My family was staying in the area and wanted Asian food. We found this place on Yelp and it didn't disappoint. When we arrived, we discovered that you need to order at the counter first, then take your number and find a seat in the dining area. With my son being in a wheelchair, it's always worrisome when they have this type of seating situation, as I am never sure if there's seating available, much less appropriate seating available for our family. However we lucked out and we were able to find a table right away. There's also counter seating available, and water is self serve with a dispenser in the corner . The food came out hot and fresh and tasted better than I expected! My pho ga had great flavor and the chicken was tender. My family also got pho tai, a vermicelli bowl and the bbq plate with lemon grass pork chop. Everything was excellent. The only frustrating thing about dining here is that there are no utensils on the table like most Vietnamese places I dine at, and frequently having to ask the staff for things that you've already asked for and they forget to bring gets annoying. read more

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A coworker recommended Al Pho so I decided to give it a true. I ordered a grilled chicken vermicelli bowl to go. After just a few of minutes, everything was ready. I just had a short drive away before I was able to dig in. Everything was delicious! The chicken was cooked perfectly and had a sort of vinegary marinade. There was a balanced ratio of chicken to veg and noodles. Overall, I had an efficient but delicious experience at Al Pho. I'd come again! read more

AlPho is one of my favorite places for Vietnamese food. The pho was fresh, flavorful, and comforting, with a rich broth and generous portions. The ingredients tasted fresh, and everything was served hot. The staff was friendly and welcoming, and the service was quick even though the restaurant was busy. The atmosphere was clean, relaxed, and a great place to enjoy a meal. If you're looking for authentic Vietnamese cuisine with delicious pho and excellent customer service, I definitely recommend giving AlPho a try. I'll definitely be coming back! read more

AL PHO - Oxtail Pho, Shrimp Spring Rolls with veggies and peanut sauce - Vietnamese Near Me - Santa Maria, California

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There are very few Vietnamese restaurants in the area and I'm happy I decided to go with Al Pho. When you walk in, you place your order immediately at the front counter and then take your seat after. There is a water dispenser with cold water and plastic cups for you to refill your water whenever you please. I ordered the Alpho Wings and the #3 Pho Ga (shredded chicken). It should be noted, my wife typically doesn't like white chicken breast because she thinks it not very flavorful (valid) and asked if they could add BBQ chicken in the soup and the person taking our order obliged. That was a fantastic idea because it changed the flavor of the broth and I highly recommend you give it a try as well. The chicken wings were fire and I loved the side of garlic sauce it came with. The seating area is limited and I can see how on a busy day, it can easily get crowded. Overall, I enjoyed my time at Al Pho and I'd be happy to come back some time soon. read more

AL PHO - Alpho Wings - Vietnamese Near Me - Santa Maria, California

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My favorite spot for pho in Santa Maria. I always get the special or oxtail - oxtail is always cooked perfectly. The broth is not salty like other places and I like the amount of fixings they provide for the pho! (bean sprouts, basil, jalapeños, hoisin, and of course siracha) But this time around I got the special pho with tendons beef and all! I also got an order of imperial eggrolls to share and a Thai tea. For those who want water there is a self serve station in the corner which I did utilize. Pho was delicious as usual but the eggrolls were very small and lacking filling they have definitely gotten significantly smaller over time. Thai tea was refreshing and just the right amount of sweetness. This place gets pretty packed during lunch hours so ended up sitting at the bar. This business does share its parking lot with a Starbucks so parking can also be a pain but it's worth it! read more

AL PHO - Crispy eggrolls - Vietnamese Near Me - Santa Maria, California

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Wow the last time I was here was over 4 years ago! Glad this spot is still here and they still have vegan options. My family and I had this spot to go because it was a little too small and tight for my grandmother who is in a wheelchair. I was disappointed to hear that they were out of vegan pho and I've been craving pho on a gloomy day. They did still had the Vegan Vermicelli Bowl (Vietnamese noodle salad topped with tofu and a side of ginger sauce for $12.95). My non-vegan family had the #4 Pho Bo Vien (Beef meat ball for $14.95), #1 Pho Dac Biet (Thinly sliced beel, brisket, tripe, tendon, and beef meat ball for $16.95), #8 Al-Pho Combination Rice Plate Choose any 2 meats: Pork chop, Chicken, Short ribs for $19.95), and $14.95 #13 Bun Thit Heo Nuong Grilled pork for $14.95. For the pho, additional meat is $2.50, and rice/vermicelli plates for $3. Six piece Al Pho wings were $10.95. They are fried with peanuts and you can choose between two sauces: super spicy ghost chili sauce or hoisin sauce. The prices were affordable especially for the size of the dishes. The staff who took our order were nice and the people in the kitchen worked quick. There are restrooms in the back. They sold cute planters as well. Will be back if we are in the area. read more

