Phở Tô Châu Restaurant

Came here again after years. I didn't want to eat here anyways but I was invited. As expected, same old rude and cold-faced customer service. These ladies never said hi or gave a smile to the patrons. I don't care how long they have been in the business for. This is not the kind of service I want to pay for. I remember this establishment used to have lines out of the door. No wonder they get none on a Sunday lunch time this time. I also shop in downtown every weekend and never seen a line for years. I was born and raised in Vietnam for 15 years. Have had different style of Phos from north to south vietnam and different states in America. This pho broth is bland and almost tasteless. I am not sorry for this harsh review but I want to be honest. Their rare steak and flank are tough. The only good thing comes from this establishment is they give good portion of vegetables. There's many better options around the area than this hole.

Best phở in Honolulu. They also give you a generous amount of vegetables. Unfortunately, the service is lacking. 🙃 The background music was not Vietnamese music... There's quite a bit of seating and it doesn't seem like a very busy spot. We went here on the recommendation from one of the local vietnamese aunties and I'm glad we did, because the phở was delicious.

This place has been around since I was a kid, and it’s still just as great. Same owners, same amazing food, and the same welcoming vibe. A true local gem that always hits the spot!

I’ve been visiting family on Oahu for 40 years and Pho To Chau was the kind of place we used to love to come to in Chinatown - rooted in fresh, real food, prepared with care and served with hospitality. I love the old fashioned step back in time. While the windows might be a little dirty, inside it’s neat as a pin and clean. We got Bun, spring rolls (wrap in lettuce with mint and sauce, papaya salad (here it’s grated fresh and served w/o dressing and you dress yourself), and pho with plenty of basil, sorrel, jalopeno, lime and bean sprouts. What a fresh healthy meal! Cash only and great for a big group.

Right off of River Street, the go to place when u want a hot bowl of pho in Chinatown👍If u like the garnishes of bean sprouts, basil, lemon, jalapenos, hot oil and homemade chili oil sauce this place doesnt skimp at all🤙 Frequent here so often that the lady knows my order, XL pho with beef and beef ball. 3 sisters know their role, one serves, one busses and the other is at the register and kitchen. **Cash only** Street parking or public parking areas down the street. Its been around for a while so its as clean as most chinatown restaurants but food is outstanding, especially with a hangover 😄🤙🤙

Our first visit to Phở Tô Châu started horribly when we were rudely instructed by the waitress (an older lady) to wait back outside, after we had entered the restaurant to ask for a table (we swear we couldn’t see any signs to line up outside). Never mind, we heard good things about the phở and were willing to wait patiently and give this place a chance. When we were finally seated, it took over 20 minutes to get a hold of the right person (another old lady) to place our orders. We couldn’t just order with the same lady who showed us to our table and brought us ice water to drink? Apparently, they have created their own rules in this restaurant - one lady clears the table and seats the guests and another (the owner) who takes the orders and accepts payments (cash only)... and you’re supposed to feel grateful that you’re allowed to be in their restaurant, getting served by them, and being able to consume their famous beef noodle soup?! In the end, we did enjoy the phở that was served to us very much because it was tasty and authentic. However, the terrible service left a bad taste in our mouths. Additional note: Saw some other guests walk in, told to go back outside (by the same old lady) and wait there, and then promptly left angrily. Advice: Make sure you’re familiar and versed in their rules before visiting this place! LOL

I have not been to this location in over 30 years and I have to say it was very disappointing. First of all the broth was very lightly flavored and boring. I can make better broth myself at home. The meat was a bit tough. Overall the Pho was not very good, yet they have the nerve to charge $13.99 for extra large bowl of Pho, by most standards is equal to a large at other average Pho shops and did not have much rice noodle. The small size Pho is very small and could be consumed by children yet it's $10.99. The staff is okay no complaints but be warned they do not accept credit cards, only cash. You're probably wondering why I went here in the first place? The truth is I don't try enough different Pho shops and I feel like I might be missing out so now I'm making it a point to explore more and try other shops instead of always going to my favorite shop. Due to the popularity of Vietnamese food internationally I think it's important to try all the competition because after all competition is what brings better products and prices. Hard to believe a bowl of pho in Vietnam is about three bucks but here in Hawaii it's averaging around 14 bucks. By the way, free metered parking in China Town on Sundays.

Got the how to Roll the fried spring roll inside the freah lettuce add noodles add mint...special sauce.... So good. And the Pho came with a plate loaded with Assian veggies, thia basil, bunch of limes and jalapenos. Owner and sister so sweet and nice. So worth the Red Trolly Route ride from Wikiki Trolley

this place the veggies so good Pho is the best on Oahu worth the u we ride this says a lot since i'm from San Jose Cali

8|10 Hugh portion & delicious summer rolls. 10|10 Grandma comes taught me how to eat deep fried spring rolls how nice!!! The OG style pho Vietnamese in Chinatown & a local favorite. Love the vibes.

