Pho Passion and Mintea Bar
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Pho passion is a classic go to place for college students nursing a hang over from the night before. The pho is fairly okay and does the job. I ordered the vermicelli bowl and it was kind of unsatisfying. The fish sauce was bland and the grilled chicken was too tough and tasteless. Not necessarily my favorite place but I'd go back.
I had been wanting to try out the pho here, and on a Sunday night, it was one of the few places that was still open for dinner in the general area that I wanted to try out. Street parking was easy to find nearby. The restaurant itself is easy to spot and has plenty of seating. It wasn't busy, so we were able to get seated very quickly and get our orders in. Though neither of us are pho connoisseurs, both my partner and I enjoyed our pho dishes - I had the vegetarian pho and liked the flavor of the broth and that it was packed with veggies. While not necessarily spectacular, it was comforting and filling, which is what I was looking for. If I had to rate based on the food alone, I would probably round up to 4 stars. The factors that compelled me to round down had to do with other details. The water carafe (delivered by a robot which is kind of neat), was not the cleanest. It had a piece of food stuck to the cap, and the opening had what looked like calcium buildup from hard water. Though a little off-putting, I could overlook these if that was the only issue. The robot also delivered two disposal plastic cups at the same time. I am not into single use plastics in the first place, especially for dine-in, so that is a knock on the restaurant for me. But what's worse is also the quality of these disposable cups - they were very thin and flimsy, again didn't appear to be very clean, and when we poured water into one of the cups, there was a crack or hole in the bottom and the water immediately ran out of it. The staff gave us replacement disposable flimsy plastic cups - they at least worked this time. I hope in the future they can do better with their drinkware. Ultimately, the issues did leave an impression and I would likely look for other options first before returning here. So as much as it pains me to round down for any place, I think 3 stars is appropriate from my experience.
I went to SJSU which was nearby and graduated in 2018 and was recently visiting again and decided to go to Pho Passion again after being gone for 4-5 years. This place was a solid go to place for many SJ City Hall and SJSU employees, and I went a little after the lunch hour around 1-1:30ish. Service wise, you pay by the register at the door, and a common thread is, although I was impressed by the innovation of them having a robot server, it removes from the feeling of connecting or having a personal experience or loyalty to the place. I was seated, ordered relatively quickly within a few seconds, I usually know what I want, and was given the food by the automated server. Food wise the portion of the Pho was incredibly large, which I think warrants the 4 star review, however I wasn't really checked on and had to request water by waving down the person at the register. It was also slow, maybe 2-3 tables max, so I know that I could have been checked on more in terms of service. Ambience wise, they have a nautical theme which I really do like, and the interior feels very intimate and homey. I didn't get boba during this visit but they have a solid selection of cold teas to select from as well. During my SJSU days this was a solid place to get both Pho and Boba (a go to combo) when needed both food and a nice drink. Overall, I'm rooting for Pho Passion, but I'd say don't rely on the automated robot server, its also super critical to check in on customers too, and gives customers a reason to build loyalty in addition to the already solid food and drinks.
Pretty decent spot. Small restaurant. Good service. I ordered the Steak & Brisket phoq / egg noodles. Nothing special but tasted good. Got the small size and it was a good portion. The fried rice served at least 3-4 people. The snails & mussels were really good. I liked the glazing on the snails but it was hella chewy. It was similar to eating octopus or squid but surprisingly not as slimy. Mussels tasted excellent IMO.
