Midtown New York is not exactly known for quiet, intimate dining experiences. It is known for crowds, noise, and restaurants that seat you next to a stranger close enough to accidentally share an appetizer. So when my family stumbled into Pho 39, a tiny spot with just a handful of tables tucked away from the chaos outside, it felt less like finding a restaurant and more like discovering a Rebel outpost that somehow survived undetected in the middle of Imperial territory. The menu is exactly what you'd expect from a solid Vietnamese spot: pho, combination rice plates, the usual lineup. We were ready to order and move on with our lives. Then we saw the tacos. Vietnamese tacos. On the menu. Sitting right there between the banh mi and the spring rolls like they'd always belonged. Nobody in my family said anything for a full three seconds, which for us is basically a standing ovation. We ordered the duck spring rolls to start, which were fresh, well packed, and disappeared faster than a starfighter in hyperspace. For the mains we went with the beef flank pho and the banh mi combination special. The pho had a clean, well developed broth that clearly had some time put into it, and the beef flank was tender enough to make you slow down and pay attention. The banh mi combo was solid, balanced, and hit all the right notes. We did not get the tacos this visit, which means we have a built in reason to return and nobody can argue with that logic. For a small room in the middle of one of the busiest cities on the planet, Pho 39 manages to feel genuinely calm and focused. Good food, good value, and a menu with enough surprises to keep things interesting. The Force is strong with this little spot. read more

Pho 39 - Banh Mi combination special - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

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This review is for takeout-- I ordered a catfish banh mi for pickup. A banh mi is about 11 bucks before tax which is pretty rare around midtown nowadays. It isn't massive but you can finish it and not want to fall asleep at your desk afterwards which is ideal (for me). I walked in maybe 10 mins after I ordered and was greeted with smiles. My sandwich was ready for me too which was great, in and out, easy. The sandwich itself is delicious! It comes with a small ramekin of very spicy rooster sauce. I would definitely order for pickup from here again for the days I want to grab a quick lunch and get right back to work! read more

Pho 39 - Fried catfish banh mi - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

A really great Vietnamese spot in Midtown, prices are cheaper than most places in the area and they serve authentic food. I had the special combo banh mi and it was fantastic, bread was crisp on the outside and had a nice fluffy interior and not too hard, the sandwich filling was tasty and they give a generous amount. read more

Pho 39 - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

We tried the duck spring rolls, shrimp tacos n dry noodles with pork. Yummy!! Good spot for quick bite!! read more

Pho 39 - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

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Came here on a chilly Saturday night for dinner with my friend as we were very cold from walking outside and craved a hot noodle soup. Pho fit the bill. The menu a super simple one pager with options from pho to banh mi to vermicelli noodles. We both got the flank and brisket pho and were served the bean sprouts, basil and lime right away. The phos came maybe less than 2 minutes later. With the way the menu was organized and its offerings, it reminds me of Pho 35 and Pho Lexington so I suspect it's all part of the same chain but didn't get a chance to ask the staff. You pay at the front before you leave. Turn over is pretty quick because of the quick service. If this is related to the other locations, this place is a bit tighter than the others but we didn't have a wait at all and there were still some empty tables. However, I'm not sure I saw a bathroom (maybe in the back corner? We were sat at the table closest to the door). read more

Pho 39 - Flank and brisket pho x2 - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

Not bad, not great. Four stars for decent food, but good price. I got the Pho ($16) and it was not bad - the meat was a bit overcooked and the broth was not the most flavorful but the noodles were fine and with the sauces, it was decent. The Thai tea ($5) was good but a little light on flavor. The restaurant itself is pretty small so it's more meant for quick bites by yourself or with a very small group. And the service is just okay - the servers will mostly leave you alone for your meal. read more

Pho 39 - Flank Pho - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

Small space but very walkable from Bryant Park - and quite easy to get to. When we walked in around lunch time, we were immediately sat (we got lucky that there was one open table!) This place is so small that it's best for groups of 2-3, max 4. And I didn't notice a bathroom anywhere. As far as food goes, I had a beef brisket and flank pho no cilantro and a Vietnamese iced coffee. The coffee was probably the best coffee I've had in the city - would go back for it alone. The pho was just okay - the flavors weren't super strong or fragrant and I wish I would've had more lime & jalapeño. I would score this place 3.5 but since I can't do a half star, rounding up to 4! read more

Pho 39 - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

Delicious pho!! The broth was super flavorful!! The beef portions could have been bigger but overall it was still a 10/10! Fast service and the soup itself was a huge portion (just the beef to soup ratio was off). Definitely a wonderful stop to warm up with some yummy pho! read more

