Pho Chau

I ordered the pho with beef and meatballs. Also got the spicy crispy pork belly with rice. The pho was really flavorful and definitely could be one of the best in Minnesota. Great portion for the price and with the right amount of protein. I did not need to add anything because it tasted so good just the way it was. The pork belly was crispy and seasoned to perfection. Although it was not spicy to my level, it was still a great dish. Overall, I highly recommend this place and will definitely be coming back when I’m back in town. Definitely give it a try

Service was so quick and there were lots of menu options! Server went out of her way to accommodate our 8-year-old with plain broth, noodles, and meatballs. Delish!

I’ve been going to Pho Chau since high school, back when they were near John Marshall. Their new location off Broadway is even better, and the menu is just as amazing. The two women who run the restaurant are always on point — friendly, fast, and welcoming. I love the pho and iced green tea with strawberry, but sometimes I switch it up with the rice and chicken, which is also delicious. A go-to spot I’ll always come back to!

We ordered spring rolls, egg rolls, pho combination and Banh xèo. Spring rolls were okay and the sauce wasn’t very good. Egg rolls were decent because they were decent size rolls. Pho was 13 dollars, but after I added protein Into it they charge you extra 5 dollars so it total to 18 dollars. Pho broth wasn’t very good and you get like 3 piece of rare beef, one meat ball, and 3 pieces of small brisket. Honestly, the pho wasn’t that good and I left it half eating. Banh xèo was good, but the nước mắm was the wrong kind so it wasn’t for me. Service was non existence and it was t even busy. There are a lot of things to improve at this place. The atmosphere was nice and it looks clean.

Prices are on the high end for decent Vietnamese food (something you’d pay at a fine dining restaurant with food you could probably make yourself at home). The pictures on the menu were misleading and looked a lot better compared to what we actually got so that was a surprise. But anyway, we got two small egg rolls for $8 and a $17 beef/meatball pho (I’ve never been to a pho place where you had to pay extra to add protein - the pho usually already comes with protein so that was interesting). Other than the outrageous prices, the taste was a bland and I ended up overdressing my broth to make it taste better but overall I thought the prices are too high, portions too small, taste is too mediocre. Probably won’t be back here

Great food and service. They also have an extensive drink menu with options like Italian sodas, various flavored teas, Thai tea, etc. It's consistently good! Pho and chicken egg rolls are our go-to.

Okay, I was not expecting this. I had some preconceived notions of what a Vietnamese restaurant in a Midwest city would be like. When I walked in, there were no Asian diners seated at any of the tables. I was seated right away by the hostess/server. I browsed the menu, which consisted basically of two pages of various traditional noodle soups and rice dishes--three, if you include the bubble tea, Vietnamese coffee, and drink menu. When the server returned to take my order and I ordered in Vietnamese, she informed me that she was not Vietnamese nor did she speak it. So. My expectations for the food were tempered with all this preliminary info, and I ordered the pho with beef and meatballs. When it arrived about 5-10 minutes later with the prerequisite plate of Thai basil, bean sprouts, and sliced jalapeños, I was impressed with the sight of the broth in my bowl. Many times pho has come out to me looking as if it were in need of an EPA cleanup. But not this pho. The broth was hot, steaming, and not a streak of oil in sight. I proceeded to add the basil, sprouts, and jalapeños, and a squirt (or two or three) of Sriracha. After stirring everything together, I went in for my first taste: heavenly. The broth was so flavorful, and the sliced white onions had just the right amount of bite to them. Green onions galore floated hither and thither, adding their color and herbaceousness to the mix. The meatballs were also lean, and the beef was sliced just right to allow it to be cooked in the steaming broth. I practically inhaled my soup, and all that was left were the jalapeño slices. I was so impressed with the pho that I ordered some chicken fried rice to go. So I've learned my lesson: don't judge a book by its cover, or in this case, a pho by its facade. Pho Chau is "fo' sho" the real deal. I'll definitely be back to try its other offerings.