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Kind of a hole in the wall place. At first I was worried but our food came out and doubt disappeared. The beef in the pho was so good! The broth needed a little more rich flavor, like maybe it didn't simmer long enough? With some siracha and hoisin it got better. IMO it had too much onion. Plus I've never seen red onion in pho before. Service was good. Food came out quick. -1 star because there were flies all around us while we were trying to eat. read more

AL PHO - Spring rolls (almost gone) - Vietnamese Near Me - Santa Maria, California

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Cute little shop that looks unassuming from the outside. You order first at the counter and then find a table around the corner- super cutely decorated! I got the oxtail pho - came with oxtails, thin beef, and meatballs. The meatballs are the most flavorful I've ever had in pho. This was served in a larger bowl than the chicken pho. The rice noodles also seemed to have more flavor than other places that I've tried. So good! My bf got the chicken pho- he really liked it and said the broth was really flavorful as well. Overall- definitely recommend! read more

AL PHO - Oxtail pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Santa Maria, California

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It's a shame because this used to be our go-to spot for pho, but we had an awful experience. My friends and I were to meet up for dinner and we called beforehand. They said they ran out of pho. We asked if we could have the other food on the menu, and they said yes. My friends got there first, and walks in. The worker says they're out of pho. We asked if we could order something else off the menu. They said they're not serving anyone. We mentioned we called beforehand. They ask, "Can't you read the sign?? We're out of pho!" Which, was the most confusing part because there's literally Co and Bun dishes. Pho is only 1/4 of what's on the menu, and unless there were other key ingredients missing, the other ones could have been served. We ended up going to Viet Kitchen instead. They have a wider selection of dishes and better service. Hope something changes if we ever decide to come back. read more

Love this place!! If you want Pho in Santa Maria, this is the place!! The only place!! But it is amazing!! Order your food up front and go find a table. But you better be quick because they will have your food out to you in no time!! Ordered the #2 Pho because they were out of the Ghost Pho. #2 Pho is beef pho. It comes with all the fixings and the broth is amazing!! The place is small but it works. They have Great service and amazing food. Go try it!! read more

AL PHO - Vietnamese Near Me - Santa Maria, California

Food is always solid. Service is decent. I especially love the spring rolls and the vermicelli dishes.

I love this place. The service is as fast as can be, and I really am in and out whenever I'm here. It's a good bowl of pho, and one of my favorite things is the set up at the bar. The shelves are littered with vines and things, and it's something to look at while eating. I think I saw a little Groot toy last time I was here. The vibe and restaurant as a whole is great! read more

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This place always hits. Best Vietnamese in the area. I know options are limited, but this place really is good. Coming from the SGV this is authentic as it gets for our area. Broth is always my favorite part. They could add more meat in my opinion. The noodle to meat ratio is off but the broth makes up for it. Service is fine, no complaints. Restaurant can get packed pretty quickly but I find the bar is usually always available. read more

There are few pho noodle spots on the road to southern CA, and surprisingly none in Pismo Beach, but we got our fix with Al Pho! Once you enter the restaurant, you order at the counter, grab a ticket, and then locate a table. There were about 6-7 (!!!) tables with bar top seating as well. Thumbs up from my 4-year old daughter who said, "Mmmm...the soup is yummy!" Wifey got the rice plate with pork chop, while I ordered a large bowl of pho for myself. Suffice to say, all cravings were satisfied! read more

Spring rolls, chicken salad, pork vermicelli and pho were all super tasty. I especially enjoyed the pho dac biet and it's fixings. Bowl was large with a good amount of beef, brisket, meatballs and noodles. Came with fresh sprouts, basil and lemon. Hearty! Spring rolls were also excellent. Can't wait to enjoy more items. read more

We really liked AL Pho! We were staying at the Best Western Plus in Santa Maria and were looking for something inexpensive, filling, and delicious for dinner. We felt like having pho, and this place was less than 10 minutes from where we were staying. It's a small, casual little spot where you order at the counter. Service was incredibly fast, and there's also counter seating if you want to eat there. They had Thai tea, sodas and other beverages, hot tea, beer, spring rolls, and other options. I ordered a Blue Moon, and we both ordered the Pho Special. The pho was excellent! The broth was flavorful, and the large bowl was HUGE--especially for only $17.99. It came with the traditional sides of bean sprouts, jalapeños, cilantro, and basil, plus all the usual pho condiments. We couldn't finish everything, so we took the rest with us, and it was just as good the next day. The two of us ate for around $50, which was a great value considering how much food we got. If you're staying in Santa Maria and want something casual, affordable, filling, and really good, I would definitely recommend AL Pho. read more

