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Pho 88
Category: Restaurants Vietnamese Vietnamese [Edit]
270 Spadina AveToronto, ON M5T 2E5
Neighbourhoods: Alexandra Park, Chinatown, Downtown Core
(416) 971-8899
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 10 am - 11 pm
Fri-Sat 10 am - 12 am
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
34 reviews for Pho 88
Review Highlights
"Fried spring roll is awesome."
(in 3 reviews)
"Thai Green Curry [chicken] | $7.50."
(in 5 reviews)
"...and soft which made it easy to chew with good flavour."
(in 3 reviews)
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34 reviews in English
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Review from Josephine C.
Markham, ON
2/1/2012
Pho 88 is probably the most popular vietnamese food chain in Toronto. I've been to this location twice, and ordered pho both times. I usually frequent the Markham locations and I couldn't find much difference between them.
The pho here is excellent. Almost just as good as the Markham locations. The soup is tasty, the beef is thinly sliced and easy to eat, the noodles were cooked perfect.
Parking is free which is advertised on the outside as you drive along Spadina (you'll get a card to stamp which gives you about 1.5 hours of free parking). The parking garage is kind of ghetto ... so I recommend bringing a friend so you won't be scared. -
Review from Mauricio A.
Toronto, ON
11/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
I feel a bit bad giving such a low review but the fact is this place is seriously below par. Why I feel bad? Simple, this was the first place I had pho in my life! That was over 15 years ago and this place has certainly kept it's looks as back then Pho88 looked more like a dive instead of the moden, wooden decour that now grace it's interior.
So, back then, being a Pho Virgin and all, you tend to be more forgiving and seriously, whose first time is the best they ever had? There will always be better in the future --one hopes-- you know, once you know what you like and what is good. ;-)
I recently went there with four people and for one reason or another, we were all unsatisfied with our food. Personally, as I like to try new things as much as I like my staple Pho, I went with the Sate to see how it was.
I thought it to be spicy (as in a lot of paste) but definately not hot. The soup itself was actually kinda of bland once your tongue got used to the spicy/peanut flavours. The noodles where not the best I ever had in my opinion and my friend who had ordered the Pho (as is quite the pho skank) felt as if some specific ingredients might have been left out(!) as such, he didn't finish his Pho.
All in all this place is a bit of a looker, definately very modern in decor and for sure one of the better looking locales on the Spadina strip. Not to mention one of the few Pho places to be found.
However, even though the portions are big and the prices generally low, it is a restaurant's great food what carries the most weight and keeps people coming back for more, not the decor or serving sizes. I still think this AFTER give it the handicap of being a Fusion place where I do not expect the best nor the most authentic food.
Still, I will not return. -
Review from Fern H.
10/22/2011
Saturday afternoon in Chinatown, hungry for food and there's line ups at both Pho Hung and King's Noodles. We walked a bit further south on Spadina and decided to duck into Pho 88.
I've eaten at a few other Pho 88 locations before but not this downtown one. The decor is dark, sleek and White people friendly.
We ordered the medium pho ($6.50), the vermicelli noodles with grilled pork, jumbo prawn and spring roll ($8.95) and a potent Vietnamese coffee ($2.50).
My bowl of pho was jammed to the top with noodles so the medium size felt more like a large. Coffee was deliciously strong and vermicelli noodle dish was hearty as well.
A decent lunch spot with no line ups. -
Review from Eleni L.
North York, ON
2/7/2012
I'm a very loyal customer to the Pho88 in North York, and wanted to try the one downtown - it was a completely different experience.
Our food arrived but we had no cutlery or sauces, and the rare beef pho broth was...sort of...non-existant? It tasted like the ghost of a good soup, there was just nothing to it.
Boo :( I'll stick to the restaurant uptown, I just hope this was a one off, poor experience. -
Review from Lauren M.
8/13/2011 6 Check-ins Here
Surprisingly an OK choice for the Spadina strip.
It certainly wouldn't be my first pick for a quick meal in the area, but it did the trick when we were desperate for a late night meal to absorb some of the tequila poisoning my blood.
Service was ok, food came out fast and it was pretty tasty. I had the bun bo (stir fried beef with vermicelli bowl). The menu is the typical "Viet-Thai" fusion so you can get pho, bun, com (rice) dishes as well as Thai curries and mango salads.
Pho 88 has a clean interior with modern renovations, so it's a good option for people who are afraid of the divey gems that can be found in Chinatown. I generally prefer the more divey places with authentic food.Listed in: An "Egg's" guide to eating in…
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Review from Lilliane G.
