Pho Dao Restaurant

Vietnamese restaurant · Cataldi

Pho Dao Restaurant

Vietnamese restaurant · Cataldi

1

1631 N Capitol Ave, San Jose, CA 95132

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Pho Dao Restaurant by null
Pho Dao Restaurant by null
Pho Dao Restaurant by null
Pho Dao Restaurant by null
Pho Dao Restaurant by null
Pho Dao Restaurant by null
Pho Dao Restaurant by null
Pho Dao Restaurant by null
Pho Dao Restaurant by null
Pho Dao Restaurant by null
Pho Dao Restaurant by null
Pho Dao Restaurant by null
Pho Dao Restaurant by null
Pho Dao Restaurant by null
Pho Dao Restaurant by null
Pho Dao Restaurant by null
Pho Dao Restaurant by null
Pho Dao Restaurant by null
Pho Dao Restaurant by null
Pho Dao Restaurant by null
Pho Dao Restaurant by null
Pho Dao Restaurant by null
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Pho Dao Restaurant by null
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Pho Dao Restaurant by null
Pho Dao Restaurant by null

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Signature Kobe beef pho with fresh noodles, tender meat  

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1631 N Capitol Ave, San Jose, CA 95132 Get directions

phodaorestaurant.shop

$10–20 · Menu

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1631 N Capitol Ave, San Jose, CA 95132 Get directions

+1 408 816 3366
phodaorestaurant.shop

$10–20 · Menu

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Aug 9, 2025

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@eater

11 Best Bowls of Pho in the South Bay | Eater SF

"At Pho Dao, the meat is definitely the star of the show. Though it’s rare to come across a pho restaurant that serves Kobe beef, family-owned Pho Dao prides itself on being one of the shops that sticks solely to filet mignon and USA Kobe beef for its noodle soups. The most commonly ordered dish is the Kobe Beef Noodle Soup, and for good reason. The tender, high-quality beef makes for an intensely flavorful broth, and the thick, fresh noodles really seal the deal." - Cathy Park

https://sf.eater.com/maps/best-pho-san-jose-south-bay
View Postcard for Pho Dao Restaurant

Ang P

Google
Since my favorite pho closer to our place is closed this is my new favorite pho place in California! The meat is so tender and good size, like all American restaurants. The broth is just amazing. Definitely recommended order the fresh noodle instead of the dry one. It is just amazing!

Becky Nguyen

Google
We had a group of 6 today and sugar cane drink was not fresh at all. It tasted like mold and told owner he ignored us. It was $7 each and lucky we ordered only 2. Bad management and don’t care about customers. We spent $146 😖😖lucky they got $10 tip from us 😖😖

Takara

Google
Yummy spring rolls with both shrimp and pork. Flavorful broth for the pho, chewy noodles, flavorful beef

Lizandra Santos (Luna)

Google
Hand made noodles and solid both - can't get any better than that! The small portion is a perfect size.

Peter Nguyen

Google
I was in town on a friends trip and decided to eat here as it was the closest to our accommodation. The Pho here was incredibly delicious with the fresh noodles and Kobe beef! The broth was super flavorful, and the portions were perfect! Would love to come back the next time I'm in the Bay Area.

jiggbury

Google
It's a pretty solid Vietnamese restaurant in the area with really good soup as well as good beef cube steak! Service is pretty solid as well. When we went there was not too many people almost near empty. The sauce on the steak was actually sweet and tangy but the salad was very generic and tomatoes felt flat... I do appreciate the soup that it comes with too which is sweet and not too heavy with MSG. The egg rolls while there's only three do fill you up.

Janice L

Google
I ordered the large Pho Kobe with fresh noodles and the beef was soft and almost buttery! The soup had a strong beef and umami flavor. Their large felt like a medium and wasn't very big at all. Their fresh noodles are wider than what you're used to in pho. I'm not sure if their fresh noodles are homemade, but I didn't like how they broke easily. They also cook their bean sprouts, so if you don't like that be sure to let them know when you're ordering. The atmosphere is very casual, with a hole in the wall vibe. The service was okay. The waitress seemed annoyed that we asked for a few extra minutes since we were still waiting on someone to arrive. Overall, a good pho place!

