Pho 81 Vietnamese Cuisine — Restaurant in Riverside

Arguably the BEST pho around the whole Inland Empire. It is a small, family owned restaurant next to the Albertsons and walking distance from the Van Buren Drive-in theater. I'm a regular at this place and the owner and staff recognize me and know my order so much so that by the time I sit down, they pretty much have my order ready. I don't expect this from them every time and don't expect them to do anything for me or provide special treatment, but the fact that they take care of anyone I take and myself makes me appreciate them much more. The staff is just that good and caring about this place. The people here are humble and so nice. The pho is just so delicious and comforting, it feels like a warm hug. It's great for any occasion: when it's cold, raining, when you're sick, when you're hungover, and even when it's hot. The day that I eventually move, no matter how far, I will come to this place for the Pho. It is that damn good. They even offer a broth only Pho that was perfect when I had my wisdom teeth removed and I couldn't chew anything for a few days and I was hungry and craving pho, so I appreciate that even more. The other food they serve smells so delicious that I'm tempted to try it one day. The portion sizes are pretty generous and good, too. One of my friends ordered a noodle dish and it looked and smelled amazing and he said it was quite delicious, and he is quite picky about what and where he eats. My fiance usually never finishes a dish, but almost always finishes it here. I've ordered delivery here a few times and the food is always as good as when you dine in and the portions are also the same as when you dine in. It always manages to somehow arrive at my doorstep just as hot as dining in, almost as if they had made it in my own kitchen. Anytime you crave pho or wanna try something different if you've never had this before, give this place a shot, you will not regret it. I can't recommend this place enough....

i’ve been wanting to try pho and bánh mì for so long. this place was recommended by a friend and i saw the good reviews i decided to come here. i recommend coming here and i will definitely be coming back. food: i ordered the fried calamari which came with sweet chilli sauce. the sauce was delicious. the calamari flavorful and tender just how i like it. then the toppings for the pho came out (bean sprout, cilantro, mint, lemon, and sliced chilies) which is common from what i heard. i ordered the small pho #1 which comes with rare steak, brisket, tendon, tripe, and a beef ball. it was delicious. the beef ball was full of flavor and had a tender texture. i regret not adding extra beef balls and giving my boyfriend the last one lol. the broth was full of flavor. the noodles were perfectly cooked. last, i ordered the charbroiled chicken bánh mì. it was delicious i was getting full, but it was too good to stop eating. it was nice and toasty. service: i went around 4:30pm. it was empty when we walked in and empty when we walked out which was a surprise to me. this place is good that it should be full of customers. the employees were nice. i felt very welcome. we waited about 10 mins for the calamari. the rest came of the food came out 3 mins or so later. the price is pretty good too. i have no complaints.

edit: i came back for dine in recently. the staff is so attentive and sweet. the vibe is cozy and relaxing. i recommend the music they play should be like lofi music you can find on youtube it would set the mood and fit perfectly!!! love this place and recommend if it’s your 1st time trying...

The food at Pho 81 is good. I had the pho tai, and my friend had the sauteed tofu. We both enjoyed our meals. The prices are spot on, and the place is clean and nicely appointed. On my first visit, there were no workers visible when I first got there, and I didn't know if I should order at the counter or wait to be seated, or what. I had several awkward minutes of not knowing what to do before the guy came out and saw me. Also, I wasn't given a spoon with the soup, and the spoon I got when I went up and asked for it was not a pho spoon, it was a regular cereal spoon which was far too small to use properly, and it took forever to finish the broth without picking up the bowl and drinking it Viking style, which I wouldn't normally want to do. So I wouldn't say that the service was off, but maybe it was a little glitchy. I'll be back, and I'm sure they'll nail it next time, at which point, I'll revise my review.

Edit: on a subsequent visit, again, the food was great and the location is clean and nicely appointed. The staff was on point this time. I...