I'm really excited that El Paso is getting more food options other than mexican or cold sandwiches, but I just really wish more effort went into keeping Pho So running a little smoother. The customer service is a little lacking, but honestly I'm just glad they were able to swap out the meat in the pho and spring rolls for some tofu. I think the tofu pho is amazing, but my boyfriend really cringes when he has to eat here (he said the chicken tastes like unseasoned, processed chicken product). The prices are great considering you get about two to three meals worth of pho, but I'm not sure that's going to be enough to keep me coming back. read more

Pho So - Spice noodle pho with tofu! They gladly make any substitutions for vegetarians - Vietnamese Near Me - El Paso, Texas

This place is great!!! The Pho was hot and flavorful and an order of the spring rolls could fill a person up all alone. It was very nice inside and very clean. The waitress was very pleasant and efficient. I can't wait to go back!! read more

No curb appeal, but everything else was great. The spicy Pho and eggrolls were hot when they got to the table and delicious. The server kept doing this little curtsy that was adorable. The décor is tasteful and surprisingly nice for the neighborhood. Bring a friend or a date. read more

One star for the cleanliness and for being edible. One waitress, and not a surprising amount of customers, but maybe too many for her. (another two eventually showed up to help) We ordered Thai tea and ca phe sua nong. The Thai tea was very bland and watered down from the start, and the hot coffee was pre made in the kitchen (so I don't know if it was fresh drip coffee or a pre made mixture ). The drinks took more than 10 mins to come to the table. We ate the combination of the combination pho and a vermicelli with grilled pork and egg rolls. Both took a very long time, for a pho place, to come out to us. And after we got the dishes, we had to wait a few minutes for the pho veggies to come. The soup tasted like cloves and water. I don't ever have the need to put anything but the bean sprouts, cilantro, and lime, but this time there was no flavor so I ended up putting extra sauces. The cilantro was very tasty. The vermicelli dish said egg rolls, plural, but only one came. We had to ask for the fish sauce And waited a few minutes for that as well. Overall, the flavors were bland and the service took too long. We waited and waited, with multiple attempts to get the waitresses attention. Eventually we just walked up to get the check and take out box. read more

My mom and I went in to have rare beef Pho and egg rolls. The atmosphere was wonderful everything is so clean and up scale. The server greeted us and had us have a seat. Our drinks were brought out very quick too. Our food soon followed after. it was not crowded but not empty either. The pho was very good! Everything was cooked perfect in it. The egg rolls were also good too! We deff will be back and I recommend this place to everyone! read more

I was pleasantly surprised with this place. Not much to look at from the outside but inside was clean and decor was nice. Had rare pho Thai tea and fried spring rolls (other places call it by diff. names) Pho was good, I've had much better broth elsewhere but also much worse!!! Was not served with basil but the jalapeños cilantro and sprouts were fresh, and the meat tasted good too-not old. The Thai tea was great, and the rolls were delicious. Give this place a try! read more

Flavorless ,hardly any veggies fixings, very little meat and broth taste factory made. Both locations has the same issues. This is for the to-go orders at least. read more

I was extremely disappointed with this restaurant. The service was acceptable but the Pho was not. I ordered a Pho with four protein ingredients. Only three were in it. The beef, was horrible. The cow must've been eating garbage or stinky bugs because its the kind that no matter how you cook it, it will always be horrible. Needless to say, I skipped eating the remaining meat and ate the noodles and slurp the broth. The broth was probably the only thing going for it. Unfortunately, I am not coming back. It's not authentic Pho. They should eat/taste their food once in a while so they can assess how horrible the meat was. I'll just walk over the huge buffet just around the corner. read more

Okay. Fast and friendly service. Nothing fancy. Nothing bad, either. The Egg Rolls (fried summer rolls) were good, but pricey. The Pho came out fast too and was a bit spicey, but didn't have much meat nor veggies - no Basil. Overall, just OK. read more

Come here all the time, compared to most pho I've had in El Paso this is as good as it gets. Their Thai tea boba is delicious as well. Plus they offer military discount! read more

While the food is the best Vietnamese I've had in El Paso, the service definitely needs improvement. They only have one lady who does the hosting, serving, cashiering, cleaning tables, etc. When we've gone in for lunch, the tables are usually all dirty. Today there were at least 8 empty tables with dirty dishes. We got the last clean table. While we were there, we did see someone come in, look around for a clean table, and leave. I think they need to hire more help. The food is great always!! That's why we keep coming back. But after today's service, we may wait a few months to go back, and see if the service has improved. read more

