This joint is such a gem. It is just 5 minutes walking distance from my house. Whenever I feel lazy and don't wanna cook at all, I just order whatever I want and take a walk. I love their Pad Thai and their Thai Basil rice. The taste is wonderful and the quantity lasts for atleast 2 sittings. I love their spice and the heat, it tastes fresh. I will keep coming back to their store every time I hit a lazy day. It is satisfying and reminds me of home sometimes. Love their food! read more

Phovana - C3. House Thai Fried Rice - Vietnamese Near Me - Amherst, New York

Great! Highly recommend! Amazing place for Lunch and dinner. They do have a UB student discount, so this is a great place to go with your friends. This is one of the very few places in Buffalo with Bun Bo Hue. I love coming to Phovana when I am sick and need a filling hot noodle soup dish. I've also had their lunch menu, which I highly recommend. The value for the amount of food you get is very reasonable. I've had their Thai Iced Tea a few times and it was absolutely wonderful. Not too much ice or creme. The building itself is in a dead plaza, but the lights shine brightly out the window, which makes me so glad it is well lit. The atmosphere is amazing and really relaxing because it's so open and comfortable. The service is one of the best. The servers are so attentive. I would almost never need anything but they would still ask. The owners really pride themselves on serving good food and having good service. Such nice people and such a nice restaurant. Highly recommend! read more

Phovana - Bun no hue - Vietnamese Near Me - Amherst, New York

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I came in on a cold winter afternoon looking for a piping hot bowl of soup. The place was empty except for one other patron who was just finishing up. I was quickly seated and handed a menu. As soon as I closed my menu the server came over to take my order of All Variety Combo and Thai Iced Tea. The Thai Iced Tea was exactly as expected, although I have yet to find a Thai Iced Tea I haven't liked. A short wait later, the food arrived! I was tempted to start with an appetizer but my New Years resolution began pulling in the reins and good thing too. Phovana offers one size of Pho and it was larger than I expected. The base broth was good made better with the addition of basil, lime juice, and hoisin sauce. Tripe, flank, meatballs, and beef slices were all good. The only part I wasn't a fan of was the tendon. It had a weird sour taste which threw me off. The noodles were decent if not just a hair on the overcooked side. Overall, very filling and just what I needed to combat the chilly weather. A good experience however I was put off a bit when I looked at the bottle of hoisin sauce and noticed the expiration date reading Dec 01 2019, almost 2 months past. Will return to try those appetizers! read more

Phovana - P1. All Variety Combo - Vietnamese Near Me - Amherst, New York

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Honestly, it's been awhile since I've found pho that wasn't lacking in flavor so I had resorted in learning and crafting making it at home so I'm excited they I've found one I absolutely love near our home. The anise was definitely strong but that's a personal preference & I thought it was perfect. You can't beat the price for the amount you get read more

Another nice pho place in the area! :) Honestly, my husband and I didn't check the place out because the exterior of the restaurant didn't look that great, but we were SUPER surprised when we walked inside. The restaurant is bigger inside than it looks like outside, and there were a LOT more people than we thought! There are about 12+ tables in the restaurant (some are round tables or rectangular, and some are booths). We were immediately greeted by the staff member, who was super friendly. We ordered a regular pho and Bun Bo Hoe, and probably waited about ten minutes for our food. The broth at this place is not the richest, but it's still pretty hearty. The Bun Bo Hoe is not spicy at all despite the looks. The beef slices in the Bun Bo Hoe was pretty fatty and chewy, but the pho beef was tender. Overall, a good place for general pho with great service, but if you're looking for a more authentic Vietnamese taste, this may not be your go-to place. read more

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I am in from out of town visiting a friend & had a taste for pho. We drove 20 minutes to this place based on better reviews but left highly disappointed & strong armed into paying for unsatisfactory food. I asked for wontons to be added to my pho, which I do everywhere without issue, & she brought the soup with fried wontons. I simply explained she misunderstood & asked her to bring me the noodles I asked for & she demanded $3 on top of the $3 already charged. I was also charged $3 for "crabstick" that looked like a breaded hotdog & was dry & gross. I picked everything out & left it on the side plate, which the waitress left the entire meal. There was an altercation between us & the "waitress" which I think may have been the owner but she told me the owner was not available when I asked for management & there's nothing that can be done. She stood cross-armed & combative & refused even a replacement item without additional charges. She told us, "I know you can pay for this" to which we did not argue but simply asked for the correct meal. We left with only shorting the bill $6 for the add on items, even though I don't believe this meal was worth anything, especially due to customer service. The waitress approached us at the car after we left & threatened us over the missing $6 & then stood behind the car. read more

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i got the ginger tea and veg pho and the tea was the best I've ever had the pho was so superb owners and staff are so kind and eating in was such an enjoyable experience id highly recommend to anyone! i will be ordering from here regularly because it was so amazing read more

This pho is superrrr good! Very flavorful and the rare steak was great, tender thin cuts and not stringy or anything. Steamed dumplings were perfect too. I want to come back and do the hot pot experience! read more

No hot pot anymore! I don't know if this is due to covid, but just so anyone going there is aware.

