Best Pho Places near Microsoft
I eat Pho about twice per week on average; more often in the winter. Pho is inexpensive beef noodle soup: rice noodles, beef, and broth. A complete meal for about $5. I usually get a mix of steak, brisket, and meatball, and mix in lots of jalapeno and lime. My wife gets tripe, tendon, and other spare body parts. There are probably 100 Pho restaurants in the area. Here is a list of some of my favorites — I eat at these places constantly.
Pho Express in Kirkland. This is right in my neighborhood, and is now my favorite Pho place. Saigon City is the only other local place that compares. Very authentic, family restaurant now run by second-generation. The pho is excellent quality. Clean place, always clean and fresh ingredients. It’s a big place, and always packed. Bubble tea, too. Pictures below: Seafood Pho! 2 types of seafood meatball! I normally get bo vien on side, so this is awesome! Chopsticks wrapper says that the chopsticks have been certified as sanitary by government of guangzhou (they are pretty clean) . :-) Picture of the menu.
Saigon City. Definitely not a chain place. Like eating at somebody’s house. The “Saigon City Special” Pho is awesome. Greasier broth than some places, but tasty.
Pho Hoa. Probably the biggest chain in the world. Not as good as Pho Express or Saigon City, but fairly good, consistent quality. Have eaten here about 100 times. Good location, so always packed with MSFT people. They will periodically try to skimp on quantity.
Pho Tai. Kind of hidden location, in plaza behind Maple Garden. Suprisingly good Pho. Better than Pho Hoa. Clean broth, good quantity, fresh ingredients.
Pho Than Brothers. Redmond near Redmond Town Center. Good, clean place. Not my first choice, but have eaten here at least 15 times (they used to be called Pho Saigon and something else) and never disappointed.
Taste of Pho - Marysville, WA — this is right near the Seattle Premium Outlet mall. Quality ranks right up with Pho Express; very fresh and delicious with good portions.
You can see these places arranged on a map at Live Local.
September 12th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
Try Saigon Jade in downtown Kirkland. I also like Pho Express, but Saigon Jade’s broth and their grilled meats are really great.
October 27th, 2007 at 9:55 pm
Pho hoa near MSFT has definitely gone down in quality in the past few months. I have been eating at that place for 4 years, but last time I was there I saw all new staff, the place was messy and the floor looked like it had not been cleaned for days. The guy at the counter insisted that nothing has changed… but yes it has.
October 29th, 2007 at 12:37 pm
Rohit: I’ve been there at least four times very recently, too. I also noticed less of the original staff, but they are all still there — the tall boss guy with full head of hair, all three of the young ladies, and the younger guy — I have seen all of them back to work after not seeing them. I think they just got more new staff and are letting the old staff take more time off. Last time I was there, they seemed pretty distracted and yes I noticed it was pretty messy the last couple of times. But it’s always messy anyway.
The one person I notice missing is the short older man who was the boss along with the tall guy. I got in an argument with him 5 years ago about him gypping me on bo vien, and haven’t seen him for maybe 3 years.
Anyway, there are definitely other good Pho places, but Pho Hoa is open when the others are closed and at least they don’t gyp me on bo vien anymore!