Amy Phorth

Google
Been coming here now for a few years and it's one of our go to when we're craving pho. I love their signature pho with Kobe beef and fresh rice noodles. The broth is delicious, meat is tender and fresh rice noodles are a game changer! Service is quick and at times, it can get busy here. Food comes out pretty fast, too. You just pay at the counter when you're done. They accept cards but you get a discount if you use cash. Parking lot has plenty of spaces but during the weekends, it can get busy at time with grocery shoppers next door. If you're craving some pho or need it cause you're hungover, this is the place to get it!
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Nathan W.

Yelp
Hands down best pho in San Jose. If you want a more meaty and flavorful this is the place to go. What I have ordered: Kobe beef pho: If you want something packed with flavor this is what you want. A meaty and hearty broth that I could actually eat everyday. The Kobe beef also melts in your mouth and the portions I would say are slightly larger than the typical pho place. 9/10 Pho ga: definetly the best pho ga I've gotten from a restaurant. The broth is extremely flavorful but can definitely be a little overpowering for some people. I usually get egg noodle with this as I feel like it pairs well the flavorful broth. You also get a lot of chicken, and I mean a lot. Definetly my go to if I'm not in the pho mood. 8.9/10 Pho dac biet: if you want soemthing lighter and more clear get the pho dac biet. Still very meaty and flavorful but decently lighter than the Kobe beef pho. I usually get it when I'm not in the mood for something super savory. 8/10 Bun Bo hue: I was in the bun Bo hue mood and decided to try it here. Didn't expect much so it surpassed my expectation. Not that flavorful more like a light refreshing version of it. If that's what you like then feel free to order it. I would say the best part was the spice level. Just enough to pair well with the lighter broth. 7/10 Mein ga: slightly lighter than the pho ga broth or maybe it was just my imagination. Clear noodles aren't my thing but if it's your then go ahead. Refer to the pho ga review for more info. 8.3/10 Pho duoi bo: I got a lot of ox tail. Like I almost didn't finish it. The broth was a lot lighter than I expected. The main part of the dish is just trying to finish the ox tail. The broth isn't super savory but you can definitely tell it is made from oxtail. 7/10 Drinks: Dao special: it's called the dao special for a reason. Not too sweet and extremely refreshing. Perfect print for any bowl of pho. Only complaint is the amount of ice in the drink. 9/10 Orange juice: personally not my favorite. It's fresh squeezed but a little sour for my liking. If you like your orange juice more sour then go ahead. Has a bit of pulp at the bottom if you're into that as well. 7/10 Thai tea: first miss in the restaurant. Felt watered down and wasn't really sweet or milky like the Thai tea I usually get. But then again I'm not here to get Thai tea. 5.5/10
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Christopher V.

Yelp
Pho was very delicious and meaty. Broth had lots of flavor, and meat was tender. Only down side is the service and atmosphere. The place is pretty filthy, the first step in the restaurant I can smell the restrooms. Floors and carpet are dirty. I try not to at them as I feel like losing my appetite. Please clean the restaurant!
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Sina X.

Yelp
Clean and nice place, fast service and not that busy, great place to have a lunch after shopping at the supermarket. The shrimp roll is big, sauce is yummy~ They also have wagyu pho
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Christopher B.

Yelp
Came here from San Francisco because there isn't any decent Pho in SF (IMHO). Drove an hour and decided to try Pho Dao given its reputation. The waitress came quickly but I wouldn't say that she was friendly at all. I ordered Pho Tai, egg rolls, spring rolls and vietnamese coffee over ice. The pho came out very quickly, with the iced coffee. The usual sides were provided (spouts, basic, lime, etc.). The egg rolls came out a bit later, but they forgot the spring rolls until much later, so by the time they came out, I actually wasn't that hungry any more. Pho Tai: the meat was fine but I wished I had remembered to order it on the side. I like it raw and by the time it came out, the meat was already cooked. The broth tasted overwhelmingly of beef...none of the aromatics that I look for in Pho broth (anise, cloves, cardamon, etc.). Egg rolls: actually very good but a bit oily Spring rolls: lacked flavor and were kind of chewy Iced coffee: as expected Overall, I'm glad I tried it, but I'll try a couple of other places before/if returning, e.g. Pho Papa, Pho Ha Noi.
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Victoria T.

