Rice Paddy

Pho is one of my favorite foods and while I won’t claim to be an authority on what makes a good bowl of pho, I do know what I like. And, I definitely like the pho at Rice Paddy! First and foremost, the broth was tremendous and is (I believe) the biggest differentiator when it comes to pho quality. The chef (Fong -sp?) has developed an impressive depth of flavor in his broth which when I spoke to him after my meal, he explained was the result of a process involving multiple steps including a very lengthy initial bone broth production in a special giant “pot” that to my eye seemed related to a water heater as the bone broth is kept under constant heat. After reaching the right depth of flavor the bone broth is elevated to “pho broth” by introducing Fong’s proprietary blend of herbs and what he referred to as remedies, which not only develop the flavor but add health benefits too. The proteins, herbals and noodles were all fresh and worked very well in the soup. The photos included with my review will explain more effectively what you can expect, so have a look. Spring rolls were also excellent. There was a definite herbal note which paired surprisingly well with a small amount of cucumber in the roll; something new to me and very successful. Finally it was quite warm out when I had my meal but the immaculately clean restaurant was very comfortable with ample climate control, nice booth seating and low-key music providing unobtrusive ambience. Thank you Rice Paddy and chef Fong. I’m looking forward to returning.

The best restaurant in Phoenix. I love all the dishes here. They make them with passion! Look good, taste good! Customer service is outstanding! Love everything about them! Thank you ! Really recommend this restaurant. You guys won’t be disappointed!

I ordered takeout and was very impressed with the food sized portions. I also thought it still tasted great even eaten at home. Small mom and pop restaurant that serves up fresh meals at a decent price and portion! Highly recommend the rice vermicelli with pork and egg roll and the beef rice noodle! Service was friendly but took a bit to have order be complete but you can rush flavor and perfection.

Update July 2025 - how gorgeous is this food? Finally remembered to take photos. Love this place - some of the best Vietnamese food I’ve had. I’ll take a photo next time!!! Today was maybe my 5th or 6th time here over the last couple years, and every time they knock it out of the ballpark. Fresh and delicious, complex flavors. Service is nice, too. Met the owner/chef today, very lovely, and obviously very into quality food and making people happy. I had the tofu bun/vermicelli salad, and my mom had the beef pho - both super tasty. My mom says “two thumbs up!” We also shared the spring rolls, and they were nice enough to take out the pork for me. Peanut sauce was great.

Best restaurant in Arizona hands down. I've been to many restaurants and ive never had an experience like this before. Food is cooked to perfection. Everything you order from the menu has bold flavor compared to many other restaurants they water down their food. The Bone Broth they used for the soups is outta the mind, you can taste how clean it is. The chef uses high end clean meats. From clean water to clean oil the food is fantastic and organic. Everything comes out fresh. The food here could be made Gluten free, Vegetarian, Presbyterian, and Vegan. This place have many great health benefits they will naturally cure your problems.

It's very rarely that I give 5 stars for food these days, but Rice Paddy definitely deserves it. We ordered two Pho dishes, a vegetarian, and a pork noodle salad. Everything was delicious, fresh, and carefully prepared. We often dine at Vietnamese restaurants, mostly good and affordable, but this joint is so far the best and surpasses them all. Try the brisket pho. For vegetarians, go for the tofu noodle salad.

Food was good. Ordered the egg rolls which only came with two. Beef noodles were good maybe lacking a little bit of flavor but overall good. Seemed a little on the pricey side but not anything out of this world, just thought portions could be better for the price. Place is nice but for being the only customer food did take a while to come out. Enjoyed my visit but probably won’t be coming back.

