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 is easily one of the best comfort food spots in Verdun. From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere was warm, welcoming, & relaxed. The ambiance is simple but cozy, & the whole place feels genuinely authentic & family-run in the best possible way.
The lady serving us was incredibly kind, attentive, & polite the entire time. You can tell they really care about customers & take pride in what they do. Service was also impressively fast - our food came out super quickly even though the restaurant was busy.
Most importantly, the food was absolutely delicious. Everything tasted fresh, flavorful, & homemade. The broth was rich & comforting, the ingredients were fresh, & portions were generous without being overpriced. You get amazing quality for the price here, which is becoming rare these days. Very affordable & 100% worth it.
This is the kind of local restaurant you want to support because they consistently deliver good food, good service, & a great overall experience. Definitely coming back regularly. Highly recommended if you're in Verdun & craving Vietnamese food.
The Ph? Bò broth & Ph? Gà broth is amazing. Its cooked over hours to get that rich deep flavors out of the bones. Everytime I return to Montreal I alway book my hotel close to the restaurant so I can have this authentic Ph? D?c Bi?t which is hard to find these days in North America.
It was a shame that this time it was cash only since there card machine is out of service during our whole trip. We hardly carry around cash these days.
The price on the menu is tax included already so no need for calculation if your going with a large group.
May 20, 2026
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Had the combo #3 & my friend had one of the other beef dishes. Fantastic food & good prices.
My food also came with a mini pho (not pictured) which had some really tasty broth. Overall don't think you can beat this place in terms of value especially if you get one of the combos.
The restaurant itself is quiet, the food came out quickly, & the woman serving us was super friendly. Overall a gem.
My family have enjoyed Vietnamese cuisine across a number of US cities. Our favorite has always been bowls of hot, steaming pho. While visiting MTL, we stopped in & Pho Bac 97 truly serbes the best pho we've ever had. The pho broth comes from hours of simmering beef bones -- the old fashioned time-honored method to make the best stock. It has a depth & unctiousness which no one else's pho stock every had. Stop by & treat yourself to our gold standard of pho at Pho Bac 97.
Great place for Pho. I love pho & we have many great places in Toronto/Markham. This place has pho that has great depth & flavour. The grilled chicken has a smoky flavour that lingers even when in the broth. 10/10 - go for the XL grilled chicken pho - you'll thank me later!
It might be a family owned restaurant BUT the food went down so much! When the two sisters were on their own it was great but since the brother (or maybe cousin) is there, it has become quite bad. The food quality is very poor. Even the lettuce is pale yellow with brown ends. The Nuoc man sauce is mostly water & sugar. Same with the peanut sauce. The meat is extremely greasy. I will never go back there. Sad.
Phenomenal Pho, the XL is the way to go, delicious broth, a nice clean well serviced restaurant. The service is great, very nice people & a definite place to go in Chinatown!
Will definitely come back for more!
Nov 1, 2025
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For years, Pho Bac was our'go to' place for Pho in Montréal. Their broth was perfect! The flavours of, practically, everything on the menu was perfect - & we've pretty much tried it all. We ate there so often the servers knew us & we recommended it to so many people, we've lost count.
Unfortunately, about a year ago, the restaurant was overwhelmed with this horrible smell of…..sewage? Initially, we thought perhaps it was a broken pipe or something & it would be temporary. But when we went back a couple of weeks later, the smell was still there. The third time we went back, the smell was so strong, we actually left & went to a dumpling place across the street.
A few months back, we decided to give Pho Bac another shot. It was our place, after all, & we hadn't found another Pho that even came close. But as soon as we walked in through the door, that awful smell of stale urine & old pipes went straight up our noses. We just turned around & left. We haven't gone back.
It kills me to give this places anything less than 10 stars. The food really deserves it! It really is the best Pho in Montreal. But the smell is unbearable & it kinda makes you wonder - that horrible smell is clearly caused by something & if they haven't felt the need to fix it in over a year, what else is being neglected in the background, ya know?
Great flavour broth, not salty, just right.
Friendly, quick service, third time here.
Got the medium Chicken Pho this time.
Complimentary tea every time.
Way better than pho bang new york across the street.
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.
Definitely my favorite pho place. Service & atmosphere is typical for chinatowns the world over. But the pho was excellent. Broth was flavorful & the pho itself was to die for. The vietnamese coffee was strong & sweet, the best I've had outside of Asia. Definitely my new favorite pho place on mtl.
A classic that has been around forever. The pho is good, although inconsistent depending on how "young" the broth is (that who know, know ;) ). The noodles & everything else is always fresh. Definitely recommend. If you go early in the week it is a lot less busy. Great quick lunch spot. You can be in & out in 15-20 min of there are open tables.
I ordered Phở nạm / well-done beef pho. The taste was surprisingly okay. My only complaint would be that the beef didn't have enough fats 🙁 (way too lean, actually). The broth was light like Northern Pho, obviously the taste wasn't there yet but def acceptable. Really optimal for quick & feel good lunch. The service was really efficient, I ordered when I got seated & got my bowl of Pho ~2 minutes later. You paid at the front. The restaurant was crowded when I was there. The order lady does speak broken English & French if this is your concern.
Mar 27, 2024
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Been going to Pho bac for pho for many years. I was there just yesterday for lunch & ordered my usual tripe & beef pho & I have to say I was disappointed. The broth was lacking flavour & the beef quality was just really poor. The slices were stuck together & some pieces were hard. The prices have also gone up since the last time I have been there & I don't feel the quality reflects the price anymore. I will need to find a new spot to go for pho.
Broth was 10/10. My friend ordered vermicelli & it was amazing as well. This place is a busy & welcoming atmosphere in downtown Montreal. We will for sure be back!!!
We ordered the number 5 & 6 in XL size. Good portion. Broth was not rich nor seasoned well - needs saltier & rather bland. Good noodles. Lots of meats. Somewhat dirty though. Quick service
Our final stopping point was China Town during our visit to Old Montreal, & our visit to China Town wasn't complete until we found a place to eat & enjoy our late lunch, & our great find was Pho Bac!!
As far as pho was concerned, I can honestly say it was one of the best Pho Tai I had, & I had quite a few phos in various countries & places. The pho broth was excellent. My wife also enjoyed her Bun with grilled chicken & especially imperial rolls. She said this vegetable-filled spring roll was simply the best she ever tasted.
Service was rendered with courtesy & efficiency.
Oh, btw, this is NOT cash-only establishment as many other reviewers stated. They take cc & debit cards.
What a gem of a place this really is! Highly recommended!
