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    Happy Pho

    4.1 (266 reviews)
    InexpensiveVietnamese, Soup
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

    Order Happy Pho Takeout or Delivery

    Happy Pho Photos

    Business Info

    HAPPY PHO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Happy Pho

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    Rare Steak Beef, Brisket, and Tendon Pho
    Jay W.

    Nice little spot in Costa Mesa. It gives you a nice little home feel. The service is great. Our server was super attentive. I wish they didn't run out of bun xeo. The grilled pork spring roll was pretty good. Just remember that on the menu they showed a picture of three burning reality you get two. It wasn't anything that wow me but it was not too bad. I give this a solid 3.4/5. My bowl is the brisket, steak, and tendon pho. The broth was amazing. They stack you with lots of meat and less noodles. Most pho places give you more noodles and hardly any meat. I was super happy. I give this bowl an overall 4.9/5. My kids got the chicken pho and they usually have leftovers but they devoured it. The bowl portions are huge so you will not leave the restaurant hungry. I def recommend trying this place out.

    Chicken pho
    Mary Anne W.

    The staff was super nice, the price is a bit much, but the food was good. Good amount of noodles and meat that comes with the pho. The broth was good, nothing over powering like other places. They don't really provide kid sizes or prices for pho just a heads up. You would have to order regular size bowl for them.

    Rare Steak Beef & Brisket Pho

    Plenty of beef in the rare steak and brisket pho. In a small strip mall that could use a general makeover, but the pho space is updated inside.

    Fried shrimp, comes with fried jalapenos and sweet and sour sauce.
    Rachel M.

    So yummy! This place definitely is family owned. It's the small hole in the wall that hits all the pho/rice/noodle cravings you need. You're gonna get fresh food, and can share with family and friends testing out each other's meals. This is an easy regular restaurant to run back to.

    Shaken Beef / Bo Luc Lac
    Tiffany C.

    My large party of 12 arrived and we were seated promptly upon arrival with the waitress helping us put together the tables so we could all sit together. While the rest of my party ordered pho, I wanted to try their rice dish and chose the shaken beef dish. The dish came with a fried egg which was appreciated and uncommon for this dish. The beef cubes were so tender and well charred as well. I'd return to try out the pho next time!

    Amazing service , amazing food, I would recommend the veggie rolls, they are just so good.

    Brisket Pho, Vermicelli Bowl
    Hannah W.

    On god...one of the best pho I've ever had! The broth was very flavorful and sweet, which is how I like it. The place is pretty spacious and clean, so I can expect to be seated in a nice place. The waitress, who I assume to also be the owner, was very sweet. She made sure our water was filled and came back around when we weren't sure what to order. I recommend anyone who goes to UCI to visit this place!

    Traditional Spring Rolls / Goi Cuon
    Justin T.

    Very solid Vietnamese place, I would return!! I tried their vermicelli bowl & the spring rolls- both significantly above average. It's easy to see why this place holds down the 4.5 star on Yelp. This place serves a variety of Vietnamese entrees, from Bahn Mi (Sandwiches), Pho, vermicelli bowls, rice dishes- to name a few. I was driving from LA to San Diego & this place is located right off the 405 in Orange County, so I decided to give it a whirl. I wasn't disappointed, it's not the best I've ever had but it's really good. The ambiance is average, as is the prices. Ultimately most pho places aren't good enough for me to want to go back to (except my favorite ones) but I'd go back here. If you haven't already given Vietnamese a try, do it the food is so wonderful. Happy eating!!

    Brisket Pho

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    2 years ago

    This is the best Pho place I have ever ate at. My daughter and I come here every week or so cause we just can't get enough!

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    4 years ago

    Very delicious, would definitely return. Fast service and great prices. The broth is super delicious 10/10

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    6 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Great food great service. Many option of food. Delicious food not just pho. I had stir fry beef it's so good.

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    6 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Best Pho in Costa Mesa!! I come here once a week! Service is great and the broth is just perfect

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    4 years ago

    Great Pho. Our family likes chicken pho and tofu and vegetable pho. Very delicious and good with to go orders or dine in.

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    7 years ago

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    Page 3 of 7

    Happy Pho Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Happy Pho

    Is this the same Happy Pho that used to be on Harbor and Westminster a few years back?

    no, we are not

    Do they have a vegetarian broth?