Pho 39 - Mixed beef pho - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

This place is very small and only had about 5 to 6 tables, but the service move really quickly!! the menu also small but packed with a large variety of items. I had the flank and brisket Pho and the broth was exceptional! Everything is fresh and made to order. We also had shrimp spring rolls. This place is perfect for something warm and savory after being in the cold New York weather. I will definitely visit again. read more

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Not great. Ambience is minimal. Service is quick enough, as almost everything is premade and just assembled to order. Excited for the catfish banh mi but it was disappointing. Fish was dry. And that's gonna be the theme. I've had other banh mi and the cold noodles and all their meats(white meat chicken, thin pork) are dry. The only redeeming dish is the pho that I had once as takeout. It's not gonna have the complexity of higher end spots but it's acceptable. read more

Pho 39 - Flank & Brisket Pho - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

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Bare bones, affordable Vietnamese spot conveniently located one block from Bryant Park. Unfortunately, the summer roll ($8) was pretty bad and the banh mi ($11) was mid. The vegetarian option for summer rolls/banh mi/pho is tofu and mushroom, which is generally a combo I enjoy. However, the mushroom were kind of slimy, not very flavorful button mushrooms. Both my veg banh mi and my partners chicken banh mi were underwhelming - barely any cilantro, no sauce or paste, just a pile of pickled carrot & radish and the protein. The summer roll came with a decently tasty peanut sauce but was equally bland otherwise - maybe one sprig of mint in the whole roll, lots of noodles, and the tofu mushroom mix, which is even less pleasant chilled. It also had some mystery meat inside, which was a particularly unpleasant surprise for a lifelong vegetarian to bite into. I think pho is the move here, and beware cross-contamination if you have dietary restrictions/allergies. read more

Pho 39 - Mystery meat in my veggie summer roll :( - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

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I have tasted pho at multiple restaurants. This particular place doesn't taste authentic. Lacking all the condiments like tripe, steak, tendon... The grilled pork chop isn't freshly grilled, it's sliced and likely heated up in the microwave to serve you. I don't blame the place, it's small... no place to grill things. Service is excellent though. I recommend a revamp of the menu. read more

Came here on a cold winter day, who wouldnt want a hot bowl of Pho to warm up. I came around 12:30 and the line was out the door. The wasnt to too long- maybe 10 mins. I came here not to long ago and was blown away but this time i knocked off a star because the beef balls werent the same from my last visit. It had some sort of gelatin-like thing in the meatball (could be tendons or something) but it was not my thing. I especially fell in love w this place last time because the beef balls didnt have that. Unfortunately this time it did and i added an extra order of beef balls because I assumed it was the same product as the last visit. I skipped out on the beef balls and had the rest of the noodles and broth which were cooked to perfection. I just know next time I should ask since you never know what you'll get. read more

Pho 39 - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

I have 3 starts because I Ordered pork Bahn mi and it was awful. No taste, the meat was super dry, barely any veggies...just overall bad. I honestly threw it away after a few bites. I wasn't going to ever come back after trying that, but it was cold in NYC today and I was craving pho. Since I'm in midtown it's the closest opt I had, so I decided to go back and try the soup because the restaurant is busy at lunch. I was going to find 1 star after that sandwich I previously offered, but they slightly redeemed themself with the pho. I ordered flank and brisket which was good, but not the best I've had like some reviews state. The pho I chose is fine to order, but I def would not get the pork sandwich. read more

Pho restaurant near Bryant Park - a very small restaurant where you're squashed together in close proximity with every other table. There's beautiful wood beams on the vaulted ceilings which give it a nice homey feel, especially with the open kitchen concept. Vietnamese coffee is extremely strong. Steak pho is lovely - very good quality steak. Brisket was too chewy and tasted a bit old. No jalapenos come with the pho - also the soup isn't hot enough to cook the vegetables. read more

Pho 39 - Steak pho - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

Got pho and a vermicelli bowl here, both were expected portions and good price for nyc. There's nothing spectacular about the spot but also means no surprises! Good spot for an inexpensive lunch, small restaurant but adds to the vibe. read more

Pho 39 - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

Ordered takeout and got the flank and brisket pho. Noodles are a little wider and more thoroughly cooked than I typically like, but that is a personal preference. Brisket pieces were small / had fallen off, perhaps had been sliced too thinly. Broth was a little thin. Great value for lunch though, huge portion. read more