It's just 5 mins walking distance from our place and very affordable. Not so great in terms of taste, but sometimes you can get away with it. read more

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Phovana is not the best, but is a solid place to get Pho in Buffalo. I ordered the P1 which included a combination of meats and added in extra noodles. I also got a side of summer rolls to go with the meal. The summer rolls were good, but make sure you omit the mint leaves. The pho was just average. The broth was on the bland side and the noodles were a bit thin. However, the service and portion size compensated for the cons. I would give Phovana a try, but it isn't a must go. read more

The verdict is still out. I only ordered takeout papaya salad, but when I arrived, someone else had picked up my order. I thought that was kinda weird. Even though they had closed, the chef still went and prepared another for me. I found it odd that they did not dress the papaya salad. I had never had it undressed before (he he), and they put the sauce (dressing) on the side. I think it would have been more flavorful if they had dressed it. They didn't spice it up as I had asked either. I had to dress it, and let it sit overnight. Then it tasted pretty good read more

I've had pho at multiple Buffalo-area places - Phovana is not the best. The broth was fine, standard amount of noodles, normal add-ins. But the beef left something to be decided. It seemed thicker/chewier than at other places. The soup wasn't BAD, just a little bit of a letdown after having better pho at other places. The bun on the other hand, with grilled pork and egg rolls, was great. The pork had great flavor and the sauce was just a little sweet. Next time I'll ask for a little spice. Jasmine tea was ordinary jasmine tea. Service was fine. read more

Phovana - Vietnamese Near Me - Amherst, New York

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Food itself, I'd give 3-4 stars. Their pho is pretty good and fried rice is pretty good as well. Their portion is pretty big so guys would get full from a regular size pho. However, their service would be 1-2 stars worth. I came here with a pretty big group of friends so we filled up 3 tables (let's say table #1,2,3) The lady took orders from table 1 and didn't even take orders for table 2,3. Then 25-30minutes later, she brought our food for table 1. And took orders from table 2. And same thing happens. When friends from table 1 were all done and paying, table 3 didn't even get to order. She kept telling them "just wait for me. I'll come back." And she didn't come back so after over an hour of just being there, table 3 people left to go to a different pho place. Then, when she started to bring food out for table 2 which was my table, she got upset that people from table 3 left. When we were done eating, we sat there for 20 extra minutes waiting for the check which we've asked 3 times by that point. Table 3 friends called us saying they're done eating and they're going home and we were still there waiting for the check. When we went up to her she kept saying just wait. Then we finally paid after waiting for another 10 minutes. We got there at 2:50pm and got to come back home at 5:30pm. I understand it was a group of around 15-18people but we do that every Sunday and never had this ridiculously slow service anywhere else but here. If you have a small group, it'll be okay but just don't bring a big group. And don't try to use their check-in yelp coupon.. they reject it. read more

Phovana - Vietnamese Near Me - Amherst, New York

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The waitress denies the check in 10% off offer from yelp and she claims yelp added that offer without their consent. While I was showing them the coupon yelp offers, the waitress was giving me and my friends bad attitudes and she was just plain rude. If I were able to use the coupon, great. But if not, that's fine either cause it's only 10%. However, This 1 star review is for their inferior customer service. Food is still great. read more

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This is one of those places I hate writing reviews for because I do not wish to share it!! This has become my new favorite pho spot. It reminds me of all the amazing pho in Los Angeles! I'm just so pumped that Buffalo has something just as delicious! Highly recommend the raw meat pho or wide egg noodles. Can't wait to try more items off their menu!! read more

I have heard about Phovana, before it's official opening. However, I have not had a chance to actually try it until today (finally). When I walked-in, I noticed immediately how nice, clean and new everything was in the restaurant. I also noticed that some of the tables were different with hot stations installed, for hot pot!!! This was a nice surprise :) Today, I wanted to try their pho so I ordered my usual meatball pho. The meatballs were sliced and very savory, and the broth was perfectly seasoned...so much that I didn't feel the need to put any hoisin, or any other condiments in my pho. I also ordered coconut water, which was light, sweet and refreshing. Overall, I had a nice experience and they did not disappoint at all. They definitely get 5 stars, and I plan to come back again. Next time, I'll try the hot pot! read more