Review: My husband and I dined in for lunch, but unfortunately, our experience was underwhelming. The portion sizes in relation to the price were disappointing. My husband ordered the special beef pho, which contained only four pieces of meat along with a small amount of tendon. Additionally, the accompanying vegetables were minimal, with only two slices of jalapeño. I had the pork belly pad Thai, and the noodles were firmer than I prefer. Service was lacking, as the staff never checked on us or offered to refill our water. Overall, the dining experience did not meet our expectations, and I do not anticipate returning.

We were in town and stopped by this Pho house that was recommended by our friends. There were many interesting menu items so we decided to try three different ones. We got the pad thai, pho and ramen stir fry. The pad thai tasted very authentic. The sauce was thick and very delicious. We got it with shrimp and it was grilled really well. Not dry at all. Highly recommend. The pho was good. We have very high standards for pho and it was decent, a clean broth. We got it with beef and brisket. Other options are wayy too expensive. The ramen stir fry was really tasty. Even the low spice was spicy. Think bul dak bokum noodles. It was good but not a dish you would eat by yourself, in my opinion. The spice is strong. Last thing we treated ourselves to was the mango slushie. A bit sweet than I'd like but refreshing never the less. My kids loved it. I'll probably come back for the pad thai again :)

I ordered the Pho and thought it was delicious. The seating inside is basic but comfortable. Parking is a bit cramped but we found a spot with no problem. Our server was accommodating to our requests (we had our two young sons with us). We all had a great lunch here. Only taking off one star as it was a bit more expensive than we felt it should have been.

Pho Chau is my favorite place to eat in Rochester. This is some really authentic Vietnamese food. Everything here is so flavorful, and my favorite part is that the food can get very spicy! For example, the Bo Kho here is so good. The broth was delicious, and I loved adding the chili crisp/oil provided at the table. The beef was very tender, and the noodles were perfectly chewy too. I got a side of the Fresh Spring Rolls with Shrimp, which were also delicious and paired well with the spicy broth. The menu is quite diverse and has non-noodle/spicy dishes too, including vegetarian options. The service was very quick and the staff were all very friendly. There were plenty of tables too, and this restaurant would be particularly great for large groups. Definitely come and visit Pho Chau!

Great and fast service. Amazing food. I was pleasantly surprised at how great and flavorful everything was. Highly recommend.

$40.00! For Pho and fried rice. Ridiculous! They charge add ons for nearly every dish.

This place is a little out of the way, but it feels like a hidden gem in Roch. The staff is quiet, knowledgeable, and helpful. I thought the pho tai broth had depth and was fatty with being greazy. This was a quick in and out visit, so I didn't try anything else, but I will definitely be back to try other menu items. Their chili oil was excellent!

Service is amazing and food too. I've tried many types of pho and none of them compare to this one. I live 1 hour away and drive to eat this pho Definitely recommend

Don't order the sesame chicken. Zero flavor. Only comes with white rice and that tasted old. Veggies aren't included. They were so good many years ago. Not sure what happened

No frills pho place with good soup base. Casual dining with fast service. For most the dishes you choose the style and then add the protein which is extra. It's a little pricier than other places - but given the location in Rochester I would say a premium is not unwarranted. Solid food. I'd go back again. Boba teas are also pretty good.

The service can be better. I dont like when they give the bill on the table as soon as the foods is out. The chicken broth pho is not too tasty. My cousin said the beef pho is better. I will give it a try next time. The Vietnamese coffee is good and have good taste of the coffee (not just sweetness). Ambiance of the restaurant is okay. I m not too fond of it

Pho Chau is amazing. The service is beyond fantastic. The food is on point. I love how the pho broth is a little fatty. Most restaurants skin the access fat from the bone and the broth just becomes too clean for me lol Their Springrolls are different from what I'm used to, but it's still good. I love their Chicago fried rice. Something about it is just... so delicious. I highly recommend arriving early as they do get busy quickly.

