i got the wok seared beef pho and my mom got the classic five. our server informed us that our order would be ready in 10 minutes, and our food came out as mentioned. for my order, the beef is seared in a garlic lined pan, the broth had a deeper flavor compared to the regular broth, which in my opinion was just as good and hearty. the portion for the regular size is enough to fill you up. the pickled garlic here is really good!!!!! i was obsessed. i'd come here again just for that LOL. parking is in the back. read more

Pho Garlic - 6. Wok-Seared Beef Pho | Phở Tái Lăn - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

[Food] Takeout - Spicy Lemongrass Shrimp Pho ($18): Got this with fresh noodles, but the noodle portion seemed very little, even with my small appetite. Soup was a mild spice with decent tom yum flavor that is more heavy on the sugar than salt. Has a good amount of shrimp and plenty of onions and green onions. Although it's not perfect, I tweaked it to my liking by adding a bit more salt and spice. You can also make it a large for +$2 which is an increase in noodles and shrimp, soup portion stayed the same. - Rare Beef Pho ($17): I feel like for this dish, there could've been more noodles and beef. The soup was a bit bland so I added some salt which helped. I actually appreciate that they made it less salty for those to adjust the salt levels since my mom prefers less salty. I did notice a difference in broth depth compared to other places. Their broth seems to be a bit more on the lighter, healthier side whereas most Pho restaurants have a strong, salty MSG taste. Really depends what you prefer. [Service] - Fast, friendly, helpful [Overall] - Would come back for the Spicy Lemongrass Shrimp Pho and I would love to try their chicken pho and popcorn chicken next visit! read more

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I had mixed feelings about Pho Garlic, so I'm settling on three stars overall. We ordered the Classic Five Pho (#2) and the Spicy Beef Noodle Soup (#16). The Classic Five came in a generous large portion with plenty of noodles and meat, so the value was good. However, the broth tasted fairly standard and didn't leave a lasting impression. It was a solid bowl of pho, but nothing stood out or made me want to order it again. The real star of the meal was the Spicy Beef Noodle Soup (#16) with yellow noodles. This dish was outstanding. It wasn't quite a soup or a stew--it had a rich, silky sauce that coated every bite. The beef was incredibly tender and practically melted in my mouth. It felt like true comfort food, and I'd happily give that dish five stars on its own. The restaurant itself looked clean, but the presentation took away from the experience. The front of the dining room doubled as a storage area, with boxes of supplies stacked near the entrance and dining tables. The restroom also had exposed storage items that weren't tucked away or organized. While everything appeared clean, the visible storage made the restaurant feel cluttered and less polished. Service was fast and friendly. We visited around 2 p.m., and it seemed like one person handled everything--greeting customers, taking orders, preparing the food, and serving the tables. Despite wearing all those hats, he remained helpful, answered our questions, and kept things moving efficiently. If you visit, I'd absolutely recommend the Spicy Beef Noodle Soup (#16). It's worth the trip. The pho itself was decent, but the overall dining experience could improve with a little more attention to the restaurant's presentation. read more

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This was our first time visiting Pho Garlic after seeing a video on social media and reading several positive reviews that made the restaurant look very appealing. We ordered two bowls of the Five Classic Pho. Unfortunately, when our food arrived, it had a very strong and unpleasant meat odor that made us hesitate before even taking a bite. The only highlights of the meal were the fresh noodles and the meatballs. Other than that, the smell of the broth made it difficult to enjoy the pho. During our visit, there were no other customers in the restaurant. Although we understand there was only one employee working at the time, we weren't checked on even once and only received attention when we asked for more water. One thing to keep in mind is that the restaurant is located on a very busy street, so parking can be a little challenging. There is a two-hour parking lot behind the restaurant, which is helpful. This is simply my personal experience based on what we ordered. Other dishes on the menu may be much better, so if you're curious, it may still be worth trying for yourself. Unfortunately, based on our experience, we don't think we'll be returning. read more

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Saw this place on social media and decided to give it a try. They told us it opened around a year ago. We came in around 6:30pm? And we were the first customers for the evening. For a Thursday it was a little empty but it is a weekday. More people started to come around 7:00pm. I ordered the #1 and my partner ordered the sate pho. Our orders did take a bit to come out but everything was fresh pipping hot. The beef rib was tender and pho broth was clean and light. I got the fresh noodles but with the broth being super hot their noddles did start to break a bit so I think the fresh noodles cooking time need to be adjust to break less. Otherwise the #1 is pretty standard for what you can get around San Jose, wish it was a tad bit deeper but that's my personal preference. Hope you're able to give a try! They have other items on the menu that look very appetizing as well. read more

