Cancel

Open app

Search

Pho Lab

4.8 (462 reviews)
ModerateVietnamese, Noodles, Soup
Open 10:00 am - 10:00 pm
Updated a few days ago

Waitlist - Pho Lab

Live Current wait: under 5 minutes

Pho Lab Reservations

Order Pho Lab Takeout or Delivery

Pho Lab Photos

Business Info

PHO LAB ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Good for groups
Dogs allowed

Recommended Reviews - Pho Lab

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

Keycee D.

Came across this spot one night while trying to figure out dinner and decided to check out Pho Lab for some pho. My husband and I both ordered the pho combination and added the rib bone. The broth itself was really good--flavorful and comforting--but the rib bone didn't quite hit for me. It wasn't as tender as I expected, and I think it could've been cooked a bit longer to get that fall-off-the-bone texture. We also ordered their fried chicken wings, which are a must every time we come here. They're perfectly fried and seasoned, and honestly delicious even on their own. The garlic butter dipping sauce is a great bonus, but not even necessary. Even our 3-year-old loves the wings. The restaurant itself is pretty spacious, and we've never had to wait for a table. They do seem to get a lot of to-go orders though. Overall, solid food and a place we'd come back to.

Maritza S.

The good at Pho Lab is absolutely delicious. The meat is tender and the broth rich. The pho with beef bone is my favorite. The meat falls off the bone. The service is just ok. My biggest complaint is the cleanliness. The floors and booths are always dirty which can be off putting. FYI if you pay cash you get a discount.

Broth
Vanessa G.

I picked up some broth for my husband, since his dr put him on a temporary broth diet. He said it was delicious. It smelled amazing. The service was quick. Next time I'd love to stop inside to enjoy a great meal.

GraceChan E.

Stop here because we play a tournament at great park . Have to recommend this place , because of the chili sauce . So good !

Golden Bao
Christine T.

More like 3.5 stars. I came for lunch excited to try a new spot for Pho since I was in the area. Sadly it was just ok. The broth in the pho was too light in flavor which is more telling of a northern style pho. I prefer a southern style pho so please take that into consideration with my review. I also got the golden bao which was interesting. I never had a fried version of the bao. I'm glad I tried it because the texture of the crispy outside with a soft dough on the inside was nice. That being said, I wish it was more juicy. I was looking for the wonderful meat juices that normally come with a steamed bao. Vietnamese coffee was also just ok. I was looking for that bold coffee depth of flavor but it also seemed a little on the light side.

Garlic Noodles w/ Tiger Prawns
Karen A.

This neighborhood pho restaurant have a good selection of appetizers, pho, vermicelli noodles, and rice dishes. I ordered the garlic noodles with prawns and enjoyed it. Noodles are very tasty & prawns are cooked right & very flavorful. Staff are really friendly & attentive. Will definitely come back to try other dishes.

Garlic noodle with filet mignon
Dominic R.

Amazing. I had the garlic noodle with filet. Steak was very tender and delicious. The garlic noodle had the perfect amount of garlic and seasoning. Friendly service and really cool spot.

Build your own pho, tofu spring rolls, shrimp spring rolls, crispy egg rolls.
Aileen V.

Mannnnnnnnnn, when I had gone the very first time, it was truly an amazing experience. I have been twice after my first time and every single time I dislike this place more and more. The last time we went, they forgot 20% of our order , and it was so hard to get service. The workers seemed annoyed. Then I went again today on 02/28/25 and 1. I found an animal in my soup....... I wanted a refund, instead gave me another one. 2. I had asked for tofu spring rolls & got shrimp instead 3. The garlic noodles were so cold..... 4. Our sitting area was dirty and it just killed the vibe Im like what the heck. And it was so hard to get service!! My boyfriend had to go to the counter at least 3 times to ask for something. It's definitely no longer a favorite ....

Spring rolls
Michael B.

We don't have a go-to Vietnamese spot around us yet, so we gave Pho Lab a try. Unfortunately, this restaurant will not be it. We came here on an evening for a pretty hot day, and I don't think the AC was on. The venue was pretty warm, which is probably even more annoying for those who ordered pho. Now admittedly, we didn't order pho, but still, I'd expect your other menu offerings to be of good quality. Here's what we got: Spring rolls - I'm a huge fan of spring rolls but this was such a let down! It was like 90% lettuce and the shrimps were sliced ever so thin. They very obviously cheapened out on this. Pork Banh Mi - Bread good, meat pretty good, but again that stupid lettuce is there! I already had enough from the rolls... and also I think this is the first time I see lettuce in a banh mi? There was also barely any pickled carrots and daikon, which is my favorite part. No jalapenos either. I do like the green sauce though. Garlic Noodles with Filet Mignon - The meat was cooked well, but there was all this oil on the plate? It was just too much. Overall, we were quite underwhelmed with our experience. There are a lot of Vietnamese options around here, so I'm quite surprised that this one in particular has such a high Yelp score.

Pork rolls
Raven R.

