99 Fast Food

With 198 reviews, is Phở 99 over the mark for «hidden gem»? Either way, it’s a gem. Come in hungry with a few dollars, leave completely stuffed and satisfied. The interior is spartan and the service is an odd mix of table and self-​service, but the food, you guys.
I do wish they had a phở option with vegetable broth, though I give them points for maintaining authenticity. Phở aside, there is a very nice selection of vegan options, my favorite of which is the lemongrass tofu. While soup and associated spicy fares complement a snowy day best, I most recently visited here on a ridiculously hot summer day and found the vermicelli bowl with spring rolls (no. 52, I believe) appropriately light and refreshing.
If you take one thing away from this review, make it this: do not order just water. The Vietnamese iced coffee, avocado shake, and iced jasmine tea are all great menu items in their own right.

First time ordering here and the food is really tasty. I ordered the pad Thai with chi hem and tofu and its huge, literally that’s enough food for two days. The avocado smoothie is absolutely delicious. Creamy, sweet and smooth. It’s a must try for anyone who love avocados. Definitely will come back here and try the spring rolls and the other food options.

Phở 99: the best phở I’ve ever had and I have a second home in Vietnam — well, no, never been there but I can’t find better phở anywhere in Manhattan — if you have please message me directly. Phở 99 was a saving grace amongst the other cafeteria crap found around University heights during my college days. The beef phở is phenomenal. Big big bowl, tender meat, tons of add-​ins, they’ll never skimp on bean sprouts or basil. I recommend going with a group of friends for a really chill time getting a hot bowl during the year-​round abysmal cold and gray setting of Buffalo.

Good quality service with my first rice plate ravenously consumed I’ll be headed back soon to get my Asian food fix. Customers seemed quite satisfied while I people watched and waited for my to go order. This is my first time there and it was at night so I’m not sure if there’s off street parking. I found spot right out front so it seems like a non issue either way.
I got broccoli chicken and found it to be quite tasty. It’s nothing super amazing on its own but paying extra for the veggie fried rice makes it even tastier.

I love this place. Buffalo really doesn’t have very many Viet options. I’m from Orlando and I miss Little Saigon terribly, but the phở here is very good (I’ve only had it twice where it’s been bleh). The first time I tried Phở 99, err 99 Fast Food, the waiter mentioned that his father had a Viet restaurant in Orlando as well. :)
Their cha gio is pretty nice. Crunchy. Also the banh xeo is crispy.
Service is always good. We usually order to go though. They aren’t stingy on the meat or condiments (herbs, sprouts, etc) either.

I think for the area that’s it’s in, this place should one of the better establishments. However, I found that my phở was under-​seasoned and the noodles themselves had no flavor; it had a stronger taste of flour, which was unpleasant. The meat was good though. The spare ribs that my friend ordered had a nice chat on it, but it was way too sweet and slightly overcooked. The coff was perfect. The servers were MIA most of the time. The place was needs someone to care for. The place itself is clean, however, the awkward plastic plants and the way-​too-​green fish tank is more than a little off-​putting. I, personally, wouldn’t come here. I don’t hate it, but I’d rather not. The price, however, was great for the amount of food you get. If you are looking for a cheap, filling meal this is your place.
Order: Vietnamnese Coffee, combination Phở XL, Spare Ribs

Phở is ok. The pork skewers are good. Shrimp fresh. Veggies on the side crisp. Broth hot. Price ok. Years ago, the owners of Pho99 on Niagara Street downtown opened this place as a second location. It was a family business and their attention to detail was intense. The place was clean. The food excellent. Both locations. Then the downtown location was closed because the site was taken for the new federal courthouse. The Bailey location became the focus, although they opened a place in Rochester for a while. It was always a pleasure to visit them. And the food was amazing. Then the family left, and the place got dirty and if it were not for its proximity to UB my guess is the business would have failed. Dirty and average food. So I stayed away for a long time. And then someone told me that it was great Phở and I really should give it another look. Ok. Phở it is not what it was. The broth was thin and had little flavor. No culantro served on the side. But the place appeared to be clean. I know change is inevitable, but I wish the family were still here.

One of my favorite restaurant in buffalo. This Viennese place is super close to UB south, a 10 – 15 mins walk. Barbecue pork over rice with egg on top is what I always order, super tasty. There are 2 different sizes for almost every order, small and large. They used to serve a larger portion even if it’s a small. But they raised the price and slightly decreased the portion lately. It’s the only thing I’m not very happy about pho99. Try their fresh spring rolls too! Street parking, park at the dollar general or 7 eleven if you couldn’t find one. Highly recommend, come here for a study break it won’t go wrong

First visit here and despite its location being on Bailey ave l, this place offers big new flavors, at a very reasonable price with large portions! i ordered the pork over rice with an egg and it was delicious! Tried the vietnamese egg rolls and sausage spring roll. Both were VERY tasty !! They provide you with a couple different sauces and the tables also have some sauces as well as chilies and its quite enough to get anyones tastebuds working!
Will definately be telling people about this little gem! I hope they plan to stick around or even open more locations. HIGHLY recommend!