Before you eat here, you should ask yourself one question: "Do I have a tongue?" If the answer is "No", you shouldn't eat here, because you don't have a tongue, and a tongue is pretty important for chewing your food. Instead, you should see a doctor about possibly reconstructing your tongue. If the answer is "Yes", you still shouldn't eat here, because the food isn't good, and you'll end up in a domestic dispute with your own taste buds. You don't want to end dinner by apologizing to your own mouth. I don't mean to trash this place so completely, especially when there are so few places in El Paso that offer alternatives to chain restaurants, Mexican cuisine, or American fare, but we must have standards, and Pho So fails to meet them in almost every way. Ultimately, I think it is unfortunate that the (relatively well-appointed) facade of this restaurant advertises itself as a Vietnamese restaurant, because Vietnamese cuisine should be full of color, bright flavors, and rich, well-seasoned broths and meats, but Pho So does not deliver. I can imagine all of the adventurous eaters who came here to try VIetnamese food for the first time, only to think it is disgusting, and ultimately swear it off. What follows is a guide, for those of you who would like to know what one should expect from a good Pho joint. Lets start with the basics- Vietnam is actually the world's second-largest producer of coffee, and a good Vietnamese iced coffee (Ca phe da) is a perfect accompaniment to the flavors of Vietnamese food, and an experience in itself. Ideally, it should begin with a rich, darkly roasted coffee (often Trung Nguyen brand), and a dollop of condensed milk, just enough to give the coffee a creamy, sweet flavor, while retaining the coffee's richness and orange color. The mixture is iced, and somehow reaches the heights of iced beverage perfection. At Pho So, instant coffee is shaken with what seems like either a cup of condensed milk or a cup of sugar and whole milk. Either way, the result is a weakly coffee-flavored beverage that wants to give you diabetes. Next, lets talk about the shrimp dishes. The spring rolls are ok- nothing special, but not the worst I've eaten, and they come in a generous portion- 4 whole rolls! The real problem was the Bun Tom Heo Nuong, which is a noodle dish served with shrimp. Ideally, the shrimp are BBQed or Grilled to perfection and provide a nice contrast to the noodles. It seems likes it should be straightforward, but the version at Pho So is served with overcooked unseasoned steamed shrimp and steamed noodles. It is literally the most bland thing you could eat, and this marks the first time in my adult life that I have actually refused to eat a dish that has been placed in front of me. Last, comes the main event- the Pho. Pho is a remarkable dish; Much like menudo, it was once considered a "peasant food", a food of the people, made with cheap ingredients that were readily available to people who couldn't afford to buy steak. In its traditional form, a delicious broth is made from all those tasty animal parts, tons of spices (including onion, ginger, star anise, clove, fennel, and cinnamon) and then skimmed to make a surprisingly richly flavored, but palatably light soup. The soup is traditionally served with a healthy portion of rice noodles, tripe, ligaments, shin meat, stringy cuts of meat, or meatballs and dressed with raw sprouts, basil, cilantro, jalapeno, and lime juice to make it more palatable. Of course, when you're paying almost $10 for a bowl of pho, you can expect that the stringy parts and tripe are replaced with steak and brisket, and you should ideally get a more refined version of the classic, with a full complement of spices and layers of flavors. The thing is, at Pho So, the Pho has devolved, and so you're paying $10 for a bowl of disappointment. The broth is dark brown, incredibly salty, and lacks the traditional richness and soul-warming quality of a good pho. The flavor is akin to that of a simple chicken broth with added salt, and it lacks any depth. The meat is overcooked and dry (yes, you can have dry meat in a soup, I promise its possible), and the plate of condiments doesn't include one of the most important ingredients- basil. Even if all of my assertions are overly critical (obviously they're not), there is no excuse for why it took 75 minutes for us to get our dishes in a restaurant with only 7 customers. I would like to see this place stick around, because I think this city needs the variety of restaurants, but only if the owner and staff can get together and re-examine what they're selling. I will give Pho So another chance in a few months, and I really hope they'll try harder to deliver on the promise of good Vietnamese food, but I have my doubts. read more

Don't bother coming here. They can't get orders right and don't care about fixing them. Food and service are sub par. I had a horrible experience here and will NEVER give this sorry establishment my money. read more