I came to this establishment 3 times in my life. This was my third try. The first time it was years and years ago when the lines were so long. I don't think it's the same owner but I could be mistaken. The second time was a bit near Covid time. The place was dirty and grungy and there was a bad smell inside which made me not want to eat. This time I gave it a third time so that I know if I want to return or not. I'm glad I did. Restaurants always change if there is an inconsistency more than once. I'm still not sure if it is the original owner for the flavor seems a bit changed. The food came out quickly and it was hot. The house chili sauce came with the pho. The summer rolls were decent but I have had better ones elsewhere to be honest. I wanted to try the crispy spring rolls but it was a bit pricey for all of that. It's ok, I'll go back. The service was fast. You sit where you want then the menu is on the table. You can choose what size pho you want. Medium was a lot for me so next time I can go with small. It had a lot of vegetables on the side and I always ask for my sliced onions. The ambiance is a little dark and a little grungy but this time the tables were clean and so was the restaurant. Do mind that it's cash only. I saw that sign and just paid cash. Maybe next time I can ask them for card, but I'm sure it's still cash only. Smart business. lol

Delicious and not like any other pho restaurants I've been to. In the heart of Chinatown I heard this place is ran by 2 sisters. The special dac biet pho was not on the menu but that's what I ordered. It was huge generous portions and I'm not sure how much it cost but I'm assuming no more than $18/bowl. Believe the reviews; they give out a whole platter of a huge portion of vegetables! They are not greedy! A whole platter of bean sprouts, a whole platter of vinegar onions (which I saw a lot of places charged for which I think is weird since I normally order it for free), lots of lemons, huge platter of basil and my favorite culantro! I love this place! I asked for chili oil and they brought out a small bowl of it. The nuoc bro was only oil but the green onion stems were already put inside the bowl. The flavors were also amazing.

After coming from another pho restaurant, this place has better service and food. They might not speak good English and might come off a little mean, just know they're actually nice and will get what you need with a little patience. Food was reallly good. My husband likes their chili oil and I love their fat oil when we mix it with our pho. Will definitely keep coming back!

The one place I know give you generous portion of herbs n everything to compliment your pho. And they always remember what you ordered last time.

Old school Vietnamese pho place in Honolulu Chinatown. Come for the food, definitely not for the ambiance or even the service. Not known for the service but for the speed that the food comes out. Service is par for the course for the old school style set up. You will not be sorry that you come for the food only.

Spring rolls: oooooooh i needed this. You gotta come thru to get this, it's bite sized and crispy to the bown. Comes with noodles and the lettuce wrap Pho: solid pho. I liked it. It also had scallion which i was not used to but it actually made it better. Cash only, parking is a but tough, but it works. Bathroom seems to be in the back so you have to ask them. They have hot tea for free.

Where to begin with this restaurant...in the past for many years, on every visit, I would come here at least once for the Pho and two for the interesting way of this place is run. If you read other reviews, you will get a sense of what it is. The last trip I came here was 6 years ago so I wanted to see how the restaurant and the staffs were. They didn't disappoint at all, although years had gone by, the woman (manager/co manager) who alway took your order with a demanding voice (and I meant this in the nicest way) brought out the food looked the same. She didn't disappoint and I was glad to see her still healthy and barely aged. The other sister who cleaned up was more welcoming and we spoke a little bit. The Pho was still good with a big plate of vegetables which we loved. They are very generous in the foods and quantity here. Price is still cheaper than Pho Saigon (see my other review). The small size bowl is well, small for a kid. wife ordered it and we didn't expect it at all. Our Medium size is a typical small at other restaurants. I didn't remember how it was years ago but make sure to order M or L only.

My family and I enjoyed Pho to Chau Vietnamese but especially the service. The aunties here are so kind and welcoming. Portions were large and so ono. Definitely a place locals can enjoy.

Located on River street across from the river street river they have a number of Pho restaurants in the area. They have very limited street parking, so we lucked out to find one on a Holiday which parking is free. We ordered the spring rolls which was very different from other restaurants the wrapper for the spring roll was not crispy but more chewy and the filling was pretty bland, though they gave a lot of lettuce wraps one for each spring roll as other places would give you way less lettuce wrap then the rolls. The Pho combination comes in 3 sizes small, medium, extra large their Pho is a good size I ordered a medium and could only finish half, it comes with a lot of condiments not like other places which give small portions of condiments. My Pho had lots of steak, tripe,tendon and some meats ball with a lot of noodles. My wife ordered the medium Pho with tendon and it was full of tendon and noodles she couldn't finish her order also. A table of 4 seated near by ordered 2 extra large Combination Pho and summer & Spring rolls an they shared the 2 bowls of Pho and rolls and still had left over Pho to take home. I think we should have ordered an extra large Pho instead of 2 medium Pho because the price difference was only $1.00 more for the extra large Pho then the medium Pho. They have a shared restroom for men and women.

