Phở Ao Sen Restaurant

The pho here is so light and flavorful and you have to order a Thai Tea to go with it. You can taste the authenticity in all their dishes, specifically the rolls. You always get seated right away and they're always quick to bring out your food. I think it's the perfect pick me up and has that homey feel to it. It is a little pricey, but still worth it in my opinion and probably one of the better restaurants in the area.

Food is amazing, service was great, ambiance was nice for lunch, BUT we were literally just reading of another person getting bipped in the parking lot, and it happened to us. We had just sat down, and we hear what sounded like our car alarm going off. We look outside, and sure enough, 2 cars with smashed side window with the back seat pulled down. Hopefully this review gives you a warning about the risk of a potential $200-$300 addition to your lunch bill, or the owners decide to take responsibility for their parking lot by hiring security during the busy lunch rush.

Pho Ao Sen is a reddit darling for pho in Oakland so I decided to give it a try today. Bun Bo Hue is one of my favorite Vietnamese dishes so I knew I had to give it a try. Their broth has just the right amount of heat with lots of lemongrass flavor that made it very refreshing. There was ample meat in the bowl and the pork blood was nice and smooth. The servers were very friendly and the space was clean and spacious. I'll definitely be back.

Honestly I thought I would never be able to find a good pho here in Oakland area as compared to Orange County until I came to Pho Ao Sen. The broth is good, meat is good and the service is great. Everything here is clean and neat. I would come back for sure!

Ao sen's pho is southern style pho. I like how the pho is always consistent and the atmosphere is cleaner than most pho restaurants. A bowl of pho is around $16. My favorite order to get is the #1. They provide sauces on the tables for you to use along with clean sauce dishes. My favorite sauce to eat my pho with is the lemongrass that is in a little jar on each table. Service is poor. The owner at the cash register is always super rude when you go up to pay and never say thank you. The servers are kind and takes your order quickly and food comes out in a few minutes. Although the service is mediocre, their pho is the best in Oakland. They also have a parking lot but beware of car break ins and robberies. I would not recommend taking your time eating here - eat and immediately leave. The area is not safe to be in.

The #2 combination pho is delicious. The menu is simple and offers one bowl size for around $15. The meat to noodle ratio is perfect and the soup is well balanced. I did not enjoy the toppings on the side as the mint leaves were not fresh and the sprouts were a bit soggy. The pork spring roll was delicious and had a unique unexpected crunch to it! Dipping sauce was a bit odd but still good.

Great food, in a fairly small restaurant in the middle of Oakland. More expensive than I expected, but the food was very tasty !

Hours are incorrect. Here on a Friday 3/22 at 6pm. Closed as closed can be. Please update.

This review is only for the BBH (bun bo hue). I can't believe I've been here at least 20x and haven't wrote a review yet, so here it is! I only order the BBH with the occasional nem nuong rolls. Inflation is a bitch and I think one bowl is about $16 now. Pho prices are catching up to ramen! I noticed the entire restaurant had a makeover in my last few visits. All the tables, chairs, pho bowls and the restrooms are all newer with a modern flare. The restaurant definitely feels nicer and I was impressed by the LED mirror in the remodeled restroom! I won't be talking any selfies in this restroom but wow they went there. Ao Sen is my go to BBH restaurant in Oakland. The broth is on point, rich in flavor and not too spicy. They load the bowl with a generous amount of meat with perfectly silky smooth pork blood, paired with fresh veggies on the side. My entire party of 4 ordered the same thing and I was the first to kill my bowl. It wasn't a competition but my BBH disappeared within minutes and it always hits the spot. BBH FTW.

Best Vietnamese food in the East Bay hands down. Try their BBH, fried chicken wings, nem cuon, and bun cha hanoi. They have really good pho too. These are our must order items. So yes this area is a bit sketch but there is a parking lot. Bring your smallest car as the lot is tight.

Great food but unsafe area. There needs to be an attendant in the parking lot as well as camera surveillance

Still the best pho in the East Bay and we still come here but over time I've noticed their prices going up and portions getting smaller.

The food was AMAZING!!! The place has a very nice looking with modern furniture and very clean! Just awesomeness!!! I got a Side of mini pho with my entree platter. The drinks are wonderful! As soon as we were seated we received hot tea! They close at 6pm, not 7:30... so make sure you get there before they close! I'm so glad I did!!! The wait staff were very nice and quick! I strong recommend that you try this!!! Clean restrooms! Small parking lot and street parking.