Toronto, ON
8/13/2011
This place was a last minute choice after an evening of tequlia drinking, so my memory may be a little cloudy (but I doubt it).
Ordered the Vietnemese Vermicelli Chicken. I can't remember what my table mates order (perhaps a side effect from the tequila). Anyway, food was served quickly and I enjoyed my dish, I do seem to recall my friends enjoying their dishes too.
The food was tasty enough, but not quite the authentic experience I was hoping for. The restaurant is clean and fairly modern when compared to other spots on the Spadina strip. The service was fast, friendly and above all cheap! The bill for all three of us was $26 and change.
I should mention that they have an ok sized menu with several Vietnamese and Thai options, as well as some fusion dishes as well.
I wouldn't not recommend this place, but it certainly wouldn't make my list of favourite Spadina haunts. -
Review from Rafi N.
Toronto, ON
8/22/2011
Pretty good Thai food for a late night meal. The food, service and price are good. The look and feel is trendy, casual and clean.
*** FOOD ***
I ordered the Thai Green Curry (chicken) because I needed something with rice.
* Thai Green Curry [chicken] | $7.50 *
This dish was good. It's spicy but not hot, although the cumulative effect of the spiciness may be hot for those who are not used to spicy foods. The chicken was well cooked in bite-sized pieces. There is too much sauce in the curry and it's almost like a soup. A small bowl of rice is given to eat the curry with and the sauce overwhelms it. The vegetables are cut in big pieces and are only cooked slightly. They still maintain their crunch, but should be cooked more.
*** SERVICE ***
The service was good - nothing special, but not bad. It was typical of an Asian restaurant with quick service, no chit-chat and always with a pleasant countenance. Our server spoke English, so there was no issue with ordering.
*** ATMOSPHERE ***
Pho 88 has a trendy look. The restaurant is clean and well lit. The walls have some abstract artwork and there are some Asian style statues. This place would be good for a casual lunch, dinner or a late meal.
*** PRICE ***
Pricing is good.
* Thai Green Curry [chicken] | $7.50 *
*** EXPERIENCE ***
Pho 88 is a good experience for Thai food. The service is good and so is the food. The restaurant is nicely decorated and clean. Pricing is just what you would expect from a restaurant like this. You can eat here comfortably.Listed in: I got Yellow Fever
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Review from Anni L.
8/10/2011
I've been to this place a few times. The good thing about this place is that it has been renovated. It also has free underground parking in the back. We parked there once but the whole underground parking is S-k-e-tchy...and little scary.
The pho there is pretty good. If you want the raw beef to come on a separate plate they will accomodate you. I've asked for extra broth a few times and they have brought it over to me.
They serve the thin noodles which i like. The broth and ingredients are pretty good too. I haven't tried any other menu items.
The price is pretty standard like every other place $6-7.
I wouldn't push anyone out of the way to run there but if you are looking for options late at night or for a quick bite to eat, this place is ok for the pho.Listed in: Best Pho Downtown Chinatown
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Review from Janet S.
Toronto, ON
8/10/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Some of my friends love this place, some of them hate it. My dad likes it because he's from the burbs and hates street parking.
Their pho is standard fare, but they don't always use the freshest ingredients.
On the plus side, the servers all speak english. -
Review from Susan C.
Toronto, ON
8/7/2011
Out of all the pho restaurants in Chinatown, I do have to say, Pho 88 is the cleanest out of all of them. But, the service and food was a disappointment.
The portion of the pho is small, compared to other places. I usually can't finish a medium, but at Pho 88...I can. It's mainly noodles and not enough meat...2-3 "sheets" of meat in a medium bowl of pho.
I went before the dinner rush and there was only a few tables filled up...yet, the waiter/waitress usually ignore us when we called them over. Some of the waitress can be snobby, which is horrible service.
Since the renovation of this restaurant (couple years ago), this restaurant is not the best place to get pho.
Very disappointed. -
Review from Mel D.
Toronto, ON
5/18/2011
It's alright - the portions are huge and the price is alright, but I was expected to be blown away by their pho-ness and I really wasn't.
We had 2 orders of the fresh rolls, and one came with a yummy peanut sauce, and the other came with a yummy peanut sauce with a white liquid ring around it. I didn't taste it because it looked weird...
If you're craving Pho, you can go here to get your fix. If you're craving fantastic Pho that you've been dreaming of for weeks, go somewhere else... -
Review from Will C.
