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    First Cool Pho

    4.9 (19 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 7:00 PM
    Updated 2 weeks ago

    First Cool Pho Photos

    FIRST COOL PHO ATMOSPHERE

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    Pork shrimp and egg roll combo
    Gerald D.

    Cute little place. Great Vietnamese food compared to other places I've tried in the east bay. Adorable very kind owner. They deserve more customers!

    More menu pictures
    Serra S.

    Small Mom and Pop hole in the wall Vietnamese kitchen. Reasonably priced, fresh to order, and no frills home cooked made with love by a Vietnamese Grand mother. The flavors of the homemade Pho chicken broth with a hint of 5 spice is enough to make the angels weep.

    Front of the restaurant
    Eric D.

    Walked in to the old Domino's Pizza which is now the first take out Pho I've ever been to. Dine in is not an option so call ahead or hang out and wait. Our order took 15 minutes for 2 orders of pho and spring rolls. Once I got home added all of the ingredients into a large bowl it was pretty good. The only thing it was missing was sprouts which I dont like anyways. I was surprised that I didnt need to heat up the soup it was perfect temp. Fried prawns spring roll was excellent. Bottom line the price was very affordable and the food was great. If u like a lot of the greens and peppers you might want to ask for extra and make sure you had the sauces when putting your bowl together at home.

    Egg rolls and pho

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    4 months ago

    Helpful 2
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    4 months ago

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    6 months ago

    Helpful 3
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    Photo of Willy S.
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    14 days ago

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    Lily P.

    Helpful 2
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    17 days ago

    Helpful 0
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    Photo of Gerald D.
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    2 months ago

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    Lily P.

    Thank you so much for your review, hope to see you back soon

    Helpful 0
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    4 months ago

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    Lily P.

    Thank you so much for your review and sorry for late response.

    Helpful 2
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    Photo of Eric D.
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    7 months ago

    Helpful 1
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    3 months ago

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    Lily P.

    Thank you so much for your review!

    Helpful 1
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    Photo of Troy H.
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    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
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    4 months ago

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    Lily P.

    Helpful 1
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    3 months ago

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    Lily P.

    Thank you so much for your wonderful review, hope to see you soon!

    Helpful 1
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    4 months ago

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    Lily P.

    Thank you so much for your review, finally we can say thank to you.

    Helpful 1
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    5 months ago

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    Lily P.

    Thank you very much

    Helpful 1
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    3 months ago

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    Lily P.

    Thank you so much for your review. It means a lot to us.

    Helpful 1
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    5 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    Lily P.

    Thanks so much for your review.

    Helpful 1
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    4 months ago

    Yummy, affordable pho. Service is quick and simple. Will be coming again. Got the number 8 and the quality of the beef is very good.

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    6 months ago

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    Ask the Community - First Cool Pho

    Review Highlights - First Cool Pho

    Steve is the chef and in his early seventies, he's a very experienced traditional Vietnamese chef.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

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    Sala Thai

    Sala Thai

    3.9
    (542 reviews)
    2.4 mi
    $$

    I love this place the food and the service is amazing! I…read morecame here for the first time And the service has very good. There is lots of choice.

    One of the best Thai restaurants hands and knees down…read more This place consistently delivers some of the best Thai food around, and it never disappoints. Every single dish is amazing, and even though I've developed my go-to staples, there's always something new worth trying. Favorites include the sum woo sen (clear bean thread noodle salad) and the stir-fried eggplant, but honestly, there are so many standout dishes that it's hard to narrow it down. Beyond the food, what really makes this restaurant special is the people behind it. The owner is incredibly friendly, humble, and clearly works nonstop day and night to make sure everything is just right. His wife, the chef, consistently turns out flavorful, thoughtful dishes that you can tell are made with care and pride. They're also very clean and did I say friendly? They make you feel like family or a friend. I also work for a company that regularly orders from here, and we're far from the only ones. Large companies like Chevron, Bio-Rad, Kaiser, and many others frequently order as well. Even more impressive, although the restaurant is located in Richmond, companies in Daly City and other cities 20+ miles away go out of their way to order from here. That alone says a lot. This is a small, lovely Thai restaurant that is truly doing its thing by earning loyal customers, making waves well beyond its neighborhood, and absolutely deserving of the praise it gets. Highly recommended. David and wife, you guys rock! The food, service and friendliness totally satisfies every single time.