    Yes we do

    Do you guys accept credit card?

    Yes, we do!

    Do you have pure vegan options?

    You can choose from Vegetable Pho, Tofu Pho, and Vegetable + Tofu Pho with vegetable soup for pho options. We also have vegetarian spring rolls that contain cabbage, carrots, vermicelli, garlic and tofu that comes with peanut sauce.

    Do you use MSG?

    Stop asking restaurants if they have MSG. Everything you eat from tomatoes, mushrooms, and junk food contain it.

    View All 8 Questions

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    Fermentation Farm - Wild Line-Caught Tuna Melt

    Fermentation Farm

    4.5(716 reviews)
    2.6 mi
    $$

    So...I went for the healthy food. Stocked at how delicious it was. Chicken chili was to die for and…read morethe tuna melt ditto. If it wasn't a healthy place I would praise how delicious, The reverse osmosis water was delish too. It feels like I'm on some love everything about this place drug. Will become rich to buy everything in this store and fill my house with it all!

    Midday munchies. As…read morea lover of kombucha, this place has been on my radar for a couple of years now. I've been obsessed with the coffee shop across the parking lot, and I finally felt that it was time for me to try fermentation farm. Their kombucha hands-down has been some of the best I've ever had. I tried the famous tuna melt and also got a chicken taco. The food was good, but not great in my opinion. At that price point, there are a lot of nearby places with quality ingredients that taste better. I do love the mission and background of this restaurant. I read up a little bit about how the food is sourced. Consumers are definitely getting quality products here, but sometimes quality doesn't always transfer over as deliciousness. Again, the food was good, but not something that I'm going to be yearning for. I would like to come back and try the chocolate cake that is also very popular and perhaps the Ramen. And of course, another flavor of their delicious kombucha.

    Photos
    Fermentation Farm - Kombucha bar

    Kombucha bar

    Fermentation Farm - Flourless Chocolate Cake

    Flourless Chocolate Cake

    Fermentation Farm - Fermented Master Tonic

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    Fermented Master Tonic

    Hook & Anchor - Lobster roll

    Hook & Anchor

    4.5(2.4k reviews)
    2.9 mi
    $$

    Heard they have the best lobster roll in the nation so of course, the little food critic that I am…read morehad to come check this place out for myself. They give you the option of either a 4oz or 6oz, priced at $34 and $49. It's a Connecticut style roll made with buttered lobster on a toasted brioche bun. It also comes with a side of fries and you can choose your choice of seasoning, "Chef's way" or "Maine style." The roll is pretty expensive but honestly worth it in my opinion because of how much lobster they pack into it. The brioche bread was perfectly toasted. The lobster was fresh and buttery without making the bread soggy, even after pouring extra melted butter on top. This is definitely the best lobster roll I've had.

    The manager is very, very rude. I asked him very nicely if he could turn on baseball on one of many…read morethe TVs they have, and he gave me some attitude and didn't do it. Also, he was extremely rude to my father when he was trying to pay via InKind. He claimed that they were not using InKind anymore and couldn't take our InKind payment, even though they were still on the app. The reason why we went here was to use our InKind benefits, which were available here according to InKind. He then claimed that it was my father's responsibility to contact InKind about this issue and that it was our problem??? No accountability at all from the manager. Grow up. The food is pretty good. Our waitress was also great. But there are major issues besides that.

    Photos
    Hook & Anchor - The Dolphin beckons

    The Dolphin beckons

    Hook & Anchor - Lobster roll - small kine

    Lobster roll - small kine

    Hook & Anchor - Bloody Mary

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    Bloody Mary

    Myung Dong Tofu House & BBQ - Spicy pork

    Myung Dong Tofu House & BBQ

    4.6(134 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    Wow apparently this place has been here for a while but I have not been at all until recently!…read moreDuring one of my usual stay over at the Westin nearby, my friend and I came here for dinner because we were craving soupy food and Yelp suggested this place which I was like... where is this?! Turns out it's at the same location at Made coffee, which I come also quite frequently! What a nice discovery for me! Food was really good! We got the seafood pancake, which was crispy and flaky and NOT overly oily at all like most other Korean places! I really liked this dish! Next was my Kalbi Tang, beef short ribs soup, so flavorful with two huge short ribs with bones, where the meat just fall off the bone easily. My friend got the spicy beef noodle soup, which she said was very spicy but very flavorful. Food was great but what really stood out was their service! I love everyone who worked there especially their servers and the nice young girl who was helping us, and young man! They are super nice, super attentive, super polite, and just wonderful people! I cannot recommend this place enough! If you're in the mood for Korean, or soup, or flavory good quality food, this is your place!!!

