Pho Bang New York is a busy Chinatown staple in Montreal, praised for its authentic pho with a clear, aromatic broth, generous beef and noodle portions, and value that keeps customers coming back. The experience is often fast and efficient, even when the room is crowded, and staff can be multilingual, but reviews note that the space is compact and lines can be long. A persistent caveat is the cash only policy, with an on-site ATM and occasional complaints about the lack of receipts or card options, which some diners find inconvenient. Flavor and consistency vary by visit, with many calling it among the best pho in the city while others feel seasoning or heat can fall short at times, though weekend specials like ox tail soup add variety. Overall the restaurant is seen as a dependable, no-frills option for a hearty, affordable bowl of Vietnamese comfort in Chinatown, drawing loyal fans who appreciate reliable portions and quick service.
Absolute trash service & disgusting tip culture. I went the first time & since they only accept cash & didn't have enough to give them an 18% tip the second time I went they took revenge. Gave us 40% less of the portions every other customer got & were super rude the entire time. Never go here.
Although the food is alright, the service really left a sour taste in my mouth.
One of their waiter was rude when I ate there. I left some tip at the cashier but a little less since I was not satisfied with the service. But they had the audacity to harass us for more tip after we paid, saying that we didn't leave any...
Coupled with the fact that they only take cash (which I normally don't let bother me) but this was just too much.
I won't ever go back to this place after this interaction.
The food is fresh & delicious, but the service was terrible. The staff were rude & made the experience uncomfortable. What bothered me the most was being pressured to pay a tip of over 15% in a cash-only restaurant.
Your typical Asian restaurant in the heart of china town in Montreal. Very reasonable prices. They serve you green tea on arrival, which is a welcomed gesture in the cold winter of MTL. Be careful, it's cash only . They do have an ATM inside the restaurant though.
Terrible experience, 1st: they only accept cash. 2nd: they don't give you a receipt. 3rd: There's an atm machine charging fees for the withdrawal.
I asked the cashier to add a $2 tip on the bill for a total of $33.5. But then the waiter came again with the tray yelling at me asking for 5 dollars more in tips, as I didn't have a receipt I couldn't show him, so I left $2.50 more & not the 5 he was asking for, I had him on my back yelling things at me & he didn't believe me I had left a tip already... so in total they wanted to force me pay $7.50 in tips! Never coming back to this restaurant, it's overcrowded & food is also average
When we realized it was cash only, we were about to switch restaurent. The waiter said e-transfer was fine & insisted us to stay.
We ordered & the food came fast. The pho was alright.
When we got to the cashier, she said we don't accept e-transfer & so she directed me back to the waiter. The waiter tells me to talk back to her so it was a lot of back & forth. This whole process took 15 min before they finally let me pay by e-transfer then they tell you aggressively to tip.
Feb 15, 2026
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I used to come here often. In fact, Pho Bang New York (not in New York) was the one that first taught me to appreciate this Americanized northern Vietnam dish more than three decades ago even though there were many pho places in town. The first day when I revisited Montreal recently, I brought my grown daughter to Pho Bang New York. We returned to this place several times during our short stay.
Their noodles are less bouncy than I prefer. But their meat cuts are superb, & their soup has a different emphasis from what I often get now. After all these years, they still keep their prices low, although they seem to have adjusted portions somewhat understandably due to inflation. Surprisingly, they now have a weekend special with ox tail soup. That soup has hot spices, & they offer a special hot sauce. You don't want to miss it if you visit on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday!
I still remember the weekend evenings when diners quietly - nay, loudly wait to enter near the small doorway at the plain-looking storefront. Today, people do the same. Their interior used be plain, too. But now, they have quite a bit of decors that look loud but do not necessarily go together. General atmosphere here is cozy. Staff speak fluent French & English - many speak Vietnamese, too.
Space is tight in this restaurant. So, expect some inconvenience if you visit during winter. (They now have a coat rack in the back although not many people notice that.) & prepare to pay cash. (How do you suppose they can keep price so low?)
