Tofu and vegetable pho!!! The service is actually pretty slow after you order. to get the check, to go boxes, to get my Milky Way drink. But the food is good and the workers are friendly. And not all places serve tofu! read more

Somehow I really enjoy their soup base ALOT. I came here twice so far and it's the best pho around in Irvine in my opinion. Their pho look really clean and fresh. Usually I get seated right away which is a plus that I don't have to wait. I like to get their pho combination which come in large bowl and its super tasty. YUM read more

Pho Ba Co - Vietnamese Near Me - Irvine, California

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Best Pho in Irvine. Price is cheap, meat is tender, and the portions are just right. Inside small, has outdoor seating, or you can order takeout. Takeout is a plus, plastic bowl w/ noodles, meat in separate bag, broth on the side. Average regular Pho cost $6.15 / Average Large Pho cost $6.85 Spring rolls & Vietnamese egg rolls are really good as well. Negatives: place closes early 9PM, parking can be a pain in the small shopping center, and the service is nothing extraordinary. Despite closing early, I regularly visit this place to satisfy my standard Pho craving. Oh, and if it is after 9PM you can always head up to Westminster. read more

This place doesn't really excite me or infuriate me, so this review will be kept short. Small restaurant, quick service, ok food. We ordered a bowl of pho dac biet (combination pho) and rice noodle sauteed with veggies and beef. The pho was reported good. The rice noodle dish was ok, lacked gravy juice and had an OVERLOAD of vegetables..barely any noodle or beef. Ehh...go here if you're dying for pho or just want some good ole Vietnamese food. read more

Small place but BIG flavor! Go here for the best pho anywhere! Friendly staff, peaceful atmosphere!

This is my favorite pho restaurant in Irvine! It provides a delicious alternative to driving all the way to Little Saigon. The prices are moderate, offering a student discount and also coupons in the local student newspaper, the food delicious! I always order the #13. The broth is flavorful, though is slightly oily, but is reminiscent of home cooking. The service is attentive, even during busy meal times, and they are already familiar with my boyfriend and me. I've not experienced any problems with this location, so cannot think of any reason to give them any less than five stars. Definitely try this place out; it is way better than any other pho restaurant in Irvine. Reminder: they only take cash. You can only use a credit card if the order total is over $20. read more

I use to eat here a lot because it was right in front of the apartment complex that I use to live at. The broth is tasty and the portions are filling. I've tried other things on the menu but my favorite is still the Pho Tai. This place gets really busy and there's usually a wait to eat there. Since I lived right behind it, I usually got my food to go. The prices are more than you would pay for pho in Garden Grove and Westminster, but considering this is Irvine, it's to be expected. They have a sister restaurant and the pho is comparable. Always a sure bet when I need to satisfy my pho cravings. read more

It's expensive...I think there are other places which are as good for cheaper, in Bolsa and stuff. But then again, it's nice to have a Pho place away from Bolsa, just to go there when I'm around UCI. The wait wasn't too long. We sat and ordered. Food came out about 5 minutes. The broth is decent. Flavorful, but just a bit too heavy on the salt. $7 for the "large" bowl is a bit expensive...and it wasn't that big. The meat in the pho wasn't good at all. The fresh beef for the "bo tai" was fine, but the cooked meat they put in was terrible. It was thinly sliced and tasted like it was boiled for hours. It was dry and had a refrigerated taste, as if it was cooked days in advanced. read more

This is one of my favorite Pho places! I was just in Vietnam and this is SO close to the real thing =) Eggrolls are also amazing! read more

There aren't as many choices for pho or Vietnamese food as you would hope in the Irvine/Tustin area so this place is the best alternative to Westminster in my opinion. They have a vast menu which includes your standard pho, rice and vermicelli dishes but I also like this place because they have other specialties like the com ga (chicken and butter rice) and the filet beef cubes. Neither dishes will be better than anything you get in Little Saigon but I still think they're tasty nonetheless. Price wise it's about $7-12 per entree. Service is always courteous and quick and I've never had a problem with seating (the place is pretty big). It's definitely my go to Viet restaurant in the area. read more