I visited this place after work one day. It is worth noting that the place was absolutely spotless. A very clean and professional environment. While sitting there I was brought a carafe of water and a tin cup. I then proceeded to observe their menu. While checking the menu out, I got the idea to check out some of the Google reviews. Good and bad. I decided to go with the salad. Into my enjoyment it was amazing. The discredit from some of the bad reviews was discouraging. But what I ordered tasted delicious I will note the wait time for my salad was about 25 minutes. My photo doesn't do it justice but it looked really presentable. It wasn't the most friendly visit but it was definitely a peaceful visit and I enjoyed it.

Large group was accommodated by wait staff. Tables placed together and reservation made ahead of time. Food was enjoyed by all. Leaving took some extra time because my group needed "to go" containers. The server filled the container rather than the guest. Tip was left to us, whereas sometimes that is added to large groups automatically. No complaints here. I had the lemongrass chicken. Sorry I didn't take photos

Delicious! Shrimp and pork spring roll was super bomb and fresh. The chicken wings are amazing! They're so crispy and they give you a lot of them for the $. The beef vermicelli bowl was super tasty, just wish it had more veggies. I ordered delivery and it was really quick! Would definitely order from them again.

Nice find. Quaint, authentic Thai restaurant uptown. The service was great. Food was excellent. It arrived too the table timely and well presented. Accessible parking and entrance.

Only putting the 3 stars because of the vermicelli beef salad. That was really good! The pho was standard . Nothing over the top great but good. The food took forever to get!!!! It didn't makes sense. There was not a lot of people there and what we ordered doesn't take a long time to make. Service was terrible but it's to be expected as some places but this was really bad. But that salad made it worth it.

Amazing service and ambiance. Waiter is attentive and remembers my orders/preferences. Food is always fresh and delicious. I've eaten at several pho restaurants in AZ and Rice Paddy is definitely in my top favorites.

A hidden gem in Phoenix! The stir-fried beef noodles are the best. tender beef, fresh veggies, and the Thai milk tea is so delicious. The place is cozy, and Phong's warm, friendly service makes every visit perfect. We always leave happy and full!

I ordered takeout and was very impressed with the food sized portions. I also thought it still tasted great even eaten at home. Small mom and pop restaurant that serves up fresh meals at a decent price and portion! Highly recommend the rice vermicelli with pork and egg roll and the beef rice noodle! Service was friendly but took a bit to have order be complete but you can rush flavor and perfection.

Cute place, a small restaurant with good indoor and outdoor seating. The menu is simple but great. Tried their stir fry rice noodles with chicken- good quantity and delicious, the meat was well cooked. The pork and egg roll noodles were fantastic. Thai tea was delicious as well.

I've been here many times and usually loved it. Tues night arrived about 8:20. Waiter took our order quickly and brought water. Waiter didn't check in with us. Almost 9 when the food was delivered, a table with teen girls finishing up, maybe two others there besides my partner and me. Waiter forgot the drink I ordered. Forgot the spring rolls. I think they just forgot us. Waiter was shouting across the room to another customer. Lots of takeout orders. They seemed busy and we felt ignored. My husband would have preferred some Vietnamese music rather than Latin guitar; he thought they needed more female energy there, maybe more attention to clients. I encountered a small piece of unidentified plastic in my food. I gave up trying to get their attention. Otherwise my salad was good. My husband's was freshly made to order. It was getting late so we left.

So pretty consistent is the lack of attentiveness of the wait staff. To be helpful to you all coming to this place (and it should not have to be this way) but you have to flag the waiter down. He did come to bring water and take my order without prompting, and, besides bringing my order, he was absent. That is actually pretty typical of service at Vietnamese restaurants. I am sitting here right now writing the review and have been done with my food for at least five minutes and no check up on dessert or the bill. Now to the food. I am a vegetarian, and I have to say that I love the lemongrass tofu noodle salad. The tofu was crisped to perfection and the soy sauce was flavorful enough to just dump in about 3/4 of the cup. Finally after establishing eye contact, waiter came over with the bill. All is not lost. And neither is my recommendation for the entree above. If you are coming for the vegetarian food (the ambience is cleaner and more modern decoratively than typical Viet places plus there is English folky music playing over the speakers - think Mumford and Sons), just be proactive about ordering and you'll be set up for success.

