Pho Tau Bay

I live in NYC now, but used to come here all the time. Just today, I ate phở and bahn mi and it just. wasn’t. the. same.
First of all, the bahn mi is always perfect. The bread soft and squishy warm, with just the perfect toast on the outside to have a little crunch. Their pickled daikon, carrots and fresh jalepeno makes everything so balanced, fresh and yummy. The beef jerky and papaya salad is one of my favorite things in this word and is def. on my top 10 «last dinner» meals.
Over the course of 10 years, I must have eaten here 3x’s a week. From the noodle salad, broken rice plate, phở, pâté plate and to even the quasi-​stir fry dishes thrown on to appease American palates — everything is delicious and solid. Come here on the weekends for the most delicious tomato broth noodle soup with fried tofu and perrywinkle… It’s the best.

Got my spring rolls right away. Then received my phở in less than 10 minutes. That said, super-​fast and friendly service! Spacious restaurant. Also good for one or maybe two large groups in the back of the restaurant. Also want to add — they have the best phở in Mpls! The broth is so on point, you don’t even need to add any of the sauces in.

I’ve been coming here for years and years. Phở Tau Bay is within walking distance of my current residence. It’s my favorite Phở place on Eat Street, and I usually get one of their noodle soups w/​seafood. A large bowl, which is a complete meal. The soup comes with a side of sprouts, mint leaves, jalepeno peppers and lime; mix to taste with the sauces on the table and the spiciness can scale from Minnesota Bland to Vietnamese Dragon. They have weekend specials, which are pretty good. Aside from the Phở (pronounced «fa»), they have a good range of Vietnamese dishes and bubble tea.
Friendly, fast service. Booths and long tables. Lots of parking.

I usually go to another phở restaurant close by but I decided to try this one! I’ve been here twice and I’ve only tried the spring rolls and bun bo hue (spicy soup) and it was soo good, I’m addicted which is why I went there a 2^nd time. Very quick service as well, wide food selections but their menu is literally duct taped together! Also they don’t hand you the bill, you have to go up to the front which no one told us at first so we were sitting there waiting. Lol I would go back!

I thought I had review this place already, but I see I’ve not, so here I am rectifying this wrong.
The place is a favorite of h. We stop by on weekends every now and then and he often goes there for lunch during the week. We mostly had bhan mis or phở here and they have been consistently good. What compelled me to write today though was the number 9 phở as dressed by the waitress. I asked for a recommendation and the waitress suggested number 9 without hesitations, so that is what I got.
I was served a phở with sliced beef that cooks in the broth — it was still pink when it came to the table and but cooked up by the time I was ready to dig in. The waitress offered to dress the phở for me and I accepted. And I’m glad I did! She added just the right amount of hoisin sauce and Sriracha. The result was a perfectly spiced broth with enough spicyness to tickle the tastebuds, but not so much that it would burn your mouth. I finished the whole bowl and would have kept going!
Now I know to always ask!

Well, what can I say?
Parking is super open. It’s kinda in a sketchy area right next to a laundromat, but who cares? Once you go in, you’re overwhelmed by the pungent yummy scent of Vietnamese food, while a server/​host greets you as they show you to your booth/​table. Not even situated yet (taking off your coat, getting comfortable, etc) your server brings you water to start. Amazingly fast. They give you adequate time to look over the menu, as there are A LOT of choices. I recommend any bowl of phở. I usually stick to the beef and biscuit.
The phở is delicious. You can pick from a small or large bowl, and I often order extra noodles (although that isnt necessary.) Definitely the best phở I’ve had here in Minneapolis, and very comparable to other top places. (I’ve been to phở places in san fran, and others). It’s also served about 5 – 10 minutes after you order, so you’re never caught waiting too long. They also bring all the toppings before, and a lot of them too. The soup is boiling hot, so its delicious. Its also very well priced (about 7 bucks a bowl). Once you’re done, you’re free to pay up at the counter. You’re never caught waiting for your server, which is great. You’re seriously in there for maybe 25 min. (well that depends on how fast of an eater you are!) Their boba tea is great too! They have a variety of flavors to choose from, so its good.
I wish I could talk about other main dishes, but the phở is what you need to try if you haven’t yet!
Con: There is only one server who seems to speak good English. That shouldn’t stop you though, as they know basic english to complete any kind of request. TRUST ME.
Also, your server takes your order, drops off your food and water, and disappears. The workers often share each other’s tables, so you can stop anyone who walks by, if you need to.
Overall, it is the best place to go get Phở in the cities. I go there about once a week, because it’s that good. If you don’t believe me, go there for yourself. You’ll find your new favorite place.

