Waitlist - Pho Element
Order Pho Element Takeout or Delivery
Pho Element Photos
Business Info
Pho Element Popular Dishes
PHO ELEMENT ATMOSPHERE
You might also consider
More like Pho Element
Recommended Reviews - Pho Element
Start your review...
Reviews With Photos
Great pho! Flavor 10/10 portions plentiful! Casual quick service, didn't need to wait too long. There's parking in the back and in the front of the building.
Something about those imperial rolls are just simply amazing! The price doesn't yield that many full rolls. It's very scrumptious nonetheless. Service is great there is one gentlemen inside that wish me a great day every time I am there. The first time you are like damn wasn't expecting that thank you .. the second time was like he is intentionally choosing to say this sentence to everyone he serves. That's difference level of appreciation. Every time I am in San Mateo I will choose your restaurant. The service is even better. Definitely a family restaurant. Vibes are chill.
My bf and I always visit Pho Element when we pass by San Mateo! The food has been consistently delicious and we always order the same couple of items in rotation. We particularly love their HaiNan Chicken Rice, Pho Ga, butter tofu, and omg their GINGER SCALLION SAUCE!!! Service is always quick and all the workers are so attentive. Parking is quit difficult tho... like REALLY difficult unless you get lucky. Don't let that steer you away from this place though because I promise it is worth it!
First time we had Pho Element was to-go and it was good so today, we decided to come for dine-in on a cold day. Food and service was good. You could smell the pho broth the moment you opened the door. We ordered the imperial roll, combination pho and the chicken pho. All were great! The imperial roll was crispy and light, the combination pho broth was light and the meat and noodle quality were good. The chicken pho was also amazing! The chicken broth was flavorful and light and the chicken was super tender and fresh.
Pho Element in San Mateo is a solid go-to if you're craving Vietnamese food. The vibe is casual and relaxed -- nothing fancy, just a comfortable spot to sit down and enjoy a good meal. I ordered the BBQ pork with imperial roll and vermicelli noodles, along with the bone-in chicken curry. Both dishes were around $25 each, which felt pretty reasonable for the portion sizes. The vermicelli bowl was packed -- the BBQ pork was flavorful and well-seasoned, and the imperial roll added that perfect crispy contrast. Everything tasted fresh and well-balanced. It also comes with nice dipping sauce which I added to the bowl. The bone-in chicken curry was another standout. The chicken was tender, the broth was rich and comforting, and it paired really well with rice. Definitely one of those dishes that hits the spot. Portions are generous -- I had plenty of leftovers, which is always a plus. Service was super fast and efficient, making it an easy choice for a quick lunch or dinner. If you go around 1pm or so you can beat the lunch rush but there are lots of seating options (no outdoor). Parking is a bit tough since it's just off of el Camino but there is some parking in the back. Or limited on the street. Overall, a great casual spot with solid portions and speedy service. I'd definitely come back.
I like coming here when I want a cozy bowl of pho. My favorite is #20. A small bowl is $20.75. Feels a little pricey. I've eaten in the restaurant and gotten take-out before and have overall had good experiences with both. Expect a line if you plan to eat in-person. I started calling ahead to make sure they have beef broth because sometimes they run out. I like to drown my pho with sriracha and lime. I do wish their water cups weren't so tiny or they would at least leave me a pitcher of water. I feel like I'm always asking for a water refill.
We arrived soon after lunch time would have been over. We were seated immediately. Our order was taken quickly and the food came quickly. The food was delicious and plentiful. We will be visiting again.
Visited during the weekend lunch rush and this place was packed! Luckily, they have a few reserved parking spots in the back for customers. As a first-timer, I was pleasantly surprised. The appetizers had generous portion, particularly the chicken papaya salad. It was definitely shareable. The shrimp spring roll rice paper was a bit too chewy for my liking; will probably skip this next time. Both the chicken and beef pho were solid. It's hard to find a truly good chicken pho in the Bay Area, but the clear, flavorful broth here was delicious and didn't taste too salty or with msg. My only complaint was that a server was shouting names for tables so loudly that I actually got accidentally spat on from across the room. It was a bit gross and definitely affected my experience a bit, despite the food being good.
