Love a good Pho! Here in Santee there are lots of options. Tried this place for the first time. They've been here a long time but my first visit. I had the House Special and the Egg rolls. My soup was good, it's all about the broth!! Egg-rolls were also good. They also have the robot server so that's cool. I'll be back. read more

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I was really excited to visit this location because I've been to the Chula Vista location multiple times and have always had a great experience. Unfortunately, my experience at the Santee location was completely different. From the moment I arrived, I noticed a lot of tension among the staff. The cooks appeared to be giving the servers a hard time and leaving them to take on extra work. I also witnessed a server, Mia, arguing with her coworkers, and the overall attitude among some of the staff was very uncomfortable. It was honestly the complete opposite of what I've experienced at the Chula Vista location. I was especially disappointed because I brought my friends with me and told them how good the food and experience were going to be based on my previous visits. Unfortunately, this visit did not live up to those expectations. I hope management takes a closer look at the atmosphere and teamwork at this location because the staff's attitude and interactions really affected our overall experience. I would definitely return to the Chula Vista location, but after this experience, I'm hesitant to return to Santee. read more

The eggs rolls were super good! Definitely the best value item in my opinion. The pho was also good but I do wish the broth was hotter. It wasn't hot enough to fully cook my meat. We also got the avocado smoothie which was good but there were still some chunks of frozen avocado in it which wasn't the best texture. They did take a while to give out our food and waters but other than that the workers all were nice. Love the vibes here. read more

Pho Ca Dao & Grill - K1. Crunchy Egg Rolls 6 pcs - Vietnamese Near Me - Santee, California

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One of my staples. Food is always fresh, quick, and filling. I get the surf and turf spring rolls, the egg rolls, and the steak pho! Make sure to get the peanut sauce with your spring rolls! read more

Pho that satisfied the craving on a cold evening but prefer the City Heights location much more. Simplified menu here and they have a bar. Inside is clean and service was good when we went. Downside was the pho wasn't as hot as I would've liked and the noodles were all broken up and overcooked. Easy parking in the plaza. Prices are about $13 a bowl which is reasonable. I got the rare steak and brisket, the rare steak wasn't very rare when I got it but overall hit the spot read more

Pho Ca Dao & Grill - Rare steak and brisket Pho - Dec 2025 - Vietnamese Near Me - Santee, California

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It's unfortunate but this place has gone a little down hill in the last couple of years. Ilene had to wait a while to get our order in the last time we were here. The lady taking the order didn't know what was going on that she even took the order of a family that came in before us. Same thing with our bill, it took a while for us to get it. Note: they were well staffed but I don't think the new staff were taking orders or giving bills out. Bummer, no longer our place to go. read more

This place was recommended to us by friends, finally had a chance to try it out. Great prices, good portion size. Some of the sides are over priced (tofu $4). Good portions of bean sprouts, limes, jalapeños and basil (ask for refills as needed). We ordered shrimp and grilled beef spring rolls, rare steak bowl and vegetarian bowl - everything was tasty. Ample free parking, clean dining area, average service. Bathrooms are not as clean as most restaurants. Good experience overall, we will be back. This is currently our favorite pho spot in the area. read more

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Literally got sick from this place. The waiter took a long time, the food was mid, and as soon as i got done eating i got very sick. read more

Vietnamese eatery with good potential, but some execution flaws. Good enough to satisfy Vietnamese food cravings, but shy of excellent traditional Vietnamese food. SEATING: The inside is clean with nice, modern decor. I came at 7PM on a Sunday and the place was fairly busy, though I was able to get seated right away with a smaller party. There is a Yelp waitlist to check in and queue for tables, but I would talk to any server that's free in case they just usher you in past the queue like we were. There is no outdoor seating available. ORDERING: Some of the staff are very brusque and no-nonsense, which doesn't bother me but might come off as rude to others, and some are very polite. Service is very much a shared effort between the staff, with whoever is free taking guests to tables, taking orders, and bringing out food, so your service experience just depends on the luck of the draw. They were out of eggrolls by the time I ordered which was disappointing. Not their fault, but a heads up to those looking to try them specifically. The food was incredibly slow to come out. I think they get a lot of takeout orders during rush hour which backs up the kitchen, but a heads up would have been nice. FOOD: Their vermicelli was decent, a little light on the veggie portion relative to the noodles, but overall the veggies tasted fresh and the grilled pork was flavorful. Their pho broth was delicious, but the biggest issue was that the noodles were way overcooked. From the moment they were served, the noodles were all broken up, no long strands, and you had to scoop them into your spoon to eat. They were soggy enough to stick to the bowl and had to be scraped up. An easy fix, and maybe we just got unlucky this one time, but I cannot justify higher than a 3 star rating for a pho restaurant that has soggy pho! Outside of this, I think everything else is very passable. The large size bowl is definitely large and worth the $1 to upgrade if you're hungry or sharing. They give plenty of meat in the pho, though again are modest with veggie portions. I am willing to try again and update if the noodles were a one-off, but my overall impression is a decent but not outstanding place to grab Vietnamese food, especially considering there are a few more options very close by. read more

