First time going there I told my friend maybe we should go to Sister Thai because this place didn't have seafood broth for pho. Now I'm wondering if that's why they put a fingernail in my pho. Never going back. Ambiance is one of a fast food restaurant anyways. And the service was messy. read more

Rock-Pho'd - A fingernail - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

TL/DR (1) 3/5 stars. (2) Way too fusion even within one Thailand entree (here Thai rad na fused with Thai pad kee maow aka drunken noodles). No flavors nor balance that quality authentic Thai cuisine is known for. (3) If want true taste of Thailand then skip this eatery (4) Still giving above 1 star as we need to support local business and not chain restaurants. Background/full review (1) Chicken satay Negatives: Chicken panfried or deep fried until proven otherwise. All quality satay is grilled. Traditional satay protein is also pork not chicken as latter has less fat and is drier and has less flavor. But I have made quality chicken satay in the past (hint use chicken thigh). Fried chicken satay I was served was so overfried that chicken bone dry on the inside. It was so dessicated it could not absorb the satay sauce. The satay sauce lacked peanut flavor and lacked enough coconut milk and enough lemongrass and shallots. In short this satay sauce lacked flavor. Its consistency was too thin too. I make my own satay sauce from scratch and it rivals the best Bangkok street market (e.g. Soi 5 Pretchburi street vendors). Native Thai mother and paternal aunt taught me their satay recipe. For those not wanting to spend time making from scratch then please buy satay sauce in can (e.g. Maesri brand) from Siam Asian Market on Broadway Street or Blessed Asian Market off Charles Street. Maesri satay sauce is far far better. (2) Rad nar Negatives: everything. Entree should have been called "pad kee maow (drunken noodle) with water-consistency gravy". Please see 3rd picture of my own cook of Thai rad na. My picture cook had gravy ~25% too viscous. But still the taste and balance are still spot on. My reference points (a) elderly master Thai chef mother's rad nar for past over 45 years (2) Bangkok street vendor (been there over 15 times). Rock Pho'ed rad nar missing tao jiew (fermented soy bean paste) or if there it was lost in all the other extraneous ingredients (e.g. carrots, baby corn, scallions). Protein (here pork) was not velveted. The served pork is what I call fake BBQ pork which sadly many Bangkok street vendor serve. The "BBQ" is just food coloring. Real BBQ pork is Chinese Char Siu and is exponentially more flavorful as 3 day marinade with over five ingredients including red bean curd, five- spice powder and hoisin sauce. **Regardless** BBQ pork never belongs in rad nar. If pork isn in rad nar, it must be velveted. This technique shown in woksoflife.com website. Gravy of this rad nar was one step above colored water. Real rad na gravy is tao jiew, pork stock (if pork rad na or chicken stock if velveted chicken is the main protein), garlic, Thai soy sauce, Thai oyster sauce, white pepper, Thai Golden Mountain sauce and touch white sugar. This proper gravy has sweet, sour, salt, umami flavor. Rock Pho'ed gravy was none of this. read more

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The restaurant is very interesting. It is definitely not true Asian cuisine. Yet it is Asian. I expected Vietnamese food. It was a mixture of several southeastern Asian food. Some of it was with an American twist. For example, I tried the traditional Malay Satay. It is grilled chicken. This was fried chicken! Like I said, an American twist. The main course was very nice. I was very happy with the food. I will re read more

Great food quality at this Asian fusion restaurant in Rockford. We've been here several times at this point and most of the items have been good to very good. Their various fried rice items are very good as well as their egg rolls. We did not however like the crab Rangoon. They were a little too thick in our opinion. Like many restaurants we've found things that we love and some entrees that were just ok. Rock-pho'd is definitely our first choice for Asian quinine when we're in Rockford area. read more

Delicious and authentic pho restaurant in Rockford. We had a group of 7 and arrived around noon on a Sunday. They sat us right away which was great. All of us ordered either the Beef Pho or the Rock Pho'd Special Pho. Our food came out within 10 minutes of ordering and we all dived into our bowls! There is only one bowl size, but it was pretty large - I even had leftovers. Our waitress was super attentive and never let our water glasses become empty. A few of us also ordered Thai iced tea which wasn't too sweet, definitely a good thing! Would definitely come back! read more

Great food and good service. Even though it closes at 2 pm from lunch hour, they told us we could stay as long as we needed. Very clean

Best PHO in Rockford- best part, they can make anything vegan! Always our go to spot for a night out- even with our two kids.

