Pho Now — Restaurant in San Jose

I stopped by Pho Now in San Jose, CA and ordered the Pho Dac Biet (Large) — hands down one of the best bowls of pho I’ve had in the Bay Area. The portion was generous, the presentation was clean, and the flavors were exactly what I look for in a comforting, authentic pho experience.

The broth was incredibly rich and layered — you can tell it’s been simmered for hours. It had that perfect balance of savory depth, slight sweetness from the bones and aromatics, and just the right amount of spice from the star anise and cinnamon. Every sip made me want more, and yes, I ended up finishing every drop of the broth.

The meats in the Pho Dac Biet were fresh and tender — from the rare steak to the brisket and tendon, everything added a different texture that kept each bite interesting. The noodles were cooked just right, not soggy, and held onto the broth perfectly. Paired with fresh herbs, lime, and jalapeño, every element came together for that classic pho comfort food experience that hits the spot any time of day.

The staff was friendly and quick, the restaurant felt clean and welcoming, and service was efficient. Parking was easy, which is always a bonus in San Jose.

If you’re searching for authentic pho in San Jose or want a satisfying bowl of Pho Dac Biet that truly delivers on flavor, I highly recommend Pho Now. Whether you’re a pho enthusiast or just craving a hearty, soul-warming meal, this spot is worth...

So for any Pho resto I review and first time visits, I always get the large Dac Biet. So service was great, got seated real quick, server got me water without asking, took my order real quick. Food came out in 7 mins, piping hot. Atmosphere is nice, restaurant has a very vibrant and young feel. Good vibes all around. TVs on all the walls. Price was 18 for a large which was like a dollar more expensive. But the bowl is larger than most large bowls I’ve eaten. Meat quantity was good, had the usual dac biet meat and they even included the meatballs. The flanks were a bit over done but the tendon was perfection. Tripe was great as well. Meat ball was smaller but the taste was better than most. So in terms of the meat, the flat flanks were the ones holding it back since it was overcooked it was a bit dry. Broth taste was a sweeter broth similar to that of souther vietnamese pho. But I would have had a bit more pop to it, but it’s still a bit different from the other phos i have tasted. I liked the noodle consistency a lot, it had some good firmness thats fun to chew, not hard or super chewy and not mushy or too soft. I wish they put more noodles i thought it was lacking. I liked all the green onions and herbs they put, had a very great smell to it. So overall 4.5/5 So i shall put 4 stars because I don’t like rounding up. Service - 5/5 Atmosphere - 5/5 Quality - 3.75/5 Quantity -...

I’ve been to Southern Vietnam 3 times and have been chasing the authentic yet “Outside of the Box” flavor ever since. There are many Pho restaurants everywhere I go so I deliberately look for a Pho shop with a twist.

For Pho Now, the Wok-Seared Filet Mignon Pho definitely caught my imagination with its broth delicately delicious. Not to mention the Spring Rolls helped to conjure up memory of a cooking contest in Vietnam.

In terms of vibes, what I Ike the most about this place is the street food footages showing on 5 high resolution screens as well its mixture of French & Asian music that somehow transport me back to streets of new Saigon.

Being a bit of a nerd, I like to study culture, history, and techniques in everything I do and try. I love that when I am here I could lose myself in all the visual, audio, taste buds, and smell inputs without being even a bit of self-concious.

This is definitely a special kind of peace in the heart of the Silicon Valley.

NB: By the way, I love how clean they kept the place in every corner, especially the bathroom (which is rare for Asian restaurants). So for this alone to me it’s worth a...