Ok so I was originally nervous to try this place because it doesn't have the best rating. However, I ended up coming here and got their beef special pho with laksa soup. Sounds like a bizarre combo - trust me I was super skeptical at first as well. ANYWAYS, I was completely wrong. It was ssooooo delicious! Will definitely be back to GT for more! read more

I've been to this pho restaurant many times as it is close to campus, and is decently priced. I've never had any serious problems with the food here, though I can also see why the ratings are low. I would say that the restaurant is a bit outdated looking, but I think it feels more authentic that way. It also seems to be family-owned, as it has been the same woman, or man taking my orders. In terms of pho, I've only ever ordered one of two types: the house special, or the bun bo hue (the one in the picture). Both are tasty in my opinion, it just depends on whether or not I want spicy food that day. I do have to say that the soup is quite salty. I haven't tried other items on their menu as it seems more pricier, so I don't have much else to comment on the food. On a side note, I think I saw a mouse run across the hallway once. read more

Gold Train Express - Vietnamese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

I got the tripe and flank pho! Pretty good for the price - $14.25 for a large! The broth was so rich and noodles cooked to perfection. will definitely go again read more

I've been sick for over 3 days because I ate here. Waitress is a b*tch. Place is freezing. And just in case you didn't read it, I have food poisoning. And they yelled at me when I told them about it. Wish I could give minus 10 stars but I can't read more

Came here based on the reviews and it was close to UBC, where my daughter lives. The positive reviews are so WRONG!! Placed our order and our 2 bowls of pho came first. First thing out of my daughters mouth is that it smells like msg. My first thought was the broth is murky. I lifted up the noodles and I could tell they were extremely mushy and over cooked. I told the waitress and she said that's how they make it ? I told her I like mine chewy. She said I should have that that before o ordered. I took I bite of the rare beef and immediately spit it out! It was chewy and had a freezer burnt taste. The broth wasn't even hot even to cook the beef all the way through. The entire thing was gross and completely inedible! I took out all the noodles and put them on a plate and I set the beef aside for my dogs. The chicken and spring rolls came. The rolls were alright with hardly any filling. I make better myself. The chicken was not seasoned and a very very small portion for almost $15.00. The portion was a deboned chicken thigh...THATS it and a small spring roll. I told the waitress that this was the worst pho I have ever had and the meat was inedible. Her response was "THATS your opinion". Well here it is folks "my opinion" on the worst pho restaurant EVER!!! I thought the worst pho restaurant was Pho Century in Burnaby. This restaurant beats it...why? My daughter said at least Pho Century's broth was hot enough to cook the beef. Just imagine all the peoples left over noodles and broth, combine all the left overs and put that in the bowl they served me. A bowl of white murky msg broth and over cooked mushy noodles. I'm completely disgusted, saddened, disappointed that this place exist....it literally should not be open for business. My daughter felt so sick afterwards, and ask if we could sue for food poising, she didn't feel well the entire evening. I felt fine...illness wise, because I hardly ate anything. I do feel sick to my stomach for paying good money for shitty inedible food! I swear on my life...THIS IS THE WORST PHO RESTAURANT EVER!!!!!!! After spending $50 here for disgusting food, we went to get fresh piping hot Jamaican Patties at The Patty Shop, that were absolutely delicious. I warn you DO NOT EAT HERE!!!! read more

There are three Vietnamese restaurants near our house (the others being Pure Delight Cafe and Pho Japolo), and we've been trying and comparing them. Gold Train Express has the best spring rolls, but that's the only thing about this place that's better than the other two. The food was just OK, but the portions were *really* small. We had two spring rolls and two vermicelli bowls, and we both left hungry because the bowls has just a tiny amount of noodles in them. And of us is a tiny female who is a small eater. There was seriously just a few bites of noodles in each bowl, which is odd since noodles are so extraordinarily cheap, so why would they serve such small portions? The toilets in both bathrooms were broken and constantly flushing, and there was no soap in the men's bathroom (I had to get some from the women's). The dining room has been repainted recently, but is open and echoey. Since were the only couple among 5 or 6 tables with solo diners, it made for an awkward and eerily silent meal. Add to all this that it's cash only, and it's unclear why we would ever dine in again at Gold Train Express when Pure Delight Cafe and Pho Japolo are far better in essentially all ways, and are just down the road. Actually, we'll try takeout from Gold Train, however, since it's closer to our house and we actually have to drive past it to get to the others. read more