The place is very neat and everything is served in a timely matter. They also take your order really quickly but you can ask them for more time. So service overall is pretty great! However, the portion sizes here are pretty small, so if you are looking for a filling meal, I wouldn't recommend this place, however if you are looking to try a bunch of different foods, this place is for you. The food taste here to me seems like pretty decent Vietnamese food. There are no complaints for taste of food here to me. It was overall decent and yummy. read more

My girlfriend and I were visiting family and friends in Irvine the past few days. We got recommended to this restaurant and we were completely satisfied with the quality of the food as well as service. The restaurant is clean and the food came out quicker than I anticipated. We started with some delicious shrimp spring rolls that came with a tasty peanut inspired dipping sauce. Then, we shared a few dishes family style. I cannot recall the names of these dishes, but the portions were generous and everything tasted scrumptious. The meat quality was great, the veggies were fresh, and the noodles were outstanding! Next time we travel to Irvine we will definitely visit this gem. read more

It seems that this place inherited ALL the reviews for a closed-down restaurant; "Pho Bac Ky." There is also another Pho Bac Ky on red hill, no relation. A lot of confusion here. Review Pho Tasia before going to "Pho Bac Co", as the reviews are stolen. http://www.yelp.com/biz/pho-tasia-irvine-2 read more

My wife took me here, as it was one of her high school hangouts, and we'd never been together. Good lemongrass chicken. Pho broth is really nice, and for the money, the combo ($10 for 2 egg rolls, a shrimp spring roll, salad, and chicken and rice) is pretty good QPR, plus you can taste a lot of things. Now that it's raining, I wish I could go back for a big bowl of pho... read more

Pho Ba Co - I really think folks will appreciate this guide. - Vietnamese Near Me - Irvine, California

I've been to a lot of Pho places in my life - some in Westminster and some in Garden Grove, but yesterday was my first time @ Pho Ba Co in Irvine and I couldn't be happier with both the food and the service. It was around 60 degrees in Irvine yesterday, and I was bundled up in two long-sleeved shirts and a wind breaker just in case. As I was walking along Barranca Pkwy crossing Culver Dr, I thought to myself, "Man, there's got to be a Pho place around here somewhere," when I looked to my right: Bingo; Pho Ba Co. The place was not that packed on a Friday, but the service was EXCELLENT (Hence, the 5-stars); but the service wasn't the only reason why I rated 5 stars on this place. I ordered the "Pho nam sach" (aka "Well done brisket and tripe") and let me tell you, I couldn't be happier with this noodle soup. I was going to order the #12 (Pho tai nam - Rare steak and well done brisket), but that'll have to be saved for another day. I didn't do the whole bean sprout/jalapeño routine; instead, I squirted a few tablespoons of the Sriracha hot sauce and a couple of teaspoons of the red pepper flakes. The meat was just tender enough for my teeth to bite on, and the soup wasn't overdone with salt. Next time I arrive here, I'll try their egg/spring rolls. :) read more

The Pho Tai here was really good and the only thing holding me back from giving it a 5 star was just the amount of noodles. I love noodles, but the broth is so good and I just didn't get enough of it! The spring rolls were amazing. It's hard to convince my husband to go for Pho because of his dislike of onions, but their staff was very accommodating and served him soup sans onions and he loved it. The servers were young and friendly and refilled our waters plenty of times :) I also like how they serve their customers outside. We will definitely be back here. read more

Ok, I have been here so many times before. But recently, the food quality has declined. The prices also went up a bit (not sure why). Perhaps they need the revenue since the place was heavily re-modelled and expanded. Place is clean and service is fast. Ok, back to food quality. My pho has limited meat and the soup is on the salty side. It used to be very good, but not anymore. This won't be my first choice anymore... read more