Vietnamese restaurant that seems to serve more Western folks rather than Asian or Vietnamese (no Vietnamese translations on menu). Service is nice but a bit slow. Got the following: Chicken wings: really good and decent portion (1lb)! Great for sharing. Nicely flavored and fried. Salad underneath. Papaya salad: Refreshing, not bad. Large portion good for sharing. Egg rolls: just OK...I've had much better at other places in PHX. Pho: Too sweet and no depth in broth. First time husband said he didn't like pho. Expected more for $16/$17 a bowl. Lemongrass chicken noodle salad: Not the vermicelli bowl I am used to, mostly lettuce, cucumbers, noodles, and chicken. The chicken had a nice flavor and was tender. Expected some carrots and fresh green onions. Curious about the chef specialties which have whole braised fishes! Might return for that if I'm in the area but wouldn't plan for it.

Very thankful they were open Christmas Eve evening. We both had pho and an order of egg rolls. The broth was very watery. Not the typical flavor you expect from a very well done broth. Service was very good though.

Have only had the pleasure of enjoying their food via take out orders (covid-19 and overall aging into my decrepit millennialbody) has really gotten me out of the whole dine-in experience). But man, is the food here awesome. Have tried their cold vermicelli noodle bowls and rice plates. Everything is packed with flavor, fresh, and pleasant in portion size. I also loved that their rice comes with a whole fried egg and not scrambled eggs broken up and mixed into the rice (personal preference). This place will definitely be part of my local rotation of spots I visit when I'm too lazy to cook dinner.

Was craving pho & upon my fav pho place closing a bit earlier for the night due to maintenance, I looked around and stumbled across Rice paddy and decided to give it a chance. I had high hopes, the place was fairly packed, and the pho definitely looked delicious... but it didn't hit the spot... as a Vietnamese myself & having pho from everywhere & anywhere including Vietnam, it was missing something that I can't put my finger on. Maybe the spices... I'd like to give this place another go & explore other items on the menu. I'd like to point out that the service was amazing! We were seated almost immediately. The cook was very pleasant & they seem to have some regulars.

Impressions- Meat to Noodle ratio is perfect. I love more meat than noodle. First time buying from this place via Uber Eats. Broth- What really impressed me was their broth. Oily/Fatty broth is what I love. You can drink this broth from the cup. Eye Round Steak- Love it! Beef Brisket- Love it! The only suggestion is to add beef banh mi to their sandwiches. Overall 10 Out Of 10 when it comes to their Pho due to the way they make their broth.

Food was decent Nothing to write home about unfortunately It was really hot and sticky inside There were clumps of hair on the door mat and the door handle was super hot from the sun The waiter had no sense of urgency and seemed angry or doesn't like people Took forever just to get water Then food and he took my order wrong after arguing with me that they didn't have veggie spring rolls when they did (tofu) veggie to me means no meat Bizarre the spring rolls were wrapped in plastic I had to do a double take or I would have eaten the plastic wrap And they had a dish soap flavor Two tables left and their dirty dishes remained on the tables for a good 20 min or so Won't be returning There are plenty of other good Pho choices in town

Great experience. One of the most authentic meals I have eaten. Pretend you are Vietnamese and your uncle invited you over for dinner. Nothing less then delicious. Great fun. The beef noodle salad. Recommended. The pork chop dinner is slowly pan cooked and seasoned perfectly. Must try the wings. The staff are more than accommodating. I think you can summarize with one word " Passionate "

Met some friends here for lunch. We were all pleased. I ordered the Tofu Lemongrass Noodle Salad. The proportions were perfect, the tofu crispy on the outside and pillow soft on the inside. Plenty of condiments to spice things up. My friends enjoyed their orders as well (one beef, one tofu). I especially appreciate the attentiveness to my egg allergy. There was a bit of a language barrier, but they made sure that my meal wouldn't affect my allergy. The restaurant is small, but clean and has both booths and tables. I will definitely be returning.

