Amazing pho & bahn mi's...staff is courteous and fast, however it is a counter order resturant so there's not a lot staff interaction. Resturant is a bit plain, but cozy
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 3
Bavaricali
Was hoping for a banh mi, but apparently, (aside from mayo), the bread isn’t vegan. I wish they used vegan bread (it’s not that hard).
The bao buns have dairy in the dough.
So we ended up getting the vermicelli bowl and spring rolls. For wanting something with lots veggies and healthy, this was great. Peanut sauce is good. We were warned it’s bland, but I like plain flavors sometimes.
Updated from previous review on 2026-02-06
Alan Lung
Great Vietamese Restaurant with a modern clean flavor profile. The food is not too greasy across their entire menu from appetizers to entrees Pho Play offers wonderful chicken and beef broth this and fabulous rice and vermicelli bowls. Our family favorites are the chicken pho with veggies and pork chop over rice. The service is also friendly and welcoming.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Elaina Owens
Very enjoyable, 17 bucks for a huge bowl of food and yummy yummy drinks and clean tables with nice service i love it nice and calm
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
GemZ 023
Have been coming here for years, customer service has plummeted. Food quality and amount has decreased. Prices are extremely expensive for what you get.
Ownership has become complacent, bring back what it use to be! First with a different host, better to use a self service kiosk!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Melissa Hildebrand
Great hole in the wall place, I've only ordered bahn mi's from there and they are generous with their size and fillings. Service was friendly, I haven't eaten in the restaurant, only ordered to go, but the restaurant was warm and had a nice amount of seating.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Darlene Mongami
The food was good. Enjoyed the bao and some egg rolls and my hubby enjoyed the pho. Nice and clean. Prices vary but Cali prices.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Shandu B
They have very good Vietnamese/fusion recipes.Their lemon grass beef was very good. Their menu could use some organizing IE to understand there is an egg noodle option for the Pho.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Anthony Moua
I came in with my buddy for the pho challenge and both meat and noodles were supposed to be the same amount. But I tell you that my bowl was mostly noodles and barely any meat. I say if you want to do the pho challenge to not do it because they will finesse you with it but overall the pho was good. It was my second time doing the pho challenge. Idk but my first time doing it I had way more meat than my second time doing it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 5
Frank Vargas
This place is amazing! I've been coming here for years and it keeps getting better!!! Please give it a try if your in the area. Well worth it!
I was a customer at this restaurant for the first time today and saw the good reviews so I decided to try it. The experience I had was different than I expected, I will admit. I’ll be forward and just say that the food is super, very salty. I really didn’t enjoy it as much as I would have liked to. Even after trying to drown out the taste with a drink or sauce I had gotten, it was just still too salty. People who like salty food, this place is for you. But people who like decent, not excessively salty food such as I, I’d suggest you don't waste your time or money here. The customer service was so bad, some workers better than others and they didn’t bother showing up to check on us, but that isn’t even the worst problem here. Anyways, the ambiance was cozy, though the music was just a too loud to try and focus on actually enjoying the food. I probably sound like I’m complaining too much, but honestly, I’ve never left a review as bad as this one. This place SUCKS.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
Edward
Place is a sham. They say they have a grilled chicken plate. They brought me out all little tiny cut up pieces of weirdly cooked and flavored chicken. Nothing about it was grilled. This is a very low quality establishment. Do not go here if you want a quality meal. I’ve already tried their pho in the past and it was worthless that’s why I thought I’d try the grilled chicken. Completely garbage as well. They strive for a low quality experience/ stay far far away from this joke of a place
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Tryn A Brown
The most life changing pho I’ve ever had in my life. Best family owned business in Castro Valley!
Stephen Lee
I ordered a Banh Mi sandwich. It was tasty, but the bread/roll was kind of soft and chewy. The roll should be light crisp crunchy. It should be a French roll. I've ordered this several times and it's the same each time. Looking for another restaurant with a better Banh Mi.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Julie Bright
Pho Play is one of our go-to spots. Good Pho, broth is delicious (both beef and chicken). Grill options with rice, vermicelli or salad are all good too. Bao buns, grilled shrimp rice paper rolls, and fried wontons are some of our favorites.
