Only thing to complain about is the lack of a chili oil, and a fly that was just so attracted to me. I really like the cube meat they gave me, I genuinely really liked the cube meat. It's perfectly proportioned and it actually has flavor to it rather than just filler meat. This place is alright, I respect the simple sign they have for the place.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Pho Play
Ralph G
Great pho! Nice ingredients that are fresh and tasty. Order before you sit down.Vegetarian options: Few good vegi optionsDietary restrictions: Gluten-free optionsParking: Great parking out front!Kid-friendliness: Kids menu
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pho Play
Jay N.
Food service and ambiance are amazing here. Great portion sizes. We had pho play and it was great. All over great vibes for a punny name!
Paulina L.
the name is right this pho did come to play i was burping nonstop after this meal also it was kinda sorta really mid
Livier M.
I am usually not a huge pho fan but my friends husband really had a craving so I caved in. I was honestly not expecting too much but I was pleasantly blown away. You order first at the front and then they bring it over to your table. It is a hearty portion so be prepared to EAT. Loved that they brought out lemons and jalapeños because I prefer to add a lil bit of lemon to most of my soups. The peach boba was also really good and can't rave enough about it! A little on the pricier end but I'd say it's worth it for the portion size minus the boba.
Jazzi E.
Visiting here today was a nice reminder of how yummy their food and drinks are. I haven't been in a few years, but the quality hasn't changed. My favorite drink is the matcha Thai tea. I haven't been able to find this anywhere else and it's so good. My only issue with the drinks is they are very sweet. Drink without boba is around $4.50 and with boba $5. This time I ordered the lemongrass beef boa buns ($9.50). The buns are soft and flavorful and the beef is tender. It's a perfect portion for a light lunch. I will be back during colder weather for some pho. It's easy to find parking because it's in a lot with other businesses.
Andrew S.
Pho Play is conveniently situated in the 580 Marketplace. They offer plenty of parking, making it easily accessible for a quick lunch or a casual dinner outing. The service at Pho Play is remarkably swift, with orders typically being taken and served within 5-10 minutes, even on the busiest days.The seating arrangement of chairs and benches along long tables accommodates both small and large groups, and the atmosphere remains airy and cafeteria-esque yet comfortable.Pho play offers a ton of pho options all of which are generally pretty huge. Lots of good flavor from the spices and beef. They also offer vegan pho options.The bahn mi are a must-try, well-stuffed and satisfying.I love their Thai tea / green Thai tea, especially when served in their tall mason jars, however, sometimes the drinks might also come in plastic cups, which seem less big to me.On hot days, the rice and vermicelli dishes are a refreshing alternative, especially with the accompanying fish sauce. It's a perfect balance of temperature, still feeling 'light', but without taking away half of the substance. It's HUGE.Pho Play also offers a challenge - 2 pounds of noodles, 1/2 pound of meat, and 2 quarts of broth within an hour. Cash prize refunds the $50 entry fee, plus a jackpot prize. The last time I went it was ~$310.Soda fountain drink refills are available upon request.
George Deng
The pho and banh mi were great. However, the pho was a bit cold and didn't have much soup. Overall, the food was great!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Jeanette L.
I've come across this place on many occasions, but never had time to stop by and try them out. The moment a cool breeze hit the Bay I was excited to try to this place out. It is in a strip mall in Castro Valley with a lot of safe parking. You order and pay for your food before seating which is a little different but totally fine. I opted for the Pho rare beef and brisket and chose the beef raw on the side. My husband chose a similar option and we shared an order of shrimp spring rolls. The rolls were very fresh and the peanut sauce had the perfect consistency. The pho broth was really delicious and very clean. Exactly what you're looking for in a broth.Overall, this is a very unassuming location, low frills, and really good quality food. I would suggest you try it out if you're in the mood to try something yummy.
Joyce Lam
We had a pho, grilled combo salad and fried spring rolls. Everything was pretty good. Large portions and food came out fast.
Way overpriced. A tiny little Kids Pho with only noodles and a few slices of meat and 0 veggies for $9 is absolutely laughable.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Kathy C
SF East Bay. Consistently good typical Vietnamese menu items found here. For this recent visit, we got the egg rolls which was somewhat of a mistake since the rice paper rolls are significantly better. Ordered our favorite bun bo hue which was delicious. We also got a matcha green Thai tea which we get whenever we eat here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pho Play, Bun Bo Hue
Martin Gajdošík
Great soups and sandwiches. One time they played a jazz music in the restaurant which I really liked. Recommended for anyone who likes Vietnamese kitchen.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Lemongrass Beef, Soup, Banh MI Sandwiches
Angeli S.
Nice, clean restaurant. You order up front and they tell you what table to sit at and serve your dish when ready. Ordered the pho with rare beef and brisket, the lemongrass beef vermicelli and egg rolls. The pho had tons of meat and the broth was tasty. Huge portion of the vermicelli bowl. Was able to save half of it for another meal! I love the flavor of the beef. The egg rolls were ok for me which is served with a sweet chili sauce. Still good though.
Ruth O.
Pho Play is not bad by any means, but it did not impress me as much as I hoped. Their pho is a step up from instant meals-- it is a large, generous serving with a fair amount of inclusions, but the broth I found to be less flavorful than what I usually desire from pho. I was glad they added hoisin sauce and sriracha packets to our to-go order, as I used these to flavor the broth. The brisket in my broth: some of it was good, but some of it was tougher than I would've liked-- it was a lot of energy to chew. In addition, some pieces were fatty which I am personally not a fan of. With that being said, they will accommodate celiac and they are both familiar and comfortable with how to do that. It makes me feel comfortable dining there.
