Pho Huong Viet — Restaurant in San Francisco

I don’t usually leave reviews If I don’t like the food. I’ll just tell myself to never go back but I had to leave this review today.

Food review: pho was very salty, crab egg roll was good.

Service review: First this is not my first time here. I’ve been here few times years ago and my experience had always been positive except today.

Today we ordered a beef ball and tendon pho, with an order of crab egg rolls. When the pho arrived, we noticed they gave us brisket instead of tendons, which wasn’t what we ordered. Mistakes happen so we just flagged our server and told him we ordered tendon, not brisket. He insisted we had actually ordered brisket, claiming we specifically asked him if it was fatty - which we never asked. He said no worries I’ll bring you a side of tendon. He brought a bowl of cold tendon left it on our table. We flagged another server and explained the situation and politely asked her to warm up the tendon. She was understanding and assured us we won’t get charged for it. She came back with it warmed up and all is fine although the pho broth today was very salty. At last, we asked for the bill and our original server came with his phone to charge us. He told us the grand total without giving us the itemized receipt and we just tapped his phone to pay. Seconds later, we got a text of our bill showing the additional charge for the tendon so we decided to speak up.

We pointed out the mistake, but he kept insisting that we had ordered brisket and that he had told us he would charge for the tendon (which he never did). He was dismissive and unwilling to own up to his mistake which was unacceptable. Eventually he said he’d refund the extra dollar, but by that point, I was so pissed from him gaslighting me, I also asked for my tips back. I really wanted to know who had asked about the brisket that same day because he kept thinking it’s us when it’s not! Needless to say, I will not be...

This was one of the best bowls of pho I’ve ever had. I’m new to Hanoi-style pho—everything I’ve had up until now has been Saigon-style—but even as a newcomer to this style, it was clear this bowl was exceptionally well-made.

The broth was outstanding: clear, light, deeply flavorful, and remarkably clean. Unlike most pho places where a thin film of oil floats on top, this broth had no visible grease—something only achievable through real care and technique. Whether they meticulously skimmed it or chilled and defatted it before reheating, the result was a broth that felt refined and deliberate. You could taste the time and attention that went into it.

The meat was equally impressive—tender, juicy, and full of flavor. At many pho spots, rare steak can arrive overcooked or tough, but here, it was perfectly cooked and richly satisfying. The portion size was generous, too.

If I had to offer small criticisms: I personally prefer my noodles a bit more al dente, and I found the tendon slightly inconsistent—some pieces were beautifully soft, while others were a little too firm for my taste. That may just be part of the style, though, and not a flaw.

I also ordered the crab spring rolls, which were excellent. Freshly fried to order, the exterior was crisp, craggy, and delicate, while the filling was juicy and vibrant with fresh vegetables. Easily among the best I’ve had.

I happened to be staying nearby when I visited, but even after I move, this will absolutely be a destination restaurant for me. Highly...

I was really looking forward to enjoying a satisfying bowl of pho at Pho Huong Viet, but unfortunately, it fell short of expectations. The service was a bit lacking, requiring us to hunt down the owner to place our order. While the food arrived promptly after that, the water was mysteriously absent until after we had placed the order (15 minutes after we got seated).

The biggest letdown was the Vietnamese iced coffee. It was essentially a glass filled with ice and a tiny amount of coffee. My friend's Thai iced tea, while also mostly ice, at least came in a larger glass. It felt like a complete rip-off.

Pho Huong Viet serves Northern style pho, which is quite different from Southern style pho, so dont be alarmed. Northern style pho is more minimalistic compared to Southern style pho, and it doesn't come with your typical veggies (like bean sprouts, Thai basil) and hoisin sauce.

The pho itself was overpriced for the quality. A medium bowl with just one meat costs a whopping $15. It gets more expensive if you add more meat or opt for a large bowl.

I opted for the special beef pho with butter brisket, but the meat was dry and lacked flavor. The broth had a decent taste but was a tad bit salty.

While I appreciate that they offer Northern-style pho with ginger and cilantro already in the bowl, the overall experience was underwhelming. The noodles were cooked perfectly, but that's about the only...