Pho Xe Lua Vietnamese Cuisine — Restaurant in Toronto

Xe Lua or Pho Train, is a mainstay in the downtown (Chinatown) core. It has been around for so long. At one time, as it is now upstairs, it was actually downstairs which after turned into a unsuccessful Viet-Thai restaurant and is currently under construction for a new Chinese Hotpot.

The upstairs location is great though, lots of space but even though it sits a ton of people, sometimes there are lineups out the door! (Usually the late night crowd on Thurs-Sat) It is one of the ONLY places after the bar club scene where you can get a decent meal late night. I think it's open to something crazy like 4 or 5 in the morning. Keep this in mind if you have a night out in Toronto, whether it be a corporate event that runs late, or you and your friends take in the bar/club/lounge scene. Because to be honest, there isn't that many places to eat late in the city but this place is a must when you have late night cravings after a long night.

As for the food, there is no good Pho downtown except this place! This is the best you will find. A few doors down there is a pho/chinese/thai mixed restaurant. I tried their Viet cuisine ordering a bun dish and my friend got their Pho. Oh em gee, I don't even wanna say... But Xe Lua (Pho Train) you will be pleasantly surprised. They give great portion size on all their food. The Pho has good traditional flavourings and the meat in it tastes exactly how it should! Many places in downtown serving up Viet food don't do it properly.

Their drinks are good too... They have all the traditional milkshakes you find at Viet restaurants, as well as some pretty eye popping, super caffeine induced Vietnamese coffee (cold or hot). You might get the shakes if you drink more than one just keep in mind. I believe they use french press for their coffee, which reflects the French influence from Vietnam being a French colony years passed.

For Pho downtown, you have to eat here, or the one near Queen & Ossington. If you are eating out late, you have to try this place. Don't forget the lunch times either, I see this place all the time and it always has at least 20+ people in it. No matter the time of the day. For the most part, you should have no trouble finding a seat.

Once you've tried eating here a few times you will get these odd little cravings to eat their food once in awhile. It just happens...

I am not gonna lie and say it's the nicest decor, or the best tasting food ever, but for what you get (food, portions, etc) it is a great choice for what it costs you. And for the most part, it's one of the cleaner Asian restaurants in the area. (Lets face it, Chinatown is not known for being spotless)

The people working there are worked to the max, so sometime they are rushing around like crazy, I don't think they are ever trying to be rude, but if you don't top notch service, just consider that they are busy all day long usually. If you happen to catch them during a slow time (rarely) you will see that almost all the staff are really nice, and very genuine people that work very hard for their living and they really want to give good food and service to their clients.

I'm a fan, and will...

Where do I begin.

My friend and I couldn't make it into Ginger (a fantastic place for hearty, cheap pho) and ended up coming in here as she's come all the way from California and is leaving tomorrow.

We get in, we order. The atmosphere was uneasy. I wanted a takeout along with our orders. When the food came, the noodles were thick and very difficult to get up on a chopstick. There was only two slices of beef in a large bowl - constant how much need Ginger gives you in only a small bowl. I tried to eat the sloppy, thick noodles hat kept falling apart but couldn't. I had to ask for a fork, which got me looked at funny, but even that didn't work. Finally I got fed up and mentioned that I'd expected thin noodles. The guy was nice enough to say he'd replace the noodles. But while we waited the people who worked there were so rude. And I'm a very nice, obliging girl who tips well (usually 50%) but this place - I was treated so badly. We were two small girls out on our own and we were treated so badly. At one point I was thanking the waiter for fixing my order and he just zipped by rudely saying "yeah we're very busy". I was about to ask him another question.

Once I went up to a worker to get the forks I was asked rudely "do you need something" to which I admittedly, snippily said "yeah that's why I'm here." the dude rolled his eyes and walked away. This is worse than strangers are supposed to treat you.

No one ever checked up on us. I have health issues and I kept having to get up in the middle of eating to ask things.

I asked for the rest of my stuff to be packed up since hey put way too much soup and noodle and no beef. A nicer waiter gave me a styrofoam contained and a plastic bag promptly.

We finally got out bill and I left a three dollar tip on a 25 dollar order - I would have tipped ten dollars normally. I thought the one waiter who was polite to us saved out night after being so uneasy there, I waved to him in the way out and he ignored us! Wow. The whole time people gave us dirty looks and I'm not sure why. Our order was wrong, we didn't ask the meal to be redone or cancelled - just to give us the dry smaller noodles again - those are easier to eat and we wanted put them in the same bowls of broth.

I asked for takeout - a simple process. I even left over a ten percent tip despite this. I keep thinking about how I should t have given given how I was treated like nothing. We both looked like messy college students I know, but were just some nice girls on a nice night out at a concert. Even then, even the nicer waiter was giving us dirty looks like the rest of them. It hurt.

When he walked out I told my friend we are never coming back here.

I'd prefer to go to ginger, it's more authentic and nice. Not hundred percent but it's much more friends and cheap and they actually put beef in their pho, that place actuslly has an easy atmosphere, small as it is. I know a lot of this is coloured by my experience tonight but God were we treated badly since for being two alone nerdy girls on...

I recently had the opportunity to dine at Pho Xe Lua Vietnamese Cuisine on a Saturday evening for dinner, and I must say it was a delightful experience. The restaurant was not too busy, allowing for a relaxed and enjoyable dining atmosphere.

One of the highlights of my visit was the reasonable pricing at Pho Xe Lua. The menu offered a variety of Vietnamese dishes at affordable prices, making it an excellent option for those looking for a satisfying meal without breaking the bank. I appreciated that I could savor the flavors of authentic Vietnamese cuisine without feeling like I had overpaid.

The quality of the food at Pho Xe Lua was impressive. I had the chance to try their signature pho, and it was outstanding. The broth was flavorful and aromatic, complemented by tender slices of beef and fresh herbs. The noodles were cooked to perfection, and the portion size was generous.

The service at the restaurant was also commendable. The staff members were attentive, friendly, and ready to assist with any inquiries or special requests. Despite the restaurant not being too busy during my visit, the waitstaff made sure to provide a prompt and efficient service, ensuring that my dining experience was enjoyable from start to finish.

In terms of ambiance, Pho Xe Lua had a cozy and inviting atmosphere. The décor had a touch of Vietnamese influence, creating a pleasant environment to savor the delicious cuisine. The seating arrangements were comfortable, and the overall cleanliness of the restaurant added to the overall positive experience.

During my visit to Pho Xe Lua Vietnamese Cuisine, I was pleased to find that the restaurant was clean and well-maintained. The cleanliness of the establishment added to the overall positive impression and made for a comfortable dining environment.

As for the food, I decided to try the vermicelli with meatballs and BBQ pork, and I was not disappointed. The dish was beautifully presented and bursting with flavors. The vermicelli noodles were perfectly cooked and served as a tasty base for the dish. The meatballs were juicy and tender, while the BBQ pork had a delightful smoky and sweet taste. The combination of flavors and textures made each...