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    Pho Hoa

    4.3 (1.6k reviews)
    ModerateVietnamese
    Closed 7:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Pho Hoa Photos

    Business Info

    PHO HOA ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - Pho Hoa

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    Reviews With Photos

    Matthew C.

    This Bò Kho was ok. The broth itself was decently seasoned but felt too light for my personal taste. WAY too light. This even had a rain buff. Stick to the Pho here.

    Brisket, Rare steak, and tripe pho
    Christopher G.

    Phò Hòa in City Heights/Talmadge is a classic, fairly authentic Vietnamese pho dining experience. I give this spot a solid 4.4/5 stars. It's not the greatest I've had, but it's definitely up there. The layout of the restaurant, the busyness, and the carts they use remind me a lot of being on the train in Vietnam. To say they're on top of the tables is an understatement--the staff are constantly available, cleaning, and ready to take your order at any second. My friend and I ordered brisket, rare steak, and tripe pho. We loaded up our bowls with basil, jalapeños, hoisin, sriracha, and chili oil. The broth was good, the meat was tender--particularly loved the brisket--and the portions were good. For some reason my bowl had a smaller portion of noodles, but there's plenty of meat, so I'm not complaining. I think that the broth could use a bit more complexity, perhaps more anise and a longer steeping time with more bones. All in all, it's a solid pho though. Lots of seating, fast service, a range of meat cuts--basically a no-frills, classic pho eatery with good prices and a no-nonsense atmosphere. If I had to choose other pho places to rank above this one, I'd say Pho Sao Bien or Pho Minh are slightly better in terms of broth quality.

    10/2025 the menu was clean
    Henri V.

    Pho is a Vietnamese noodle soup. Hoa means harmony, balance or peace. Phở Hòa: Combines the two words to represent the harmony of flavors and balance of ingredients in the soup as defined by Google. This Vietnamese restaurant in the City Heights area of San Diego was listed on Yelp as among the list recommended with high reviews. Over two weeks ago, I was feeling under the weather. I had to slowly reintroduce my body to wholesome foods and I was craving an aromatic pho broth. This restaurant opens earlier than most at 07:00a and that's when I visited. The surrounding area is rough, but there's parking in their lot steps from the entry, and I appreciate the convenience. The host/waiter spoke little English but the menu with the numbered list of selections makes it easy to point and order. The menu was clean, almost newish and ONLY offers various Pho soups and a drinks menu. Ordered number 17, the Pho Chin which is the beef broth noodle soup with rare slices of beef and slices of lean brisket and wanted very minimal noodles. I was only interested in this authentic Vietnamese broth and enjoyed this version of pho very much. I packed the remaining portions of meat and herbs to go. My little baby loves the meat slices especially with the herbaceous taste. Service was cordial, efficient and accommodating. While this restaurant is not fancy, zero ambiance, I appreciated the cleanliness of the menu and surface areas. There's indoor and outdoor seating. Be aware they only accept CASH!! No ApplePay, No credit cards, just CASH. The hot clear aromatic pho broth with its balance of ingredients and harmony of flavors did work its magic to help heal my body and makes this restaurant worthy of a visit, Pho Hoa...recommend.

    Indoor
    David L.

    Came on a Friday evening craving pho. There were a number of pho spots all in that same area but we chose this one. We both ordered pho. Service was incredibly fast! After we placed our order, it seemed like it was only 2 minutes before our food came out! Ambiance is decent- it's a massive dining room and great for larger parties that aren't looking for a fancy ambiance but rather some authentic pho. While it wasn't the best pho I've had, it was good and definitely satisfied our pho craving.

    Organized Utensils and Sauces
    Caitlin D.

