My current pho obsession. As others noted, the restaurant was empty upon arrival, but honestly, I liked it that way. I was serviced immediately. I ordered the Thai tea and a small chicken pho and omg. This might be the best broth in the area! As soon as it came out, I could immediately smell the onion and herbs. I couldn't wait to dive in. Now my rating is specifically for the two items that I got so I'll need to come back and try more food but for what it's worth... I'm giving it tens across the board can't wait to come back. read more

Pho King - Small chicken pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Oakland, California

I came to Pho King because it was convenient and had parking. The restaurant was almost empty when my friends and I arrived, which honestly should have been the first warning sign. We ordered beef pho and a few other dishes, but the pho broth immediately tasted and smelled wrong. It had a burnt, spoiled flavor, like old soup that had been reheated over and over for days. It was absolutely not fresh. I politely told the older owner about the problem, but instead of caring or offering to replace the bowl, he completely dismissed me and insisted there was "nothing wrong" with it. Even worse, they still charged me full price for the pho even though I only took one bite because it was impossible to eat. When I questioned why I should pay for food that clearly tasted spoiled, the owner basically acted like he did not care at all. What made the experience even more upsetting was hearing people in the kitchen talking badly about me and calling me a difficult customer just because I spoke up about the food quality. Customers have every right to complain when they are served food that tastes old or unsafe. Instead of handling the situation professionally, they acted rude and defensive. The cleanliness of the restaurant was also terrible. The restroom was filthy, toilet paper was scattered everywhere, and the entire place felt unhygienic. After this experience, I completely understand why this restaurant is often empty and why there are so many negative reviews online. I would not recommend Pho King to anyone. The food tasted old and stale, the customer service was disrespectful, and the restaurant did not seem clean or properly maintained. This place seems more focused on taking customers' money than actually caring about food quality or customer experience. read more

Pho King Original is a hidden gem! The pho was fresh, flavorful, and loaded with great toppings. The Thai tea was delicious too. Great food, friendly service, and definitely a spot I'll be coming back to! read more

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One of my favorite spots, a true Oakland classic. I grew up eating here, and it never disappoints. There's never a long wait, and I love that they've added outdoor seating. The food is authentic and full of flavor. I ordered the bun bo hue this time around and the broth was rich and comforting with the perfect amount of spice, and the portions of meat were generous. My food came out in under five minutes, so service was super quick too. The interior is modern and welcoming, making it a great spot to enjoy a comforting bowl of Vietnamese food. Whenever I'm craving good Viet food in Oakland, this is my go-to. Highly recommend! read more

Pho King - Bun Bo Hue - Vietnamese Near Me - Oakland, California

OG pho restaurant in the hood. Still one of the best broths in the bay. It's balanced and rich without being greasy. Welcoming service. Tables and menus are a little sticky. Upon entering the smell is a little musty. I don't wanna see what the kitchen looks like. Prices up a bit over the years. Currently around $19 for an XL but that's enough to feed the big boys. Read signs for street parking and take precautions for break ins. Small parking lot behind the shop. Convenient location for filling up before/after a visit with the working girls 2 blocks away. read more

Pho King - Large - Vietnamese Near Me - Oakland, California

The place is fine, parking next door. The old man is nice. A hole in the wall. If customers want somewhere nice then probably shouldn't eat at international. read more

Pho King - It didnt say online that i was closed - Vietnamese Near Me - Oakland, California

The worst is when you encounter an unsanitary restaurant and staff who don't care about the customer's experience. While I was halfway through my soup noodles, I saw a mosquito inside the soup. After I told the server, he said the mosquito must have flown in by itself. He didn't offer to replace the soup noodles, and I didn't ask either--because I wasn't planning to go back there anyway. The soup base made me thirsty whole day. I paid $55 including tax and tips. I don't know why I still paid tips for him. read more

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Having pho & listening to Christmas music at Pho King is a 10/10. The tai (thinly sliced beef) pho had 5-spices (cardamom, anise, etc.) that you could smell coming. The fresh basil, lemon + chili brought all the spices to life. Add 5 chopstick dips of hoisin sauce and chili sauce to the broth. . Size S pho bowl was more than enough. The noodles/meat was healthy portion. The iced coffee was nice. If you don't like it, that's on you boo. The service was polite & quick. Major yum. read more