Not really authentic Vietnamese food more catered towards a conglomerate of Americanized Asian cuisine. A lot of the condiments I'm used to in the twin cities were missing from my pho experience. I had to take my food home and doctor it up to taste like the pho I prefer.

Not sure how this place has 4 stars. Overpriced for what you get. Way too oily and had more onions/cabbage than noodles in Pad Thai. Chicken quality was good which was a win!

Pho Chau is not too bad, especially if you're looking for a fix on Vietnamese food. However, with proximity to Pho Tai and other Asian dineries, it is more of a backup restaurant. Menu is not quite as extensive and is pretty overwhelming from a price perspective. A bowl of Pho will run you like $14-15 which is about 20% more than other places. The rice platter (3.5/5) ordered was not as traditional. The rice was not broken, the meat was drenched with food coloring, and the lack of meat loaf and few other items made it disappointing. Wife was feeling Pad Thai (3/5), and this version was really oily. The use of fish sauce was nice, but a little more overpowering than others Overall, Pho Chau is not too bad, but prices and alternatives make it challenging to re-visit.

Pho is mediocre, cream cheese was cold, and prices are too high for what you get. There are better places in town.

This review marks my 500th in 2021. It's fitting that I write about a Vietnamese restaurant in Rochester, a city that I called my home for two years. Back when I was a resident, there weren't any Vietnamese eateries in Rochester. I couldn't get a bowl of pho. I resorted to either making my own or heading up to the Twin Cities to get my fix. Just before the pandemic started, I visited Kung Fu Tea and noticed Pho Chau next door. I bookmarked it. On Christmas Eve, I was driving up from Elma, Iowa, and needed lunch. I remembered Pho Chau and drove over here. There is parking in front of this restaurant. There is also more parking around the eatery. I parked closest to N. Broadway Avenue and walked in. A woman was prompt greeting me. She got me a menu and guided me to a booth. It was just before 3 pm and I was hungry. I got the following items: - Fried chicken dumplings - Beef and meatball pho (#17 on the menu) My food came out fairly fast. Both items were brought to my table at the same time. I practically inhaled all six fried chicken dumplings. I was so hungry. These dumplings were great. Each one had plenty of filling. The wrapper on each was thin and crispy. The dipping sauce was yummy. The dumplings were so flavourful. I'd get them again. The pho comes in one size. I got a huge bowl of comfort placed in front of me. I added the bean sprouts and cilantro into my pho, and squeezed the lime. The broth was excellent. It was authentic and so good that the broth scent stayed on my clothes for a while. The beef was tender and didn't require much effort to eat. The meatballs were hearty. The noodles were perfect. I loved it. The removal of a star in my rating was abruptly getting my bill from this woman without being asked if I wanted anything else. She dictated that I was done. Weird. Part of me wanted the che 3 mau, but I decided to now skip it and revisit Kung Fu Tea instead. I went up to the counter to pay for my food with a credit card. I tipped and paid. All done! I used the women's washroom before making the hour drive up to Eagan. It's a single stall and was clean. I'd return again. If I do want the che 3 mau next time, I'll need to order it with the rest of my meal before I automatically get the bill. (500)

The Pho here is not good. The flavor is off. I think it's missing a sweetness from charred onions. It's not terrible but for a child of immigrants who were born and grew up in Vietnam, this did not meet my expectations. The Mi Hoi San (egg noodle soup with seafood) was good though. It could use more fried shallots, fried pig fat, and chives though. The service was nice and quick We will likely come back since there are not a lot of Vietnamese food options in Rochester.

Beef Pho is okay but no vermicelli dish with grill pork which is standard Vietnamese dish...spring rolls are oily and not very tasty! Only one server taking care of customers during late lunch and she is a bit impatient with asking about dishes for make changes, Restaurant is reasonable clean and quiet ambiance but fairly expensive for all dishes and charges for to go hot sauce....

I enjoy eating here when we are in Rochester. They have the quickest service in town. The food is always delicious and top quality. I highly recommend this restaurant if you're in the mood for authentic Thai cuisine. You won't bedisappointed..