The pho here is so comforting and delicious. The broth is rich and flavorful, with a deep, slow cooked taste that is perfect on a chilly day. The noodles are soft but not mushy, and the fresh herbs add the perfect finishing touch. It is a bowl of warmth and happiness.

Great fresh food! Flavor was spot on and all the accompanying greens were amazing. They even told me how to eat my soup! The service was great as well. Will definitely go back and have recommended it to others.

What a crazy experience this was... I'm glad I wasn't on a first date here with someone because I would've run out things to talk about long before the food got here. It's a tiny place, about 10 tables, but only one server. Service was painfully slow. The smell of outside cigarette smoke was prevalent. Every time the server went out to the outside tables, which was frequently, a cloud of smoke came through the door. Arizona law prohibits smoking within twenty feet of a building's doors, so this place is clearly violating that law. Our server was not very warm or welcoming. He might not have even said a word. We started with the "Skillet Pork spring Rolls" which were good. These appetizers came relatively quickly. The "Pork Chop House Rice" and "Shaken Beef" was another story. Over 45 minutes. There was yelling between the chef and the server, mostly in Vietnamese, and it was a little bit of a distraction while eating. When we were finished, waiting for the bill, the yelling increased, and there was banging around in the kitchen and several "F" words being shouted from the chef mixed with Vietnamese screaming. It was like a Saturday Night Live skit or an episode of Punked! It was crazy. Some people walked out, others just stared in amazement. The shocking thing was that the food was excellent. My pork chop was delicious and I would definitely get that again. Would I come back here? I don't know. I have such mixed feelings about this place.

Flavor of the beef broth was not too apparent, but the sweetness was more apparent. We wanted the fish, but too bad that you need 2 hours ahead notice.

First experience here is this evening. Have to say I'm not impressed. The establishment is cute and clean. The moment I walked in I was ignored. To be fair there were only two people working a cook and someone I believe would be maybe an owner. After standing there for a while the person not cooking says "YES!" Not hello or welcome. I asked if I could be seated. He pointed to a table and brought me a menu. Once seated another couple came through the door and he welcomed them with a friendly greeting. With 75% occupancy and to go orders I had to wait a while. I ordered the Chicken Pho. It's probably the worst I have ever had. Extremely oily and no flavor. Normally I don't add condiments but this time I did to add flavor. The soup was served in a very large bowl that was filled with broth, minimal noodles and a good portion of chicken. That's all I tired this trip though they had some great menu options to choose from. When I checked out I was never given a thank you or goodbye. Not the best service and definitely not the most flavorful pho.

It's Fall and I'm finally ready to venture into hot soup territory plus a smashing plate of tender, exquisitely seasoned pork chop. Enter Rice Paddy Restaurant. First time in...may never leave. Clean, open space with lots of windows. Orders taken toot suite and the chef peers out from the open kitchen to see the look on your face when you take your first bite. He cares a lot that he serves the best. You can literally feel his joy when the look of bliss crosses your face as all the savory notes he worked so hard to make, hit your taste buds. My spouse had a soup but in the end my plate with egg, rice and pork chop was mammoth. I am chomping at the bone to try the Pho beef soup next time. Pronounced "Fa" chef says he simmers the bone for 3 hours and then does his magic, cooking it even longer with herbs, etc to create a broth with noodles and your choice of meats. Despite being packed to the gills stuffed, I was still jealous of those around me slurping their beef bone broth and noodles Pho. Fresh squeezed limeaid and Vietnamese coffee. Yum. Wrap me up, I'm sated.

Ordered pho soup with tofu for pickup. I was disappointed. Very bland and few vegetables.