The grill shrimp pho was excellent with the grill shrimp on the side. Only thing missing was no vegetables. It was still savory, as I'm usually accustomed to the shrimp being in the pho when served. The spring rolls were also very good. They also gave us an extra serving of their dipping peanut butter sauce. The only negative was taking too long to get seated as they only had two servers with almost a full restaurant. They did however apologize for the wait. read more

Pho Ca Dao & Grill - Grill Grilled Shrimp Pho and spring rolls - Vietnamese Near Me - Santee, California

Food is delicious and plenty. Oxtails for soup is humongous. The lychee was yummy and fried rice was great. Server was friendly read more

Pho Ca Dao & Grill - My mother enjoyed the food - Vietnamese Near Me - Santee, California

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Foods good. Service needs a little improving. Parking is tight. Food is good. Did I say that already? read more

This used to be my favorite pho place but it looks like the original owners must have sold it and the quality has just gone downhill. It's now just sad and disappointing. Especially for the price read more

if I could leave 0 starts I would We were served raw bread and fried chicken that was clearly undercooked--pink inside and cold near the bone. This isn't a preference issue; it's a food safety problem. When we pointed it out, there was no urgency and no real apology. Even worse, they refused to refund the full order, despite the issue being obvious. They would only refund the single item, even though the entire meal was ruined and we couldn't safely eat anything. Eating out shouldn't feel like a health gamble, and customers shouldn't have to argue for a refund when raw food is served. We won't be back. read more

Pho Ca Dao & Grill - Vietnamese Near Me - Santee, California

I've lived in Santee almost my entire life. My family and I used to love Pho Ca Dao. Used to eat here every special occasion. In the past few years, they've changed owners and have changed into a corporate, stale, version of who they used to be. They've stripped down their menu and it's new, training, staff every time I've gone. The Pho Ca Dao in La Mesa still upholds the traditional Vietnamese atmosphere, staff, and food. But in Santee, it's turned corporate and bland. It's sad to see. read more

Very disappointed of this restaurant. I used to love coming here with my family and enjoy some real pho. I don't know what change but definitely it changed for the worse. The lady that took our order was not very friendly or helpful. The food had a bad taste. The pho noodles had a plastic taste. The orange chicken had artificial over top orange chicken sauce that's taste like artificial flavor, lastly the spring rolls were stale, the pork inside was so dry that I was not able to chew. Please don't waste your money in this place, there are better options in the same area where they do care about their food and their clients. read more

Pho Ca Dao & Grill - Stale spring rolls - Vietnamese Near Me - Santee, California

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Most places put shrimp in their egg rolls, but I am severely allergic to shellfish. Here I can have egg rolls with chicken or tofu! So happy. We drive across town so I can be safe. read more

Pho Ca Dao & Grill - Chicken egg rolls - Vietnamese Near Me - Santee, California

Went there on a Friday night and we were sat right away (++). Took some time for the server to approach us even though it was not busy but it's not the main issue. We ordered 3 pho with meatballs (1 adult and 2 kids portions) and the meatballs were way off. Tasted extra dry, stale and felt like they were sitting on the shelf for months. Won't be returning at this location unfortunately. read more

My favorite go to when I am sick. I love ordering the chicken pho with extra lime. It's so favorable. The pricing I think is fair. The restaurant is always clean and welcoming with plenty of seating and the staff is always friendly. read more

Always the same good service and of course really good food with excellent taste I highly recommend to anyone to to try thanks.. read more

Pho Ca Dao & Grill - Vietnamese Near Me - Santee, California

Our favorite item on the menu is broken rice with either grilled beef, grilled chicken or crispy shrimp wrap. You can customize your own broken rice. Egg rolls are crispy but they don't have any meat inside, just veggies. Pho was not as flavorful. Good service and it's spacey inside. read more

Pho Ca Dao & Grill - Broken Create Your Own PCD Rice Plate (steamed meatloaf, Crispy Shrimp Bean Curd Wrapped, Grilled Chicken) - Vietnamese Near Me - Santee, California

I enjoyed the food here, but I left with serious concerns about how employees are treated. During my visit, I noticed behavior that made me question whether tips were actually going to the staff. I spoke with members of the wait staff, and they confirmed my concerns, stating that management/ownership keeps some or all of the tips. They also claimed that employees who have questioned where their tips go have faced retaliation, including being fired. If these claims are true, they are extremely troubling. Under U.S. labor laws, tips generally belong to the employees who earn them, and employers are prohibited from keeping employees' tips except in very limited circumstances allowed by law. Retaliating against workers for asking about their wages or tips may also violate labor protections. Employees who believe their tips are being withheld should consider contacting their state labor agency or the U.S. Department of Labor to learn about their rights and reporting options. The food may be good, but fair treatment of workers matters just as much. Until these concerns are addressed transparently, I cannot recommend supporting this business. read more

