Here's the deal with broth- Good broth tastes great in your bowl, nice and hot. GREAT broth tastes even better the next day. Trust me, this is tried and true. If the chefs take the time to cook the broth diligently and with care, putting in lots of ingredients to bring out that oh so good marrow from the bones, you can tell. Their portions are huge. I can never dinish their Pho. Ever. I always take half of it home. When I heat my pho up the next day, it is even better. Their rice paper rolls are so good, especially their grilled pork with the fish sauce, and my friends say the rice dishes are good. The building is huge, great for groups, great for individuals, and you can even pick up and take home your order. I have never had a problem with management though it seems others have. I have found the ultimate Pho house. Try it. The next order of Pho, take it home, eat it the next day. THAT'S where you will notice the difference in the broths. read more

Richmond's 15 PHO restaurant?? It's starting to become like the next Fro Yo craze... There are two color schemes to this Restaurant, beige/creme for the wall color and a dark brown for the wood finish chairs and tables. Their focus wasn't on the visual appeal but at least it was really clean on the inside. This place IS the biggest Pho place in RVA though. They probably had enough seating for almost 80 to 100 people. I got the Pho #1 which has: beef tripe, beef brisket, soft tendon, and all your essential Vietnamese green fixings. The beef broth was on average, nothing really exciting going on but it definitely was bad either. Noodles were cooked perfectly and serving size was also average. The one really big difference here is that their pho bowls are ONLY 7.25 for a large which is roughly one dollar cheaper than most Pho places. Gotta try their Rice dishes next time to see how they compare. Service was pretty good. Before we ordered there were THREE different people who asked if we were ready to order in less than two minutes which became a little annoying though.. read more

Coming from Charlottesville, this is usually my go-to spot for Pho when I go to Richmond. It's probably not the best compared to other pho places in NoVa, but they have a wide menu with enough options to satisfy a craving! They always give a good amount of meat and bring out the food super fast. I've had the iced coffee too, and even though it's strong (which is how I like it anyway), it's still sweet and not too watered down. The location is really easy to find, and they do take-out orders pretty efficiently as well. It's really good for large groups; every time I've came, there's always been a long table open that can seat 20+ people. read more

Pho So 1 - Vietnamese Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Uses MSG in their pho. I relocated from a state where there were many authentic and highly rated pho restaurants- there is no need to use msg in good quality, authentic pho. read more

The Pho Tai (beef soup with noodles and thin slices of steak on top) is great for first timers (that is what I always get, be sure to add and mix in the leaves, sprouts, lime juice, and some plum sauce, and the Sriracha hot sauce if you like spice) and try the Vietnamese coffee with milk and sugar (and caffeine). This new location is huge, and beautiful inside. If you are planning a party, I would keep this restaurant in mind. Growing up in Arlington, I know pho. And I cannot get enough of the pho here. I often come up with questionable excuses to drive 100 miles round-trip from Fredericksburg, it is that good! Enjoy! read more

Pho So 1 - The dining room, front portion. - Vietnamese Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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I absolutely love this restaurant. It is place of comfort when I feel sick (I order to-go). It is very kid friendly, but there is no kids menu. My son loves to order the chicken vermicelli dish without the crushed peanuts, each time they graciously get his order correct an make him the happiest kid. The portion sizes are very generous for the price of the food. I always order a large pho, and an order of egg rolls. I can't always finish the large, but the small always leaves me wanting more. You feel like you are right at home. This location is very spacious, you can bring a large group, there is plenty of seating. It's usually just me and the kiddo, and we always manage to get a booth. The staff is very welcoming and patient. I have been a customer for over 4 years, even though I have moved to Chesterfield I make a special trip for lunch during the work week or lunch/dinner on the weekend. I'm so glad that an old friend introduced me to this place. It is definitely a treasure. read more

As my first time trying Pho I was recommended to try this place. I was skeptical of the service because of reviews I read on Yelp and elsewhere . . . I had a great experience. Staff was friendly (it was just me & another table of customers when I arrived). I ordered shrimp & pork spring rolls that came out literally in about 5 minutes. I ordered a #12 large and my son ordered a #15 large. Lol we coulda ordered a regular size!! The large is definitely a large and filling. I did not quite finish my bowl but my son did. I ordered a Thai Tea as well that was ehhhh, I have had better but the pho was good. I'm glad that I had "pho tips" before I arrived or I would have been lost at all the add in condiments/options! read more

