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Pho Cow Cali Express

4.3 (2.3k reviews)
Open • 8:00 am - 9:00 pm
Updated 2 months ago

Pho Cow Cali Express Photos

Business Info

PHO COW CALI EXPRESS ATMOSPHERE

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

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Recommended Reviews - Pho Cow Cali Express

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Michael G.

We tried their location at UCSD CAMPUS and liked the food there, so we are curious to try here. There was a long line outside when we arrived, but my wife still wanted to try this location, so we stayed. The guy in charge of the waiting list was nice to let us know that we were next in line but it's very close to the bathroom, and he doesn't recommend and asked us if we wanted to wait for a better spot so we waited a bit and got a good spot like in the middle of their restaurant. My wife ordered a lot as usual for us , some tasted good and some did not , mostly a few of the foods we ordered were a bit Salty for us on this location. So for us, we like the food better in their UCSD campus location. At both locations we tried , the service was really quick.

Flank Pho
Rosy C.

We got pho, three color jelly, egg rolls and spring rolls. I loved it all! The pricing was amazing compared to most spots in SD. The dishes were each around $12-$14. The service was great, they sat us quickly, took our order right away and we didn't wait long at all to be served. The ambiance was nice. It was clean and they run a tight ship on making sure everyone has what they need.

Vegetarian pho
Nina H.

Waited about 30-40 minutes for Friday night dinner at this restaurant, and seeing the number of people lined up outside definitely set my expectations for something exceptional. I ordered the vegetarian pho and liked that the vegetables seemed to be cooked before being added to the noodles. My waiter also mentioned that upgrading to the large would only be an extra dollar, so I said yes please thank you. The broth itself, though, wasn't as flavorful as I was expecting. To be honest, it came across as pretty bland. The tofu, on the other hand, absolutely fried me with how humongous the pieces were. It was as if the chef took the tofu straight from the container, cubed it into six enormous pieces, and tossed them into the bowl with a fervor that matched the dinner rush. A generous touch, nonetheless. The restaurant was completely packed, and it was pretty clear that the waiters were overwhelmed but doing their best to keep up. Given the Friday night rush, I can understand why more attentive service probably wasn't a priority. Overall, the experience wasn't bad, but the long wait and high expectations made the underwhelming broth stand out more than I would have liked. It really just closed out my work week with an "ok" stamp.

Presh N.

Even during this heat wave, I was still craving pho! I can't get enough of their broth. It's incredibly clean, flavorful, and tastes like homemade pho. Their shrimp spring rolls are also a must-order every time I visit. The service is always efficient. They move through the waitlist quickly, seat guests promptly, and the food comes out surprisingly fast. It's one of those places I can always count on for a satisfying bowl of pho.

Been here for many years
Jerry H.

The food here is consistently very good for a casual neighborhood restaurant. The restaurant is spacious and has lots of tables. It's a popular place. We love their bbq meat dishes love the bbq filet mignon plate either rice and salad. Their spring rolls are bigger and very tasty. The egg rolls are crispy and made to perfection. The service is very fast and efficient. For a quick and gods lunch or dinner, come here.

pho tai
Kayla Y.

not a bad place to stop by for some pho! i will say the line gets insanely long and the waitlist is by paper, so you just have to stand and wait for your name to be called. i will say it is kind of absurd to not have a digital system in place if you're extremely busy. the food is okay, pretty big menu! i'm not from the area and have definitely had better back home with bigger portion sizes for less. it's a really big restaurant with plenty of seating, so for it to be extremely busy must mean it's probably one of the top places in sd for some pho!

Medium pho with rare steak and brisket
Alice C.

Great pho, egg rolls, and Viet coffee! Very solid spot for your Vietnamese food fix. Came in the morning and lots of people already, but we didn't have to wait to be seated at all. Got our eggrolls first and then our pho, both came very quick and tasted amazing. Interior is very unique with painted walls as well almost giving like a ocean tropical ish vibe

Nicole X.

