Pho 18 — Restaurant in Thorold

Today was my family's first timet to Pho 18. We been meaning to try this new pho spot in Thorold. It is not our regular pho spot but upon reading these "good reviews" from others we thought we would give it a chance. We were greeted once we walked in and then led to sit at a table. The decor and ambience was nice and elegant. Very modern. The menu does not have many options like the other pho places we've been to, so I was disappointed with that. We decided to order the spring rolls, fresh rolls and calamari for apps. We ordered two bowls of the Special Pho and an order of the rice platter with pork chops. Our apps came first. I'm a lover of spring rolls with my pho, but when I seen it I knew I wouldnt like it. But I wanted to give it a chance. I took a half and dipped it into the fish sauce and bit it. It was extremely sour. Like a spoiled sour. I was turned off! I knew it wasnt right. Second I tried the fresh rolls, not terrible but wasnt the best either. Third was the calamari and that I can say was good. Right texture and good sauce. I was very disappointed that the server never asked us if we would like a drink. I had to get her attention and ask her for some water and tea. She advised me that there was a charge for tea. I was appalled. Never had I ever gone into a pho spot and have to pay for the tea!!! Ridiculous!! Major dislike. After pushing the spring rolls to the side, the server came and asked if we didnt like the spring rolls. We said it was sour and she apologized and said she would take a look in the back. We never got an explanation but lucky she didnt charge it. Our pho finally came and when it was placed in front of me, I was thinking why is the broth sooooooooo dark?! I never had a pho broth so dark!! Completely annoyed by this point but I couldn't waste the food. I tried the broth and it was NOT flavourable like the reviews said. It was bland and watered down. I even added my usual sriracha and hoisin sauce and still sucked. I barely touched it. I'm sure the server knew I was not impressed. Being an Asian decent and being to many pho spots, this spot lacks alot and I will not agree that it's the best pho spot in Niagara. That's a joke! The best pho spot in Niagara is Pho Viet Nam 3969 in Thorold Stone Rd. Sorry Pho 18, I will definitely be telling my family and friends about this experience. Worse one ever in my life, hence why I'm reviewing with this long paragraph. Which I usually do not. Waste of my...

Beautiful owner/operators with hearts of gold exuding good energy. Soft spoken with always a smile on their faces.

They love what they do and it is expressed in the food and decor on the restaurant.

Easily the most beautiful dining room I have been to with a homely feel - very warm and welcoming.

The plants in the restaurant are nice placed to give it a very natural feel and provides a beautiful sense of subtle privacy as one is dining.

Bathrooms are big clean and beautiful!

I had the vegan stir fried noodles - AMAZING!!!!!!!!

Delicious sauces(s), glass noodles made from yam/potatoes with lots of tasty veggies. Tasted like nothing I have ever eaten before and highly recommended!

Washed down with their delicious Vietnamese Iced coffee - slurp!

The veggie spring rolls were off the charts  - I think it had tofu, glass noodles and some other nicely mixed stuff - very subtle and lovely starter, came with a very complementary dipping sauce.

Dessert was mango cheese cake and carrot cake - oh man, heaven in a slice and again highly recommended.

This place is very VEGAN and vegetarian friendly.

My first visit and I left feeling like family - love the owners - salt of the earth people.

Customer for life.

Highly recommended even if visiting the Falls, it is well worth the...

If you're considering dining out, I strongly advise against choosing this particular establishment. My family and I recently visited, and initially, the ambiance seemed pleasant. However, our experience quickly soured. The waitress who took our order failed to inquire about our soup preferences, forcing us to approach another staff member to rectify the order. We also ordered cream cheese wontons and boba. The wontons were the highlight, tasting exquisite. Unfortunately, the boba was a different story; it tasted like overly sweetened water with chunks of ice, possibly due to syrup mishandling. The top part was cold, but the bottom, where the syrup settled, was scalding, almost burning my mouth. Moreover, the boba pearls disintegrated in the drink, rendering it unappetizing. Yet, the worst disappointment was the pho. The broth was exceptionally dark, and the chicken had an odd appearance and taste. The broth was particularly unpleasant due to an overwhelming addition of nutmeg or ginger. I found the pho so repulsive that I felt nauseous. If you're hungry and considering this place, I strongly advise against it. I recommend steering clear to avoid a disappointing...