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    AL PHO

    4.3 (674 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    AL PHO Photos

    AL PHO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed
    Good for kids

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    Crispy eggrolls
    Mae L.

    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!

    Spring rolls (almost gone)
    Danelle S.

    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.

    Vincent S.

    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!

    Oxtail pho
    Angelica R.

    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!

    Dani O.

    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!!

    The dining room at Al Pho. Nice atmosphere!
    Sheryl S.

    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.

    Combination Plate
    Israel G.

    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.

    Ghost Pho
    Dominic D.

    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.

    #1 Pho Dac Biet and ALPHO wings
    Ann C.

    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.

    Rare beef pho
    James Y.

    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.

    #2 Pho Tai
    Christine F.

    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!

    Pho ga

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    2 days ago

    We need a new PHO in Santa Maria, period. This place runs out of PHO early and they don't answer the phone.

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    5 months ago

    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.

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    7 months ago

    This is one extremely friendly place and great food, too. Robert does carry himself like he genuinely enjoys his work and his customers.

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    3 months ago

    The people are always welcoming and the food is amazing never had a bad experience with them love there ghost chill oil

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    8 months ago

    Pho shouldnt be luke warm. Stingy with the beef also. This wasnt a very good experience i rather wait till i go to LA for good pho.

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    4 months ago

    Had spring rolls and chicken pho. Both were very good. I recommend them. Good atmosphere and not too busy at lunch.

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    2 years ago

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    5 months ago

    They have the best pho in town, hands down! The portions are great and very filling with plenty of garnish!

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    Page 1 of 17

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    Rancho Nipomo Deli & BBQ - Watered down nacho cheese sauce with hard straps of over cooked tri tip

    Rancho Nipomo Deli & BBQ

    4.3(973 reviews)
    3.2 mi
    $$

    If you're driving near Nipomo, you have to stop at this place. They offer a large menu of BBQ…read moreoptions, including the area‑famous tri‑tip sandwich. There's also a full bar where you can order local brews, plus a self‑serve condiment bar to customize your meal. The staff was friendly and quick to bring out our food. Seating is plentiful both indoors and outside, with umbrellas for shade. Parking is easy, with spots on the street and in the lot next door. The architecture and décor give the whole place a charming old‑Spanish feel. The food was incredible and will definitely bring us back. The Emmit BBQ Bacon Burger was our favorite. The thick bacon was cooked perfectly, and the onion ring added a great crunch. The patty was cooked medium‑well and packed with flavor. This is one of the best burgers we've ever had. The tri‑tip sandwich was also great. We loved its simplicity and the moist, tender meat with very little fat. The locally made bun really elevated it. They serve BBQ sauce on the side, which paired nicely with the tri‑tip. The 50/50 basket is huge--we didn't expect so much food, but we weren't complaining. The onion rings were excellent. This will be a must‑stop on every trip down to SoCal from now on.

    For our leisurely drive from San Diego to San Francisco, my wife had plotted several stops of…read morecities she thought would be fun places to stop to break up our almost 8 hour drive. My wife is an amazing trip planner and she chose stops in Santa Barbara, Solvang, Santa Maria, Carmel, and Monterey. I'm a foodie and once my life pahtner told me about Santa Maria being known for their style of BBQ, I was looking forward to our stop in Santa Maria and grubbing on Santa Maria style BBQ. After checking the different BBQ restaurants on Yelp and factoring in our timeline, I selected Rancho Nipomo Deli & BBQ as the joint that we would experience Santa Maria BBQ. Tri-tip BBQ is the preferred meat choice, but Rancho Nipomo's version was okay and tasty. I enjoyed their chicken BBQ chicken and their chili beans were extremely memorable. Eating inside the restaurant was a little frustrating, but the customer service from their staff was much appreciated. Rancho Nipomo is located on the 101 freeway specifically off of Exit 175 and on Cuyama Lane. It's a short distance from the exit off of the 101, so this restaurant is a convenient stop if you're pressed for time. There were other BBQ restaurants in Santa Maria, but the other restaurants didn't open until 4pm and we didn't have the luxury of waiting around. Rancho Nipomo is located across from 805 Barbecue Brand restaurant and it's diagonal from Taqueria Los Quates. There is some parking in front of the restaurant, but it's mainly street parking. Rancho Nipomo is a spacious restaurant with plenty of indoor seating and there's plenty of covered umbrella outdoor seating. We ate inside and had to battle disruptive flies, so I recommend you eat outside. I recommend that management keep their doors closed to keep these pests out. There are large screen televisions to watch sports and there was a stage where bands play music on certain days. I liked the decor inside with a mural of Mexican cowboys, the California Republic homage above the tvs, the faux Gold Rush saloon as the backdrop of the stage, the Indian statues, and the decorative old school chandelier. The young lady behind the register provided exemplary customer service, other staff I interacted with were friendly, and I love that they honor Veterans like me with a free fountain drink. Besides Santa Maria-style BBQ, Rancho Nipomo serves Mexican food that incorporates BBQ; it serves burgers, sandwiches, and hot dogs; it serves munchies; it serves salads, and you can satisfy your sweet tooth with their desserts. I honestly did not know the city of Santa Maria had their own style of BBQ, so I was really looking forward to tasting what that style of BBQ tastes like. After perusing their menu, I decided to order their Central Coast Smokin' Combo because it had two different types of meats. This combo comes with a 1/4 BBQ Chicken, 1/2 lb Smoked Tri-Tip, Spanish Rice, West Coast Chili Beans, and two flour tortillas. It was a good amount of food because I had part of my chicken and tri-tip as leftovers, which was a yummy late night snack on our trip. I was looking forward to eating the tri-tip, but even though it ate well with the tortillas, I thought it was dry and underwhelming. The highlights for me were the chicken, the chili beans, and the rice. The chicken was cooked perfectly, it was tender, seasoned really well, and it tasted great by itself or in a tortilla. The chili beans were mind blowing, savory, addicting, and I wished there was more. Combining either BBQ meat with the chili beans and rice inside a tortilla made for a delectable bite. Make sure to grab all of their complimentary salsas to add some spice to your BBQ. My wife ordered The Cali Cheese Steak Sandwich, which comes with smoked tri-tip ends, Monterey Jack cheese, bell peppers, and grilled onion all encompassed in a fresh toasted Telera bun. Sincerely, one of the best cheese steak sandwiches I've ever eaten and I didn't eat it until I had it as a late night snack. We also ordered their fries, which were seasoned and delicious. Rancho Nipomo Deli & BBQ is a must visit if you want to indulge in Santa Maria-style BBQ. Their tri-tip was okay, but I highly recommend their BBQ chicken and their West Coast chili beans. If you're planning to order a sandwich, a Must Order is their Cali Cheese Steak sandwich.

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    Rancho Nipomo Deli & BBQ
    Rancho Nipomo Deli & BBQ - Brisket sandwich

    Brisket sandwich

    Rancho Nipomo Deli & BBQ - Catering Set Up

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    Catering Set Up

    AL PHO - vietnamese - Updated May 2026

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