    I've actually never been inside Pho Hoa. Their menu is quite simple as they only have different varieties of Pho. Although they do have Bo Kho-- but that was the only different item I saw. Their drink menu is nicely priced or so I thought as I saw cups are on the smaller side. After seeing the size, I'd actually prefer if the drinks were $1 less, but then again...they are making most of the drinks fresh and with quality ingredients it seems so understandable for pricing. In all honestly, for 2025 especially, the pricing for the entire menu is fair! I think, their prices went up maybe $2-3 from before. The interior of Pho Hoa is super spacious, I think it's bigger than Pho Ca Dao. And there's a lot of workers, but I guess they have different tasks. We would ask one worker for the menu and he would relay to someone else to bring the menus, the water, etc. The inside of the restaurant is very clean! All the sauce bottles and utensils were clean and well stocked. I wish they had some small plates so I could mix the hoisin and sriracha for my bo vien (meatballs). I ordered their #18, Pho Bo Vien, Size Small Bowl, $14.50. After Pho Tai, this is my next favorite to order. Here at Pho Hoa they give you large pieces of bo vien and it was a tad darker in color than I usually see it. It had good flavor though. The broth was piping hot and had a nice fragrant taste. It had thinly sliced onions and green onions as well. They used thin pho rice noodles & it was slightly in a lump at the bottom of the bowl at first...which is why I recommend lifting it up and down to loosen them. They gave us 2 plates of pho basil, beansprouts, jalapeño, lime, and even sawtooth herb (ngò gai)! Rather than refilling the glasses of water they come out and give entirely new cups which means more for them to wash. The small size was honestly the perfect size for me to eat. At other restaurants, I usually share with my mom and even then sometimes we wouldn't finish a bowl. This one was delicious and I'd recommend stopping by for lunch if you're in the area and want some pho. The drinks looked good too-- Thai tea, lemonade, ca phe sua da, and if you get the iced tea lemonade maybe ask for more tea. They even had che ba mau, sam bo luong, salty lemon/plum drink, and sua dau nanh!

    Outside seating
    Susie T.

    Still the best pho in the world even after eating here close to 30 years. Fastest service, and still that good ol hole in the wall with the most authentic pho flavor. Best lazy Sunday feeling and good vibes every time I go.

    Willie L.

    This place is a place where my friends and I frequent when we get back from fishing. It is one of the only restaurants that is opened at 7am. Breakfast pho after getting off multi-day fishing is super satisfying. I usually get pho dat biet with an iced Vietnamese coffee. The food comes out super quick, which may be because we usually come here way early in the morning. The restaurant is basic in the decor where it is not anything fancy.

    Eleanor C.

    the best pho in SD! the wait time is so short and the ability to eat a quick bite of yummy pho can happen here. i like the service, how it is quick and efficient with not much to tip on because it's so fast. i would bring any person not in SD here in a heartbeat.

    Bean sprouts and greens for soup.
    Cat B.

    I've not found anywhere in San Diego that makes as good or better Pho than here. The broth in the soup is actually life-changing! Any time I feel like I have a cold or just need a hot bowl of soup this is my only place to go!

    What a beautiful spread!
    Cindy W.

    My sisters and I dined here after hearing about this place. Definitely a nice place to go for generous portions of pho. It was a delight to see how attentive the service is. Plenty of tables to sit at and the food came promptly. The place is clean and set up nicely for large or small groups.

    #1 Special!
    Missbecky T.

    Quaint and cozy restaurant that serves satisfying Pho. The food tasted amazing, the service was prompt too.

    Exterior
    Ashley F.

    Pho Hoa is a pho specialty restaurant, only serving up the best Vietnamese noodles in SD. I was amazed with the 2. Specialty Dac Biet. I normally dislike Tendon but it was soft, and thinly sliced savory collagen goodness. Their broth was full of flavor. I am so happy to have had their pho and now can frequent this place instead of driving to OC. 100% would recommend!!!

    Flank steak with well done brisket
    Scott C.

    This is the GOAT in San Diego for pho. Hands down. You want a great bowl of pho served up quick with no nonsense and cafeteria lighting, you're in the right place.

    No. 11

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    Page 1 of 41

    Pho Hoa Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Pho Hoa

    Do they sell the broth separately?

    Yes, they will sell you the broth separately if you ask! Just ask!

    I really want to find a great pho place that doesn't use MSG cause I react so badly to it. Please tell me they don't use MSG here!?

    Do you react that way to tomatoes, cheese, cabbage, or any meat too? Many foods in our regular diets have msg naturally occurring.

    Are they reopened for dine in?

    Yes, they are! :)

    As on May 25, is it open for dine in yet? I have been craving for Pho for months and carry out is just not the same!

    Hey guys anyone know if their broth is beef or pork?

    beef.

    Are the noodles gluten free?