Yelp
Reasonably priced compared to pho ha noi. I like the option of having fresh wide or dried noodles. The meat is super tender too. The service was super fast.
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Jennifer S.

Yelp
Amazing pho here! We were on our way down to LA and stopped here for lunch. Service was super fast and simple. It was a very casual and clean environment, which my partner and I always enjoy. Super tasty and strong soup as well as very fresh meat. We loved it so much that we had to come here a second time on our drive back up! It was just as yummy as it was the first time.
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Cynthia W.

Yelp
We both ordered the number one Kobe beef pho. They offer three types of noodles: fresh (flat) noodles, dried (skinny) noodles, and egg noodles. The medium size was pretty big and very filling. The Kobe beef was so tender and delicious!! The broth was also flavorful. We also got the spring rolls which came with 3 rolls and they were good too. Service was fast and efficient and they came by to fill up our waters. I would definitely come back again!
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Jayden S.

Yelp
Pho was okay, a little bit of average. Kobe option is not recommended for extra price. But the most unacceptable thing is their fixture, very DIRTY. It smells and looks like never been cleaned and too late to clean.
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Dixie L.

Yelp
TL;DR: The meat melts in your mouth. Come here for the Pho and possibly the Bun Bo Hue. parking: - generous parking in a large plaza. wait time: - was seated immediately and the food came out piping hot in a matter of minutes. ambiance: - a slightly more modern version of TK Noodle. service: - fast. food: [Worth It] - Pho, medium-sized: if you're a very hungry female, then a medium size would be perfect. Otherwise, you could probably share a medium and large bowl with another person. The broth was perfectly seasoned and was complimented with melt-in-your-mouth meat. - Bun Bo Hue, medium-size only: came with the usual veggie add-ons and chewy thick white noodles and melt-in-your-mouth meat. The broth was under-seasoned but it still ranks as one of the best restaurant-made bun bo bue I've tried. The best I've had is my mom's version, and that's a high standard that would be difficult to beat. - Salted Plum Drink: tastes similar to a salted lemon drink. Tasted great as the salt and the sparkling water balanced out the drink nicely. restroom: - It was surprisingly a very clean and spacious experience. The only hope I have is that they will spend the extra $6 to upgrade their soap dispenser to something more clean and aesthetically appropriate.
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Leslie P.

Yelp
Not sure why I haven't dined here more often when it's so close to me! I gave it another try after years and found it to be pretty good. We came on a Wednesday around 5pm and it was pretty empty with just a couple people coming in and out. I ordered the small pho bo vien (beef balls noodle soup) with dry noodles and enjoyed it! They also offer fresh rice noodles if you prefer those, which tend to be a bit wider and softer. My bowl of pho came out nice and hot, with the noodles cooked well and plenty of beef balls! The two of us thought our bowls were satisfying. You can choose a small, medium, or large bowl and they all seem like a decent portion for the price. I don't eat pho often but I would probably come back if I had a craving.
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Samantha G.

Yelp
Really solid pho place! It's right at the corner of hostetter and Capitol behind the Loop gas station. I came at nighttime and it's very dimly lit inside. Tables are very clean and there's a lot of seating. They offer fresh or dried noodles and egg noodles as well with your pho. There's also 3 sizes, small medium large. I got a small this time. Good for when you're craving pho but not THAT hungry. Love that there's variety for size. We both got #1 Kobe beef pho. The Kobe beef is really good and the broth was very flavorful as well. We added an order of spring roll and they were huge lol 3 pieces too. It's mostly lettuce but it has shrimp and chicken inside. The dipping sauce was a good mixture, it's not just all peanut flavor. For payment you go up to the counter to pay. Card and cash payments accepted, but I think cash is better because there's a discount.
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Art L.

Yelp
Terrible takeout service. Order anything togo , there is a surcharge. Then, not any size can be ordered. Small size is not available. Plus, takeout orders are slower than the dine-in orders. I asked for bean sprout to be slightly cooked. Turns out both orders are without bean sprouts
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Dang L.

