Pho Thanh — Restaurant in Bentonville

I’ve probably had Pho at around twenty different establishments - from NYC to DC, Memphis to Prague and Amsterdam. Highly rated metro spots and holes in the wall.

LISTEN TO ME - There is not a better bowl of Pho. Period. Broth, noodles, beef - all of it is better than whatever spot you've previously been to and think you love. No, SERIOUSLY. It’s not even close.

It’s also the best deal for pho I’ve ever found. Their small costs as much as a large at most places and is still bigger by A LOT.

Other places might give you a side dish of a couple old basil leaves and soggy sprouts. Pho Thanh gives you a salad’s worth of jalapeños, limes, cilantro, and the most massive bean sprouts I’ve ever seen.

Each table gets a whole bottle of Hoisin, Sriracha, and homemade chili sauce. Other places will give you a small ramekin of each.

Guess what else - the place is staffed by actually good, nice people. I started going to their old location in 2015 and back then (when it wasn’t so busy) I got to talk to some of the waiters and learned that most of the employees were all extended family. Many were working to support themselves going to college. Hell, I forgot my credit card and didn’t realize until I went to pay. When I came back after driving home to get it they tried to tell me the meal was on the house.

Pho Thanh is a gem. It has no business being so good. I know it’s expanded and gotten busier since I moved out of Bentonville, but I promise it is worth whatever minor wait you have to put up with...

My fiancé and I ate at Pho Thanh II in Fayetteville. After they finally acknowledged that we entered the restaurant, we sat at a table - and then were asked to move by the staff for cleaning purposes. So we did... We ordered the spring rolls and steamed dumplings to start. The server brought us a bowl of fish sauce with a dead bug floating in it. We sent that back and a new one was brought to us. Already a little grossed out, we opted to stay and eat. The appetizers were pretty okay. My fiancé's entrée came out - Bun with grilled pork. It was pretty bland. I waited and waited for my lemon beef salad. Trying to give questioning looks to the kitchen staff and servers, I was finally noticed. There was some verbal commotion in the kitchen, which I assumed to be my entrée that was not prepared. About 7 minutes later, my salad was delivered to our table with no apology. My lemon beef salad was pretty good and spicy. I could've used a refill on my water, but no one ever checked on us. We will not go back. The food was okay-to-pretty good, but the lack of customer service will be the death of this location. We watched 4 other people enter the restaurant, wait to be seated, and then leave. I truly wished we would've done the same. Of note, it was not near their...

If you're coming here into Northwest Arkansas and are looking to eat some legitimate Asian food, then you've come to the wrong place. There are minimal choices if you want an authentic taste. Luckily, Pho Thanh is one of those few places in which you can get a good meal for a great price.

Located right near the Walmart corporate office is where you'll find this place. Walk inside, and it actually looks reminiscent of any other pho restaurant in the country. I swear even the numbering systems on their menu looks similar.

For those that are hungry, opt for the large size, and even get a side of spring rolls. Together, your meal is still under $15. Taste-wise, it's okay, but when you factor in its location (Arkansas), then it is propelled to pretty good. The broth has enough flavor, and the noodles are nice and chewy. Along with your noodles are the standard toppings and meats that you'll find.

All in all, this place is the best pho that I've had in Arkansas. It also probably doesn't help that it's also the only pho restaurant that I've been to in Arkansas. Nonetheless, they accept credit cards (even Amex), and have a large enough parking lot to...