Their parking lot makes me feel better when coming to this part of town. Don't have to worry about street parking! The restaurant was very clean and feels newly renovated. The food was decent. I got the special combination pho and i was mostly satisfied. However, i wished they cooked my noodles a bit longer. They were still firm. I got the coconut water drink and it always so refreshing. We got seated right away and the place wasn't too busy. It was a pleasant experience.

One word to describe Ao Sen: BALANCE. The most balanced bowl of pho I've had anywhere in the bay. That's being said, it's always a bowl of comfort whenever I'm back in east Oakland. I've been to Ao Sen since the days of that hole-in-the-wall pho joint. It's now upgraded to a dining hall with its own building, and....super clean and nice bathrooms! The food is always clean and...balanced! Service is very respectable and prompt. It's very nice to see how much they've grown from that hole to this fine establishment with their own safe parking space! True American Dream!

I guess I'll have to judge Ao Sen on a curve. This place is by far one of my favorite Vietnamese places in the East Bay - maybe even the entire Bay Area. If they were located in the South Bay, the rating might be different because of the high concentration of Vietnamese restaurants. But here, this place is very special - these people are true professionals in a location that some might consider a war zone. Not only is their food good, but also immaculate at the level of a sushi bar. We had the pleasure of speaking with one of the owners, and I have to say I love her passion and commitment to excellence. Note: the Ao Sen in Albany is affiliated with this one, but is NOT the same. BB

So far so good, I gladly walk-in and was promptly seated, it Carry a wealthy and chill ambience maybe because of it being Monday doubt it. Lol. I order #34 on the menu the Korean style short ribs. With a egg and rice. This is my first time eating here and the food look delicious. And full of flavor. I enjoy my experience

My friend wanted to try Ao Sen. The service was good it was straight forward. There a little wait for the food. I had Bue Bo Hue,I was surprised because I could taste the flavors. There were not a lot of meats, but there was a lot of liquid overall. Rare times, I was able to get yummy coconut juice. The coldness helps with the hot soup. The interior design is spacious and look so fancy. The bathroom is so clean and classy. I most likely won't come back because it was expensive for so little.

Where do we start? Ambient was welcoming, decorated in a pleasant way. Parking was easy  and safe since two patrol cars were in the parking lot that day. I even left my windows  down because it was so hot that day. Service was good, the only eyebrow raise was when this girl went into the place in tiny bootie shorts and No shoes. A bit of a weird moment while sitting and having to glance at that view. Yet I didn't noticed the no shoes, no shirt, no service. sign. So you can't enforce what you don't post. Now the food, Lots of flavor and taste was fresh and delicious. Did not venture far since my craving was basically their soup. If they were to mess that up it would have been my last. All in all it was good and will definitely recommend and be back again.

This is the best viet place to go to in Oakland! I've been coming here for over 10 years and the quality of food is always consistent! I definitely recommend getting the chicken wings for appetizers. It's crispy, with just the right kick from the chopped chilis. Their pho broth has a rich flavor and soothes your soul on a cold day. If you want to try something different than your typical pho, give their banh mi bo kho a try! Their fragrant beef stew served with warm roasted bread is a winning combo!

The restaurant is super nice with a spacious interior w/nice decorations. We had the bun bo hue, large pho, and a large pho w/bun bo hue soup as the base. It was all very tasty and we loved the broth a lot. It was light, felt hearty, and made us all warm inside nicely. The only issues we had were the portions in the pho. It was more noodles than anything. With just a small amount of meat even though it was a large. Also kinda pricey for the amount of meat you get within your bowls. Service was fine except kind of hard to flag a server down since they were running around everywhere.

The food and sauce are good, but it has got way too expensive in the last few years. There is free parking but the lot is extremely narrow. Overall, it was okay, but there are better alternatives within a mile or two away

Would give zero stars if i could. Use to be a regular here, but Monday the 2nd of Jan changed that. Around 2pm was eating in with friends and while inside had my car broken into, and in broad daylight had over 4K of damage/stuff stolen. Although my car was parked in their parking lot and in clear view of cameras, the thieves were brazen enough to smash my rear windshield and grab as much shit as they could. When I came outside I instantly returned inside for the footage. The management wasn't the least but helpful, barely a whisper of sorry behind the lame explanation they're cameras aren't recording. If you don't care about your stuff try coming here, i won't be returning.

Best pho broth in Oakland! We came on a Thursday for lunch. We both ordered the #1 - pho dac biet $14.50. I should have gotten the #2 because that one came with beef balls for the same price. The broth tasted clean and is the best I've had in Oakland. It is one of the best in the bay for sure. We also had the chicken wings, very tasty and an ice coffee. They make their iced Vietnamese coffees with crushed ice. It was fragrant with a hint of hazelnut. So darn good. Great job my friends at Pho Ao Sen. We had an awesome lunch.

