Pho Bac receives strong praise for authentic, flavorful pho with rich broth and generous portions at a reasonable price, with fast, friendly service that many describe as warm and welcoming. The Chinatown location is convenient and the staff often go the extra mile, making guests feel at home, though several reviews note an aging space with a noticeable odor around the dining area and bathrooms that can detract from the experience. While the food is consistently described as comforting and delicious, occasional issues include variable service, crowded seating, and a few quality hiccups such as certain dishes not meeting expectations or concerns about cleanliness. Despite these concerns, many customers still call it a go to spot for Vietnamese bowls and recommend the XL sizes for value.
It was not the greatest in my opinion, the beef was very chewy. But the tea that they gave me was very nice. I sat there for around an hour & played some chess on my mobile phone.
the food was around 16-19 dollars I think.
6.7/10 for me. I would love to have some garlic chili vinegar in it next time.
Definitely would recommend this place if you're in downtown montreal. Food was fantastic, quick service, & very nice people. Came here during a hockey tournament & half the team came by & the workers were so happy. Did not get the lady's name but she was so amazing & nice. 😊
Nov 16, 2025
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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!
A very old Vietnam restaurant, serve for very traditional & delicious Vietnam noodles. Which is also my friend's memory, remind him of the university time more than 20 years ago.
Oct 11, 2025
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J'ai eu une très belle expérience , la nourriture était super bonne mais ce qui m'as le plus marqué c'est le service. Le service était incroyable au petit soin. & la dame était plus qu'adorable & thank you Guys for the amazing expérience. Si vous voulez manger un bon pho this is the SPOT.
Sep 22, 2025
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Usually the pho & the Vietnamese food is not bad here & usually I would give 3 stars... But unfortunately I found a fly on my Pho noodles in the soup! Therefore I must remove 1 star. In addition, they still ask me to pay despite I showed them the insect in my food! In addition, the price has gone up & the quantity & quality of the food is the same or worse as before, so I will stop coming.
A totally unassuming simple Pho joint with irresistable food, though the grilled beef & rice are not the same as a few years ago, its still worth visiting.
Sep 2, 2025
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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. 😋🍜
Today was a crowded day, usually my friends would eat there if we are in China town cause it's just that good, but today, the server was extremely rude to us for some reason: he acknowledged us 3 times but didn't came take our orders, served somewhat late & worst of all, when we paid (cash only) we gave 50cents, what we usually gave & they complained about the small amount & called us shameless. But here's the twist: some of us are not even teens, so it's clearly hate towards younger generation. So if you go there, look at least older & intimidating & tip like 30% or they'll roar at you.
