Pho Tay Ho specializes in traditional Vietnamese soups crafted through slow-simmered bone broths and high-quality ingredients. Each bowl features aromatic herbs, fresh bean sprouts, and authentic spice profiles that highlight the depth of Northern Vietnamese culinary heritage. The menu offers a focused selection of rice noodle dishes and grilled meat plates alongside the signature pho offerings. Guests find a functional, straightforward environment designed for quick service and authentic flavor delivery. Texture-rich components like tender beef slices, crunchy onions, and delicate rice noodles define the core dining experience. The kitchen maintains consistent preparation methods to ensure every order meets specific technical standards. This establishment provides a direct culinary focus on the essential flavors found throughout Southeast Asia for those seeking genuine, unpretentious noodle preparations.
Pho Tay Ho is widely celebrated as a premier destination in Montreal for authentic Vietnamese cuisine, particularly earning praise for its flavorful, generous bowls of chicken pho and high-quality beef tartare. Many patrons appreciate the fast, reliable service and the welcoming atmosphere, noting that the restaurant maintains a focused menu to ensure fresh, consistent ingredients. While some long-time visitors have expressed concerns regarding recent inconsistencies in food quality, portion sizes, or occasional service lapses during peak hours, the majority of customers view it as a staple for affordable, traditional meals. Despite the compact dining space that can feel crowded, the overall consensus remains that it offers an excellent, reliable experience that frequently draws diners back over many years.
The very best Chicken PHO in town. The one with Chiken & Giblets is simply amazing. As good as the best ones found in Vietnam.
Be aware that Chicken Pho is a delicacy. The broth has to be flavorful but also super light & Chicken has to be tasty (mostly the broth has to be made with chicken bones/carcasses, the chicken meat is pour in just to be cooked).
Because Chicken Pho is far less in demand & it is so difficult to make it right, than even in Vietnam, only few Pho restaurants has Chicken Pho on their menu.
For more standard taste & heavier flavors, Beef Pho is the way to go.
Their Vietnamese beef tartare is also best in town. It is tasty, fresh & smooth. I only took it to share the dish around a table of 3-4
The menu is not large. You won't have much choice, but each dish is tasty & fresh !
People want more & more choices, but that tendency has a strong & wrong impact on quality. To have fresh meal dishes, it would request a lot of manpower, fresh raw products ready & waste (none fresh items discarded).
But with price spiking all over the place, price has to be increase dramatically or products has to be lower quality, or even frozen (frozen products reduce waste, cooking time & cooking staff).
At Pho Tay Ho, fresh & flavorful ingredients are highly valued, so they keep their menu relatively tiny.
All in all, it's a nice small place which deliver high quality, fresh & authentic dishes at the friendly price. Don't have to take the plane to Vietnam for an amazing Chicken Pho, just go there.
Though the broth was FANTASTIC, I think I ordered the wrong thing. I got #14 with beef & was disappointed. Low quantity & quality of beef & overloaded with freezer bag veggies. My girlfriend's chicken version had the same problems.
Still glad I went to experience the broth, but I would get something else. I look forward to going back to try their vermicelli.
Good service (fast as balls) & cute ambiance.
As it stands, Pho Nguyen downtown is still my fave!
May 5, 2025
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The pho broth was seriously lacking flavor. Like for real... it tasted like it was made from some instant broth concentrate. This pho house can't be compared to the quality & taste of pho Bang or Pho Hao.
The only bright side of the Pho was the noodles. The Noodles were an easier texture to slurp 😜.
I probably wouldn't come back here again, unless I found out; that the later in the day you come, the better the broth, than I might just stop by right before they close.
Service was AMAZING & the atmosphere even more, I just wished the Pho would be amazing as well...
This is easily the best bun cha (bbq pork) I have had in Montreal! This is a dish that we do not always find in Vietnamese restaurants in Montreal & this is without a doubt the place to get it. The pho is also very tasty with a rich meaty broth. The service is fast & Pho stay Ho is the place to go for a warm meal during a cold winter night. I cannot wait to come back!
Pho Tay Ho offers a unique dining experience with its efficient & organized service. Upon arriving, you're handed a menu with a checklist where you can customize your order-it's a straightforward & fun way to ensure you get exactly what you want. The service was attentive & quick, with staff frequently checking in to ensure everything was satisfactory. The pho itself was outstanding-rich, flavorful broth with perfectly cooked noodles & fresh toppings. The ingredients were noticeably high quality, & the portion sizes were generous. It's clear the kitchen takes pride in crafting each bowl. For those looking for a well-run, delicious pho spot, Pho Tay Ho is definitely worth a visit.
One of the best vietnamese restaurant in the city. The pho broth is too rich for me but my girlfriend swears by it. I come here for the house specialties. Big portion, abundant in vegetables & herbs, great taste
Usually pretty good but today the chicken was extremely overcooked & very dry, like shoe leather. 3 years later & the beef is dry & tough. Broth is good, & LOTS of veggies!
Peaceful place with kind & quick service in a side street of the Mile End. The pho dac biet was a large portion, & while super delicious, the broth tasted more of chicken than a traditional & authentic pho broth. Generous amounts of meat & herbs elevated the dish & kept it fresh & light. Pork & shrimp fresh rolls were herby & homemade, the perfect texture of the wrap & noodles indicating it was freshly wrapped. I would come back!
