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    Pho Play

    4.0 (654 reviews)
    Closed • 11:00 am - 8:30 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Pho Play Photos

    Business Info

    PHO PLAY ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Pho Play

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    Reviews With Photos

    Sherry Y.

    Decided to give this spot another try after some friends recommended their Vermicelli bowl. It's located in a plaza with plenty of parking, so it's pretty convenient to get to. The restaurant is clean and modern, with a nice, casual vibe. It's a comfortable spot to sit down and enjoy a meal. Service is pretty quick, as you order at the counter, and they bring the food right out to your table. Overall, it was a solid meal with a decent portion for $17. Note: the Vermicelli bowl comes with an egg and peanuts (which wasn't indicated on the menu). My biggest issue was the noodles. I really don't like when vermicelli (noodle in general) is cut into tiny pieces.. Next time, I'll definitely ask them to leave the noodles uncut or longer. I tried the pork chop, which was good and flavorful, but it wasn't cut up. While the whole pork chop makes for a nicer presentation, I think sliced pieces would make much more sense for this type of dish and would be easier to eat. I personally prefer the regular pork for that reason.

    Pho Rare Steak & Meatballs
    Sherri W.

    Been coming here since they opened before Covid & is my go to for service, convenience & price. But I slower see the impact of the cost of living & eating out bc their pho bowl meatball was cut in half vs. before you got about 4 whole meatballs & steak slices were sparse. Flavor was on point. Orders: Eggroll-beautifully crisp, filled w/vegetables & meat, this is a great appetizer we haven't gotten in a while & it didn't disappoint. Pho Rare Steak & Meatball- full of flavor in the broth but as mentioned before it was surprising to see my meatballs cut. Steak was sparse but good. Pho Play is convenient & fast & a place visit periodically.

    Donna L.

    We (party of 3) came across Pho Play after Church. We were hungry and it was noontime. Parking here is a nightmare during rush hour, parking lot of very small, very small space so we parked on the street. It was very busy and packed. They have a good variety of pho, appetizers and drinks. I enjoyed my meal but as this is not an upscale restaurant, it was a little on the pricier end. I would come back if I'm craving pho and if I'm in Castro Valley, but I would go out of my way to dine here. Overpriced and parking can be tough, there is better pho elsewhere.

    Blue/green rotting meat.
    Sean O.

    Ordered to go because we're doing a renovation project, got home and the broth is lukewarm and separate from the meat. So we have zero way to actually cook the meat now and it's contaminated the noodles and other ingredients. I'm never ordering from here again.

    Pork chops
    Michelle H.

    When you arrive you order at the counter and then they tell you where to sit to wait for your food. The cashier was nice and patient since it was our first time coming. Music is nice and the area is spacious and clean. The food presentation was appealing and the food taste was of good quality. Wish my egg wasn't so cooked and maybe more fish sauce.

    Beef Broth Pho Rare Steak Noodle Soup
    Doreen L.

    I came to this restaurant once before during dinner time and had to sit on the tall chairs since it was very busy. I dislike the tall chairs as I'm not very tall, and it is uncomfortable for me to sit on those chairs. This time I came mid afternoon so the place had customers, but it wasn't crowded. We were able to sit at a regular table. The regular tables have bench and chair seating. There are also outdoor tables. I ordered the beef broth pho rare steak noodle soup. The flavor was good. However, the noodle was vermicelli. For some reason, I thought it was coming with egg noodles, which I prefer. Parking was okay. During busy times, one may have to park further away from the restaurant in the parking lot.

    Pho with brisket and flank
    Brandon F.

    Been going to this spot for a while now! Always clean and the workers are super nice. Food is served quickly and tastes so good. Sometimes I'll complicate my orders and they always get it right. Always impressed! Was a little cold outside today so I swung by to warm up with some brisket and flank pho!

    Order here first!
    Sirikanya p.

    Where have I been all this time? This place is very cute and clean! Once enter, you get in line, order and pay then the cashier will assign you a table and they will deliver food to you. I stopped by on Tuesday lunch and it wasn't too busy. I ordered pho seafood and was amazed by the seafood I received! The seafood weren't tiny like other spots. Will definitely go back there again and try other menus including boba tea :) Forgot to mention that I ordered Togo and the packaging was great!

    Chicken Rice plate 3.5/5
    Keen B.

    Castro Valley is lacking knowledge of Pho. We came here after I picked up my kids from school. Flavor was lacking. Pork Banh Mi 3.5/5 Even tho the sandwich was big it was lacking taste. Chicken rice plate 3.5/5 Chicken was also lacking flavor. Great portion! Beef Pho 3.5/5 Good portions of beef. Broth flavor was there but not enough. Service was good. Place was clean. Some what busy during lunch on a Wednesday afternoon around 12pm.

    Vegan pho
    Jessica F.

    The pho always taste incredible! All the food comes out hot and fast! I didn't get tofu as I'm personally not a fan but the veggies were so fresh! I also love the strawberry tea it's a perfect combo of sweet and strong. I would recommend people to stop by and try their pho or even their spring rolls! I didn't order it this time but their peanut sauce taste so good! The service is always very quick! The style of this restaurant is very clean with a modern twist.