    Pho noodles are made from rice flour, which should be gluten free.

    Do they have chicken pho?

    I don't think I've ever seen chicken pho there and I've been eating here for nearly 30 years. This is a legit authentic pho spot and I think chicken pho is something that businesses sell to attract a wider audience

    Is this place vegan friendly?

    Yes they have bowls with no meat or broth . I don't know how the broth is made but I'm sure they use some kinda meat bones.

    Is this part of the chain?

    Absolutely not. Can't find pho like this anywhere else :-)

    Do you tip here? There's really not any kinda service happening.....

    Of course. Still a service . I always do.

    View All 11 Questions

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    Goi Cuon - Rolls and rolls

    Goi Cuon

    4.5(894 reviews)
    4.0 miHillcrest
    $$
    Family-owned & operated
    Vegetarian friendly

    This is my go to local spot for a quick bite to eat! Never disappoints me and fresh food every…read moretime. MY FAVORITE!! First off, the staff here is so friendly and it's family owned. Always providing amazing recommendation and the service is fast. Second, any item here is delicious. Never had such a unique spot offer spring rolls of any sorts. I love the combo spring roll #1 for only $14 you get a variety of spring rolls and dumplings with a side of soup. Such a good deal! I also love their vermicelli dishes, Banh mi, and pho. If you're looking for a delicious spot in the Hillcrest area, I recommend stopping by for a bite! Food: 10/10 never disappoints, delicious and hearty Service: 10/10 so friendly and fast Parking: 8/10 small parking lot but easy to find spots to park!

    So many options for spring rolls! Visiting from out town…read more I love spring rolls so had to try this place. They have combos available. You can use class pass to purchase here. The service was good. They recommended something my boyfriend could have (shellfish & nut allergy). He got the chicken pho I tried shrimp roll, shrimp & Crispy snack roll & beef pho roll. The crispy snack was delightful. Enjoyed the crunch within the roll. Came with 3 sauces- coconut, peanut & another one i dont remember but it was similar to peanut sauce. All tasty You order from the menu at table or you can place to go order at counter. Its smaller space in strip mall.

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    Goi Cuon - Eggs Sandwich

    Eggs Sandwich

    Goi Cuon - Shrimp sugar can rolls, beef rolls, crispy Vietnamese crepe rolls

    Shrimp sugar can rolls, beef rolls, crispy Vietnamese crepe rolls

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    Chicken salad bowl add avocado

    Thanh Tinh Chay - Banh mi

    Thanh Tinh Chay

    4.9(1.4k reviews)
    0.2 miCity Heights
    $$

    Not sure if I trust some of these negative reviews, since some of them even said they didn't eat…read morethe food. Others you can't even see their profiles. So, I'll leave a legitimate review along with pictures. Initially, we were ambivalent about trying this place due to the high prices but they also have an exceptional rating on Google and Yelp. 4.9 on both Google and Yelp, that's rare. We bit the bullet and headed there. Parking can be tough but luckily we found parking in front of the restaurant. It was free after 8 pm on a Tuesday. If you go earlier or on the weekends, I would read the parking sign more carefully. There might be free street parking on the left side behind the restaurant. Don't quote me on that. Like I said, parking is not as easy as other places in SD. There are quite a bit of tables to sit in. It wasn't busy when we went. Yes, they do have a very large menu with like 1,000 items. We are not vegetarian or vegan but we have tried vegan places in Denver, CO. We ordered eel Helen pho roll, crispy beef chestnut and pineapple banh mi, and duck wonton noodle soup. The owner also gave us complimentary desserts, vegan corn pudding and vegan creme. She also gave us cookies and two cups of that delicious special water to go. That special water is hands down one of the best drinks I've ever had. Prices range $22-30. -eel Helen pho roll 5 - not real eel but this was very tasty. I like that the rolls don't fall apart easily. -crispy beef chestnut and pineapple banh mi 5 - the bread has a crispy exterior and the inside is moist. The chestnuts and pineapple really pair well together. I devoured this fast. -duck wonton noodle soup 5 - I really like the broth and the noodles. -vegan corn pudding 5 - this has corn with some coconut. It's a light dessert. -vegan creme 5 - this tastes like the real thing. I honestly wanted more.