Visiting the area on business - I stopped in for a light dinner and ordered the Drunken Noodles - really good, and enough that I took half back to my hotel for a meal the next night. So I went back a few nights later. Ordered fried rice and it was great, too. I've had some poor experiences with Thai at "pan-Asian" restaurants, but on my next visit, I'd like to try a curry. Friendly staff, good prices - a great experience. read more

Delicious! We got the crab Rangoon, Chicken satay, Chicken Lad Na, and one of the Pho. The Rangoon was amazing and the sauce was the perfect compliment to it. It was the first time I'd ever had satay and I was surprised that it had curry on it, I normally don't like curry but it was tasty, the sauce was also amazing. There were a couple things that we wanted to try but they were out of. For service, our server was wonderful but it did take a long time just to get the crab Rangoon. The only other negative thing is the seating is a little too close in my opinion. read more

Rock-Pho'd - Lad na - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

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Great food and Tia tea Service was excellent I recommend this restaurant as it is the best Tia food I have had in the Rockford area read more

Just want to update this has become one of my favorite places in 815. I love the shrimp pad Thai. I've had it multiple times. The crab Rangoon. I love it with hoisin and garlic chili oil. Tonight we were there at 5:05 and scored our choice of tables (it's full by 6)! I tried something new, I'm always nervous but I should know better here. The drunken noodles were so good. I can't even finish with appetizers. Lunch tomorrow. The Laotian iced coffee is very yummy too, give it a try! I wish we lived within a hot takeout distance! read more

I believe this restaurant with it's punny name opened up after the relative success of "815 Pho" on State so when you read my review there lauding it as having the 'best pho in Rockford' please know that this review is more recent. Rock-Pho'd has the best pho in Rockford. I recommend the Special Pho with the meatballs. It is as good as any pho I have had in the US thus far. My wife had pad thai and it was 'not dry' which is a good thing! It is a small place, with the usual lack of sufficient serving staff, so do expect that you might have to wait. Also, last Saturday evening when we were there, anyone who showed up for seating after 7:30 were told the kitchen is closed, which we thought odd. Consider getting there early and also consider carry-out. read more

Service and food were great. Only downside was no liquor license. Not even beer and wine.

Ok Rockford folks, I have a feeling this is a little known secret.... but this place is AMAZING! Fantastic atmosphere, oh so friendly and engaging owners and staff and the food... Look Out!!! It's amazing!!! Fresh, complex, interesting and all homemade! Run. That's all I'm saying. Get Rock-Pho'd! Updated: Had lunch there today. So INCREDIBLY DELICIOUS! Fresh, flavorful, interesting, affordable and friendly. read more

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Every time I eat here the food is fantastic. Service is excellent as well. I would highly recommend this place.

FOOD: solid Thai mostly food with good amount of vegetables mixed w authentic meat. I got the drunken noodles w their version of Char Siu pork, lots of different vegetables (including baby corn!) mixed in w noodles. Only complaint is that seasoning was more pepper forward than true Thai spices SERVICE: fast and efficient. We did take out EXPERIENCE: good amount of indoor dining from we saw, clean VALUE: under $10 for most entrees, hard to beat for Thai SUMMARY: decent Thai food if you're in town or passing through like we were. Would give it a try! read more

You want to talk about flavor?? Okay let's talk about it! Rock-Pho'd did a great job with providing us with a full vegan experience. Most places will just throw some veggies together, but the way they cooked everything with soul still has my taste buds on fire! We loved the ambiance and the vibe when entering. If you are looking to go here for dinner, I'd suggest calling ahead or getting there before 7! Every seat in the house was taken after we arrived! read more

