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Phoxotic

4.6 (94 reviews)
ModerateVietnamese, Halal
Open • 4:00 pm - 9:00 PM
Updated 1 month ago

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Fried chicken spring rolls
Anita W.

Hands down one of the best pho places I have ever visited thus far! I got "The works" bone marrow, ox tail, mixed sliced beef in the spicy broth. Once garnishes were added, the dish was perfect. All the meats were perfectly tender. The broth had the best spice balance. Couldn't have enjoyed it any better Seating is limited, very small dine at the bar. We came right before rush hour. Service was over the top! Very pleasant and welcoming! She was grateful at each customer acknowledging how perfect everything was! Hate that it's so far from home but a good thing because I'd be broke eating here!l daily!

Lakeisha S.

I will start off by saying, Phoxotic is NOT for the weak! I stumbled upon this restaurant out of curiosity and I finally wanted to try Pho for the first time. Please forgive me for posting this so late. But on to the review.... I absolutely love it! The bowl I had, I believe was called "The Works", which included ALL the beef meats & parts such as bone-in rib, bone marrow, oxtail, sliced beef, beef shank, and beef meatballs. I rather not say how much it costs me, but it was well worth the money. I will say I wasn't a fan of how oily it was & they did not give enough noodles for such a massive bowl. But they were sweet enough to give me extra noodles to go without an upcharge, so I greatly appreciate that. This bowl lasted me at least 2 to 3 days for lunch because it was THAT massive. The ambiance was rather quiet but very alluring. There are only 10 seats on a first come first serve basis & I was lucky enough to get a seat a few minutes after showing up. I came there on a very cold Sunday late afternoon/ early evening. The staff was very busy but very kind and accommodating to customers/ patrons. It was great to see the cooks work their magic behind the counter. I highly recommend this place, especially during the fall & winter months. I will likely return in a few months for a smaller bowl as it starts to get chilly out.

Pho with bone marrow, oxtail, beef rib
Joseph K.

Without a doubt the best pho i have ever had. Ate here 3 times in the 7 days i was in DC. ELITE level pho broth. Service is prompt and precise. I couldnt recommend Phoxotic more

Beef carpaccio
Tiffany T.

Probably the best pho ive had! i see a lot of reviews mentioning wait times but when we came at opening (4pm) on a friday, there was no wait at all and actually only 2 other customers the whole time we ate (although they did have a couple to go orders). Maybe the hype died down, coming at opening was great, or cause of the warmer weather! The waiter who greeted us when we came in was super friendly and introduced us to the menu overall before helping us find a seat. Vietnamese beef carpaccio - I think he mentioned they only launched this new menu item maybe 3-4 weeks ago! It was very good. the beef was very tender and i love the vietnamese flavors that come through in the sauce. 3.75/5 Salted vietnamese milk coffee - The coffee flavor is pretty strong which is tasty! Its not too bitter and actually i feel the sweetness and milky levels balance well. it gets really brought together by the salted foam on top! 3.5/5 The butcher's bowl - we saw the fresh noodles being sliced right in front of us! It was so delicious, it was super soft, slightly bouncy and has that ricey taste i love! broth was light but flavorful and all the meats were tasty and tender and not dry at all. 4.5/5

Oxtail bo bun soup
Gloria C.

Wow! What a delight. Saw this place gain popularity few months ago. But with only 10 seats, we waited for the hype to die down a little first. What a pleasant surprise though!! Delicious clarified pho!! The soup was such a yummy sweet and not oily flavor, I wish it were in Montgomery County so it would be closer to get to! I loved the small seating as you could see the kitchen prep. They make their own noodles so we got to watch them cut the noodles into thick slices, which I really enjoyed! We tried both the chicken and beef spring roll, I was shocked that I actually enjoyed the chicken one a lot more! Got their delicious iced viet coffee with a foam top. Such a delight! also everyone working was so friendly! They each checked on me and my husband multiple times. We even got the chance to speak to the owner! Fellow moco born! Didn't catch his name but he was super friendly!

Butchers choice pho
Chris S.

Walked right in at 730. Unreal place, worth the wait if you have to. Had the butchers bowl, the beef rib fell right off and easy eat. The brisket was just as tasty. The broth tho, like others have said, the best. Must try. Also the mama Kim's chicken rolls were something to write home to mother, absolutely perfectly fried with FRESH ingredients. Took about 15 mins to get our order.

Chris R.