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Ever since I moved from San Jose to the East Bay, I've been on a mission to try all the Vietnamese spots in Oakland. Bun Rieu is my favorite Vietnamese dish, so I ordered it since some of the reviews on here say it's good. The Bun Rieu was delicious and I like it because there's a variety of toppings in the bowl. The only good Bun Rieu I've had in Oakland is at Da Nang, which is across the street. I'll say this place is tied with Da Nang. Pho King I like because of all the variety of meats they put in it and it's flavorful. However, the broth is oily and the tofu was chewy. The tofu should have more of a sponge texture. The broth at Da Nang tastes better and they provide a variety of veggies to put in your Bun Rieu. Da Nang Bun Rieu I would say is more authentic to what you would find in Vietnam. The service was great and the owner was friendly. read more

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I'm not gonna recommend this restaurant to anyone because the broth didn't have no flavor. I've had better broth than that besides, I found a hair in the menu. read more

Yummy pho with large portions. I got a small and they packed it with lots of noodles and meats. The meats were all tender and the broth was very flavorful. Quick and efficient service. You pay at the counter after your meal. Went around 10am on a Sunday and was seated immediately. Clean restaurant and nice staff! read more

Pho King - Pho Dac Biet Soup - Vietnamese Near Me - Oakland, California

If you want authentic Vietnamese food, Pho King is the best. Great service, quick delivery of food. You can taste the long boiled bone broth in the Pho. Best noodle soup in East Bay. Best appetizers as well. Restaurant is clean and bright. Small parking lot in the back. read more

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I came here on a Saturday afternoon with my husband and friend and ordered a few items. The service was quick and friendly. I also like how they offer parking in the back especially in little Saigon. Our table ordered, a dry vermicelli with bbq pork, bun bo hue, pork ribs rice plate and a bbq pork and pork cake rice plate. The total was around $70 for 4 items which is honestly a good deal with the amount of food given. I also recommend the bahn xeo as it is nice and crispy with lots of fresh veggies on the side. Inside is clean and has your typical pho shop interior. read more

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If you came here because some food vlogger told you this place is legit, both vlogger and this establishment is scamming you! I have lived in the SF bay area for 50 years and have eaten in all different places and all types of food. This was the worse Vietnamese food, I have ever eaten. Ordered 3 dishes. Beef egg noodle pho. BBQ beef, shrimp, and egg roll vermicelli plate. Last dish, bbq pork and shrimp cake wrapped tofu rice plate. Best dish was the rice dish. Rice wasn't fresh, but kinda fried, so was ok. Pork was tender and tasty. Vermicelli dish was meh. Beef was NOT bbq, but was marinated with some type of sour red spice and was so dry and tough, could be leather. Couldn't eat. Beef pho had a strange soup broth that I haven't tasted before. The worst was the so called "egg noodles" in the pho. Again, I have had tons of egg noodles in my life. My father was a chef owning his own restaurant for decades. These noodles didn't look or taste like egg noodles. They were either not cooked properly or they were spoiled. Should have known something wasn't right when we were the only customer inside and the lemon slice that came with our beef pho was old and dried. Sad we chose this place from so many other Vietnamese restaurants either a few feet away or around the block. Big mistake!!!! read more

Fast and delicious lunch. I ordered number 21 the cold bun pork and egg roll vermicelli noodles, great on a hot day along with egg ice coffee. The egg lends the drink a creaminess and saltiness, a must try! Service is fast and quick. read more

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I've had many pho everywhere and this place was off. The pho soup was average and the bun Bo hue was very tasteless / bland, a bowl of warm water. The nem nuong (pork spring roll) was 95% veggie and a small sliver of meat for $9 (see picture). read more

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Went to Pho King on a Sunday with a party of 9. The staff was so friendly and accommodating of my large party (I called a few days before to let them know we'd be coming around 12:30pm). Best part is they had a parking lot -- it's so hard to find parking in Oakland near the lake sometimes Food was pretty solid! We got the fried egg rolls with pork inside for the table and I got the Bún bò Huê. I ordered a small and still had leftovers, pricing was also super affordable. read more

Great food and great customer service. We love the thai nam gang but everything we've tried has been delicious.