I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed my meal here. Being that I went to SJSU I've heard of Pho Passion but never gone myself till recently. I ordered the small of the steak and brisket pho with a side of gyozas and the brown eagle milk tea. The small bowl of pho was just enough and I ate the whole thing! We also really enjoyed the gyozas as they were hot and crunchy. The mozzarella sticks were just ok. The brown eagle milk tea was good but not my favorite brown sugar tea. The foam was very bitter but mixed into the drink it was perfect. Overall the shop was quiet when we popped in and maybe two other parties joined as we ate our meal. The spot is really lowkey and I didn't expect to enjoy the food as much as I did. One thing I didn't like was that the forks, chopsticks and spoons are all out on the tables so anyone can touch them. It be nice to have individual wrapped utensils instead
Amazing service great food great prices love the atmosphere here very clean all around 10/10 pho spot
3 months ago
I wanted to try this place because it's nearby my house, but I was pleasantly surprised by the food. I ordered the house pho, which is basically their combination pho and my boyfriend got the spicy seafood, which was basically like a tomyum . It was a little bit sweet for my liking. I actually quite liked the combination for and the flavor, but the portions are definitely on the smaller side. I devoured my bowl. The seafood noodles were a little bit too sweet for my liking, but it was unique and not bad. You order at a counter and then food is brought to you by a robot they give you water, but the water tastes like tap water and the container that it came in had a lot of mineral buildup on it. It was honestly a little bit gross. Good for a low-key dinner and quick meal. read more
Came on a Sunday, and found parking super easily. Looks like there's people who monitor the parking to keep the church goers out, so you don't have to battle them for parking as long as you're going to one of the restaurants. I was able to walk up and order, and then pick wherever we wanted to sit, which made it a rather fast process. We also had a robot bring us our water, which is always exciting. My boyfriend got the house special, and had asked her to be less sweet than normal, but it was still pretty sweet. So just take a note that if you're going to get the house special and you don't love sweetness, to get it very significantly less sweet. It was still quite good and anyone who has a sweet tooth for coffee would enjoy it! I got the rare steak pho, which is just called "steak pho" on their menu. It was so good that I forgot to take a picture before finishing it! I even finished off the broth, which speaks volumes for the flavor. read more
My friend brought me here since it's one of her top pho spots. The place is a decent size with plenty of seating, and the lady up front was very friendly. This place is an order first at the counter and then find a table. I ordered the brisket pho with thick noodles. I like that they offer different noodle options, though there's an extra charge if you choose different from the regular noodle. The bowl itself was pretty small, with more meat than noodles. The broth was pretty flavorful and the brisket was tender and nicely cooked. Overall, it was a good experience. read more
1 month ago
1 year ago
5 months ago
Pho passion is a classic go to place for college students nursing a hang over from the night before. The pho is fairly okay and does the job. I ordered the vermicelli bowl and it was kind of unsatisfying. The fish sauce was bland and the grilled chicken was too tough and tasteless. Not necessarily my favorite place but I'd go back. read more
I had been wanting to try out the pho here, and on a Sunday night, it was one of the few places that was still open for dinner in the general area that I wanted to try out. Street parking was easy to find nearby. The restaurant itself is easy to spot and has plenty of seating. It wasn't busy, so we were able to get seated very quickly and get our orders in. Though neither of us are pho connoisseurs, both my partner and I enjoyed our pho dishes - I had the vegetarian pho and liked the flavor of the broth and that it was packed with veggies. While not necessarily spectacular, it was comforting and filling, which is what I was looking for. If I had to rate based on the food alone, I would probably round up to 4 stars. The factors that compelled me to round down had to do with other details. The water carafe (delivered by a robot which is kind of neat), was not the cleanest. It had a piece of food stuck to the cap, and the opening had what looked like calcium buildup from hard water. Though a little off-putting, I could overlook these if that was the only issue. The robot also delivered two disposal plastic cups at the same time. I am not into single use plastics in the first place, especially for dine-in, so that is a knock on the restaurant for me. But what's worse is also the quality of these disposable cups - they were very thin and flimsy, again didn't appear to be very clean, and when we poured water into one of the cups, there was a crack or hole in the bottom and the water immediately ran out of it. The staff gave us replacement disposable flimsy plastic cups - they at least worked this time. I hope in the future they can do better with their drinkware. Ultimately, the issues did leave an impression and I would likely look for other options first before returning here. So as much as it pains me to round down for any place, I think 3 stars is appropriate from my experience. read more
6 months ago
