Tried this place out on a rainy Friday afternoon. Food: The food was delicious! Soup was hot, flavorful, and satisfying. I got the lemongrass broth which was definitely as spicy as described! Noodles were cooked well and the meat was tasty as well. Service: The service was fast and easy. The place wasn't crowded. Someone came to give us menus immediately and came back to take our orders as well. Atmosphere: I would describe this place as the "divey" sort of restaurant. Not the fanciest but I appreciate the fact that they focus on having great food and not being too showy. read more

Pho Viet - Lemongrass soup - spicy and delicious! - Vietnamese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Love this place. Super low key pho spot hidden in Columbia Heights. Their soup brings me back to life. Both, take out and delivery are quick. My go to for pho read more

Pho Viet - Vietnamese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Omg!!! The broth is so tasty!! Awesome Pho! Appetizers not pictured: shrimp egg roll and Tempura you have to get both!! They are so tasty!! read more

Pho Viet - Pho- all the way spicy, brisket pho. I tried the veggie one and that was tasty as well! - Vietnamese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Loved this place, been coming here for years but unfortunately today I found a dead roach in my pho. Despite it clearly being a roach carcass (body, legs, antenna and all) the manager told the waitress to tell me that it was a rotten/bad part of the broccoli. Sad to say I won't be coming here anymore. read more

I've enjoyed the beef pho, it was Absolutely delicious and very yummy , everything I had expected it to like in a pho I highly recommended this restaurant read more

As soon as I walked in I was seated at a communal table with other solo diners whom I quickly came to learn are regulars. They each said, "I come weekly because this is the best pho in DC." They guides me to the lemongrass pho which was excellent. read more

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes!!!!!!!!! It was so worth our detour from South Carolina en route to New York to have the pho at Pho Viet. First of all - the broth is delicious, the summer rolls are super clean and I could have eaten fifty of them! The restaurant is CLEAN, and the staff are very very FRIENDLY! The food came out in a respectable time frame, and it was completely on point. My husband had the regular beef pho and he asked for some tripe and they threw it in there for him and I had the Chicken Pho and I'm craving it again....! Why oh why can't Pho Viet be in NYC!!! read more

Pho Viet - Vietnamese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Came back and very glad I did! Shared the vegetarian garden rolls and tofu bun. The food was very good and the service was very friendly. I'd be willing to come back and try their pho again. read more

The food was very good and came out quick. The Thai Iced Tea was outstanding. The servers were a bit unfriendly. Overall not bad, the food made it 4 stars. read more

See all

Tried the lemongrass pork. Delicious but a small portion. The spring rolls were a bit below average. Nice tiny place. The people here are exceptional. I accidentally left my wallet in the restaurant and they had it waiting for me when I returned with nothing missing. These are caring trustworthy people and I hope everyone will support them. read more

Extremely disappointed by the quality of the meat. Fatty scraps. Will not be ordering from here again. read more

Pho Viet - Vietnamese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This restaurant is def doesn't serve authentic Vietnamese food. Very bland and flavorless It is more Americanized than authentic Vietnamese. Wouldn't recommend it at all. Very bad Wonder why they have good reviews! read more

I love this place. The fresh grilled meat garden rolls are the best in the city (but order them in - they lose their magic during delivery), and you can't go wrong with any of the Vermicelli bowls. My favorite is a toss up between the grilled pork and the combo (egg roll, shrimp, and beef). It's a sit down restaurant, but definitely casual. But it's not loud, so you can have a conversation, unlike most places in DC. read more

This is probably my favorite Pho place in D.C. The food is really good and the service is excellent and quick. I went for lunch and I shared the egg rolls with a co-worker and we each had a pho. She has the shrimp one and I had one with the well-done brisket and we both had the Thai tea. We asked for the pho to be medium spicy and it was actually medium spicy, unlike other places. Everything was delicious. The place is very small and cozy, perfect for a rainy day. Highly recommended. I am looking forward to trying their other dishes! read more

See all

Best pho in DC! This place is better than ben tre and pho 14, they are decent as well though. Very small restaurant, about 15 seats inside so on a cold rainy day , it is packed. Their beef original broth is the real deal. the lemon grass broth is not so i don't recommend at all. read more