According to our friend, this used to be the hottest pho place decades ago. Same aunties trucking along today. Very brusque and efficient. Cash only so check the prices and be ready before heading over. Street parking can be tough, we usually use Marin tower for Chinatown if you don't mind walking. Straight up good food. Unique rich pho broth, fresh vegetables, tasty sauces, and big servings. Best melt-in-your-mouth chunks of beef tendon that I've had at a pho restaurant. Spring rolls are fried super crispy with bubbly wrappers, and served with all the lettuce wrap ingredients. We were also served hairs - more than once. Found a hair inside a spring roll, must have made it's way into the filling. Found a hair in the vegatables. Bit of a put-off the first time, pretty unappetizing the second. This is in addition to the entire place looking very dirty, stained, and sticky, which may just be a symptom of having a restaurant in a Chinatown building that has endured years of neglect. Either way, we probably won't return on our own.

Today felt like a pho day. My friend always talks about this place (probably cause she lives across the street) but nonetheless decided to give it a go. Got there early probably around 11:30. It was pretty empty. Walked in and the lady point to the left, so I just picked any table to sit at. The two Aunties that work there got their system down. First lady came over and dropped off a pitcher of water, cup of water and napkins and utensils. Second lady comes by and takes my order. I got the medium #6, rare beef, brisket and tendon. Not even a couple of minutes go by and they come back out and drop off my food. Awesome service. The Pho was good. The broth was tasty, I put in all the greens and bean sprouts, added some sirracha and plum sauce - it was winnahs. Will definitely be back again. Please note: they are cash only.

Came here for lunch on a Thursday afternoon and the food here is excellent! I got an X-large combination Pho and the soup was loaded with everything. A huge mound of bean sprouts and cilantro style leaf (it tastes like cilantro but is actually called culantro) comes as a side. Broth was just the right mix of allspice and other wonderful flavors. This may be the best pho I've had in Hawaii. I also had a Vietnamese iced coffee and it was glorious! This place is located on river street which is always an "adventure" but will gladly come here again. My wife got a BBQ chicken plate as well and the chicken was amazing.

Hot,flavorful soup! Price decent and quick service Thank you! Definitely be back soon

*CASH ONLY* . Great place if you're in chinatown and craving a bowl of tasty, savory, stinky pho from a local shop. . My COMFORT PHO SPOT. I've happily been a regular for years. (: The ladies here have a phenomenal memory. Wayy back after my first visit -- w/ a 2 week interval -- they remembered me and my order -- so cool! -- however, *disclaimer* I only ever crave the same type of pho so it's a easy win. Lol. . cheers!

There is a reason why I have been coming here for 30 years, and their pho is the one that I judge all other bowls of pho. You are not coming here for the ambience. You are coming here for a quick, delicious, and satisfying bowl of pho served by an efficient trio of Vietnamese aunties. If you are not familiar with this Chinatown hole-in-the-wall, here is a rundown of your experience. When you arrive, wait inside the door until Aunty #1 acknowledges you, and then lift your fingers to indicate how many people are in your party. She will then point at the table you need to go to. Once seated, take a look at the menu on the table, and get ready to order since Aunty #2 will be there with a quickness to take your order. She will be pretty brusque, but very accommodating when it comes to customizations like asking for extra noodles, less noodles, beansprouts cooked, no cilantro, etc. Just be very clear when speaking, and accept the fact that she will probably be looking at you like you crawled out from the gutter. Take your choice from small, medium, or extra-large bowls, and you should note that small bowls are pretty darn small. If you have any sort of appetite, go for the medium or extra-large since they are only a dollar more respectively. Keep in mind that if you are vegan or vegetarian, your only option will be the vegetable spring rolls since all of pho broth is beef based, and there are no vegetable rice dishes. After your place your order, Aunty #1 and #2 will be back with water, any drinks you ordered, and a metric ton of bean sprouts, Thai basil, culantro, lime, and chili oil. Seriously, if you are a pho condiment and veggie lover like me, you will be in heaven. Your pho will come out quickly and be piping hot! Enjoy it, and get ready to start craving it once you leave :D Now that you are all done, head over to the cashier counter where Aunty #3 will let you know the damage. Have cash ready since they do not accept credit cards. There you go, now you are ready for some of the best pho you will ever have!

We met up with our Pho sisters at To Chau in Chinatown They remembered us immediately ! We missed them too! Still serving delicious Pho, shrimp rolls and spring rolls!!

Great value but I'm not sure if this is somewhere I would come back to. Nothing wrong with our experience but the flavors didn't hit for us. There is usually a line to get in so we were surprised to see a few open tables. We sat down and had to wait a little bit before we could order - the lady giving us water and utensils couldn't take any orders - so we awkwardly waited to see if someone would come. Eventually we got our orders in and the food came out really fast. Broth had a lighter salty flavor and I put in my regular sauce condiments: hoisin and siracha. I also tried the chili oil but there wasn't too much kick so I probably could have added more. To me the noodles were the best part (the standard plate of beans sprouts, basil, lemon, etc also came with our meal) but the broth was just not my favorite. Price was great and parking options are good with the municipal lots having a $3 max ($.50 per half hour) on the weekends. I like the Chinatown Municipal lot (Hale Pauahi) - entrance is on Beretania St., makai of the cultural plaza. (Pauahi St entrance was closed when we went on a Saturday)

I've come to this place many times for my pho craving. They have a decent pho although it's not always consistent in taste. I usually get the x-large (now $15.99). They used to have more meat in the order but has participated in shrinkflation along with price hikes. This place has never been a place you go to for service or ambiance because it's really dirt and dingy. I've been yelled at in the past for ordering takeout mid meal (you have to place your takeout orders along with your initial order). The past two visits there have been pretty disastrous. Yesterday, I sat around chatting and catching up with a friend who recently had a stroke when we were basically kicked out. The entire place had 2 tables occupied! The previous time I was there, my friend was late and I sat there only to endure yelling for taking up a table. Again, the place was pretty empty at 25%. I doubt that I'll return there to spend good money only to be treated badly like that. No establishment should ever treat their customers so rudely and expect to stay in business!