Yelp
Came by the other day and got to tried their bun rieu. (Tomato and crab noodle soup). Service was quick and efficient. The family got pho. The bun rieu was a 4 stars. It wasn't the best bun rieu but it had so many toppings. Plenty of crab paste/ball, cubed blood, snails, tofu. But best of all was the variety of veggies that came with the dish! I wouldn't mind ordering this again when I don't feel like getting the pho.
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Lloyd C.

Yelp
I first came here when they first opened up in 2017. I ran into a waiter who worked at Pho Tau Bay. He said his son owns this place. The Kobe Beef Pho was delicious. The beef melted in your mouth. Very spacious and clean. Simple decor but laid out well to accommodate a large group if needed. Fast forward to today, and there is so much competition. But, Pho Dao still makes a wonderful and delicious bowl of Pho. I like that they: 1) parboil the beansprouts. 2) serve culantro with the usual otems of beansprouts, holy basil, lime, and jalapeño. Pho Dac Biet (medium): Rare filet mignon, well done brisket, crunchy flank, tendon, fast brisket, tripe, and beef balls. I got this with fresh noodles, and this was so good! The broth is clean and beefy. The filet was melty and tender. Some places skimp on the tripe and tendon, but I thought they gave a good portion.
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Mckenna M.

Yelp
Slightly colder weather means we're moving into soup weather! Ordered a small signature kobe beef pho for around $16? and it hit the spot. I had to give this place a 5 because the flavors were there, the meat was tender, the noodles were cooked nicely, AND service was fast and no wait to be seated. I would say pho dao is easily comparable to pho ha noi just without the crowds and with much faster service. Will be coming here again for my pho fix.
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Sharon C.

Yelp
Best pho spot in SJ that still has somewhat decently affordable prices! A bowl of pho is around $14-$16 before tax. Inside is also very roomy so you can come in big groups, they can accommodate for sure! My favorite is their #1 which is the Kobe Beef Pho. I don't know what meat they use but it is always so juicy and tender. The broth is also very rich so the two paired together is a great hangover food! Portions I would say are a bit on the smaller size but they do have small, medium, and large which is rare as most places only have medium and large. I would have to say the service is not the best. We got seated and were not provided menus, 10 minutes passed by and the waitress came to take our order but we told them there were no menus that were provided to us. In addition, they had forgotten to give us water until we asked.
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Huey N.

Yelp
I ordered the bun bo hue. I had pho a week ago and wanted to switch it up. Their's is pretty good especially for a pho shop. The beef slices were tender and I liked chunks of tendon. No blood cubes or hock meat but I expected that. The broth was a little too sweet and I wanted more lemongrass flavor though. I would still recommend it if you were here.
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Lynn R.

Yelp
We chose Pho Dao since they're one of the few pho restaurants in the bay that have a veggie pho. My partner said the veggie broth needed a little something. He asked if their hoisin sauce was vegetarian and our server couldn't be bothered to check for us so he just didn't use it. Otherwise, service is prompt and straightforward. The restaurant is very clean and modern.
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Irene L.

Yelp
Located in the plaza next to the Dai Thanh Supermarket; on the corner of Capital Ave and Hostetter Rd. There's no issues finding parking here. I've been here a few times and glad to see Pho Dao is surviving as I've seen this specific location rotated through a handful of other restaurants in the past. I got the Pho Dac Biet, basically the special combo with the beef slices, briskets, tendons, tripe, meatballs and with fresh noodles which I highly recommend Pros: service is good and food comes out extremely quick. Cons: broth of the pho is on the sweeter end (I still prefer Pho Kim Long) If you're looking for a quick bite, to get in and out, Pho Dao is the place to check out. Also, super convenient, just a block away from freeway 680.
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Daniel H.

Yelp
The steaming broth was flavorful, the noodles were perfectly cooked, and the fresh herbs added a refreshing and aromatic touch. A satisfying and comforting meal that left me craving more. Would definitely recommend! Above all the service was amazing, like always
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Josie F.

Yelp
Everything about this place is good. The food, the environment, the service. The broth is perfected and tasty AF.
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Carlson T.

Yelp
Came here last Friday because I heard their filet mignon pho was good. I got the Pho Special and it was solid. Some of the meat seemed dry though. Service was fine. They got our orders and gave us water. Parking was easy as the plaza does not seem to be that busy. There was no wait and was relatively empty as we came in around 11:30am.
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Carolyn W.