Only thing to complain about is the lack of a chili oil, and a fly that was just so attracted to me. I really like the cube meat they gave me, I genuinely really liked the cube meat. It's perfectly proportioned and it actually has flavor to it rather than just filler meat. This place is alright, I respect the simple sign they have for the place.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Pho Play
Great pho! Nice ingredients that are fresh and tasty. Order before you sit down.Vegetarian options: Few good vegi optionsDietary restrictions: Gluten-free optionsParking: Great parking out front!Kid-friendliness: Kids menu
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pho Play
Food service and ambiance are amazing here. Great portion sizes. We had pho play and it was great. All over great vibes for a punny name!
the name is right this pho did come to play i was burping nonstop after this meal also it was kinda sorta really mid
I am usually not a huge pho fan but my friends husband really had a craving so I caved in. I was honestly not expecting too much but I was pleasantly blown away. You order first at the front and then they bring it over to your table. It is a hearty portion so be prepared to EAT. Loved that they brought out lemons and jalapeños because I prefer to add a lil bit of lemon to most of my soups. The peach boba was also really good and can't rave enough about it! A little on the pricier end but I'd say it's worth it for the portion size minus the boba.
Visiting here today was a nice reminder of how yummy their food and drinks are. I haven't been in a few years, but the quality hasn't changed. My favorite drink is the matcha Thai tea. I haven't been able to find this anywhere else and it's so good. My only issue with the drinks is they are very sweet. Drink without boba is around $4.50 and with boba $5. This time I ordered the lemongrass beef boa buns ($9.50). The buns are soft and flavorful and the beef is tender. It's a perfect portion for a light lunch. I will be back during colder weather for some pho. It's easy to find parking because it's in a lot with other businesses.
Pho Play is conveniently situated in the 580 Marketplace. They offer plenty of parking, making it easily accessible for a quick lunch or a casual dinner outing. The service at Pho Play is remarkably swift, with orders typically being taken and served within 5-10 minutes, even on the busiest days.The seating arrangement of chairs and benches along long tables accommodates both small and large groups, and the atmosphere remains airy and cafeteria-esque yet comfortable.Pho play offers a ton of pho options all of which are generally pretty huge. Lots of good flavor from the spices and beef. They also offer vegan pho options.The bahn mi are a must-try, well-stuffed and satisfying.I love their Thai tea / green Thai tea, especially when served in their tall mason jars, however, sometimes the drinks might also come in plastic cups, which seem less big to me.On hot days, the rice and vermicelli dishes are a refreshing alternative, especially with the accompanying fish sauce. It's a perfect balance of temperature, still feeling 'light', but without taking away half of the substance. It's HUGE.Pho Play also offers a challenge - 2 pounds of noodles, 1/2 pound of meat, and 2 quarts of broth within an hour. Cash prize refunds the $50 entry fee, plus a jackpot prize. The last time I went it was ~$310.Soda fountain drink refills are available upon request.
The pho and banh mi were great. However, the pho was a bit cold and didn't have much soup. Overall, the food was great!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
I've come across this place on many occasions, but never had time to stop by and try them out. The moment a cool breeze hit the Bay I was excited to try to this place out. It is in a strip mall in Castro Valley with a lot of safe parking. You order and pay for your food before seating which is a little different but totally fine. I opted for the Pho rare beef and brisket and chose the beef raw on the side. My husband chose a similar option and we shared an order of shrimp spring rolls. The rolls were very fresh and the peanut sauce had the perfect consistency. The pho broth was really delicious and very clean. Exactly what you're looking for in a broth.Overall, this is a very unassuming location, low frills, and really good quality food. I would suggest you try it out if you're in the mood to try something yummy.
We had a pho, grilled combo salad and fried spring rolls. Everything was pretty good. Large portions and food came out fast.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Restaurantji Recommends
Way overpriced. A tiny little Kids Pho with only noodles and a few slices of meat and 0 veggies for $9 is absolutely laughable.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
SF East Bay. Consistently good typical Vietnamese menu items found here. For this recent visit, we got the egg rolls which was somewhat of a mistake since the rice paper rolls are significantly better. Ordered our favorite bun bo hue which was delicious. We also got a matcha green Thai tea which we get whenever we eat here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pho Play, Bun Bo Hue
Great soups and sandwiches. One time they played a jazz music in the restaurant which I really liked. Recommended for anyone who likes Vietnamese kitchen.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Lemongrass Beef, Soup, Banh MI Sandwiches
Nice, clean restaurant. You order up front and they tell you what table to sit at and serve your dish when ready. Ordered the pho with rare beef and brisket, the lemongrass beef vermicelli and egg rolls. The pho had tons of meat and the broth was tasty. Huge portion of the vermicelli bowl. Was able to save half of it for another meal! I love the flavor of the beef. The egg rolls were ok for me which is served with a sweet chili sauce. Still good though.
Pho Play is not bad by any means, but it did not impress me as much as I hoped. Their pho is a step up from instant meals-- it is a large, generous serving with a fair amount of inclusions, but the broth I found to be less flavorful than what I usually desire from pho. I was glad they added hoisin sauce and sriracha packets to our to-go order, as I used these to flavor the broth. The brisket in my broth: some of it was good, but some of it was tougher than I would've liked-- it was a lot of energy to chew. In addition, some pieces were fatty which I am personally not a fan of. With that being said, they will accommodate celiac and they are both familiar and comfortable with how to do that. It makes me feel comfortable dining there.