Moved to Santee a while ago and was looking for a good pho spot and Pho Mai Cali is perfect. Good prices and quality. Service is outstanding and friendly. I love the bbq combo rice plate and classic chicken pho. My family loves coming here. Nice good staple to santee! read more

Pho Mai Cali - Chicken Pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Santee, California

Pho Mai Cali is a staple for me and my fiancé. We always have friendly and fast service and the food is always amazing. We have tried so many appetizers and they're all delish. The egg rolls, spring rolls, wings (the crispiest most delicious wings ever!) and the pho is always on point. We love the rare steak, well done steak and newly the veggie pho! It's so fresh! I know east county has a lot of pho options but don't miss out on our fam fave! read more

Clean restaurant with quick service. Good soup base and variety of meat options including beef rib and filet mignon. I liked the grilled pork rolls. I would come back! read more

Pho Mai Cali - Vietnamese Near Me - Santee, California

Came specifically for their bun cha hanoi dish after seeing a tik tok video. The broth was a little too sweet for my liking but the thit nuong was delicious. The meatballs however I wish had more seasoning and fat. They were a bit too lean for my liking. I also got the spring rolls and vietnamese coffee. Their spring rolls are definitely on the lighter side because it was mostly filled with lettuce and veggies. Their peanut sauce was just ok. Needed more housin sauce - it was a little light in flavor. The coffee is definitely stronger than most places which I don't mind but is a little on the sweeter side. Will have to come back though to try the pho and dry pho. Dry pho is hard to come by so will definitely need to try it. read more

Pho Mai Cali - Bun Cha Hanoi - Vietnamese Near Me - Santee, California

The wings were the star of the show. Really tasty wings with a light but crunchy potato starch batter similar to Korean fried chicken with a sweet soy sauce and fish sauce glaze all stir fried perfectly with white onions, red peppers and jalapeños. You can definitely taste the wok fry in the onions and peppers. The sweet garlic wings are a must try. The Hanoi pho had a sweeter broth but still savory and beefy. You don't taste as much of the flavor of the typical pho spices - cardamom, star anise, cinnamon, coriander. They kind of linger more in the background so if you like more of the sweeter less savory broth this one is for you. I think they do use some MSG in their broth, but it's wayyyy less than places like Pho Van. They use fresh rice noodles which are wider noodles that are traditionally used in Vietnam and they have a better texture in my opinion than the regular thin western pho noodles. The pieces of beef were very tender. Overall I will definitely be back to try their other flavors of wings and other things on the menu! read more

Pho Mai Cali - Hanoi Style Beef Pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Santee, California

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Everything delicious especially the Thai tea! Great customer service, and Spicy beef pho also recommended !! read more

Pho Mai Cali - Everything delicious!!! Especially the Thai tea - Vietnamese Near Me - Santee, California

we've ordered their Pho togo a couple times, pretty impressed by the broth and portion of meat & Pho. finally got a chance to dine in today, they have a very good selection of drinks & coffee as well read more

Pho Mai Cali - coffee - Vietnamese Near Me - Santee, California

The egg rolls and spring rolls were delicious. Shared a beef rib pho with my friend and had leftovers to take home. The meat was so tender and plentiful. I'll be back for this dish for sure! The service was more than I expected - the staff working were so kind and checked up on us to make sure we were doing ok. Ambiance was modern and clean... I think this is definitely one of the better pho places in Santee and the food speaks for itself. read more

Ventured out to Santee as my family heard from others about this place. There were some unique items that caught my attention and we made our way to the restaurant on Sunday evening. Nem Nuong Spring Rolls (3.5/5): The shrimp patty was a bit dry and thin, but the peanut sauce was creamy. Ube Iced Coffee (3.5/5): Pretty to look at, but once mixed you taste a subtle taro flavor that does need a good mix or else it is just milky. I liked the combination but not enough to order it again. Pho Mai Cali (4/5): The broth is piping hot and remains hot in their stone pot, which is a plus! Their pho noodle is a wide flat noodle and cooks very fast as you drop them in, they are ready in an instant. The assortment of fatty brisket and lean meats was plentiful. The best part was that giant bone in the pot as it was soft and tender. I definitely think this bowl was worth the splurge. Pho Mai Cali is a modern twist on pho while still keeping the traditional taste of their pho. It was a different but unique experience for the hot stone pho and the portions were generous! I would recommend it if you're in Santee! read more