Stumbled across this place on Yelp and we gave it a try. The pho broth was savory, and the garlic chili oil and pickled garlic was also bomb! A must try when craving for pho or Viet comfort food! read more

Pho Garlic - Their house garlic chili oil and pickled garlics - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

IMHO I finally had the chance to try Pho Garlic. Pho Garlic is located across from James Lick H.S. and down the corner from Starbucks. Parking is scarce in front, but we parked behind the establishment. I was pleased to see a few occupied tables inside when we arrived. We ordered the Basil Popcorn Chicken, $7.50, the Special Combo Pho w/filet mignon, brisket, beef ribs, and meatballs, $19, and the Garlicky Chicken Roti Noodles, $17. Let's talk pho. My sister really liked the broth, but I thought it was just okay. I expected an umami power punch, but it wasn't there for me. Usually, in other pho restaurants, the pho is accompanied by a plateful stacked high with Thai basil leaves, cilantro, and bean sprouts to add to your soup. Pho Garlic offered a plate with some sprouts and two basil stalks, some pepper slices and a lemon wedge. My sister would've preferred more herbs and cilantro. She also desired more noodles in her soup. There is a list of additional add-ons one can order for an extra $1-4 per side. In hindsight, we should've ordered extra noodles when we first ordered. If we ever return, we'll do that. The popcorn chicken came out hot. It was good. My garlicky chicken roti noodles were also good. The restaurant ambiance was bright and cheerful. Service was very friendly and genuine, but sometimes slow. Will we return? Maybe. read more

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Very nice waiter, pretty fast. Got the rare beef pho and the beef was very beefy and thick cut which is just some people's preference read more

Pho Garlic - 13. Rare Beef Pho | Phở Tái - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

I LOVE THIS PLACE! Hidden gem! Parking is located in the back of the plaza. Very spacious inside and the broth of the pho is perfect. The bo vien here has a lot of flavor! The worker (who I assume is the owner) asked us if the food was great and it was! He told us to spread the word of this place and I encourage everyone to come try it out! read more

Pho Garlic - Rare Beef Flank and beef brisket Pho Tai Nam Gau - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

If you're looking for some unique pho, Pho Garlic may be a place to try. They have a variety of pho, a few other dishes, appetizers, and drinks. Items were hit or miss. Customer service was nice and sweet. The restaurant seemed to have been revamped or have a new menu now. I saw other reviews mentioning other dishes such as Bun Bo Hue, but they were no longer serving them. Check the attached menu pictures for the latest items. * Rare Beef & Meatball Pho (Pho Tai Bo Vien) 4/5 - This is your regular pho with rare beef and meatballs. The rare beef was a bit tough. The meatballs were a bit fatty. The broth was pretty good, though not the most flavorful I've had. * Rare Beef Pho (Pho Tai) 3.5/5 - This tasted the same as the Pho Tai Bo Vien. The downside was that this had the same amount of rare beef, but without the meatballs. You get less meat with this one, so I'd get the one with meatballs in addition instead. * Spicy Sate Pho 1/5 - Sate can mean skewered meat or chili sauce. This dish was neither, unfortunately. It tasted like pho submerged in grainy coconut cream. Really fatty and weird flavor. I think if it was just a spicy chili pho, it would have been better. Not sure where the thick coconut cream base came from. * Shrimp Tom Yum Pho (Pho Tom Chua Cay) 5/5 - This was like pho noodles in a Thai Tom Yum soup/hot pot broth. It was actually pretty good. The shrimps were also delicious. * Egg Roll 3/5 - Tasted okay. Not a lot of meat. There were more vegetables and potatoes. * Thai Green Tea 5/5 - This was really tasty and refreshing with the right amount of sweetness. * House Milk Tea 4/5 - This was pretty good. * Thai Tea 3/5 - Tasted kinda off, not like the regular Thai tea. read more

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It was my first time here; honestly, the flavors were delicious, the atmosphere was great, and the food was tasty also the service was really good read more