My favorite place in the Bay for pork spring rolls! It's so hard to find cuon nem nuong in NorCal that's close to Brodards and Ao Sen is pretty dang close when I'm craving some the service was speedy and our food came out fast. Very unassuming on the outside but the inside is incredibly nice. Super odd takeaway but I was obsessed with how the nice bathroom was LOL. Definitely recommend!

I come here when I want some good ol Vietnamese food ! But tbh I come here more for their Che ba Mao it's one of my favorite desserts . Everyone there is friendly and service is always quick . Takeout and dine in

I'm disappointed at cashier she charge me for the bone in chicken and I got the boneless chicken pho which was cheaper then the bone in pho she had the note smh just to charge me more

The food was good they don't add cilantro in their pho I honestly felt like it needed it but they definitely don't skimp on the portion sizes here! The service was good as well.

I've only been here once - but I wouldn't mind coming again. I walked into their doors and got a big whiff of fish sauce and knew I was in the right place for some pho and vermicelli bowl dish. Pricepoint was a tad high - but everything is going up so - I can't be too upset about it. Flavor profile was good - not too salty and not bland. Service was not exceptional but we weren't unsatisfied with it either. Everything was good! Good food and good service! Location is not in the best spot but - I am from Oakland and this is one of the better tasting establishments and finds when I am craving Vietnamese food again that isn't a Banh Mi hehehe!

Hot with great combos and Pho. The staff is curtious and attentive. I have never actually eaten the place so I can only speak on the ambiance based on my walk to the cashier to pick up takeout.

Came here on Thursday around 12:45pm and there was no wait and plenty of parking spaces. I love that this place has a pretty decent sized parking lot, but it does get full at the lunch rush. We ordered the nem nuong rolls (D), #1, and #5. Nem Nuong rolls usually come out first and is a good appetizer. I can't quite describe the dipping sauce, but it's looks orangey-red and goes well with the roll. The roll has marinated pork, cucumber, lettuce, pickled carrots and radish, and fried egg roll skin. The egg roll skin was a bit stale/not crunchy this time that I've had it, so it was mediocre. Do add some of the jarred lemongrass/pepper/oil on the rolls. The flavors all come together perfectly. The pho were pretty average. To be honest, I usually come here if I want some nem nuong rolls as appetizer, so the star here are the rolls.

Love eating here! I normally get the bun bo hue. It tastes alot different than other places but it's amazing!

My favorite pho in Oakland, herbal broth not too sweet. I've tried others in this neighborhood they are good but not compare for me.

Super yummy food and lots of space. My family and I come frequently--Highly recommend!

Came here to eat since it's my moms favorite pho spot. They have their own parking on the side so was happy with that. They even have a camellia so you don't have to worry too much. They also provide high chairs. I wish they would social distance the tables, I felt they were too close. Everything we ate was amazing. The chicken wings, spring roll, beef stew, and pho were all up to par! I would definitely come back and eat again. Single bathroom available not gender neutral. Clean inside which is important.

Place just feels clean! As for food wise nothing really stands out tastes like pho. My co workers love going here because it's well spaced seating and it's big enough to not run out of tables for the lunch rush. For a typical bowl of pho combination, it's rather on the pricy side. But they are the only area that I'd rather eat. The other pho spot I liked (before I was disappointed) in Pacific east mall had cold broth and dipped thumbs. That's another review another day. I'd come back here again when my co workers and I are in this side of town and wanting noodles. Oh they also have the "green onion oil " the good stuff that's really the bad stuff from the broth. If you have the artery space do it lol. Makes their broth 110% better

I don't know why I haven't visited this place for awhile ever since I moved back to Oakland, but I finally did, and OMG they have all of the good stuff. Tried their pho first last week, I think they added some nuoc beo to my bowl everytime that I had pho there, cause their is always so extra fatty, beefy and good. It's basically the beef fat from making the pho broth at the very top layer, with a good amount of green onion bulb, pretty much any vietnamese that want some extra flavor in their pho always asked for it, but here, they just added it automatically for you. If I had known that their pho broth was this good, I wouldn't even bother with any of the other pho places near by. The broth was so good, just the right amount of seasoning that you don't need the hoisin at all, just some siracha, lime juice, and some of their home made sate chili, which is also bomb. Had their grill pork with broken rice when I actually wanted to order a pork chop over rice, the one with a nice piece of T bone on it. It's still good, good seasoned grilled pork served with a good amount of green onion sauce and fried pork fat, omg it was such a good breakfast. It also came with a really good bi heo or shredded pork with it's skin mix with roast rice powder, and a tasty side of pork broth as well. The whole pork trinity. (I lost my phone a few days after I had these 2 dishes so no pictures for the pho and the broken rice T.T.) I had their bun bo hue (large-$15) today. I had it with the pho noodle instead of the bun noodle with is a bit hard to pick up with chopsticks in my experience, and wow it was really good, pretty tasty, but also was very spicy. I was hella sweating while I was eating it. Their pork was fresh, sweet, and tasty, but I like the thicker and juicier cut from bun an nam in San Jose much better. Their broth was flavorful and really good, it was not behind bbh an nam broth at all, just more spicier. The beef was good, but again, an nam thicker cut with more tendon was better. The blood cube was really fresh though, I could really taste it, it was good. Well after eating here, I seem to had stop frequencing the other vietnamese places near by. Wished I had tried it much sooner. This seem to be my go to place for pho now.