Pho So 1 - #12 (meat is under the noodles lol) - Vietnamese Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Stopped in yesterday on a whim and was delighted to discover that the "grand opening" sign was because the original owners are now once again the owners! I used to frequent their old restaurant over near Horsepen Road and loved the pho then. The broth is sooooo flavorful, the best pho broth! As a non-beef eater, I appreciate that the chicken pho (Pho Ga) broth is chicken broth. Should be self explanatory but I know Pho places that serve only beef broth, even with Pho Ga. They have redone the interior and are open for dine in. Prices are a tad higher but portion sizes are generous. Our take out portions were enough for two meals this making it good value for money! read more

Whenever I drove down to VA to visit relatives I always went to Pho So 1 at their old location. Today I was told they had moved and had to definitely visit them at their new location. Wow, the difference is amazing! The place is much bigger and I love how this makes it easier to have private conversations. The best part is that the food is the same amazing quality and I will still be making a trip down to Pho So 1 when I come down from MD. No doubt about it. They have a unique broth that I don't believe any other pho place can replicate and they always give us fresh, clean ingredients for the pho. No bruised herbs, no browning bean sprouts, lush red raw meat and their summer rolls are well sized. You can tell the summer rolls are made to order because the noodles are soft and warm and the rice paper has a good texture. read more

Pho So 1 - Vietnamese Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Best pho I've ever had. And I'm from NYC. This is literally the one place I always visit whenever I'm in town. Never disappoints! Great pho, quick service. read more

Food was good as the original Pho So 1 in Rigsby Rd, but the service was very lacking. They are undermanned for the size of the restaurant which is pretty big. You won't wait for a table but you'll be waiting at your for quite a while depending on when you arrive (i.e. Sunday lunch). We almost didn't leave a tip but the food did make up for it. Also they ran out of coffee, bummer! Would give them more stars when the service improves. read more

Very disappointing. I ordered the number 4 small and a hot coffee with condensed milk. The #4 did not have that many meat or noodles. There was more broth than anything. Service was also horrible. We were a party of 6 but we waited for 15 minutes before being serviced and the manager basically sat there when I used hand gestures to waive down the waiter. All he did was called the waiter to go to us. The coffee was too sweet and you could clearly tell that they used powder because of the coffee gunks that are sticking to the cup and floating in the coffee. Overall, my experience was not that great. read more

Pho So 1 - Hot coffee with condensed milk - Vietnamese Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

The Own of this It is very terrible especially the wife she is Cambodian woman very rude and sometimes the husband is too he think he can be funny sometimes but he's notI. I had placed an order today and had pick it up and she charge me never been charge by her husband I had ask her why she had charge me for end up. She had say we don't give anything away for free They had lost my business I would never recommend anybody or I'll go back to this place again. The food is not that good anyway. Way to salty for anything that you order. Go to the new place it call Pho 95 by Willow Lawn Mall the employee's or I think she the Own is is very nice when you place a order on the phone and plus when you pick it up. read more

This place is huge! It used to be a buffet and they turned it into a pho place so you could imagine the size. We came for lunch on Saturday before we came back home to the beach. Waitress came right up with waters for us. We ordered the #1's (pho with everything)all around. The pho was pretty darn good. They have an assortment of herbs ( cilantro, jalepenos, thai basil, and bean sprouts) that they put out generously. My mom ordered the mocha bubble tea, then was told they had no milk. So she ordered the Mango, waiter came back and said they didn't have the ingredients to make bubble tea that day. Will definitely come again when i'm in town! Great hangover food :) read more

Came in 2 hours before close, and wasn't as I expected. First of all it was not super busy but I understand workers are probably tired. The reason I say that because we were rushed to order. Food was alright, even though they forgot couple things. Bathroom was very very dirty made me don't wanna eat. Tables weren't clean and stinky. I can just imagine how the kitchen look like. read more

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Posting this in hopes that someone who works there will see it and clean this place up!! It's seriously the bessst Pho in Richmond but the place has gotten progressively more gross as time has passed. See attached photos of a roach on the window sill beside our table and the air vent above our table. I need to be able to continue coming here for my weekly #29 but I can't if someone doesn't clean this place from top to bottom!! I had a horrifying thought of what the kitchen must look like and it's the only thing I can think of now when I think of this place. read more

Pho So 1 - The vent above our table - Vietnamese Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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This is my go to spot for Pho in RVA. Consistent good quality food with reasonable price. Try their avocado smoothly, you will love it! read more

Pho So 1 - Vietnamese Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

The food was alright. Why do I try? The pho was too sweet and so was the pork chop It is a big area for drinking and dancing. As for food, I will go somewhere else when I am passing by read more

This was my first visit and I wasn't too impressed. The service was alright and pretty fast however the food didn't impress me too much. read more