Pho Garlic - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

Pho Garlic has great flavor and an impressive variety of pho options you don't always see elsewhere. I really like that they offer unique choices like pho beef tongue and pho tái lăn. Unfortunately, the beef tongue was sold out when we visited, so I didn't get to try it this time, but it's definitely something I'd come back for. The broth was flavorful and well-seasoned overall. My only downside is the portion size. it felt a bit on the smaller side, especially for the price and there wasn't a lot of meat. Still, solid pho with good variety, and worth checking out if you're in the area. read more

I've been here a couple times now and it's alright but not the best and portions are quite small and can be kinda pricy. The meat here is usually a bit tough so I opted for the meatball and rare steak and it only came with a tiny bit of steak and the meatball bits were so small. I like that they give lots of variety for sauces so that's a plus but they give very little bean sprouts and herbs. I also give options for fresh noodles, regular, and egg noodles. My boyfriend had the sate pho and it was not that flavorful and again the brisket and meat were a bit tough. Probably won't be back unless I'm really craving pho and nothing else is open read more

Pho Garlic - Pho sate - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Amazing service from the sweetest / most attentive employees. Haven't had a delicious simple bowl of pho in a long time. The "nuoc beo" or green onion oil is delicious!! Broth is light yet flavorful. People complaining about the chunks of meat not knowing this is pretty normal option in northern Pho (tho I don't think this place is northern style). Meat is tender and delicious nevertheless. Picked garlic and pickled sweet chili they have is BOMB!!!!! read more

Pho Garlic - Rare Beef & Meatball Pho Pho Tai Bo Vien - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Some of the best pho I've had in my life. You can tell that the broth is simmered for 24 hours as claimed. Got the Dac biet that came with huge short rib. Generous portion at a great price. The customer service was excellent as well. I eat at a lot of pho restaurants hoping for this kind of quality. A little further out but completely worth it. read more

Pho Garlic is a small restaurant in a small strip of businesses on White Road and Alum Rock Avenue. The parking is street parking only, so it is challenging to find a spot. The interior is nice and new with some simple decor. The service was friendly and nice. Special Combo A - Pho Dac Biet A: pho with rare beef, short ribs, and meatballs (3.5/5). The broth was flavorful, nice and hot. But, unfortunately the rare beef was clumped together so it was a cooked clump of meat. The fresh noodles (no extra charge) were cut too small so it was hard to eat. It was like eating Campbell's Chicken Noodle soup. LOL. I was surprised that I did not get the usual side of basil, beansprouts, jalapeño, & lime wedge you normally get with Pho. Maybe he forgot and maybe I should have asked. Vietnamese Ice Coffee (3/5). The usual carmel-y taste. read more

This place is all over Instagram and people are raving about. So naturally I thought it would be a good meal. Omg, was I wrong. I ordered the chicken pho and the beef rib. I was so surprised how salty the broth was and that the rib was under seasoned. The rib had no seasoning at all and was cold along with the chicken. This place is overhyped and overpriced. Would not recommend going here. Save your money and go to Pho Hanoi read more

Absolutely love their pho--so impressive! I'll definitely be coming back to try more items on the menu. The egg rolls were also really good, and my daughter loved both the pho and the egg rolls. read more

Rare Beef w meatball 12/10. truly balanced in flavour and style. paired this with yellow noodle. weekdays serve fresh noodle. very kind and humble folk. also curious to try the duck pho upon my next visit. The restaurant has a good seating and holds numerous condiments for your pho. read more

Pho Garlic - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

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I ate at this place several times and really like the taste, the affordable price and the l dish sizes. Beef was tender and fresh. Chicken roti was so good with nice texture. The place is clean, organized, great customer services. You should Try pho and chicken roti noodle and rice. They are so good and huge. I purchased food for my pharmacy employees and they all like the food. Highly recommended with 5 stars. Phở, cơm gà, noodle rất ngon và giá cả phải chăng , vệ sinh và hạp khẩu vị. Thi Bò mềm và thơm. Gà roti da dò không mỡ và thơm mùi tỏi. Ăn nhiều chổ, toi và nhân viên đều từ thấy ngon read more

