Pho Viet’s
Vietnamese restaurant · Brookline ·
Hearty Vietnamese sandwiches & pho with flavorful broths.
Hearty Vietnamese sandwiches & pho with flavorful broths.
"In its new Commonwealth Avenue location on the border of Allston and Brookline, I noticed appealing photos of several dishes above the counter and an extensive, affordable menu that preserves the longtime dish numbers—so a No. 16 still gets you pho bo vien (pho with Vietnamese beef meatballs). You place an order at the counter, long-serving staff prepare it, and the food is brought out cafeteria-style on a tray: wholesome, satisfying fare that regulars have come to expect after more than 15 years of service. The family who runs the restaurant helps create a community feel, welcoming customers, suggesting what to order, and taking care of staff." - Eater Staff
"When I walk into the new location of Pho Viet’s, my eyes are drawn upward to appealing photos of dishes on an extensive, affordable menu, and I appreciate that longtime regulars can still order by number—No. 16 still gets you pho bo vien (pho with Vietnamese beef meatballs). You place your order at the counter, the folks who have worked there for years get to work preparing it, and the food is brought out cafeteria-style on a tray: wholesome, satisfying bowls and sandwiches that customers have come to expect over more than 15 years of service. It feels exactly right for busy Commonwealth Avenue on the border of Allston and Brookline, where a lunch rush of nearby workers, students, and friends keeps the place lively; that community energy is matched by the family-run hospitality—Qui Anh Tran’s matriarchal presence shaped the menu (cloudy, sweet sips of Vietnamese iced coffee; banh mi; and the Saigon noodles, a “pad thai in disguise” reflecting her time in Thailand), and successive generations of the Tran family have kept the menu consistent since the 2006 opening in the Super 88 food court. Since moving two blocks away in 2021 into a standalone space with triple the room, co-owners Jenn Tin and Thanh Tran have been setting the ambiance to make customers and staff comfortable; regulars praise how the owners remember them and check in, Dung Tran still knows longtime customers’ preferences ("pack extra chile garlic"), and popular items remain pho and other soups, banh mi, Vietnamese coffees, and limeades. I like that the menu is broad enough that staff can recommend dishes to newcomers—Tin thinks of pho ga as an approachable entry—and that the overall goal is for customers to feel at home, whether on a date, grabbing a warm meal after work, or picking up dinner for the family." - Karen Wilber
"I’m glad to see Pho Viet reopened in a new space at 1022 Commonwealth Ave. (formerly Taqueria El Barrio); the beloved Vietnamese spot is best known for its pho and banh mi and also has another location in Newton Centre." - Terrence Doyle
"After 14 years operating a kiosk inside the Super 88 food hall, Pho Viet closed that location but is reportedly on the verge of reopening at 1022 Commonwealth Ave.; it was a popular Vietnamese spot in Allston." - Rachel Leah Blumenthal
"This award-winning Vietnamese restaurant is tucked away inside the Super 88 food hall on Commonwealth Avenue in Allston — at least for now, but it’s reportedly moving to the former Taqueria el Barrio space near Boston University soon. Go for the huge bowls of pho, stay for the grilled pork banh mi. (Note: Pho Viet’s has a sibling restaurant in Newton Centre called Pho Viet’s II.) Pho Viet’s is open for takeout and delivery." - Terrence Doyle