Pho So 1 - Vietnamese Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

You really can never go wrong with Pho So 1. I have frequented this place and its other location for many years, and they never disappoint. Despite other Pho shops opening up in and around Richmond, this still remains to be the best one of them all. Service is always fast and pretty much worth what you pay for it (and more). My only qualms are that some chopsticks have bite marks on them, but I can't help feel that they belong to the overall charm of the place, lol. Number 9 is my homie and I will never not order it when I go. Do yourself a favor and order the same :* read more

Update: This review is for the other pho so 1. We were driving along the i95 back to NYC and yelped for Vietnamese food and we're so glad we came here. It was packed and the service was a little slow, But the food made up for it. Their prices are so cheap, how do they survive? read more

Pho So 1 - No.1 $7.95 - Vietnamese Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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I've been to the original Pho So 1 and have been for many years (read: hangover days from college) and was delightfully surprised to hear that they had opened another location once I moved back to the Richmond area. The good: this location is easy to find and smartly located by the sushi king so there's a good amount of parking. It's a much larger location so they can accommodate groups better than the original location can. Attentive service (in comparison to the original location). Generally I almost expect rude service from Vietnamese pho shops and always laugh that it's a true hallmark of an authentic pho experience--so while service is better here, that made me question everything lol. The bad: the broth is good but does taste noticeably different compared to the original pho so 1. To me, this broth tasted sweeter and less rich in flavor. The fried egg rolls weren't as fresh as I've experienced before. Final verdict: I'd go here if I was expecting to dine with a large group and Knowing there's another spot as an option is pretty cool! But I'd definitely recommend the original location over this one. read more

Pho So 1 - Meatball pho (small) - Vietnamese Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

The vegetarian pho is very good however until June 1 it is take out only (dining room closed). I ordered take out and for vegetarian pho they gave me a dish with both beef and something that looked like raw meat, making the meal a complete waste. I will not be returning for take out. read more

New owners (which apparently were the original OLD owners before they sold to the previous owners) Everything was bad. The peanut sauce was like WATER. It had the consistency of tea. The Pho soup took a decline as well. We also happened to be sitting there when the health department came in... not good. All the communal chopsticks are out as well as sauces, unclean. We sadly won't be back... they used to have the best pho read more

No kidding, their shrimp and pork rice paper roll dipped in chili oil is the best thing I have ever eaten in my life! Also, the pho is pretty darn good. I'll agree the place is a little dirty and service isn't always top notch, but with food this good, nothing would ever keep me from coming back here every week. read more

The pho here was pretty good, but the service was mediocre. I ordered the Pho Bo Vien as I usually do at Vietnamese restaurants. It was good, but nothing special. Some of the servers were great and were very friendly, but some of them are not as kind. Particularly, I was scolded by one of the servers for not listening for my order number when they were delivering the dishes; however, I was listening, I just couldn't hear because I was at the other end of the table. read more

Pho So 1 - Pho Bo Vien - Vietnamese Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I had heard really good things about this place - ambiance, food and friendly staff. Our family decided to give this place a try for the first time yesterday. The atmosphere felt empty and dingy. We were shown with hand signals where to sit and were greeted by the waitress almost immediately after sitting down. Not having had enough time to open the menu, we ordered our usual crispy rolls, pho soup and chicken rice for my son. I added the fruit shakes too for my son and me. The crispy rolls were over cooked and the fruit shakes were terribly sweet. About three bites into my sons chicken rice we found a huge, long black hair in his food. It was revolting and my wife and son walked out. I got up and laid, then left. Don't waste time or money here. Stick with the best. Vietnam One off Horsepen Road. read more

Go here for the Pho! Expect to get soaked. Pho is messy. Especially if, like me, you are less than experienced using just a ceramic spoon and chopsticks. Beef eye of round Pho was good, very good. I opted for tendon and learned tendon is 'long chew', soft, white connective tissue. I have heard it is the secret to youthful skin, but I don't recommend it for the texture. Fresh add ins were spot on, except for the cilantro - it tasted soapy. We tried the egg rolls and should not have expected the Chinese version. My daughter didn't like it. I thought it was 'okay.' The table was sticky and we had to wipe down our 'clean' utensils. It was quite busy at lunchtime, but the waitstaff kept up and we were in and out quickly. read more

Being from NOVA I would say this pho is pretty legit. It's very good for the area. Egg rolls tasted very authentic and so did the spring rolls. Fried rice needed a lot of work. It was dry and too oily. The restaurant is huge and has ample seating, and it's got ample parking. Service was quick and friendly as well. I agree with the other reviewer about it being a bit on the dirty and gritty side though. They could use some new chairs and the floors looked a bit disgusting. read more

I stumbled across this place on a foray down West Broad Street and I'm glad I did. I had the pork rice paper spring rolls and the BBQ shrimp over broken rice, both very good. Vast space, nothing fancy but a good first visit and I'll be back. read more