Decent Pho, but sort of weird. For starters, the add-ins with the pho are kind of beat looking - like bruised basil, bad-looking limes, and a tiny bit of bean sprouts. No chiles or culantro. Honestly, the basil was so wilted I wasn't sure if it was Thai basil or Italian basil. Broth was quite oily, and I couldn't order all the beef cuts I like in Pho, you have to choose between some pretty basic options. It made me wonder if this place was really Vietnamese or not. It's very tight in here, but the service is fast and friendly enough. The water was kind of faucet temperature with no ice. A bit strange there. All in all, if you have an itch for Pho near Bryant park, this place is fine, but it's not great or anything. read more

Food is super yummy, pho was 16$ summer roll 8$ (I think) and Thai ice tea 9$ The food came fast not too long of a wait. The staff is nice and friendly The place has no bathroom and small but cozy. read more

Pho 39 - Grilled Chicken Pho Summer Roll Thai Ice Tea - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

This was my second time visiting, and while the food is good and the service is quick, my most recent experience was extremely disappointing. During this visit, I chose to dine in. Customers were lining up at the door and repeatedly left it wide open, causing the cold air to rush in. I was freezing and, given that I will be flying tomorrow, I was trying to avoid getting sick. I politely asked the waitress (I believe she was Hispanic) to please close the door. She seemed confused, so I repeated myself. She passed the door several times while taking orders, and closing it would have taken only a moment. I asked her again, and although she responded "okay," she continued to walk past it without taking any action. Eventually, I got up and closed the door myself. She did not acknowledge me or apologize. I'm not sure if there was a language barrier, but given that she signaled "okay" and gestured for a moment, I assumed she understood my request. Being ignored like that - especially in Midtown- felt disrespectful and unprofessional. It was such an uncomfortable experience that I felt like I was being pranked. Unfortunately, after this visit, I will not be returning. read more

Had the brisket and flank PHO , it was okay. This restaurant should be take out only due to not having a bathroom. They give you A HUGE bowl of pho and then don't have a bathroom, super inconvenient. Also had the duck spring rolls , 2 out of 10. read more

Pho 39 - More cabbage than duck. - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

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This place is very close to my job, so I often find myself coming to this location for a quick lunch or dinner. This place functions both as a quick bite place or a take out spot. There is no restroom at this restaurant so if you need to go to a restroom, make sure you are aware about the washrooms in the area. Now the food, I do have to say and agree after eating here a few times is not the best, but compare this to the food truck that is close by. I think I would like this place a bit more. I normally get the dry vermicelli noodle with grilled shrimp, which is okay. There is the same price for different types of dishes at this restaurant. I seriously do believe that tipping is optional at this restaurant. If you decide to eat at this restaurant, there are tables for parties up to four people comfortably. Any more it will be too much. This place is also good if you're solo. read more

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TLDR: You work in midtown. You are craving pho, Pho 39 will scratch the itch. Stick to the basics, big bowl. Eat and leave. I'm with Grace H's opinion. No, it ain't Thai Son, it's not Pho Bang but it's not bad. It's a small shop and run like a proper noodle place. Go in, order, eat and GTFO. Service is fine, the whip your food out quick. You know it's a real pho place because you should leave reeking of onions. The bowl is a decent size, plenty of meat, broth ain't bad. There's not too much to write about but if I'm in Manhattan and nowhere near Chinatown with the itch? This'll do. If you want to hate on the broth not being that complex, not as much variety on the meat. OK - fine. Please direct me to your favorite pho shop in Midtown. Yeah, we gotta make do with what we got. read more

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Small place, big bowl. But dont get fooled by the bowl size, cause the portion wasnt that much. Overall was pretty good, not gonna say not coming back, but won't be my first choice. read more

Authentic Vietnamese hole in the wall with fastest service anywhere in the world and with the northern Hanoi's distinctive tastes and welcoming cleanliness with four efficient men team serving over 100 customers in an hour with only eight tables that seats anywhere between four people to one customer! Their turnover rate is by far the most effective delivery of service industry I had ever encountered. They serve numerous takeout orders as well as serving sitdown customers without blinking an eye. The menu is simple quarter sheet with very few options and few details but clearly written and priced perfectly. No nonsense disclaimer or disclosures needed for this most efficient restaurant. Phó is beautifully made with enough ingredients to satisfy most grownup's appetite. The soup is mild and less salty than the most. The duck spring rolls are delicious but deep fried. The four stars are given because of the chlorinated NYC water taste permeated my Phó but the hot sauce hid the strong flavor from the NYC chlorine. If these young Vietnamese cuisine entrepreneurs just use the reverse osmosis to make their tasty soup, definitely five stars will be deserved! Overall solid four stars in the NYC. read more