Phoxotic is easily one of the most memorable food experiences in DC, and a huge part of that is the food and the people behind it. The pho is unreal! Deep, rich, aromatic broth, perfectly cooked noodles, and premium halal meats that are tender and full of flavor. The Butcher's Choice and bone-broth pho are next-level comfort food done right. Every bowl feels intentional and expertly crafted. What really sets this place apart, though, is owner Hai Le. He's an absolute pleasure to talk to; genuine, welcoming, and clearly passionate about what he's built. You can feel the pride and care in every detail, from the way guests are greeted to how the food is prepared and served. The hospitality here is incredible and makes the experience feel personal, not transactional. The space may be small, but it's warm, cozy, and full of soul. Don't skip the chicken fried spring rolls--crispy, flavorful, and dangerously addictive. Whether you're dining in or grabbing takeout, Phoxotic delivers every time. This is the kind of place you tell friends about immediately after leaving. Phenomenal food, top-tier hospitality, and an owner who truly cares. Phoxotic deserves every bit of its reputation, and I'll be back often.

10 seater counter seating
Buddha N.

Take your butts to Phoxotic like right now .. dont want ... but run ! This hidden gem on Rhode Island Ave in the Bloomington neighborhood is a one of a kind creation by a Pho whisperer named Hai Le ... Ohhh for the halah folks ... dont worry this place is made for you as well ! A one of kind halah friendly pho place ... yup you got that right . All natural ingredients.. no MSG and made with pure Phoking Luv ! This small 10 counter seater is a pho noodle bar ! So be kind and enjoy your pho than get the Phok out and let others enjoy also since seating is limited lol Wait times very and can be long .. but very much worth it.

Takeout area
Peter D.

I would say that after visiting here, it's valid to call this DC's best pho restaurant (also Bib Gourmand). Despite having to wait longer than expected on a Friday night, I seated myself and ordered the beef rolls + beef broth pho with Sirloin and Bone Marrow. I will say both items were superb and definitely matched the hype I've heard about with this place. The service basically had no frills... you order from a QR code and pay before you get your food. Everything came out 12 minutes after ordering. I will say this place runs very efficiently and was very sleek. I will say under the counter (Seat 1), there was a cabinet that couldn't close and had to use my foot to keep it closed. Overall, I enjoyed my visit and will definitely come back

Butchers choice
Perry B.

Finally had the chance to check out this neighborhood gem and we weren't disappointed. My fiancé and I are huge fans of pho, especially in the winter months. The broth had depth, it was rich and flavorful. The noodles were simply delicious and fresh. We ordered the oxtail pho spicy and butchers choice. For starters we had mama Kim's rolls and were sad that the OG summer rolls were out. While this fast casual location doesn't take reservations, they do have an in person waitlist or take out option. We waited 20 minutes or so for a couple spots to open at the counter. The owner was warm and welcoming. He offered some diners new recipes like cold foam for the Vietnamese coffee... I unfortunately was at the other end and didn't received it with mine. But overall a good experience and recommend checking them out.

Vietnamese Coffee
Shafiq A.

First off, congrats to Chef Hai Le on their Bib Gourmand award! It is well deserved and I loved talking to him after our meal there. We got there a little early to get seating. It's a small place in DC. Parking was pretty easy to find but give yourself time. The restaurant has a 10 seat bar-like set up almost like a sushi bar. We placed our order and were served pretty quickly. The food. AMAZING. I've had pho a couple of times and this is the best. The broth is incredible, so delicious. I can't put it in words! The combination of the meats, which is halal btw, and herbs made it a great experience! Chef Le told us why he uses halal meat and it's really appreciated! Don't miss out this place is worth it!

Menu
Chi L.

Came here at 11:30AM for lunch on a Sunday and only had to wait roughly 10-15 minutes. The staff here is absolutely so friendly and welcoming. They explained to us some of the popular items and took such amazing care of us. Seatings is chef counter and ordering was extremely easy as you just scan it on your phone to place the order. We ordered the Mama's Kim Eggroll as a starter which consisted of chicken filling. The egg rolls were fresh, perfectly crispy and flavorful. For pho, I ordered The Oxtail Pho with Torched Marrow Bone. I absolutely love that their noodles are fresh and made in house. The meat was so tender and the torched bone marrow was perfectly charred and buttery (I could have gotten a second one, so good!). The broth is truly unique and special as it is so flavorful that you truly don't even need to add any hoisin or sriracha , it is perfectly sweet and savory. I also got a Vietnamese Iced Coffee to go and it is bold and strong, perfect way to end the meal.

Bone Marrow
Marc R.

Stumbled upon this gem while browsing YouTube. Just so happens to be less than 15 minutes away. Decided to drop by with my wife without any reservations and even though the wait was an hour (in reality it was about 30 mins) we decided to soldier-on and stand by the counter to wait for our seat at the counter. (The only seating setup which adds to the experience nonetheless) I order the Butcher's Choice and my wife ordered brisket with charred bone marrow. We shared a few chicken rolls which honestly we could have done without. Our main pho bowls however were delightful. Definitely hit the spot as it was in the low 20s that night when we ate. Truly a neighborhood gem. Will be Back soon.

Butchers choice

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Phoxotic - vietnamese - Updated November 2026

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