I had another fabulous meal! Highly recommend this small, great Vietnamese restaurant. Staff is very friendly and helpful. Food came out promptly. Curtains or blinds need to be installed because the persons sitting with their backs to the windows becomes just a shape on a sunny day! I prefer looking into someone's face when talking. I'll be back very soon. read more

If you want absolutely tasteless, boring, luke-warm pho, then certainly give Sidestreet Pho a shot. Much like some food in Alameda, it falls right into alignment with the tasteless, unsavory, 'looks good' but has absolutely no flavor, and dummied down for the palest of food pallets category. This place certainly knows how to make me leave an entire bowl of barely eaten pho. What a shame ... You want pho done right? Head into Oakland, Milpitas, and certainly San Jose. read more

Alameda does not have a lots of choices for Vietnamese food. Sidestreet has been a staples for authentic Vietnamese in the neighborhood. Service is friendly and prompt. Table seating are close together and we have to share table if they are busy which they are often busy. Not my place for Pho but good place for.rice and bun. read more

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I was recently introduced to Sidestreet Pho, and I'm glad I was. The Bun, Shaken Beef with garlic noodles, and vegetarian fresh rolls are amazing! Looking forward to trying other things on the menu. Oh and Jeanette is an amazing server! She's friendly and funny! =) read more

Came here for the first time for lunch and we ordered the com tam thit nuong (broken rice plate with pork & the bun bo hue. The order came out pretty fast. My friend enjoyed the rice plate. For me, the bun bo hue was fine, just a little different in the meats. It wasn't the usual slice beef or the pork hock in normal BBH bowls. This bowl had some shredded beef or something, not sure. It wasn't bad though. The soup wasn't as spicy as other BBH bowls I've had. Overall, it was fine! Service was good. When you enter into the restaurant, the right side of it are smaller tables with chairs for 2 people. The middle section is a large table. And the left side are tables for 4 people and it's stools (not chairs). I like that the table had hooks too for your bag. Interior was nice! Street parking only. read more

Sidestreet Pho - M1 BUN BO HUE - Vietnamese Near Me - Alameda, California

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Food was great! Second time here and it didn't disappoint! Love the tomato soup and the spicy soup! Service was good, they're nice, ambience ok too parking can be a bit of a challenge read more

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Excellent Vietnamese food, the best in the bay. No one beat their Pho noodle soup: very authentic and tastes home made. Service is quick, even if they are busy. Very friendly staff and owner. Clean restaurant and nice ambiance for lunch or dinner. read more

Sidestreet Pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Alameda, California

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I'd say my rating is more 3.5 on the food alone. Stopped in on a Sunday evening for dinner around 6:45. It was busy but we were able to get seated quickly (or there's an iPad to join a waitlist). The space is small, but not quite cozy feeling. We sat next to the door and it was a little cold with people coming in and out. Ordered the chicken wings ($13), shaky beef ($23) with garlic noodles(+$2), and the broken rice plate "the works" ($22). I'm not sure if we should have gone with pho or other noodle dishes but everything we had was just.... okay; nothing that was wow or I'd come back for in flavor. The beef was maybe the best thing overall. To me, the pork with the rice (I asked for no bone) was a bit more fatty and the garlic noodles tasted more like take out Chinese/greasy and strong garlic. I think the portions were fine but if you normally eat Vietnamese food, you'll notice it's a little bit on the pricey side (like basic pho is $17+), but I guess it comes with needing to survive in this economy. The server was nice and accommodating to my little toddler. The food came out pretty quickly. If you want Viet food and are close to here, I'd say give it a try, but I think there are more authentic tasting/better options elsewhere. read more

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Got the bun bo hue here and it's definitely different than the traditional BBHs I've had at other Vietnamese restaurants (Sidestreet uses different kinds of beef but still has cha lua). Still delicious and a little too sweet for my taste. They do have pork blood which is not for everyone and they let you adjust your spiciness level. I got it "spicy" and it wasn't too bad at all! read more

Sidestreet Pho - M1 BUN BO HUE - Vietnamese Near Me - Alameda, California

Pretty decent restaurant. Thai Tea was good. Egg rolls were crispy. Pho needed a little more flavor, but it's enough to satisfy your pho cravings. Definitely great for a rainy weather. Customer service was great. Parking is mainly on the street - had to park a block away. read more