    Food was delicious and incredibly fresh! My husband and I were very impressed with both the…read morepresentation and flavor of everything we ordered. Each dish was seasoned beautifully, and the side dishes were absolutely marvelous. The service was also wonderful from start to finish. We were greeted warmly and seated immediately, and I truly appreciated the calm and welcoming atmosphere. It was such a refreshing experience compared to another place I had been visiting for over three decades. The restaurant itself is open, spacious, and very comfortable. I also noticed how clean and well-maintained the restrooms were, which I always appreciate. Our waiter even informed us that the food is MSG-free, which made me especially happy. This is definitely our new favorite spot for soft tofu soup!

    Photos
    Myung Dong Tofu House & BBQ - Bright and plentiful seating. Indoor only.

    Bright and plentiful seating. Indoor only.

    Myung Dong Tofu House & BBQ
    Myung Dong Tofu House & BBQ - Bulgogi bibimbop

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    Bulgogi bibimbop

    Lemon & Thyme - Pork belly and black garlic bbq

    Lemon & Thyme

    4.8(301 reviews)
    2.6 mi

    Absolutely loved Lemon & Thyme! My boyfriend and I live right across the street and have been…read moredriving by this place for months, so we're so happy we finally came in. The service was 10/10. Our waiter was incredibly attentive, warm, and genuinely enthusiastic about the food. He gave us the best recommendations, and everything he suggested was amazing. The meal itself was incredible. The shrimp saganaki was my favorite, and my boyfriend loved the short rib ravioli. You can tell everything is made with love it has that true mom and pop restaurant feel that's so hard to find. The chef came out at the end and we had such a great conversation. We'll definitely be back!

    From the moment the glistening rolls hit the table, we knew we were in for a good night. The rolls…read morewere coated in butter infused with zesty lemon and thyme (Yes, like the name of the restaurant! Isn't that adorable and clever?) Then came the entrees. Knockout after knockout. The Pork Belly with Black Garlic and the Seared Duck Breast were both perfectly executed. Crunchy, golden skin. Juicy meat. Rich, flavorful sauces paired with comforting, silky purées. Balanced. The kind of plates that make us slow down to savor each mouthful... and then shamelessly scrape up every last bite. We were so smitten after those first two dishes that we threw all caution and control to the wind. I asked staff to surprise us with one of the dishes recommended earlier. Out came the Grilled Octopus Al Pastor. Nice char, tender bite, and a tangy sauce. For dessert: the Baklava Cheesecake. Lightly spritzed with aromatic rose water, ultra sweet, and unapologetically indulgent. Beautifully crafted and shareable, though you may not want to. Beyond the food, the ambience really shines. Intimate, classy, and whimsical, with a charming playlist. Ideal for date nights or special celebrations. Service was outstanding. Warm, attentive, and passionate. Staff enthusiastically walked us through the menu and offered recommendations. Our server was on point. Water glasses were never empty, plates cleared promptly, and everything flowed seamlessly. An incredible experience from start to finish. I couldn't stop yapping about the duck and pork belly since our first dinner here. So we came back the following weekend! We ordered our favorites again - the Pork Belly with Black Garlic and the Seared Duck Breast. To our surprise, the meats felt rather chewy and tough. I'm hoping this was a hiccup, but would love to see consistency in texture. Will be coming back for more :)

    Photos
    Lemon & Thyme - Inside

    Inside

    Lemon & Thyme - Peaches and burrata salad (seasonal)

    Peaches and burrata salad (seasonal)

    Lemon & Thyme - Peaches and burrata (seasonal)

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    Peaches and burrata (seasonal)

