CAFE DE PHO THAI — Restaurant in Estes Park

This is truly a hidden gem!!!!! If you don’t know the area-with the abundance of construction that is going on, sadly, you really may not find it or find a way to it. I was very lucky and was riding with someone that is very astute directionally, and after a couple times, trying to figure out how to get in the one-way area to pick up our order he was able to figure it out !!! In the meanwhile, I had actually called in the order because it was a special order, and I wanted to make sure that I could speak with someone to explain exactly what type of pho we wanted. It was going to be about 20 minutes before it was ready and after looking at the directions and realizing we had to drive through a heavy construction area, we were glad it was going to take that long!!! It took us a good, 25 minutes to be able to route ourselves to stop at the restaurant in the midst of the construction mess. I stood for a couple of minutes at the cash register, and a server approached and asked me if I had placed to go order which I confirmed. I told her about the order and she said that she had been back in the kitchen and she thought it was ready, but that she was not the one that took the order so she would locate that person and let him know , I was here to pick it up. He actually walked up right about that time so she gave him the money and told him who I was and he went back toward the kitchen to check the order. He was also very busy assisting other customers, delivering food, and seating two new tables of customers too. He stopped by and advised me that the order was not ready yet and it would be a few minutes . I understand that he has no control over that but I have to say that I was surprised. I waited about 10 minutes and he delivered the pho-he double checked to ensure we did not want any of the offered condiments. The chicken pho with noodle was delicious and just what the doctor ordered. Really amazing to have such a good Vietnamese experience in such a tiny town as Estes Park. For people in the know it’s right next-door to the post office. The restaurant is fairly large with plenty of seating, and a warehouse style feel . I can’t wait...

**Edit July 24, 2023 The way the owner chose to handle this negative feedback is unfortunate. I hope the staff are treated with respect and fairness by the owner, especially considering that working in the restaurant industry is known to be challenging.

I visited the restaurant in September18, 2021 with 3 friends and was given the takeout menu by the server. I recently edited my review around four weeks ago to ensure I was using appropriate language and maintaining a respectful tone. However, I did not realize that editing the review would change the date it was originally posted.(I did not actually write a review. In fact, I have only written a total of 4 reviews in my entire life.)

I wanted to provide genuine feedback based on my experience at the restaurant. Unfortunately, the owner of the restaurant chose to respond just today (July24,2023)and seemed to portray themselves as a victim, accusing me of making false accusations.

This is how they demonstrate an alternative way of running their business.

I would like to reiterate that my intention was simply to share my honest experience during my visit. I recently went out for lunch with some friends on September18, and while I enjoyed the food, I was unpleasantly surprised when I received the bill. I noticed that I was charged a different amount than what was listed on the menu. It seems like the restaurant has increased their prices but hasn't updated their menus yet, and our waitress didn't mention this to us when she handed us the menus. I don't mind paying higher prices, but I believe that running a business in this manner is unacceptable and misleading...

I gave 2 stars only because the food was okay. However:

Be mindful of the final receipt: They added extra charges to every single dish we ordered, and we weren't the only ones who experienced this. We personally saw a table ahead of us complaining to the owner about being overcharged. Despite this, they still gave us an inflated bill without informing us or double-checking. When we brought it up, they claimed it was due to a "system error." However, this "error" consistently overcharged rather than undercharged, and we don't understand why they didn't address this issue after someone else had already pointed it out. Long wait times: We waited an hour to receive our food, even though there were only two tables of four people ahead of us. Meanwhile, some customers who arrived after us even received their food eariler than us. They charged $2 for sprouts and other standard pho ingredients, which is the first time I've ever seen such a fee at any pho restaurant.

Edited in response to owner’s reply:

Calling us "harassing" for noticing overcharges and kidnly informing other customers is absurd, especially since you overcharged them too and didn’t proactively check or notify anyone. If asking the waitress to correct a bill counts as "harassment," that’s laughable.

Mistakes happen, but your defensive response here and lack of proactive handling during the visit are unprofessional. Instead of accusing customers, take responsibility and focus on improving your processes to...