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I love the Dried Phở here. It's authentic and very aromatic. The Stone bowl is very interesting experience to eat pho. read more

Pho Mai Cali - It's authentic and very aromatic Pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Santee, California

This place is very clean and has great service. The drinks are pretty good too. Their pho noddles here are very delicious, same with the chicken wings. Nice and flavourful. Overall a great Vietnamese spot to dine at. read more

Pho Mai Cali - Cloud Guava Mango Smoothie - Vietnamese Near Me - Santee, California

The food is delicious! So flavorful! And the portions are take half home humongous! We ordered the Goi Cuon original spring rolls. Uncle's favorite at every Vietnamese restaurant. He said "Fresh! Yes very fresh." I got the Nem Noung pork rolls. They were exactly how I like them. Slightly charred for a sweet Smokey flavor. Hubby tried the egg noodles with shrimp. Delicate flavors that allowed princess to keep his slim figure. It came with a side of the most fragrant soup that of course he politely slurped with pinky out. I ordered the Mango salad with BBQ shrimp. We fought over this dish. I can see why it's a best seller! Unc got the house special vermicelli bowl. Came with Bbq pork, Bbq shrimp and eggrolls. Unc said "Delightful! Yes, Delightful!!" Next time he is ordering the Mango Salad. read more

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This place has amazing Northern Vietnamese food! The flavors here are very unique and taste authentic. The chef is from Hanoi and created delicious dishes from his hometown. As someone who is Vietnamese, this is one of the best Vietnamese restaurants out here in the San Diego county. Not only do the dishes have unique twist on what I'm used to getting, the flavors are very distinct. The service was straightforward and the staff was very efficient. The restaurant is very family friendly and can accommodate large groups. Everything was well kept, clean, and organized. Popular menu items to try! Sweet garlic chicken wings Fried bao bun Bun cha Ha Noi Taro coffee You really need to try it out for yourself! I highly recommend this place! read more

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The service here was fantastic from the moment we walked in. I really enjoyed the hospitality of the staff. The spring rolls were ok. Not the best, not the worst. I think they should improve the peanut sauce recipe for sure. And they should put more vermicelli noodles in them. The pho was great quality all around. It is obvious that they are using quality ingredients. I noticed the broth was a little bland and didn't really have the normal automatic spices I'm used to, which confused me a little. All around a good place to go. I recommend it. read more

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My son new favorite place for chicken wings. He love the sauce and crispy. Service is always great, the restaurant is always clean included the bathroom. read more

Pho Mai Cali - Salt and pepper chicken wings - Vietnamese Near Me - Santee, California

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My favorite Pho in Santee! Always very clean, great service, and very tasty! Just tried the new spicy beef pho, it has great flavor and spice! read more

Pho Mai Cali - Spicy beef pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Santee, California

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I have been here before but got the pho and that is delish but I got the combo egg noodle dish and the flavors were so well put together! It came with a side of broth soup. Most def recommend!!! read more

Pho Mai Cali - Egg Noodle (Combo) - Vietnamese Near Me - Santee, California

My visit to Pho Mai Cali might have been my third time having pho and every time I have it, it gets better and better. I was heading to see Christmas lights in Starlight Circle and decided to warm up before the chilly walk. The staff were friendly and the pho was delicious. I love the ability to add in my favorite toppings. The broth was so flavorful. For the table, we shared spring rolls and egg rolls. Both rolls were great, but I'm a sucker for a good spring roll. It was the perfect meal before braving the chilly weather outside. read more

Great service, great ambiance, but most importantly delicious food! This is place was e recommend to me by a friend since I was looking for a new pho place around the area and I'm so impressed! The soup has so much flavor and their egg rolls are so fresh! read more