Toronto, ON
10/5/2011
Pho 88 may seem like a classy and clean restaurant with nice decor, but that's about it. I've been here twice, the first time was 3 years ago and it was only okay. I usually go to Train (a few doors over) but my friend wanted me to come to Pho 88 so I decided to give it another try last weekend.
That will for sure be my last time at Pho 88 because the experience was no good at all.
First of all, the service was slow and the waiters weren't attentive. I had to ask twice for a teapot refill. The second time they took the teapot - it never came back. The waiter totally forgot to bring it back - that got me pissed the most.
More importantly the food was a big miss. The red curry with chicken and green curry with chicken that were ordered at my table were really poor quality and didn't taste good. The curry was so watery - curry should be thick - even this type of Thai curry should be thick. The chicken sliced chicken breast and vegetables seemed like it they were just boiled in water and put in watery curry. It really seemed like they didn't know how to make it - and if they make this regularly then they shouldn't be making Thai food. So after waiting close to an hour that was what they made for me?
I know the servers/waiters did not mean to give bad service, but they really need to be more attentive - I spent too much effort trying to get a waiter to get us tea and in the end I never got it. I know its a Vietnamese restaurant but they need to start learning how to make Thai food if they want to serve Thai food too. Again, I am not returning to this restaurant. -
Review from Lynn C.
3/1/2011
What I don't understand is why they would make this place look so nice, and then not maintain it. I remember the first time I came here, I was thoroughly impressed. It's nice to know that you could have the same quality of pho without having to share tables with a bunch of strangers. Nevertheless, since the 2 years i've been away, this place has really gone down the hill. The floors are soo nasty that if you're not wearing shoes with tracks, you will slip and fall on the grease. Their bathrooms are dirty, and their soap is watered down. Really?
The food is not impressive. My pork chop was so dry and thin. The price is slightly more expensive than all the uptown Pho88s but still cheap. They don't accept credit card so make sure you have cash or debit handy.Listed in: Toronto's Chinatown
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Review from Angela L.
2/11/2011
Pho 88 isn't usually my first choice for pho on the Spadina strip, but it was one of my dinner companion's. I've been there many times in the past for the same reason: Other people seem to prefer it. Despite the nice renovation they did a few years ago that differentiated the joint from its nearby competitors on the outside, my favourite thing about Pho 88 is the cleanliness of the washrooms. Finally, a bathroom in Chinatown that's not going to make me gag when I make the fated trip after drinking way too much bottomless steeped tea!
On this most recent visit, I decided to try something different from their multi-Asian cultural menu. It's all there after all. Why haven't I ever deviated from ordering anything other than shrimp salad rolls and the crazy pho with a dozen cow parts in it? There are even pictures to guide the uninitiated.
At last, I ordered Thai glass noodles, one of my dinner companions the Chinese crispy noodles, and the other Vietnamese noodles. Each of the dishes were plentiful and did the job, but nothing out of this world. I don't doubt that I will eat here again and am not saying that the food is anything to complain about. It's just that much better food exists and it's just steps away. -
Review from Nadir M.
Brampton, ON
Good food. Service was super slow on thanksgiving Monday. They seemed to have lots of staff wandering around but kinda forgot about us! I have to admit that the food came out pretty quick, but they took off after that.
I had the lemongrass beef. I know, it's not Pho but it was super good. Especially for Chinatown standards. Yum.
Wouldn't recommend again unless there was nothing else available. -
Review from bold c.
Toronto, ON
After 4 miss calls. Seriously Toronto restaurants are closing way too early. Opted to cut our losses and run (drive) to Pho 88 for comfort food.
Recommendation: Simply fantastic.
1. Fried spring roll is awesome.
2. Pho tai nam
3. Fried spring rolls
4. Seafood noodle soup
$20 or less for quick, pipping hot comfort food -
Review from geraldine g.
Toronto, ON
11/3/2010
I love vietnamese food! It's always flavourful and filling! I've only gone to two places so far in Toronto. This ranks second and I fear it will slip if i try another restaurant. Ok, I don't fear - I just know.
I will say this, wowzers! When you order, be prepared to eat really soon! Just like everyone else said, they are fast. I would almost venture to say just as quick as fast food.
Now, you must be asking yourself, 'what did she not like?" I have this terrible addiction to food especially a dish in particular...vermicelli noodles with spring rolls and either charbroiled chicken or pork. Oh, heaven!
This was a first for me. I didn't inhale my dish. Even so-so versions of this I inhale. (I know, too much info, eh?) But the texture of the spring roll and the mixture itself was nothing I have ever had. It was potate-y, non meat based (which is fine but this one was so off) and well, bland and mushy. This is not typical fare. Spring rolls vegetarian or not are crisp and zesty. The accompaniment was so-so as well but that totally put me off.