This is a fun new place for pho. It gets crowded on a weekend so I would recommend getting earlier to avoid peak hours. The place is clean and nicely decorated. We got thai tea to drink and pork rolls with peanut sauce for an appetizer. For our main course, we got pho with rib eye and rib bones. Thai Tea- This was rich and creamy with just the right amount of sweetness. Very refreshing! Pork Rolls with Peanut Sauce- The pork sausage was savory with a hint of sweetness. You get a wonderful mix of veggies and fresh herbs to heighten the flavor. The peanut dipping sauce was the cherry on top. Rib Eye- The broth base is flavorful and the noodles are soft and chewy. The rib eye is thinly sliced and tender. The bean sprouts provided on the side add a layer of texture. Rib Bones- The meat is fall off the bone and very tasty. Pairs well with the rich broth and chewy noodles. A squeeze of lime adds a burst of freshness. Very filling! Great experience overall!

brisket pho, shrimp spring rolls
Denice J.

Came here for a late night dinner, was sat fairly quickly and the inside was so clean and nice. Lights were a bit bright but nothing too bad. I love the shrimp spring rolls here they're so fresh and the sauce is amazing. I highly recommend getting fish sauce with your crispy spring rolls. My go to is either the oxtail pho or the brisket pho. They definitely don't skimp out on the meat. You get your moneys worth every time. Truly love this spot so much especially for a good late pho fix. Service was speedy and so kind.

Brisket pho
Agnes P.

Absolutely delicious broth! Tried both their brisket and chicken pho and both stood out! Their popcorn chicken was also great. Very attentive staff and plenty of seating inside!

My salad making set
J'aime K.

Seriously the best Beef Pho in SoCal and beyond! Mike offered great service! And he passionately explained other dishes to try and a few off menu items. What I loved about their pho - - Generous green onions sliced as a garnish - Broth was spectacularly well balanced (other pho places too much medicinal herby spice), not here!!! - The rib eye well done (cooked in the back) was plentiful, when I thought I ate it all, I kept finding more meat - This is a very satisfying portion Usually other pho places the noodles are clumped together and take some time to separate, as well as it brings down the soup temp. - NOT at Pho Lab - The noodles are already separated and ready to eat - SUCH A PLEASURE EATING IT THIS WAY I asked for extra bean sprouts, sliced onions, cilantro and lime to make my own salad (w Hoisin and Sriracha). So delish. They have three sauces: - Chili garlic - Sriracha - Hoisin But the best part is their electric pepper grinder (Imagine fresh black pepper with a rough grind). It totally elevates the dish! I also ordered an appetizer to take home, the Goi Cuon (Shrimp Spring Roll - 2). Excited to try it! If you pay with cash, you get a 5% discount! I left very full and happy. Satisfying portion size! Super well made! I am going to think about this meal for days!

Chicken Pho

See all

3 months ago

Food was good, service was prompt and fast. Would come again. Plaza was easy to find parking

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 months ago

My first time here. Definitely some of the best pho I've ever had and the service was very quick.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Food was average. Pork noodle dish was not fresh and didn't have all the fresh herbs that normally should come with this dish.

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

3 months ago

We ordered the bone rib pho and pho only. both is very good. Service is also very good.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Debbie l.
151
60
13

4 months ago

Friday night this place was busy! Food was delicious! The restaurant was adorable and clean!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Jeff F.
40
14
2

3 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 months ago

I had the pho chicken soup and it blew my socks off my feet. Delicious, %100 would recommend

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Iris M.
0
12
32

7 months ago

The best pho in lake forest. Both beef pho and chicken pho are delicious. Service was nice.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Really good pho broth with amazing service. Great local ambience and authentic vibe inside the restaurant

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Quick service and amazing pho! The cajun fries w/ ribeye were also very good! Ambience and music were nice.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 months ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1
Photo of Cam P.
57
82
82

6 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 months ago

Got the pho here with my family. Great service and great food. Will be my go to when I'm in the area.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Duy D.
53
4
12

7 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Amazing Pho best I've ever had recommend to anyone would definitely come here again !!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Kay T.
0
12
3

4 months ago

The restaurant has a relaxed atmosphere and feels very clean. The staff are also nice. The pho soup is delicious.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Clean shop, pretty great food, really liked their pho's soup. Eggroll is very good too. Definitely will come back in the future!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 months ago

3rd time coming here this week. Very good! Would definitely recommend this place their ribs are very nice

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Tae I.
0
90
0

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Food was amazing! Would recommend if you're in the area! Service is amazing and the place is both clean and very lively

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

Page 9 of 12

Pho Lab Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Pho Lab

Sunny Dumpling House - XLB

Sunny Dumpling House

4.2(870 reviews)
1.1 mi
$$

My friend recommended this place and said it was better than Din Tai Fung. I have to admit, I was…read morepleasantly surprised. First off, there was a lot of parking in this hidden strip mall. When we got there, there was a little bit of a wait, about 10 minutes. The menu was digital and we were able to order from the table from our phone. The service was good, the restaurant was clean and had quite a few tables there. The bathroom was located upstairs, the key was by the register at the front. The scallion pancake was good but I've had better. The dan dan noodles were really tasty, it was like a mix of spicy noodles with peanut noodles and I'm definitely down for that. The XLB was juicy and oh so delicious. The spicy wontons were fresh tasting. The beef rice cake was great but I wish it had a little kick to it. I was a little surprised that it had an assortment of proteins in it.