Pho Mai Cali - Pho rare steak - Vietnamese Near Me - Santee, California

The Hanoi pho is delicious. The broth is flavorful and comforting with just the right amount of garlic. I loved the ambiance and the service was also top tier. Can't wait to return to try more of their menu Highly recommend! read more

I am writing to express my disappointment regarding the customer service I received at your establishment earlier today during lunch. After working since 3:00 AM, I requested to have my meal served in a bowl rather than a plate. The employee was very rude and dismissed my request, stating, "We don't do that here." When I then asked to substitute noodles for rice he refused that request as well. As a paying customer, I found this lack of flexibility and poor attitude very frustrating. I hope you will look into this matter to ensure better service in the future. read more

They have the best Bun Cha Hanoi! The bone-in pho (Mai Cali Pho or Beef Rib Pho) is also delicious, and the staff and service are great. We always come here when we visit San Diego from Northern California. read more

Pho Mai Cali - Bun Cha Ha Noi - Vietnamese Near Me - Santee, California

Ordered a vermicelli bowl for delivery and it was delicious. Meats were tasty and perfectly cooked, good portion, and fairly priced with coupon. Will be back to try in person at some point! read more

It's highly recommended for pho lovers. The flavors are very authentic and delicious.The broth is aromatic and rich, paired with fresh vegetables and tender slices of meat. It's especially perfect for warming up on a cool winter day. Customer service was great! They explained what it has and what it tastes like. Fried calamari is so good. It has the good crunch. read more

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Love this spot! My family has been coming here for a long time. The pho broth is very flavorful! Great service!

The food is delicious, Pho is flavorful and especially the Chicken Wings with the sweet butter is awesome!!! Sizzling Plate Steak is good but i like it more juicier ! The service is really nice, they always there when you need! The atmosphere is great with beautiful decorations and awesome drinking making chanel suitable when we eat!! Would rate this 10/10!!! read more

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Helpful and nice customer service thank you! Hope to come back to visit again in next trip!!@ read more

After a day of wine-tasting and art gazing at the La Jolla Art and Wine Festival, my buddy and I were ravenous--like, "I could eat a canvas" hungry. The festival was great, but nothing was going to fill this void except for one thing... pho. I've been eyeing Pho Mai Cali in Santee for a while now, ever since the Yelp Elites paid their pilgrimage there. It was time. We rolled up, stomachs grumbling like distant thunder, and the place? Medium-sized, perfect lighting, and a painting of Vietnam that instantly made me feel like I was about to embark on a flavor expedition. Two servers handled the entire place, but it didn't matter. I swear, our food was on the table before I even finished saying, "I'll have the--." The speed was that of a pho Jedi. We went big: beef rib pho, Dino pho (because apparently I missed the memo that we were dining at Jurassic Park), bo sot chon (beef salad), mango salad, fried bao, and ube coffee. But the star of the show? The tendon. This thing wasn't your average little slice of tendon--it was a full-on prehistoric artifact. I'm not exaggerating when I say it looked like a dinosaur bone. I half expected to see a T-Rex behind the kitchen doors. And the flavor? Legit. If you're a Vietnamese food fanatic, like me, this is where you need to be. Each dish was bursting with authenticity. The pho broth hugged my soul, the tendon had that perfect melt-in-your-mouth quality, and the ube coffee was the sweet treat I didn't know I needed. Moral of the story: Pho Mai Cali is calling you. Whether you're a Yelp Elite or just a hungry human, this place is your destination for pho so good, even dinosaurs would approve. read more

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My friends and I came here a few months ago and it was hands down the best pho I've ever had. The broth is so good with a deep and bold flavor. The Mai Pho is a must - I can't bring myself to try anything else but I am positive they would be just as delicious. The service and ambience are just remarkable as well. It's a clean place that serves honest to God delicious food. I'm back here again and trying the carpaccio. I can't wait! read more

Best Pho I've ever had. Highly recommend the Hanoi style pho. The meat is so tender and the broth is amazing. Will be coming back soon for another visit!! read more

Pho Mai Cali - Hanoi Style Beef Pho Obviously it was delicious - Vietnamese Near Me - Santee, California

