Pho Saigon II - Vietnamese, Richmond

3288 Pierce St, Ste A116, Richmond, CA 94804
(510) 528-6388
Parking: in shopping center parking lot
Hours: Mon-Thu, Sun 10 am - 9 pm, Fri-Sat 10 am - 10 pm

Last Visited: June 4, 2011

Food: 2 to 3 stars
Atmosphere: 2 to 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $ to $$

Located in the Ranch 99 shopping center, Pho Saigon is very casual and super fast.  We met some friends there for a pho dinner and found it to be okay overall.  While we used to visit Pho Saigon more frequently about a decade ago when the shopping center first opened, it's been a while since we've been back.

Like many other pho restaurants, the atmosphere is simple with chopsticks, spoons, napkins, and condiments already set at a station at the table. The windows that separate the restaurant from the main hallway are left undecorated and the restaurant as a whole is fairly bare when it comes to decorations.

After sitting down, we were promptly brought plastic cups of water and given a bit of time to peruse the menu.  After placing our order, it seemed like onlhy minutes before the meal arrived.

- Combination Pho - As is typical, you'll find that the noodles are soaking in hot soup and covered with the meat of your choice depending on the pho dish that you ordered.  Also, accompanying the hot soup is a dish of bean sprouts, jalapenos, lime wedges, and Thai Basil.  These items were fresh, but according to one of my dining companions, the beef meatballs in her soup was not so fresh today - while not spoiled, they were completely flavorless which seems to indicate that they have been in the freezer for quite some time.

Nobody else had any issues with their meal, so I left the food rating at 2 to 3 stars.  With this quick service, this is a great place to go for a fast meal and the price is great for those on a budget.  It seemed that a lot of the tables around us were getting fried chicken wings, so I might consider trying that the next time I come back.  While it's not a destination restaurant, it's good when you're looking for a hot bowl of noodle soup.