This is our regular, close to home pho place. I almost always order the #20, it's a bowl of broth with wontons and veggies. I have it with rice noodles, you do have your options of 3 noodles. The place is usually always busy! The service is fast. It's cheap and cheerful, just remember to bring cash as that's all they take. read more

Gold Train Express - #20 with rice noodles - Vietnamese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Not going to lie this place looks sketchy and I didn't want to go in despite my friend saying it was delicious. But it was surprisingly solid and the food to price ratio was spot on. I had the pork and chicken rice plate and a beef sandwich. Neither were anything crazy but they tasted good and got the job done. read more

Gold Train Express - Vietnamese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

I'm from SF and fairly picky about Pho and really enjoyed this place! Can only speak on the rare steak pho -- it was great! read more

Gold Train Express - Vietnamese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Nice pho place right next to school (UBC)! The staff was friendly and the food was good. Though, compared to other pho places I've gone to, the portions are smaller for the same-ish price. Still enjoyed my visit here! read more

A part of the Gold Train Express chain, this Vietnamese Pho shop (I can't get myself to say "Pho" properly due to my self-consciousness in the huge potential that I would spit while attempting to do so) is located in the right place for poor students to go for a huge bowl of pho at a decent price. Different toppings are available with the pho noodles (mostly beef, beef tendon, tripe and such). Other choices of noodles are available if pho isn't your thing: There's vermicelli and the wonton egg noodles. Comes in 3 different sizes: Regular, Large and X-Large. X-Large guarantees an average, starving, big appetite student a full stomach for at least the next 4-5 hours at a price of approximately $9, not to mention the signature beef burp smell. Regular size is good for the average female, just to give you an idea priced at approximately $5. If you don't like pho, try the other Vietnamese-style rice dishes and appetizers. Honestly, I'm only here for the pho (which I believe is the most worth it item on the menu due to price and quantity), all the other things on the menu I wouldn't vouch for, but my friends have tried and are ok by standards. Tea is a given. The cleanliness of the establishment is questionable, but what student would mind when there is the prospect of a full stomach for under $12? By having a cylindrical container full of chopsticks and another for the spoons and sauce dishes so that the customer can choose whichever utensils they need to their little hearts' desire, really captures how it is at street-side noodle shops in Asia. Warning: Not a place for the weak-stomached or the over-obsessed clean freaks. read more

Do you want good food in a scary looking restaurant or bad food in a beautiful restaurant? If you want good food then keep reading: Street appeal - 3 out of 10 Inside first impression - 3 out of 10 Service / seating to table - 8 out of 10 Time to place order - 10 out of 10 Time to bring order to table - 9 out of 10 Mens bathroom - -5 out of 10 TVs held to the ceiling by wire - -3 out of 10 Kitchen appearance - 0 out of 10 Proudly displaying certificate of vermin control from Orkin - not sure if this is plus or minus Soup taste - 7 out of 10 Noodle texture - 8 out of 10 Beef taste - 10 out of 10 Beef texture - 8 out of 10 Quantity of beef - 9 out of 10 Quantity of noodles - 8 out of 10 read more

Super disappointed with this place since my friend had many good things to say about this. Ordered the house special with lemon grass chicken on the side. The meat ratio was just sad. It had 2 of the smallest beef slices, 2 beef balls and 1 small piece of tripe. Soup was very msg based and meh (nothing special). Would not come back, there are way better pho places with better meat ratios and prices. read more