I went to SJSU which was nearby and graduated in 2018 and was recently visiting again and decided to go to Pho Passion again after being gone for 4-5 years. This place was a solid go to place for many SJ City Hall and SJSU employees, and I went a little after the lunch hour around 1-1:30ish. Service wise, you pay by the register at the door, and a common thread is, although I was impressed by the innovation of them having a robot server, it removes from the feeling of connecting or having a personal experience or loyalty to the place. I was seated, ordered relatively quickly within a few seconds, I usually know what I want, and was given the food by the automated server. Food wise the portion of the Pho was incredibly large, which I think warrants the 4 star review, however I wasn't really checked on and had to request water by waving down the person at the register. It was also slow, maybe 2-3 tables max, so I know that I could have been checked on more in terms of service. Ambience wise, they have a nautical theme which I really do like, and the interior feels very intimate and homey. I didn't get boba during this visit but they have a solid selection of cold teas to select from as well. During my SJSU days this was a solid place to get both Pho and Boba (a go to combo) when needed both food and a nice drink. Overall, I'm rooting for Pho Passion, but I'd say don't rely on the automated robot server, its also super critical to check in on customers too, and gives customers a reason to build loyalty in addition to the already solid food and drinks. read more
Pretty decent spot. Small restaurant. Good service. I ordered the Steak & Brisket phoq / egg noodles. Nothing special but tasted good. Got the small size and it was a good portion. The fried rice served at least 3-4 people. The snails & mussels were really good. I liked the glazing on the snails but it was hella chewy. It was similar to eating octopus or squid but surprisingly not as slimy. Mussels tasted excellent IMO. read more
9 months ago
9 months ago
I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed my meal here. Being that I went to SJSU I've heard of Pho Passion but never gone myself till recently. I ordered the small of the steak and brisket pho with a side of gyozas and the brown eagle milk tea. The small bowl of pho was just enough and I ate the whole thing! We also really enjoyed the gyozas as they were hot and crunchy. The mozzarella sticks were just ok. The brown eagle milk tea was good but not my favorite brown sugar tea. The foam was very bitter but mixed into the drink it was perfect. Overall the shop was quiet when we popped in and maybe two other parties joined as we ate our meal. The spot is really lowkey and I didn't expect to enjoy the food as much as I did. One thing I didn't like was that the forks, chopsticks and spoons are all out on the tables so anyone can touch them. It be nice to have individual wrapped utensils instead read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
9 months ago
1 year ago
Amazing service great food great prices love the atmosphere here very clean all around 10/10 pho spot read more
2 years ago
1 year ago
2 years ago
Very small bowl of pho for the large size. Broth was super cloudy. In the end flavor was decent. I'd go elsewhere if I had more time on my hands. Not terrible pho, but I wouldn't come back for it. Haven't tried anything else so I can't say don't come or don't order the pho! The photos that they have don't represent what I ordered. Also, it Really depends on what your palette is calling for. read more
1 year ago
Oooohh La La a very charming Pho snacks and Bubble Tea shop in the Santa Clara Downtown area. Absolutely a Cozy Environment with a Vibrant, Beautiful, and Creative Interior Decors, including my favorite Combination pho soup Is definitely a must!!! We ordered two steak and beef balls pho and a special combo Pho Noodle soup and they quickly brought out to us with a great portions sizes and beautiful presentation! We are definitely coming back hear for the octopus, Korean bbq chicken, fried fish balls, fried Shrimps, Sweet Potatoes, Pot Stickers, Shrimp Spring Rolls, and creme brûlée or the Fresh Fruit Teas with Boba read more
2 years ago
Food was decent. Ordered to go, However it took almost half an hour to get my order. We watched as people came and went. We ordered pho and vermicelli. Restaurant looks nice, just super slow service. read more
2 years ago
The service was quite fast and their matcha was really good! Id say for their small bowl, it definitely is perfect for one serving, leaving you wanting another serving. The atmosphere was very calm and quiet. read more
2 years ago
I was craving for a bowl of pho since it was raining and cold. I was already walking around downtown and this place was the closest. I grabbed a bowl of pho to go. As soon as I got to my hotel room, I warmed up my broth and ate it. It was the most bland pho I have ever had. It was so disappointing. But I had already spent around $20 for it so I had as much as I could. I would not recommend this place if you're going there for pho. read more
2 years ago
I ordered one of the top drinks on their menu, since my boys were getting their haircut nearby . OMG, reminded me of a crossover between a drink in Manila & a drink in Hawaii! Loved my Calamansi Butterfly! Happy #FAHM read more
Checked out this place because my usual was closed on a weekday. Parked on street but later realized they have a parking lot available. The area is not good FYI - I live downtown and this is the area that has lots of transients and can sometimes look unsafe. People leave you alone but wanted to make sure I called that out. The inside of restaurant is pretty open with basic seating. Scattered decor. You order first at counter and they drop off at your table. Customer service is nothing special, always seems to be same folks and understaffed but they try and get food out pretty timely (within 10min or so). You have to tell them if you want fixings or not. They typically drop off drinks (boba) after food has almost been finished. The egg roll and gyoza is average doesn't come across as freshly made but tastes fine. The pho - the beef/steak is what my husband always gets. He said it is average meat but good broth. I always get chicken pho and really like the broth. My preference is the chicken be in small chunks and they do a good job of this which keeps it moist. Overall this place is good for a lunch spot quick bite. I will continue to visit it. read more