Personally, as someone who grew up in Vietnam, this is the best pho in Oakland in my opinion. The owners/staff are always friendly. The place is clean, casual which I prefer over something too upscale. 10/10, highly recommend! read more

We have loved this restaurant for over 20 years. The quality and flavor of the food is exceptional. My husband is Vietnamese and we have lived in Vietnam so we know what we're talking about. I love to order Bun Thit Nuong... which is marinated grilled pork over vermicelli rice noodles with fresh herbs and salad. My husband loves their soups. Today he Bun Ba Hue, which is a spicy beef soup from the Hue region of Vietnam with rice noodles. Here's a link to the correct location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/TPQmTkPMjg7QcyP19 This restaurant does not have an affiliation with the other one by the same name next to Lake Merritt. read more

The broth for both was bland and sweet, pho broth has more spices flavor, the bun bo Hue was just salty and sweet. The restaurant is located in a very ghetto area, but they have good parking in the back since the front street parking was sketchy. Service is decent. They gave you free hot tea. The food was a bit disappointed since this place was known for one of the oldest Vietnamese restaurant in Bay area. read more

Pho King - Pho and Bun Bo Hue - Vietnamese Near Me - Oakland, California

Their service and food are real good. Sandwiches on point and pho on point one of my new favorite spots

Let's say this was our second best pho spot in Oakland since the other spot we normally go to was temporarily close until further notice. We was seated right away even tho it was full house, perfect inside out I really like how outside seated was perfect for those who would prefer a quiet spot to enjoy your delicious food honestly we was there it was pretty loud inside, after we order food came out perfect very hot as I like it since some place serve warm broth, the broth was very good more on star anise flavor but it don't bother me much, restroom was nice, it's located in a shopping center so very busy and next to other restaurants like boba etc. I like how you can see little bit down town from view and the lake near by. I would definitely come back but maybe try other dishes that were listed which they have options. I'm not from around here so this was worth the time here. read more

Pho King - Empty bowl of pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Oakland, California

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I got the bo kho and it was pretty good! Not as tomatoey as I would've liked, but still good. The meat was very tender and the noodles were perfectly cooked. I would've liked it better if they had bread to eat (that's how my family usually eats this dish), but overall it was still good. I came with a big party and they were very accommodating. Service was great and the staff had good recommendations for people who didn't know what they wanted. read more

Pho King - Bo kho - Vietnamese Near Me - Oakland, California

Been coming here since the early 20's. They've remodeled the place but the food and service is still as great as it was 20 years ago. Would recommend any of their rice plates! read more

Pho King - Porkchop and Fried Egg Rice Plate - Vietnamese Near Me - Oakland, California

Bun bo hue was great. Loved the thin slices of beef instead of the thicker ones you get elsewhere in sj. Broth was very flavorful. Didn't need to add hot pepper flakes. Home made soy milk was great as well though a bit on the sweet side. Pho was just average as there store specialty is the bbh which is a must try. read more

rude customer service. trying to kick people out before closing hour. if it is too close to closing hour, then please dont take new customers; then if you do, please dont rush them and trying kick them out right after food is served. totally not recommended read more

There's something endearing about this old-school pho house on International Blvd. Maybe it was the owner who was meticulously sorting the chopsticks to place into the holders on each table as I entered the empty restaurant. He seemed nonplussed to see me there late on a Friday afternoon. The menu was pretty straightforward. You either get their hand rolls or their pho bowls or their hand rolls and their pho bowls. I decided to mitigate the risk of missing anything good and ordered both. I started with the $5.75 Goi Cuon, their spring rolls wrapped tightly in lettuce and mint leaves with the plump shrimp evident through the translucent rice wrapper.(photo: http://bit.ly/2Y52eSr). The peanut sauce was more like a paste but who's complaining? Next came the soup, the $8.95 bowl of Hi Tieu Mi with ho fun and egg noodles, shrimp, fish cake, ground pork, pork slices, chicken, and a fish ball (photo: http://bit.ly/34B03s5). Topped with the bean sprouts and peppers, it was quite a feast in a rustic, homestyle way that you don't quite get at fancier Vietnamese eateries. FOOD - 4 stars...does the basics well in a no-fuss way AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...clean and sparse SERVICE - 3.5 stars...no small talk, just brings the food out in the most economical way TOTAL - 4 stars...rustic Vietnamese for those who want it straight up RELATED - Looking for other Vietnamese restaurants? Here's a collection of places I've tried and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2R8pQ7k read more