The highlight of my meal was the butter tofu, the outside was crispy but the inside was so soft and melted in your mouth. Never had anything like this before and would come back just for this dish. The Pho on the other hand was ok, I did not like the wide noodles in it as in my opinion Pho should have a smaller noodle. The broth was good but was not given any bean sprouts or basil, just limes and jalapeño's. As I was eating my dinner at 8:30 pm which is 30 minutes before close I was told I needed to close my tab. With this request I felt pushed to finish my dinner. The waiter was going around to all the tables to cash out. I might go back, if I do it's for the tofu and not the Pho
We been coming here for years and their consistency is awesome. Still my go to place for Bun Rieu, pho and many others! Finally tried their Ox tail wine sauce in soup noodles. Wow! I waited so long because I enjoy the other dishes too much! Great service and food! Keep it up PE!
The portions here are pretty big. I got a small beef pho and I wasn't able to finish. The broth has a light flavor and there's ample amounts of beef. I was a little disappointed by the noodles because they fell apart easily, but they carried the soup flavor well. I really enjoyed the imperial roll, the filling and the crunchy outside go together really well! The shrimp spring roll was good as well too, and I liked that the peanut sauce comes with a spoon so you don't have to dip. The inside has simple dark wood decoration, with some booths and some tables. Service was pretty quick! Parking is hard to find though, I think there may be some limited parking behind the building but otherwise street parking is the way to go
Pho Element is a small Vietnamese restaurant located on El Camino Real in between Downtown San Mateo and the Hillsdale Mall. There's very limited street parking (be prepared to parallel park). The interior seems to be a little worn down, but nothing too bad. To be honest, Pho Element will never be my first choice when craving Vietnamese food. While their broth is tasty, it doesn't really taste like the traditional, authentic pho broth that I'm used to. In addition, they're crazy expensive and have smaller portions. Their "large" beef pho is $20+. Typically when I eat pho, I get full and have leftovers. However at Pho Element, I easily finished the entire large portion. I also took my meal to-go instead of dining-in, and the broth container wasn't fill up the entire way (maybe 3/4th full).
#taste - 5/5 #portion size - 5/5 #service - 5/5 #value - 4/5 #recommendation(s) - you should get the coconut tofu slush if you're into coconut and soft tofu! #tip - parking is sparse as there are a few spots on the street in front and a small lot in the back #context - this is a gem in San Mateo. #like - our go to items are the imperial rolls, hainanese chicken and chicken pho. The rolls are a nice combination of crunchy texture with savory insides. I drown them in the accompanying fish sauce. The hainanese chicken is boneless which is so convenient and the rice is flavorful. I can eat pho all the time so this is a nice change up if you're more into chicken. To me the broth is also less oily than non chicken pho. #dislike - I guess the parking is inconvenient at times.
