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Square Meal Review of Pho ?

‘Fresh, fast & furious’ sums up this original branch of the Pho mini-chain – so be prepared to queue. Named after Vietnam’s national dish – a tangy noodle soup that comes in many varieties – it’s an energetic, streetwise & contemporary take on Asian noodle bars, decked out with bright orange plastic seats & arty prints of Vietnamese life. The kitchen deals in clean, zesty flavours, sending out punchy versions of the eponymous soup & much more besides. Fans are hooked on the summer rolls & papaya salad, but it’s also worth looking out for the curries & specialities such as grilled pork & lemongrass meatballs. Fresh herbs, fruit & spices are used by the fistful, & most dishes are wheat & dairy-free, making this an immensely popular lunch spot with health-conscious office workers.

Overall Diner Rating

8.1
Food & Drink
8.5
Service
8.3
Atmosphere
8.1
Value
8.3

Based on 15 ratings. Rate it!

Customer Reviews

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  1. John B.
    Reviews: 1

    John B. ( 30s, Male, United Kingdom )

    20 November 2011

    My friend told us about this place,good cheap food and nice service (beautiful girls!) We went there with my mates to check it out…
    We didn't have to wait long to be served by gorgeous blond girl.We had selection of starters with different kind of dipping sauces.Fresh rolls, fried spring rolls, vietnamese pan cake…everything was very nice.
    Pretty lady helped us a lot to pick the mains,noodles with salad and topping,carry and some soups… Delicious!!!
    The service was very fast.
    We were full after all but definitely next time we'll pop in for some desserts and coffees.
    The bill was also surprising… Little money for such a big portions and a lot of Vietnamese beer!
    Great place!
    Thanks to blond lady for great service and friendly atmosphere!

    • Overall: 10
    • Food & Drink: 10
    • Service: 10
    • Atmosphere: 10
    • Value: 10
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  2. George M.

    George M. ( 20s, Male, United Kingdom )

    30 September 2011

    So, as I walk into Pho with a friend who raved about it and I hear The Stone Roses being played, and immediately thought, ‘This place is cool!’

    It's a tiny venue really. The tables are all close together, and the staff are flitting round with bowls and plates of delicious food, but it gives it this really vibrant, warm and energetic atmosphere. Aided by some very good music being played.

    The atmosphere represents the food that is served. Fresh, vibrant, light and explosive dishes that are bursting with a million flavours.

    We had the summer rolls (fresh ones, not fried), bun noodles (noodles with salad, herbs, a bit of stir-fried topping served with this amazing sauce that you pour over) and some fantastic fresh juice. Everything was perfect.

    Great staff made the experience even more enjoyable. Highly recommended.

    • Overall: 9
    • Food & Drink: 10
    • Service: 10
    • Atmosphere: 9
    • Value: 9
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  3. Edec W.
    Reviews: 1

    Edec W. ( 30s, Male, United Kingdom )

    10 September 2011

    I'll recomend it to all my friends.GREAT place, DELICIOUS food, PERFECT service, FRENDLY atmospere, CHEAP prices, 100% of SATISFACTION!

    • Overall: 10
    • Food & Drink: 10
    • Service: 10
    • Atmosphere: 10
    • Value: 10
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  4. Carol W.

    Carol W. ( 30s, Female, United Kingdom )

    6 May 2011

    This really is such a perfect little cafe. It's definitely my favourite ‘cheap and cheerful’ place to grab food in Clerkenwell. I really do just love everything about it – the food, the people and the atmosphere. It's a lively and friendly local stalwart that friends and colleagues swear by.

    • Overall: 10
    • Food & Drink: 10
    • Service: 10
    • Atmosphere: 10
    • Value: 10
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  5. Brant J.

    Brant J. ( 30s, Male, United Kingdom )

    4 May 2011

    I'm new-ish to the area and found this little place last night while walking round Clerkenwell with a friend. It was busy inside, so we figured it must be good! We weren't wrong.

    Absolutely ideal for a casual mid-week dinner. We were greeted superfast by one of the girls working and told it would be just a few minutes for a table. They got us a beer while we waited, and were seated very quickly.

    I've eaten a lot of Vietnamese, but my friend was very unfamiliar with the food. The waitress gave her a quick explanation of the different types of dishes, and then made some suggestions on what we might like.

    We weren't in the mood for noodle soups, but also nothing to light, so it was suggested that we try the bun noodle dishes.

    This was exactly what we needed… A mix of fresh salad and herbs, dry vermicelli noodles, and a stir-fried topping with beanshoots and chicken seasoned with lemongrass, garlic, chili and topped with toasted peanuts. It really was so, so delicious… and as good as any I've had.

    It really was a superbly enjoyable dinner and the service and atmosphere were just right.

    • Overall: 9
    • Food & Drink: 10
    • Service: 9
    • Atmosphere: 9
    • Value: 8
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  6. Edward P.
    Reviews: 1

    Edward P. ( 30s, Male, United Kingdom )

    January 2011

    I was honestly shocked at how bad the food was at Pho. The Pho soup with ‘home made meatballs and steak’ looked like a bowl of dishwater with pieces of catfood floating in it. The soup was tasteless, the steak strips were made with mechanically recovered ‘beef flakes’ – the kind you get in a really bad chinese takeaway – and the meatballs were grey with a spongy texture. Given that there are so many great Vietnamese restaurants in London – not least Cafe VN on the Clerkenwell road, and a strip of great places on the Kingsland road – Pho doesn't deserve consideration.

    • Overall: 2
    • Food & Drink: 1
    • Service: 6
    • Atmosphere: 5
    • Value: 2
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  7. Hadyn W.