Alright really, the food is 4 stars, but they have their own chili mix and it has lemongrass in it. Pretty good... You should try it. On the real though, the pho broth was a little too fatty, but that's just how I like my pho. I also think I might have a bias cause it's just what I ate with my friends... and the people are nice! You can't discount that.

I LOOOOOOOOVE Pho Ao Sen!! It's my favorite pho spot in Oakland! The quality of the food is so good! I love the broth and I love that they have thin and thick noodle options! I usually get the chicken pho, which I think is cooked great! Chicken tends to be over cooked a lot when I go out to pho, but never here! The chicken wings and spring rolls are AMAZING! The chicken wings are crispy and sweet! The spring rolls are refreshing and the peanut dipping sauce is my favorite! It's a big restaurant with plenty of space! The owners are so kind and I love stopping by whenever I can! 10/10 would recommend!

The best Vietnamese food in Oakland fresh and delicious the service the price is perfect not expensive see for yourself

My favorite pho and rice joint in Oakland. Love the spiced oil pepper jar and I add it to everything. You'll also have to get the Vietnamese iced coffee here too. *I think they're closed Tuesdays but Yelp doesn't show that on the hours. Was disappointed on a number of Tuesdays

I like the fresh noodles option for $1 more. The rice dishes are ok. They too increased $3-$5 on each dish. and since last year they charge an extra #% if you choose to pay by Credit Card. I am boycotting this restaurant.

Ever since my first introduction to Pho Ao Sen, I've loved it. However, I oftentimes go to the Pho Ao Sen located in Albany, but today the store was closed due to an unexpected power outage so my company and I went to the Oakland location. I was slightly surprised by the differences between the store even though it's understandable that stores with the same names may have items that vary. I thought that the menu at the Oakland location was slightly more limited compared to the Albany location (there weren't items like the Com Ga Nuong and some vegetarian dishes--or at least I didn't see them on the menus). In terms of the environment, I thought that the Oakland location was slightly smaller. I felt very squished eating with my table of four like we barely had any arm room for ourselves after our bowl of pho/plate of rice and our beverages. The seating made my overall experience slightly worse. I was fairly disappointed in my bowl of pho today. I ordered #16 Pho Tai which is my typical order. To my surprise, the soup was overly salty and the rice noodles were overcooked and very clumpy to the point it was difficult to separate. With that alone combined with my environment experience, I felt like my hunger mood was ruined. I would probably not be going to this location for a while unless I have no other choices. Although the staff was friendly, I wouldn't willingly choose to come here.