    Pho Rare Steak and Brisket
    J Christian E.

    Great place to get Pho in the bay area! There is plenty of seating and it follows the order first sit down after style of service. I got the pho rare steak and brisket. I also got a taro milk tea. The broth is really good and also their noodles have a nice bite to them. The boba was also really good, seems they make fresh honey boba as when I got it, it had that fresh mochi bite to it. Definitely glad it isn't too far from my home as this definitely fulfills my pho craving.

    Pho Play...
    Kartika H.

    first time here and enjoying it on new year's eve. place is quite spacious with nice ambiance. staffs are ok. the system is order at cashier, pay, and sit. they will serve the foods to your table. i will say the pho play tastes great. broth is quite rich and comes with lots of meats, tripe, meatballs, and tendons. price is average. recommended noodle!!! i will for sure come back again to try their bun bo hue next time...

    pork vermicelli

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    3 months ago

    Food was great and plenty! Service was kind and accommodating and the ambiance was very nice!

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    Page 1 of 17

    Pho Play Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Pho Play

    Are the pho ingredients put in separate containers for take out?

    Yes- Broth was packaged separately and I got my sprouts/jalapeños/sauce in a separate little bag. I heat the broth on the stove top to boiling for take out.

    Do they deliver?

    As of 3/24/20, they said they do not delivery currently. However, they will consider it if this shelter-in-place continues. Call them to express your interest for delivery! They are taking phone in to-go orders now

    Do they cater?

    they cater if you call 3 days in advance so they have time to prepare!

    Do they serve fried rice?

    Didn't see it as an option on the menu.

    View All 6 Questions

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    Pho Auntie 7 - Apps and sandwiches

    Pho Auntie 7

    4.4(611 reviews)
    1.9 mi
    •$$

    Can't believe I didn't do a review for them before the fire. The place and parking lot itself was…read morequite small. It was always packed with people dining. We came here to grab dinner. They were busy as usual so we ordered to go. We ordered a grilled pork banh mi, grilled chicken banh mi, banh cuon, and grilled pork rice plate. Everything was very tasty and delicious. A favorite for Vietnamese food in the area that's for sure. Can't wait til they open their new location soon. Even tho it won't be in CV..I don't mind driving to the Stack. I still need to try their other items including their pho.

    Was feeling under the weather after a week of traveling so I decided to take a trip to my favorite…read morepho spot, pho auntie 7. My bf and I came an hour before closing and it was packed, but were able to get a seat as soon as we walked in. They have plenty of seating for large groups or smaller parties. The food here never disappoints! Ordered the large rare beef pho with extra beef on the side, the shrimp spring rolls and the fried potstickers. The pho is the best I've ever had. The broth is flavorful and seasoned to perfection. The soup is packed with meat and noodles. The spring rolls are fresh, the ingredients they use really make a difference in quality of the food. The fried potstickers are crunchy and delicious and the sauce they paired it with was sweet and balanced the flavor of the potstickers. Even though it was busy, the kitchen was quick and we had our food within minutes of ordering. This place has so much more than pho, I'll be back to try more from their extensive menu!

    Photos
    Pho Auntie 7 - Soup noodles

    Soup noodles

    Pho Auntie 7 - Rice plates, dry noodles, vegetarian

    Rice plates, dry noodles, vegetarian

    Pho Auntie 7 - Self explanatory

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    Self explanatory

    Joe's Pho Original

    Joe's Pho Original

    3.8(1.5k reviews)
    4.3 mi
    •$$

    Visiting the area, I looked up a decent pho spot and found Joe's Pho. The food itself is decent,…read moresimilar to any other pho I've had, but the service definitely needs improvement. There was one guy hosting, seating you, and taking orders, and he would forget what you asked him for, which made for a difficult experience. I asked for an extra bowl and some toppings, but I ended up having to get up myself and ask the table bussers, who were bringing water and picking up plates, for assistance with what I needed. Service: 0 stars. Food: Maybe 4 stars. But when you combine the food and service together, I'd give this place 3 stars at best.

    Had a pho Tai last night and while the South Bay Vietnamese restaurants is no comparison, I will…read morecomment that between San Leandro through Fremont and Dublin, this is probably one of the top spots in the East Bay. I've been here a handful of times and for whatever reason last night broth was enhanced, protein was better quality. No wonder they have business at 9 PM whereas other places are closed or have limited customers You don't come across a lot of Vietnamese restaurants that is spacious for strollers and upgrade their drink menu. I think these are two of many reasons why this place is successful. You see multiple strollers at 9 PM, babies who definitely should be home in their crib at that hour lol. Every other table has a soda, a coffee, or a smoothie drink to accommodate their entrée. This establishment is also good at marketing themselves online. This is probably one of the few if not only Vietnamese restaurants where you can do online ordering. Overall, spacious parking lot, excellent service. They have also expanded their menu to other Vietnamese entrées that you would normally only see in South Bay authentic restaurants. overall a decent spot in the East Bay.

