Vietnam's Pearl Restaurant — Restaurant in Costa Mesa

The wait is always at least 25 minutes to get my order from the time I walk in to the restaurant to the time I begin eating. Today I had to wait 5 minutes to even be acknowledged as a customer. A party of 4 came in a couple of minutes after me and were greeted, seated, menus brought, and drinks ordered in less than a minute and ALL before I was even addressed. I always go alone and am casually dressed so I'm not sure if that has anything to do with the service I receive. I frequent this restaurant only because it's the healthiest choice literally around the corner from my work and I keep thinking/hoping the service will get better. Today it was the worst yet. I do have to say, however, that the woman (owner?) is quick, very efficient, and a good hostess. But she has been in the kitchen on all save for one of my visits. The food is good but it's your average Vietnamese dish at a south Orange County price. The vermicelli meat combo is $10, whereas, in Little Saigon 5 miles north I can get a greater quantity for $7 (same quality). If they had quicker service I'd give them 4 stars. Add on lower prices and it'd be a definite 5 stars. But, I get it, they have to pay rent and feed their families, too. FYI you can order food from their menu and eat it next door at the shakes place and vice versa since they share...

Plus: you will get a free basket of pastries with purchase at the next door when you eat here and brings a receipt l.

I am writing the review purely based on the pho.

The broth was VERY SALTY!! I think MSG and fish sauce over powers other flavors. I couldn’t taste anything else.

I don’t recommend this place to pho l. If you know other good dishes, that’s great.

The waitress was nice and friendly. I don’t see many Spanish girl work for a Vietnamese restaurant, so that’s a bit new for me.

If you compare the portion and protein contents in the pho, the cost performance is about average.

The place is clean. That is good.

My only mystery is this. There is another Asian lady at the restaurant, she dresses like she came from some other places open very late night... Interesting. And the way she talks reminded me Anjelah Jonhson’s stand up. Haha

this place doesn’t do anything bad. I just cannot take the salty broth and go...

Went for lunch and sat outside while I finished my phonecall and not disturb the ONE other table seated inside. I have eaten here MANY times before this isn't about their food it's about customer service. The owner of the restaurant huffed and puffed when I wasn't ready to give my order since I was finishing up my call and still looking at the menu. Yes, she had to check on me twice. There was ONE other table there . ONE. She could have had TWO.

Customer service is part of owning a business, you can have the best food in the world but if you treat a customer like a nuisance then you get NO customers.

I will NOT be going for PHO here again, I love my food served...