Pho Viet - Got damnit they forgot to give me chicken. Ya'l fuckin up. - 1 star - Vietnamese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Great spot for yummy pho and even have outdoor seating. Friendly service even when busy. I only wish they would not use plastic bags for takeout. read more

Can't say anything bad about this place! It's quant in size, but that doesn't take away from its big flavors! Both times I've been, I've been seated right away and brought out water immediately! Servers are always friendly and i never wait more than 20 minutes for my food to be served. I've gotten the #14 Flank and #18 Well Done Brisket + Flank and each Time it's so enjoyable.. not to mention the great prices. Truly a gem! read more

The Pho broth here is incredible! It is so well-flavored. Hands down, one of the best broths I have ever had. This is a fairly small and crowded spot. It is pretty common that you will share a table with another small group if you come in with a couple of other people. The service is quick and the food is excellent. I also had a salted lemonade to drink and it was delicious as well. There really isn't much else to say. I haven't tried the spicy broth but was sitting across from a group that had ordered the spicy broth. Their runny noses, deep breaths after gulps of soup, and sweaty brows told me all I needed to know. I'm definitely ordering the spicy broth next time! read more

Pho is okay... But place is way too small and packed. Server didn't even asked to share the table with others, She just tried to make people to sit our table. I mean... I would share if we have a bigger table.. but we were sitting at the smallest table... We didn't get water untill we were done with our food, and almost we were done, like just few minute before ask to get a check, we FINALLY got our drinks that we ordered.... What's the point of that.... So I have to wait the coffee after we finished. read more

Pho Viet - Came out after we finished our dish. - Vietnamese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I have a friend who wanted to come here because they have a "spicy" pho. I am used to having it served without a lot of spice and adding it in via sriracha sauce. If you are in Columbia Heights and want to pop in here, please get the spicy lemongrass version of the pho you want. It is sooooooooo good. The place is small and the staff were a bit short but oh well. The food was great, cheaper than I expected and portions were huge. Definitely want to hit this place up again soon. read more

The Lemongrass, full spicy, is the way to go. Doesn't matter if you choose the chicken, beef, vegetarian, or shrimp versions that lemongrass really adds a special kick to the pho. Personally, I think the beef is the best followed closely by the shrimp. The chicken is probably one of the best around but I haven't found much any satisfactory pho ga in the area. How spicy? I sweat a lot. The heat of the steaming broth and that spice level combine for a wonderful punch in the face. Go half spice if you aren't sure, but full spice will blow your mind away. read more

If you are open to a small business with "home cooking" then this fits. Enjoyed the veg egg rolls - a bit greasy but tasted homemade. Catfish was delicious. At least the second meal I've eaten here and consistently pleased. read more

Best vegetarian pho we have ever had! He first thing we pencil in our schedule to eat whenever we visit Washington DC. Love eating it in winter and still fantastic to eat in the heat of summer even if we are sweating from eating the large bowl. The lemongrass paste was so tasty, yummy, and flavorful and I had to get 32 oz paste to fly it back with us:)) Also, the vegetables are always fresh and my mouth doesn't feel gummy after eating like a lot of Asian food with MSG in it. Five stars! read more

This hole-in-the-wall is one of the last good pho staples in the neighborhood. This is not a pretty or fancy restaurant, but they have consistently solid pho, and what more could you really ask for? My husband likes they other food options, and while the spring rolls aren't anything to rave about (when are they ever), it is a dependable restaurant. read more

The food sounded Vietnamese but the taste was not Vietnamese. It was from another dimension of where the food was for flies because it is tasteless, the flavor has been changed for American I think. Service was also bad. Nobody gave a damn of the customers. Nobody asked the diners how the food tastes. I felt so bad dinning here. read more