Delicious pho. In my opinion ,it's the best pho in montreal. Sometime the new workers forget some of the order ,but the experienced workers are amazing . Sadly ,its cash only but its cheap & delicious & has a atm 🏧
All gluten free rice noodles! The broth was alright, decent meat serving size. They only take debit, or cash (USD or CAD). Slight unfavorable exchange rate. For a place this popular I would expect them to set up a Credit card system.
I had a very bad experience here. The service is terrible, well I should say the Boss is terrible. I have had already dinner actually, but we love the Pho, so my son & me went to order one extra large pho for share. After the Pho come on table, I request another bowl so that we can share. Then the waiter (we know at last he is the boss) said that he did not like we share one bowl of Pho. He rejected to bring us another bowl. & furtherly, the restaurant doesn't accept the bank card, they accept only cash. The boss is susceptible to not pay the tax to government that we have paied. maybe I should report this .
Dec 26, 2025
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DO NOT VISIT. Theft in daylight. This restaurant has no respect for customers, & reflects appallingly upon the service industry in Montreal. Please do not visit & support a business that actively steals from & humiliates customers.
Food was $14, gave $50 bill & $4 coins, cashier returns $20 dollar bill without a word, before we can even tip. We understand tipping, but that is up to the customer, to take a customers money without a word is theft. Let alone - service was abysmal. Even then we are happy to tip & understand the importance to tip. BUT a $20 unspoken tip done by the cashier & NOT the customer is UNACCEPTABLE.
When we expressed confusion respectfully, we were berated publicly. Afterwards, the cashier gave us back $15 dollars, which was also a choice up to them. Basically, they gave themselves a $5, a 35% tip after treating us aggressively & humiliating us.
Coming from Toronto I was searching for a good pho shop on a cold day. But ordering their pho dac biet had no flavour at all. Lack seasoning for sure. I had high hopes from the reviews. Also note it is CASH ONLY
Yesterday, after a 4+ hour event at Palais des Congrès, my two daughters & I - third-time visitors - headed to this restaurant for a quick bite. We've ordered large pho bowls before & couldn't finish them. I'd eaten late lunch, wasn't very hungry, & hate wasting food. So this time: one large bowl, one small bowl, & fresh spring rolls to share.
The older male server immediately asked:
'Are you sharing?'
I thought he was offering an extra empty bowl (standard practice elsewhere), so I said'Yes.'
His response?
'NO SHARING ALLOWED. Everyone must order their own bowl of pho.'
Excuse me? I said I'd eat the spring rolls & help my kids if they couldn't finish. My daughters - who were excited minutes earlier - instantly went quiet, faces dark. I asked:
'Do you still want to eat here?'
Silence. I grabbed my bag & we walked out.
We are PAYING CUSTOMERS. I decide how we eat. Sharing with my own children is not a crime. This isn't a prison cafeteria - it's a restaurant. In Canada. In 2025.
We crossed the street to Henan Huimian - warm service, delicious food, zero attitude. My money is spent happily there.
I told my older daughter:
'We pay for food & service. If it feels wrong, we leave. Power isn't given - it's taken.'
She asked,'Would they say this to white customers?'
I said,'No.' & she knew it was true.
This isn't about pho. It's about respect.
This isn't about portion control. It's about control.
To the owner:
If you don't want families, don't want sharing, don't want kindness - just say you only serve solo diners who pay cash & worship your overpriced broth. Close the doors. The 90s called - they want their outdated policies back.
To everyone else:
You've seen the comments.
You've felt the cold stares.
You've paid $18 for a bowl & left angry.
Stop going.
Your wallet is your vote.
We're done enabling bad service disguised as'policy.'
I was really disappointed with my experience here. The staff were rude & unprofessional, & the food was totally overrated for the price. On top of that, they only accept cash, which is very inconvenient. Definitely not coming back.