This is like one of my favorite places to eat at in Buffalo. My favorite dishes are their #32 (phở with beef balls, beef slices, tripe, etc…) and their porkchop over rice. SO. GOOD. Their phở great when you need something in your system when you’re not feeling your best especially after a busy night out.
I love their spring rolls and their egg rolls. My favorite one is their sausage spring roll. Whenever I’m here, I never pass on ordering an appetizer (minimum one per visit).

I ordered something different today, #23 beef brisket with phở noodles (Bo Kho). It comes with carrots and beef. I would definitely recommend everyone try this. It’s so flavorful !! It’s hard not ordering the typical #32 variety combo phở dish but this is worth it !!
Just didn’t like that I paid extra $ 2 for three shrimps only.

The location is convenient enough for me during my time at UB and while I don’t find their food impressive, they won’t be utterly disappointing either. It’s street parking and most of the time I park either at the dollar store on the block over, or one of the side streets.
Their phở is adequate if you’re looking for soup noodles, but I find their broth to be too light/​bland. Service is adequate as well, most of the times, it’s college students working their first part time gig. Décor is a cross between take out and diner. They do have 2 – 3 large tables, so if you plan to come with a big group, do call ahead.
My biggest gripe against this place? They charge you for hot tea by the person, even though they give you an entire pot! This is the only Asian place I know of in Buffalo that does that. And the tea isn’t even expensive or gourmet. Just cheap stuff that you can find anywhere!
All in all, it’s another option as oppose to dining hall or cafeteria food. But it won’t be my top choice to venture here now that I’m downtown!

They changed the broth! Finally. Now it’s back to being great. Just a few more tweaks and it’ll be perfect. Thanks for listening to your customers.

This is my second experience of vietnamese food in buffalo. Sad to say I wasn’t entirely impressed. Parking in buffalo I’ve come to figure is all street parking. The interior was a bit wore down, but they had plenty of tables and booths.
We were seated immediately and placed our orders. Water was tap (somethings never change) I ordered the com thit nuong and my dad order phở dac biet. Generally I’m not too critical when it comes to asian food as long as it taste like other asian food, my Dad however thought the phở was okay, but nothing compared to home.
I was pleased to see that for the price we were paying i got a decent amount of food, but at the same time i felt it was lacking in the vegetable portions (as pictured i only had 2 cucumbers, generally back home we get some cabbage, carrot, daikon, lettuce, and cucumber to go with our meal) I also didnt get any soup (chicken broth) to wash down the meal with.
It hit the spot, but this wouldnt be my goto if I’m craving vietnamese food

I had a discussion about Phở places with a fellow Unilocaler and I turned my nosed up on his mention of Phở 99 as his go to place for Phở. I consider myself to be a Phở snob but I’m willing to admit when I’m wrong. In my defense, I have had Phở many places around the country when I travel and my brother makes a mean batch of Chicken Phở.
I have been to Phở 99 many times in the past and had always felt that its broth lacked flavor. To be fair to Phở 99, the last time I went there was about 3 years ago. I should mention that I grew up on Phở and consider it to be one of my favorite meals to have as it is the Vietnamese equivalent of noodle soup but is very heavily based on the flavor of the broth. If you have bad broth, you have bad Phở. Phở is a very comforting dish that is especially good on a cold day (hello Buffalo winters). Homemade Phở is always the best, but when you don’t have that option my go to places have been First Phở Saigon and Niagara Seafood.
What makes Phở different is the spices that are used for the broth to give it an aromatic smell and depth of flavor. Many of the spices include star anise, cloves, coriander, cinnamon, cardamom; the most common broth is Beef and Chicken.
Phở 99 is located in the University District of UB on Bailey Ave. with only street parking. There is plenty of seating for groups and the décor is very 80’s in my opinion. The lack of Thai Tea makes this place lose a star as I feel these go hand in hand. My niece and I both ordered the combination fresh spring rolls with peanut sauce and a small order of the combination phở (rare beef, meatballs, tripe). What I like about Phở 99 is that they provide slice jalapenos which is not always a condiment in other places that I have frequented. The spring rolls were really nothing to write home about, not bad, just O-​Kay. The broth during this visit was much more flavorful than in the past. My noodles were cooked perfectly and I love that the crush garlic chili pepper was available without having to ask for it. The restaurant was clean and our servers were very patient and courteous when we took our time ordering. This experience has me changing my mind about Phở 99 for right now. I will probably come back just to see if they can maintain the broth flavor consistency.