Cute pho spot in Columbia Heights. It's a small restaurant with plain decor--nothing fancy. It's not a place you sit down for a long drawn out meal, more for a quick bite to eat. The pho is quite good. I enjoyed it more than Pho 14. The broth is excellent, and they give you a decent amount of meat compared to other pho places in DC. I brought my dad, who is indifferent to pho, and he actually enjoyed the experience. We also ordered the crispy spring rolls, which were very good and very crispy (the way I like 'em). The service was quick and efficient. We didn't have to wait long to order or to get our food. Definitely my new favorite pho spot. read more

We came from London and went here for pho. Pho is good. Manager and service is horrible. The waiter said the restaurant is too busy to seat so we ordered to go. She said 25' and after 15' of waiting she said 30'. And when I said 15' ago you said 25', she said "You just put your order in" but that was not true. I spoke to the manger(owner) hoping that I could have a reasonable conversation and he this resolved, but he started yelling at me. My husband came over and asked him to stop yelling at me and finally I said ok I'll put a review for me and he said we don't care! So here it is. read more

As a foodie who was in Washington D.C. metro area for a weekend, I was determined to find the most authentic and tasty Pho in the city.  I was recommended to try Pho Viet by a local claiming the restaurant is a top contender when it comes to Pho noodle soup. The atmosphere: To begin with, located in the historic Columbia Heights neighborhood of D.C. and the restaurant definitely is your typical small hole in the wall stop. Inside, the restaurant was packed with customers. If you're looking for a quieter atmosphere, I'd opt for the small outdoor patio. My order: I ordered a Vietnamese spring roll appetizer and bowl of beef lemongrass pho for my entrée. Taste: The Vietnamese spring roll tasted fresh and flavorful. It was perfectly paired with a thick peanut sauce for dipping. Once my bowl of pho came out, I was surprised to pho topped with slices of beef still red and raw.  The broth of my pho was to die for. It was much heartier than I've had at other Vietnamese restaurants. The slices of beef were perfectly flavored and I was actually delighted that the slices of meat were still red and raw because I could choose how long I wanted to cook the slices in the piping hot broth. The meatballs were tasty and not rubbery like I've had at other Vietnamese restaurants. I am delighted to report beef lemongrass pho was the best pho I've ever had! Service: The service was not personalized, but adequate. Overall, I thought the restaurant was a little understaffed. My food took slightly longer than average to come out (15-20min). However, it should all be taken to account that the restaurant was packed. Cost: I ended up paying about $12+tip for both my appetizer and entrée, which I would say, is a great deal for the quality of food you get. My take: Overall, I was very satisfied with the dining experience at Pho Viet and would highly recommend to anyone who's looking to try an affordable, authentic bowl of pho and doesn't mind a busy hole in the wall restaurant atmosphere. read more

Pho Viet - Beef Lemongrass Pho Noodle Soup - Vietnamese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The food was good. I enjoyed my pho. The reason I am giving them 1 star is because of the way the staff treated a woman while I was there. A woman received a plate of what seemed to be a stack of hard noodles--they did not look edible. She tried to eat it but couldn't, so she asked the employee not to charge her for it. The employee then proceeded to grab a menu and tell her that she didn't read the menu and should pay more attention next time. The woman ended up paying for it and seemed upset. Not the way to treat a customer. Even though my food was good, I won't be back because of the way this woman was treated. read more

A little hole in the wall establishment: exactly how I like it. My partner and I went to this place with two of our other friends who have been here before. It was highly recommended so we were excited to try it. We love pho, so we couldn't pass on a Friday night. When you walk in, you seat yourselves and you may have to share a table with others. The server was quite nice but kept forgetting little things like our diet cokes and a cup of ice (not anything too major). I ordered a 17 which is a well done brisket pho while my partner ordered the super spicy 11 with all meats. We also ordered a spring roll -- which was definitely not the highlight of the meal. Since we did get here an hour prior to closing, the spring rolls tasted as if it's been sitting there for a while. The peanut sauce was delicious though. (Oh yeah, even though it's a Vietnamese restaurant, they do have Thai iced tea - and my partner ordered one.) The pho was delicious!! Now it was a bit odd that when everyone else's pho came out, the meat seemed to be a bit raw but apparently the hot broth cooks it! Pretty cool right?! We will definitely be back to eat here again! read more