One of my go-tos! The pork chop is DELICIOUS and a huge portion that 4 of us were able to all share with some apps and other small entrees. The broth is clean and tasty. I was shocked that the wings were so good too! I love that you can smell everything from the kitchen with the hole-in-the-wall vibe. Good comes out pretty quickly every time too!

Love Chef's Pork Chop served with rice topped with a perfectly fried egg. The marination is perfection. Listen to chef describe this special dish with pride.

Place was easy to find. Server wasn't happy and didn't talk much. Just took my order and asked if anything else. I think I must have waited 20-25 minutes for my food. The reason being, only one cook. I ordered number #3, Pho with steak and meatballs, no other pieces of tripe, tendon's....etc. Must be catering to westerners and not your Asian community. The broth was tasty, but wasn't given any basil, bean sprouts, jalapeño or lime. Sad! Should have taken a picture.

Love this place! Consistently delicious I always get the brisket and meatball pho, so yummy!

We really enjoyed our meal here. Had egg rolls and pho. Everything we had was great. Small inside (used to be a hot dog place when we were younger). Noise level was moderate. Waiter was knowledgeable of the menu and was super efficient.

Wow! This place is a real gem on N 7th Street. They only have a few tables, so you might have quite a long wait if you don't have a reservation or you turn up and all the tables are already occupied. I ordered the stir fry big fat noodles with chicken because I love noodle dishes. It met my high expectations and I now have another place to go for a great-tasting meal. The service was excellent and one of the staff (or was it the owner) came out and explained the spices he uses to us. Parking is easy. If the parking lot is full, you're probably not going to find an open table. Make a reservation for next time! Eat, enjoy!

What a find! This restaurant is lovely inside and the food is so tasty. I had stir fried big flat noodles with veggies and shrimp, which was a very tasty meal (a lot of food too). I did have a taste of the skillet pork vermicelli noodle salad (that I will definitely want for myself next time here). So many great choices on their menu that you can't go wrong. The chef did come out to talk with us and told us about the pho (which I did have a taste as well), so good! Service was excellent!

It's the best ever. There will never be a spot any better Trust me. Get the chicken pho!!

Wow I had eaten so many beef Pho from many different places. But this place is the worse beef Pho I never had . It's taste like they just pour a plain water in the noodle and the beef Do yourself a favor do not order Pho from this restaurant. The waiter didn't say much when I told him how bad the noodle taste he say what that's how they cooked. This is my first time here and will be my last restaurant doesn't look clean at all . I really waste my money at this restaurant. I couldn't eat and left almost a whole bowl of noodles and just pick up some meat that's about it.

We must have missed the rush. Being 9pm on a Saturday and they close at 10pm. We were surprised that they only had four customers. We were seated right away. We were brought ice cold water to start. The metal glasses they use for water really helps it stay cold. I ordered a beer to start, Sapporo really added to the flavor of the meal. Let me tell you, this is the first restaurant I have been to that the Chef came out to the table and helped us decide. He gave us some great recommendations. We started with the spring rolls. Then for our entrees, we had the Pork Chop with white rice with a fried egg on top and Shaken Beef with Fried Rice. Amazing food! Don't let the small building discourage you. Some of the best places start out small.

I have been to Rice Paddy a few times now since it has opened in the valley and let me tell you, this place is delish! If you haven't been you need to go! My top 2 favorite dishes are the com ga xao xa ot - stir fried lemongrass chicken with rice and bun bo xao - stir-fired lemongrass angus beef salad. Both dishes are delish and full of flavor and freshness. Also have tried the fresh spring rolls, so good! Ever dish that comes out the kitchen looks amazing, I am sure whatever you order you won't be disappointed! Rice Paddy is definitely a valley favorite for me, looking forward to coming back.

Easy to access with lots of parking. Great food and friendly service I would definitely return when I'm in the area. I got the bahn mi which was a little heavy on the pepper but otherwise delicious. And the vermicelli salad with shrimp and pork which was fresh and flavorful.