I was visiting San Jose State University and wanted to grab a bite to eat. Consulted Yelp for nearby eateries and the kiddo decided she wanted pho. Pho Passion is conveniently located within walking distance of San Jose State University. It's kitty corner from Grocery Outlet. The people who worked here were nice and cheerful. The dining room was clean and quite spacious, and the seating was not cramped. You will not be elbowing the party sitting at the table next to you. There are about 12 brown low tables (seating 4) & 3 booths by the window in front of the main part of the dining room. The nook in the back has 4 white high tables (seating 4). There was plenty of seating when we arrived around 11am, and it was not even crowded at noon. I saw a bunch of people come in to pick up their take out orders. Restrooms are in the back, right side, of the restaurant. There is one door for the women's room (2 stalls, one was "out of order" when I visited) and another door for the men's room. No diaper changing area in the women's room. This place offers pho noodle soups and Boba tea. We ordered 2 House Special Phos and 1 Steak & Brisket Pho. You can choose wide/flat noodles or thin noodles. You can also choose egg noodles (for $1 extra). Their pho is offered in 3 sizes, and their prices are reasonable and affordable. Overall the pho was average. I would come here again if I'm in the neighborhood, but I wouldn't go out of my way to come here. read more
1 year ago
As someone with pretty high standards for pho, specifically beef pho, I've gotta say this place ranks high on my list! The broth is amazing, it's light and rich with flavor at the same time. I chose the meats for my pho: brisket, tendon, and meat balls. The brisket and tendon literally melts in your mouth that's how tender it is. My bf said the same about the steak in his pho. I usually have a habit of not finishing my pho, even when I order a small bowl, but not here... For the first time I actually finished my entire bowl-broth and all! We also ordered from their Mintea menu and got the cream brulee coffee and roasted mad house. The "cream brulee" is caramel flan which is more like cake-y bits in the drink, but I liked it. Both are good coffee and milk tea drinks if you're a fan of sweet and creamy drinks. It was the perfect sweet treat to top off a great meal. Make sure you order and pay at the counter first! The Pho Passion menu is fairly small compared to typical pho restaurants, but I'm glad they have the 'pho your own' option. I was intrigued by the Mintea drink menu and I applaud the designer for showing which toppings are in each drink. I'll eventually have to make my way through the entire drink menu :) The restaurant is sparkling clean inside with plenty of tables and cute decor all around. Service is quick and the workers are friendly and you can tell they love working there. This place is located right in the heart of downtown but it was pretty clear for a weeknight and I was able to find street parking instantly. read more
3 years ago
2 years ago
One of very top pho places we have been! We visited Pho Passion for a nice Christmas Eve dinner. Walking in, we were greeted by festive holiday decor. We ordered the spring rolls per the server's recommendation, which were fresh and delicious, with a unique peanut sauce. My daughter and I shared a large pho, and the server was very attentive, even bringing an extra bowl without us even needing to ask. The broth was on the light side and we ordered flat noodles, which was one of the best pho noodles we have had. The robot waiter was cute as well! Will definitely come back!! read more
2 years ago
We ordered beef fried rice & chicken Pho & egg rolls the pho was disgusting the chicken tasted so bad the egg rolls had soo much oil dripping oil the rice had no flavor and had chunks of rice clupped up read more
5 years ago
location/parking: there's paid street parking around premises, like $2.5/hour. I parked for free at grocery outlet after buying groceries and quickly dipped in here. The restaurant borders a pretty busy street but it's not tough to get parking. price: really affordable. A small was around $12.5, and a large(which my mom and I barely finished together) was $14.5. I also got the house special vietnamese coffee ($5) since they don't offer complimentary water and it was quite strong but delicious. atmosphere: A lot of seating. We chose to sit at the windows and it was bright and lively. The waiters are nice, and you go up to the counter to order and pay there. food: very good quality. I read on the menu that the steak is filet mignon, which I can believe since the meat was incredibly tender and chewy. If you have been to Pho Hanoi in Cupertino, this place is miles better, especially since it's not as oily. The broth is really rich too! last remarks: You get the choice of flat/vermicelli noodles. I'd recommend the flat ones! read more
Came here with the family. Everything was delicious. The staff was super friendly and answered all of our questions. Parking is tough because this is a busy street. But there is a shopping center across the street with plenty of parking. You just have to cross at the light. This is a must try if you are in the area or going to Xmas in the park. Wide space with lots of seats. read more
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More info about Pho Passion and Mintea Bar
301 E Santa Clara St
Unit A
San Jose, CA 95113
Horace Mann, Downtown
Directions
(408) 320-4425
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Ask the Community - Pho Passion and Mintea Bar
Is the vegetarian pho made with vegetarian broth?
Are you still open during shelter in place?
I am sorry. we close until Apr 7. We will reopen on Apr 7 for togo only. And our temporary schedule Mon to Sat from 11am to 8pm. Thank you for supporting us. We see you soon. Have a safe shelter in place.
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