Yelp
I loved it! Best pho I've had in San Jose! I was visiting from out of town and was recommended this restaurant by a vietnamese friend. This is definitely one of the best spots this city has to offer! The meat quality is so good. I recommend the #1 special pho or any one with filet mignon. The extra cherry on top are their prices are actually reasonable! Definitely a place I'll come back to when I visit again!
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Will I A m.

Yelp
Let me status by saying I love pho! So to give this place 5 stars means they're top notch Their #1 is not the typical mixed meats. It is their specialty Kobe beef version. Just beef. My suggestion, get their #2 which is mixed meats. Get a side of Kobe beef. Get a medium. The portions are huge. Large and thick chunks of tripe, tendon and brisket. They are generous with their meats. They also offer a dry or fresh noodle. Their chicken pho is fresh pieces of chicken and not the thin slices of breast meat you normally get. Another plus!! I don't live in the neighborhood but i come out of the way to have their pho dishes
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Jacqueline N.

Yelp
Just went here for the first time and I think its my new favorite pho place in SJ! Food: 5/5 The broth is so delicious and flavorful here! I was surprised how rich and meaty it is. The meats here are also super tender and soft. I ordered the #2, which is the special and it came with all different meats, tendon and meatballs. This place has the best meatballs out of everywhere I've been. The flavor and texture is just delicious. I also liked how they had 3 different sized bowls - the small was the perfect portion for me. Service: 3/5 Service was what you expect at a Viet restaurant. Not very nice servers but very fast service. Vibes: 5/5 Regular vibes for a pho place. Tables and silverware were very clean.
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Melody K.

Yelp
We had another great dinner thanks to Pho Dao Restaurant. This is our first time dining indoors here while the previous two times were take outs. Besides taking our orders and serving our food, there wasn't much service but the staff were very friendly. We ordered the same dishes again, I got their Vermicelli which hit the spot again and portions were big which I loved. Also, ingredients were fresh and cut nicely. Taste was spot on from the meat to the vermicelli to the veggies and nuts.
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Krystal A.

Yelp
Definitely one of my favorite pho places in San Jose. The Signature pho with Kobe beef is my favorite! The beef is so tender and the broth is so flavorful. And don't forget to ask for FRESH noodles. They are the best noodles in my opinion. Service is always fast and speedy and luckily I have never had to wait to be seated. My go-to drink is always coconut juice. Pho Dao always gives a whole ass, fresh coconut and it never disappoints. Highly recommend this place if you are ever craving pho (: They also have filet mignon as a meat option too!
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Sophia W.

Yelp
One of the best pho places in SJ! You have to try their Kobe Beef Pho. The beef was soft & tender and they have thick rice noodle. The thick rice noodle didn't make the pho broth starchy. (You have to request it or they'll give you the regular thin pho noodles). Tip: BRING CASH! If you pay in cash, it's cheaper than paying with a card! There a small discount!
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Jacqueline N.

Yelp
With the abundance of different pho spots Pho Dao are one of the spots that stands out to me due to their fresh noodles, Kobe beef, and tender meats! The menu is very focused with just a small variety, always a great sign of good food. Size: The only difference between medium and large is the amount of noodles you get. They use the same bowl. Broth: The broth is a little dark but very flavorful, I usually have to add a dash of fish sauce to my pho but this was just right. Noodles: One of the few places that offer fresh wide noodles Meat: I always order pho tai, raw meat that's cooked by the hot broth. The meat here was noticeably more tender than most of spots I've been to! Service: Typical Vietnamese "matter of fact" service. They use iPads to take your order which is a nice touch. Food came out in less than 10 mins. Cleanliness and modern style is also a nice touch that you don't always see
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Emily H.

Yelp
Such amazing food! The bowl on the left is the medium bowl and the right is the small bowl. The small was even a bit too big for me to finish all on my own. We ordered Phở tươi the fresh rice noodle which I highly recommend. It also comes with a big plate of toppings/veggies but I took this picture before it came out. All the tables have little dishes where you can mix sriracha and hoisin sauce in which I loved to dip my meat into. The broth was flavorful and not too oily. The iced coffee was also good! Highly recommend this place.
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Janice S.