See all

The best bowl of spicy noodles soup in my life was eaten here. I'm not even kidding. Located in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of WDC, the restaurant felt like a place you would walk into in the heart of Hanoi. There are around 30 seats total. Each table has a set of condiments and utensils (pepper, grounded chili, sriracha, etc). Owned and served by a husband and wife couple (Nina and Michael), you feel like you're home because they are extremely friendly and adorable. We absolutely loved the spicy lemongrass with red chili noodle soup here. I was feeling a little under the weather and was magically fixed by this bowl of pho xa ot (lemongrass chili). So If you're either hungry, hungover, or even terminally ill...this bowl of pho will always make things better! If you don't believe me, ask my friend and fellow yelper, Vy L, who goes here 3-4 times a week. The pho is fantastic! The broth is incredibly flavorful! Aromatic, sour, and spicy with the taste of the lemongrass and red chili. You have no choice in the size of the bowl but you will definitely be filled. Prices are great: here are some examples 2 summer rolls: $3.95 Vermicelli bowl of grilled honey lemongrass chicken: $7.95 Lemongrass with red chili pho with tai (rare beef) and bo vein (meatballs): $7.50 I highly recommend this place for pho whenever you're in the Northern VA/WDC area. read more

Pho Viet - Pho xa ot(lemongrass with red chili) - Vietnamese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This place is horrible! First off the customer service is TERRIBLE! I was greeted by an angry Latin women who seemed as if she didn't want us to even come into the restaurant. She didn't even seat us, although it was super small inside, she just pointed to an area for us to sit. Super rude and unprofessional. Then the egg rolls we ordered were SO greasy we had to squeeze them with napkins. Disgusting! And to make matters even worse, another customer got up to leave and before he could leave out he fainted. He fell through the door, hitting his head on the ground. EVERYONE in the restaurant got up to help. The staff did NOTHING! The wouldn't call 911. They were even reluctant to give him water once he was able to get back up! My friend actually had to yell at the staff saying "are you guys really not going to help?!?! This is YOUR establishment!!!" They just looked at her with no expression smh! Not only is the restaurant DISGUSTING and unauthentic, the staff is HORRIBLE! I will never go back to this place!! read more

Sadly, when you run a restaurant, no matter how many wonderful meals you may have served in the past, it only takes one bad case of food poisoning to soil your reputation forever. Pho Viet has been my go-to pho spot in DC for about three years now. But one horrible case of food poisoning means I will not be going back. My wife and two friends and I all shared a meal here, and all four of us were ghastly sick within a few days. Two of us had beef pho, one had chicken pho, and one had a non-soup dish. All of us got sick. Maybe it's possible the source of our food poisoning was elsewhere (though that's hard to imagine given that this was the one meal all four of us have ever shared after which all four of us became simultaneously ill), or even just a momentary lapse of judgment on the part of someone working the restaurant that night, but the pain that followed is not something I wish on anyone - not even a snooty hipster browsing Yelp. read more

