Pho 81 is my go-to pho restaurant in Montgomery County MD and has been for years. I've tried a few others but they don't seem to compare! I'm a beef pho fan myself, and I typically go for a brisket pho with all the extra toppings. The broth is delicious, and the meat is always perfectly cooked. I've had the chicken pho a few times as well, and it's also very flavorful. The noodles are a great texture and the portions are huge for the price. I like to get crispy spring rolls as well. The outside is really crispy and flakey, and the inside has meat and a variety of veggies, not just cabbage. They're a great addition to a bowl of delicious pho. The restaurant is large and clean and you can always find a table. The staff are hardworking and kind, and typically the food comes out quickly. Take out is great here too, and I never have any issues with the order.
DAJ P
Great food.... Best Pho around the town.a very quick and efficient and friendly place to get food from.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pho 81 House
Joe Woidich
Excellent pho soup with two serving sizes. Recommended.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Tyler Lau
Pho 81 is a humble looking Vietnamese restaurant that is located at a suburban shopping plaza. The place is actually decently sized on the inside with many tables for seating. I found the food to be very authentic and their grilled meat was very flavorful. Everything is reasonably priced too with the majority of their entrees being around $10 to $11 each. My only criticism is that they are a little cheap with the amount of meat they give you. However, overall, the meal was still very good.
Louise To
Service was friendly enough, but with a limited menu, the hope was that the food would be above average. Unfortunately it was disappointing and even a bit infuriating considering the price point. The summer rolls were bland and dry, with the lettuce and rice paper (!) being the worst part. They were obviously prepared ahead time which dried out the rice paper and the peanut sauce was practically tasteless. We ordered the beef pho and vermicelli. The pho broth was most certainly chicken, which for a chicken broth would have been fine and passing. If it was indeed beef broth, it was truly the worst "beef pho" as it did not have the depth of flavor other Pho places in the area have. The vermicelli, which was more expensive than the pho, was fair at best, except the quantity of meat given. It was a joke compared to how much meat there was in the pho, making it feel like a rip-off (I would assume a comparable amount of meat would be provided). The fish sauce was also rather tasteless and of course the terrible lettuce from the summer rolls made an appearance here as well.The food was truly mediocre and maybe we caught them at a bad time (7 PM on Sunday), but overall would be hard pressed to recommend to anyone who has had Pho at any other Montgomery County area Pho spots.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 4
Samir Kadoo
Ordered take out. Their pho is good, but the guy working at the register made up some excuse that their contactless credit card NFC payment machine doesn’t work with AmEx and only Visa credit cards. I asked if this was due to a higher fee retailers pay for AmEx transactions and the guy mumbled something.
Food: 3
Service: 2
Abegail A.
Decent spot to grab a bowl of pho when you're in the area. I got a small #12, which came with a decent amount of thinking sliced steak and flank. Sadly the broth wasn't flavorful. Garnishes were fresh which was a plus. The Summer rolls were okay too, with the rice paper being hard in some places. Definitely need to dip these in the peanut sauce. Service is friendly and food came out pretty quickly.
Guang Liu
This is the plate of food I had the displeasure of opening when I got back to work. A few pieces of dried out pork on a mountain of rice and a sad looking salad. The spot where the fork is was just a spot for the container of fish sauce that came with it. And this was $14 dollars! Absolutely WOULD NOT RECOMMEND!
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 2
Yvonne B.
First time visiting very quiet during lunchtime, good menu selection for vegetarian options and most menu items are resonably price for the portions they serve for to go orders. I ordered from the Grilled Dishes: Grilled Chicken w/Vermicelli since today is my cheat day to eat carbs. Yummy, good portion size for lunch or dinner for one. Staff is very welcoming and helpful, and their music selection is on point a mixer of genre's. Very quaint spot inside with table service with waiters. I should point out that the service for your order wait time is very quick. Also parking is available in the general shopping area since this restaurant is in a shopping strip. Oops, I forgot to take pictures. Next time, I will provide some pics. I recommend Pho 81 and rate them 5
Ronny L.
I been to this place for the pas year and it's always delicious however this time I have concerns. The noodles seemed like they were moist prior to serving and became soggy fast. The broth was not as warm as usual. Their was a young male sitting in the front handling food and was picking his face while handing food and that was concerning. Thai tea is great and so is their soups but this time around It went a little left. I'm giving this a four because this place is really delicious just want to make the owners aware of what I witnessed. Cleanliness is important and I hate to see such a great restaurant have to deal with this.
This is the plate of food I had the displeasure of opening when I got back to work. A few pieces of dried out pork on a mountain of rice and a sad looking salad. The spot where the fork is was just a spot for the container of fish sauce that came with it. And this was $14 dollars! Absolutely WOULD NOT RECOMMEND!
Brandon Hertel
Food was great, service was quick and attentive, we will be
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: House Special Pho
Mike Mondy - Keller Williams Realty
There's something about cold, rainy weather that just makes you want a good soup and this little spot never disappoints! Been here more than a few times and the food is always fast, fresh and delicious. Never tried anything beyond their selection of beef pho and probably never will. I figure, why mess with a good thing? ?
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Spring Rolls, House Special Pho
Sara Hernandez
I love this place. I’ve been coming here for 10+ years and there’s no other pho place that makes better pho then pho 81. Even my picky toddler loves their soup! The customer service is always outstanding and they’re super fast at serving your food. The prices are also great. Wish this family business all the success!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Raoul T.
