adding in my own spices. If you love garlic then go for this one! However, pass on this if you’re on a first date.
Alex S.
Tu valoración: 4 London, United Kingdom
This is my to-go Phở spot, and it hasn’t failed me yet. Whenever I’m in the Shoreditch area and I’m craving easy, delicious, know I’m going to enjoy it later soup or noodles, especially at night right at the end of a work day, it’s Phở baby. I usually get the noodles with spring rolls, which comes wrapped up tight and is still hot when I get to my home. Damn it’s good. It can be a little confusing since they do have a to-go order counter upstairs but more often than not at night it isn’t manned and I have to go back downstairs to order. But it’s fine from there, I order right at the door and they get everything together very fast and I’m out the door with my Phở. Mmm. Yum, goof spot for good food.
Cynthia D.
Tu valoración: 5 London, United Kingdom
So a little while ago I reviewed the Pizza Express by Liverpool St station — it was ok for a chain. this is much better. If you ever need somewhere for a bigger group in the city that accommodates children this is the place. It gets busy but we were there by 12pm(they open at 12pm) which gave us plenty of time before the city goes to lunch. I had the Bun with chicken & really enjoyed it. The kids had a great selection & got kids style chopsticks which entertained them while we were there. Can’t wait to go back without the kids!
William M.
Tu valoración: 4 Dublin, Republic of Ireland
Fresh and exciting, lots of fresh herbs and hot chilli Started with chicken summer rolls, very tasty, not too heavy, zingy flavour. Bun Bo Hue was hot and spicy, satisfying, exciting to eat. Lovely fresh herbs, beansprtouts and a kick from the chilli shrimp sauce is perfect.
Meredith A.
Tu valoración: 4 Newcastle, United Kingdom
This phở is the business. It was my boyfriend’s first Vietnamese and he didn’t even know what hit him, it was so good. Their broth apparently simmers for 12 hours and I believe it — such incredible depth of flavor. I got the house special which had prawns, tofu, and steak. Everything was amazing except the tofu which was basically just nothing but a few fried squares with a strange texture — I would’ve much preferred soft tofu to the fried stuff! Didn’t hold up well in the broth. I added so many herbs and dabs of spicy sauce, and slurped every last noodle. Very cute atmosphere, there’s seating and a bar on two levels, and the windows open up to the street and Spitalfields Market. Service was friendly, and I think one of the people we spoke to was the owner who was very kind and eager to know our thoughts. I can’t imagine my boyfriend allowing me to go anywhere else next time we’re in the area. Terrific stuff!
Hanna S.
Tu valoración: 5 Hamburg
Der Wein war lecker und meine Suppe ebenfalls… aber 5 Sterne sind wirklich auch für die coole Deko, das Licht, was überall leicht und flockig hinstrahlt und die blauen Wände die im Kontrast mit dem braunen Möbeln eine wirklich schöné Atmosphäre kreieren. Wir hatten sogar Vorspeisen und haben trotzdem fast alles geschafft. Preis & Leistung ist toll & der Service war zuvorkommend. Hier komme ich gerne wieder her!