**UPDATED May 31, 2011** Still the best Pho in DC. They now have outdoor seating. They seemed to have slightly updated their decor. Delicious as always, the broth has improved since my first time (I have been back multiple times between first and current review), meat is still a good amount (maybe a TINY bit less). Also, have had the tapioca a few more times, and it has been better too. A solid 5 now. **ORIGINAL April 24, 2010 REVIEW** Best Pho in DC. I'm a Southern California girl who doesn't/didn't live in Westminster, but I know good and need good Pho. I was content on never having Pho in DC and just going home to California for it. But I smelled something that reminded me of Pho when I was walking home from yoga today, so I HAD to satisfy the craving. But what to do...I banished the idea of ever going to Pho 75 in Arlington (seriously, don't go ever, it's not worth it) so I looked on Yelp, saw the great reviews, canceled plans with my friends (yea, it was THAT serious) and went. First impression: so this really ISN'T a basement. I was expecting stars leading me down below street level and it was just a nice slight decline ramp that led me down to it. Still well-lit and yes, clean It reminded me of the Pho places back home, nice and attentive owners/servers, the correct sauce set up, even the menu looked right. Oh, oh! The music. Faaaantastic. It's what you should expect from a Pho place (think old songs that are familiar to you, but played in a electric/Asian style). Price: $7.50 for a bowl of Pho ($8.50 if you want the deluxe beef bowl). Not trying to rip me off? THANK YOU!! Summer roll: summer in your mouth. They didn't skimp on the filling at all and provided just the right amount of peanut sauce. Pho: Great big bowl size, perfect broth, noodle, meat proportion and heaping mounds of the bean sprouts, mint, and lime plate. Broth was light and could stand for a bit more flavor, but I was happy with what I got. Plus after a few dips of the meat into the hoisin/sriracha and chopsticks back into the bowl (and scarfing of the bowl), you barely notice it. I finished ALL of the broth =) Avocado smoothie with boba: ordered because Mary K. mentioned it and said it didn't taste bad. First time having avocado smoothie and was surprised that it tasted so good. But it was a TINY bit bland and the boba tasted more like the white/clear Tapioca balls. Dessert: fried banana. Reminded me of banana stuffed funnel cake. Also served with the perfect amount of ice cream. You know how sometimes you go to a place like...ooh let's just say BJs and they never give enough ice cream with your Pizookie and you think "man, when I open up a restaurant, I'm totally going to be generous with the ice cream," this is what they did. Negatives: Far from me. Closed on Tuesdays. Service can be a bit slow, but that's because there are only two people working in the front. They are ACTUALLY working and not trying to ignore you, so cut them some slack. If you get their attention, they will come help you right away. They are also attentive with the water/tea and when I went up to the counter to ask for the little saucers, the Mr. insisted that he bring it to my table and not just hand it to me, fantastic! Also, the Mrs. is cute =) Cash only for orders under $10, but are you really going to just spend $10? Verdict: It's really 4.5 stars, it would be a perfect 5 if there was just that tiny bit more flavor in the broth and the boba was more tangible (but this is me being a picky SoCal girl). I don't live anywhere near Columbia Heights, however I will be back here at least once every two weeks, no joke. Pho 75 could stand to learn a bit from them (I'm still bitter at the horrible service I got there and disappointed with all the hype). Also, don't go to any other Pho place in Georgetown...riiiip off! P.S. DC, it's pronounced "fuh" not "foh." I didn't think this would be necessary but a customer who came in today proved me wrong. read more

Picked up my niece from school for a girls get away weekend in NYC and we were starving so we decided to have some pho (quick and easy) before we head out. This was my first time in DC and I wanted to try a pho place. (I try pho in every state I visit). The waitress weren't very friendly and as I looked around I wasn't sure we made the right choice in choosing this place. Small but cute place I must say though. We ordered some fried egg rolls, fresh spring rolls, two bowls of pho and my sister ordered a rice and pork chop plate in which she was disappointed with. The meat was fatty! The broth to the pho was ok. Nothing special. I wished I had more time in DC so I can try other places but that will have to wait. read more

Pho Viet is a tiny hole-in-the-wall tucked away on 14th street, less than a half mile away from the Columbia Heights metro station. It is hard to find, but it is so worth the find. I just discovered this hole-in-the-wall gem today, and I have to admit I went for lunch and then went back again for dinner. Food: The real standout here is the spicy lemongrass chili pho ($8.50), as other Yelpers have raved about. The broth is fragrant, flavorful, and packs a great punch. I asked for it medium spicy and it was already on the upper limit of my spice tolerance, which is admittedly not very high. If you are a little more sensitive to spicy foods like myself, make sure you ask them to tone down the spice level. I also tried the vegetarian and regular pho ($7.50 each), but they are not quite the standouts that the spicy lemongrass chili pho is. The broth is very clear and not quite as flavorful as at other pho restaurants, but I also attribute that to the much-appreciated lack of MSG in the soup. I would order the vegetarian/regular pho on a day where I wanted a simple, clear soup. One last standout: the egg rolls ($3.95). They are amazing. Definitely the best egg rolls I have ever eaten - perfectly crispy without being heavy, and so incredibly flavorful. These are must have. Service: I did not dine in either time (it was a lazy Sunday...), but the owners of this place are so friendly. The husband, Michael, took his time with me to walk through the menu, highly recommended the spicy lemongrass chili pho, and then offered me a glass of water with lime in it while I waited. His wife treated me similarly when I returned and joked as I was leaving, "So I'll see you tomorrow?" Very possible. I highly recommend this place whenever you are craving your next soupy fix. read more