This place has so many names it took me forever to find out what they are officially called. The restaurant has like five names on the outside. There is "Golden train express," and "Thai, spicey, Vietnamese," and Yelp calls it "Gold train express," so whatever you call it, I call it yummy. I used to go here once a week during the winter while at UBC, it's cheap, fast and fresh and even though they only have a couple veg. friendly options, they are all delish. Unfortunately, I feel like this place has gone downhill over time, but maybe it was just me eating there too much. read more

This place is the bomb!!! i love all their food here, whether it's the hot noodle soup, or the cold vermicelli - everything is good here. Their hot soup is really tasty, and I don't sense any MSG coz I don't get super thirsty after... and their cold vermicelli selection is delicious, and i like how it comes with one spring roll... my personal favourites... #14 in the winter, and #70 in the summer... one thing about this place though, it can be cleaner for sure... but for the food, it's definitely as good as it gets... read more

My go to pho place! Their spring rolls are unlike anyone else's in the city. Staff are always polite and orders are quick for takeout. Recommended. read more

This is a hole in the wall Vietnamese place and I didn't have high hopes. I just needed something that would respectably fill me up. I came here and got a beef sub that had a good ratio of veggies, beef and bread at a very reasonable price. I was happy with my sandwich which was average. Customer service was good. read more

I have been to this place a few times in the past as it is close to where my parents live, but not since I become pho obsessed in the last year or two. I couldn't remember if it was good or bad, but wasn't expecting too much considering the decor. I don't think I have seen a place that cares less about interior decor. Most of the decor is left over from when this place was a greek restaurant and what is left is peeling, old and of course extremely outdated. Nevertheless, it doesn't look dirty and I know that my brother eats there regularly. I ordered my usual (rare beef) and was surprised when it came. The beef tasted really fresh and the broth was nice and tasty. I was disappointed that they didn't have the chilli oil, but they of course had the hot sauce. It was only $5.50 for a small bowl, which was the perfect size for me. For that price along with the fresh taste, you won't find better in this area. read more

Ive loved this little pho place since my days as a UBC student. This place gets pretty packed during lunch on school days being the only good pho place in the area. The decor is sub-par, but the food make up for everything. I would recommending trying their spicy soup. One of the best of all pho places. Tried all the other Golden Trains. This one is best by far. read more

Indeed this place is the bomb. "Thai Spicy!" Favourite place for pho in all of Vancouver. Something about a combination of good broth, perfectly chewy noodles, toppings and lime (yes, they use give lime not lemon) makes it a stellar place to go for soup on a wet rainy day, which is every other day. I will devour the large sized bowl in no time and leave only with $8 out of my pocket. Has anyone been able to count out how many TVs in total are mounted? It's a fun game next time if you happen to visit. read more

Awesome spot for lunch when I am in the area, highly recommended! I visit this spot frequently and have no complaints, the pho is hearty and tasty. read more

Great place to go to if you want to order X-large pho bowls that is filling enough to satisfy your hunger. I am always left still hungry after eating "Large" portions at other Viet restaurants. One time I heard people working there talk about being amazing at how a petite looking girl like me could devour all that food alone. I came here two year ago, so I can't say if it is still the same. Prices were great here though and it was open long hours. read more

I live in California, but my husband's family lives in Vancouver and I'll tell you this....I can't wait for family trips just so I can go here for spicy pho. I have never had pho that was even remotely close to as good as this one is. The spicy one has a special broth that is to die for. The place is run down and not fancy at all, but the pho is exceptional. I go every time I'm in Vancouver!!! read more

The server was really rude in this restaurant. I went for a dinner and ended up arguing with the server. The server was pointing at me constantly with his fingers and yelling at us. He was being extremely rude and aggressive. I went out to dine with my two girlfriends and the guy was shouting at all of us. DO NOT GO TO THIS RESTAURANT! Unless u want a crappy day. read more

My girlfriend likes the food, I think it's okay. Their spring rolls are kinda weak. My girlfriend ordered pho noodle soup and she liked it. I didn't order soup but I remember I ordered a vermicelli dish and it was on a plate and swimming in water. My biggest problem is with the cleanliness of the place. It's really dusty and the bathrooms are out of a horror movie. All the televisions are strange too. However, the price is cheap and you get a lot. read more