    Photos
    Sala Thai
    BEEF NOODLE SOUP
    BEEF NOODLE SOUP
    ROASTED DUCK SOUP & PAPAYA SALAD

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    ROASTED DUCK SOUP & PAPAYA SALAD
    Sue's Kitchen

    Sue's Kitchen

    4.4
    (913 reviews)
    0.0 mi
    $$

    Hidden gem in El Sobrante that serves up some of the best Laotian and Thai food in the Bay Area…read more Every time we visit, must-orders are the Nam Khao (crispy rice ball salad with fermented pork sausage and fresh herbs) and Ka Soy (Laotian noodle soup). If you see Nam Khao on the menu of a Laotian/Thai restaurant, that means they know what they are doing just because it's so labor-intensive to make a salad(!) and the fermented pork has to be damn-near perfect for this salad to really shine and round out the fresh herbs and seasonings which includes lime juice, vinegar, and fish sauce. Ka Soy (the noodle soup) is a comfort food enjoyed in Southeast Asia. It's not the Thai-style where it's a curry broth and the noodles are fried, so let's not get it mixed up. Instead, it's bone broth that been simmered for hours and it's somewhat a lighter broth. The noodles are wide rice noodles in a big bowl of hot broth served with a mixture of ground pork cooked down with tomatoes along with fresh bean sprouts, scallions, and cilantro - simply a divine noodle soup that a must-try. It's not overly complex in terms of flavor, but it's a bowl of good ol' noodle soup that is comforting and great-tasting. If you haven't tried Laotian food, give Sue's Kitchen a try. try some new flavors and you may just become a regular (if you aren't already). The owners are friendly too! It's a husband-and-wife team!

    We had another lovely meal at Sues. Fresh appetizers, warm savory soup and bbq pork. In all very…read moredelicious

    Photos
    Restaurant and Specials Board
    Restaurant and Specials Board
    Yellow Curry & Jasmine Rice
    Yellow Curry & Jasmine Rice
    Veggie spring rolls

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    Veggie spring rolls
    Pho Thai Hung

    Pho Thai Hung

    3.1
    (324 reviews)
    2.9 mi
    $$

    Love the food pho is delicious wonderful service easy parking you well love everything on the menuread more

    Walked in and didn't see any staff, so I went straight to the ladies' restroom - it's tiny. Came…read moreback out... still no one. Rang the bell twice before a lady appeared and directed me to sit on the other side of the restaurant. Adventure begins. It was COLD where I sat, so I asked for a cup of hot tea -- problem solved. The menu, though? Massive. Pho, salads, Vietnamese sandwiches, porridge, vegetarian dishes, noodle soups, vermicelli bowls, rice plates, chow mein, catering options... and about 30 drinks including fruit shakes with boba. If you can't find something here, that's on you. Parking is easy since they have their own lot - always a win around here. Now, about the staff -- I mention this because credit is due. Everyone appears to be older (50+), clearly hardworking folks grinding it out to make a living, and they're genuinely nice. Don't expect much small talk in English though -- they're polite, efficient, and focused on getting things done rather than chatting, which is totally fine. Just a "here's your food, enjoy" kind of vibe. One funny (but slightly distracting) thing: there was a full-on conversation happening in the kitchen between a lady and a man, and it was loud enough that I could clearly hear it from my seat. I felt like I was unintentionally eavesdropping. Maybe turn the kitchen decibel down just a notch? Final downside: a $0.50 to-go charge and a $1.38 'merchant fee.' I find these additional charges off-putting and they give me pause about returning. On principle, I believe these are operating costs the establishment should absorb rather than fees that are passed on to the customer. Overall: extensive menu options, hardworking staff, easy parking -- but the mediocre food, extra fees and a few quirks will keep me away and keep it from being a slam dunk.

