Pho Bistro — Restaurant in York

This is a difficult one to review. We have been coming to Pho Bistro, once a week to once every 2 weeks for several years now - and I have to say this is the most difficult place I have ever reviewed. We come here for various reasons - one of which is because it is a healthier option, another is compromise, and also because it is locally family run - but we can all find something we can eat here.

I am dumbfounded by not only all of the glowing reviews - abut for the amount of them as well. York is not very culturally diverse when it comes to food. Currently this is one of the only Vietnamese places in town I am aware of - to see so much feedback for such a small family operation is surprising to me.

I have to say, just about everything here is all over the place, about the only constant is the inconsistency. The place is rough - think mid-70 news-stand rough. Then again most Pho places in major cities are tiny rough holes in the wall - so I am used to that. It can be unkempt; you can come in times that the place is empty ant the table's aren't cleared. Often when we come in here we are the only ones in here...usually not very busy.

When the owner and his family are working typically the service is OK. They have 2 teens working the front of the house, the boy is very nice and he seems to try hard, the girl - all I can say is, occasionally we've had unpleasant encounters...There is another crew that seemingly works sometimes on the weekends and the experience can be outright bizarre. You will be lucky to find anyone who speaks or understands English - let alone run the cash register - so you've been warned.

Often the place is just closed with no warning - you will go there just like you did last week, and they will just be closed. So we have gotten used to calling ahead to see if they were open. Sometimes they take credit cards - We are used to coming here and it being cash only - but lately I have seen a sign on the door that says no credit cards today - cash only, so ...yea - there's that too. It is kinda expensive here for what you get, typically the 4 of us get summer rolls, Vietnamese coffee and soup or a Bun dish - with tax and tip it is about a hundred bucks - so you will need to be carrying at least a hondo.

So - the food. I think there must be several types of Pho people, ones who like the broth rich and flavorful with spices - and those who prefer it more bland. I read a lot of complaints at my favorite Pho places about the broth being too rich or flavored with too many spices - I prefer my Pho rich, spicy and clear. People seem to like the Pho here - but I find it is very bland, I do not prefer it. It has almost no color, save for a murky hue that is reminiscent of day old dishwater. My girlfriend and her family prefer things a bit bland - so it works for them, I guess it is a matter of preference and I am sure the preparation is a regional thing in country.

The summer rolls here are ok - and just, made of mostly lettuce and noodles - there is hardly any cilantro or basil in them...very plain. I happen to like the Curry Stir Fry Bun - I order it medium, which is HOT - and if you order it hot, it is Vietnam hot, you better like hot and have plenty of water. (I eat extremely hot foods all the time, so I'm not a light weight)

I have to say, considering the challenges - when we first started coming here, it took some time to get used to. The cash only thing and the bizarre service was the first thing we butted heads with - but once we got used to how they worked and what we liked, we got used to it - your results may vary. I'm giving this 3 stars and I don't really know why - it could easily be 2 or maybe...

Update 10/2024: Used to frequent this restaurant a lot when it was originally opened, then ownership changed hands, and the food was not as good. Have been back recently now several times in 2024, and it is back to be a family owned & operated restaurant. The food has been much better (more the way I remember it was when we first enjoyed coming here). Everything tastes fresh & flavorful, well prepared food coming out of the kitchen. The service is top notch - very friendly & helpful. Have been enjoying their pho, along with several other dishes. Highly recommend the Asian taco's from their appetizer options. We have been trying to get here at least monthly now. Keep up the good work!

Update from 2019: Used to frequent this restaurant and really enjoyed the food. Over the years, the service really changed as the family children grew up & left, and we found it less inviting. Recently I've been noticing the more positive reviews of this restaurant, so we wanted to go back and see how they are doing. Met the new owner (very nice individual), and they have made improvements in the decor (removed a TV that had been in one corner, adding new lighting, and redecorated walls). Overall, looks much more inviting and the service was much improved from our last visit (probably 2 years ago). On this visit, the food was good, but not as good as it once was. We ordered their fresh shrimp rolls (goi cuon), along with a lemongrass chicken dish, as well as a yellow curry dish. The food was fresh & good, but, unfortunately, lacked flavor. For the lemongrass dish, I could not find the traditional lemongrass flavor. For the yellow curry dish, there was a faint hint of curry, but not very strong at all. I'm not sure if they received feedback that the food had been over-spiced in the past, so now they are compensating by going with very little spice, but it was a disappointment for us.

Original Review from 2011: Really good food! We have eaten here between 6-10 times over the past 12-18 months, and have never been disappointed with the food. Everything tastes fresh & full of flavor. The Pho is very good, the Curry dishes are flavorful & spicy, the spring rolls are fantastic, and I could go on & on about every dish we've tried there. It has all been good, delicious food. The service has really improved since when we first started going there, and it's a very nice family that runs the restaurant. If you need anything, just ask and they are happy to accommodate whatever they can. This is a really good restaurant that specializes in Vietnamese cuisine. If you want some really good food, full of flavor & spice, you should try this quaint...

I’m always looking for local pho places to try. Last week I decided to try pho bistro, and I was impressed with the experience. The restaurant is located on a corner lot, with ample off street parking. The inside has plenty of seating and appeared clean. I was quickly greeted by a very friendly staff member immediately upon entering. The service itself was great throughout the dining experience.

I ordered the spring rolls and a bowl of pho with rare steak, well-done brisket, and tendon. The spring rolls tasted very fresh and were accompanied with a peanut dipping sauce. They were very good. The pho was also very good. The broth was crystal clear and packed full of flavor. A tell-tale sign that it’s a quality product. The brisket was cooked well and the piece of tendon I received was nice and tender. I also liked that the noodles were loose in the bowl, another sign that it’s fresh.

My only critique is in regard to the portion size. The bowl I received seemed to be smaller than what I am used to for the price point. I’m not sure if they have a small and large option, but I didn’t specify and I wasn’t asked. The meat and tendon, while cooked nicely, was rather skimpy. I only had one piece of tendon in the entire bowl.

Overall, it’s a wonderful place to get a bowl of pho. It’s clearly made with quality ingredients and love. If you’re in the area, stop by and give it a try. I’m confident that you won’t be...