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This used to be my go to Vietnamese restaurant in Alameda. But now they refuse to take phone orders and payment in cash. In the world of constant fraudulent credit card activity a customer cannot even pay cash for food. They have lost my years as a paying customer. Stop treating your lifelong customers as criminals. read more

Sidestreet Pho is one of my favorite restaurants in Alameda. Vietnamese comfort food. When I'm not in the mood for Pho, I love X4 Crispy Rice Noodles. -- it full of mixed proteins and veggies with the best sauce ever. You will have enough for leftovers too! My friend ordered the chicken porridge and I love that it comes with the ultimate Chinese donut to dip in the porridge. Family owned and wonderful food! read more

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On a Sunday evening around 5:30pm, it was pretty crowded but you get seated quickly. They have community tables in the middle if you're willing to sit with other strangers. We ordered the Beef Ribeye Pho and Seafood Pho (first time I've seen seafood pho!). Food came out within 5 minutes. What I really liked was the broth was clear and stayed clear - unlike other restaurants where after eating/mixing the noodles around, the broth would get murky and gray-ish. There was a good amount of shrimp, squid and other seafood items in my seafood pho. One thing to note - they have a lot of takeout orders, so if you sit near the door people tend to keep the door open and it brings in the really cold air, which was not ideal. Additionally, the tables are all pretty squeezed together so there's going to be people bumping into each others' chairs. Despite those small issues, we will come again! read more

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I hate to write this because I love supporting local spots, but the quality at Sidestreet has changed. The shrinkflation is real--specifically with the cuts of meat. The grilled pork was very greasy/fatty, and the 'rib eye' in the pho felt like a completely different, lower-tier cut. For the price, I expected the same quality I've enjoyed for years, but it seems like they are cutting corners. read more

Sidestreet Pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Alameda, California

I've gotten the chicken porridge to go a few times and have been meaning to write a review. It's perfect when you're not feeling too well or just want some porridge. It is a little bit salty but I didn't mind. It comes with the fried dough stick which I loved..! A lil crispy treat to dip into the porridge or to eat on the side. When I do eat here in person, I do notice the soup is sometimes not hot enough for me. I like my soup hot (temp wise) but I'll give the pho another try. read more

Mmmmyummm! Still thinking about the amazingly delicious chicken porridge here!! So many flavors all living their best life in my mouth lol.. chicken, green onions, fried shallots, broken rice, pepper.. I could taste each flavor and them together enhanced in this porridge - honestly the best porridge I've ever had and my picky Vietnam-raised parents also agreed! So definitely order the porridge here! The menu is quite broad with honestly so many of my favorite Vietnamese dishes that it was hard to decide on this first visit; the porridge is the hero dish for me personally. The other items we ordered (crispy egg rolls, pho tai, pork broken rice ) were ok but I likely would rather try other menu items on my next visit. The beef in the pho tai was fairly fatty/chewy which isn't my preference and while the soup was good, it was oilier/ fattier than I like. Similarly the pork on the rice dish was more fatty than I like also. Sharing this experience based on my personal preference for folks who also prefer leaner cuts but it is a traditional style and happily enjoyed by my parents who like fattier cuts. The broken rice was perfectly cooked and memorably moist fluffy. I also liked they provided plenty of pickled veggies. Restaurant is very nicely decorated and remarkably efficiently set up for the small space. The service, food and drinks were prompt, efficient and attentive. Really enjoyable experience and I look forward to returning regularly as I really liked the menu and service is great! They have street parking and two dog friendly outside tables! read more

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this was the best spot pho have ever tasted the broth taste so home-cooked the service was great and they're always kind. I would highly recommend this place. This is probably my favorite pho place. i've been going here since about a year now and never have I ever thought about going to another place read more

Came here on a Sunday night for dinner. Was cold and needed some soup. We ordered some egg rolls to start and everyone ordered a bowl of pho. Staff here is quick and very friendly. Portions were huge and the place was packed inside. Ambiance here is very nice and love the moral between customers and employees read more

Overall a great bang for your buck. The portions are large but could be more flavorful. The service was great but it took a while to get the food out. Would definitely recommend for a small group 3-4 people. Would not reccomend the mango milkshake it doesn't have a lot of flavors read more

Sidestreet Pho - X2 XAO THAP CAM Stir Fry Noodle Combo - Vietnamese Near Me - Alameda, California