Amazing pho & bahn mi's...staff is courteous and fast, however it is a counter order resturant so there's not a lot staff interaction. Resturant is a bit plain, but cozy
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 3
Was hoping for a banh mi, but apparently, (aside from mayo), the bread isn’t vegan. I wish they used vegan bread (it’s not that hard). The bao buns have dairy in the dough. So we ended up getting the vermicelli bowl and spring rolls. For wanting something with lots veggies and healthy, this was great. Peanut sauce is good. We were warned it’s bland, but I like plain flavors sometimes. Updated from previous review on 2026-02-06
Great Vietamese Restaurant with a modern clean flavor profile. The food is not too greasy across their entire menu from appetizers to entrees Pho Play offers wonderful chicken and beef broth this and fabulous rice and vermicelli bowls. Our family favorites are the chicken pho with veggies and pork chop over rice. The service is also friendly and welcoming.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Very enjoyable, 17 bucks for a huge bowl of food and yummy yummy drinks and clean tables with nice service i love it nice and calm
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Have been coming here for years, customer service has plummeted. Food quality and amount has decreased. Prices are extremely expensive for what you get.
Ownership has become complacent, bring back what it use to be! First with a different host, better to use a self service kiosk!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Great hole in the wall place, I've only ordered bahn mi's from there and they are generous with their size and fillings. Service was friendly, I haven't eaten in the restaurant, only ordered to go, but the restaurant was warm and had a nice amount of seating.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food was good. Enjoyed the bao and some egg rolls and my hubby enjoyed the pho. Nice and clean. Prices vary but Cali prices.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
They have very good Vietnamese/fusion recipes.Their lemon grass beef was very good. Their menu could use some organizing IE to understand there is an egg noodle option for the Pho.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
I came in with my buddy for the pho challenge and both meat and noodles were supposed to be the same amount. But I tell you that my bowl was mostly noodles and barely any meat. I say if you want to do the pho challenge to not do it because they will finesse you with it but overall the pho was good. It was my second time doing the pho challenge. Idk but my first time doing it I had way more meat than my second time doing it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 5
This place is amazing! I've been coming here for years and it keeps getting better!!! Please give it a try if your in the area. Well worth it!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
I was a customer at this restaurant for the first time today and saw the good reviews so I decided to try it. The experience I had was different than I expected, I will admit. I’ll be forward and just say that the food is super, very salty. I really didn’t enjoy it as much as I would have liked to. Even after trying to drown out the taste with a drink or sauce I had gotten, it was just still too salty. People who like salty food, this place is for you. But people who like decent, not excessively salty food such as I, I’d suggest you don't waste your time or money here. The customer service was so bad, some workers better than others and they didn’t bother showing up to check on us, but that isn’t even the worst problem here. Anyways, the ambiance was cozy, though the music was just a too loud to try and focus on actually enjoying the food. I probably sound like I’m complaining too much, but honestly, I’ve never left a review as bad as this one. This place SUCKS.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
Place is a sham. They say they have a grilled chicken plate. They brought me out all little tiny cut up pieces of weirdly cooked and flavored chicken. Nothing about it was grilled. This is a very low quality establishment. Do not go here if you want a quality meal. I’ve already tried their pho in the past and it was worthless that’s why I thought I’d try the grilled chicken. Completely garbage as well. They strive for a low quality experience/ stay far far away from this joke of a place
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
The most life changing pho I’ve ever had in my life. Best family owned business in Castro Valley!
I ordered a Banh Mi sandwich. It was tasty, but the bread/roll was kind of soft and chewy. The roll should be light crisp crunchy. It should be a French roll. I've ordered this several times and it's the same each time. Looking for another restaurant with a better Banh Mi.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Pho Play is one of our go-to spots. Good Pho, broth is delicious (both beef and chicken). Grill options with rice, vermicelli or salad are all good too. Bao buns, grilled shrimp rice paper rolls, and fried wontons are some of our favorites.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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