Pho Garlic - Great food menu with good size and price - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Stopped in for lunch on Tuesday and we were the only 2 customers at 12pm. Shortly, another 2 customers arrived and got their pho bowls before us. Our 2 bowls of pho with fresh noodles took over 15 mins to come out after placing the order. They also forgot our lychee tea until we were halfway done eating. We flagged them down to ask for status and the server said he forgot. They were graciously accommodating our substitution requests. -Special Combo A Pho (5/5): Substituted meatballs for tendons. Very tender short rib and plenty of rare beef & brisket. -Seafood Tom Yum Pho (3.5/5): Substituted Tom Yum broth with pho beef broth. -Lychee Tea (4/5): Initially wasn't sweet enough, but they added more syrup which made it better. Fresh, good-looking herbs (basil, bean sprouts, lemon wedges, and sliced jalapeños) on the side accompanied the pho. Table condiments included (housemade?) Lemongrass Sauté, Sriracha, Hoisin, Shaved Garlic in vinegar, Fish Sauce, and Soy Sauce. Sauté was basically lemongrass in oil, no pepper spice to it. Clean dining area, friendly customer service. Women's restroom reeked! Think it's plumbing issues. Held my breath to wash my hands before digging into the herbs. Not much parking space in front (a lot of red and green zones). Would go back if I'm in the area, but not worth the drive from the East bay. There's comparable Vietnamese restaurants near me. read more

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Today, I'm in the South Bay Area. I see this all the time, everytime I'm in Alum Rock. I'm here at Phở Garlic this Friday at Noon. For Garlicky Phở, this is where I want to be at. They got something, that I don't really see at similiar Shops. They call it The Classic Five Phở Năm Loại, it has Filet Mignon, Brisket, Gân, and Bò Viên, so that's what I got. The Beef is High-quality. I really like this version, I like the Pickled Garlic, it adds just enough contrast and texture. I was thinking this was going to be a 3.8-4.3 stars, this could be a 4.3 stars on a good day, I want to give this a 4.3 stars, but I give this 4.2/4.3 stars out of 5 stars. That was some good Phở Noodles. read more

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Great food and portions! I was surprised at how delicious the broth is. Would recommend the chef combo for your first time.

Seems to be a new restaurant, we tried visiting during Chinese new year and they were closed. We finally managed to dine in a week later. Restaurant is new and clean. There was only one server and one cook when we visited. Parking is at the back. Though there was just another table that was occupied when we visited, our order of two pho bowls took around 20 mins. I personally got a veggie pho, it was made with chicken stock and a garden variety of veggies. Think of any veggie and you could find it in the bowl. Given how long they took to make it, it was obvious they made it right there and then and took their time with it. I was suffering from a cold and the chicken stock lifted my spirits. The veggies were an absolute delight, each veggie was cooked to perfection. And this is amazing as the cook time for each veggie is different. This is something I can eat everyday if they can make it for me. Healthy and yet so flavorful. I Ofcourse spiced it up with the sauces at the tableside. The service was painfully slow but food was great and fresh! read more

Pho Garlic - Veggies Pho - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Came here with my squad for dinner, it was very empty when we came & we were seated right away. One server, one cook. Spring rolls - not memorable, just like any other spring roll. Pho dac biet - a bit on the oily side but very flavorful and my kids enjoyed it Bun Bo hue - probably my favorite here, very flavorful without needing to add anything extra. The garlic roti with rice - chicken is crispy and FIRE. Super flavorful, even the rice was good on its own, love the fresh vegetables it came with as well. Service was good. Overall will be back. read more

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Great food. The broth is simmered for 24 hours!!! There is public parking in the back, so don't be wary of the lack of street parking. read more

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Was craving pho so we decided to check out this new spot. I placed my order over the phone for a custom pho. It comes with one free soda. They are having 15% off discount right now, likely for a soft opening, so the bowl was reasonably priced. It was available when we came in for pick up. As soon as you walk in, you are hit with an amazing smell broth. The store is cutely decorated. The only problem with this location is that the parking situation is confusing. We parked in the back near Planned Parenthood, and then walked around to the front. There is no access in the back of the store. I think if it was in a location where cars could park more easily, it would help with the foot traffic. There was a handful of people dining in the store. I brought it home to eat. I put all my stuff into a bigger bowl because it came with so much noodles and meat. My grandma commented that they put a lot of star anise in their broth. My dad thought it was pretty decent. I thought this spot hit the spot for my craving. The meat was tender and I drank up the broth. Overall, seeing how this is a family operation and seeing how the details were put on the walls with care, I hope this establishment stays for a long time in the area and prospers! read more

