Pho Phong Luu

This is the spot for pho in Austin hands down! It is one of my go-to spots for authentic Vietnamese food. The pho here is amazing--rich, flavorful broth, tender meat, and fresh herbs that really bring it all together. The beef pho is especially good, with perfectly cooked brisket and rare beef that just melts in your mouth.They've got a solid menu beyond pho too, like fresh spring rolls and delicious banh mi. Everything is made with fresh ingredients and packed with flavor. The vibe is super chill, and the staff is friendly, so it's a great spot to enjoy a relaxing meal. If you're into pho (or just good food in general), Pho Phong Luu is definitely worth a visit!Go to HKTea next door afterwards (or before if they're busy)

Finally made it out to see if Pho Phong Luu was really the best pho in Austin....and I'd say that I can totally see the validity in that statement. It's pho, so nothing can really deviate too much from what you're expecting -- but it did legitimately have some small details that stood out, potentially making it edge out other places. The spices seemed noticeably fresher, standing out especially in the meatballs. An aromatic note from the cloves were present and enjoyable. The service was also great, and they checked on me multiple times to make sure everything was perfect. Even with a line, they also got me seated surprisingly quickly. They gave me the option to sit with another single party, and we ended up getting along pretty well which made for a unique experience of randomly connecting with someone. Overall, I could see myself actually driving a little further to go to this location over other potentially closer spots.

On a Friday, I arrived around 5 PM, and there was no line. The service was nice and timely.P08. Eye Round Steak, Flank, Meatballs - $15 (4.5/5)The portion is generous, and the soup is light yet flavorful. For pho, you can upgrade to a large for an additional $2.50.A02. Shrimp Spring Rolls - $6 (3/5)There's a good amount of shrimp, and the peanut sauce is sweet and well-balanced. I even dipped my eye round steak in it, and it tasted great! However, the rice paper was a bit hard. This is my second time ordering it, and both times, the rice paper was tough.This place is bright and clean. It's a super popular pho spot, and there can be a line during peak hours on weekends.

Ate here this past Sunday and so, so good. Best pho place I have had in Austin by far.Atmosphere/Ambiance - 5/5 - Full of Asian diners. PACKED. That tells you this is a great pho spot already.Staff - 5/5 - Friendly. Explained the order process really well. Food/Drink - Ordered the following:Pho Combination - 5/5 - The broth on this was fantastic. It was not oily at all, with a slightly sweet flavor. This hit the spot after the long vacay trip.Shrimp Spring Rolls - 4/5 - Rice wrap a little tough.Pork Sausage Spring Rolls - 4/5 - Not much flavor, but I think was expecting something else. Please note that there is also an HK tea combined with this store (pretty safe to say the same owners). Overall, this was one of the best pho places I have had, whether or not it was in Austin. I have no doubt that I will be coming back to this place when I visit Austin again.

Pho Phong Luu is neighbors with HK Tea. It's easy to traverse from one side to the other through the gap in the separating wall between them.Ordered a Combination Pho and their Special Bahn Mi to go. Was ready in a jiffy (less than 10 minutes) at 10:30am in the morning.Packaging:The pho came in three separate containers. Meat and noodles came in a plastic bowl, but the raw beef slices wrapped in plastic wrap were hiding underneath just above the noodles. So if you get takeout from here, it'll be good to double check before pouring the broth over. I do appreciate the wrapping of the raw sliced beef, as it prevents oxidation and getting blood on the other items. But I would place that beef on the top layer rather than the bottom so that customers are aware of the plastic wrap. I ended up transferring the contents to a ceramic bowl.The broth came in a a separate plastic container, not piping hot to avoid diffusion of any non-polymerized material into the liquid. Opening the container, there was a strong smell of star anise. I dumped the broth into a pot to heat it up. The bean sprouts, basil, and sliced jalapeños came in a separate baggie.Once the broth was ready, I poured it over the other ingredients, then added in the veggies. I opted to not add the Sriracha or Hoisin sauce (which are provided in little packets).The broth was on the lighter side, but still had a wonderful flavorful. It was not an intense dark brown beefy flavor, but a really good savory essence filled with more spices, herbs, and onions. The lengthy jalapeño slices lent a hint of spiciness. The various beef cuts contained in the dish also had very nice savory flavors (perhaps even more so than the broth!). In contrast, the tendon and tripe were less flavorful than the broth, but on the plus side they were soft and not chewy.The rice noodles. I believe their rice noodles are pre-packaged, not freshly made. Their noodles were definitely almost soft enough that if I wasn't paying close attention I might believe they were fresh rice noodles. Regardless of whether they were fresh or pre-packaged, the noodles did their job.Bahn Mi: Glorious, very slight sweetness, well-balanced savoriness. I'm definitely going to order this another time. The pickled radish, pickled carrots, cucumber, cilantro, and bread become a platform for elevating meat fillings within.I'll definitely be going back to try out more of their menu in the near future.