Last Week I found This location is so convenient for a quick bowl of Pho soup after my Mission Hope visit. I usually get the sliced beef to go but today I'm getting the Ox Tai and staying to enjoy my lunch in the small but quaint dining room. The Ox tail soup was so delicious especially when you add the fresh basil, cilantro and bean sprouts. I love jalapeños for that touch of sweet kick. I gave a two star rating because you are not allowed to sit in the dining room until after you stand in line to place your order. There are no signs telling you this but I'm there with today with my daughter. We both have leg injuries so I find a seat at the bar so the standing around waiting is reduced. I'm confronted by three different employees who tell me to leave. Ok, I'm out!! That kind of attitude doesn't deserve my business. I'm really disappointed and shocked at the rudeness. read more

AL PHO - The dining room at Al Pho. Nice atmosphere! - Vietnamese Near Me - Santa Maria, California

5 out of 5 No joke. No exaggeration No nonsense If Al Pho was a major league pitcher, the player would be a "monster" with multiple pitches to keep you off balance. The fastball is the PHO. Fire. The COMBO plates are the splitter. So nasty and good. Then you have the VERMICELLI bowls. These are the Change Ups. Deadly. The service is consistently good. This place is small. They need a bigger place but everyone gets served. No complaints here Tucked right next to the 101, off of Main St, next to the new Starbucks...AL PHO is the All STAR here in town. Get here and face the heat. read more

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Best pho in Santa Maria! We ordered take out and it was ready in 10 minutes on a Sunday. Inside looked busy and great atmosphere with satisfied locals, next time we will dine in but I was impressed with all the correct orders and fixings for each order. read more

AL PHO - Ghost Pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Santa Maria, California

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Super unsanitary that you have your employees eat at your expo table . They did not even wash their hand while handling food . I turned away and did not eat . It was super gross . Just letting you know your employees are not trained well on food safety . You can have someone get sick. read more

I will give you zero stars. The food is nasty. It's water down. The foam is white is not supposed to be white no flavor their chili they make you charge extra for nasty. Nothing's good waste of money. You have to pay first before you go into the restaurant that's the reason you know why cause the phoebe is nasty. It's white and they want to call it. A fob is nothing has to do with fault and all the people who are writing good reviews about this restaurant. They never had the real thing they don't know what the difference of good and nasty. read more

This is a Vietnamese food restaurant recommended by a friend. We tried the #1 Pho Dac Biet pho, the ALPho wings, and the #8 Al-Pho Combination Plate. The wings were very tasty. And we liked the combo plate the best. The short rib was delicious. A small reminder, don't take the table unless they tell you to; otherwise, you will get yelled at by the boss lady. Also, this restaurant is very popular so be prepared for a long line to get your meal and a table. read more

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The reviews were good so we drove 20+ minutes because we were craving pho. Their menu was very limited and since they specialized in pho we thought it would be good. They didn't have viet coffee that was on the menu (3pm at the time we went) and every condiment was an upcharge. For those that like chili oil they don't have that. Anyways the pho was mediocre and too light and didn't satisfy my pho craving and had a hard time even finishing half the bowl. I was hoping for a more rich umami broth with rich fats. This broth seemed so strained and diluted it might as well have been slightly scented water. Do not recommend. Staff was simple and direct. No other interactions after food was served. read more

Probably the best Pho on the central coast. Eating onsite is preferred, but the takeaway Pho travels really well and they give you a nice setup. The ghost pepper oil really makes it pop. read more

I actually went to a deli but they closed at 4. It was a cold day so the pho place was close by and had good reviews. I ordered rare steak pho and Thai ice tea. You order it before sitting down but they bring it to your table. They serve very fast. You can order the steak rare or well cooked. I did rare (which is raw) cuz the soup cooks it. The broth was very tasty and the noodles were easy to separate. The tea wasn't as good as ones I've had before. But the pho was good. read more

AL PHO - Rare beef pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Santa Maria, California

One of the best Pho I have had, including pho in Vietnam! Seriously! It's been 2 years since we've been coming here at least once or twice a month, how have I not left this place a review yet! My go to every time is the oxtail pho if they haven't sold out of it yet. It still puzzles me how a pho place can ever sell out of pho. Having worked at a pho restaurant as my very first job, we always had at least 2 giant pots of pho, 1 to serve that day, and 1 in the fridge reserve for the next. Regardless, now I just make sure I call every time we come here after 7pm lol. It's a fairly small restaurant, with only 6 or so tables, and about 6-8 bar stools. Good thing, service is fast and you usually don't have to wait long for a table. When you first enter the restaurant, place your order at the counter, then pick your own table and wait for your food to be brought out. The only down side about this place is how stingy they are with the veggies. They give 1 portion bean sprout for 2 soup. Depends on who your waitress is, they might or might not charge you extra for more bean sprout. So now I just bring my own bean sprout and basil lol. Great pho, decent service, not too expensive to be 1 of the only 2 Viet restaurants in the area. If you're looking for good pho, this is it! read more

This bowl warms your heart. So good. Must add all toppings in my opinion. The pho is flavorful and amazing.