Today I ordered Togo and drove my food all the way home and realized my food was wrong. Yes this was frustrating but I really wanted the food I had ordered so I drove back to the restaurant to have them fix it. I understand more than anyone that mistakes happen. Upon entering the restaurant with the wrong food the staff immediately asked me what was wrong and asked how they could fix it. They immediately took the food to the back to be fixed and while I was waiting the SUPER SWEET (I assume manager) brought be a Thai milk tea on the house. What a wonderful gesture! that absolutely made my day! Thank you for giving me a delicious meal and a little sweet treat for the trouble. Will be back 100% read more

Went in craving some pho. I absolutely had the worst experience. The wait time was long and then the top it off I had the most rude waitress ever. I asked for additional meatball for my soup. They forgot it so when I saw the waitress and asked her about it she literally rolled her eyes to me. We ordered the fried tofu appetizer. When it was brought out they forgot dipping sauce I had to ask for some. I really was not trying to be difficult although everything they brought out had an issue. I also had to ask for some chili for the table. She then brought out someone else's appetizer of spring rolls. I told her those were not ours and she huffed about that. Sorry she got the tables wrong. Then to top it off I asked for some onions and she literally asked me if I ordered them! That was the last straw. My husband and I ended up walking out not touching any of the food. Such a disappointment and waste. I've been to other locations and have not had that issue before. I will never go back to that establishment ever. read more

First time coming here. The lady forgot to give us a menu when seated... Then they forgot about our drinks.. I had to ask about our drinks halfway into eating our pho. By the time we finished our pho, we still didn't receive our spring rolls. When they gave us the check I had to tell them that we never got our springs rolls and to just take it off. Ended up waiting almost 10 minutes for them to check in with their boss and reprint the check. The pho was good but not worth the bad service in my opinion. read more

This used to be my go to spot when it's cold.. NOT no more. The service was just extremely poor and rude. They were out of everything and was substituting our meals without even LETTING us know. Just put something else in my pho whiteout asking me.. Then again the server lady with rude and disrespectful remarks. WE just got up and left. Won't be coming back here again... read more

The place either had a change in ownership or management because the service has gone to trash. 1. They do not greet you when you walk in. 2. Theres no clear sign or direction indicating we need to "sigh in" on the random blank sheet of paper on a random clipboard. I tried giving it not once but three chances since this has been our go to spot for a few years but I don't think ill be returning anymore at least willingly read more

This seems to be one of the IT spots for pho in Santee. The food was of great quality. I had a rice vermicelli plate of shrimp, beef, and chicken. It was fresh and delicious. The pho bowls look great also but I am gonna have to wait for a colder day for a bowl. They do have beer and wine here. I enjoyed a cold Saporro beer on my trip here. read more

Sorry but these chain pho ca Dao's are no where near as good as the one on 54th. Service was terrible, it took us forever to get our food, and when we finally got our pho the noodles were clumpy, just seemed rushed which was ironic for how long it took. I asked if they could accommodate it for the wait alone and they refused. And I'm sure I'm not the only one who had a poor experience this evening. read more

When visiting the Pho Ca Dao & Grill Santee location, you are getting the Pho Ca Dao taste that is synonymous with brand. I got the Super House Special Pho and it was as expected, im almost certain the beef rib is stored at around room temperature because the middle was not warm and made the broth cooler than what im used to, piping hot. Still the taste was great. However, and a huge HOWEVER! The service here is failing. Based on the recent reviews (I visited 12/29/24), a lot of diners are also experiencing the same terrible service. Once I arrived I added my name to the yelp waitlist to which I was 32nd in line. I was confused because there was only one other party waiting so I figured they were not paying attention to it. A group that came after myself and another group got seated before us. They took our order 15 mins after we sat and food took another 15 mins to arrive. Their online ordering including delivery services were down, they turned down about 10 drivers, and multiple people who called in their orders via phone citing that their systems were off. I walked up to the register as it was taking an extra long time to receive our check. On the way out, there were three parties waiting outside for who knows how long because they put their name down on the yelp waitlist. I told them it was defunct, to which one group got up and left, and the others went inside. I paid $48 without tip for two bowls of pho and an order of spring rolls. I won't be returning to this certain location as price-wise does not match the quality of food and customer service I received. Other locations are much more efficient at every single aspect. read more

Pho Ca Dao & Grill - House Special Pho Ca Dao House Special Bowl - Vietnamese Near Me - Santee, California