I remember pre-covid days, I would always see a long outside the restaurant, full of eager customers waiting to get in. I was fortunate to dine in here a couple of times years ago. Apparently, there was a video on YouTube raving about this place and my sister saw it and really wanted to try here. Parking is tough here. It's in Chinatown so if you're lucky, you'll find a spot in front or near the restaurant. Otherwise you'll have to park in any available stall and walk over. When we got here, the server/ hostess was standoffish to us. They weren't friendly and told us to just sit over there and pointed at a table. They didn't have any lines outside. There was maybe 2 other tables in there besides our party of 4. The menu is on the table, right under the table glass, so you do have to maneuver a little bit to read the menu for larger parties. The server told us the cook will come out to take our order. Strange to have a cook take our order, but ok. It was weird that as soon as we ordered, the server suddenly became extra nice to us. Like she changed her whole demeanor to our table. We all ordered the combination pho and got an order of spring rolls. The server brought out large dishes of bean sprouts and veggies and sauces for the pho. The spread was looking real good. The spring rolls were interesting. I was expecting the smooth, golden spring rolls that are usually served, but this was different. I've never had spring rolls fried to look like that before? It was fried with rice wrapper so maybe that's why it was translucent in appearance and lumpy. It was surprisingly crispy and stuffed with meat. Honestly, the best part of the meal. Next was the pho. When the pho came out, I was amazed by how big the portions were and it looked amazing. I was so excited to try it and compare it to what I had years ago. It's really sad to say that the quality and taste has gone down. The broth had zero flavor, it was like eating noodles and meat in plain hot water. After several squeezes of oyster sauce, a splash of fish sauce, and some chili oil, it finally started to taste like something. However, it still left a tasteless taste in my mouth after eating. I thought it was just me who couldn't taste anything, but then my sisters boyfriend asked if we could taste the broth and all of us agreed it had zero flavor. It's such a shame because it looked so good. After reading the other reviews though, there were several that mentioned the broth also had no flavor, and some that mentioned it was full of flavor. Perhaps we just came on a really bad day where the cook ran out of spices and salt. We came out smelling like we ate an amazing bowl of pho, but that was it, just a nice pho smell lingering on our clothes.

This place is definitely a "hole in the wall" status. It's rundown and no ambiance but you're not here for that. When you come in, one of the ladies will point to a table for you to sit down. I think I saw only three people working there so ordering takes a bit but once you do order it comes out lightening fast. The food is fresh. The sides are fresh. The price is perfect for the portion. I was asked if I wanted cooked or raw steak slices and bean sprouts. They didn't have vinegar onions but they gave me onions and lime. The broth is definitely more authentic to Vietnam- it's extremely clear and clean tasting. It's a beautiful bowl of pho but not the best I've ever tasted. I would go back if near the area! I've seen the reviews about the staff being mean but honestly they're just Viet lol they're trying to do their job well and get your food to you, hot and delicious. **cash only **opens at 9:30AM (google says 10, Yelp says 8:30 both wrong!)

OMG talk about a hidden gem. Warning don't eat here if you like to eat from "regular" "just ok" pho places. This place will ruin it for you. Their broth is just perfection, so much flavor yet light and clean. My friend recommended I taste it before i add anything to it and I'm gladd I did. It was great by itself. I normally add lots of sauce and stuff to my soup and all I added here was a little bit of chili oil and a squirter of hoison. Even my 6yo who never eats pho ate almost all his food. It is a little hole in the wall and prepare to street park. Staff their is super nice and cheerful. They saw my son and brought us extra bowl and fork and even a scissors to cut his noodles to make it easier to eat. I was very impressed. It was a bit hard to order as they speak really fast and use lingo like "u like cold" which means they leave ur meat seperate. I accidently panicked and said hot and so my meat was cooked by the time it got to me. They give lots of veggies too. I was lucky I was with people who were regulars so they explained it to me after. You can also do to go 9rders and they put the soap and broth and everything seperate I wish the combination pho on the menu but I think they do youj ust have to ask. Personally I didn't really like their summer rolls. It was kind of plain and they add something to the sauce so it looses the peanut flavor. The spring rolls were pretty good though. The thai tea I'd on point and I didn't try the Thai coffee buy it looked strong. Like that small cup would put hair on your chest.