The food was so good...I had to take the rest home to eat it again. Our wait person was very helpful and professional. The place got packed quickly. Altogether, I invite you to a dining experience. read more

While car shopping in Santa Maria I decided to try this Vietnamese restaurant based on the 4+star reviews and I am glad I did. You have to order before being seated and there were many customers Ordering take-out (it was lunch time) which was a good sign. I Ordered the Vernicelli with shrimp- it was plentiful and delicious. They also serve other variations of the Vermicelli dishes as well as Pho Variations which I will try during another visit. Note: the parking situation is difficult since it's right off US 101 and there's always traffic blocking the entrance to the parking lot if you are heading Wedt. read more

The price for a pho is almost $20 (19 USD). The bowl is small, and they serve four pieces of meat and very few noodles. For $19 USD, it's not worth it; very expensive and very little food. I don't recommend it. read more

As someone who ate pho religiously every week, this will never compare to my mom's cooking. However, I know Santa Maria does not have much Vietnamese food so I am keeping that in mind. A few of my Bay Area native friends have told me this was the better spot to go to in SM. I have yet to try the other one to really compare which is better but I trusted their advice. I always get a pho tai no matter what. I honestly forgot how restaurant pho is suppose to taste but from my recent pho tastings at restaurants, Al Pho has a very light pho broth. It is light to the point that you might mistaken it is watery but it's simply light in flavor. What made me gave a 3/5 star is ultimately the uneven noodle to meat ratio I had. On top of adding my condiments and veggies, I felt that I had so much noodles leftover when I was reaching to be full. This wouldn't really justify the price I paid for but if we look at it at the menu perspective, it is technically fairly priced. Service wise, you order up front before you sit down which I prefer because I always eat with people. The vibes are pretty casual. My friend ordered their Vietnamese coffee and it looked so good. I would genuinely come back for the drinks and if I am really craving for pho, then I'd go back again. Overall, it's good for Santa Maria! read more

AL PHO - #2 Pho Tai - Vietnamese Near Me - Santa Maria, California

My wife and I I loved this place. Best oxtail pho I've ever had. The meat falls off the bone. Perfectly cooked. Their shrimp spring rolls were incredible. Staff were friendly and brought our food in a timely manner. Well decorated read more

First time here and I ordered the chicken pho (pho ga) and the vermicelli noodles with pork to go and a Thai iced tea. The soup was very flavorful. Delicious broth and plenty of veggies. The only downside I would say was that there was hardly any chicken in mine. Not sure if it was a one time mistake but basically just noodles. The Thai iced tea was perfect! Wish I got more. The vermicelli was good as well but there was a LOT of lettuce. The service was mediocre. The girls there seemed more interested in speaking with each other than helping guests. Other than that I would definitely recommend. The food is good and it's nice that there's a Vietnamese restaurant so close! read more

AL PHO - Pho ga - Vietnamese Near Me - Santa Maria, California

Great pho and really good Thai tea. I usually get it to go but when I do eat there the seating is nice and the service is fast.

Met VN Cuisine when I hosted a family so many years ago! Al Pho has Quality food, plenty of it, prices reasonable!!

The Family owners has always been great and kind, they don't need this review, but they have always been reliable and good food. Never stingy with the utensils and sauces. I highly recommend here read more

Al Pho is one of our favorite places in SM. The food is always delicious and the service is great. We especially love that they offer some vegan options (fresh spring rolls, vegan pho and vegan vermicelli bowl). Our only reason for not giving 5 stars is that they are consistently out of vegan pho, even early in the evening (5:30ish). The last 4 times we've visited for dinner recently, vegan pho has been sold out. If this always happens, I wish they would increase the quantity made each day. It sounds like it's a popular dish; it doesn't make sense to always run out so early. We don't visit as often because we can't get the vegan pho. Hopefully, they consider making a change so it's more readily available. read more

Amazing authentic pho! Order before you sit. They have a self-serve water station. Their ghost chili pepper is very spicy and creeps up on you, add with caution. read more

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For somewhere that is always busy means not just me thinks this place is good. Oxtail Pho with Ghost Pepper is my choice here read more

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Food was decent however for two people and two bowls of Pho, and a small appetizer, our total came out to just $60. I felt this was too outrageously high for what we ordered. read more