First time eating here. We ordered the Spring Roll appetizer, Beef Pho, and Sesame Chicken lunch meals. Service was very good and atmosphere was clean and enjoyable. Food all came hot and delicious! I definitely will be back when in the area.

This is our spot to go for Vietnamese food when we are in town to visit my mother in law. The dine-in experience is so much better than the take out. Is so sad to not see and hear the hustle and bustle of customers eating and being happy father around good food with loved ones. We ordered the vermicelli noodles salad combo (shrimp, beef and eggrolls), cream cheese wontons, kids beef pho and adult beef and meatballs pho, grilled meatballs, and kids chicken lomein. I was a little disappointed in my salad because I thought the beef would be sliced up not a whole big thin pieces and the meat was a little tough to bite or cut up. The best part of the salad were the eggrolls. Probably the best takeout eggrolls I've ever had and that's saying something!! The fish sauce could be a little bit more spicier and tastier. It was too water down I felt. The chicken in the kids lomein was flavorful but the noodles were too sticky together that it was hard to cut up with the plastic knife and fork. It almost broken the chopsticks. The grilled meatballs were flavorful and not too salty. The pho was good. This is the first place that cooks the beef slices for you for take out orders instead of keeping them raw. I love the shape of the cream cheese wontons. It makes it easy to eat like a claw of a crab. It's nice and crispy and it doesn't have the oil taste which is a plus. The cream cheese were sweet not plain! Even with the disappointment in my vermicelli noodles salad, I would still order from here again because I love the varieties of options and you never get tired of the food. The prices have gone up during the pandemic but overall very reasonable still.

Service and food are both quick and made simple. Great place to go for those who aren't entirely familiar with Vietnamese cuisine. There are definitely options everyone can find something they'll like. Recommended!

Worst Vietnamese meal I have ever had anywhere in the US. A boiled mess with no flavor. The vermicelli noodles were almost mush the need was boiled, unseasoned and mushy. The carrots, onions and cucumbers were not pickled, and if. Poked, mushy and flavorless. There was not a single condiment on the table that could rescue the bowl if slop from flavorless oblivion. When the waitress cane by to ask how the food was, she turned and ran away with no intention to listen to any answer. There must be a totally untrained cook in the kitchen-it's the kind of place Gordon Ramsey would likely try to revive but would nonetheless fail.. the photo is of the 3/4 uneaten vermicelli salad that I would not even taking home for the dog. Stay away - you're certain to be disappointed.

Pretty Good. We were traveling from ATL. Good service and great Pho. Was very surprised for a small town

I enjoyed the restaurant I had the pad Thai it was decent it tasted different than what I've tasted in other restaurants but none the less tasty, also had a taste for the sesame chicken with was pretty great but also different in their own style

I used to come here when Chau still owned it, now the prices are way too high for the quality and quantity of food. The spring rolls were nasty and definitely not authentic and the braised pork you get more broccoli then anything else.

Stopped in for a late lunch and the place was very busy. The staff was friendly and took care of us the entire time. I started with the egg rolls and then had the Chicken Pad Thai. The egg rolls were tasty and unique. The Chicken Pad Thai was very tasty and interesting as well. This was the first time I've seen a Pad Thai with thick noodles like this, which I actually enjoyed. The dish had quality flavor and the a lot of chicken. Overall, the price was very competitive for lunch and the portion size was decent. The parking is a little tight and they have signs directing people to nearby overflow lots that are available. I'll definitely stop by again if I'm in the area.

Didn't like Bad quality and never knew that they were with Asian cuissine. Never paid so much for so little.

Hopping and I mean the staff is hopping this Sunday at 1:30 just to keep up. And the food? 5 amazing stars!! Best seafood pho I've had. The broth had this clean and flavorful taste without the usual Asian tendencies to mix sweet and sour, yin and yang. Next was the roasted quail. I love this country. I love its diversity that I can have roasted quail in Rochester MN serve by the Vietnamese family that runs Pho Chau. Why because the quail was Amazing!! I can't begin to describe the marinade. It came in a bed of lettuce and homemade salad dressing. Dribble that in the lettuce then have a bite of the quail. Heaven on Earth. The whole meal with the Iced coffee came to $22.00 that fed the Three of us. Are you kidding? Highly recommend.