Okay, it's about time I write a review for this place. Let me start by saying that I am 100% Vietnamese and I grew up eating some of the best home cooked Vietnamese dishes, this includes ph. If you live in Columbia Heights (or anywhere in the District of Columbia) this is by far the best and most authentic Vietnamese spot you can find. Yes, there is another Vietnamese restaurant in Columbia Heights, however, at least in my opinion, it is NOT WORTH the money. Yes, the visual appeal of the other place is better (atmosphere), yes, it's in the area of Columbia Heights, yes, it's bigger, but is the food better? No, no it's not. I now live at the Navy Yard metro area, but used to live in Columbia Heights with my sister, so I've been to Pho Viet more times than I can recall. It's hidden and a few blocks away from the metro, but it's worth the trip. The spring rolls are fresh, the ph is FANTASTIC (can't compare to my mom's, but still good!), the Bun Thit Nuong (Vermicelli with Vietnamese Grilled Pork) is filling and delicious! If you're into spicy food, I would recommend their spicy noodle dish, (I don't remember the name nor the number, but it's the only spicy noodle dish they have) I highly recommend giving theirs a try. Yes, I still come here from the Navy Yard to have Vietnamese food (whenever I don't feel like driving to Eden) without paying an arm and a leg for a bowl of soupy deliciousness (like the other Vietnamese place in the Columbia Heights)! If you haven't been, you should go! Skip the other Vietnamese places and come to Pho Viet for some true Vietnamese cooking! Oh, don't leave without having their ice coffee (cà phê sa á), it's refreshing and will wake you up instantly! Enjoy! read more

Thanks, Yelp! Needed some good dinner to save the meal portion of this trip. Pho for everyone, some of us got the eye round and tendon and my Dad got the brisket and flank - all were very happy. Piping hot to-go, pretty spicy even at quarter spicy. Delicious! read more

Pho Viet - Vietnamese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This review is in two parts. Let's start with the good stuff: The spicy lemongrass pho dac biet was flavorful. You can really taste the lemongrass broth in all its glory. Now, for part two. Never coming back to this place again. For starters, the daughter(?) working here was really brusque and surly. She'd bark at me, and other diners, "Are you done!" when she was about to clear the tables. She also asked me to place my used paper napkin in the bowl when she was clearing my table. Have you ever experienced anything like this before? Then, upon signing my receipt, I had to ask for a copy. Which had me thinking, "DC is environmentally conscious for sure, but are people cutting back on paper use by not providing customer receipts?" As for the food, I've had better. The fried spring roll appetizers were clearly leftovers and re-warmed, with a tiny piece of lettuce and no mint with which to wrap them. The spicy lemongrass pho - while flavorful - was lacking in meat. A few pieces of beef, and meatballs cut into quarters instead of halves. The restaurant is tiny and gets very loud, with hipsters screaming at each other about relationship issues and the like. Bottom line: Come here if you enjoy the hipster experience in Columbia Heights, with its clientele proclaiming this is "the best food ever!" and "amazing!" And, if you enjoy listening in on conversations where every other word is "like, like," and "like, like," and responses consist of "right, right, right", then you'll be in restaurant heaven. read more

So I hate to rock the boat, but I think the original broth is actually a better bet than the spicy lemongrass broth. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed that bowl of super spicy hot pho that I ordered, and this might be the first time I've ever chosen mild over spicy. But after trying my brother's original broth I realized that all the subtle flavors of pho broth--the star anise and beefy umami and thai basil--are totally drowned out by the overwhelming single note of heat in the spicy broth. Plus with the original, after you enjoy some of the broth in its unadulterated form, you're always free to throw in spoonfuls of the fresh chili paste that is on every table. Broth aside, I really appreciated that the beef round came out rare. I just wish there had been more of it. read more