Van's Cafe

506 Penn Ave, Reading
(610) 741-6466

Recent Reviews

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t b

I called to place a to-go order as the food here is always so good, the woman on the phone was extremely rude and did not seem willing to take my order. She also did not want to tell me exactly how much the order was going to be with my add ons, she kept saying it’ll “probably” be this much but she didn’t know. Such a shame because I love the food here.

Manny Figueroa

Came seeking a vegetarian Banh Mi. The option wasn’t available on the menu, but by request, the sweet older lady made me one with tofu and mushrooms. The lady was so endearing and welcoming. With the Banh Mi, it was made with love and came out amazingly delicious. Highly recommend this place!

Millie Rosario

Love the food. Very homey.

peter munsing

Great basics. All food prepared on premises. Comfortable small restaurant, not noisy. Been there a number of times, also many take out orders.

Krista Essler

The food is delicious! My daughter and I are gluten sensitive and were able to find a variety of choices on the menu. I think that at the time we got there, they were a bit understaffed so our service was slow but friendly. The chef was very happy to hear us say that it was very yummy! We will definitely be back in the future.

Eazy E

A delightful home cooking vibe! We went here for the first time. Food was absolutely delicious and staff was so sweet. We ordered Pho and we were blown away!

Bryan Pham

I am VERY vietnamese. And the food here is literally a piece of home cooking. Everyone is friendly and the food is always made with perfection! I would literally come here every day if I could

Eunice VZ

Service: 1 out of 5
Was there a couple of days ago, no wait stuff, never check your table if everything is ok, no drink was offered.

Taste 3 out of 5
Pho broth was too sweet and lukewarm.

Price 1 out of 5
Special pho was $13.95, but was charged $19.95. Apparently tendon and tripe was an extra $3 each, and nowhere mentioned on the menu.
The most expensive special pho I ever ordered. Everywhere else when you order a special pho, everything is included.

B. Lauren

I’ve been here several times. I love Phó, I enjoy the food but for the price I wish more food would be given. This is the only place in the area that has decent phó besides driving to Philly.

Jim Henne

The Pho is fantastic. Worth repeating over and over, that's our plan!

Funky Nickel

I like the food but I can't reason myself into eating there anymore, the last time there was a small fly in the pho and this time there was plastic in it (and the noodles were all completely lumped together) 😔 disappointing. It's a lack of washing the food well, and care. The broccoli always looks old, too, yellowing

Little Lady

After years of being a loyal customer, I am extremely disappointed to say I will never be returning to this establishment. The service was outright atrocious. The young woman who took our order showed no respect or courtesy whatsoever—barely speaking beyond a curt “dine in or take out?” and acting visibly irritated throughout. Her attitude was unprofessional and frankly embarrassing.

Our drinks and food took an unreasonable 40 minutes to arrive, despite the restaurant not being packed. I watched another couple wait even longer than us, only to leave in frustration. It was painful to see.

The food? Utterly disappointing. The iced Vietnamese coffee was bland, lacking the bold flavors it once had. The dishes tasted stale, as if reheated leftovers were served to us. This is not the quality I expect from a place I once enjoyed.

This experience was beyond unfortunate; it’s a clear sign of this business’s decline. I hate to leave a negative review, but others need to be aware. I strongly urge anyone considering dining here to steer clear.

Sheryl Stamm

This is my place to get Pho. TBH I haven’t tried anything else on the menu. I go out of my way to come here. This establishment is not near where I live or work. I will try other items on the menu someday. There Pho is made with bone broth. I get this when we are sick and it does the trick. You wouldn’t come here for the atmosphere. That is not what they are going for here. The owners do everything. Take the order, cook and serve. I don’t know how they do it. They are personable and attentive. Again, I don’t know how 2 or 3 people manage to do everything.

Parking: Parking is tricky. There is street parking if you can find a spot and are good at parallel parking. Penn Ave is a business street, so you have to be fast. There is a lot across the street. You have to download an app and pay.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Spring Rolls, House Pho

Amethyst

Patient with questions, informative. Great food! I suggest the stew, forget the name.

Parking: You need to park across the street usually, such has signs about being for the shopping center only.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Samantha Kullee

I think I finally found my Pho spot in this area! It’s a very small intimate cafe that severs fresh ingredients to make the food that much better! I’ll definitely be back!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

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