Only went here once, and I had a good experience. The waiters were very nice and quickly got us seats. Having eaten a lot of pho, I can say that my experience here was fairly satisfying. Also, the coffee is good! + Waiters will ask to customize coffee + Quick service + Fluent English speakers Recommendation: Go with friends on a cold night, experience will be amazing ! read more

The food was serve fresh and hot from the kitchen. The noodle was only taking about 5-10mins and it come with all the veggies and you can ask for more. read more

I recently moved to Irvine 5 months ago and I'm just getting used to finding new places around my apartment to eat. I found this place on yelp and a few of my coworkers who also work in Irvine recommended it to me. I'm so glad they did bc their quality of food is really good. I've come here quite a few times now and their pho is always good. Prices are reasonable. Staff is friendly and attentive. And I love that it's only 5 min drive from me. :) read more

Absolutely love this place! I grew up in Irvine and this place has been my go to pho place for many years. They have vegetarian options (I'm vegetarian) and will happily accommodate any food preferences or limitations. Their to-go orders are my crutch right now when I find myself exhausted after work. read more

I think foods at this place is over price service poorly managed. Everything just mediocre

My new go to pho spot! The food is amazing and the service wonderful. I took my pho to go... Service was quick! My food was ready to go in less than 10 mins! I was happy when I got home... 30 mins later and my egg rolls we're still crunchy and broth still hot. We also had a Thai tea, it was also perfect. We'll definitely be returning! read more

Pho Bac is probably my favorite Pho restaurant within Irvine. The restaurant's got an fairly extensive menu compared to some of other Pho places, and they are priced reasonably in Irvine standard. I ordered a large Pho Tai (rare beef) with beef on the side, during my last visit. And shortly after, my order was brought to me along with a plate of fresh sprouts, lime, cilantro, jalapeno and basil leaves. A quick sip of the hot clear beef broth soothes even the exhausted soul. I quickly pile up the fresh veggies and gave it a quick mix and off I go. The beef soup base is basically the heart and soul of the Pho, and I have to say Pho Bac does it very well. The beef slices were tender and sweet. I always like to add in some spicy satay paste to add some kick to the soup, and it has always worked well for me. Pho Tai is one of the rare places where they have the hot satay paste on the table, in addiitonal to the regular seasoning ingredients such as salt, pepper, hoisin sauce and siracha hot sauce. Although the Pho is executed perfectly, their BBQ broken rice dishes and Bun dishses, though presented well, are less impressive. (Thanh or Pho 99 in Irvine have better Bun and BBQ meats) I have tried both the BBQ beef and pork, both are not as tasty as prepared by the two other Pho joint I mentioned above. The large bowl of Pho set me back for $7.00 including tip, which isn't too bad for lunch. I would always opt for a hot bowl of Pho for $7 instead of a boring sandwich. Service at Pho Bac was efficient, and I have not encountered any problems the many times that I have visited the place. One thing to remember if you go, they do not take credit card for transactions less than $20, and there is always a line after 12noon during weekdays. So hit the place a little earlier to avoid the crowd. read more

3.2 stars... Having eaten at Pho 79 yesterday, eating pho again was not a big deal. But it was hard comparing the two. Yesterday, 79 really raised the bar of what really good soup is. Don't get me wrong, pho bac is good, but it's a close second. The pho here was good, nice sized bowl. When I added fatty brisket to my pho tai, it came in its own bowl. Still tasty tho. Imperial rolls were good, but they really didn't stick out. I like the fact they take credit cards. No alcohol tho. Although I hear their drinks they offer are good. Next challenge between the two will be their broken rice dishes.... read more

Pho is pretty good, vermicelli sucks.... cleanliness needs work. Utensil are usually dirty looking. Seriously, buy new soup spoons, it won't kill you. I don't drink their water either. Not much seating. read more