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I have been to this place at least 10 times in the past 6 months, and I can safely say by now that there is no consistency whatsoever. (I apologize for the lengthy review, but there are things that need to be addressed.) The first few times I started going to Phovana, it was a decent pho place. They say they serve hotpot as well, and the majority of the tables are hotpot tables. However, in my many times going, I have never seen anyone eat hotpot there nor have I been offered a hotpot menu. (Although, I did scroll past another review mentioning it.) I will first say, for reference, I know what original traditional Pho, originating from French-influenced Northern Vietnam roots, tastes like. Albeit, most pho places in the US are evolved versions that have changed with the times and "Americanized" to fit the taste buds of the non-Vietnamese population. So, I am not comparing it to traditional Pho for the food rating, taking this into consideration. Food: 3.5/5 - inconsistent seasoning - first few times were comparatively better than 99 nearby, now it's not really - very skimpy on meat in the pho (i.e., You get half a meatball sliced very thin now. Other places will serve you a few unsliced halves.) - sometimes the Pho broth is very bland - sometimes the Pho broth is extremely salty, leaving me feeling dehydrated for the following few hours - noodles stuck in a hard lump at the bottom of your bowl - ratio of broth to noodles & beef is about 3.5 to 1 - most dishes come out at a decent speed Drink: 2/5 I ordered the Durian smoothie as I have done so several times before. (I know durian isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I love it.) Previously, I had received to-go foam cups that were filled to the lid, even overflowing a slight bit. The smoothie isn't ever blended quite well. There's always chunks of ice, but it's manageable. The durian is obviously frozen stuff because it's not a common fresh fruit around here, and I don't really think many people are ordering it. So, it's not the best tasting. However... I just ordered one again today, and they're getting quite ridiculous. Major Problems: I paid $5 for my smoothie. They gave me a 16oz foam cup, and it was not even full. (See my attached pictures that I took immediately after we stepped outside and got in our car.) We always received full ones previously. So, we complained about it. The lady who was working there said, "I just used the measurement." Some other customers there looked in shock when they saw this happen. We didn't want to cause a ruckus, so we left. Service: 1/5 The lady that is usually there, is terrible. She is shorter and has her hair tied in a ponytail. She also talks very loudly and curtly. Many times I have come there's only one or two other small tables taken, and she is nowhere to be found for the first 5-10 minutes. When she finally comes out of the kitchen, no apology for the wait. She just does not have the attitude or personality of someone working in a service industry. However, on the rare occasion that you get one of the other servers, she is an angel. She is taller and has dark wavy hair that she seems to often wear halfway tied/clipped back. She always has a smile on and is extremely polite. Very sweet and considerate waitress. She always double checks orders by reading them back before she promptly returns to the kitchen. She is the only reason why I am even giving any service points. Misc: - ample parking for the size of the place - looks relatively clean compared to some other places serving similar food - hard to find good seats if it is crowded because the hotpot tables are an uncomfortable height and most of them are hotpot tables - nice menu - washroom decently clean (but only one available) read more

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Very disappointed. I know that all places are stressed right now. However you do not need to accept a Door Dash order. If you do it is expected that you follow their rules. Food was cold, bland, and no taste. Your place hit the button that the food was ready. An hour later waiting there it still was not. Door Dash has these requirements, GrubHub does not which is why we use Door Dash. Hour later, cold tasteless food is not right. read more

Great food. Reasonably priced. Comfortable setting. I eat there every n a fairly regular basis. I will definitely return.

I have come here a few times and the service is never good but the soup was so I gave it a shot but this last time they charged me for something they left out I sent my bf to get the food and they charged him again and I called yet again after they said they'd give it to me and refused any further help I will never come back now read more

Good food. Great service. We came here thanks to other Yelp reviews and the unbeatable check-in coupon - spring rolls for $1 an order. The spring rolls were very good and fresh, served with a peanut dipping sauce. My friend had the Thai pineapple rice with sea food which was stir fried piping hot and colorful. He also had a honeydew boba tea which he loved. I had the chicken and rice dish which only surprised me that they used all white meat (I prefer dark meat). The restaurant was fairly empty on Easter Sunday, but it was bright and clean, quasi-modern. We'll be back to try something else on its extensive Vietnamese and Thai menu. Obviously, we need to try a noodle dish next! read more