Stopped by here on our way back home since we had a huge craving for pho and so glad that we found this spot. This is a pretty authentic pho spot, meaning that 95% of the people are Asian- so you know it's going to be good. There was a bit of a wait when we arrived on a Sunday around lunchtime, but once we got seated, the service was quick. We ordered an order of the shrimp and grilled pork spring rolls to start. The shrimp spring rolls were your typical spring rolls, but the grilled pork was not what I was expecting as it was a pork patty. I ordered the combo pho, and it did not disappoint. The broth was really rich and tasty! Lots of meat and noodles, so it was definitely filling and hit the spot. I would definitely return here again when I'm in Austin again!

I am now working in austin and wanted to find local area food that is great. I heard that this the pho place seemed to be highly rated. So I wanted to try it out. It was absolutely excellent. The pho was cooked perfect. Steeping the soup made things exactly as they should be. The veggies were fresh and tasty. The broth was very flavorful. The shrimp was abundant and fresh. The staff served me quickly, sitting at a table as soon as I walked in the restaurant. It was buzzing with activity, and a lot of customers were enjoying the food (always a good sign). The meal was served fast and the servers were very helpful and kind.The prices were reasonable and everything was done very well. Cleanliness was also a priority. My experience was honestly just stellar. If you are looking for high quality pho, great service and reasonable prices, you will love Pho Phong Luu! My highest recommendation!

This is, without a doubt, the best pho I've ever had--not just in Austin but in my entire life. The flavor was absolute perfection, and I'm already dreaming about my next visit. It was absolutely delectable.We also tried the spring rolls and fried egg rolls, and they were just as amazing. Everything tasted incredibly fresh and thoughtfully prepared.We visited on a Saturday morning, and while it was busy, it never felt overcrowded. The atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming. Even with a good number of people dining, the space didn't feel too loud, and the cleanliness of the restaurant was noticeable.The staff truly elevated the experience. They were attentive, extremely friendly, and you could tell they genuinely love what they do. The service was fantastic, with great follow-up throughout the meal.Pho Phong Luu is a gem in Austin--wonderful food, exceptional service, and an inviting environment. I can't recommend it enough!

This place is genuinely legit and authentically Vietnamese. My Vietnamese wife and family have told me so many great things about it that I'm glad I finally tried it out. I ordered pho with meatballs and rare steak, opting for the meats and cuts I enjoy eating the most. My food was delivered to my table within 5 minutes, in hot, tasty pho broth that may be my favorite. The vegetables were all fresh. I added some bean sprouts and basil to my pho and pushed them into the soup to cook them. The noodles and meats were all well-cooked and tasted delicious. I also had the opportunity to try their famous fried chicken wings dunked with their house-made fish sauce. The crispy chicken wings had a unique flavor, unlike any other chicken wings I've tried elsewhere. I love how they added their Vietnamese spin to these wings with the fish sauce, a staple in Vietnamese cooking. It was quiet inside when we went, and we had great conversations. The server, who happened to be the owner, took our order and brought us our food. She provided terrific customer service that I wish other restaurant owners could replicate.All in all, a 5-star experience. I'd love to come back and eat here again!

Shared the pho dac biet and nem nuong spring rolls and also got a ca phe sua da. I really like the broth, it's not over seasoned or too salty and it has a sweetness to it. The meat quality was all great. Especially the beef balls and tendon. Their tendon was amazing! The portion was good for sharing since I sometimes can't finish a whole bowl. The spring roll was wrapped super tight and looked just as good as it tasted. The added crunchiness in there was a nice touch. Their ice coffee is different from most places. It tasted similar to Vietnamese packet coffee, instead of fresh made using a phin. I liked it regardless but just a heads up. Would love to come back soon!