Bun bo hue is the way to GOOOOO! And you better make sure that you get it nice and spicy because it's SOOO effing DELISH!!! This place has been recommended to me several times over the past few years. Unfortunately, my lazy arse never made the trek over to East Oakland to try it up until now. Damn, damn, daaaayum! Why did I wait so friggin' long?? Sh*t is BOMB, mmkay?! So, I can't really comment on their regular pho dishes because I haven't had them yet had. BUT... that bun bo hue deserves 5 MILLION stars! First things first; that BROTH boo thang!! CRACK... in a bowl. Mm mm mmm! That broth was so fragrant, so rich, so spicy, so nom nom. Give me s'more damn broth puh-lease!!! I would happily drink this broth alone and still be satisfied. The flavor profile here is so bananas. They don't play when it comes to the spiciness either. You want spicy? Oh, you gon' get it spicy!! The broth could serve as a delicious meal all on its' own, but what's pho without the noodles? Let me tell you; the noodles that they put in their bun bo hue are such a dream. These aren't your typical thin pho noodles. These noodles are thick, chewy, and seeping in all of that glorious broth. I believe that they are handmade and just from the consistency, it's pretty easy to tell. They'll supply you with an ample amount of the garnishes although the cabbage was a little different to see. I love the fact that they use traditional ingredients like white onions (I cringe when I see red onions being used in pho). The meats were nice and tender and the bowl was big and filling. I enjoyed their Thai iced tea but though that it was just a tad bit sweet for my liking, and I usually like my Thai teas deathly sweet. They've got a parking lot that's conveniently located right next to the restaurant, but there are several signs that reference car break-ins. Don't leave anything of value in your car! I noticed that they have employees who come outside to look at the parking lot from time to time, but I don't think that will help to deter every single break-in. The interior of the restaurant is spacious but cramped with tons table and that are close proximity of each other. It was very clean inside. Most of the consumers were Asian which is always a good sign when dining at an Asian food restaurant. Service was fast and efficient and the staff was very friendly. When you're done eating, you should walk up to the front to pay. Don't leave your vehicle in their parking lot after hours as they might lock your car in their lot. Their parking lot is gated and they close pretty early for a pho spot. All in all, I feel like this is an excellent spot for some delicious bun bo hue. The value is great and the flavor has your girl whipped over it already! Would love to try their pho ga next time, but I already know that I probably won't deviate from the bun bo hue for a while.

We were so disappointed with this recommendation (which was made by Ali Wong the night before at her book tour). We came here on a Saturday morning and were surprised at the big parking lot and the nice interior of the restaurant. Unfortunately, that was all they had going for them. We ordered egg rolls, beef pho and chicken pho. I asked for my chicken pho to have beef broth, but they didn't seem to do that, and I'm glad they didn't because the beef broth had no flavor and was bland - it just tasted like hot water with a little bit of flavor. The egg rolls were over cooked and difficult to finish because it was tough to chew. We also ordered an iced coffee and young coffee. The coffee had WAY too much ice - both regular ice and crushed ice and not much coffee. Then there was the coconut juice... I specifically asked if it was fresh coconut juice and the server said yes. When I got it, it was clearly from a can and had way too much added sugars. This place was disappointing through and through and made us second-guess the rest of Ali Wong's list.

This place have the best combination, nice, clean, excellent pho, excellent service and they have parking. Nothing else to ask.

YUMM pictured is the pho with fresh noodles this place is great from the ambiance to the food to the music it was all thought out very well. They are planning on opening one in Livermore which is closer to us so very excited for that

It's hard to find a clean pho restaurant and clean tasting pho in Oakland. Pretty spacious place with service that is about average. It's definitely different here, they serve pho in metal bowls. The broth is definitely not oiley and clean tasting. Pretty good portion. The egg rolls and chicken wings were dood too. Extra half star for having a parking lot and accepting credit cards.

Okay I admit, we were hungry and cold, lured by the mere idea of pho. But wow, these dishes really hit the spot! They were the perfect portion to feel satisfactorily full, but not bloated. There were lots of spots at 6pm on a Saturday, and service was the most prompt I've ever experienced - we were in and out in 30 minutes. It must have been funny to watch us devour our soups and pat our bellies. We both ordered pho (beef noodle soup): my friend got 16. Pho tai (sliced round eye steak) while I got 3. Pho tai nam, gau, gan, sach (sliced round eye steak, well-done flank, marbled brisket, soft tendon, tripe). Each huge bowl was less than $10. We also got hot tea which was a little watered down, but still had flavor. The broths were delicious - rich meat flavor, fairly salty, yet light and not too oily. There was also a leek simmering inside. They gave a large selection of greens, and the meat paired with hoisin sauce and sriracha was tasty as always. Rice noodles were the perfect texture and the amount of meat was good (though I would never object to a bit more). I cannot find anything to complain about, and am still glowing with happiness remembering this standout meal!

I was visiting my family and came here for lunch with my sister and her husband. They had been here before, and I believe I tried their Nem Nuong in the past, so I was excited to try them again. I wasn't too hungry, so I opted just for an order of the Nem Nuong and their House Special Sauce Wings. Nem Nuong: You get 2 rolls along with the signature sauce that is paired with the rolls. Comparing it to Brodard's in LA/OC, the meat is more-so steamed rather than grilled. My personal preference, I enjoy the grilled meat better. Still everything was very flavorful and delicious. House Special Sauce Wings: These were AMAZING!!! Just the right amount of kick and spice, along with the salty flavors from what I believe was fish sauce mixed in, these wings were so delicious!! Super well cooked as well, with the skin being crispy on the outside but still juicy on the inside. My boyfriend got their Bun Bo Hue, and it was pretty darn good as well. I think I enjoy broths at other locations, but this was still yummy. Really big portion too.