Pho Ca Dao Restaurant

Great quality, great quantity, and great value.TIP: Ask for the scallion oil as it will add so much flavor and aroma to anything you eat; especially the pho! Also, don't neglect putting the thai basil and mint into your broth!The Pho Ca Dao on El Cajon Blvd is still my go-to pho spot is THE gold standard that I compare every other pho restaurant in San Diego to. I've been to this location countless times and the quality and quantity always amaze me.On my most recent visit, my girlfriend and I ordered the following:Pho Dac Biet Xe Lua: Aromatic, bright, warm, filling. This is THE bowl of pho that hits a little extra after a long night out or a cold cloudy day (or honestly any day). This order features the bright and aromatic broth with a filling volume of vermicelli noodles and a little bit of every meat: brisket, steak, tendon, and my favorite: tripe! On the side, comes a plate with bean sprouts, thai basil, and mint with some jalapenos. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND plucking the thai basil leaves and also tearing up the mint into smaller bits to throw them both into the broth. This adds so much more aroma to the broth you WILL feel like you are in heaven. I also personally really enjoy adding the bean sprouts into the bowl and letting it sit to soak up the broth and soften. This adds a subtle bit of crunch and snap. I have been ordering this dish all my life and this Pho Ca Dao location meets every expectation that I've built up from childhood until now. There is no surprise that this is the signature dish featured at every pho restaurant and acts as a litmus test to how skilled their kitchen is.Bun Thit Nuong Cha Gio (Vermicelli Noodles with Grilled Pork and Egg Rolls): Cool, crispy, crunchy, sweet, tangy. If you aren't as into noodle soups or warm broths, this is the perfect dish for you. San Diego has been especially hot these last few weeks and I couldn't stop thinking of this dish. On top of a bed of shredded lettuce and a heaping mountain of vermicelli noodles are the meats of your choice. Thit Nuong (grilled pork) and Cha Gio (egg rolls) were my add-ons of choice as they both add some fatty and meaty taste on top of a flavorful crisp. This dish is also served with some sweet, tangy, and spicy fish sauce on the side which I pour all over my dish. This dish is my alternative whenever I'm not in the mood for a warm bowl of Pho but still want to eat something filling.The service at this restaurant is always consistent and standard. To be honest. I don't think the service is necessarily excellent but I can definitely say they have never disappointed me and that consistency is an important thing for me. I am always tended to and help is quick to come as soon as my hand is raised.The atmosphere at this location is what you would expect from a casual family dining experience. Chatter and joy fills the air and the dining experience is full of good vibes no matter if you come alone, with a plus-one, or a large party.

Best place for pho! I've come here many times over the past 7 years and it never disappoints. The portions are huge & healing. They also offer different cuts of meat which is cool if you're into that! I tend to get the chicken or veggie pho and both are delicious. The beef spring rolls are also delicious and the lemongrass flavor stands out. I usually order for pickup as this place tends to get very busy inside, and it's always ready within 20mins!

Still my favorite pho place, after all of these years and it seems like absolutely nothing has changed since I started going to any of their locations. My order remains the same and I always know what I'm going to get. What is it? Glad you asked! - K6: The chargrilled chicken spring rolls. Love these things but instead of the fish sauce, I roll with the peanut sauce and had a ton of Sriracha. Why? I'll get to that as it plays an important part in my dining experience. Bring on the pho, and I'll admit it, I'm a basic bitc#. - P23: Chicken pho, no noodles. Wait, what? No noodles? You heard the man, I go low carb, ditch the noodles and slurp up that delicious broth. You know what I like to do to make it even better? Remember that peanut/Sriracha sauce? Yep, a few spoons of that into the broth is delicious, to me at least. How about pho for breakfast? Ever done it? If not, this is your spot!

I was not impressed with the woman at the checkout/ front counter. Clearly has no training in customer service. The look on her face says it all while ordering. She left as bad of a taste in my mouth as the food. I would not recommend this location.

We got P17 & P18. We love coming here to eat pho, kinda the only place we'll go to eat pho in SD. The staff are friendly & they already know our order since we've been coming here for years. We also ordered a bread & sometimes but not today order the Tri-color dessert. The total was less than $30. It wasn't too busy today which was perfect because we got seated at a booth which I like.

Had a craving for Vietnamese Food, came here because we used to come here when I was younger and it's always been a solid spot. I have to say this place was lacking sadly! While it was clean (floors, glasses, tables, silverware) and the workers were very friendly and talkative. The food came out looking pleasing to the eye and filled (abundance). The taste of the food was lackluster. I ordered the bun cha gio thit nuong. The nuoc mam that came with the dish was lacking in the fish sauce and sweetness. It had a hint of lime, but was quite bland almost like water. There wasn't any pickled daikon sadly and that's my favorite. Too many carrots. The thit nuong was... texture like no other! I thought I was eating one of the pork chops. It was thick and originally I thought this was that egg like mixture you get on top of com tam. In the bowl, I liked the julienned cucumbers it had great flavor, but I wish they squeezed the water out of it because it was quite wet. The peanuts added a nice crunch. There were lots of carrots. The egg rolls tasted more like lumpia but that's okay since it was yummy and hot! They loaded this bowl sooo much that I couldn't mix this without spilling it. Remember to mix your noodle dishes! My mom ordered the pho tai nam. The rare beef was perfect consistency even after waiting a bit to eat it. I want to say that it didn't over cook because the broth wasn't that hot at all. The flavor of the broth tasted muddled and not very tasty. They gave us a good amount of toppings: sliced onions, beansprouts, herbs, lime, jalapeño.. but the pho just couldn't be saved. Because the broth is usually what makes it delicious. I wouldn't get the pho here again. During the time we came, the workers were refilling all the condiments and utensils. I think that was nice that they were attentive and kept things refilled. My water was even refilled! The slice of lime was a great and refreshing touch. After the subpar food, would I come back here? Possibly. And why? Because the menu is a large one and while those two dishes were really lacking-- maybe I just chose the wrong thing! Next time, I want to try the Bun Bo Hue or ask for a recommendation of what is popular there. Last time I came, I had the iced Vietnamese coffee and it was pretty delicious. (: highly recommend grabbin one with your food!

I come here frequently. Service is super fast, they get right to it haha. It's a small restaurant but very busy. I love the fried rolls and the soups.

I thought the pho was just fine. Broth came was very little. Getting pho takeout just doesn't hit the same as dining in. The egg rolls were very good and crispy

Food is amazing!! Lots to choose from. Fast service!!! Have never had anything I didn't like.

The food was delicious, there was Root Beer (For anyone who gets confused Root Beer is a soda), the pho was delicious and so were the noodles. My order? Glad you asked! It's actually on the first page of the menu where you can make your own pho, it's brisket and beef in a beef pho.