I've been here a few times. I think it's the same guys that run the place on Kingsway. That one is open 24/7 and much closer to my house. Usually just the the large pho tai for, can't really go wrong with that one. Occasionally the food quality could be sub-par, but 90% of the time it is to my standard. Noodles are nice, but not sure that they are made in house. Beef is usually of good to fair quality. Have also tried the different plates that they offer, but honestly my recommendation is that you should almost always get pho at a pho place. Overall I recommend this place. read more

thee place for Vietnamese noodle soup for UBC students. decor inside borders on "dive" territory, but it's clean enough. It has multiple old CRT TVs around giving it a sort of kitchy-ness. Fast service and good food. Spring rolls here among my favourites in the city. still wondering if they use msg though. read more

Extremely poor service. Price is reasonable. Walked in today at around 11am. No greets and just odd stares from the kitchen. A man was doing the cooking+serving all by himself, but didn't seat us or give us the menu/water. Grabbed the menus ourselves and ordered when he eventually came by with the water. As we were the only ones, there were dead silences. Ordered grilled chicken+spring roll vermicelli and lemongrass chicken with fried rice and egg. Only thing I could hear is microwaves running, no sound of cooking on the stove. Food was prepped and served in minutes after ordering- Not sure how I feel about that. read more

Pretty good, cheap and fast service. Weird interior with a fish tank, several TV's and last time we visited it had an interior tarp for a roof leak. That adds character I guess. Cash only but almost every bank just is down the road. I recommend the Avocado milkshake. Also it's nice to get a slice of orange and a fortune cookie at the end. If you share a large or extra large they will bring you little bowls. read more

I love Vietnamese food and the food has been ok, I went there mostly because it was close to my place. I had come often, but I will come no more. The young male server is unacceptably rude. I have always tried my best to be respectful toward servers because I am quite sensitive to others' feelings, and myself worked as a server before, too. That young male server had always been impatient, somehow aggressive, and mumbling. I always had a bit trouble hearing what he was mumbling. I thought that he might be just low on energy or whatever, though I did almost always feel a bit stressed when he was serving me. Today, more mumbling. And when I focussed on eating, I felt like he was somehow harassing me, because when he picked up the menu for another customer he fanned the air so hard that I felt assaulted. Because I did not see his action, however, I thought that I might be just thinking ridiculous. After all, I don't feel like I had given him any reasons to be hostile to me. Finally, when I was paying the bill, he refused to let me pay. I stood in front of the front desk, and he was eating his rice noodles. He saw me and he pretended he did not. Because today he did help other customers when eating, I said "excuse me...". I was going to finish my sentence with "could you please...", when he interjected with more mumbling that sounded like : "can't you see that I'm eating?" And then he resumed eating with an arrogant face. I would have despised myself terribly if I ever treated my customer like that. So I called the older guy--whom I can't complain about-- from the kitchen to take my money. This was the first time during my 6 years' stay in Canada to leave virtually no tip when eating in. IT WAS OUTRAGEOUS. I kept reflecting on what I had done wrong to make that server such, until I read others' posts here. This is the first time I feel so obliged to warn others about a restaurant. BE WARNED. read more