2 years ago
The fastest pho food service ever. Our his came out within like 5 mins, which was crazy! I really like how soft and tender the filet mignon was, definitely top 5 out of all the pho places I've ever had. The noodles are wider than what I usually have, but it was still good! I wish the broth had a little more flavor however it still tasted really good and I would definitely come back next time I'm in town. The Thai tea has more of a tea taste, which I LOVE. Definitely recommend if this is your style. read more
2 years ago
Came here for lunch with my coworker who recommended this spot and I am so glad he did! The service is extremely fast, and the place filled up for lunch on a Friday by noon. We started with their Saigon butter tofu, which was to dieeee for. Really thin and crispy outside, soft and creamy inside, and seasoned with the savory fragrance of peppers and onions. It was such a yummy starter and something even tofu haters could enjoy. Before the tofu could even cool down enough to eat, our main entrees came out to the table. I got the chicken and giblets pho and they were not stingy with the amount of poached chicken and chicken parts in there. I loved dipping the meat in a mix of hoisin and hot sauce. The broth was clean yet flavorful which paired so well with the silky wide rice noodles. For all the times I've had pho, I appreciated that I got 2 completely new items to me! My only wish is they would provide bean sprouts and basil. If I lived closer, I would be here all the time. read more
2 years ago
We were looking for something hot, hearty, and quick for dinner when we stumbled upon Pho Element. We called about 20 minutes before arriving, and the staff was really friendly and accommodating. When we walked in as a party of seven, the host we spoke to on the phone had already set aside a table for us, even though the place was pretty busy. He also gave us some great recommendations, and we were able to order quickly. We started with imperial rolls and spring rolls before getting our mains. I had the Bun Thit Nuong (BBQ pork vermicelli bowl), and it was good -- flavorful, with generous portions and toppings. Parking can be a bit tough depending on the time, but I'd definitely come back! read more
Very busy and popular place. You sign in at the tell tablet and they are pretty good about fast seating. Good quality pho with large portions of meat. Noodles are a little different but good. One of the best in the area. The crispy imperial rolls are a tasty appetizer. Casual with fast and efficient service. read more
1 year ago
Order #23 Favorite pho spot in the peninsula in terms of broth and meat. They're known for their chicken pho, obviously, but chicken breast is meh so I go with the beef pho. The eye round will get tough if you leave it in too long. Friend usually orders bun rieu which sometimes runs out on the weekend. I can also vouch for the shaking beef. No idea on the 34, but I have a pic of it. read more
5 months ago
Best chicken pho in San Mateo! The portion was huge and had lots of meat which is my favorite. The spring rolls and fish cakes were also very good appetizers. Highly recommend this place if you're a fan of delicious food! read more
29 days ago
28 days ago
High quality food and service! Ordered delivery and the phone service was friendly and communicative. The pho with rare beef filet and beef brisket was delicious. The meat was very tender and since the soup was packaged very hot and separately from the noodles and beef, the meat cooked perfectly after we poured the soup into the provided bowl. The spring rolls were excellent too and peanut sauce was great. The shaking beef with tomato rice was seasoned well and so tender, easily my favorite part of the whole meal (and everything was superb!) Next time I would love to try the Hainanese Chicken rice plate. Will definitely return. read more
Sometimes, after waiting 3.5 hours in a government office trying to authenticate a document. A girl just needs a solid/ no-frills hot noodle soup to restore the faith for humanity in a chilly winter afternoon! LOL! Since it's my first time here, I played It safe. I had a small rare beef & brisket pho. The soup was piping hot like it's supposed to be. The rare sliced beef is half cooked which is perfect! They are so tender, juicy and flavorful. The briskets, on the other hand, are a bit dry. I think next time I'm gonna just get the pho with all rare meats. The papaya salad with chicken is fantastic as well. It came with a lot of peanut pieces, fried onion and garlic. The seasoning is light, not too much fish sauce, which I appreciate it. One thing I definitely wanna mention is that the restaurant is very clean. The table is not sticky. The sauce jars are not sticky. This is a big plus!!! This is a nice solid eatery. It's very convenient that they don't take lunch breaks, which allows me to have a satisfied meal 3 o'clock in the afternoon! read more
1 year ago