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My friend introduces me to this place. My friend recommended Bun Cha Ha Noi. It is good but too sweet. I went another time to try Bun Bo Hue. It was ok. It was bland to the point that I drown it in hot sauce. read more

Pho King - Vietnamese Near Me - Oakland, California

Im coming back just for the pork knuckle in my Bun Bo Hue. I suspected between the split of Pho King that the parents would run this one, while the children would run the other one next to Lucky on E18th. While this place has been newly renovated, the customer service and the recipes are still the same. One thing I have a really hard time finding is the pork knuckle in my Bun Bo Hue. I had my first bowl of Bun Bo Hue here when I was 10, and after all these years I still find myself coming back here for the same bowl. Although the noodle soup is a lot less spicy than I remember, all the noodle soup still tastes great. Also, sometimes if you are with a smaller group, you can come here instead of waiting at the other location. OH ONE MORE THING, they accept credit cards here now. YAY! read more

Pho King - Large bun bo hue with the ham hock!! - Vietnamese Near Me - Oakland, California

Pho and BBH is always on point!! I just need to note that this location is incorrectly listed on Google Maps so make sure you go to the right location on International Blvd! read more

My family and I eat here a lot! lt's located where the old Merritt Bakery was. which is close to the lake and has a parking lot. We most often get the Bun Bo Hue, Spring Rolls , & Banh Xeo share (always tastes fresh), and some Vietnamese coffee . I've yet to be disappointed by their service. Great solid place for pho and has remained our go-to spot. Can't miss a week without it read more

Portion went down a lot. I used to be a fan. They really need to stop being cheap. I think they cut down on the beef portion for about 1/3 since 2023. Taste is about the same or not bad. But the portion is too small for a $17 pho. There is better pho out there read more

I got the pho combo with the bun Bo hue broth soup was flavorful and tasty. Service was quick and fast. read more

Pho King - Vietnamese Near Me - Oakland, California

I live in the neighborhood & I've tried every BUN RIEU (tomato/crab vermicelli soup) in this area. I personally think they're THE BEST!! Probably in all of Oakland too!! My notes on my phone (I took notes on all the local bun rieus!!): Pho King on E14 - lots of veggies, shrimp paste, HOUSE MADE MEATBALLS!!! 2 quail eggs, has the good tofu puff, veggies ready. Has tomatoes. More complex!!! And yes, they beat the other Pho King by the lake. BY A MILE, literally!! read more

The name. The spring rolls. The broth. The noodles. The service. The portions. Nuff said.

I remember going to this Pho King growing up and when they closed to move down by the old Lake Merritt bakery I was super bummed. There is a nice home-y feeling I get when eating here and when they opened back up, my brother insisted that we try it out. I definitely got a nostalgic feeling going back here and they definitely updated some of the interior from what I remember. I like to order the combo pho and bun thit nuong. For you tendon lovers, they for sure offer a lot more compared to other restaurants in the area and they accept credit card. Service is nice, I love the staff here! Do give pho king a visit, especially if you went here back in the day. read more

Wow, this is the best Vietnamese restaurant I've been to. We had bun cha, mi quang and banh xeo and all were spectacular. He shared he went to the bun cha restaurant in Vietnam that Obama went to, and his is way better. Haha cute owner. Also interesting point, this Pho King has been here for 30 years and the other Pho King by the lake has no connection to his restaurant. They simply took his restaurant name. read more

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I don't know what people mean when they said the food is flavorless, the food is so good! And the staff even if they have limited English still treat you with the same respect as anyone else. And I enjoyed the vibe the place had, plants to liven it up and the smell of Pho coming from the kitchen I was hungry and had my fill. I went with my husband who had the chicken Pho and I had the beef Pho, with Vietnamese Coffee and this Avocado Boba. It was a really nice time for the both of us and was very worth it! read more

The Pho King on International Boulevard is a long time favorite. Really good food and great service. Glad to know they are reopened.