On the plus side, the place is clean and modern. The bathroom was so clean and you don't have to go into the basement!!! Probably the most exciting part.
There's so many places to choose from and this by far is one of the shinest to choose from but don't forget to try those hole in a walls because I promise you they will surprise your flavour palette -
Review from Jay D.
Toronto, ON
6/3/2010
Pre-Renovation I would say this place was one of the best. After the Renovation this place have become one of the most disappointing places I have eaten Pho at.
Sold out completely and changed recipes for the absolute worst. People go there because it looks trendy. Unfortunately the Pho is horrible. -
Review from Carmen M.
8/27/2009 ROTD 1/10/2010
Before today, I was a pho virgin. When I got home from work, though, something came over me and I *knew* today was going to be the day that I would eat pho. Naturally, I came to Yelp for help and settled on Pho 88 to pop my pho cherry.
I had an idea of what I was going to get (thank you, Yelp reviewers!), so when I sat down, I had everything ready to go. The server brought me a pot of tea (love it!), then looked through the menu and waited. And waited. And waited some more, until I finally had to change to a table closer to the back in order for someone to wait on me.
I ordered the spring rolls to start and the well-done brisket pho. The large one. Ahem. More on that later. The spring rolls were good -- a little denser than I'm used to, but very flavourful. Next, out came my bowl of pho...or should I say small in-ground pool-sized bowl of pho. It was HUGE!! Unless you're feeding a family of four, stay far away from the large bowl of pho! I had no idea and now know why the very tiny waitress gave me a look of disgust when I ordered it. Some assembly of pho is required, but of course, being the pho virgin I was, had no clue what to do. The new server that brought it was sweet and very happily explained what to do. So, I assembled away and did my very best to eat it as properly as I could. Because of the size of the bowl, I barely made a dent in it, which I'm fairly certain annoyed my server. Live and learn.
The pho itself was flavourful and, while I probably would try a vegetarian version next time, it was good nonetheless. I'd probably go back to Pho 88 again, especially now that I know the drill. -
Review from Eric D.
North York, ON
8/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ate here yesterday, the decor is nice. The food however...my friend ordered the bun bo hue, myself and another friend got the 88 special. I asked for meat on the side (which is normal and means the raw beef on the side), but instead got ALL the meat including tripe on the side. That was fine, but my friend's bun bo hue had a hair in it and they promptly had to apologize and replace it. The meals themselves were bland and seemed to be teeming with M.S.G. We finished our meals and now realize that we all had bowel problems the next day. WHAT THE F%$#!
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Review from Neil T.
Toronto, ON
8/10/2009
Give me a dirty Vietnamese joint over this classy version any day!
Pluses:
1) The white girl knows more Vietnamese than the Asian guy
2) They have the option of fresh noodles
3) If you need to drop a deuce, the bathrooms are clean
4) This is one of maybe two spots in Chinatown to go to for Vietnamese food in a clean environment
Minuses:
1) The broth is meh
2) The tendon chunks are huge and chewy (gross)
3) The che ba mau could use more coconut milk, it was quite watered down
Other Pho 88 spots are much better than this location, though none of them are as clean. -
Review from Andrew G.
Toronto, ON
7/11/2011
Very bland Thai, pho is tasteless. If it was dirt cheap I'd eat it. But price wise there are better places.
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Review from Thomas B.
North Bay, ON
5/21/2009
Pho (properly pronounced 'fa' by real Vietnamese people) is great here. I am a return customer when I'm in the area. The atmosphere is so nice and clean and the staff are so pleasant but surprisingly not all Vietnamese or Oriental for that matter. Not that it matters. :P
The spring rolls, though good, are not the best I've had among my Vietnamese restaurant frequenting.
Washrooms are beautiful! Whole place is beautiful who am I kidding. It's a shinning gem in the heart of dirty stinky Chinatown. -
Review from Renata R.
3/14/2010 1 Check-in Here
My very first experience on vietnamese food. They offer free tea, decent prices and good service. Food was spicy as I expected and absolutely great. I can't way to come bac and try different things from the menu. A portion serves two.
Broth/Soup and noodles came pretty fast, and not-so-standard dishes took around 10-15 minutes to prepare.
Pretty easy to find (the 510 Spadina streetcar leaves you right in front of it) even for someone like me, who had arrived in the city just one week before. -
Review from Paul R.