Phở, that delicious noodle soup found in Vietnamese restaurants around the world. I liked it, then loved it, then found it impossible. You see, nothing I’ve found in Buffalo compares to the West Coast Phở flavors I fell for. I’ve tried a few types since moving back, some more than others, and I can never seem to get satisfied. Phở 99 Fast Food on Bailey has been around since 2003. I guess better late than never… someone says that, don’t they?
The building itself is old, dated, and in need of a facelift; the interior feels well used. Yeah, I just defined a hole-​in-​the-​wall, and I loved every aspect of it. From the exposed brick, short entrance hallway, and the fish tank, it screams out for me to embrace it. Tables and booths feel dated, although rather comfortable for the time it will take to order and enjoy your meal. Table tops are clean, stocked with spoons, reusable plastic chopsticks, napkins, and various sauces. My fondest memories of Phở places out west are filled with these items, here they are again, providing me comfort through familiarity. But where are the wooden chopsticks that grip with ease? Oh well, can’t have it all — all of the time.
The menu contains appetizers, various Phở choices, drinks, and other dishes. You’ll find BBQ, rice dishes, and fish on the menu as well. On this first historic visit I went with Phở Ga (chicken) and the BBQ pork plate. The Phở came served with mint, jalapenos, and sprouts on the side, yep, that same feeling of comfort returned. The broth wasn’t the best I’ve ever had, but it was really good. Not too salty, and flavored just enough so that i could flavor it further with mint leaves and sauces. The BBQ pork was served on a bed of small-​grain rice. It had wonderful flavors and tasted just like I hoped it would. The split price for 2 bowls of Phở, 1 dish, and 2 waters was $ 13 (before tip). Pretty reasonable!
So why only the 4 star rating? Location, location, location! They are just far enough past UB South that you’ll feel like you’re in the middle of residential neighborhoods in the City of Buffalo. This means little to no parking, and without a private lot you’ll be forced to find something on the street, hopefully within walking distance. The location is also a bit of a drive, just for Phở. It feels far enough past Main St. that I wouldn’t even suspect that they get that much walk in traffic. It is what it is, or rather, it is where it is. I enjoyed the experience so much that I would gladly embark on the long journey again.
If you like hole-​in-​the-​wall establishments with great food and quick service, then this is a place for you.

A couple of my co-​residents and I decided to check out Phở 99 for lunch. It’s set up as a little hole in the wall on bailey near the VA that you may miss if not looking for it. We arrived at noon, while there were ppl in there it wasn’t overtly busy. Service was very prompt and of course I had to order the Phở (come on its in the name). I ordered my usual small bowl of Phở with brisket and meatballs. One thing I love about Vietnamese restaurants is that a small bowl of Phở is really not small, it’s huge (this place didn’t disappoint).
The service was fast and the Phở was good. I’m a little partial to Phở, my hubby is viet and his mom makes the best I ever had, but being far from home we have to find a substitute. So far Phở 99 is a good alternative to receive our craving. On top of all that, it totally affordable. I believe I paid a whopping $ 13 included tip, such a win win!
All of my co resi’s were satisfied with their meal. We even had a Phở newbie with us that was raving about the meal!
I definitely will be returning, next time with the hubby in tow!

Phở 99 has been such a big staple in my life since my undergrad years at UB, and now even towards the end of my grad school years. The perfect solution to any post-​exam depression was for my friends and I to go to Phở 99. It is simply a cure for everything!
They have quite a nice variety of phở including different meats or veggies. I am a particular fan of the tripe or variety phở. Even in the dead of summer when I’m not quite in the mood for a hot phở soup, their other dishes don’t disappoint! Even pairing phở with some good Vietnamese coffee is a great option at phở 99. Do I even need to mention their cheap prices? Even the regular sized phở is more than enough for me to gobble down. Just a fantastic place for some amazing yet affordable phở.

In Buffalo, one of the best places to get your Vietnamese food fix is at Phở 99. They have limited phở selections, but they still have a decent menu regardless. To start off, I recommend getting a combination roll, which is their take on a summer roll with shrimp and pork wrapped up in rice paper. It’s served with a side of peanut sauce. Moving on to the entrée, if you’re not in the mood for phở, I highly recommend getting a large order of #36, which is BBQ pork over a bed of white rice with vegetables. Right on top of the pork they place a perfect sunny side egg. It’s probably the best dish they have here.
As for service, the employees are very attentive in filling your cups with either tea or water. It is also not a problem to pay separately if you’re with a group of friends. The cashiers tend to be very helpful in this regard.

Phở’s is a right of passage for many UB students. In a campus where nasty cafeteria food gives constant upset stomachs and constipation, it is a welcome relief (in more than one way) to get food with a home cooked taste. Phở’s is the place that will remedy that feeling at a very nicely priced menu. The icing on the cake is the generous portions.
We recently visited Phở’s while reacquainting ourselves with the old stomping ground on our quick get away. On this particular Sunday morning, Phở’s was packed with students and locals. We were seated upon arrival and our orders were promptly taken. I ordered shrimp stir fry with fried rice and my husband had the chicken stir-​fry. Small portions were more than filling.
Things have not changed much in the ten years that I have frequented this place and in this case, remaining the same is good.