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Great food for a cheap price no complaints over here. Not really a pho person but my mother had it and said it was very tasty,Will definitely be back. read more

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Food quality and service have gone down drastically over the past year. Once the pho packed with meaty flavorful broth is now watered down, and they will dime and nickel you over everything. Can't even get an extra lime without them adding it to the tab. I can't see myself coming back here, even though I try giving it a chance many times in 2018 and 2019. Pho Kimchi in lackawana is where it's at now. read more

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I was very impressed with the newest pho restaurant in the area. The broth was flavorful and full of several different types of seafood (mussels, squid, shrimp and salmon). My husband's beef--filet sliced thinly with no fat or grizzled was a generous serving. Pricing $11/large serving is similar to other Restaurants. However, the ambience at this redecorated location (the former Zonies) is very nicely done and a step up from some of their competitors. We look forward to returning and trying other items on their menu read more

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One of my friend took me to this place and I just loved everything we ordered. Food: Superb Staff: Very friendly Price: Reasonable My personal favorite from was chicken wide rice noodles. It was amazing! read more

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My favorite Vietnamese place, though I suppose that has as much to do with its proximity to my home as anything else. Reliably good service, reasonable prices, and a very nice selection. I do recommend telling them to make sure everything is cooked as thoroughly as possible, but most of the time they're very good about it. read more

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Came here tonight for dinner with friends. We are Pho enthusiasts, so I was very excited when I read that this place opened up. We were seated and served promptly. I had the Chicken Pad Thai, Fresh Rolls, and an Avocado smoothie. My friend had the Seafood Pho and loved it. It came in a huge bowl and tasted fresh and delicious. Good portion sizes here - my Chicken Pad Thai and my friends Pho were very generous in size. I really enjoyed the avocado smoothie. I'm all about avocados and never had one in dessert form; it worked really well and complimented my dinner. They had a good crowd for dinner and several others were enjoying the hot pot. I'll have to come back and try that next. I'm glad there is another Pho game in town! read more

Phovana - Chicken Pad Thai and Fresh Roll - Vietnamese Near Me - Amherst, New York

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Love the mango salad! Super fresh and tasty. Fell in love with this dish in Rochester but hadn't found a suitable version in Buffalo. So nice to have another (somewhat) healthy option nearby. read more

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New favorite pho place in town. This place is wonderful! I am so excited they are utilizing this location. We walked in to a bright, sunny room where we were instantly greeted and told to sit wherever we like. We sat by the window, and started with the fresh roll with shrimp. Absolutely delicious. It came out warm and was served with a peanut sauce that was to die for. Next, we each ordered a pho - my fiance had the rare beef, I tried the veggie. Above average pho, fresh, and very affordable. The staff was very kind and attentive. We met Kevin, who I believe is an owner, and he was wonderful. I enjoyed my meal and the atmosphere. I know they are the new kids on the block, and I can't wait to see what they do once they are fully up and running! Highly recommend. read more

Phovana - Veggie pho with shrimp. A can't miss! - Vietnamese Near Me - Amherst, New York

Excellent Vietnamese food! Started with the spring rolls, which were excellent, and they were different from what I'm used to with the addition of pork(?) inside with the shrimp and veggies! I'm SUCH a fan! Ordered the Pho-vantastic Rice (an egg, fried egg roll, grilled pork and onions, and vegetables!) - I got this with vermicelli vs the rice, which was AMAZING. It was exactly what I wanted! Perfectly cooked and DELICIOUS. Service was excellent, food was amazing, and perfectly cooked! Would definitely be back! read more

Phovana - Vietnamese Near Me - Amherst, New York

Yummmm! Came here on a random Tuesday after work cuz I didn't feel like making dinner and the hubby wasnt really that hungry. We ordered two small soups : the meatball and the Tom yum with shrimp. Both were sooo perfect and really hit the spot cuz it was a rainy gloomy day. Then I got the Thai salad (I ordered beef) but got chicken ... maybe she didnt hear me but in any case it was really yummy! The hubby doesn't do salad but was happily taking bites of this. Lol Oh and he got these pork ball grilled skewers with a peanut dipping sauce. Cant wait to come back here and actually do a full hot pot :) read more

