Pho Real — Restaurant in Lemon Grove

Very good Vietnamese and Pho spot. My partner and I usually do pho at Pho Hoa and we were eager to try Pho Real as it is so close to our home. We will definitely be going back to Pho Real.

We started with the spring roll appetizer and I thought they were delicious and very reasonably priced. We finished ALL of the peanut sauce, which was really quite good and felt a bit more intentional than others I've had.

We both had pho and we both immediately remarked on how flavorful the broth was. Honestly it was probably the best, most flavorful pho broth that I've had. If you’re used to or like a lighter flavored broth it may get slightly too rich as your bowl gets near the end but I promise the first 3/4 of delicious broth is worth it. Plus they give you lemons to brighten it up, or some jalapeño to give it some spice.

The meat was delicious and tender and we appreciated having satay at the table, ready for us to dip our meat in. My partner had the P1 and was pleased. He wished there had been a bit more meat in the large bowl at the beginning but he left full and satisfied. I had the medium bowl pho filet and I thought it was perfectly cooked and perfectly portioned.

If I had any constructive feedback it would be having napkins or paper towels at the table or providing more initially.

Overall, a great experience at a wonderful new dining option in Lemon Grove. We're looking forward to going back and trying more things...

I went to this place today with my family, and from the moment we arrived, we were greeted with such a welcoming and positive attitude. The environment was friendly—not just from the staff but also the other customers, which made the experience even more enjoyable.

Several of the workers were incredibly kind and attentive. I have a 1-year-old baby sister who’s just starting to try different foods, and she would occasionally throw things around. The waiters never made us feel uncomfortable—in fact, they went out of their way to help us pick things up and even provided new, safe utensils for her. One of the workers kindly shared a bit about her own family, letting us know she had kids too, which felt so comforting and made us feel understood.

To top it all off, the couple sitting next to us surprised us by paying for our food, which made the experience even more wholesome. The food itself was also amazing—full of flavor and cooked with care. Since my mom is a Spanish speaker, we translated some of the details for her, and the waiter was incredibly patient and kind throughout the process. At the end, one of the workers even gifted us a cup, which was such a thoughtful gesture.

Overall, this visit was heartwarming from start to finish. Great people, great service, and an amazing environment. I highly...

Came here twice so far, once for dine in, once for take out.

Service has generally been good and friendly. When we dined in, it was only moderately busy, so servers were fairly attentive.

When we dined in, we had pho. The pho portions were a good size, and the broth had excellent flavor. I was quite happy with what I got.

Take out was another story. We got vermicelli noodle bowls (Bun), and I was disappointed based on the amount of food and the amount paid. I got the one that had grilled pork, shrimp, and egg rolls. The pork had really good flavor, but the portion size was paltry. The shrimp was overcooked and I only received 2 small ones. The egg rolls were probably the best portion of the dish. The amount of veggies was also lacking. There are plenty of other Vietnamese restaurants in the area that do this dish way better and also make you feel like you like you get your money's worth.

Bottom line, I'll come back for the pho but I'm hesitant to try...