Phở Hà Tiên — Restaurant in San Francisco

Upon entering Pho Ha Tien, one is immediately enveloped by a symphony of olfactory splendor—the unmistakable perfume of star anise, charred ginger, and long-simmered marrow-infused broth coalesces into something near-spiritual. The ambience, though unpretentious, serves as the perfect stage upon which culinary transcendence is performed. Each bowl of pho is not merely a dish, but a poetic revelation—a sensorial tapestry that awakens dormant memories and ignites the imagination. With each sip of the deeply umami-laden broth, I am transported—not to the streets of Saigon, necessarily, but somewhere ineffably tender and personal. Despite my unmistakable upbringing as a white male from suburban America, this broth whispers to me in a language I didn’t know I knew, recalling long-forgotten afternoons of innocence and warmth, as if my soul had been waiting to remember this flavor all along.

The imperial rolls arrive like minimalist sculptures—clean, delicate, and hiding unexpected complexity beneath translucent rice paper. The sauce, velvety and subtly nuanced, functions as a kind of edible sonnet, perfectly complementing the verdant crunch within. There is a certain ineffable lightness to the entire experience, as though each bite cleanses not just the palate but the spirit. I departed Pho Ha Tien feeling unburdened and luminously restored, as if kissed by the breeze of a midsummer morning. One doesn’t merely dine here; one communes with something essential, something eternal.

If you can only do one thing with the rest of your life, you’d be remiss to not...

My daughter was saying she wanted Pho and that she and her friends went to a place on Ocean. I found this place on google maps, but when we go here, she said this wasn't the place she went with her friends. It was already pretty late so we got a table, at first it was less than half full. They bring tea right away. We ordered our food, my daughter got Pho, but I got the duck and bamboo noodle soup. She said the Pho was ok and it smelled really good (actually when you walk in you smell the Pho broth). The bamboo in my soup isn't your typical slice you get out of a can that many Chinese restaurants server. I think they needed to cook the bamboo a little more, some was very chewy. They serve a vinegar ginger sauce for the duck (they serve the duck with bones so watch out). I wish the broth was a bit richer.

Overall the place is solid, service isn't too great, you order, you get your food, then you flag them down for the check. My daughter never got her glass of water she request and she gave up and just drank tea instead.

About 8:30pm the place filled up quickly. When we walked to our car, there was many people double parking, waiting for spaces.

I'll be back to try their other dish, but I'll increase my star...

Food and prices are ok, but as soon as you walk into the door, you feel you are in a funeral. All the servers looked so miserable, I believe they just want customers NOT to show up. Yes you read it right. There is no joy in seeing their customers walking in. They are just there to get a paycheck. I asked for water 3 times and the lady just kept on going to the back to chat with her coworkers, which were on their phones most of the time. There is no sense of urgency, customer service or willingness to keep their customers coming back. I asked for the check and the lady came, put it on the table without even looking at us, and walked away. If you want an ok food and prices, go for it, otherwise just go to a funeral to see the same long faces you will get at this place. Funny how they break down the recommended tip at the bottom of the receipt like they...