Yelp
This used to be my favorite Pho beef noodle house, because of the big portions and the great prices. Now the prices have increased $5 per bowl and for every item you order take out for, there is a .78 cents surcharge per item. I was really disappointed because I ordered spring rolls and it was mostly lettuce and the sprouts that came with the noodle soup were slimy. I couldn't eat the sprouts or mint because it was slimy. I'm sorry, but I cannot go here again. I hope they use this review as a way to improve.
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Jacob M.

Yelp
Must try: their filet pho Why visit? This is some of the best pho that I've had in the Bay area and I highly recommend you give it a shot even if it looks a little unassuming on the outside Protip: ask for extra bean sprouts!
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Dong Wook C.

Yelp
Good pho. Went with their #1. The beef was very tender. Restaurant is clean and bright inside. Service personnel are efficient and friendly.
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Yenn T.

Yelp
Nice restaurant shared parking lot. I've only had pho here and I like it a lot. The broth is a lot darker than most places and a somewhat lacking of the pho spice and smell but it still tasted good. Sometimes broth isn't steaming hot, but that's my only complaint. I didn't get thirsty after eating the soup that a plus. Tai (raw beef) is super tender and meatballs are good. Tai is better than the kobe beef for me so that's my regular order. The fresh noodles are long and chewy but I think too wide. I like the regular noodles more. They give free tea here which is how it should be. I've been to most popular pho places all around SJ but this is my go-to pho place.

Donna T.

Yelp
#ThankYouThursday to Pho Dao who has taken the reigns as my favorite pho spot in the Bay Area! My go-to order is the signature Kobe beef with fresh noodles. I also like to order a side of nuoc beo aka fatty broth. Make sure to also ask for the pickled garlic which has chilis in it too!! It's with this combination of pho + nuoc beo + pickled garlic and chilis that really sets this place apart! My only complaint is with the service. It really depends who is your waiter; I've had hit or miss ones. Some of them don't bring the pickled garlic and nuoc beo even though this was initially requested. Nonetheless still delicious pho! If you pay in cash, you also get a 10% discount.
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Marvin H.

Yelp
Genuinely, Pho Dao has one of the best pho I have had in the Bay Area. We were seated quickly. we came at 1pm, and it was fairly crowded. Menu was short, but extensive. They will ask what type of noodles we wanted, flat or regular. Tables are cleaned, and sauces are self served. They only offer inside seating, and spaces between tables feels narrow. The signature Pho was topped with Kobe beef. Beef is tender and well portioned. Broth is earthy and rich. Not too oily. The noodle itself is consistent and good till the last bite. Overall, we had a great time. A rich bowl of Pho always hits the spot.
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Ter L.

Yelp
I came in and made a quick purchase at about 9:45am this morning. Since the heatwave hadn't officially kicked in and my daughter is feeling a bit under the weather, this was the perfect time to indulge in some noodle soup. I placed an order for a Pho Bo Vien Gan. Associate at the cash register talked me into grabbing a cup of Vietnamese yogurt as well- way to go with the sales pitch! At first glance, the veggies provided are obviously super skimp. Pho Dao legit provided me with one sprig of thai basil, 1 stick of culantro, & not nearly enough bean sprouts. Seriously??? Food: The beef balls used are surprisingly soft enough for my toddler to manage. She normally doesn't even bother putting in the effort due to her being a lazy chewer but really seemed to enjoy the bo vien. Pho noodles are just your average noods- nothing to rave about. The biggest disappointment was the broth. Broth was EXTREMELY salty. I tried to water things down and was forced to add more hoisin sauce than norm & it still couldn't be fixed. 2 stars. I should have just gone to a neighboring pho restaurant but opted to give this spot a try. Super let down and was obviously left with a thirst that seemed unquenchable after this meal! Yogurt was good though...
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Cathy P.