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7:30pm on a Friday night. The wait time was estimated at 30-45 minutes. There is open seating outside, since I am dining alone I asked if I could sit outside and they agreed. It's a little chilly outside, but as an Alaskan transplant, it's nothing I can't handle. Took about 20 minutes for my food to arrive. The server brought it out was very kind. Pho was super hot, ribeye was perfectly tender. I got some spring rolls and the peanut sauce was really good. The presentation is a little silly but you know. Everyone has their thing. I can see why there's a line, but not sure I'd be willing to wait 45 minutes for a table. Maybe next time I'll get on the waitlist before coming down. read more

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The food is excellent, however: The protein portions in the dishes have gone down over the past year. Most patrons have to sit on stools (not chairs) and I'm just too old for this. It was horribly uncomfortable 2/3 through my meal and I had to leave to take a walk. Service was somewhat slow. I think they forgot 2 of our dishes. read more

I've ordered pho, I've ordered the pan fried rice noodles, I've ordered the rice plate, I've ordered the crepe, I've ordered the bun/vermicelli and I've ordered fresh and crispy spring rolls. I haven't had a bad dish here. I will say that I haven't eaten in person since before COVID, BUT even the takeout is good! Their pho is the only thing that can give me life when I'm sick and it feels like a warm hug on a cold day! read more

Best pho in alameda Staff is friendly no matter how busy and remember you after a couple of times read more

This place is AMAZING!! Truly a hidden gem in Alameda. The pho broth was incredibly fresh and flavorful -- honestly one of the best I've ever had. You can really taste the quality and care they put into their food. The service was just as impressive. The waitress and hostess were so kind, welcoming, and attentive. We were seated right away, and the whole restaurant is absolutely gorgeous inside. The décor matches the vibe of the food perfectly -- warm, modern, and so aesthetically pleasing. I'm definitely coming back the next time I'm craving pho. This spot deserves all the love! read more

Sidestreet Pho - K1 GOI CUON Fresh Spring Rolls - Vietnamese Near Me - Alameda, California

The location was somewhat confined, but the authenticity of the cuisine was remarkable. Extremely tasty and highly satisfying. 5 stars for Staff/Ambiance/food read more

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Was craving viet food and decided to try this place out! Was pretty packed at night time so we sat at the bar, which was only for two people. I ordered a pho and my bf ordered the shaken beef with garlic noodles. The beef was sooo tender and the garlic noodle had so much "wok hay" (iykyk lol). The pho broth was so clean and pure - not like some places where they load it with MSG and salt! We also ordered two appetizers - the garlic chicken wings & bone marrow toast. The chicken wings were crispy and delicious and it was paired with a lime juice/salt/pepper sauce(?). The bone marrow toast was flavorful but i don't think I would personally get it again. Overall, nice little gem in Alameda. read more

Sidestreet Pho - X1 BO LUC LAC | Shaken Beef - Vietnamese Near Me - Alameda, California

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Cute spot downtown but parking is hard to find. It's very small inside and gets full quickly. Prices are a bit high but food is decent. read more

Sidestreet Pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Alameda, California

A bowl of Pho for $28! When asked why the small amount - Answer: We charge by the oz. Judge for yourself. read more

Sidestreet Pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Alameda, California

One of my favorite lunch spots in Alameda especially when the season finally gets chilly. I recommend either their bun bo hue or pho dac biet. They're pretty good for the area. I'm not going to compare it to South Bay. Anyway, the service was decent from ordering to paying. The restaurant isn't spacious so you'll have to make do OR use their outdoor seatings. Parking is a pain so good luck! read more

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Best Pho Ga. The regular phos were fine not memorable but the Pho Ga was for sure the best I have ever had. Service was good and we did wait about an hour on a Friday night but it was busy so it's expected. Restaurant is kind of tight but a good amount of seating. The menu had a lot of items to choose from. I love that they have the chinese donuts! read more

Sidestreet Pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Alameda, California

Excellent food. Shaken beef, pho, bone marrow-all fire. Haven't had anything I didn't like here. Cozy little spot. Solid staff. Street parking. 100% worth it read more

I think this is going to be my new pho place. I enjoyed the atmosphere I enjoyed the cleanliness of the place I enjoyed the thoroughness of the servers they were attentive they checked on us it was great experience. I was there with a co-worker for lunch about 2 weeks ago had shrimp pho with no noodles extra veggies which was a little pricey but it was so good I love that cinnamon that's in the bra especially on a cold rainy day and I was on the brink of getting sick so it was perfect. They also had vegetarian spring rolls which were so good the peanut sauce was good at a little chilly oil Sriracha to it great appetizer that's almost a meal. I will definitely go back. read more

