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    Pho Tám Cali

    4.0 (237 reviews)
    Closed • 10:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago
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    Order Pho Tám Cali Takeout or Delivery

    Pho Tám Cali Photos

    PHO TÁM CALI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Outdoor seating
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Pho Tám Cali

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    Minelie A.

    We dined in here. The lady who helped us was very sweet so she provided great customer service...She was very careful with our table and approached eventhough we didnt need anything and that service is 5 star for me. The ambiance was chill. Lay back decoration, clean and cozy. The food was missing the protein portion. The spring shrimp roll had very tiny shrimps so i didnt get the taste of shrimp. About Banh mi, the same thing as you see in the picture the meat portion is too little in compare to bread. Most of each part was bread so tasting mostly like bread If not the meat itself was delicious when i tried separately. They didnt offer jalapeños or lemon. For me jalapeños is the most with my spring roll. Also, i didnt like the peanut dipping sauce....It was too sweet. There is also bunch of parking lot outside...

    Menu
    Jim V.

    Good Vietnamese food in Lake Forest! Ordered the thinly beef belly with fries and egg 4/5. I also ordered a Vietnamese ice coffee, 5/5. Strong coffee that can keep you awake for days!! Service was good and fast.

    Tamika J.

    Very little meat I paid for extra pate, which I did not receive as soon as I picked the bread up. It was so soft at fill apart not what I'm used to, but the atmosphere seems nice inside. Also I noticed by reading the comments that you don't wanna order your food to go at this place

    Garlic Noodles w/ Shrimp
    Rachel T.

    It was a hot day and we found this Viet restaurant served other options beside Pho. All the dishes were delicious. Very authentic flavor. I grew up eating Bun thit nuong - vercimilli with grilled pork and it is rare to find a restaurant that can nail this exact flavor .The rice noodle was not overcooked, they incluced pickle, chopped veggies and egg roll, every condiment was on point . The star of the dish was the grilled pork and it was perfectly seasoned. Such a refreshing dish to eat in the summer. I also tried their Garlic Noodle with shrimp and the shrimps were giant! Not overcooked. Very nice seasoning. I'd like the green sauce to be condensed but their version is on the liquidly side. Overall, I will come back next time to try other dishes!

    Nikki N.

    This review is specifically for the banh mi. I had photos from a visit last year, and comparing them to what I received this time, the difference was noticeable, especially in the amount of pickled carrots, which felt reduced. The sandwiches themselves were on the smaller side, so at around $12-$15 each, they felt a bit overpriced. The pork was slightly dry and lacked flavor, and the braised pork belly, though cut into large chunks, also fell short in seasoning. The biggest issue, however, was the bread. It tasted a bit stale, which really affected the overall quality of the sandwich. I used to enjoy their banh mi, but based on this recent visit, I would probably pass next time.

    Garlic Parmesan fries
    Stephany M.

    I postmated a large chicken pho. It came in a bowl large enough to pour the broth into. Usually you have to get a bigger bowl to have it fit. To be fair tho, there wasn't much noodles. There was a lot of chicken and broth. I asked for extra hoisen sauce and I got it! Usually I don't. The soup itself was good. 9/10. Chicken wasn't my favorite. I order garlic Parmesan fries and maybe it was the delivery time, but they were a little hard by the time they got here. 7/10.

    Variety of meats and fixings to spread on your sliced baguettes.
    Karen A.

    We love ordering their charcuterie. Love all the details to arrange all our customized charcuterie. Our guests were impressed by the arrangement and the food is of course delicious!

    Kelly C.

    5 stars for the unlimited pho noodle refills. They have a lot of specials daily's. The pho is not bad but not the best. The beef bone meat is really tender and soft. The other rice and dry noodle dishes are ok. The kids meals are really lacking. The drinks are ok. Everything is not bad, but not the best either. The service is so so too. Pretty slow. HAPPY PHOING!!

    Iver N.

    Small little restaurant that offers a menu with a little of everything ranging from rice, noodles, and pho. Service can be a hit or miss but we had great service recently. The restaurant is small with less than 20 tables so come early if eating with kids. They have a big screen tv that plays random images and/or screensaver so that can distract little ones. I ordered their vermicelli bowl with lemongrass beef but felt like the beef was either sour or bad? I left the meat behind since I don't want to chance getting sick. Hubs got the lomo saltado with beef belly which had sad soggy fries. It tasted ok. The only great deal is that kids eat free on Tuesdays. I would stick to the pho here.