Yelp
Pho Dao has got to be my favorite pho shop in the Bay Area. The strip mall doesn't look like much, but the food is incredibly delicious and affordable. We went on a Sunday evening at dinner time and were surprised that there wasn't any wait. Their menu is very focused, with just a few items outside of pho. But that really is a testament to how good their pho is. My boyfriend and I got the Rice Vermicelli, and we each also got the Signature Kobe Pho. The Vermicelli was a pretty big portion and tasted super fresh. The Kobe Pho is probably one of the best bowls of pho I've ever had. The meat in the pho was so soft, tender and the broth had a deep umami flavor. It was a bit on the oily side, but nothing too out of the ordinary. The noodles are also thicker, which I personally liked, though my boyfriend said he prefers thinner rice noodles. Service is quick and they seem well-staffed. The ambience feels casual, and at the end of your meal, you go up to the counter to pay before heading out. I'll definitely be back soon!!
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D.wight L.

Yelp
Solid SJ pho joint. Personally, I don't think you can get a bad bowl of pho from this town. Anywhere you go, people will be speaking in Vietnamese, both employees and customers. That will not happen the further you try pho from Man Jose. #trust So, my server spoke very little English. I had to point on the menu to place my order. Not a big deal, as I often have to do that in this town. But this time around there was a slight error. I pointed to the Rare Steak and Tendon ($14ish/4*) combo, which is my go-to. I also pointed to the Kobe Beef add-on ($6) as I just wanted to 'beef' up my bowl and take advantage of an option that is generally not around. What arrived was just a sliced beef soup, so no tendons. Womp womp. No biggie, as they did give me the 'kobe' version and there was a good amount of beef, so the extra add price was justified. Let's break this bowl down. The Broth: Solid 4.5 stars. Very beefy and a bit darker than most pho broths out there. Very nicely seasoned and I didn't get that dry mouth sensation that happens when there is a good dose of msg, so props. When the broth is just average, I may only sip half of it. I slurped the entirety of the bowl. The Beef: I wanted to order the beef completely on the side, as I love to dip my beef piece by piece. But since I felt communication was a bit strained, I didn't even bother. All beef was in the hot broth. But to their credit they do use a legit fatty beef, that is sliced much thicker than usual. Seemed like hand cut versus with a meat slicer. So even though fully cooked in the broth, the bites still were quite tender and juicy. Now I hate when places uses the "Kobe" moniker as it perpetuates misinformation, as true Kobe beef is extremely hard to find in this country. It did seem like a decent Wagyu, which is the breed of cattle, but Kobe from Japan, it was not. The Noodles: I got basic thin rice noodles. They do ask what type, but since I didn't know the protocols here, I just said regular rice. I later found out you can get a thicker ho fun type of noodle here, which I will try next time. The one in bowl was just fine, perfectly al dente once you got it to untangle. Also loved how there were fish sauce available at the tables, as I only seem to find that in San Jose pho joints. Elsewhere, I usually have to ask for a small side of it from the kitchen. But I love to dip my beef slices in a mix of fish sauce and something spicy. With a legit Vietnamese Iced Coffee, this was a solid pho outing, even though I didn't get exactly what I wanted. Still would come back if ever in this corner of SJ (northeast by the 680 corridor).
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Ritchie L.

Yelp
No complaints here! Location: Great location, and by that I mean lots of parking. It's in the same plaza as the Banh Mi Oven (if you want banh mi, go to either of their other two locations. This one isn't great.) Not unusual to spot a few homeless people, but nothing crazy. Ambiance: Typical pho spot. Service: Quick, cordial service. You have to go up to pay and there is a charge for using a credit card. Cash is king in Vietnamese restaurants! Food 5/5 We had the Kobe beef Large with fresh noodles and the egg rolls. Everything you could want in a bowl of pho! Flavorful, the meat was tender and the thick fresh noodles were a nice change. Egg rolls were good too, but nothing to write home about.

Gav6 G.

Yelp
Our regular spot was closed so I found this one on yelp and decided to give it a try. It was clean and fast service. The food was excellent! I at first thought the price seemed high for pho but when I tasted it I knew it was well worth it! My only concern was the communication was off as they didn't speak very well English but we got what we wanted and I would recommend it.
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Von V.

Yelp
Moved to the Bay Area 6 months ago and already had their food 20+ times. I want to highlight their strengths over the plentiful pho options in the area - cleanliness, portion, and consistency. If you frequent pho restaurants, you understand the 50/50 chance of finding a bug in your broth, the never-cleaned sauce bottles, and oily feeling tables. That's never been a problem here. A medium sized pho feels like a large, and I hope they keep it that way! They're also generous with vegetables, which are consistently fresh. We order Pho Tai and Kobe Beef Pho. Meat quality is reliable (sooo tender!) and to justify my addiction, their pho is really REALLY good. Most importantly, the fresh noodles make the experience - don't be a newbie and fall for the dried noodles. If they know you're new and especially not Viet, they will coerce you to pick the dried ones as their fresh noodles are limited stock.
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Donna L.