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While visiting NY, my family and I stopped by this cozy little place and we were delightfully surprised. The pho was amazing. I got the chicken pho and my kids got the steak and everyone raved about the food. Not salty and fresh. The noodles were delicious. It's a small place (about 7 tables) so large parties may have a difficult time. Would definitely go back. read more

Pho 39 - Chicken pho - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

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After a long flight and taxi ride, we were grateful to find a pho option near our hotel. This place is a cute little hole in the wall, but a bit stuffy as it didn't feel like they had ac.... Just fans. The pho and beef stew noodles were mediocre. Not sure I'd come back here if there are other pho options in the area. read more

Turned in when I needed to refuel while shopping in the area. It looked non pretentious and cozy. Ordered the bahn mi sandwiches for a quick bite. Grilled pork Bahn Mi - came in warm in a western bun not a baguette so it didn't have the chew or crunch. Dry pork not too much flavor. 2 3/4 stars Grilled Chicken- same western bun with grilled chicken , condiments pickled carrots and radishes were tasty, fresh cilantro but dry protein. 2 3/4 read more

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Very decent Pho place around this area. Do not compare Pho in this area to Chinatown/flushing/even places with more authentic Vietnamese concentrated area. I think review should be fair and compared only with same/similar things around the same area! When you are in this area and busy to get lunch, but craving for PHO, this place will fix you. Soup: not great but pretty good for what you can get around this area, not the instant noodle power with boil water But on the lighter side, of course you can't compare to those pho places around Chinatown and flushing. This is the best Pho you can get around times square. Noodles and meat are at decent portion Both to go order and dine in with quick service! I was once brought this to the office, people could be able to smell Pho all the way cross the office! Everyone came over to check out what i got! Giving it 4 stars because it's a place can fix the Pho craving in the area, especially during cold weather days . read more

Pho 39 - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

Today, I grabbed lunch at Pho 39 while visiting Manhattan for work from the Bay Area. Being Vietnamese, I enjoy trying pho, especially on chilly days. Despite the good reviews, I found the broth lacked traditional Vietnamese flavors and was hard to enjoy even with added Sriracha and hoisin sauce. However, the rare and flank meat along with the noodles were well-prepared. The duck eggrolls were disappointing as they were mushy, and lacked crunchiness on the outer wonton skin, possibly due to insufficient frying time. I wouldn't recommend them as they are a fusion dish, not traditional Vietnamese cuisine. Nevertheless, the service was efficient, and the cozy space adds to the experience, though be prepared for a wait or opt for takeout. Overall, it was an interesting experience at this fast casual, family-owned restaurant, although I can't compare it to other pho spots in New York. I would say when you're in need of something hot, soupy and fusion, give it a visit. read more

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Overall 3.25 Stars Cold and windy is when you need a good bowl of noodle soup. Pho 39 was a place for us as we were walking to a store. The restaurant has very limited seat. About 8 tables , (16 - 20 people) and the space is densely packed. Get there before lunch or dinner rush or get it to go. The Pho broth was light and decent. A little bit more sweet due to the Star Anise for my liking. Had the Brisket and Flank. The place doesn't have the original Pho with the meat combo of flank, brisket, tripe, and Vietnamese balls. So don't expect it. Added Sriracha, Hot chili oil and Hoisin sauce to enhance the Pho broth. Delicious Bowls were large the noodles were tender, al dente' style, the vegetables were fresh. I would come back to try their Banh Mi sandwiches but get them as "takeout" read more

Pho 39 - Flank and Flank & Brisket Pho - portion size to hand - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

More like a 3.5 star. No restroom here. The other interior picture from the other review is incorrect. The first time we tried to come here for dinner, the place was packed so we left. This time we came earlier around 6pm and were seated right away. The water cup I was given had a glob of unidentifiable food on the rim, oof. Ordered two flank and brisket pho, and a crispy pork spring roll. Flank and brisket pho - 3/5 not enough meat, and the broth is just alright. I've had more fragrant and elevated broth before. The portion is good. Crispy spring rolls - 4.5/5 very good, crispy, tasty. I prefer rice paper spring rolls myself but for egg roll wrapper spring rolls, these are very good. All in all, I would come again if I want pho. There's not much pho places around Hell's Kitchen area. Otherwise, I would rather go to Chinatown for pho. read more

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Ordered the chicken rice from here to go. Service was decent but I ended up with food poisoning. I know it was from here because it was the only thing I had all day. And to make matters worse, the food was not that good. Save your money and potential stomach issues and go somewhere else!! read more