    Holy shit I am so impressed!!! We found street parking right in front. When we walked in we were…read moregreeted by Tran and seated right away. She went through the menu with us and gave us water. Water that tasted so freaking good! She mentioned the recipe is from the Middle East. Tran was so amazing! Plenty of seating inside. We found this restaurant on google searching vegan restaurants. This place did not disappoint. To be honest I knew it was going to be good cause being Vietnamese myself, my mom always used fresh ingredients!! Everything I ate tasted like my mom's cooking and that is extremely rare! Everything we ordered was 10/10!! I have no complaints from anything we ordered. It is expensive but you definitely pay for the quality of the food and you can taste it tooo! Can't wait to come back!!

    Photos
    Thanh Tinh Chay
    Thanh Tinh Chay - Fried eggplant, vegan cafe sua da and a fantastic noodle dish recommended to me. Vegan, gluten free, and so tasty. Yummy yum yum.

    Fried eggplant, vegan cafe sua da and a fantastic noodle dish recommended to me. Vegan, gluten free, and so tasty. Yummy yum yum.

    Thanh Tinh Chay - Water they serve, it has lychee and lemon.

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    Water they serve, it has lychee and lemon.

    Kingfisher - The flan was a great end to the meal

    Kingfisher

    4.3(686 reviews)
    3.9 miGolden Hill

    We had dinner here on March 16th. Food quality and taste was pretty good…read more Service was good too. The ambience and decor was nice. What was unfair and fraudulent was the tax. They already mentioned that 20% service fee will be included. We were OK with that. However, the tax amount that was calculated was not correct. In San Diego, the tax % is 7.75%, however, this restaurant charges almost 10-11%. I was about to tell the server this, but my daughter and wife told me to let it go due to politeness. I don't think I will visit this restaurant again just because of their fraudulent practice.

    I throughly enjoyed my dining experience at Kingfisher. My partner and I had a reservation here and…read morewas seated promptly after we arrived. The hostess had a note for our anniversary celebration. They also printed a little celebatory note directly on the menu - a great personal touch. Our server was friendly and answered any questions we had. We ordered the beef tartare, smoked aged duck, and the deep fried sand bass. For the drink we ordered the Seasame Soirée. While our food came out pretty slow, I'd say it was worth the wait. We also enjoyed 2 complimentary glasses of bubbly while we waited as part of our anniversary celebration. The restarant itself is decorated beautifully with a jazzy ambiance. The interior had bits of gold and green with a beautiful pearlescent leafy wallpaper. The bar is located in the center and also doubles as a centerpiece to the restuarant. Restrooms are located in the back - there we many private, clean and spacious rooms. Below is a summary of the food we ordered: Beef Tartare (5/5) - Savory, sweet and spicy beef tartare dressed in fish sauce and thai chilis. Paired alongside fresh herbs like cilantro, shiso, argula and radicchio. The sesame rice crackers were light and airy. Smoked Dry Aged Duck (5/5) - Perfectly cooked, sweet and salty aged smoked duck paired with rice noodles, herbs and 2 different sauces. I appreciated the many ways you can wrap and enjoy the duck. I do wish the slices of duck were either smaller or thinner - it's hard to eat in one bite. Whole Fried Sand Bass (4/5) - I'll always order a whole firied fish wherever I go and this was no expection. I loved the sweet & sour ginger sauce. The fish was a bit over-fried in my personal opinion, but the inside is still very soft and tender. Sweet & Sour Rice Noodles (5/5) - Aboslutely delicious! Slippery and cold rice noodles dressed in fish sauce and other seasonings. It's not overpowering at all and goes great with the Whole Fried fish as well. Seasame Soiree Cocktail (5/5) - A very unique drink made with gin, ginger, coconut, seasame seeds and more. It was very fragrant in the best way. The flavor really develops after the first sip. I love how nutty and decadent yet light this drink is. Overall, I had a great experience here and this is one of the top restaurants I've had the pleasure of enjoying in SD. Highly reccomend especially if you like Vietnamese food / fish-sauce forward dishes. (At least for the dishes I ordered)

    Photos
    Kingfisher - Interior

    Interior

    Kingfisher - Hokkaido scallops $39

    Hokkaido scallops $39

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    Pho Hoa - vietnamese - Updated May 2026

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