Came here on a Saturday afternoon with a friend and was seated right away. We tried the satay rare beef noodle soup and the beef pho. Both soups were incredibly flavorful and came with a generous amount of meat. The shrimp spring rolls were also delicious and it was served with a tasty peanut sauce. Overall, this is a solid spot for Vietnamese food. They offer a wide variety of dishes, the food is tasty, the service is friendly, and the atmosphere is comfortable. I highly recommend! read more
3 months ago
2 months ago
1 year ago
I came to this place on a whim and boi, they did not disappoint. The waiter was friendly and sport on with his recommendations. I don't eat pork so it was a treat to get order some pho! The broth was light, seasoned to perfection and with hints of white pepper for some spice. The noodles were a nice texture and size, not too big and just the right amount. The Tofu was crispy on the outside and a nice texture of soft and firm (not sure how to describe it) but it was a flavor party in my mouth with the veggies and garlic on the side, like do everyone make it this way and it taste the same?! I am nervous to try anyone else's because it probably won't compare. I dined in with this meal and I traveled from San Jose to get this lol. Now, their house chili sauce should be illegal, it's that good and dangerous. Make sure to get the house chili sauce. Oh, and for the drink I order the mango coconut slushie, I think that was the name. LISTEN.... I do not eat mangos in real life so I was truly being adventurous with the waiters recommendation and YUMMMMMMMERS!!!! a trip to flavor town and everything paired great together! read more
I arrived at 5:30pm and there was no line! Pro tip: you can add your name on the virtual wait line via the Yelp app! We ordered the Saigon Butter Tofu and a large 21. This can easily be shared with two people! The Saigon butter tofu was so delicious! I've honestly never had anything like it before. It was crispy, silky, and the seasoning was so yum! The pho used non traditional pho noodles, it was a lot thicker and softer. The brisket meat was fatter than normal but still good! I'm giving this 4 stars because our broth was not hot, it didn't cook the meat and we had to ask them to warm it up for us. We also had to pay $2 to get bean sprouts. Make sure to try the homemade chili sauce provided on the table! Service was super quick and all the workers were so nice! read more
4 months ago
2 years ago
I've been wanting to try Pho Element because one of my favorite YouTubers goes here pretty often! One thing I noticed was that there isn't much parking and you have to find street parking which could be pretty difficult to find on the weekend. We came on a Saturday evening and it was a packed house! However, we only waited for about 10 minutes. I ordered the infamous pho ga and my husband ordered the rare beef pho. The broth flavor of the pho ga was amazing and one of the best chicken pho's I've had. The beef broth wasn't as tasty but still flavorful. Definitely a great place to go if you are craving pho! read more
9 months ago
9 months ago
9 months ago
Had the garlic noodles, chicken pho, and mango coconut slush at Pho Element. Everything was really good. The garlic noodles were flavorful, the chicken pho was comforting and fresh, and the mango coconut slush was refreshing and not too sweet. Clean place, friendly staff. Would definitely come back. read more
We came to Pho Element since they have a vegetarian ramen (with veg broth) and other vegetarian options. Sadly that was a bit disappointing; the vegetarian broth didn't have much flavor. We also tried the spring rolls with imitation shrimp. That was just okay - it was heavily filled with rice noodles and the sauces weren't authentic. It's nice that they have vegetarian options but unfortunately, none of them tasted very good. I did enjoy the chicken pho, though. The main redeeming quality of this pho shop was the service. The servers were attentive, friendly, and overall pleasant. This place is located on a busy main street so it's primarily street parking. Nice laid-back, local spot in San Mateo. read more
2 months ago
We stumbled upon this restaurant and it didn't disappoint. The beef pho was delicious and so were the spring rolls. But the house made chili sauce truly stole the show. It was so delicious and spicy we bought some to take home. Really great find. read more
11 months ago
Chicken soup is tasty. Our waitress is attentive and helpful. Other than street parking, they have a parking lot in the backyard. read more
We went here before the lunch rush and I like how quick they came out with the food. I ordered a large vermicelli chicken soup, which came in a huge portion and Tofu spring rolls I liked how they fried the tofu it made the texture even better! read more
11 months ago
Excellent. Very tasty, great portions. Wonderful service from Jerry Phillips, Daniel and Stacey. I had the ribs really really delicious. She had the filet mignon PHO really taste too, bro Rich and very authentic. Oh, and that mango coconut slushy to die for as they would say. read more
5 months ago
1 year ago
