Super Super Pho — Restaurant in Berkeley

Ideally, I'd give this place 2.5/5.

Usually, the Yelp reviews for a restaurant are always on point, and they've never let me down in the past, but this time, it was a different story.

Super Super Pho has a great setup for a casual dining experience. The covered patio with string lights and heaters looked inviting, and the counter service with "find your own seat" was convenient. We arrived right after opening, so there was no wait and service was very fast. Perhaps a little too fast...

Our food came out within minutes of ordering, which was concerning. Especially considering we had fried chicken wings, a dish that typically takes longer to prepare. Unfortunately, the wings were the biggest letdown. They were bland and undercooked, not crispy and flavorful like you'd expect.

The pho (super pho combination) itself was a mixed bag. The portion was generous, with plenty of meat (rare steak, well-done brisket, and beef balls). However, the broth was a major disappointment. It lacked depth of flavor and really needed a lot of doctoring with the provided condiments like lemon and Sriracha. The meat itself was also unevenly cooked - some parts were dry, others undercooked.

The Thai tea was decent. It was milky (not watered down, thankfully), but it had some chalky aftertaste.

On the plus side, the staff was friendly when we did manage to flag them down. However, with only one other table occupied during our entire visit, the inattentiveness was surprising. We had to track someone down for water and takeout boxes.

Given today's rainy weather, I was really looking forward to some comforting pho, but unfortunately, this place did...

This was my first visit, and since it was a rainy day, I decided to try their pho. There’s something comforting about a warm bowl of soup on a cold, wet day. The soup had a rich, deep flavor that was enjoyable, but not remarkable. For comparison, my favorite pho spot is still Pho Vi Hoa in Palo Alto, which I feel has more balanced and complex flavors.

Ordering here was straightforward. You place your order at the counter, and the staff delivers your food to the table. The service was efficient and friendly, which added to the overall experience.

For starters, I ordered A2: Fresh Shrimp Spring Rolls. They were fresh, light, and paired well with the accompanying peanut dipping sauce. As for the main dish, I went with the Rare Steak Pho, adding extra noodles for $2. While the broth and rare steak were satisfying, I realized the portion of noodles was already quite generous without the extra. If you’re someone with a hearty appetite, you’ll likely find the regular portion sufficient.

Next time, I’ll skip the extra noodles and focus on the base dish. It’s a solid spot for a comforting bowl of pho, but I’d still rank it below my go-to pho spot...

Wow. Just wow. The food was super delicious and incredibly filling. I ordered the vegetarian phở and the portion was HUGE! I think I'm a pretty big eater, but there was so much food, I couldn't finish my meal even though I wanted to keep eating! The broth was rich with umami flavor, and the noodles were cooked to perfection. This is one of the most authentic places in the area, so if you're looking for a good phở place that'll please even a Vietnamese person, this is it! This restaurant is also family-owned, which I thought was really great. The owner was really friendly, and the people taking our order were really nice as well. The price was also a good selling point-- $9.50 for a huge bowl of delicious, authentic pho is awesome. The atmosphere was great as well, because it reminded me of the restaurants in Vietnam--super casual and super friendly. Overall, this is probably my favorite Vietnamese place in the Berkeley/Oakland area, and I wish I lived closer because I would frequent this...