Pho Bac Restaurant

Pure realism and a cheap way to visit vietnam.

by oddlaww

November 08, 2007

First off, the person yelling about service is an idiot for two reasons: 1. You obviously never eat out at Vietnamese restaurants that are "local" or "affordable". Go back to Saigon Grill if you want "somewhat-good" service at a higher price. 2. Seriously, what do you expect from a place where a) its VERY local and b) the prices are totally amazing. WHO CARES ABOUT SERVICE when you can stuff yourself with DELICIOUS and CLEAN vietnamese food for 7 bucks a person?? THE BILL IS ONLY 15 BUCKS so BY MY MATH YOU ONLY HAVE TO TIP ABOUT 2-3 BUCKS, WHO CARES? Your story about the waiter breathing down your neck just shows how often you eat at Vietnamese or ANY asian restaurant. THATS ALWAYS THE CASE..they dont see anything wrong with grabbing the tip while you are still at the table, totally common practice.

Now, the food here is "outstanding!" I have eaten Pho/Vietmamese all over the city and this is beyond comparison to any place in NYC. BUT I say beyond comparison not entirely based on the food alone, but the overall aesthitical feel of the place. Every other person eating here is Asian every single time, I am the only westerner in there (and most are vietnamese *hint hint*). The casual atmosphere, great prices, hot food coming out in opposite order (appetizers last, always), and service that DOES NOT CARE about "service" all mean one thing: this place is totally about food and authenticity. It's down to earth and a glowing display of realism. No lame "hip" music, no overly annoyingly friendly "give me a good tip" service, no glowing "zen" pools, no giant misplaced golden "buddha", no stupid "one word" name, no maiter'd with a "headset", no contrived overly-complicated "dishes" that don't even exist in the "culture" that they are trying to "represent", but most importantly, no masses of yuppie idiots popping in for a bite after reading about the "25" score it got on "Zagat". Stay out/get out. Complain about the service here and you missed the point entirely....

• Pros: Food and authenticity.
• Cons: Yeah, the service is nothing to write home about and the bathroom's a little rough.

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Tasty Noodle Soup for the Cold, Horrible Service

by igotdamunchies

June 09, 2006

They have some good noodle soup. Pretty cheap for bowls abour $4-5. Their service is terrible. They slammed the glasses of water after I have asked a refill 2 times since they couldn't here me even though the place was empty. As I was paying the bill, the waiter would look over my shoulder to see how much tip I would be giving as where I could almost feel him breathing on my ear. If you want some cheap noodle soup, this is a decent place to go for a quick eat. Don't even think about getting some good service.

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Top Vietnamese food in Queens

by stefanietrice

February 02, 2003

Not that I've been everywhere in Queens, but after recently moving from Manhattan, I feel blessed to have found this pearl in Elmhurst, one of many Vietnamese restaurants in the area. Their seafood is fresh and delicious and their service is personalized, friendly, and unpretentious. This is not a fancy place, but it's good quality, clean, and varied enough to eat several times a week: always healthy and well-prepared, and always full of Vietnamese clientele. If you'd like to try something exotic, try the salted crab and the durian shake. (Mmmm.)

• Pros: varied menu, excellent quality, clean

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