Pho Ngoc Yen Restaurant - Mississauga — Restaurant in Mississauga

UPDATED REVIEW 06/15/2025 (OG REVIEW 01/19/2025)

Had a bad experience on our second time going here. Food too salty, mango salad overpriced for what it is, and the biggest pain point: the dessert we ordered isn't on the menu anymore, but instead of coming out to tell us the dessert was unavailable, we were made to wait 15 minutes after finishing all our mains, had to remind 3 different waiters about it, and were told it was because we didn't order the dessert ahead of time (when we had written it on our order sheet along with everything else), only to receive an entirely different dessert in the end.

Previously, we had the Hủ Tiếu Mỹ Tho (khô/dry version) and Banana Trio Dessert, both of which we wanted to reorder. Additionally, we wanted to order the Mango Salad (A4). However, we didn't see the Banana Trio Dessert on the menu anymore, so we showed a picture from my own review (01/19/2025) to ask if they still had it or not. We were told that we could still order it, and the server wrote it down himself as "Banana Trio Dessert" on our order sheet. Then after finishing our mains, three different servers came to ask us in a span of 15 minutes if we were done (we were still waiting on our dessert). The last server to come to us, an older guy, I will translate roughly what was said in Vietnamese:

Him: "Oh, you know, that dessert takes a long time to make, you have to order it ahead of time, not just after finishing your mains." Us: "That's exactly what we did, we had it written down on our order sheet." It really seemed to me like he was trying to make it out to be our fault instead of taking responsibility.

And then some more excuses of how the kitchen only starts making desserts whenever they have the time since they have to focus on making mains for other tables, and they were swamped today (they are swamped every weekend; this shouldn't be an excuse). No apology. At least the first server to check up on us (a younger guy; not the same server who took our order) apologized for the mix-up when he told us they hadn't even started making it yet. BTW, we ordered at 6:40 PM and finished our food at 7:10 PM. The dessert came at 7:25 PM...

And it was their new Bánh Chuối Nướng dessert with coconut ice cream, NOT the Banana Trio Dessert. When we asked the server (same older guy), he said the Banana Trio Dessert was taken off the menu and to try this one instead, as this one is better anyway. Well, that's not what I thought. As someone who came mainly for the Banana Trio Dessert, I was more than disappointed.

I am extremely frustrated by the lack of communication about the Banana Trio Dessert. 1) The server who took our order was misinformed and didn't know it was taken off the menu. 2) All that time and they didn't start making it until we asked a waiter. 3) All that time and they didn't tell us it was off the menu. 4) They gave us a different dessert. I would've preferred being told that the dessert was unavailable and to leave than to receive and pay for a different dessert.

In my previous review, I said I would be coming back for the Banana Trio Dessert, since it was the best thing there that I ate. Now that it's off the menu, I doubt I will be returning, especially after this debacle.

Notes: Time for mains and app to come out were average for a sit-down restaurant (~10-15 mins). Mango Salad (A4) was good but not $22 good. Wasn't seasoned as heavily as the Hủ Tiếu Mỹ Tho (the noodles and soup were so salty, even after squeezing lime; neither balanced the other out), so it was a nice reprieve. Jasmine tea is still great. Bún Chả Ốc (B13) is great (ordered to-go). The Banana Bread Pudding w/ Coconut Ice Cream dessert, it had the same crispy dried banana sheet and sliced apples as the Banana Trio Dessert, but the similarities end there. Moist, rich. My parents said the bánh chuối nướng was too sweet. Kept playing the same 2 songs on repeat.

OG Review Notes (01/19/2025): Hủ Tiếu Mỹ Tho Mì Đặc Biệt. Fried Calamari is just sad. Banana Trio Dessert is bomb! Banana pudding, sliced banana, dried banan...

Let me set the scene. I’m a Pho purist. I have my two go-to spots, my tried-and-true broth baes. Pho Ngoc Yen? It was the dark horse, the whispered legend of the industrial park—a culinary speakeasy tucked away where forklifts fear to tread. I heard the buzz, scoffed a little, and thought, "What's the worst that can happen? I get a bowl of watery regret and a good story?"

Finding this place is the first level of the game. It’s not on Main Street, serenely sipping lattes. Oh no. It's literally a hidden gem, nestled in an area where the air smells faintly of possibility and maybe a little diesel. Seriously, if you don't know, you don't know. But once you’re inside, the whole place is a charming betrayal of its exterior—beautifully designed, bustling, and clearly where the cool kids are hiding their lunch break. The popularity shines so bright, it probably has its own postal code.