This is the best pho food I've had in El Paso everything done fresh and to our specifications there were two ladies serving and know what they are doing. Quick service and very clean. Not bad for the price and if you have a VIP card you get an additional discount. Hope you enjoy as much as we did. Will be returning soon. read more

I agree with the previous reviewers. This place is not an Authentic Vietnamese Restaurant. The Pho and Rice Plate was not Appealing and didn't taste good. I give it two thumbs down. I would not recommend this place. Save your money and go elsewhere. read more

Giving it two stars for 1) the cleanliness and 2) the nice waitress. The noodle soup wasn't good. It had a very strong rosemary-like flavor. The worst part was the tripe. The tripe was smelly and squishy. They didn't even warm the tripe up...they just threw a handful of tripe on top...cold, fishy-tasting, and mushy! The noodles were stuck together at the bottom (most likely sitting in the fridge for days). My husband's vermicelli was hard (had a day-old chew to them). Maybe we came too early for lunch and they had to use last night's leftovers?! I'm glad we at least tried it so we know not to come back. Just drive down Gateway/I-10 another minute or so, and you'll find a WAY better pho restaurant ;) read more

Always a very courteous staff, the place is quiet and clean. I love the spicy noodle soup. They now offer veggie broth for vegetarians. They offer jasmine tea and bobba drinks too. read more

I should've trusted the BAD reviews! Gave it two stars because the restroom was clean.

One of the most tasteless dishes we had was the Pork Vermacille bowl. The food was bland and had no flavor. The restaurant was overall nice and clean, but that didn't make up for the short comings with the food. read more

Outstanding pho and spring rolls in a lovely setting. I was so surprised by the interior -- this is one case where you should not judge a book by its cover! I have very high expectations of Vietnamese food after having lived in Fort Worth and frequently eating at the fantastic pho restaurants in Haltom City. This was as good or better than any other I've tried. The optional garnishes were very fresh and tasty, the servings large, and the flavors on point. Worth every penny. read more

Stopped at Pho So for some chicken soup for dinner, when I entered the restaurant the lighting was rather dim. I received my soup and it tasted a bit bland so I took what was left in a container home. When I got home and poured the left over soup into a bowl I noticed a small bug in the soup. Eeek..I was so grossed out I throw out the soup. I not sure if the bug came from the soup or the bean sprouts they give you to add to the soup. Either way, it not a place I will go back to eat again. read more

Pho So - This is was in my chicken soup - Vietnamese Near Me - El Paso, Texas

The inside decor was nicer than you would expect. I went for lunch and was surprised that there were no lunch specials. I wanted to order a number 8, which is a pho dish with rare steak. I asked the server if the steak could be cooked to well done because I'm pregnant. She referred me to number 9 which has brisket and stated that the brisket was fully cooked. I was a little bummed that they could not accommodate a simple request to cook the steak a little longer. How hard could it be? The pho was good and flavorful. There were only about four other tables dining while I was there and two servers. Service was good except my check took a while so I had to get up and pay at the register. read more

Decent bowl of pho for El Paso. The waitress seemed to be a bit overwhelmed with the lunch crowd but not a big deal since I had the time to deal with the slow service. read more

I really like this place. I see Pho Tre Bien getting better ratings on Yelp, but you have to judge pho by the broth (free of Sriracha and hoisin, of course) and the broth here is very flavorful. This is my favorite pho place in El Paso. read more

If you want pho, this is bitter the place to go. Very little meat in the soup and the combination did not have all what was advertised. Something should have told me this was not a good place when the writing was in Chinese pronunciation. read more

Good food, slow service. My wife and I the shrimp and charbroiled pork bun. Really good. We ordered spring rolls for an appetizer also really good. We were there right after lunch so there weren't too many customers to justify the slow service. Tre Bien is still my favorite. But I will go back to Pho So. read more

The service is extremely slow. The texture of the noodles was off, too soft. My wife said that the rice tasted old. Better off going to Saigon Taste on the west side, or, if you're on the East side, go to Pho Tre Bein. read more

Had the pho, it is 5 on a scale of ten. I believe the rice noodles are cooked before hand, wrapped in saran and put in the fridge. They then heat the soup and drop the now rice ball in the center, left for you to take it apart, not good. Have had better pho for less but not in El Paso. read more

Not the absolute best Vietnamese food but my husband and I love to get the spicy noodle dish on a Saturday night when we want to veg on video games and Netflix.I have tried the rice noodle plate.I do not like the chargrilled beef or chicken.The taste of it makes me sick to my stomach. read more