Toronto, ON
6/9/2010
This review gets a one star and not a 0 star because the interior and decor looks good. But, you don`t go to a pho restaurant for a pleasant atmosphere, you go for one reason and one reason only.. to eat a delicious bowl of pho. Unfortunately, you will not find that here.
One test of delicious pho is the beef satay variation. The beef satay here tasted sandy, grainy, and had tomato slices in it which did not go well. I would say I did not enjoy eating this.
The regular pho is just that- regular. There is nothing that stands out. The flavour is alright, but bland. If you`re paying money for a meal in a restaurant, you deserve to eat something that tastes good.. not just average, okay, non-inspiring, no nothing.
The coconut milkshake which I ordered was below average. The flavour sucked out before the ice, leaving clusters of flavourless ice in my cup. I expect a nicely blended shake that has a uniform consistency and drinks evenly.
That`s about all I can say for Pho 88. Note, I did give it multiple chances, eatting here 2 or 3 times after it renovated. I hear it was good before renovations, but have not experienced it firsthand. -
Review from Noemi W.
Halifax, NS
2/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
Delicious delicious. The sauces are expertly flavoured and the meals are beautifully presented. I wouldn't say it's the best pho in town, but it's up there. The cold shrimp roll is amazing and so is the mango salad with chicken satay. So good, so well priced.
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Review from Dallas H.
1/23/2009
Tasteful, modern décor, open late, huge portions, even bigger menu--this is my go-to spot in Chinatown.
If you love Vietnames food you won't be disappointed. Be sure to order a soup! -
Review from Karen S.
2/14/2010
The standout - it's a clean pho joint with modern decor. Go figure! The first time I passed by this joint, I had to do a double take to make sure that it actually was what the sign said it was. Love the dark, modern decor, love the cleanliness and this last time, was stunned by the incredibly polite and helpful service we received.
The food was pretty standard, with the pho noodles being pre-cooked rather than made to order. All in all, it's still pretty tasty and if you're looking for after clubbing food before 2am on the weekend, it's the much better alternative to Xe Lua! -
Review from Jeff L.
Toronto, ON
9/23/2009
I consider my pho knowledge at PHD level at least for a gaijin. Pho 88 is a pretty good package of location, design, service and pho. Their Vietnamese ice coffee is a very good addition to anything especially a warm rare beef pho. The Lychee ice drink is also great as is their mango smoothie. The waiter did not seem to mind when I ordered 4 drinks for myself (coffee/lychee/mango/water) but she may have thought I was out of line behind my back. As others have mentioned the bathrooms are superb although unfortunately I've only gone number 1 in there so far. The pho while not exceptional will get the job done.
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Review from Ramanan S.
Toronto, ON
8/22/2008
The restaurant recently renovated. It's easily the nicest looking restaurant in Chinatown. It certainly looks out of place. The prices remain the same, so it's a cheap place to get Pho. They now sell a lot of appetizers that are quite good also.
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Review from Curtis C.
Scarborough, ON
2/15/2010
Oh, how I miss those university days - two extra large orders of Pho, and a 50% chance of getting hot sauce in your eye. The pain!!! hah! The laughter and the fun we'd have...
This place has changed quite a bit since years ago when it was more like the Pho 88 we know at Warden/Bamburg.
Gone are the old tables and chairs, and abundant are the 'you might still think you're in a club if you're drunk' furniture.
Service is quick and prompt - I biked downtown with some friends one day and they welcome us, WITH the bicycles!
The food is still pretty darn good, but prices have gone up a tiny bit. I figure I still get my money's worth when I use half the bottle of 'cock' sauce in my Pho. -
Review from Ian S.
Toronto, ON
3/31/2010 1 Check-in Here
Awesome curry, cheap prices, and clean modern design. My fave place for curry and pho.
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Review from Tina N.
Toronto, ON
11/29/2009
definetly better than it's neighbour Xe Lua.
ordered the pho special and it came out piping hot!
the broth tasted sooo good that my friend who ordered the rice plate couldn't stop drinking my soup. haha
the meat was tender and soft which made it easy to chew with good flavour.
decor also made the atmosphere more enjoyable along with friendly waiters and waitresses.
i had a delightful time here and will come back for more. -
Review from anne c.
Vancouver, BC
9/13/2009
Nice clean place. Haven't been to their bathrooms but apparently I should according to fellow yelpers. I found the broth for the pho here was not too bad actually. I'm surprised that everyone didn't like the pho. The spring rolls on the other hand. Stay away! They do not taste authentic. For a lack of better words.