There are just certain dishes that you cannot find at a traditional Vietnamese restaurant; Pho Mai Cali is serving up not only delicious pho, but a whole different menu featuring kitchen specials influenced from northern Vietnam-- if you're in the Santee area, this is your new go-to ! Its located in a huge shopping center with plenty of shared parking . The building is up to date, interior looks very modern, and everything looks very clean . We were welcomed by our server Jaden who goes above and beyond to provide the best hospitality-- shout out to him for being so knowledgable and patient as I asked about certain dishes on the kitchen specials list ! Food comes out pretty quick, so get ready to eat ! Here's what we ate: Taro Viet Coffee and Marble Coffee are both sooo tasty . I preffered the marble one made with oat milk as it wasn't too sweet for me . Deep fried bao buns: They tasted just like what you expect . Lightly crisp, fluffy inside, and comes with a sweet chili dipping sauce . My kids loved these. Shaken chicken with fries: This was sooo flavorful . Garlicky and gingery . Fries and bell peppers add a nice texture . MUST TRY ! Bot Sot Chanh (beef salad): This reminded me of a light version of thai larb, but Vietnamese style ! Tart, zesty, and refreshing . I would love to try a spicy version of this dish ! Hai Nam Chicken: If you grew up in an asian household, this will give you nostalgia and hit home soooo hard . Simplicity at its finest ! Highly recommend ! Bone in Rib Pho: Broth was very rich and savory . The 3 ribs were huge and were fall off the bone tender . Large portions of noodles are a plus ! Dino bone marrow: This is MASSIVE and filled with melt- in-your-mouth marrow and tendons that is such a level-up to add to your pho ! There are gloves and meat scissors on the table for you to use if needed . I definitely recommend sharing . TREAT YOURSELF ! Overall, this spot is a solid and I would recommend friends/family to check it out if they're in the area . I need to be back soon to try the rest of their menu out !! read more

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With their Chef born and raised in Hanoi, Vietnam, you best know that they serve up authentic flavors straight from the Motherland from the North to the South! Tried a bunch of things and this place did not disappoint! I've gone twice now, once with a friend, and another time with my family. Both times the service was great. I felt welcomed as if I'm entering a family's home to sit and enjoy a delicious meal. Very attentive! What I've tried so far... Drinks: -Guava tea Refreshing and sweet. Tastes like guava! It had jellies where it has slight chew to it and fun to play with -Lychee lemonade Refreshing and slightly tart and also had the chewy jelly on the bottom! -Thai Tea Milky, sweet, strong tea flavor. -Taro coffee Strong Vietnamese coffee with the sweetness of the taro making it creamy and almost vanilla flavor -Marble coffee Strong Vietnamese coffee with sweetened oat milk. The oat gives it a sweetness but also a rich and creaminess to the drink. Dishes: -The dino bone. This part has chunky tendon and bone marrow that is part of the cow's knee bone!! They only have a limited quantity for the week. YES I SAID FOR THE WEEK! They only have a few depending on availability. AND they use this and cook it over 10hrs for that flavorful hearty broth. Melts in your mouth and a few parts chewy. Gotta suck that bone marrow out because ya know the collagen is good for your skin, hair, and nails. Even though it looks crazy to tackle with, they give you gloves and scissors to use. -Sweet garlic chicken wing (glazed with fish sauce) It was lightly battered and super crispy! There's a lot of flavor that is bursting in your mouth from the fish sauce. You got the sweet, the savory, and the umami. -Shaken Beef Fries (bell peppers, jalapeño, garlic, green onions) Super flavorful! And you can't taste the Smokey char-ness of the fries! Beef was nice and tender! -Com Ga Hai Nam (Hainanese chicken was made with chicken rice, poached chicken, ginger-garlic sauce, pickled veggies) They used the chicken broth to make the rice! The rice was flavorful. The chicken nice and tender, not dry at all. The sauce was punchy just how I like it. And the pickled veggies gives it a nice crunch to the dish but also refreshing. -Fried bao bun (served with sweet and sour sauce) Lightly crispy on the outside, pillowy squishy soft on the inside. Nice tang to the dipping sauce! -Veggie Egg Rolls (tofu, carrots, taro, glass noodles) Delicious, crispy, and it came with lettuce where i can wrap and dip it into the fish sauce -Fried Squid This was one of my faves! Crispy, not too chewy, batter was light. We almost ordered two more of these between me and my cousins. -Crab Fried Rice (crab meat, egg, green onions, seasoning sauce) Fried rice cooked right, not mushy not dry. Flavorful and savory with bits of crab meat. I can't wait to go back again! There's more dishes I want to try! Gotta bring the gang for sure! read more