I came here because I wanted something straightforward to order and quick as I was out for lunch during work hours. According to the average reviews, it seems like that's what you would get. I gave them a mediocre review due to the non friendly service, and the food wasn't that great. The summer rolls were packed and filled with everything but the protein. The sauce didn't taste like much either. The soup bowl was large, but I didn't see much of the flank or brisket inside. There were tons of noodles inside, which I liked. The taste was different from what I particularly would like in a pho soup. I guess this is what you would expect in midtown. I didn't like how the prices on the receipt and the menu were different. They need to update it to reflect what you would expect. read more

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This wee little Midtown joint is FAST. It's far faster than a McDonalds or Panera or [name your fast food chain of choice] and the staff can literally get your order ready and have you out the door within a minute. I wandered in on a recent weekday and was warmly greeted by the smell of sweet spices: cinnamon, star anise, coriander. The restaurant was entirely full, every seat taken by happy-looking diners chatting with friends or colleagues over nice-looking bowls of pho. I was inspired to order a flank and brisket pho ($17) and shrimp summer roll ($8) to go. When I got back to my desk, the broth was still piping hot. Rice noodles (thin), topped with meat and cilantro, were packaged separately as they ought to be for takeout or delivery. Both the flank and brisket were sliced very thinly, which I personally prefer, and quite tender -- but they were frankly bland, lacking both salt and the fragrant spices that had enticed at the restaurant. The slightly watered down broth was also disappointingly bland. Although it was heavily spiced in the southern Vietnamese style, it lacked the richness of flavor, viscosity and heft that only long-boiled, marrow-rich soup bones can impart. Summer rolls had been prepared in advanced and refrigerated, which unfortunately resulted in a brittle, rather than pliant, rice wrapper and brittle rice vermicelli inside the wrap. I enjoyed the crisp cucumber and jicama (I think), but really would have loved the inclusion of herbs (Thai basil, cilantro, mint... heck, even lettuce) as well. The peanut sauce, on the other hand, was exceptional. Pho is one of my favorite foods, and on a cold winter's day, even bad pho makes me happy. But given the Midtown pricing without correspondingly high quality, I'm not in a huge hurry to return. Still on the prowl for great Vietnamese in this area and taking tips..... :) read more

Best thing for an icey cold night in new york is a super hot bowl of chicken soup. Their grilled chicken is a better touch then the freeze dried chicken some places use. So not only did their delicious pho provide a great dinner- their was another quart left for lunch the next day. Im glad its only a block away. read more

Pho 39 - Chicken pho - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

If you come during lunch hours, you might have to wait for a seat, but they truly pump out the meals quick, so it shouldnt be long. the menu is small, but right to the point. i hope they add a seafood based pho, but i wont hold my breath. ive never seen a catfish banh mi before, but i am so happy i tried it. it was slightly crunchy, but the fish was cooked perfectly. bread had a nice bite. overall, this sandwich hit the spot and was worth the $10. looking forward to coming back! read more

This place is ok. Although they serve with a large bowl, it's not so much amount inside. The waiter was pretty friendly but since one person is doing many things, cashier, serving, take an order, a bit slow. we wait the bill until she finished taking other customers order it took quite long. I still like other location's pho. (They have more ingredients) the cold salad noodle was ok. Not many chicken inside. Iced Coffee was good. No bathroom. read more

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I've eaten at a ton of pho restaurants in LA and Orange County, CA. I know what good pho tastes like. So this place was near the hotel I was staying at so I decided to give it a try. I ordered the flank and brisket pho plus the eggrolls. Service is pretty quick but the portions are small. The bowl of pho itself was pretty big but there was barely any noodles and proteins. The soup was plentiful which is a huge plus but it was prob the most bland pho soup I've ever had - it was watered down and barely any flavor. Should have known that this place was going to be a bad experience when the side dish of garnishes came out, it was the saddest thing. It had a couple baby mint leaves, a little bit of bean sprouts and a tiny lime. The eggrolls were decent, but to maintain the restaurants theme of small portions, the eggrolls were maybe 2/3 of the size I'm using to having in California. What really encouraged me to write this review was when I was sweating from eating pho, I walked up to the counter to ask for more napkins. The guy gave me just one lol. If you never had pho before, maybe give this place a try. Your pho experience will only go up from here. If you're a pho affectionist like me, you will leave upset. read more

Well it looked good! I ordered the Banh Mi sandwich and steamed dumplings.The food came out super quick,never a good sign. Dumplings were very good to be fair.But the sandwich was a different story. The bread was sub roll style the chicken was grilled,but when ?This morning ? yesterday? To my shame I ate most of it because I hadn't eaten all day.I should of sent it back. Two stars for the Dumpling. read more