The best Pho outside of Vietnam! This place was legendary 20 years ago with lines going around the block during lunchtime, and the food is still superb today. The vegetable assortment is absolutely fresh and crisp and you're given a huge mound of it. The cuts of steak are perfect with no fat or gristle (best served outside so they can cook in the broth as you're eating), The noodles taste like they could be made in house, almost al dente with a chew, not a soggy water logged noodle so common with poorly cooked dry ones. The coup de gras is of course the broth; deep, rich flavor and very satisfying. I had the steak with tendon. As stated above, the steak was beyond reproach. The tendon was equally good, no extra fat attached, just beautiful chewy cuts of gelatinous goodness. They perfected Pho a long time ago, and fortunately after all these years they haven't messed with it.

I have not been to this location in over 30 years and I have to say it was very disappointing. First of all the broth was very lightly flavored and boring. I can make better broth myself at home. The meat was a bit tough. Overall the Pho was not very good, yet they have the nerve to charge $13.99 for extra large bowl of Pho, by most standards is equal to a large at other average Pho shops and did not have much rice noodle. The small size Pho is very small and could be consumed by children yet it's $10.99. The staff is okay no complaints but be warned they do not accept credit cards, only cash. You're probably wondering why I went here in the first place? The truth is I don't try enough different Pho shops and I feel like I might be missing out so now I'm making it a point to explore more and try other shops instead of always going to my favorite shop. Due to the popularity of Vietnamese food internationally I think it's important to try all the competition because after all competition is what brings better products and prices. Hard to believe a bowl of pho in Vietnam is about three bucks but here in Hawaii it's averaging around 14 bucks. By the way, free metered parking in China Town on Sundays.

We had the medium pho with beef tripe tendon and meatballs...everything was so so good! The bowls had a lot of meat and the veggies were plentiful (have never seen this much veggies before). Price was super affordable as well. If I were a Hawaiian local I'd probably go here once a week. The restaurant itself looks unupdated, but don't judge a book by its cover. The food was sooo tasty. I highly recommend this establishment.

Brought here for my birthday. I have another favorite Pho spot but, my friend from Vietnam raved about this place. I see why. Soup is amazing. Service was great. Atmosphere, ok. Zero complaints about anything. It was delicious and service so 'Aloha'. Will be back!!! (I apologise for the profanity on the window, not my doing)

I've been coming here since the early '90s. To-Chau had the best Pho then and they have the best Pho now. If I had one last meal, it would be a large combination Pho from To-Chau which I would eat in a room at the Halekulani. Amen!

Come here for lunch last week on the recommendation of a friend's friend who has been here and raved about. I must agree it was delicious and one of the enjoyable meals in Honolulu. Clean and clear soup with al rice noodles. Done right and yummy! We ordered the x-large #10 pho (rare steak, well cooked flank, tendon, tripe) and deep fried spring rolls to share. The beef noodle soup bowls comes in 3 sizes: X-large @ $10.99 Medium @ $9.99 Regular @$8.99 Plus a generous side dish of fresh herbs, spouts and lime. The spring rolls were stuffed with minced pork, crab meat, shrimp and mushrooms wrapped in rice wrap and then deep fried until golden brown. They came piping hot and you can eat the springs rolls straight or wrap it in lettuce and vermicelli noodles and dipped in fish sauce. I enjoyed my lunch immensely! This is the only Vietnamese restaurant in Chinatown with a line up. We arrived at 1:00pm waited 20 mins outside. In regards to service, 2 ladies were running the restaurant (cleaning the tables, taking orders and serving). Not much friendly talk when they are busy-just efficient and direct. When the crowd left by 2pm, I had a chat with the lady that served us and she was friendly, smiling and told us they have been in business for 31 years. I also notice they had a regular locals as the table next to us said "we'll have our regular order", the lady nodded her head and took off. The decor is old style from the 70's and loved it. Can't find these type anymore.

Best pho I have had in Hawaii, Portland, Seattle and NYC. I try to go there every month or so. Highly recommended. Try to eat in as better than take-out. Always lots of basil and bean sprouts and really good hot pepper flakes in oil to add.

Outstanding pho served with all the fix-ins! Don't forget to order the lemon soda and Thai iced tea.

My all time favorite Pho place EVER! This place never disappoints me and I am here on a weekly basis. Although Chinatown is a pain for parking it is always worth it to make my way over from the other side of town. My go to order is the number six with extra onions and I also get the spring rolls when I come with a larger group of people. The ladies who run the place are also the best. Make your way down here if you haven't already. You won't regret it! P.S. this location is also cash only!

Every time I come to visit the island I have to have my bowl of Pho here. I had the XLarge bowl with everything and their egg roll made of rice paper. After doing Diamond head hike in the morning I knew where I was going to carb up. This place never disappoints Pho broth is favorable and all the fixings are fresh. Parking is a pain, come on Sundays parking is free.