    Photos
    Empty dining area which means my pho will come soon.
    Empty dining area which means my pho will come soon.
    Bun Bo Hue,  too salty and way too spicy.
    Bun Bo Hue, too salty and way too spicy.
    $35.00 per box (which is 1lb)

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    $35.00 per box (which is 1lb)
    Applebee's Grill + Bar

    Applebee's Grill + Bar

    1.8
    (751 reviews)
    1.2 mi
    $$

    Two stars is generous. EXTREMELY generous…read more I ate there with my family (Mother, father, me & my sibling.) The waiter was rude, and very obviously did NOT want to work there. We were seated immediately which gave us hope after having bad experiences at this location prior to this certain trip. My mom's food came raw, she ordered some sort of chicken dish. Other than her food coming raw, the rest of the food was fine and tastes okay. The water was polluted and very obviously was rusty tap water, which is definitely very unsafe. Never eating there again.

    UPDATE 6/19: Came here with my wife for the drink of the month because I really wanted the cute…read more"Pool" cup out comes in. Found out they charge a $1 for you to keep it. We sat at the bar and was met by Carmen and Alejandra. They both were very pleasant. Carmen was our main waitress and she was beyond accommodating with all of our requests. She smiled through it all. My issue was with my food. I ordered a broccoli and chicken Alfredo. My wife order the bourbon chicken and shrimp. I requested my broccoli on the side and extra alfredo sauce. We waited a good amount of time for our food after our appetizer. My wife's food was nice and hot. All my food was between lukewarm and cold. I had to send it back. When it came out the 2nd time, way after my wife finished her meal, it was steaming hot. That's the way it should have been the 1st time around. Honestly it was not even packed when we placed our order. My entree was comp'd. I sent my food back three times due to it not being made as I requested. The first 2 times, it was the steak dinner. The last time it was the burger. I did not eat anything after that. The manager was very understanding. Removed the meals from the check.

    Photos
    Applebee's Grill + Bar
    Applebee's Grill + Bar
    Applebee's Grill + Bar

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    Pho 1 Express & Sandwiches

    Pho 1 Express & Sandwiches

    4.0
    (71 reviews)
    0.1 mi

    My favorite spot!! I've been to this location since the original owners, had it before the…read morepandemic. The newest owners are great! The food is great!!! I really enjoy veggie pho. I'm a regular along with many family members from different households. I really like the music they play and enjoy sometimes the TV's they display. Good customer service, I haven't seen Amy who was there months ago, she had great customer service and remembered my order each time i came in. I enjoyed it, but was told by employees she is at the Oakland one? I wasn't aware there was another location, but wish she was back. Overall great place!!

    Have eaten here a few times and food is reasonably good, but today's experience will make me not…read morereturn. TLDR: Got the wrong order and when they sent the right one, it had a fly (or roach) and hair in it. I was then argued with over the incorrect charge. 1) I ordered pho #2 and was served a rice dish #22. I corrected the server and was served pho a few minutes after my partner's food arrived. No problem - mistakes happen. 2) While putting the vegetable toppings on my pho, I noticed a long strand of hair. It was unmistakably the color of 1 staff member's hair - a dyed brown/ red. I notified the person that served me pho and he said "sorry" but did not send out new food or try to correct the situation in any way. 3) I decided to eat my pho and while drinking the broth, I saw there was a boiled fly / gnat / roach in my soup. I put it on a plate with the hair. (I'll be honest, I was so hungry I decided to eat the food anyways, but now I feel very sick...) 4) We went to pay our check and it was apparent that the listed item on the charge was the first wrong order - the rice dish that cost $2 more than my pho. The server that gave us the wrong order witnessed this exchange and did not correct the other staff member! or correct the charge for that matter! They then put a pho Large on the charge, but I was not served a Large, so still a incorrect (and overpriced) charge for a soup that had a fly/ roach boiled in it and a hair in the vegetables. I have understanding for some random issues that are inevitable mistakes like a fly or hair in my food, but to be argued with over $1 or $2 for double-y incorrect orders as we chose to PAY $50 for the food that was contaminated made me really frustrated with the experience.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Bun Bo Hue one size, Large
    Bun Bo Hue one size, Large
    Veggie eggroll

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    Veggie eggroll

    First Cool Pho - vietnamese - Updated June 2026

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