Pho Tan Vinh — Restaurant in Silver Spring

If it adds anything to to the review I am vietnamese and my SO is not vietnamese but has had some vietnamese food in the past (still has alot more to try though I am working on it LOL) My SO and I tried this place yesterday. We had the Grilled Ribeye Roll the Grilled Beef Banh Mi and a large Pho Tai Bo Vien and a Vietnamese iced coffee. The pho was so-so the broth was very salty but the noodles were cooked right and the herbs/toppings looked and tasted fresh and they give you a good amount of meat in the soup. I only tasted the banh mi because it was my SO's but they finished the sandwhich and said it was very good and the bite I had did not disappoint so I would say the Banh mi is a solid choice. The ribeye rolls were also very good. My SO had the coffee and said they loved it and are probably now addicted to vietnamese coffee now. Service was fast! The staff are professional/polite but not overly friendly if that is what you are looking for. Overall the place is clean (except if I were to nitpick maybe the sauce dishes that are on the table for use could be cleaned more thoroughly or swapped more often because it seems they get a little dusty/dirty from sitting on the table but they weren't like terribly dirty just I saw a speck of something on the dish ). I would be happy to try the place again but I personally would not get the Pho. I would probably get a sandwich or try one of the rice dishes next time I go. Also one last thing is I have a peanut allergy and the beef rolls came with peanuts on them and they made made a new one for us to eat...

I was disappointed with my dinner experience here last night. I ordered the Pho Nam Bo Vien soup and a roast pork banh mi sandwich. The pho lacked sufficient meat with only a few slices of very fatty brisket, although the meat balls were okay in quality. The sprouts were somewhat wilted. The noodles were okay, but $14.00 for a small bowl of noodles with not much else in terms of flavor or ingredients is a poor value. The banh mi was a complete disappointment. The pork was dry and flavorless and the other sparse ingredients added little or no flavor. The roll was ample in size, but the whole thing was basically a large, tasteless roll with little flavor. No culinary expertise was evident in the choice or quality of ingredients.

This experience, unfortunately, is now typical of many restaurants, and the blame tends to be put on rising costs of both ingredients and labor. But the restaurant owners, I feel, are also culpable, as the quality of their cuisine and skill in preparation keeps declining. I have eaten at this place dozens of times in the past, usually with a satisfactory impression that kept me coming back, but this last experience gives me no incentive...

During my visit to this establishment, I noticed a few areas that could benefit from additional attention to cleanliness and maintenance:

The windows appeared to be in need of cleaning, as they were noticeably dirty. The floors looked like they had not been swept or mopped recently, giving them a dirty appearance. I was unable to locate any soap in the bathroom during my visit.

While these issues did not significantly impact my overall experience, I believe that addressing them could help improve the general ambiance and hygiene standards of the establishment. I would encourage the management to focus on these areas to provide a more welcoming environment for patrons.

It's important to note that these observations were based on my single visit, and the conditions may vary at different times. If you plan to visit this establishment, it might be a good idea to take a quick look around to ensure that you are comfortable with the level of cleanliness and hygiene before making...