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.
Restaurant with around 30 tables on bld. St Laurent since 27 years. The little details count to maintain a loyal & satisfied clientele in these crisis times, knowing that I have tried ALL the tonkinoise restaurants in St Laurent (in the surroundings of the quartier chinois) & this is my prefered spot. There is also a big variety of other Vietnamese dishes. This is one of the rare places that includes tea, which is more than enough for one person. It can be repeated as needed. But also each table has its own napkin dispenser, without being stingy & having to ask for another one every time, as is the habit everywhere in these days of economic restrictions. & since the specialty is tonkinoise & my favorite dish (a medium beef is $16), it is abundant, tasty & well seasoned bouillon. With large portions of meat, dressings, according to specialty, in a pleasant, bright & clean place. By now, the parking spots are very rare, for the street reparations. I have always been lucky because the waiters have been diligents, helpful & available. For all this, I return every time I visit Old Montreal... !
Pas satisfait du tout: -mauvais service: service en anglais uniquement, je rappelle que le service en frais est obligatoire - service sans politesse - bo bun servi froid & avec de la viande sèche & mal cuite. Très déçu!
Large Filling Portions, Poor Service Going to restaurants & trying new foods is a way to immerse myself in new cultures, & after years of being urged by a friend to try out Pho, I caved in & went to Pho Bac. Upon arrival, we sat quickly &, within minutes, were given some starters. Our server for the day from the beginning of our time there till the end seemed annoyed or disinterested, & when I asked for some information regarding some menu items, he seemed to be annoyed & just nodded to anything we asked for. Aside from the service, the food was okay, & the 5 sauce & spring roll combo were lovely, however. The main let a lot to be desired, the sauces provided were decent but it didn't feelvlike there wa a tonnof flavour. I appreciate the large portions & competitive pricing of the menu options, which is rare in this economy.
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.
First time been here & first time trying North Pho noodle. I was not sure if it was the exact taste of North Pho, so gave it a try, the soup was not salted, not too much flavor compared to other Pho I tried. It was ok. Fast service. I ordered a Special Pho (M size) & 1 combo of beef pho + 1 spring roll. I paid cash & was charged without tax, of course I tipped. The price was pretty not bad. Would recommend.
