YUM. I was already impressed with the amount of mall food options, and when I saw BANH MI I was sold. The price scared me initially ($4.50 plus tax) because I am used to $3 with tax. However, the sandwich was STUFFED and long. Fresh bread, marinated tofu, carrot-daikon slaw, cilantro, and tons of jalapenos (I asked for extra). Got no mayo. Should've added a fried egg :) A filling, delicious treat and plenty for dinner!!!

Lisa L

9/1/2010 there are a few tricks to dining here ,first go before 11:30 odr after 1:00, Second never order Bhan Mi on Monday you may get last weeks bread! ugh! order Pho instead! Mid week is best so you don't get their grugy leftovers .

jonny l.

Not the best pho, but fast, convenient and clean. They're moving people through the line so fast that there's really no sense of identity in the restaurant; it's almost like going to a pho vending machine.

Julian H

everything you would expect a pho spot to have, although the menu isn't as extensive as some. great place for lunch, quick enough you can sit down and make it back if you get 30 minutes. try to arrive closer to 12 if you can, it gets busy, especially on rainy pho days

Nate S

i lovee phoo ! haha i would work where i love to eat (:

atbae,
anna.ttrinh@live.com

This is my favorite downtown lunch spot for chicken pho on a fall, winter, or spring day. I don't care...I'll walk up those flight of stairs to eat here. Since I usually take a late lunch (after 1pm) the place is usually empty which I absolutely love. I've been here during the 12 o' clock hour and it absolutely sucked waiting for a table. I like that I get to order and pay right when I walk in and I get to choose where I want to sit. Within 5-10 minutes my soup is done. Time is precious and I can count on this place for quick service

D E

I stumbled upon this gem one night after watching a movie at the AMC Southcenter and didn't realize it had an original downtown branch until searching for it to write a review on it. The banh mi here is *amazing*. Flaky toasted French bread, hot made-to-order ingredients, a deliciously sweet homemade dressing, perfect combination of cilantro and jalapeno. Best of all, you can add a fried egg to all the sandwiches. My regular is the tofu with a fried egg. It is SO good that we have ordered it twice in one night (pre and post movie, much to the amusement of the staff). I haven't tried anything else here - can't bear to order anything other than my favorite sandwich - except for the spring rolls, which are good. (The peanut sauce is good here. Nice and peanut-y without that weird gluey consistency that some places have ... I'm looking at you, hole-in-the-wall pho place in Tacoma!) But seriously. I dream of those sandwiches. In these economic times, I will actually use precious gas to drive to Southcenter just for those sandwiches. Look for it in the corner of the food court, near the bottom of the escalators that lead up to the movie theater

Betsy T

Everything I've had here has been delicious. The pho, salad rolls, and sandwiches are all so good! It does get really busy during lunch, but as soon as someone gets up, they are super quick to clear the table and will greet you as soon as you sit down. Food arrives in no time - even during their rush! This is one of my favorite lunch spots, hands down!

HCT,
hailey_cc@yahoo.com

Holy crap, grilled chicken Spring Rolls?! YUM! I had that and the special tofu rolls---yes, both app's---for a late afternoon snack. So refreshing, tasty, and just so freaking good. This is on the 2nd floor of the mall's new food court, and seemed not too bad if one chose to dine in. The ding is for someone else's order having the same ticket # as mine, so I had to wait briefly while it was sorted out. But, yeah, awesome food!

Daren D

I can only speak for the Pho Ga (chicken pho), which is delicious and addictive (perhaps literally). The lunch rush is crazy, so be prepared for a small line up of usuall 5-15 people. Tables are packed. But this is a good sign - people keep coming back for more. The Pho is great, and the service is quick.

Brian

Get here before 12 or after 1:30 unless you want to wait in line. But you know why the line is that way once you've had the Bhan Mi (Vietnamese sandwich) with tofu. Holy cow, it's terrific. Look out for the jalepenos!! The vegan pho is also a godsend in the downtown area where I can only generally find fish gut soup. Fast service at the counter and a great buy!

K.B

I'm giving this place a qualified 4 stars. I am very pleased with it for what it is, which is this: I love this place. It's 2 blocks from my office and great for a quick sit down meal, for under $10. They cater to the financial district lunch crowd so, it is what it is. I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here but as a little reprieve from the work day or someplace different to take visiting business partners? Perfect!

