Pho Bac in Montreal's Chinatown is widely praised as a solid, reliable pho spot with flavorful broth and generous portions at a good price. Diners note fast, friendly service and a welcoming vibe, with extra attention paid to the grilled chicken pho and other menu staples, and there are veggie options as well. While the food is described as delicious and comforting, some visits are affected by a strong odor and an older looking space, and a few reviews report uneven service or disappointing moments, but the majority keep returning for the consistent quality and value. Overall, Pho Bac is a go-to place for pho in the area, especially for XL bowls and a quick, satisfying meal.
Pho Bac 97 has always been one of my favorite spots whenever I visit Montreal. It is right in Chinatown, which made it really easy to get to since our hotel was only a few minutes away.
The people here are honestly the best part. The owner, the male staff, & Hannah were so sweet & welcoming. They made us feel at home right away & it's clear they can connect with anyone because they switch so easily between English, French, Vietnamese, Chinese, & probably even more languages. That kind of warmth really makes a difference.
We ordered two Pho Dac Biet XL bowls & one Bi Cuon roll, & with taxes & tip it came to around $50 for the two of us. The food was comforting, flavorful, & authentic. As someone who is part Vietnamese, I really appreciate when a restaurant captures those traditional flavors, & this one absolutely does. At the end they even gave us fortune cookies, which was such a simple but thoughtful little touch.
I'll be honest, there is a strong smell around the bathroom area that can be a bit distracting, maybe from the age of the building or cleaning issues, but it didn't take away from how kindly we were treated.
I still want to give five stars because this place feels special to me & the staff treat you like family. Thank you again for such a lovely experience. Sending love from Candy & family from Toronto. 😋🍜
A small Vietnamese restaurant located right in Chinatown. I ordered the bun bo hue. It is very authentic & tasted perfect. I highly recommended ordering this dish if you are looking for some good quality Vietnamese cuisine.
I grew up going to an incredible authentic Vietnamese place called Pho Barclay, when I was 15 they closed shop & moved away. For almost 6 year I have been looking for a bowl of Pho which compares to their level of excellence. Pho Bac has done it, what an outstanding bowl of pho accompanied by such a lively & familiar feeling atmosphere of tight seating & rich smells coming from the kitchen. If I had one night in Montréal City, this is where I would have dinner 100 out of 100 times over.
Authentic pho 100%. I'm from the west coast, visited in 2019, had a bowl that made me want to come back for round two. Finally got a chance to visit in Oct 2024. Unlike most places, the broth here is hearty & not overly salty, the meat is tender, & the proportions are extremely generous. An XL bowl size is a good amount of food to share with someone. Hai, one of the people who work there, actually remembered me from five years ago. We had a good chat before we left. I'm writing this review from Vancouver because I'm hungry & thinking about Pho Bac. I can't wait to go back. This is the place for pho. It's just incredible.
Oct 30, 2024
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
Pho Bac has great & delicious menu with a great front desk who are extremely cheerful & happy. Prices are quite good for Pho & soup tastes quite authentic with loads of meat. Great experience.
Food was fantastic. Very authentic. They had a few employees who spike English so no issue with communication. Cost with tip was CAD 69 for two pho bowls, a shrimp vermicelli bowl & a pork vermicelli bowl. They have gluten free choices but it's mostly limited to pho or the soup options.
This is hole-in-the-wall place, not fancy, not exactly anything to write home about, but the food is truly authentic. It doesn't just serve pho, but also curry dishes & rice. Their range of combos provide an excellent way to try several items without over-ordering. The service is not great. The server (perhaps the owner) merely toss the menu at you as soon as you sit down. No words spoken, no pleasantries. Once he gets your order, your steaming pho arrives in less than 3 minutes (yes, we timed him). Food is great, large chunks of beef, lots of scrumptious soup, & very tasty. We have eaten here twice & will come here rather than freeze to death outside the handmade noodle place next door! 🤣🤣🤣🤣
