Kevin C.
Yelp
Our experience at Pho 24 was OK.
We came here on Tuesday for an early dinner at about 4:30 pm, finding parking in the small parking lot behind Pho 24. If we couldn't find parking in that lot, we would've left, not knowing exactly where else to park. I guess one option would be to park in the huge parking lot in the shopping center across the street.
Pho 24 is on the northwest corner of Hammond Drive and Roswell Road, with its entrance facing Roswell Road. Once inside the restaurant, customers wait at the host station to be seated, when they will be given menus. Our first server, who seated us and took our orders, was all business with no time for anything else; he didn't even smile. We both ordered a medium bowl of pho. I got the (P7) House Special Combination Pho (with Tender Beef, Flank, Fat Brisket, Tendon and Tripe), and R got the (P1) Tender Beef Pho. There are actually three bowl sizes for pho: Small, medium, and large. I don't even think I'd attempt eating a large unless I planned on having leftovers.
While we sat, waiting for our food, I noticed that the restaurant didn't look as well maintained as it did before the pandemic started. Around the kitchen area, it looked like they were still in take out-only mode, as take out supplies and other items were being stored out in the open. Apparently, they like this space to be functional rather than being presentable in appearance.
The server brought a plate of the pho toppings for us to share: mostly fresh raw bean sprouts, it also had fresh sprigs of basil, lime wedges, culantro leaves (not cilantro) and slices of jalapeño. Later he brought the bowls of pho to our table, and medium is certainly a big portion. My bowl was just about packed with a lot of meat, tendon and tripe, and I still added the veggie toppings into the bowl, along with squirts of sriracha and hoisin sauces. R's bowl didn't have as much meat, possibly because he didn't order a variety of meats, but I thought he should have more of that one type of meat since his bowl cost the same price as mine, right? Or maybe that was just me thinking logically. The flavor of the broth was very good. I would suggest not getting the fatty brisket because the meat was tough and sliced into pieces that were too big. Vietnamese restaurants' customers don't usually have a need for knives, but I could've used one instead of gnawing on the meat like I did.
Yep, overall an OK experience.