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This place has been on my list for a while and I was pleased with my visit. I visited on Memorial Day and it wasn't too busy since we go there when it opened. Since we decided to sit outside we had to order at the front and pay before dining. I'm guess this is to control people that eat outside and leave without paying. Service was pretty too even though we were outside. We ordered: * Spring rolls - it was good but also wasn't the best spring roll ever or the worst * Banh Xeo - very full of shrimp, pork, and bean sprouts, crepe has a nice crisp but I feel like it could have been crispier. * Vermicelli looked good and my friend seemed to enjoy it. I forgot to try this * Pho - the broth tasted authentic and I liked that the noodles were stuck together with a good amount of meat as well. Also gave a good size portion of everything Overall this place is a bit pricey but with how inflation is I guess these prices are almost normal now. I would return if I am in Alameda and want some Vietnamese food. read more

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I ordered a Pho Tai off of Doordash. Well instead of sending me rare beef I was given scraps of whatever brisket they seemed to have left. If I wanted dry brisket I would have ordered it. Seemed like they were out of rare beef and just gave me whatever they had left Plus they didn't provide enough broth as the noodles absorbed a lot of it Would never order again read more

We were seated quickly by a very kind hostess. They were great despite how busy it was. We had the wings--crispy, hot, and juicy. The dipping sauce didn't accompany the wings as well I would have hoped. The pho we ordered was pretty tasty and piping hot! It was definitely what we needed on a chilly evening after a long day of travel. I wish that it had a little more umami flavor, but all in all a solid meal just a bit pricey in my opinion. read more

3.5 stars. A pretty good option for when the pho craving strikes. I know pho aficionados who insist there is no decent pho in Alameda, and perhaps my pho palate is just not refined enough, but Sidestreet usually does the trick for me when I'm in the mood for a hot bowl of pho. Is it the best pho I've ever had? Nope, but it's satisfactory. A huge plus in my book is that they have a vegan option with vegan broth. This is what I opt for every time we visit. My carnivore partner opts for a bowl with beef, and we've both enjoyed our selections. They have a decent beer and wine menu. Service is always good. Good location too, a block away from Park St. read more

Sidestreet Pho - Vegan bowl - Vietnamese Near Me - Alameda, California

Food was good our table was waiting for us the beer was good too will be back next time we want pho

I wasn't expecting much from a pho place in Alameda, but I was really impressed. I'm learning that there is a great food scene in Alameda that I clearly have been sleeping on?! I tried the pho dac biet beef combo ($19), which had great flavor in the broth, a large amount of veggies, and tender meat. The service was also super fast as we got our pho within 5-10 minutes of ordering. The only thing is that the items here are pretty pricey -- this was probably one of the most expensive bowls of pho that I've gotten. I would come back if I'm craving in Alameda. read more

Sidestreet Pho - P1 PHO DAC BIET BEEF COMBO ($19) - Vietnamese Near Me - Alameda, California

The ambiance is cozy and intimate, good place for a date night or even family outing! Our server was very attentive and kept coming back to check on how we were doing. She was very understanding and made sure to note down any customizations we wanted for our dishes. I ordered the regular sized rib eye pho. The broth itself was so rich in flavor and kept me wanting more and more. After finishing my food I was incredibly stuffed. I also enjoyed the small candy they gave out as a palette cleanser after we paid the bill! read more

Sidestreet Pho - B3 BUN RAU XAO VEGETARIAN - Vietnamese Near Me - Alameda, California

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Service - 4/5 Ambiance- 3/5 Food - 5/5 This is my go-to pho spot in Alameda. Service and food are consistently good. Also shoutout to the host who is always singing (give that man a mic!) Housemade Ginger Tea - SO good. I ordered it every time. It's so soothing and delicious. Pork Bánh Mì - Love to order this sandwich to pair with my pho! It's a pretty chunky sandwich and packed with flavor Ribeye or Oxtail Pho are my usuals! Both delicious. BÚN RIÊU - this was a recommendation by the staff because I wanted to try something new and I LOVED IT. It's a tomato, noodle soup mixed with pork and seafood. Highly recommend read more

Sidestreet Pho - Ribeye pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Alameda, California