So good! Love this place and food! placed an order over the phone and was ready in less than 15 minutes! Dined in a couple of time and service was great! Definitely recommend. read more

The service was really bad since I enter to the restaurant they treat us really bad they just started talking and they leave us waiting like for a hour and they serve every else except for us. read more

Pho So 1 is so busy, this negative review is not going to hurt them at all. I supported this place before turning vegan, but ever since trying their vegetarian options, I'm ashamed of my past actions. The vegetarian pho is flavorless and is just a bunch of fried tofu thrown together with noodles and broth. I came here again for my mom and regretted my decision to order food for myself. My tofu and vermicelli was very bland even though the tofu itself was seasoned very well. It's like they don't care about the quality of their food or the quality of their service: our waitress delivered my summer roll to the wrong table and forgot my sister's smoothie, and not once did someone check on us. Furthermore, they still billed us for the summer rolls after we told them to take it off our check. I can forgive mediocre food, but I can't forgive bad service. read more

Pho and rainy days go hand-in-hand, so last Saturday we headed over to Pho So 1 for a delicious bowl of soup. The restaurant has a bit of a high school cafeteria feel. There is no hostess stand by the door, so you walk into the MASSIVE space and look around for a table. Someone kind of nodded and pointed at a table so we sat there. Service is a bit spotty. Luckily we knew our waiter from another Vietnamese restaurant we frequent, so he took decent care of us. The pho itself is layered with flavor, unlike so much of the other pho you find around town. We had to wait and wait for our check. Luckily, the kind woman working the cash register came over with our bill and explained that they're still trying to figure out the most efficient way of collecting payment. Right now, you still have to take your bill up to the register. read more

I'm a Vietnamese person so when I go out to eat I choose something else but my grandparents live this place. So i've been here previously maybe 2 times and they've been fine but today, you walk in and notice the tables are chipping and as soon as we sat down in a booth we were greeted with a cockroach crawling on top. I would say the food here is okay but cockroach? no. read more

Post-party night my crew and I went here this afternoon to recover and it was honestly some of the best pho I've ever had! I had the vegetarian pho and it came out quickly and wasn't too hot to the point where it burned my tongue. Everything tasted fresh and was refreshing. Sitting arrangement was great, lots of space and service was good. Can't wait to go here again the next time I'm in town! read more

If you want good pho and don't mind driving out here, you won't be disappointed. The portions are huge considering the price (although does anyone really know the difference between the different parts of beef that are offered in pho? I ask every time and subsequently am further confused, and end up picking whichever doesn't contain intestines). The amount of seating is almost a little too big for the number of staff here, and it makes the place feel kinda empty. But service was prompt and there are large-screen TVs playing whatever sports match is on to keep you distracted. Avoid the other menu items, they aren't as good and may leave you unsatisfied. Come for good pho and leave with a full, happy stomach! read more

My first Pho So experience! Luckily I had a friend bring me, as I may not have come into this place on my own...not to mention that I wouldn't have known what to do with all the spices and fresh ingredients they bring with the meal. The building is odd looking, almost looks like a cafeteria when you come in. I ordered the no. 12 and added in a couple swirls of sriracha, the brown sauce (is it hoisin?), and a few drops of fish oil. They bring you a plate of fresh cilantro, basil, limes, bean sprouts, and jalapeños. I put the basil, lime juice and bean sprouts in mine. Delicious. It's difficult to eat with the chop sticks and soup spoon, but it's fun. Pro tip you pay at the counter! read more

Fast and quality and quantity. Other pho restaurants around richmond will cheap out of quantity. Believe me, i have tested this. read more

Random rainy overcast Saturday this past weekend so we decided to try out the new location of Pho So 1. First impression when I walked in was that the place was HUGE. Like people could hold an event there. I don't know what kind of event maybe a reunion? hah. Second impression, the place was very clean. The owner/waiter we had was very nice and made recommendations, etc. I'm pretty easy when it comes to Pho...just give me the broth and some sliced meat and we can call it a day. I was somewhat surprised to see a pile of raw meat brought to me on top of the broth. Regardless, I knew that it needed some time to cook in the broth so I submerged the meat. Well...it really didn't cook that much because the broth wasn't hot enough and while I love rare steaks....this strange meat from this place probably needs to be cooked all the way through. I enjoyed the Pho and finished my bowl...I wish there was more fresh basil added. All in all this place wasn't bad and I would probably go back because the service was friendly and the restaurant appeared to be VERY clean. I'm still big supporter of Pho Tay Do so we will see. Take care & savor it up! read more