I live in Los Angeles where there is a big Vietnamese community so I have tasted Pho at its best. I am not impressed by the Pho here. Ordered the Pho 81 special bowl and found the broth insipid and the noodles slightly undercooked and crunchy. Best to avoid if you are a true Pho lover
Pho 81 is my go-to pho restaurant in Montgomery County MD and has been for years. I've tried a few others but they don't seem to compare! I'm a beef pho fan myself, and I typically go for a brisket pho with all the extra toppings. The broth is delicious, and the meat is always perfectly cooked. I've had the chicken pho a few times as well, and it's also very flavorful. The noodles are a great texture and the portions are huge for the price. I like to get crispy spring rolls as well. The outside is really crispy and flakey, and the inside has meat and a variety of veggies, not just cabbage. They're a great addition to a bowl of delicious pho. The restaurant is large and clean and you can always find a table. The staff are hardworking and kind, and typically the food comes out quickly. Take out is great here too, and I never have any issues with the order.
Great food.... Best Pho around the town.a very quick and efficient and friendly place to get food from.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pho 81 House
Excellent pho soup with two serving sizes. Recommended.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Pho 81 is a humble looking Vietnamese restaurant that is located at a suburban shopping plaza. The place is actually decently sized on the inside with many tables for seating. I found the food to be very authentic and their grilled meat was very flavorful. Everything is reasonably priced too with the majority of their entrees being around $10 to $11 each. My only criticism is that they are a little cheap with the amount of meat they give you. However, overall, the meal was still very good.
Service was friendly enough, but with a limited menu, the hope was that the food would be above average. Unfortunately it was disappointing and even a bit infuriating considering the price point. The summer rolls were bland and dry, with the lettuce and rice paper (!) being the worst part. They were obviously prepared ahead time which dried out the rice paper and the peanut sauce was practically tasteless. We ordered the beef pho and vermicelli. The pho broth was most certainly chicken, which for a chicken broth would have been fine and passing. If it was indeed beef broth, it was truly the worst "beef pho" as it did not have the depth of flavor other Pho places in the area have. The vermicelli, which was more expensive than the pho, was fair at best, except the quantity of meat given. It was a joke compared to how much meat there was in the pho, making it feel like a rip-off (I would assume a comparable amount of meat would be provided). The fish sauce was also rather tasteless and of course the terrible lettuce from the summer rolls made an appearance here as well.The food was truly mediocre and maybe we caught them at a bad time (7 PM on Sunday), but overall would be hard pressed to recommend to anyone who has had Pho at any other Montgomery County area Pho spots.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 4
Ordered take out. Their pho is good, but the guy working at the register made up some excuse that their contactless credit card NFC payment machine doesn’t work with AmEx and only Visa credit cards. I asked if this was due to a higher fee retailers pay for AmEx transactions and the guy mumbled something.
Food: 3
Service: 2
Decent spot to grab a bowl of pho when you're in the area. I got a small #12, which came with a decent amount of thinking sliced steak and flank. Sadly the broth wasn't flavorful. Garnishes were fresh which was a plus. The Summer rolls were okay too, with the rice paper being hard in some places. Definitely need to dip these in the peanut sauce. Service is friendly and food came out pretty quickly.
This is the plate of food I had the displeasure of opening when I got back to work. A few pieces of dried out pork on a mountain of rice and a sad looking salad. The spot where the fork is was just a spot for the container of fish sauce that came with it. And this was $14 dollars! Absolutely WOULD NOT RECOMMEND!
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 2
First time visiting very quiet during lunchtime, good menu selection for vegetarian options and most menu items are resonably price for the portions they serve for to go orders. I ordered from the Grilled Dishes: Grilled Chicken w/Vermicelli since today is my cheat day to eat carbs. Yummy, good portion size for lunch or dinner for one. Staff is very welcoming and helpful, and their music selection is on point a mixer of genre's. Very quaint spot inside with table service with waiters. I should point out that the service for your order wait time is very quick. Also parking is available in the general shopping area since this restaurant is in a shopping strip. Oops, I forgot to take pictures. Next time, I will provide some pics. I recommend Pho 81 and rate them 5
I been to this place for the pas year and it's always delicious however this time I have concerns. The noodles seemed like they were moist prior to serving and became soggy fast. The broth was not as warm as usual. Their was a young male sitting in the front handling food and was picking his face while handing food and that was concerning. Thai tea is great and so is their soups but this time around It went a little left. I'm giving this a four because this place is really delicious just want to make the owners aware of what I witnessed. Cleanliness is important and I hate to see such a great restaurant have to deal with this.
Restaurantji Recommends
This is the plate of food I had the displeasure of opening when I got back to work. A few pieces of dried out pork on a mountain of rice and a sad looking salad. The spot where the fork is was just a spot for the container of fish sauce that came with it. And this was $14 dollars! Absolutely WOULD NOT RECOMMEND!
Food was great, service was quick and attentive, we will be
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: House Special Pho
There's something about cold, rainy weather that just makes you want a good soup and this little spot never disappoints! Been here more than a few times and the food is always fast, fresh and delicious. Never tried anything beyond their selection of beef pho and probably never will. I figure, why mess with a good thing? ?
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Spring Rolls, House Special Pho
I love this place. I’ve been coming here for 10+ years and there’s no other pho place that makes better pho then pho 81. Even my picky toddler loves their soup! The customer service is always outstanding and they’re super fast at serving your food. The prices are also great. Wish this family business all the success!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I live in Los Angeles where there is a big Vietnamese community so I have tasted Pho at its best. I am not impressed by the Pho here. Ordered the Pho 81 special bowl and found the broth insipid and the noodles slightly undercooked and crunchy. Best to avoid if you are a true Pho lover