Not sure if it's under new management or what. Service the last three times has been absolutely horrible. They don't acknowledge you at the door to seat you. Then when you finally get a seat, no one comes to take you order. Before this they didn't bring out complete order, just completely forgot an item that was asked about multiple times. read more

Enjoyed the food here. Flavor was on point and staff were super friendly. Love that have a lot of vegetarian options. read more

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Not my go-to pho restaurant. I only come here as a last resort when the other ones are closed. Every time I enter the restaurant, there's always this awkward waiting around for someone to acknowledge you. I don't mind waiting. It just feels unsettling when you enter an establishment, staffs just look at you and go about their business. On one visit, we encountered a waitress who took our order, however, etiquette was nonexistent. Not sure if it was a language/cultural barrier, but that was another uncomfortable experience. My family and I felt like we were a burden. Other staffs have been fine or at least okay. Next is the inconsistency of the pho broth. Typically, the gunk from the beef bone should've been scooped out which makes the broth run clear. My daughter was dissatisfied because mines came out clear and hers came out cloudy and it ruined her appetite. On another visit, I ordered rice vermicelli. Our waitress came out with a sauce bowl that was overfilled with fish sauce. She spilled some on our table as she was setting it down. Some of the fish sauce actually dripped off the table onto my daughter's pants. No apology or acknowledgement. She just walked away. So the last thing that made husband say that he doesn't want to come here anymore was what he saw during closing time. We were one of the last customers there and staffs were starting to clean up. We saw one of the staff pick up an unused spoon from someone's dirty table, dropped it on the floor, picked it up, and put it away with the clean utensils. That was our last straw. We won't be coming back. read more

I liked the food. It met all the check boxes I would like to experience in a pho restaurant. It was nice because there was that premium beef pho. Mist pho places don't have something out of ordinary like that. I don't mind paying a little extra for upgrades quality of the beef. And it was well worth the money. I would definitely come back again. read more

I've been coming here consistently since Santee still had a hometown buffet I've been there even when there are lines out the door and never have a experienced this kind of service it was absolutely ridiculous waiting for 30 minutes while there were open tables. The staff was no help what so ever took our order and that was it brought the food didn't refill not once and when we tried to get there attention they acted like they didn't hear or see had to walk up to get the check mind you it was not busy everyone acted like they were to cool to do there job used to love this place is always my go to but it really went down hill staff needs to do better read more

The food took to long and it had a bad taste as they don't keep up with what is old and what is new for the service no one in the kitchen speaks English read more

Pho Ca Dao in Santee has very good food and PHO and Spring Rolls. will go there when visiting family in Lakeside, CA.

We just got seated, served water and then ignored for 15-20 minutes without so much as a menu, while watching others come in, order, get appetizers in the same timespan. Super weird experience... wouldn't recommend. read more

As a long-time regular of Pho Ca Dao in Santee, I am deeply disappointed to warn others that this establishment has changed for the worst and no longer deserves your patronage. During a recent visit on June 11, 2026, around 7:30 PM, the dramatic deterioration of this restaurant became painfully clear when we were left in waiting at the table for more than half an hour (other tables too, ) causing us to miss the nearby Costco closing time. When our food finally arrived, the pho was an absolute insult to traditional Vietnamese cuisine - the broth was lukewarm and entirely devoid of aroma, while the meat was flavorless, poorly sliced, and pathetically rationed to just a few meager pieces (I ordered a large bowl of pho chin.) To make matters worse, the restaurant is suffering from a complete identity crisis, having replaced their clear menu descriptions with confusing translations, and employing staff who do not speak Vietnamese and are entirely ignorant of standard requests like steamed bean sprouts (Giá trụng.) Stripping away their nice name "Pho Ca Dao" for the ridiculous acronym "PCD" makes this place feel like a totally fake, cheap knockoff pho shop - and that is exactly what it has become. Save your money and stop patronize this once-great establishment until they completely bring back the food quality and service they once had. read more

Don't go here!! Support other businesses that will actually respect you!! I usually order pick up from this Pho restaurant but tonight I wanted to sit in and enjoy the atmosphere with my family. Upon entering the establishment I noticed there was no wait and we got seated quickly as a party of 2. The waitress that took our order was impolite and had the most ridiculous tone and face. As if having a job in this economy is so terrible when there would be plenty of people that would gladly take your place and do a much better job. I had never had such a terrible experience at any establishment like this. I had been here four years ago and I had great service and that was before they remodeled the restaurant. The remodel is nice and I love the decor. The food was okay and mediocre. Much better years ago unfortunately. The pho broth was good but could be better and the chicken was good. The noodles though, they were terrible. They were stuck together almost solid and broken up. I treated the waitress with respect the whole experience and was met with nothing but hostility and disappointment. I used to love this place now I'm never coming back and not recommending it to any of my friends. Please do better Pho Ca Dao, you were great now it's going down based on the rest of the reviews. read more