=== 1. VERDICT/VALUE With so much competition for pho in Chinatown, Pho To-Chau holds its own well based on the taste alone and is recommended for friends and family! === 2. FOOD An extra-large #12: ($10 including tax): with beef flank, brisket, tendon, and tripe on a bed a noodles in most importantly, a soup base that seems to be less salty / with less MSG than others - they either held back on it or truly cooked the soup with bones. You're in for a treat on any day with pho like this! === 3. SERVICE There always seems to be one lady who takes your order, serves your pho and water (or drinks), and later on, takes your cash. (Note: the place only takes cash - no card/phone payments.) Despite the busyness of the place, she is typically fast and the food doesn't take long to come. === 4. ATMOSPHERE It's fairly sizeable as hole-in-the-walls go with plenty of tables, even for groups as large as 6 and possibly 8. However, you're far from Cleansville and the decor looks like it may have been first installed in the 70's or 80's so be prepped to keep your hands and legs close to yourself when dining in or be prepped to do takeout!

I ate pho here since 1988 until now. The quality is sure not as good as back then in the old day but still better than Pho Huong Lan . In fact in my personal opinion , Pho To Chau is the best in the entire island of Oahu. If don't believe me just give it a try . You will thanks me later:) j/k... I love pho To Chau very much and I finally made effort to rate this place.

Family tradition on any Saturday we can all make it. Located in downtown on River street, you will see a lot of different Pho restaurants. This Pho restaurant is kind of hard to miss with the line out the door. My recommendation is to come here when they open (around 9/930am) and you'll be seated right away. The more you go, the more they will remember you. It's a family owned/run restaurant and the same staff are always there. They know what we like to order and have it memorized, however they do check if we want to change our order or not. The usual order is an order of their spring rolls (yum!) and for me a small order of their combo pho. This time, I changed it up to a medium order of their combo pho with tripe. I felt hungrier than normal. Haha! Boy is their soup really tasty compared to other places and they give a good amount of noodles. The vegetables (bean sprouts, dandelion, basil, lemon wedges, jalapeños) are so fresh! It's always an enjoyable time here! Just be prepared to wait a bit if you come here during lunch time. It's a very popular pho spot and for good reason. Reasonably priced at about $10, depending on what size you order. Worth it!

Super hole in the wall restaurant off of River St. Near other pho restaurants, you may notice this one as this is the only one with a line outside the door. We waited about 15 minutes to get seated on a Sunday around 1PM. I didn't mind since people have said this pho is the best. Take a step into Vietnam - this is the real experience. The workers don't speak the greatest English and aren't the nicest but hey, they get the job done. We waited another 20 minutes for our food, which was a little long but it was worth it. We ordered the #1 and #5 medium-sized pho. They were very generous with the vegetables and also gave us the house-made garlic oil sauce, which was OK in taste. The pho broth was quite tasty and the portions of the bowl itself were VERY generous. There was lots of meat, LOTS of noodles, and a good amount of everything else. We could barely finish our bowls but we did! It was satisfying and very filling. Prices are pretty reasonable. The Medium bowl is very generous in portions and cheap for $10! I appreciate that. Also, CASH ONLY - be prepared. The reason for the 3 stars is because the pho was tasty but I've tasted better. Highlights of my meal: the portions are great and the price is right. Service is OK but I didn't expect much, given it is a hole in the wall restaurant. If you don't mind waiting in line and want a filling bowl of pho, you should check this place out!

Ok....this is simple. The beat pho spot on the island. 1. Because of the broth, which is clearly slow cooked with good stock. Flavorful and consistent. 2. The vegetables, which for me only add to the experience as i like to garnish my bowl so that it looks like a salad. The fresh basil, crisp sprouts and the right additions of spicy, rich, deep red chili sauce, fish sauce, and oyster sauce, with a dab of Sriracha here and there. I add gelatonous tendon, which eats like a gummy bear, but makes for the perfect spoonful. 3. The service. Ive been patronizing this establishment since the lines were down the sidewalk, and Jennifer and here sisters, and i think maybe some super chef lurking in the back, have consistently churned out bowl after bowl of steaming hot soup in different combinations. Jennifer, the lady who actually takes your order and brings your food usually has her head down doing what she does 7 days a week. Come in, order the same bowl more than twice.....she remembers your order. I love them, and enjoy their company. But come at 2: 31....see you tomorrow! 4. Nice to walk through scenic, historic Chinatown. 5. The sinus clearing service. For some reason, i guess the spice, it will clear yiur sinus and rid you of congestion! Man! Im going now. Brother by the door.

I always wanted to check this place out but the lines were always crazy long. Heard great things about this place. During COVID was take out time for pho and this place lived up to its reputation for taste, quality, price and quantity. My children and I gobbled up our bowls and there was enough left over for a second meal. Best pho place I've ever eaten at. If you haven't eaten here, must give it a try!

Love this pho here, very tasty and worth the wait, a lot of veges and never had to ask for water ;)

Wow just wow. I know this place used to be very popular back in the day. Like a line out the door and down the street. So I could see how the waitresses here would have to rush from table to table. Gone are the long lines but the waitresses are still hurried with not even a hello or good morning. My waitress walked away before I was even done ordering! Hello? I said spring rolls also!‍ i was talking to the back of her head because she didn't even wait till I was done ordering to turn around and walk away! Good customer service is hard to find now days!‍ Came here at 9:30am and only 1/2 of the tables were occupied and a regular pho took over 40 min.