Sara H

Seattle, WA Updated - 3/22/2010 Sat down there this time with Chris for lunch. I have had a bad cold lately, so i have been trying to eat a lot of hot soups and warm meals. not b/c it will heal me, but b/c for some reason i have felt colder in general with the cold. I decided on the Pho Tai. it came out quickly. as expected the strips of beef were still rare - just perfect to leave them in a little longer to cook. i mixed it around a little and tasted it. it was soooooo good. but in order to get the dish to my personal satisfaction, i tear up a bunch of the basil leaves - i think that's what they are...haha. i put in almost the entire plate of bean sprouts, then i put 3 globs of hoisin sauce equidistant from each other forming a triangle into the big bowl. then i added 3 globs of siracha sauce next to the 3 hoisin globs. oh, almost forgot, squeeze one lime wedge into the soup :) didn't add any jalapenos b/c if it's too spicy it gets me in a coughing fit. then mix throughly. tasted even more perfect!! and then final trick i learned from Steve. use an extra plate or better yet a small bowl to put yet another large glob of hoisin sauce with another smaller glob of siracha on top of it. mix. then as you eat the beef, dip it into the mixture, put it on the spoon with some noodles and your special broth...you get one mouthful of HEAVEN.

Dae Y

I love this place!!! I've never had a meal I've been disappointed with, and I go there at least 2x a month, if not more. And they know my order by heart ... spicy lemon grass chicken with brown rice instead of jasmine and no salad. I know, creature of habit. But it is nice to be remembered the minute I walk in the door, all the way down to knowing I 99.9% of the time take my order to go. It is always crowded at noon ... actually starting at about 11:30 but they move quick! So if there's a line when you get there, you won't be waiting long.

Kathleen. C

The best vietnamese food downtown! Their food is very flavorful. if you are tired of boring sub sandwiches, try their pork sandwich. The lemongrass beef dish is also very good. And on a cold day the pho is perfect. you get a lot of food for a great price so you can't beat that.

Guest36699

I tried the new Cafe Pho restaurant at Southcenter Mall and I think it is a winner. It is located in the back of the food court as a self-contained restaurant, and opens late on weekends, perfect for the movie crowd. There is an alcohol bar and a counter in front of kitchen. They have two flat panel TV's, but one is not connected to an HD source (the other one is). I think I'll be frequenting this place a lot.

Pho Fan

This is the best pho place ever.. great food and great customer services. Only problem i had was one time i came in and i was trying to help move the table and the server yelled at me. he said, "can't you wait" He was very rude... after he said that, i told he was being a jerk. my order came 20 minutes later then my friends and i think it was because i called him jerk for yelling at me.

jennifer,
jennifere39@gmail.com

Cafe Pho located upstairs at Marion Court (Corner of 3rd Ave and Marion St.) This place is always packed during lunch hours. We usually pre-order and have it to go. They packed our to go food nicely. The pho soup is separated from the noodles so that it doesnt get soggy by the time we eat it. The prices are also reasonable, ranges from $5.95 to $7.65 and it is an extra $.50 for brown rice.

Mike N

Cafe Pho – Various Bahn Mi ($4.50) We are blessed in this town to have a large amount of very decent Vietnamese food, both delis and Pho houses. Everyone has their favorite (for pho, than bros in greenlake wins hands down for me for thier cheap eats and homemade cream puffs). In my immediate downtown area, though, there really is only one good vietnamese place I’ve found that doesn’t involve catching a bus to the International District – Cafe Pho on 3rd and Marion in the food court. Despite the name, they serve lots of other kinds of vietnamese food as well as pho. I can’t vouch for thier pho as that would involve sitting down for lunch and beef noodle soup doesn’t travel well. However, they do an excellent bahn mi, even if it is a little pricier than what you’d find in the I.D. Mayo is home-made as it should be, the pickled carrots and daikon in chunky sticks as opposed to julienned finely as you might find elsewhere. Personally, I like this, as it keeps the sandwich from getting soggy. Good baguette with a nice crust on it. And, of course, that sneaky slice of jalapeno that jumps out and punches you in the mouth on the last bite, just when you thought you were safe. Oh, but it hurts so good. Three kinds of filling are available – tofu, chicken and pork. No pate or other random meat, which I like but others might not consider authentic. All of the fillings come covered in a salty (soy-based?) sauce, which is really tasty on the tofu version but overly salty on chicken and pork. The tofu is my favorite, but I’m fat-phobic as far as my meat goes, and both the chicken and pork versions have some fat on the meat. I’m sure there are better and certainly cheaper bahn mi in Seattle, but if you are a worker in downtown and you can’t get to the I.D, Cafe Pho is a safe bet. The rest of the food looks good here too. One day I will get past the sandwiches.

downtown seattle Lunch blog

Fast Pho - Downtown Cafe Pho is located inside (and in the rear, upstairs) of Marion Court at 3rd Avenue and Marion Street. There are usually two lines at the counter with two folks working the cash registers. Service is quick and efficient; you can tell the "regulars" from the "newbies" by how long it takes to order. You can fax your order in by 10 AM and it will be ready for you. Seating is first-come first-served, so if you bring a friend find out what he/she wants and have him/her go snag a table while you wait in line. Pho broth is flavorful and there are multiple varieties available (chicken, beef, flank steak, etc.) but not so many of the more "mysterious" pho selections (fatty flank, tendon, tendon and meatball, etc.).