Honestly, one of the cleanest and most efficient restaurants I've been to. Delicious pho and I would definitely eat here again.

We used to love eating here, probably visited once week. We showed up one day and they did a complete overhaul on their menu and both of our favorite dishes disappeared. They also got rid of their kids menu, so to order a meal for my 5 year old we have to order an full adult entree and pay $13+ for her to eat 1/4 of the meal. They have also increased prices of food and don't include protein in the main cost of the meal anymore. It was set up to include chicken as the base then you could pay extra if you wanted steak, shrimp, etc. Now you pay the base then add extra money for even chicken. The food is delicious still, but disappointed in the new menu and cost overall.

Stupid Expensive for a bowl (quart) of soup. Got covid with my wife and ordered thai food to clear the sinuses. We got a quart of good tasting Tom Yum broth (with overcooked chicken) and additions pack (beef, shrimp, chicken) addition which added a few slices of overcooked beef, two shrimp, few slices raw onion, tomatoes, and ramen and mushrooms ... 27.50 for literally a bowl of ramen soup .... times two with my wife and some egg rolls, 80.++ dollars and 100$ with tip, taxes, and service fees. Felt like a dope for ordering from this restaurant

We came in for dinner on Friday evening and, while there were a fair amount of people, the place wasn't packed. We were seated immediately and able to order within a few minutes. It's a small place, but I felt there was adequate space between us and the other tables. I had shrimp spring rolls and pho with shrimp in it. Both items came out pretty quickly and were delicious! I was pretty pleased with the pho - the portion was great and they put a decent amount of shrimp in it. Maybe not the best pho of my life, but pretty solid. The staff weren't unfriendly persay, but they definitely had a hands off approach and seemed to interact with patrons as little as possible. I didn't need a refill on my glass of water, but no one ever came around to check on that or see if there was anything else we wanted either. The tastiness of the food and speed makes up for mid level of service though. I'd eat here again regardless.

Very nice place. The pho was solid full of meat and other goodies. Pass on the egg rolls they were small and not what I'm accustomed to at a Vietnamese restaurant. Spring rolls were good but missing the herbs so a bit bland. Service was great.

Stir fry mixed vegetables with extra vegetables was disappointing. Huge amount of bamboo shoots, mushrooms and onions. A brown dish, accented with a very small amount of broccoli and carrots. Service was minimal.

We are very sad that this place changed ownership and suffered in quality while prices have almost doubled on a few of our favorite dishes. This used to be our go to spot for fusion cuisine prior to the change in owernship

This restaurant has gone downhill since Chau sold it. The food is more expensive and they charge extra for any proteins (eg, meat or tofu). One waitress that's always there needs some personality lessons. I'll never go there again if she's working there.

We went to Pho Chau on a Fruday evening and service was very fast! The meat was a little overdone and the soup had lost a little flavor, but the food is great for a colder winter day. It warms you right up! Restaurant and bathrooms looked clean, and we were offered drinks right away which I appreciated. The shrimp spring rolls were delicious though I think the sauce could have used different flavoring rather than straight sauce out of the bottle. The restaurant gave ample toppers for the noodle soup.

Best Vietnamese we have found since moving from Milwaukee to La Crosse, WI in December. We will be regular customers. We visit Rochester once a month. Both our GoTos were great. Combo Pho, meaty and flavorful, not too sweet, noodles (perfectly softened) and Beef Shrimp Vermicelli good and tasty as expected. Spring roll starter good and a sweeter sauce. Next time I'll try the crepe entree. Attention to details like trimmed tendon, only the green tops of scallion (although I enjoy the white part as well), ends of spring roll trimmed(again why waste it)? Pleasant and efficient service. Dining room clean and neat, restroom clean but no hot water and towel dispenser empty. I saw refills, but up too high for my reach. I advised cashier. Odd parking lot but one trip around block and we had a spot.