Yelp
I got to try Pho Dao yesterday and was really looking forward to trying their Pho Dac Biet. However, when I got it, I felt like the broth could have been saltier and more flavorful. The pho was pretty underwhelming for me. The price is very reasonable. I ordered a medium and was given generous amounts of noodles. Service was also quick.
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Diane L.

Yelp
I got a small Kobe beef pho and it was the right amount for me. Super comforting to eat this on a cold rainy day and the pho came out fast! The kobe beef was so soft and tender it was delicious - I couldn't stop talking about it. They give you a good amount of beef too. I like how they give you the option of whether you want thick or thin noodles - my pho could've used a little more noodles though and I thought the broth was ok. This restaurant is also very clean too. FYI I think they charge a service fee to use your credit card so pay with cash!
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Wanda W.

Yelp
I honestly like the pho here better than pho kim long. Meat and veggies are better quality and you have a fresh noodle option. There's also 3 bowl sizes: S, M, L. Egg rolls are delicious! Service is friendly and quick. Cash or card accepted. Parking is easy and plentiful. This plaza is a bit run down with businesses coming and going, but the Dai Thanh market opened recently so maybe that'll liven it up. Try the pho and egg rolls.
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Vimal K.

Yelp
One of the best Pho's I've tried in the Bay Area. 4-stars for the $19 bowl of medium American Kobe pho. I guess it's cos it's the Bay Area.
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Brandon N.

Yelp
I've had this place twice now and it's honestly a great. The pho's are good but my favorite thing here so far is the goi bo tai chan (lemon beef salad). The place is clean and full with customers but surprisingly never packed. This is a good thing because when I need a place to chill and share a convo with my friends and family with some good pho I'll come here.
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Michelle L.

Yelp
This is my favorite pho place for vegetarian pho. The fresh noodles were the best part. The service is very fast and we got our food fairly quickly. The check does not appear at your table, so when you are ready to pay, you have to walk up to the counter with your table number to pay your check. There is a bug zapping light system that attracts bugs, so if you hear any loud cracking sounds, do not be alarmed.
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Angelica L.

Yelp
Overall: 4.3/5 We came around 2 PM on a Sunday and were seated right away. The menu is very clean with easy numbers to read. The wait time is very short for everything which was a huge bonus. When you finish your meal, you go up to the cashier to pay. Note that they charge you a SVC fee for using credit cards (~4.4%) so being cash! For the pho, they have 3 sizes (small, medium, large) which differ by $1 as you move up in size. Pricing is still reasonable as I've seen Vietnamese food prices hike up to $17+. #1 Kobe Style Beef Pho Medium With Fresh Noodle ($15): This was the better of the two pho. The fresh noodles were soft and went perfectly with the broth and beef. The broth was full of umami, and the Kobe style beef was super soft and tender. Definitely perfect for curing a cold or hangover! #2 Special Combination Pho Medium With Egg Noodles ($14): This was good because of the variety of meats it comes with but pho broth does not go with the egg noodles. However, the broth was really good and full of umami. The only shady thing is that I paid $50 in cash but the girl cashier put I paid $35 on the receipt. The change I should be getting is $18.28 but the receipt says $3.28 and I received $18.25. I'm not going to make a big deal out of 3 cent but the question is...where's that $15 going?
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Valerie N.

Yelp
Pho Dao is one of the many pho restaurants in the area. I really like the pho here because they have different options for noodles - fresh, regular or egg. The broth is very flavorful and service is good. My go to would be the pho ga with many pieces of shredded chicken and I sub the rice noodles for egg noodles. I wanted to order a small but egg noodles must be made with medium or large sizes. My bf got the signature pho - kobe beef and it was ok. It only came with the beef slices that were thick. It was nice to try but next time we'll be sticking to the pho dac biet because we like all the other beefs it comes with and the filet mignon is thin and tender.