The food here was great, with most pho places I wonder "am I going to even get any meat with this meal?" I was pleasantly surprised with lots of meat with my order of the house bowl. I couldn't even finish all of the broth because I was all filled up at the end. My favorites here are the Vietnamese Coffee and Thai Tea, two things all good pho places have but I don't know what this place does differently but both are better here then any other place I've been. Dining room feels a bit small but there is plenty of seating and I like the chill music they play.

Horrible service. My friend and myself were the only people in the restaurant, they dropped off the menu, we waited 5min and still the guy didn't ask us if we wanted anything to drink. Finally we got up and asked if they were open, he replied with an attitude and said, yes, do you want water to drink? At that point we got up and left. Never again..

Yikes! We have been wanting to check this place out! The food here has ZERO flavor!!!!! Not very clean restaurant. We left hungry and grossed out.

This is one of those reviews I am hesitant to give. This place was outstanding and once everyone knows, it will be hard to find a table. The food is outstanding. The taste is amazing and beyond a small shop like this. As you walk in the smell is delicious. Service was good, the facilities are small but again, I state this was a wonderful experience.

45 mins for two #2 and coffee never been here before stopped in bc the place I normally go to is closed today. The server came up to say it was going to be a little longer at this point I could see my two bags of food sitting there on the table at 1pm, at 1:15 server finally brings my order so the last thing it took them to make was the coffee & I was the only to go order in that place was almost late to an appointment had to rush out. P.S when I got home my order of egg rolls were cold, broth spilled out because everything was jammed into one bag.. hubby called back bc the meat was bloody looking.. the person told us to reheat the broth to cook it, decided to tell them I was a little upset had to wait so long, basically he said " trust me there were 20 people in front" and hung up on me! I can guarantee there was not 20 maybe approx 8-10 I'm a pretty reasonable person if they really were jampacked like he claims I would've understood this place is small 20 people would have filled every table in the dining room, it wasn't even one table was being used to do side work by another employee. A paying customer doesn't deserve to get hung up on regardless how many people were there.. seriously I don't normally write reviews BUT Getting hung up on was my last straw!

Placed an order for pickup and was given 40 minutes time. Showed up, the food wasn't ready. It wasn't even started. Waited in the middle of the tiny dining room for 20 minutes watching a man process payments and then chop vegetables without hand washing in between or the use of gloves. Left without being served.

This place is such an amazing find! The staff and owner are very friendly and welcoming. While this isn't a very large place, they did everything in their power to accommodate a large party of 11. The food was so delicious! We all got pretty different meals and every one was a hit! We tried their lemon grass chicken, pho, vermicelli noodle dishes, and fried rice dishes. The owner did a great job at answering any questions we had about the menu and even talked with us a bit about his story and the restaurant. We will definitely be coming back!!!

Always delicious-and fresh! Always friendly! Thank you Phoung and family for serving our neighborhood! See you soon!

yuck!!!! The pho tastes nothing like any pho I've had before. The whole place is kinda gross and I left hungry and grossed out. Dirty dishes and a bucket sitting out the entire time. Don't go and save your money.

Best Pho I have had in/around Phoenix. The Broth is always double roasted and full of flavor. Everything I have had at Rice Paddy has contained high level ingredients prepared well. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for authentic Vietnamese food experience. The atmosphere is unique. Homey while also clean and fresh. White booths, travertine tile and an open Kitchen. The staff is friendly. You will always find the owner there. He will greet you and talk about his food and philosophy for the restaurant. Enjoy

Worst service in a while. Waited over 2 hours for food! Waiters were unresponsive and rude, did not say anything to us the entire time. We were patient with them until we waited for the check for 45 minutes. Do not come here unless you want to waste a night on expensive food and lackluster atmosphere.

A great locally owned restaurant! I watch my carbs so the Chef makes my pho with extra veggies! The spring rolls are delicious!