Probably the most amazing Pho I've ever had... they have the most flavor! I don't care what anyone else says this place is the BOMB! As far as the service, not sure, we just get take out. Also to one of the reviewers that mentioned flies or ants... we didn't see any while we were there. So I think that might be a competitor posting. Just my 2 cents... read more

I lived Irvine more than 20 years and me and my close friends, even my family members love this place. Neat, clean and descent pho you could get. All the staff are busy but doing their job correctly on time. They expands their restaurants some time ago so place is pretty spacious than when it first opened and you can sit outside patio area if weather is right for you. read more

http://howieju.com/2012/01/14/pho-bac-irvine/ Pho - Special Combo $7.50 + tax Technical Rating (integer range 0-2): Price: 1 Yumminess: 2 Service: 2 Authenticity & Uniqueness: 2 Recommendability: 2 Sum Of Technical Rating: 9 Gut Rating (integer range 0-10): 8 Final Rating (average): 8.5 Blurb: "Best PHO in Irvine. Only thing I would improve would be the beef." read more

Please come here and order the pho with brisket point. On the menu brisket point is only a side but they'll put it in your soup. Or you can just order it as a side too. Honestly life changing! Everything else is bomb too read more

Found this place on the yelp app with four star decided to check it out and I wasn't let down. Good vermicelli, if I'm in the area again I'll definitely will be coming back. read more

Food here is really good, eating atmosphere is great, and service is awesome. I have been to many Vietnamese restaurant, this place is the best read more

Food is of average quality, nothing to be overly excited over. Service is mediocre. Took them a while just to get the bill, I think they forgot about us. Too busy talking amongst themselves. I gave 2 stars but probably more like 1.5. read more

When I was going to UCI this was the only pho place around, 10% with proof of UCI student. F yea! Pho was decent, I ain't gonna complain. read more

Very quick service. Not that the most personable, but they get you seated and eating very quickly. I wouldn't say their Pho is particularly great, but it's good enough to get 4 stars. Other notable meals are their vermicelli and beef with a side of beef broth and a butter rice and chicken. Overall it's good! read more

Place was packed when I went for lunch with my family on a weekend. Staff were friendly and service was fast. Not one of the cleanest pho spot I've been but the food were good (spring rolls, pho, fresh rolls, grilled chicken/beef, quiche and etc). We were all quite happy with our orders. Also, finding a parking spot wasn't a problem so that's a plus. read more

went to this place since i was having a spring roll craving. close to work and plenty of parking. staff friendly. springs rolls were delish and a good size portion. will be back. read more

Sooo~Good!! Amazing!!! Great!! Delicious!! Inexpensive!! I don't have to explain this restaurant because everybody knows about this one since they opened long time ago!! I regret that I tried so many Pho restaurants before I found Pho Bac . Definitely we have to come back!! read more

A decent place for pho! Parking here is a little difficult and a little tight, but otherwise, this pho place isn't hard to find. They have both outside and inside seating if you prefer the outdoors. We were seated fairly quickly, but the food did seem to take a little longer than usual to come out. The pho itself is good and the portion size filling enough for a regular ($8.50 I think). They don't have the small dishes that you can pour your sauces in, so you have to ask them for those if you want one. The rare meat did appear to be a little more well done than I would have preferred though. But overall good for the pho in the area! read more

Went here one time for the pho, and it was pretty good! Went here another time and wanted the "Value Platter," which is $10.00 and comes with a spring roll, 2 egg rolls, beef soup and a house salad, but they wouldn't let me order it to go. It was in-house only, which made no sense to me! I ended up ordering the combination chow fun, which was also $10.00, but was so plain and not filling at all. They barely gave me any! It was only worth $2-3 because it was a snack-size (and I usually like small portions). I ended up having to eat it as an appetizer and make a sandwich for dinner at home. What a rip off! my friend got the chicken with garlic rice and found it to be very oily and also very small. I would say, stick to the pho, as that is their specialty, and everything else is mediocre and overpriced. read more