Ordered Pho special and they informed me they were out of meatballs, asked if I could substitute shrimp instead and they did no problem at no extra charge. Portion size was great, lots of meat and seafood and all veggies were very fresh. This is the only place I get Pho where I don't need to tweak or add anything in, super good the way it comes out. I've had their chicken and beef special pho and both are delicious and would highly recommend. Also got a free Loation coffee with the coupon on here so thats a plus, was super good as well! Really like this place and have to try more on the menu but just always go back to their Pho haha. Atmosphere and staff and very nice, give it a try if you're hesitant, don't think you'll go wrong here read more

Charming atmosphere, expansive menu offering delicious food and large portions. The service was so friendly and kind. If we lived anywhere near Rockford we'd come back again and again. read more

Wanted to try a Thai place tonight while visiting our son and based on previous reviews we came here. Did not disappoint. The crab Rangoon was great, nice filling and crispy outside. I had the Shrimp Pad Thai which was a very generous tasty portion. Had to take half home. My son had the Special beef Pho. That too was a huge bowl and very tasty he said. My husband has the Dragon fried rice. He cleaned his plate. Friendly staff and very reasonable prices. Glad we came here tonight!! read more

Outstanding food! Going here and enjoying the atmosphere made us feel like we were not wven in Rockford! Seafood was great with fresh vegetables... We will be going back! read more

This was a really excellent Asian restaurant! I went there with my mom and sister and we all really enjoyed our meals. I tried the beef pho, my sister tried red ruby chicken, and my mom had the pad thai and we were all very impressed. The service was quick and our server was very helpful with explaining the different dishes and spices. I tried the Laotian iced coffee as well and it was delicious. It was a great local restaurant that we'll definitely be visiting again. We had the egg rolls for our appetizer as well, they were a good size and hot and tasty read more

Rock-Pho'd - Spices for food - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

Waitress was very sweet....the broth was some of the best pho broth I've ever had. The food came out super quick which is great since I came in for lunch. Will absolutely be back read more

I totally forgot to take the pictures! But I can tell you that this is the best laotian food. King fried rice - chicken, shrimp, charsiu, homemade sausage and beef. The homemade ausage a bit sweet, you need to add some spicy. It's overwhelmed with meat. Caution : it's a bit oily. I had leftovers and I added more rice. Pad see ew: with tofu! The tofu was great and crunchy! Nice combination. Too bad. Too many veggies compare to the noddle Beef jerky with laotian sauce with sticky rice: it's just right with hot sticky rice. You need to finish the sticky rice and leave nothing for tomorrow. Laotian ice coffee: taste like viet ice coffee. But a bit different. I love it! Nice for summer. Ice and coffee and milk. read more

Time for an update. The Tom Yung Goong spicy shrimp soup is off the charts good. Tremendous flavor with a little kick. Love the amount of shrimp you get. A+ Chicken Satay is phenomenal. Perfrct starter. The Dragon Fried rice is really unique and a must try! The Thai Curry is absolutely delicious. The perfect blend of spices. As always everything is fresh and prepared in minutes. Staff does an excellent job. I cannot recommend this restaurant enough. read more

Great food, large servings, good service, but long wait for meal and high prices. If looking for a PHO (soup) alternative, I recommend trying the Nam Khoa (curry marinated fried rice with pieces of pickled pork.) read more

I love the food here. Never had something i didnt like. No liquor license, BYO is fine. Closed at 2pm. Opens at.4pm. Be respectful. You will not be disapppionted here. Sercice exceptional. I highly recommend read more

Excellent food! Consistently high quality. Love the dragon rice. Usually get carry out, but dining area is cute too