My best friend and I stumbled upon this shop after a few unsuccessful attempts to go to other restaurants that were all closed. It definitely wouldn't have been our first choice, but it was almost 10:30PM and we were pretty desperate. We weren't sure if they were open so we made sure to ask. The guy working assured us that they were and told us to pick a table. The prices were decent for pho. The quality of food was not. I ordered the wonton soup. The broth was a little on the salty side, the wontons had all fallen apart, and the egg noodles were mediocre. I was ready to gnaw my arm off from hunger, so I wolfed the food down anyway. One of the waitresses came by and dropped off our check fairly quickly. It took them longer to serve us the food than it took for her to give us the check. I paid the check, leaving a 20% tip, and continued eating because I had barely made a dent in my food. At 10:58pm, the waiter came by to tell us "we close at 11, so can you just hurry up?" We were still clearly in the process of finishing our food, but we were doing our best to finish quickly. About 5 seconds after he had walked back to he kitchen, the waitress that had dropped off the check came out and gave us a pointed look. Now feeling highly uncomfortable, I started to scarf my food down. The two employees then proceeded to stand by the door with their bags, making it very obvious that we, the paying customers, were inconveniencing them. I wasn't expecting anything spectacular walking into the shop, but considering we did ask if they were still open for customers, and we did tip them decently, I feel like the rude treatment was not only unwarranted, but unacceptable. Sure, the price is cheap, but in my opinion, I'd rather get a cheap meal at McDonald's and be spared the frankly crap decor and service. The one star is because my friend seemed to enjoy her beef noodle soup...and because yelp won't let me give zero stars. read more

So good and very delicious authentic pho and other soups. Makes me feel like I was back in Thailand.

Super good hole-in-the-wall Pho Noodle House. Good, cheap and delicious. Service was prompt and polite. The broth was fantastic. Not much for ambiance but that's not what you're looking for generally in this type of place. Great to share with friends. read more

I came in for a quick dinner after I finished my exam at 8:30pm, we were seated really quickly and to my surprise from previous reviews, the restaurant was a lot cleaner than I'd expected. I was surprised to see small, large and extra large as choices for pho noodles so I picked small since I usually order that size elsewhere. However to my disappointment, their small is much smaller than smalls in other places, and their large size is more like a small that I'd normally have. For $6.50 for a small pho that isn't even enough for someone with an average appetite is not quite what I'd expect. But their noodles and soup base are above average than your typical pho restaurants, since their noodles didn't stick together and the soup base isn't overly salty. A down side for me is that they only accept cash. read more

I came here to for a small bite to eat. Ordered the House Special in XL, because I'm a big eater. This place meets my standards for pho in Vancouver. The broth had a nice hearty taste to it and the meat was decent. I felt like they threw in a lot more noodles compared to their meats to make their dish "X-Large". The bean sprouts and lime are fresh so that is a plus. Despite the sub-par looks of the place, they make up with it by delivering exactly what you expect from a pho restaurant. Next time around I might try the Viet coffee and update you on it. As of right now they're on my map of 'places to eat', but not necessarily my first choice on the list. Going here, you get what you pay for. read more

Good food, great value, no ambience, cash only. Nothing more to be said, really. Try the Vietnamese-style coffee: dripped over sweetened condensed milk, with or without ice. read more

New ownership? This place WAS decent Pho place. Low price. Lots of amount. It has been almost two years since our last visit. Today our first impression was that it is cleaner and price was much higher than before. So no more a cheap place. We ordered seafood Pho and vermicelli which were our favorite. The seafood Pho used to have lots of seafood with nice soup. But, today the seafood Pho looks quite different from before. It was just salt and MSG with low quality fish cakes and just 4 shrimps, no other seafood. XL($10) Pho had just XL amount soup(water with salt & MSG, no flavor), not XL noodle, meat or veggie. I ate all except soup but still more than 80 percent of bowl was filled with soup. The $10 vermicelli also had only scanty of noodle. The pork was too salty. Right after dine I had headaches and stomach cramps. I feel very thirsty even though I didn't drink any soup. This place ruined our Saturday. Do not recommend. read more

My favourite pho in the city! The food is consistently good, and the servings are HUGE, I usually buy an extra large and bring home enough leftovers for two extra meals, all for ten bucks! The staff is really nice and the service is super quick. Best lemongrass pork chops in the city, and the spring rolls and coconut shakes are to die for, but everything on the menu is good (except the vietnamese ham in noodles)! read more

Food was good, but service was terrible. They only accept cash. The server was rude, gets annoyed easily and unfriendly.

Ordered a soup, sat back to wait, spotted a grey furry creature scuttling along the floor, cancelled my order, and ran!