    Pho Rare Steak,  Crispy Tofu
    Chrissy L.

    Pho Rare Steak broth was very good. The noodles broke into small chunks very easily. The Crispy Tofu wasn't crispy. The Wintermelon Green Milk Tea straw was thin for the lychee jelly, making it difficult to drink.

    Shaken Beef Banh Mi - the meat had a slight smell and ended up throwing away the sandwich.
    Ynneb O.

    My wife frequently dine here because their food is really good but today, my wife picked up dinner for us (Shrimp Pho, Shrimp Spring Rolls with Peanut sauce and Shaken Beef Banh Mi) and we were very disappointed. Except for the spring rolls, we ended up throwing away the pho and the bahn mi. The pho had a variety of issues from the taste to the shrimp and didn't taste good as it usually is. The meat in the sandwich had a funky smell that I couldn't get past it. The meat has a slight smell as if the meat had been sitting out or maybe expired. Nevertheless, we will continue going but will be eating in the restaurant so if this happens, we'll be sure to address it. TY!

    Vietnamese Lime Soda (Soda Chanh)
    Natsumi C.

    Great food, smooth experience, and friendly service! Visited Pho Tam Cali in Lake Forest around 12:30pm on a Saturday and had a great experience. The restaurant was almost full, but there were still a few tables available and we were seated right away with no wait. We ordered spring rolls, vegan pho, and rare steak + beef back rib pho--everything was flavorful, comforting, and nicely portioned. The broth was especially satisfying and felt very authentic. Service was another highlight. Our waiter was friendly and attentive, and when I asked for a to-go box, he kindly packed my pho for me, which I really appreciated. They also have daily specials, which is a nice bonus and makes it easy to come back on different days. Overall, a solid dining experience with good food, thoughtful service, and a relaxed atmosphere.

    Betty T.

    Decided on Pho for lunch and wanted to try a new place in South OC. FYI - Pho Tam Cali looks to be one of the 2 decently recently reviewed places in Lake Forest. They are located in a plaza with a bunch of other restaurants so there's a good amount of parking available. Ordered the special, regular size. Good amount of meat and the broth was pretty delicious. Only minor complaint I have is the amount of vegetables they give you to add into the bowl could be more. They do offer unlimited noodles and they have various daily specials per the little menu card on the table (see photo). If you're looking for a good deal, pay attention to the daily specials!

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    Page 1 of 6

    Ask the Community - Pho Tám Cali

    Use pork [bones] for the broth? Thx.

    Hi, we only use beef bones for the broth. Thank you!

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    We've been meaning to try this place for awhile now. We've tried their sister restaurant Frank's…read morenext door and wasn't impressed when they first opened. It's been awhile so I'm willing to give it another shot. Plenty of parking outside, the restaurant itself is really cute with tasteful decor. You order with a QR menu from the table. We ordered fish noodle soup, the 3 dumplings and soy sauce chicken with rice. Everything was pretty good! The fish noodle soup had a good fish profile in the soup, with a kick of white pepper which I liked. It tasted clean and healthy. The dumplings were really good. It definitely tasted like in house made dumplings. Much better quality than other restaurants in the area. The soy sauce chicken rice wasn't bad. But I thought the price was a little egregious. It should be max $15. All in all I'm glad we gave this "chain" another chance.

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    NEP Cafe is an exquisite take on Vietnamese fusion cuisine. We tried the steak frites and the 15 oz…read moreribeye, and both were amazing in their own right. The standout for me was definitely the 15 oz ribeye. The flavors were beautifully infused throughout the steak, and the fish sauce was absolutely on point. It added such a unique depth without overpowering the dish. The texture was incredible as well: tender, juicy, and cooked to perfection. The steak frites were also delicious and definitely worth trying. To top it all off, our server was incredibly kind and attentive, which made the whole experience even better. Overall, NEP Cafe is a great spot if you're looking for Vietnamese fusion with bold, creative flavors. The ribeye alone is worth coming back for!

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    LUA Asian Fusion Eatery - usion of traditional noodle soup with rich smoked BBQ in our 12-Hour Smoked Short Rib Pho. Enjoy tender, smoky perfection served with blanch

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    Pho Tám Cali - vietnamese - Updated October 2026

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