Surprised that I haven't yet reviewed this place since I feel like more often than not, if I'm in Mira Mesa, I am stopping by Pho Cow Cali. I often come during off-times for meals so there isn't really any wait, but most recently when I did come during peak lunch hour with what looked like a really long waitlist, they're honestly so efficient and ran through that list super fast. They're in a plaza with a large parking lot too so no need to worry about finding a spot. My go to orders are the large sizes of the special combo pho and then the well done version of that essentially. They are scarily fast with their pho orders yet it still tastes great every time. I probably should try more of their rice/noodle dishes which look really good as well, but I just always come here when craving soup. Sometimes if I'm craving boba but not trying to spend a lot, I will get a drink here too as well. It does come fairly sweet though as a warning.

Rice plate
Erica C.

Casual vibe. Lots of parking. Food was solid and so so affordable. There were a lot of employees so service was fast. I got the phone mignon, pho dac biet, and a rice plate.

Thuy C.

Wanted to try this pho spot because of its amazing reviews. Went during lunch time (1:25) and there was a wait/ line there was 7 people ahead of the line and it took about 15 minutes to get inside. The food was a total miss. I ordered the specialty pho, egg rolls and 2 color dessert. Everything was bland and didn't have the flavors I was hoping for since this place was rated so well. Overall the wait for this spot is not at all worth it. What I will say though is their customer service is amazing the best out of all the pho spots. They are clean, quick service and there are people actively making sure condiments are stocked, perhaps this is why they rated it high. Service, 5 stars, food, 1 stars = 3 stars total

Menu
Cloe T.

The service was good, although the overall atmosphere was just average. The prices are very reasonable, and we didn't have to wait for a table, which was a plus. The food tasted pretty good overall, but I felt the Vietnamese soup broth had quite a bit of MSG. One interesting thing about this place is that some of the Mexican staff can actually understand and speak a little Vietnamese, which was a nice surprise! Overall, it's a reasonably priced place with decent food and good service.

Canary H.

A decent pho place for when you're craving your mom's noodle and rice dishes, but you're too far to get some. But if I had the choice, I'd make the drive to Orange County just for some good pho. This was my first time visiting this place, and I had to put my name on the waitlist. There were 8 parties ahead of me and it only took 20 minutes in order to get seated. We all ordered pho, and the server was quick to bring out the food. He also brought nước béo for me when I had requested some, which i thought was unique because not many restaurants offer it, even though it's for pho connoisseurs. If you're reading my review, I'd suggest you try it with your pho (it's beef fat with scallions in oil to enhance your soup). I thought the soup was lacking in comparison to the pho places in OC. The meat wasn't as tender or flavorful, but the aroma was great and powerful. Again, not bad for a random location in San Diego. The inside was bigger than you'd expect; it seated numerous tables. The floor is sticky to walk on( but they serve customers constantly. I don't think I'd be back, but it's not a bad place to go to.

Wendy L.

Pho Cow Cali Express is located in Mira Mesa just a few blocks west of the 15 freeway on Mira Mesa Blvd. I've been here numerous times purely for nostalgia and because my family likes it here. Sometimes you'll see a line out the door so you'll need to sign in. The wait time is typically quick unless you have a huge party. My order usually consists of their Grilled BBQ Pork Vermicelli (Bun Thit Nuong) and their Egg Rolls (Cha Gio). This restaurant has plenty of seats and the ambiance is very casual. There are TVs around and it's mid-noisy inside. The service is pretty quick given that the menu isn't as large as other Vietnamese restaurants. There's prices are also decent and competitive for the area. The servers are really just there to take orders, bring out orders, etc. - very casual dining. One thing to note: The aroma will stick to your skin, hair, and clothing! And it's pretty intense. It should definitely be your last stop of the day. Don't say I didn't warn you. Overall, Pho Cow Cali dishes out simple Vietnamese food, where the service is quick and dining is casual.

Rare and Well Done Pho

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Reviews are largely positive. People highlight the flavorful pho broth, fast and efficient service, affordable pricing, and large portions.

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Pho Cow Cali Express Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Pho Cow Cali Express

Do they do delivery?

Nope. To go orders are pick up only.

Do they accept apple pay?

They bring out your check and you’re expected to give them your card.

Do they still have outside dining?

Just inside dining.

Is the pho gluten free? Sometimes they put gluten in the broth and sometimes they put gluten in the rice noodles (esp in America).

I think it is! My previous partner was gluten free (otherwise she could get super sick) and we ate here all the time!

Is there a min credit card charge?

There is no minimum for CC

View All 7 Questions

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Pho Cow Cali Express - vietnamese - Updated October 2026

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