To Chau has now doing take outs only no dine inns due to the covid -19 across the Globe...Flavor is still Great and spring rolls are superb...Just call to Order Takes 20 min or so to be ready for pick up...

I never been to a restaurant where the staff is so freaken rude. Walked in and told the lady a table for three. And the lady started yelling wait there until she set up the table. Umkay..then she ended up yelling at my nephew just because he was next to the table so she assumed that he will sit there. We let it slide. When she gave us a table, she yelled again telling us to move our roller to the wall because people needed to walk. We didnt wanted to say much so we did. What pissed me off was when she yelled at my mom just because she told her that we're ready to order. She was giving us mad attitude and yelling about her needing to service the others first. She was so rude!!!! If you're the owner then you should learn some basic customer service skills and if you ain't then the owner of this restaurant needs to train the staffs. If the poor customer service continue, sooner or later your restaurant will shut down! To the short hair uneducated lady ..you got off easily. Since I am on vacay, I didnt wanted to make a scene. You are such a horrible person.

This place can be very busy at times and mostly weekends. Today we went in at around 3 and it wasnt busy at all. We always get the same thing (Summer rolls, spring roll, 1 beef ball pho and 1 regular pho with extra parsley and onions) but this time we ended up trying the papaya salad as well. It was good and the food today was perfect every dish was delicious. The best pho spot in Chinatown.

Pho Tô-Châu is an "institution" in O'ahu's Little Vietnam located on lower River Street. Whenever we've passed by, there are lines of people waiting outside just to get into this "hole-in-the-wall" which boasts 3 separate doorways but you enter through the main doorway just under its sign. It's been years since we've dined at this restaurant mainly because we've been deterred by the lines (which actually moves quite quickly) and our work lunch breaks only allowed us an hour. Well, we're not working any more so when a couple of fellow Yelp Friends (Paul C and Daniel C) called us to join them for lunch, we decided to dine there. It worked out perfectly as Paul had been wanting to dine there and Daniel is a "regular" at this restaurant. It was a good thing that Daniel joined us for lunch as he informed us about Pho Tô-Châu's service "system". After all, there are only 2 servers who work in tandem.... one woman delivers your water glasses, a pitcher of iced water and busses the tables and the other woman take your order and delivers it. THE FOOD: -Chà gio aka Vietnamese Spring Rolls: To me, these were done to perfection. They use the authentic cha gio wrappers which when fried produces a distinctive crisp and bubbled surface. The bubbled surface allows the dipping sauce to cling rather than become soggy. The filling mixture tasted of pork, crab, mushroom and shrimp. We each used a fresh romaine lettuce leaf to cradle the fresh fried Spring Roll and added the accompanying condiments (rice vermicelli, cucumber slices and mint) before dipping and eating the rolls. There were 6 rolls per order priced at $9.00 (includes tax). -Pho: Comes in 3 different sized bowls, Regular, Medium or X-Large. My husband and I chose Medium-size of Menu Item #9 Tô Tái, Nam Gân, Sách. Our Medium sized bowls were chock full of well-cooked brisket, beef tendon, and tripe. We asked for the rare steak to be served on the side so that we could dip the sliced meat into the steaming hot consommé-clear and richly flavored broth with star-anise and other spices. The rice noodles were perfectly cooked with a slight chew to the bite but, as Viet tradition goes, pho is usually eaten for breakfast and slurped down in a matter of minutes so that the noodles don't bloat from the broth....not happening here as the servings were very generous! A heaping platter of traditional fresh herb garnishes of Thai basil, chili peppers (jalapeño), mint and culantro (sawtooth herb or Vietnamese ngò gai) and lime wedges were served. We each tore pieces of herbs then squeezed lime juice into our pho. Usually on the platter, there are fresh and crisp mung bean sprouts but since Daniel is a "regular", they served them slightly blanched so when added to the hot broth, the blanched bean sprouts didn't cool the broth. CONCLUSION: If you enjoy authentic flavorful pho and other Vietnamese specialties in generous portions then I'd recommend this restaurant. Indeed, this hole-in-the-wall is JUST THAT. You come here for the food not for congenial service or ambiance. Also, it's well-known that parking in downtown Chinatown is a "PITA", so, rather than spin around looking for metered parking, I'd recommend you park in one of Chinatown's many municipal parking lots. Cash ONLY is accepted and all prices INCLUDE tax. So, when you pay your bill at the register, don't forget to tip accordingly.

