Simply Pho House — Restaurant in Dripping Springs

Store interior very nice. Masks required for entry and a hand sanitizer at the door. The sanitizer was empty but made up for by having large bottles on every table. You wait to be seated which happened quickly. They have a variety of booth / table combinations. When the staff member seated you would never know they worked there by looking at them. Mask was pulled down below nose but covering mouth. Either wear it right or not at all. Pick one. We were seated within a minute or two of being there. Seating was comfortable and room temperature was comfortable considering it was cool for texas outside. Drinks were just as quick. Up to this point pretty happy with the place. Ordered appetizers and entrées. The appetizers came out immediately. These were not fresh. The egg rolls were warm but not hot. The spring rolls (pork) were rolled tight and cold like they are expected to be however, they had been prepared way earlier. The rice paper had dried out and became hard on one side. These have obviously been sitting waiting to be served. There are no sauces or condiments on the tables. We ordered the beef fried rice and the Pho combination. The entrées came out almost immediately. My wife love a the rice dish. Even said best she ever had. In my experience most Pho places brin 3-4 lime wedges with the bean sprouts, jalapeños, basil, and the cilantro. At the time of ordering I requested Sriracha and extra limes. When they brought it out it can with exactly what I mentioned above. After a few minutes I tried waving down a staff member due to our waiter not in sight. She didn't say anything other than turned around and walked off. A few minutes later after stopping at the other tables on the way to us I then again requested the extra limes and some soy sauce. The waiter then brought a few lime wedges and some foil soy packets. Ok, probably not doing bottles due to COVID so fine. The problem is the waiter made the comment that he brought extra limes to begin with. 3 wedges which weren't even close to be being the 3/4 of a lime is what was brought. This not only didn't require a comment but obviously wasn't extra if I was asking for more. The waiter never returned to inquire about drinks, food, etc. We quietly finished our meal and waved a staff member down to fetch our check. The only reason I would go back is because my wife enjoyed the rice, otherwise not worth my time, money, or effort to eat...

We used to love Simply Pho House for their tasty side items, especially the fried rice. Now, in a baffling move, they’ve decided you can’t order any sides unless you also buy a full entrée. What kind of logic is that? Not everyone wants a huge meal — sometimes a side is all you need. This isn’t hospitality, it’s a hard sell disguised as policy.

It feels less like a restaurant decision and more like a cash grab that punishes regulars. We used to stop by often for quick bites — now we’re being told we don’t spend enough to be served. That’s not just shortsighted; it’s insulting.

Sides are supposed to be flexible. Maybe I just want fried rice. Maybe I want egg rolls and a drink. That used to be normal. Now it’s a rigid, bureaucratic “sorry, we don’t allow that” — as if customers need permission to order from a menu they’re paying for.

This isn’t about operations or inventory. It’s about control. And it sends one clear message: they don’t value your business unless it meets their definition of “worth it.”

We’ve moved on to restaurants that still understand how service works — places that let you order what you want, not what they feel like...

This place is run by people who don’t seem to value their customers. We dined-in with a large party on 7/5/22 around noon. Our five year old highly sensitive son left his Nintendo Switch at the restaurant during our cross country road trip (and visit to Austin to see Family) and upon asking to view camera footage I was given pushback and attitude. We know the device was left in the restaurant and the manager appears to know something as well but wouldn’t make a single move to provide any assistance. We tipped 25% on a 7 person check that had delayed service and missed items because we know how difficult things can be right now for everyone especially students and wait staff. We believe in always paying it forward, and… this time looking back, I would’ve rather saved that $350 spent on lunch to buy a new Nintendo for my baby because his tiny heart is broken about it. I’m confident the area has Pho spots that are run by folks who don’t allow theft from their customers, maybe eat there instead.

Food: 5/10 Service: 6/10 Staff: 5/10 Customer Service: 1/10 Restaurant Quality: 5/10 Bathroom cleanliness: 6/10 Energy...