    Photos
    Joe's Pho Original - 1/14/25 FYI. Interior.

    1/14/25 FYI. Interior.

    Joe's Pho Original - B5. Grilled Pork and Pork Egg roll Vermicelli

    B5. Grilled Pork and Pork Egg roll Vermicelli

    Joe's Pho Original - Drink & smoothie

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    Drink & smoothie

    La Ca Bakery & Cafe - BBQ Pork Banh Mi

    La Ca Bakery & Cafe

    4.1(313 reviews)
    3.5 mi
    •$$

    I love this place! I usually stop by this bakery before heading to play grass volleyball at…read moreCentennial Park. The food is delicious and their drinks are so refreshing! Their baos are hot and ready to go and offer such an easy and quick snack/meal. They have a wide selection of sandwiches, banh mi, matcha, smoothies, and coffee as well as bottled teas and drinks. The staff are very nice and quick with the orders! There is ample space inside to eat or just sit and sip. I highly recommend trying it out!

    La Ca Bakery & Cafe is a one stop shop for all your hype Asian grab and go snacks. I ordered the…read morelemongrass chicken banh mi. The bread was decent, ingredients were fresh, and the lemongrass chicken had good flavor. The pickled daikon and carrots, jalapenos, and cilantro were all fresh although the sandwich seemed a little light on filling. It's a decent banh mi, but I've had better. The menu goes well beyond banh mi with Korean style corn dogs, spring rolls, noodle bowls, mochi donuts, boba, Vietnamese coffee, smoothies, and various snacks. I can't speak to most of it from this visit alone, but there's plenty to come back and try on a future visit. Service is quick counter service. Staff was friendly and efficient. Nothing that stood out but no complaints either. The space is wide and open with plenty of seating and a grab and go snack rack in the middle of the floor. Despite the room to sit, it feels more like a grab and go spot than somewhere you'd settle in for a meal. Worth a stop if you're craving a casual lunch or snack.

    Photos
    La Ca Bakery & Cafe - Inside

    Inside

    La Ca Bakery & Cafe - Cold cut banh mi

    Cold cut banh mi

    La Ca Bakery & Cafe - Front Lobby

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    Front Lobby

    Le Paradis - 11. Grilled Pork & Shrimp Fresh Spring Rolls (2)

    Le Paradis

    3.9(782 reviews)
    2.4 mi
    •$$

    One of my favorite Vietnamese places. It's been here for as long as I can remember. It's one of…read morethose places that I don't go to every day, but would be absolutely devastated if it ever disappeared. The food isn't flashy or fancy, with good portions. It feels like true Auntie food, and if you are lucky enough to have aunties who make food, you know how high praise that is. It's within walking distance from the library, so if you ever felt peckish after studying or reading, you can walk right over and get a filling meal or a snack for a reasonable price

    A fantastic find! Came to Hayward for marketplace pickup and met up with friends who live in the…read morearea. They never went to Le Paradis and we wanted to go somewhere our baby would enjoy - hence - noodle soup and Vietnamese food came to mind. Alas we got here and the parking lot in the back was empty... we walked in and it was empty and this lovely lady greeted us and told us to sit wherever we wanted and moved flowers aside to give us the bigger table. They had high chairs which was great! Divey vibes with display cases of baked goods and some potted flowers and plants - cozy! My hubs looked at the menu and made eye contact with our friends and said "uhoh - all english menu has me nervous. Pretty Empty. Nervous." Then the lady who greeted us - she joyfully came out with a bowl of chicken pho and noodles for our baby and said "I take your order but baby can eat first!" - she was so thoughtful and sweet and the bowl was perfect! Bits of chicken and noodles and clear broth... my baby loved it! She took our orders and the food came! I got the BanhXeo and it was big and full of chicken and some shrimps some sprouts and onions and the crepe had such great coconut flavor and texture. My hubs liked his Bun Bo Hue and our friends enjoyed the vermicelli noodle dish as well. As we sat and enjoyed the goodness of our meal that was when the traffic steadily moved through - saw about 7 to 8 different folks walking in and making orders and waiting for their meal and leaving - and some pick ups. It turned out to be a very busy restaurant. The kind lady - she then came back to our table after the dinner rush of to go orders were through - she chatted our table up some and she was telling us that she was the baker and gave us a small bag of macaroons. Her name is Alice and she is so kind. She mentioned that lunch can be very very busy because of the workforce coming through - but I'm glad we were there for dinner and got a nice laugh and conversation with her... the outside was filled with pots of flowers and plants lined along the parking lot and she had some outdoor cats just nestled in the plants. A lovely experience. Her macaroons were so yummy too! We will definitely keep in mind coming here when we're in the area!

    Photos
    Le Paradis - Inside seating

    Inside seating

    Le Paradis - 1. Egg Rolls - mmmm

    1. Egg Rolls - mmmm

    Le Paradis - 3. Shrimp and Pork Spring Rolls

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    3. Shrimp and Pork Spring Rolls

    Pho Play - vietnamese - Updated September 2026

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