    Wadaya - WADAYA is now OPEN

    Wadaya

    4.6(1.2k reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Free parking

    Randomly decided to try this place with the wife last night…read more I remembered there being a spot called mogu mogu here prior and confirmed with the waitress that it's the same menu! Spicy miso ramen: 9/10 Actually one of the better ramens I've had lately. The broth is creamier and isn't overpowering with chicken/beef flavor. The chashu was nice and tender as well. I really liked that their noodles were al dente and not too soft Deluxe mazemen: 8/10 Taking my first bite, I was instantly greeted with an explosion of umami. There's a LOT of flavor packed in this bowl and the noodles used are actually a bit thicker which is right up my alley. My only drawback on this dish was that I wished it came with some sort of veggies to cut through all the flavor. They also give you a small serving of rice at the end for you to mix into the bottom which was a nice addition Kurobota sausage: 7.5/10 We've recently been on a kurobota craze. Don't get me wrong, these were great but we've only had them charred and grilled before so I was taken aback when I saw that these were only steamed. Flavor was spot on but I'm a sucker for a nice char or crisp to my meat Overall, loved the service and small restaurant vibe of this spot. We were seated very quickly and the food came out even faster. Definitely come try this spot, I know we'll be back

    Never had Mazemen before which is basically broth-less ramen with various of toppings. We were on…read morethe way to Kitakata, but after finding this place on Yelp, we had to check out the hype. The interior is cozy and small with authentic Japanese decorations/setup. Kinda felt like we were eating in Kyoto or something, lol. The lady who served us was friendly and gave us good recommendations. I think she was handling the whole operation to be honest. To start it off, we ordered their specialty chicken karaage and it was very delicious. It has a nice crispy and crunchy texture. The batter on the chicken was good and once you bite it, the meat is juicy and tender. Doesn't really need dipping since it's so good. As for the Mazemen, we ordered the Deluxe and Veggie one, both is a 5/5. Very flavorful and it tastes just like ramen, but without the soup. The presentation of the dish looks like a work of art. Very picture pretty. I ate that shit up within ten minutes. After that they give you a scoop of rice so you can mix it up with the leftover sauce. Lots of umami for sure. Definitely will come back again to try the other flavors. People, trust me and come through!

    Photos
    Wadaya
    Wadaya
    Wadaya

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    KJB Pho and Eggrolls

    KJB Pho and Eggrolls

    4.9(228 reviews)
    2.9 mi
    $$

    The woman at the counter in the front was incredibly kind! The Vietnamese coffee, Thai Tea, and…read moreeggrolls were delicious! Will definitely be back to try the pho as well!

    I've been here several times and I'm never disappointed. This is such an amazing pho spot for the…read morearea, and to top it off all the dishes here are amazing quality. The pho has a more anise leaning flavor that may be a little more unusual to the average diner, but I fell in love with it. The pho broth is clean and the portion sizes are good, especially given the area and the price. Outside of pho, the appetizer platter is amazing. All the dishes in the appetizer platter are cooked to perfection and all the vegetables are fresh and the fish sauce is so rich. It's some of the best fish sauce I've come across recently, really umami while still somehow being clean. To top it all off - the vietnamese iced coffee. I love Vietnamese iced coffee and I always order it at a Vietnamese restaurant. I've had a lot throughout my life and this is, in my opinion, the BEST Vietnamese iced coffee I have ever had. It's so good, it literally tastes like you're drinking a more coffee forward ice cream in the best way possible. It's not too sweet and leans creamy - absolute perfection. The place itself is a little small, but service is always really fast. I've only been a couple times where the place was slammed busy. If you come at off times you won't have to wait, but at peak hours you might have to wait 15-30 minutes for a table. The only real downside of this spot is the actual location. It's located on a weird strip center right after the the 55 freeway exit, and the entry points to the strip center are weird. Just be prepared not to miss the turns into the center, because it can take a while to circle back to the entries. Overall, highly recommend this place. Grab a bowl of pho and don't skip on the vietnamese iced coffee.

    Photos
    KJB Pho and Eggrolls - Inside the restaurant

    Inside the restaurant

    KJB Pho and Eggrolls - 24. Shaken Beef With Steamed Rice (Com Bo Luc Lac)

    24. Shaken Beef With Steamed Rice (Com Bo Luc Lac)

    KJB Pho and Eggrolls - 30. Pad See Ew (Pho Xao Tom)

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    30. Pad See Ew (Pho Xao Tom)

    Happy Pho - vietnamese - Updated May 2026

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