Hidden gem for sure. Got recommended by a co-worker and it was definitely worth checking out. It's…read morea cute little spot tucked into the plaza with cozy vibes. We had just gotten back from China and were craving Chinese food, so this totally hit the spot haha. We ordered the beef stew soup noodles, fried pan pork dumplings, and string beans and everything was delicious! One thing we liked was how they had QR code ordering and easy mobile payment. It reminded us of being back in China with how convenient everything was. The prices were also more affordable compared to places like Din Tai Fung. Overall, a solid spot with good food & easy ordering. 100% would come back again.

Photos
Sunny Dumpling House - Dining area.

Dining area.

Sunny Dumpling House - Beef noodle

Beef noodle

Sunny Dumpling House - Dumplings

See all

Dumplings

HanBop - BBQ Short Rib / 갈비구이

HanBop

4.4(264 reviews)
0.5 mi
$$

It's been a while since my last visit to Hanbop, and after my recent visit, I now want to go more…read moreregularly! I was able to go in during lunch to get the lunch special price. The price has gone up since I last posted a picture of the menu but I think that it is still SUCH a steal for the amount of food and quality. I ordered the beef short rib lunch special and was amazed by how much food arrived! The preview pic on the menu did not do the actual meal size justice. I was surprised by the amount of short rib pieces included as well as the variety of side dishes within the bento (fried shrimp, dumpling, some sort of fried roll, 2 pieces of another roll, 2 pieces fried chicken and soup). This is still separate from the regular banchan they provide! I really love their kimchi and potato salad. There are plenty of seats in the restaurant and parking spots in the plaza. There were a lot of solo diners at the time of my visit. The workers are friendly and quick with your order and refills. Can't wait to go back!

I have been on a Bibimbop eating streak of late...You must try this place in Lake Forest if you…read morelike Bibimbop. No need to go all the way to Irvine. It's situated in the same shopping center as Albertson's. The banchan (side dishes) served was delicious & just enough but you can always ask for more. Your bibimbop is served with small side of soup. It's filling. Will definitely be returning!

Photos
HanBop - Interior

Interior

HanBop - Sides that are feee before meal. Delicious

Sides that are feee before meal. Delicious

HanBop - Marinated Salmon Lunch Special

See all

Marinated Salmon Lunch Special

Simply Pho - Shrimp spring rolls

Simply Pho

4.3(998 reviews)
1.2 mi
$$

I'm from LA, and I can honestly say this spot is unmatched! Finding a place that balances quality,…read moreportion size, and price this well is rare. I ordered the XL Pho, and it did not disappoint. Packed with plenty of protein, and the broth was super flavorful--everything ties together perfectly. For the amount of food you get and the quality of the ingredients, the price is unbeatable. The staff is super nice but some are not that attentive. but i really appreciated that they let us sit exactly where we preferred. It's a pretty calm and peaceful environment too for a smaller space, It wasn't noisy, which made for a really enjoyable, relaxing meal. If you're in Lake Forest, i suggest you to check this place out! Highly recommend for anyone looking for authentic, top-tier pho.

I came here with my in-laws for a late night dinner as they're always on the hunt for a great, non…read morehomemade pho option. They're definitely tougher critics than I am (as I don't have grandparents/family recipes to compare them to) but I'm always happy to tag along with them. The interior of the restaurant is small and I could see that it could be a bit tough to move around if they're busy. They also have little to no waiting area inside so if you aren't seated right away, chances are you'll be hanging outside in the parking lot. But we were there when the restaurant was maybe 1/3 full and we could move around easily & not feel like we were talking over other guests. The wait staff was incredibly friendly and attentive, but not so much so that it felt like they were trying to move us along with everything. I appreciated that. The menu is quite extensive. Yes, Pho is in the name but there are plenty of other Vietnamese options. I opted for the shaken beef plate. I wanted to get the version with fries, but my wife accidentally told the woman in Vietnamese that I wanted just the regular version. I guess I'll have to come back another time to see how it compares to one of my favorite dishes: Peruvian lomo saltado. However, I will say the standard plate I was served was delicious. Everything was well seasoned & cooked perfectly. Definitely one of the best bò lúc lắc dishes I've had in a restaurant in awhile. We had a good meal. My in-laws said the pho was fine. I think it tasted good. Our 3 kids slurped their bowls all up so that's a great sign. In all, if we're in the El Toro area & want some Vietnamese food, we'll absolutely be back.

Photos
Simply Pho
Simply Pho - Beef and rice

Beef and rice

Simply Pho

See all

Pho Lab - vietnamese - Updated May 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...