The ambiance makes this place great. Nice decor and art creates the Vietnamese experience that much better. The spring rolls with the peanut butter sauce was a great appetizer. Tried the pho with all the meats. Could've had more meat but cant beat the price of 10.95 for a large bowl. All the fixings were fresh. Thought they had a garden in the back. The kids love the ice cream station with the waffle cones. read more

The pho here is excellent. my main complaint is the service. We've been here multiple times and there is 1 person managing the front of the house. this 1 person is the server, busser, and cashier for the entire restaurant. alone. it takes forever to get a refill, get the check or have a dirty table cleaned so you can sit. read more

Spring rolls fell apart but flavor was alright. As for the vermecelli it lacked all flavor and was a weird temperature to eat.

Personally, I love the pho at this restaurant! The broth is consistently good and the rare steak always fresh. My only complaint is the owner at this particular location needs to realize the pressure put on the waiter/waitress. That's right, in this pretty large location, they just have the ONE waiter/waitress!!! Every time I come in (almost weekly), he/she is always running about not only completing regular serving duties, but also playing cashier and bus boy! Treat your staff right, Pho So! read more

Lack of staff, we waited for 1 hour for our food, another 30 min just to pay, they got the order wrong, all tables where dirty with dishes from previous customers read more

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Finally stopped in to eat some Pho after noticing from daily commute on I-10 First of all We are by no means experts on Pho We can only compare to Pho Tre Bien The actual place has very surprisingly nice decor Wooden dark laminate floors with high gutted out ceilings with nice photo portraits of Asian landscapes on one wall & other wall with bamboo lined trees with both walls trimmed with small bed rocks Very nice decor Menu very simple straight to the point options We ordered shrimp spring rolls Pho with brisket & Yellow noodle Pho with shrimp First we noticed spring rolls were bigger then Pho Tre Bien The actual Pho came out in huge bowls Can't complain The actual broth was very pleasing A little different taste then Tre Bien but similar One thing we were disappointed in were the veggies options for your Pho Could have more options maybe cilantro & more of the veggies We did enjoy the tender brisket & the big shrimp We decided it was a good choice because afterwards we kept saying we could still taste the Pho broth Must be a good thing Both Pho So & Pho Tre Bien are good choices The employees could stop running around everywhere like they were stressing Make sure to go at a time when not busy Not enough seating plus have not figured out how to handle waiting area Overall 3 Stars since I am not an expert on Pho Gonna have to trust options available in El Paso & Bourdain 's love for the dish on his episodes in New Orleans and Vietnam Bottom line if you are feeling like a good ramen soup, this place is a good choice read more

Pho So - Vietnamese Near Me - El Paso, Texas

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It took over 30 minutes for food that is pretty average. Another table arrived after us, got served before us. A couple got tired of waiting and left. The Thai Tea was watery, the main course came but still haven't received the appetizers. Spring Rolls aren't crispy, beef is chewy, not a lot of spices. Last time I come here, the "Viet Restaurant" on the Eastside is way better. read more

Eh. Wanted to give it a try. We did. I've definitely had better phó and service. The soup was very bland, and there wasn't a lot of chicken in it. The chicken that it did have was over done. The waitress checked on us once, after we were done eating. All I can say is that we gave it a chance. read more

This is not real vietnamese food!! Will never see you again!!! I ordered "mi xao" which is stir fry noodles but they brought out egg noodle soup with pho broth...??? I m vietnamese and I know what I ordered. Told the server but I guess she doesn't know either. If you want viet food...don't come here! read more

When we first arrived there were about five couples or families seated and 2 waiters, but there were no clear tables, all of them still had dirty plates and dishes on them. We stood around awkwardly until the waiter told us we could sit at a table where apparently a couple had left after just ordering water and unfolding one napkin. There was a musician playing live music but for me it was way to loud for such a small space. My boyfriend got pho which he said tasted alright but not great but when he first got it the noodles were in a big hard lump at the bottom of the bowl like they had just been dumped out of the package into the hot broth before bringing it out. I ordered the charbroiled beef with rice it wasn't good, no flavor what so ever and a very cheap, chewy cut of meet. Also the staff got our order wrong at first, though thankfully we caught it early when they brought out the spring rolls that didn't come with either of our orders. I haven't been impressed with any of the Vietnamese restaurants in El Paso so far and this was no exception. read more