The food is delicious I've been coming here for couple years. However, I have noticed that the portions have gotten WAY smaller and the prices went up pretty steep. One bowl of pho is now almost $16 for a SMALL. I ordered two things: Shrimp spring roll tastes really fresh but the peanut sauce is a bit watery. It definitely needs to be adjusted with extra hoisin and siracha which you can put yourself and make it according to how you like it. 3.5/5 The pho with beef balls and beef is great. The flavor is really good, the beef slices are tender and don't get overcooked with the broth. The thick noodles are good as well and the soup is very clear/ flavorful. My only complaint is the portion got much smaller. 4/5 Overall for taste I think pho element is great but with the prices and portion size of the pho bowls now it makes me less likely to come often but I would come back once in a while. Still consistent taste wise and convenient for those that live around the area. Parking during peak eating hours is quite hard though. read more
11 months ago
THIS PLACE IS SO GOOD, I love the inside, the waiters are always very attentive and nice. The taste of the pho is very flavorful compared to other places i've been to, will come again!!! (I just wish they had more toppings like bean sprouts, basil, etc because we were just given lime and jalapeños, but still love the place) read more
2 years ago
-Small little parking lot -Services was here n there but not bad -Insides a little nicer than your ma n pa viet restaurant -FoOoD- Saigon butter toast: delish! Not crispy hurt your roof mouth but very soft texture. Kinda like salt pepper, jalapeño Chinese style fry but with more added ingredients.4/5 Friends said this was on par with pho recipe in sf on Noriega and suddenly there was no debate where to eat. Unfortunately, it was not even close. I know turtle tower is gone from sf now but it didn't even come close to them as well. Without sounding too much of a hater but I like finding the best, it's still a good bowl of pho ga. Nothing wrong with it and gives you a nice warming feel. 4/5 read more
2 years ago
Fast order and hot fresh chicken broth noodles~ yummy yummy~ Imperial roll is crispy with rice noodles! Love their foods! read more
More info about Pho Element
2216 S El Camino Real
San Mateo, CA 94403
Directions
(650) 212-1166
Call Now
Visit Website
http://www.phoelement.com
Hours
Payment methods
Food & Alcohol
Indoor Amenities
Outdoor Amenities
Other Amenities
From the Business
More Info
Special Hours, Health Score
Pho Element Reviews in Other Languages
Ask the Community - Pho Element
Do you have any pho (noodle soup) options where there's no meat i.e. vegetarian soup (no shrimp paste, no fish sauce, no meat broth) and no meat added?
Yes, we have #26 vegetarian pho on the menu which you could pick mushroom broth.
For noodle soup delivery ... Do you put the noodle and soup in separate containers?
Hi Timothy, we always put the noodle and soup in separate containers.
Is your Pho Ga gluten free? Does it have any soy sauce in it?
There are no soy sauce in the soup, but the flat noodle which normally come with pho ga had wheat flour in it.... you could substitute vermicelli noodle when you place the order! Thx!
Are there any peanuts/dairy/egg/shellfish used in the chicken noodle soup or pho noodle soups? Asking because of food allergies to the above, thanks!
Hi Clifford, there are only few noodle soups that contain peanuts and shellfish which is satay beef Noolde soup, crabmeat & tomato noodle soup and seafood noodle soup, and also the items on the menu which have a P next to it is contain peanuts...…
When do you expect to be able to reopen for indoor dining?
Indoor dining recently resumed!
How is the social distancing enforcement in the restaurants and on the sidewalk for pickup orders?
The dining room was closed and they have a table to pick up in front. Plenty of room on the sidewalk to socially distance if more than one person is waiting to pick up. Soup packaged separate from noodles and soup was nice and hot even after driving…
Is there any seafood (e.g.: shrimp) in the imperial rolls? I want to order some but am allergic to seafood.
there is no seafood in the imperial rolls! :)
Does this restaurant actually serve trung non(unfertilized eggs) with their pho ga ? I'm looking through the photos and I don't see any.
Nope! Their basic pho ga just comes with just chicken meat(breast+thigh I believe)
When are you guys open again?
We are back already, looking forward to see you, thx!
Do they use msg?
There's nothing wrong with MSG, please stop spreading this fake meme. https://www.sciencefriday.com/articles/is-msg-bad-for-your-health/
You might also consider
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
36 reviews that are not currently recommended
The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.
1 year ago
1 year ago
1 year ago
2 years ago
2 years ago
4 years ago
10 years ago
3 years ago
10 years ago
9 years ago
2 years ago
3 years ago
9 years ago
2 months ago
10 years ago
3 years ago
2 years ago
10 years ago
7 years ago