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Item Ordered: 1) P1. All Variety Combo. ($10.) 2) Pineapple Fried Rice - Hot. ($8.95) 3) Avocado Smoothie. ($5.00) Called in for a Togo order around noon. Food was prepared pretty fast, within 15 minutes. The restaurant was empty when I arrived to pick up my food. Person at the counter was friendly. 1). The soup was bland. It does have variety type of meat but I feel like they can add a bit more meat for the value. 2). Fried Rice was well cooked, not mushy or too dry. However it too spicy for just the "Hot" level. It overwhelms the flavors of the dish. 3). I was told that the avocado smoothies are made from the real fruit, not the powder stuff. I did not think so, it did not have the real fruit taste. My smoothie came With many small chunks of ice. I like my smoothie... well... smooth! Coming from Atlanta, where Vietnamese restaurants are in every shopping center, I did not set a high expectation for this restaurant but their food was just below average for me. I Do NOT recommended this restaurant or at least those items I ordered. Yelps fellows, if you have tried a dish at this restaurant and you really like. Please leave me a comment. Thanks! read more

This is a small, unassuming spot. A little worn, but very clean. The service was excellent and friendly. I had chicken pho, egg rolls and Vietnamese iced coffee. The pho is hot and delicious and there are the typical condiments to make it to your liking. I highly recommend this restaurant to pho fans. Update: Went back today and had the Tamarind Fish lunch special. Another hit! Again, the service was excellent and friendly. read more

Chicken Udon was missing the sauce, I struggled to finish my average size portion. It was not good, it took a while to get service also, looks like there is always one lady working the tables. Air conditioning was not working also, but you have plenty of parking spots. The only thing about that bowl of Udon I liked was the fried garlic touch. It was something new I experienced. read more

Phovana - Chicken Udon at Phovana, look like it's missing the dark saucy part. - Vietnamese Near Me - Amherst, New York

I ordered pad Thai it was bland, needed more salt, worst part is there were a lot of over cooked/ charred ingredients (I posted the pic) it was frustrating, I didn't mind the 20 minute wait but the food was not worth it. I love bubble tea so I ordered it, it was BLAND! Wasted my 5$ their bubble tea tasted like water I didn't even get to finish it. read more

Phovana - Spent my first 5 mins separating charred ingredients. I ordered Pad Thai, it was bitter. - Vietnamese Near Me - Amherst, New York

One would drive by this place and not even realize what they're missing. Definitely one of my favorite Phö places in the burbs, and a go-to spot in the winter months. Nothing like a warm bowl of Phö with extra jalapeños to warm my frozen soul. Service is always timely, and staff is nice. read more

Phovana - P5. Chicken - Vietnamese Near Me - Amherst, New York

On my way to another pho joint, I spied Phovana on Eggert. Of course! I had forgotten all about it, and wanted to try it. So I made a left turn instead driving straight. The parking is abundant, in a surrounding lot. I loved the interior. Fresh, clean, comfortable. The service was great! I wish there were more patrons here though. It is a great business. I ordered rare steak pho & C ordered udon with chicken. We got fried spring rolls too. The rolls were delicious, though I prefer the more liquid sauce that comes with them, at other places. The rolls seemed to be very high quality though. My pho... ohhhh my pho. It was so good!!! The broth is different here. It's more oily but it tastes cleaner. Even oily, I loved it. It was very comforting and made me feel happy. The flavor really good, obviously a bone broth. The noodles were awesome, and the steak was good. I wish I could eat that every day!!! C's chicken udon was amazing. The flavors were so good, fresh, and she ate the whole thing, which she never does. It was that good! Prices were reasonable and we both walked away full and happy. I will definitely be back! read more

Came here cause one of my friends likes it. The service were terrible. There were only 3 tables taken; it took them 5 minutes to ask me what I want to drink and I waited for 25 minutes for a pho. The worst part was there was this waitress who was super mean and she kept yelling at the other young waitress. I waited 15 minutes to get the check. Seriously????!!! The pho was not so good. I had a variety pho. The meat in there were so hard; I cannot even chew it. Terrible experience. Never come back. read more

Went for dinner on Wednesday. Only 2 other people in the place. I'm always suspicious of an empty Pho restaurant considering its proximity to UB. I ordered the steamed bun as an appetizer and the companion ordered the stuffed chicken wing. We both ordered the meatball Pho. The apps never arrived before the Pho. The broth was tasty with plenty of noodles. The meatballs were thinly sliced but a bit chewy. My bun never came out at all but the stuffed wing did. How can the waitress forget what you ordered when there's one other table, and they are already eating? Sort of interesting but also chewy and not so flavorful. All and all a very mediocre experience. Next time I guess I'll skip Poohvana. read more