I got a seat, ordered the Large Pho Ga, and prepared for a high-stakes taste test. Would this be my third musketeer of noodle soup, or just a fleeting acquaintance? The service was friendly and efficient, bringing out the necessary paraphernalia—the tower of bean sprouts, the lime wedges, the fragrant basil. It's the war chest every Pho enthusiast needs.

Then, the bowl arrived. It wasn't just large; it was Hulk-sized. It wasn't just warm; it was volcanically hot—the kind of heat that promises a clear sinus passage for a week.

I tasted it. Double-take. Tasted it again.

It was good. No, it was very good. The broth had the expected complexity, a deep, soulful flavour that whispered ancient secrets of bone and spice. It was the MVP, the Rockstar, the reason you drove past the loading docks.

But every superhero has an Achilles' heel, and this Pho's was its poultry. The chicken was the chewy, skin-on antagonist of this culinary drama. While the broth was singing opera, the chicken was doing a slightly rubbery interpretive dance. And then... the quail eggs. Two tiny, fully submerged, boiled orbs. Now, this is purely personal, but I'm not a fan of surprise hard-boiled aviary babies in my soup. They're like that one relative who shows up uninvited and doesn't quite fit the vibe.

So, does Pho Ngoc Yen make the cut? Well, the broth alone is worth the perilous journey into the industrial unknown.

Pho Broth 9/10 Pure, complex liquid gold. Chicken & Eggs 4/10 Chewy fowl and unwelcome oval surprises. Overall Pho 7/10 A stellar broth with a slightly questionable supporting cast. Service 8/10 Friendly, swift, and armed with the sprout tower.

In conclusion, I’m calling it: Pho Ngoc Yen is the secret lair of a master broth-maker. It’s not replacing my top two spots yet, but it's officially on my roster's waiting list. You come for the clandestine location and the charming atmosphere, but you stay for that beautiful, scalding hot bowl of...

Pho Ngoc Yen Restaurant is a very famous Vietnamese Restaurant in the GTA, for a very, very good reason.

For this review, we ate at the Mississauga location by Kamato Road. I believe the one in Etobicoke is a bit larger in terms of dining space, which I think opened after the former.

While majority of Vietnamese restaurants are amazing, Pho Ngoc Yen boasts of consistent excellent food and very friendly service. For starters, we ordered the GOI XOAI TOM KHO, which is their famous Mango salad with dried shrimp. The mouth-watering appetizer is highlighted with their sweetened fish sauce & sprinkled with some lemon. You must try this to somehow prep your palette for the main course. We also ordered a new item in their menu; I forgot the name but it’s Fried Crispy Tofu drizzled with Sweet Soya Sauce. It comes garnished with baby tomatoes and spinach. While crispy outside, the inside of the Tofu melted in your mouth.

For mains, I highly suggest trying the BUN BO HUE soup.  The “Hue” style dish is served with generous portions of beef, pork with vermicelli in spicy lemon grass broth. I’ve tried the same soup in other places, but this one must be the best or by far my “go-to” version. The spice is just right, not overwhelming and blood cubes add that wonderful taste. I just can’t get enough of this soup. We also ordered the BUN THIT NUONG CHA GIO which is vermicelli with BBQ Pork and Spring Rolls. For those who lover Vietnamese cuisine, this dish goes well with the sweetened fish sauce that they have. The BBQ pork is succulent and mouthwatering.

Next up is the Vietnamese version of their Chicken Pad Thai, known in the menu as GA XAO HU TIEU THAI LAN. One single order is good for sharing for at least 2-3 people. I mean the service is very generous. If you want something that borders on sweet with the right amount of saltiness, this is the dish for you. You can also order this with the shrimp, and they call it the TOM GA XAO HU TIEU THAI LAN.

When ordering drinks, I highly suggest getting the DA ME DAU PHONG, which is a Tamarind juice with peanuts, sugar, and ice. This drink goes well when trying to wash down all those rich flavors and it’s not heavy on the tummy, unlike soda drinks. Also suggested in the CAM VAT TUOI which is their freshly squeezed orange juice, and I tell you, you can tell that it was freshly squeezed.

Our experience with this restaurant has always been very, very pleasant. We did eat at their Etobicoke branch a few years back but coming to their Kamato branch just solidifies the excellent reputation this restaurant has. I also would like to thank the staff for their very pleasant and friendly demeanor. Excellent food and excellent people…..you can not ask for anything...