Pho Saigon — Restaurant in Macon

As a pho pro I tell you this: if you’re looking for pho that isn’t just authentic but some of the best you’ll ever eat, eat at Macon’s Pho Saigon. If you’re looking for chain nonsense or a slick atmosphere or anything else that has nothing to do with food flavour, go elsewhere.

In my West Coast neighborhood there are multiple pho places within a two or three block area—in fact, right by my house there are dueling spots directly across the street from each other. Despite all my options, I eat at precisely one place—a humble spot in a strip mall nearly 10 miles from my home.

It’s a family owned place where it takes a little time to get your food. It’s a place where you’ll see multiple generations of family members cooking in the kitchen. It’s a place where you’re known by name and you take the time to learn the names of the family greeting you. It’s the place I take friends who realize they really never knew pho until that first sip at this spot.

In short, it’s basically Macon’s Pho Saigon—except Pho Saigon often exceeds my beloved hometown spot.

The first time I ate at Pho Saigon was shortly after it opened on Riverside Drive. I remember longing for home and craving pho. But those were the days when Chinese and Japanese places were pretty much what Macon had representing Asian cuisine. Don’t even get me started on the only Thai place in town back then. Suffice to say only people who never tasted Thai food could ever have given it the sensational ratings it had until, thank heaven, it permanently closed.

Knowing that if I couldn’t get some simple Pad Thai, I’d likely never find Vietnamese food in town I thought I’d carry my craving for a long time unless I was willing to travel thousands of miles away from Macon where I was sure I’d find it filled.

And then I found Pho Saigon.

I will never forget that first bowl of pho at Pho Saigon. It was more than food in my belly. It was promise made and promise fulfilled. It was like being home from flavor to family.

Over the years I introduced and treated everyone I knew to the little miracle that is Pho Saigon until I moved back home. I still treat folks to Pho Saigon anytime I’m in Macon. These days with the expanded menu that includes all manner of Vietnamese fare including bahn mi, clay pots, an huge vegetarian selection, and so much more, it’s especially fun returning here.

I don’t appreciate people talking smack about this place. In fact, I find negative reviews highly suspect, especially those that begin with commentary regarding the art on the walls rather than the food on the table.

And unless statements about “restaurants like this” are meant to convey, “Restaurants like this are tantamount to finding that unicorns are not only alive but also grazing in my backyard!” they’re best kept hidden in the head, not put in print.

Go ye and savor Pho Saigon. Now. Unicorns are rare and ought to be appreciated when they turn up anywhere—especially anyplace remotely close to your...

Honestly, I really wanted to like this place. When you enter, there's this warming, yet inviting smell of Vietnamese food that I love. However, the sense of invitation to eat had abruptly stopped.

Service (1 Star): When I had entered the restaurant, there was no one to greet me until I had flagged someone down. Turns out, the employee was currently having lunch - which I have no issues with. He then seated us without asking if I wanted any drinks or anything to eat before he got back to his meal. Once he finished his meal, I finally got some service. In terms of service while dining, don't expect your water to be filled or your check delivered. Similar to entering the restaurant, I had to flag the person down in order to pay my bill.

Food (3 Star) Those of you looking for an authentic pho experience - sadly - you have arrived in the wrong place. Those of you looking for some kind of pho imitation, you'll be somewhat satisfied. I can only review the food i've eaten, so I can't say whether their Vietnamese menu, in its entirety, is good or not.

A rule of thumb I use as a reflection of the rest of the Vietnamese food in general is based on how good the pho broth is. For those who don't know what pho is - it is a traditional vietnamese noodle soup consisting of broth, rice noodles, and meat (mostly beef and chicken). For those who do know what pho is - welcome fam, you've stopped at the right review.

Now, onto the actual food review. I had ordered Pho and banh mi (French-inspired, vietnamese baguette). The pho was sub-par for the following reasons. The meat to noodle ratio is "whack yo." I'm speaking to you meat lovers - you're going to be disappointed with how little amount of meat there is compared to pho. Portion is a little on the smaller side - order your bowl larger than what you would normally have (talking to you - those who can eat, you might want to order 2 bowls). The price for the portion is not of great value - I don't believe theres many vietnamese restaurants in the area, so the prices aren't competitive. The broth of the pho is lacking in a lot of the authentic flavors i've come to know and love - I'm not sure if the issue lies with it being watered down, or not enough love and time put in so the broth's flavor can really mature. The beef was very overcooked to the point of being chewy.

The saving grace however, was their banh mi. The sandwich itself satisfied my craving for some sense of authenticity. The bread was toasty and the meat was not over done or salty.

Would you eat here again? Despite the poor rating, I would like to try this place again for dem Banh Mis tho! The biggest weakness most vietnamese have in the restaurant business is their guest service experience. However, if the food is good, the people will...

When we walked into the restaurant, it looked very authentic, with the sculptures, paintings & setting. Their style was so authentic, antique, & unique, that my son said that this was going to end our search for the best authentic Asian food, on this side of Macon..... Well.... Unfortunately... we were wrong. There was a weird stinch/odor inside & the food was less than average. Do to the smell, I started my order off with the ex small shrimp Pho, my son got a large. The broth had the blandest flavor/taste, that we've ever tasted & the shrimp was still very raw in the middle. It almost tasted scorched & old. We tried our best to get it to taste right but were unsuccessful. What seemed to be fresh bean sprouts, jalapenos, etc., were so old that the jalapenos had no fire! It was not hot. How in the world does that happen? Never knew it could. 🤷🏽‍♀️ We also ordered the Vietnamese wings & chicken rice, thinking the same as before. The wings were not Vietnamese style! They were lightly floured with white flour, but with a little flavor. The rice tasted scorched and old. The rice had such a smell to it that it turned my attention away from the wings & Pho! We couldn't believe how strong the smell was, we really thought that it was something else, smelling like that! It smelled like whatever they cooked it on was dirty, with old burnt food spots. (Pictures below) We took the food "to go", so that I could take it back & soup it up. Sooo disappointed. Not to mention that the dirty table, with leftover food, that was there when we walked in, was sadly still there when we left out 🤦🏽‍♀️😷 I can't deal with these restaurants during a...