We had another long day at Mayo and had the craving for some Asian food. I found this place on Yelp and the reviews were good. We found it after maneuvering through the construction site. They are in the middle of redoing the whole frontage road which looks real nice and is almost done. That being said we had a very good meal the food was great the service was awesome nice quaint little place to eat with plenty of room inside. And its handicapped accessible

We came here for lunch on Saturday. It was a chilly day and the pho ga hot the spot! The server was extremely attentive and friendly. She didn't check on us too much but it was just enough to make us feel like we weren't being ignored. The food was amazing. We are glad we tried this restaurant and we will definitely be back!

I always try pho in different cities I travel to and the yelp reviews gave this place a good review, but upon ordering the pho we were disappointed. The amount of middles we got weren't that much, and for the pho combination which is usually the star dish it didn't have a lot of meatballs, tripe, and tendons. The noodles came out hard and firm. After letting it sit in the bowl for 5 minutes it softened up a bit. The noodles should never come out hard. The broth lacked a good beefy flavor. Overall the pho combination was okay. They need to up the flavor of the broth because the broth is king, put more noodles into the bowels, and not be stingy with the combination meats.

The beef pad Thai was sad. No peanuts and tasted more like fried noodles than pad Thai. Good for fried noodles, but it's supposed to be pad Thai. Plus, there were eggshells in it!!! I was eating it and suddenly had a crunch. Stupid me thought it was some burnt fried eggs and swallowed some before spitting out my mouthful and discovering it was eggshells. I dug around the dish and found more eggshells. I told them about this so they gave me a 10% discount. The curry was all right. Lacked flavor and wasn't wet enough.

Their fried rice bbq pork is delicious. The spring rolls are ok but I'm fan of spring rolls thus if you like spring rolls you should try them out.

Been here a few times now for their pho, I'd give 4 stars if I only had ordered their pho but I tried their vermicelli with beef, egg roll and shrimp to go. It was by far the worst meal I have had in my life. The food was dead cold after I picked it up in 15mins and got home in 4mins and it was 70 degrees out. The shrimps were super tiny, beef was hard as rock and egg roll was soggy. It was beyond inedible and all of that for $16. I'd rather pay that money for a McChicken any day.

We recently moved to Rochester and were hoping to find a solid, go-to place for pho. Pickings are slim in Rochester, but anyone that gives this place a try will be pleasantly surprised. I ordered the Pho Chau, and my partner ordered another variation of pho. The broth was clear, savory, and came out piping hot. The meat and noodles were fresh and served in large portions. Of course the pho comes with all of the usual accompaniments (Thai basil, lime, bean sprouts, etc) and those too seemed fresh. Overall, this was one of the better bowls of pho I've had (having tried many in Houston and along the Northeast). Great experience with nothing to complain about. Kung Fu tea is right next door, so that's another plus!

Family owned Vietnamese restaurant offering a good selection of authentic comfort food. Padded booths, chairs and tables in a clean, subdue setting. The appetizer was the egg roll with chicken that came hot, deep fried to a crisply texture and a sweet dipping sauce. The Sesame Chicken was nicely prepared with large chunks of chicken breaded and seasoned in their own sauce, sesames and a scoop of white rice on the side. The bigger portion was more than enough for the two of us. We came early but soon the place was filling up and takeout orders were flying out the door.

Exceeded our expectations. Great go-to place for Asian food. I brought my sister and her family from Minneapolis and they liked it too.

This was the chau gao (?) with shrimp and pork I believe. It was $8.99 or something around that price point. Definitely a lot of food for what you're paying but not too much flavor for my tastes. We also ordered veggie spring rolls and taro boba. Everything was alright. Service can be slow around lunch or at least it was when we went since there was a full house and only 1 waitress. Definitely something to consider in case you want a quick bite for lunch.