    Hadyn W. ( 30s, Male )

    March 2010

    Absolutely wonderful little cafe in Clerkenwell. I've been going here for three years, more days of the week than not. It's delicious, healthy, and fast (maybe not on Fridays, but still not bad). The soups are to die for.. You've got to try to believe.. Deserves all the praise it gets!

    • Overall: 9
    • Food & Drink: 10
    • Service: 8
    • Atmosphere: 8
    • Value: 10
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  8. Angel14

    Angel14 ( 40s, Female, United Kingdom )

    February 2010

    The noodle soups were really bland.

    • Overall: 4
    • Food & Drink: 4
    • Service: 5
    • Atmosphere: 6
    • Value: 5
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  9. Vicky S.

    Vicky S. ( Female )

    August 2009

    Really great place. Fresh, fast, and furious. A little more relaxed in the evening though. I'm hooked on the summer rolls and the papaya salads.. delish!

    • Overall: 9
    • Food & Drink: 9
    • Service: 9
    • Atmosphere: 9
    • Value: 10
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  10. Lena G.

    Lena G. ( Female )

    July 2009

    This is one of my favourite little places in EC1M – Clerkenwell. Buzzy, busy, and exceptional food every time. Love the spicy soups and the fresh juices. The perfect place to catch up with friends.

    • Overall: 9
    • Food & Drink: 10
    • Service: 9
    • Atmosphere: 9
    • Value: 10
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  11. Foodie B

    Foodie B ( Female, United Kingdom )

    September 2008

    This is no Cha Cha Moon…but it is perfect for the health- conscious diner. They offer fabulous inventive salads, such as the Prawn and Papaya. When you eat in the portions are extremely generous, but take-away sizes are minuscule, which is upsetting as the prices are the same. The atmosphere is lacking as it is perfect for the W1 workers looking to sit and have a warm traditional Pho, but not anywhere I would take a group of friends after a weekend of shopping.

    • Overall: 7
    • Food & Drink: 9
    • Service: 7
    • Atmosphere: 4
    • Value: 7
    1 of 1 people found this review helpful. Was it helpful to you?
     
  12. HP
    Gold Reviewer

    HP ( 30s, Female, United Kingdom )

    September 2008

    Pho on St John Street is definitely worth a visit when in the area. The decor is simplistic and the staff friendly and knowledgeable about the subtleties of Vietnamese cuisine. The dishes we tried were both tasty and filling; steaming meal-in-a-bowl dishes of predominantly 'pho' (rice noodle soup) and 'bun' (room temperature noodles with hot toppings). Makes a nice change from the other noodle chains across London.

    • Overall: 8
    • Food & Drink: 8
    • Service: 7
    • Atmosphere: 7
    • Value: 8
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Essential Details for Pho

Location of Pho

Customer Reviews

Been to this restaurant? Write a comment

Write Your Review
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  • 2See your views in print.
  • 3Collect your thoughts in one place.
  • 4Be rewarded with an Editor's Pick.
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Showing 5 of 12 Reviews

View all Pho reviews

  1. John B.
    Reviews: 1

    John B. ( 30s, Male, United Kingdom )

    20 November 2011

    My friend told us about this place,good cheap food and nice service (beautiful girls!) We went there with my mates to check it out…
    We didn't have to wait long to be served by gorgeous blond girl.We had selection of starters with different kind of dipping sauces.Fresh rolls, fried spring rolls, vietnamese pan cake…everyth… More

    • Overall: 10
    • Food & Drink: 10
    • Service: 10
    • Atmosphere: 10
    • Value: 10
    Was it helpful to you?
     
  2. George M.

    George M. ( 20s, Male, United Kingdom )

    30 September 2011

    So, as I walk into Pho with a friend who raved about it and I hear The Stone Roses being played, and immediately thought, ‘This place is cool!’

    It's a tiny venue really. The tables are all close together, and the staff are flitting round with bowls and plates of delicious food, but it gives it this really vibrant, warm… More

    • Overall: 9
    • Food & Drink: 10
    • Service: 10
    • Atmosphere: 9
    • Value: 9
    Was it helpful to you?
     
  3. Edec W.
    Reviews: 1

    Edec W. ( 30s, Male, United Kingdom )

    10 September 2011

    I'll recomend it to all my friends.GREAT place, DELICIOUS food, PERFECT service, FRENDLY atmospere, CHEAP prices, 100% of SATISFACTION!

    • Overall: 10
    • Food & Drink: 10
    • Service: 10
    • Atmosphere: 10
    • Value: 10
    Was it helpful to you?
     
  4. Carol W.

    Carol W. ( 30s, Female, United Kingdom )

    6 May 2011

    This really is such a perfect little cafe. It's definitely my favourite ‘cheap and cheerful’ place to grab food in Clerkenwell. I really do just love everything about it – the food, the people and the atmosphere. It's a lively and friendly local stalwart that friends and colleagues swear by.

    • Overall: 10
    • Food & Drink: 10
    • Service: 10
    • Atmosphere: 10
    • Value: 10
    Was it helpful to you?
     
  5. Brant J.

    Brant J. ( 30s, Male, United Kingdom )

    4 May 2011

    I'm new-ish to the area and found this little place last night while walking round Clerkenwell with a friend. It was busy inside, so we figured it must be good! We weren't wrong.

    Absolutely ideal for a casual mid-week dinner. We were greeted superfast by one of the girls working and told it would be just a few minutes… More

    • Overall: 9
    • Food & Drink: 10
    • Service: 9
    • Atmosphere: 9
    • Value: 8
    Was it helpful to you?
     
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