Anita G

This place is perfect for lunch. I don't have to say much here..... BUT...if you haven't tried a Vietnamese sandwich, get one here! Somehow the ingredients combined on the french roll create magic. Magic, I tell you.

Michael B

Yes. Come here for the Grilled Pork Sandwich. $4.35 with tax. It's one of the better Viet sandwhich places dowtown and cheap too. The pork is tasty and the bread is good. I also ordered the Salad Shrimp Rolls and I came away unimpressed. It was about as exciting as last weeks Wall Street Journal. So, come here for the sandwhich and pass on the rolls

Jerry L

have become quite fond of the grilled pork sandwich at Cafe Pho that I can conveniently acquire on my lunch break. It's damn good. I like the crunchy veg that comes on top of the pork along with some kind of mayo-y stuff. Put all that stuff on a baguette and call me a happy camper. Watch out for the jalapenos that come standard on it though if you don't eat spicy food. I like their sandwiches a lot so give this place a try if you're downtown on lunch. It's a busy, popular place for a good reason!

Mandy C

One of my very favorite restaurants of any kind in Seattle. I love, love, love their sandwiches, both pork and chicken. The other dishes are great, too. Adam, the owner, is a total sweetheart. It's clean,cheap, quick and nicely decorated. You must try it!

Rachel,
rgross6086@gmail.com

Great sandwiches...chicken salad rolls are awesome. Always get the sandwich/salad roll combo for ~$6. Usually order from here at least two or three times a week...never get tired of it! Highly recommended!

Andy

I'm a huge fan of Pho so when I found Cafe Pho, I eat there at least twice a week. I always get the meatball pho. I've had their salad roll which is pretty good too. The owner is pretty nice and friendly.

Paige " P

Ouch on the other reviews. I used to work down the street and I've had Pho at almost every place in Seattle (Pho Bac, Cyclo, Pho Hoa, Than Brothers) and so far Cafe Pho serves the best standard beef pho I have found with a tasty broth and fresh basil and sprouts. I wish they will offer tripe and fatty flank and some of the other delicacies though but for what you get (and you get it fast too), it's well worth the $6.35 especially when compared to the other choices in the food court and in that area in general. The owner is also very nice and you receive prompt service with ice water and a steaming hot bowl of Pho within minutes of sitting down. I have tried some of the meats over vermicelli and can attest that they aren't bad either although I would skip anything with chicken there (who eats chicken at a true Pho place anyways?!)

Roger W

Nice quick lunch shop downtown on the 2nd story of a sort of food court on the SW corner of 3rd and Marion. You walk in and order at the counter, and they'll bring the food to you. I ordered a tofu Banh mi (vietnamese sandwich) and it came out in under five minutes. The green salad, as I'm slowly learning, was mostly green. Once tomato slice and one cucumber slice. The sandwich was pretty good, I haven't had Banh mi before but a friend raves about it, more so since many of the vietnamese places we've eaten in the past seem to look down on it. The Tofu Banh Mi has mayo on it, I don't know if it would be vegan if you asked for it without but many of the other vegetarian items (around four or five) are listed on the menu as vegan so they'd probably know if you asked. The menu here doesn't have curry, but does have pho, and a couple other different things that aren't quite as common at the other pho places I've been. Quick, as i said, nice clean atmosphere inside for a lunch joint.. Plenty of room despite the line at the cash register being about six people when I got there, there were tables open. Also near a bunch of other places in case you want to bail you only have to go a few doors down and in nice weather could probably compromise everyone to this location and sit outside

Bryan M

If you work downtown and like Vietnamese sandwiches, you're in luck. At 3rd and Marion, there's a food court with outdoor seating. Upstairs from Cafe Zum Zum. Upstairs at Cafe Pho, you'll find Vietnamese sandwiches made with outstanding baguettes. I've had sandwiches from about ten different places in Seattle and think this place has the best baguettes: crispy outside and with a dense crumb. I usually get the grilled pork sandwich

Ken .E

Good lunch place downtown if you're looking for flavorful and inexpensive pho and Vietnamese sandwiches. Don't be scared of the line, it moves fast and definitely worth it! I usually go for the salad roll plus chicken sandwich, only $6!

Tyler "P

I love getting the sandwich and salad roll to go. The trick is to ask the guy who gives you your food at the far end of the restaurant for the little container of combination sauce. Then I run back to my desk and devour the things. I get chicken in the sandwich and chicken in the salad roll. I get the pho when i eat in, and it's great too!

Dae Y.

I usually come here once every couple weeks for lunch. I have gotten their pork and chicken sandwiches, pho soup, and salad roll. They are all good and never disappoint. One time the bread used for my sandwich was a bit stale but that is the only complaint I've ever really had. The service is fast and although it fills up quickly there usually isn't a problem finding a seat

Nic F.

Great food, great service, keep up the good work!

David Wiley

Some of the best appetizer are here guys!!

Anna,
anna@yahoo.com

Hello, this is the best site I ever seen...

Duong Vu