Went here for a rainy sunday lunch date, was looking to try something new as we just moved into the area. We loved it!!! We tried the crab rangoons, spring rolls & special pho with extra noodles + napa cabbage. The crab rangoons were crisped to the perfect amount and delicious (my favorite part of the whole meal- i should have gotten some to go)!! Their spring rolls come with a peanut sauce & a vinegar sauce... i have never had the vinegar sauce but it was perfect. We are savory/spicy fans and tend to stay away from the dipping sauces due to them being on the sweeter side- well, not here. Each sauce had the right balance. Also, if you love sauces- they had ALL of the condiments on each table (chili flakes blend, chili oil, sambal olek, sriracha, hoisin, soy sauce, etc.). We will definitely be back or grabbing take out. Thanks David for the great service! read more

Rock-Pho'd - Special pho (beef, brisket, meatballs) before adding any spicy additions - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

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We've lived near Rockford for a while now and have never stopped in before - we will surly be back! Great service, good price point, enjoyable meal! Could easily be carried out as well! read more

Rock-Pho'd - Potstickers and Crab Rangoon - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

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First off, and importantly , the food was really good. Tom Kha Gai soup and Penang shrimp curry. Both were full of good stuff: I'm used to getting 3 shrimp in a curry elsewhere but this was packed, and the mushrooms were tasty and plentiful. But the service made it all the better. My kid has a serious allergy, and honestly we often don't eat out since a lot of places don't get it or care, but the server was amazing: really caring, took the time to check, and the kitchen went out of the way too. Usually eating out is stressful, and my kid worries the whole time, but they put a huge smile on her and my face, and filled our bellies with yumminess. A real pity I don't live here and can only come once a year or so, but I won't ever eat elsewhere in Rockford now read more

Wow!! So delicious. I have not been feeling well and I needed a yummy hot bowl of pho- it was tremendous! The service was equally as wonderful. I brought my kiddos with me and found some food they loved! The chicken Satay, crab Rangoon and beef jerky won them over!!! We will be back!! My 6 year old has requested it for dinner tonight and everyday! Lol Thanks for a wonderful me read more

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Been trying out Pho restaurants in the area. And hands down this place is our go to for pho cravings. We also tried the Laos jerky, very delicious. Was not a fan of their Vietnamese spring rolls. But overall the food was great. Service was not up to par, as we waited for our drinks for quite awhile. Food came out and still didn't have our drinks. And also waited for our check and to go boxes for another 15 minutes upon requesting. read more

I was pleasantly surprised by this Pan Asian spot with a taste from a bunch of countries. I went with Thailand and really enjoyed my noodle dish. It was a good size and was full of flavor. This place did not skimp on the meat and veggies either. Great lunch or dinner spot. read more

Rock-Pho'd - Thick rice noodles - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

So so so Good! We stopped in to try something different and everything was DELICIOUS. We had pot stickers as a appetizer, Mongolian beef, and Pho. All of it was amazing! read more

Rock-Pho'd - A little Pho..Yum! - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

Great depth of flavor in their spicy Thai basil, tender marinated meat. Coffee tasted a bit like freeze dried but could just be the way it is made. read more

Rock-Pho'd - Spicy Thai Basil with beef and chicken - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

This Asian restaurant is absolutely wonderful! The menu is great with many options. The food and presentation is also great The owners are welcoming and the staff outstanding. read more

Delicious. All the soups are great. I love the fried rice, pad Thai, lad na, panang curry, pad see ew. All the appetizers are tasty, especially the egg rolls, chicken wings and beef jerky. Edit: Bahn Xeo is to die for. OMG! Seriously the best I ever had. Come and eat it now!!!! Edit: Mongolian Beef and Bi Bun are now my favorites. read more

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I was craving some soup and I had never had pho before but I've heard good things about it. The Rock pho'd special pho is SO good. Very flavorful and I love that everything comes on the side for you to add to your liking, The crab rangoons are nothing like I've ever had, they have SO much flavor, you don't even need the sauce. The customer service was very pleasant, I came in to do a to go order and my food was ready in like 5 mins. I'll definitely be back! read more

Rock-Pho'd - Rock pho'd special and crab rangoons. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

Never ate inside but nice interior. Pick up food at least once every 2 months. Great flavors especially the red curry chicken. Looking forward to next pick up. read more