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You have to check out Pho Mai Cali. This is the best pho spot in Santee. And the spring rolls are phenomenal!!!!! read more

Pho Mai Cali - Shrimp and pork spring rolls - Vietnamese Near Me - Santee, California

Love this pho spot! The broth tasted really clean and delicious and had generous portions of their meat. We ordered their egg rolls which were really crispy and juicy! Will def come back again read more

Pho Mai Cali - Rare steak fatty brisket and egg rolls - Vietnamese Near Me - Santee, California

The sizzling Pho bowl is really good and bun cha Ha Noi is amazing. Would come back to try other dishes

My friends and I dragged our dehydrated bodies to pho mai cali after a morning of hiking and we were famished. The pho I had here may have changed my life! The restaurant is spacious and clean, and not busy at all for weekend lunch. They slowly filled up as we dined. I saw that they had hot stone pho!! with beef rib!! and immediately ordered it. Water carafe and pho toppings came out quickly. I love that we each got individual plates of bean sprouts, jalapenos, and herbs, all of which were clean and fresh. Our pho followed shortly after. And what a sight it was! A massive plate of raw steak and cooked brisket, arranged in flat, concentric circles with piles of green onion and onion on top. A bowl of glossy rice noodles, wider-cut than I am accustomed to. And the piece de resistance, a huge tureen of broth still bubbling and gleaming with beef fats, with a giant beef rib curving out of it. I added the raw beef and my aromatics, letting them get to know each other for a bit before tasting my broth. This pho broth was INCREDIBLE. Rich, silky beef broth with amazingly complex flavor and the perfect hint of sweetness. I loved being able to add noodles a bit at a time to keep them from getting too soggy. The broth clung perfectly to the wider rice noodles, though my only minor complaint is that the noodles are cooked just a bit too soft for me. The meat was perfectly tender, and I loved the rib meat! It wasn't crazily seasoned but pretty tender and great with sriracha/hoisin. For $20, this was a bit pricier than my usual pho but my god was it worth it. The portions were huge and there was honestly more meat than there was noodles. I took my leftover broth to go and it was just as good a day later with some vermicelli. I will definitely be making the trek back to Pho Mai Cali next time I am craving an excellent, piping hot pho on a cold, rainy day! read more

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This is one of my go-to pho places. Great place, especially their appetizers. The fried calamari is amazing. Their pho is also delicious but i wish they offered tendon. Good broth. Great service and nice people. read more

Pho Mai Cali - Fried Calamari. Beef Rib & Fatty Brisket Pho. Matcha Latte - Vietnamese Near Me - Santee, California

We've been here many times and the food is always delicious. When we dine in, the service has always been great. The decor is nice and modern unlike other pho spots where it's feels like you've time traveled to the 70s. read more

Pho Mai Cali - Left to right: Lychee Lemonade, Matcha Latte, Marble Coffee - Vietnamese Near Me - Santee, California

Truly one of the best pho spots in SD! My friends and I drove 30+ minutes for this spot and always try to stop by whenever we are in east county. We ordered the mango salad with shrimp, beef carpaccio, and Mai Cali Pho. All the dishes were delicious and portion sizes were huge. The fresh herbs and fruit contrasted beautiful with the smokey grilled shrimp in the mango salad. Highly recommend ordering the Mai Cali Pho. The quality of the meat and broth is excellent and easily can extend into a second meal. read more

Pho Mai Cali - Beef Carpaccio - Vietnamese Near Me - Santee, California

Service was incredible! I love eating pho here, so flavorful. I love their fried calamari too!