Pho Garlic - interior - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

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I've been here multiple times and have not gotten anything bad to say. If you live in this area you know good pho is hard to find and you would have to drive elsewhere. This spot is so good and is up there on my list. I would usually have to drive all the way to Story or berryessa to get good pho but I'm glad this place opened up. The pho soup is very good with perfect taste. The meat is tender and falls off the bone. The pho is sooo good. The BBH is good as well. The meat cuts are good and the soup is good. No pork blood if you are into that I prefer either. Parking can be tough but I haven't ran into the issue. Parking is also allowed after 4 at James Lick parking and also there is parking in the back of the store. The owner is really cool and nice. Try this place out you won't regret. read more

Pho Garlic - 1. Special Combo A Pho Dac Biet A - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

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I'll start by saying I'm a regular here and feel horrible for just now posting a review ! I order the beef pho , or the beef and brisket pho with regular noodles ,both are very good . The staff is friendly , they already know my order when I walk in . The restaurant is typically very quiet , sometimes they have music but very low . I come on my lunch break and I just put my AirPods on to not disturb others eating their meal to keep the noise down Overall I would recommend anyone to come here, I've never had a bad experience. read more

This is the best pho in San Jose in my opinion. The broth is cooked for 24 hours, resulting very good flavor and good taste. The broth is very hot and hot until the end, that's exactly pho broth should be. The meat is fresh and tender. Service is good and fast. read more

I used to live in Hanoi before moving to the Bay Area, and this is the best pho I've found here. The 'Phở Tái Lăn' instantly takes me back to Hanoi, the beef has a wonderfully smoky aroma that's absolutely amazing I will come back read more

Pho broth is flavorful. I didn't get the MSG aftertaste, which is a good. The broth is very clear and has a nice golden color. The broth isn't too sweet,too salty, too mild, too fatty, too lean, just right. The saute pho has a nice smoky flavor to the beef. Service was good. Plenty of parking in the back. Would give it a 4/5 but pricing was right when you get the combos 5/5. Some of the better pho spots in SJ read more

We're regulars since we found Pho Garlic in this small, unexpected & discrete SJ suburb mall. All dishes have been excellent. To name our favorites: THE best braised duck noodle soup in the bay area, garlicky chicken roti, special combo pho. And it's reasonably priced. Highly recommended restaurant. It's worth the drive to this jewel of a restaurant. Chapeau to Truong the chef/owner for his dedication to quality. read more

Food was amazing, too bad I only had a short lunch break, otherwise I would have taken my time eating. Great service, it's not like other restaurants where they hover around you & stares at you. It's a really nice small place & ambience is chill. read more

Pho Garlic - Special Combo A Pho Dac Biet A - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

Parking was limited but we managed to find a spot. We ordered - combination pho (phở đặc biệt) - pho broth was good and flavorful, meat is a bit on softer side. - garlicky chicken roti rice - crispy skin and garlicky sauce on chicken, very good, definitely will order again and will try shaking beef next time. - stewed/braised duck egg noodles soup (mì vịt tiềm) - generous serving of duck leg and thigh, good herbal soup with dried jujube and shiitake mushrooms. They do a much better job than many places in San Jose for this dish. - beef tongue pho (phở lưỡi bò) togo - generous serving of thick cut beef tongue, a bit softer than expected but still very flavorful and good. Clean restaurant and nice staff. We'll return to try other dishes. read more

Pho Garlic - Beef tongue pho (phở lưỡi bò) - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

After a long day of work, sometimes a bowl of pho is all you need. This was a pleasant surprise after one of those days... service was fast, food was delicious, and will certainly be back again! read more

Pho Garlic - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Fast service, very attentive and nice staff, and delicious pho. I've been here twice now and will definitely keep coming back as it gets colder. I've only had the traditional pho broth but I'm really excited to try the tom yum pho next!! Easy parking and a very clean interior as well. This is my new go-to spot. read more

The service is so nice and gentle. The combo Pho is so yummy. I like Tom yum pho. I'll come back next time because we have a wonderful dinner at Pho Garlic. read more

Great variety of delicious pho. Try the duck and the chicken. My family recommends shrimp tom yum pho.

This new medium size Pho Restaurant is cozy, friendly with waiter named Hoàng. This Pho's broth is very good with right flavor; rare steak & beef balls are tender (ordered this time). Parking is on the backside though ! 4 out of 5 stars. Will come back again & taste again read more

Pho Garlic - Vietnamese Near Me - San Jose, California