It's rare that I get a free day to myself. Family members were busy so I sent out a text to a bunch of friends to have lunch. Several responded and then we had the decision of where to go. I was craving for noodles so I suggested Daniel C.'s go-to joint for Pho. Daniel may be 100% Chinese like myself but the boy knows his Pho. He has a sophisticated palate and I trust his standards. And that's Pho-real folks! :p My other friends and myself have never been to Pho To-Chau, a well-known Pho place on River Street. This is that restaurant that has many, many people waiting outside for a table. I've seen long, long lines for MANY YEARS. One of my friends got there before 1230pm on this MLK holiday and to no surprise there was a line. The line got longer as we waited but fortunately in about 10 minutes we were seated. The ambiance is very.....ummmm......the 80's? Remind yourself you're here for the Pho. Don't expect table cloths or a cute flower on the table. They have an unusual way of handling tables. Water was brought immediately but it took some time to order our food. We also noticed a family, who was waiting in line behind us, being served before our table. Now, now...there's no need to get bent out-of-shape over this. I was with good company so I didn't let it bother me. Their Pho bowls are in 3 sizes and I opted for the XL at $10.95. We were amazed by the generous portions of fresh herbs, lemon wedges and bean sprouts that were brought over. The XL bowl was indeed HUGE. I first sampled the broth and it was temperature HOT and had a strong star anise flavor (in a good way). I then threw in some Culantro, Thai basil and some satay sauce. I can see why people stand in line. The food here is really good and priced reasonably. My friends ordered the deep fried spring rolls and shared them. They were served with generous portions of romaine lettuce leaves, vermicelli noodles, sliced cucumber and mint leaves. A small bowl of fish sauce was provided. Don't get me wrong but it was okay. I've had better. Surely nothing to write home about. With the place so packed only 2 ladies were working the whole restaurant. Service was tolerable. I liked that a full water pitcher that has 3-spouts was given to each table. Very clever. The 3 spouts that is. Can be used without hassle by a left-hander or right-hander. As a lefty, I was happy. I can understand why Daniel C. has a ritual to eat here either before or after his trips off-island. A comforting bowl of delicious noodles - who can turn that down? This was my very first time to eat here. It sure won't be my last. NOTES: 1) CASH ONLY here. 2) Bean sprouts are given to you raw unless you request them to be blanched. Because Daniel has been eating here for MANY years they brought it to us automatically cooked.

I have been coming here since I was a child and it never fails to disappoint. I have never found anywhere else with a pho broth as good as To-Chau's! Extremely reasonable prices as well! I come so often that they know my order! Yes, there is always a long line, but it's definitely worth the wait! If you want to beat the line, get there a little before they open! There is no parking lot, so you have to park on the street or in municipal parking.

Pho to chau is pho sure a hole in the wall on river street. This place is a staple for pho in the heart of Chinatown. It's nothing fancy-schmancy but it has some of the best value tasty pho in town. Walking inside, you'll feel like taking a step back in time to the 70's-80's Vietnam/Asia. There normally can be a line forming out the door at peak hours (usually lunchtime, 12-1 pm). The wait can be pretty long sometimes so plan accordingly. Since it's located in Chinatown, parking can be a bit tricky. Parking options are either street parking or Kekaulike Courtyard, the closest parking lot. Service: Service at this place can be summarized with one word: practical. If you're expecting amazing service, this place may not be for you. This place is family-run which means they have limited workers. They do their work as best and as fast as they can. With that being said, be ready for a bit of a wait, whether it is ordering or getting your food. But don't fret, they definitely didn't forget about you. They have an amazing memory and can remember a couple of table's orders without writing it down at a time. They are practical, they will not indulge in small talk nor provide a full waiting service. For some, this may come off as rude. You get seated, order, get your food, eat and pay. Price: CASH ONLY One of the best value pho places in town hands down. Their prices have increased slightly ($1) and portions have gotten a tiny bit smaller over the years but that's understandable; however, still packed with meat, noodles. Prices are as follows: X-large: $10.99 Medium: $9.99 Regular: $8.99 Food: It offers a variety of pho and dishes. I normally opt for pho but will switch up the meats. You can pick and choose your "sides/toppings" but no matter what you pick you'll receive a generous serving. You can also opt to have your beef skank on the outside to cook to suit your preference. Their pho base soup is the key! It's clean, clear and tasty. The soup comes fresh and hot so you won't have any trouble cooking it, With every pho order they will also provide you with generous servings of fresh herbs, lemons, jalapenos, bean sprouts, and their own hot sauce.

We made an effort to stand in line to taste the pho and there was already a line before 9:15am. At 9:30am, the lady opened up the doors and we're told to sit ourselves. Ordering was simple and painless and our food was served fast. We've enjoy the aromatic broth, perfectly cooked rice noodles, and the plentiful of toppings. In addition, we loved the extra spicy red chili. Will be coming back again.

Before yelp was around, one would have to ask others for recommendations or look for long lines that form outside of restaurants. Well, Pho To-Chau is a hole in the wall and one of those restaurants where there is normally a line. One might ask if it is worth waiting and the short answer to this is yes. The best time to come is on a week day before or after the lunch rush hour where your wait time can be kept to a minimum. Service can be slow if you come during the busy times. Even though I was ready to order, they weren't ready to take mine. You have an option to order your pho in three sizes. Regular, medium, and extra large. The regular should be reclassified as kids. The medium was the perfect size to satisfy my pho cravings. When your pho arrives your bowl will probably be filled pretty close to the brim leaving little room to add vegetables. I like adding all the vegetables to my bowl. The flavor in the broth is probably one of the best that I have tasted in Honolulu. After you are done with your meal, your bill is settled at the counter. They only accept cash :-(. Street metered parking or the municipal parking lot are you options. Check out this place which has been around for a long time and let me know what you think.