Had some of the spicy phở the other day and it was PERFECT. Can’t wait to go back!

Phở tau bay has been a longstanding favorite of mine, reminiscent of the Vietnamese restaurants I went to when I lived in California. It has very casual décor and modest prices. The strengths of this restaurant is how freaky fast the food comes out, and how delicious it all is. One thing that stands out is the Bánh mi opa (don’t know how to say this in English). You’re given a demi baguette of French bread and a plate with eggs, Vietnamese cold cuts, pâté, pickled vegetables and Vietnamese mayo. Slice up the loaf, lay down the pâté and mayo, followed by the cold cuts, the gooey eggs, pickled vegetables and cucumber. Finish with jalapeño slices and this is one fine sandwich. Worth the $ 9.

So I’m finally branching out from Pho79 to mix my phở experience up a bit. One of the other Unilocalers had mentioned I should definitely go to Phở Tau Bay and I’m posting to say that was a brilliant recommendation.
My phở was boiling hot, noodles cooked perfectly, and I had an awesome mix of fresh thai basil, culantro, jalapenos, and lime for garnish. The garnish is important! It’s kind of a rule of thumb that if a phở joint serves culantro, then it’s higher quality phở and if the basil and culantro are fresh, you know it’s going to be awesome.
Parking is a non-​issue so I can see why folks would defer to come here over Pho79, which can run out of spots. You really can’t go wrong at either place.

Order Egg roll when you are here. It’s the best I’ve ever had. Also number 30. I don’t even know what’s called, but it’s good!!! comes with this Fried wonton with a shrimp in the middle and broth on the side. When Quang’s parking lot is full (or not) give this place a try.

Had a bit of phở in my day, and soup is soup. But, PTB nails it!
Immediate seating, quick order, fast delivery. App’d some egg rolls, they were crispy and flavorful, sauce was light and an excellent compliment.
Then, the phở. Broth was BOILING hot, excellent portion of meat and dumplings, perfect noodle doneness. Fresh plate loaded high with sprouts, lettuce, mint, and lovely huge slices of jalapeño. Table sauces were many — fish sauce, soy, sriracha, etc.
The flavor profile was awesome, hearty and filling. I was so full I had a bit as take away, but that barely lasted 2 hours before I reheated and devoured it!
Menu includes rolls, curries, bahn mi, and other delectables. So good I’m bringing my co-​workers there next Friday for lunch. Only 4 stars because 5 is near perfection, and that’s hard to find.

PTB has been my go to Vietnamese restaurant for the last year or two. I used to venture down Nicollet street and visit a direct competitor but their phở there has declined so much that I can barely stand going in, even with their-​not-​so great service. But back to this place.
PTB has always been on point with their broth (clear and flavorful). I’m not the type to drink my broth but theirs is so good I can’t resist at times. I’m a minimalist when it comes to my phở. I don’t add extra sauces to mask anything, and with how theirs taste, you really don’t need to. I’m always surprised to find that people choose other phở places over this guy. Maybe I’m a die-​hard fan and a bit bias but I feel this place is worth the try.
The only downside to this place is the interior. It’s a bit outdated and can come off a bit dingy and dirty, but you can tell they try their best to keep up with standards and lighten up the place. When you walk into their doors you’ll be either greeted by a women that sits behind the counter as their cashier or a man that will ask you «how many?» before leading you to your table. Each table is assigned a number and once you’re done with your food you proceed up front and tell the cashier your table number.
My go-​to dishes here are A4 (grilled pork spring rolls– their normal spring rolls are just mediocre), café Sua da (which Is their coffee with condense milk-​they still use their traditional drip method contraption for their coffee), and #11 for phở (phở, tendon, beef meatballs, and slice beef)

I’ve came here a few times now and haven’t been too impressed by their food. I usually just order a Phở Tai or a Phở Tai Bo Vien and find that the broth is pretty average. It’s not extremely wonderful, but it’s also not bad– it’s just okay. I also find that the portions are a bit smaller than other typical phở restaurants. I also ordered their shrimp spring rolls last time I came here and found those to also be just okay. There wasn’t much flavor to them, just filled with the typical noodles, vegetables, and a few shrimp. However, their service is very fast and the food comes out almost immediately and you won’t have to ever worry about having an empty cup of water.
They are highly air conditioned and I was pretty cold the whole time I was there, but it was also the hottest day of summer so maybe that’s why. However, they have a very large restaurant and rarely will you have to wait to be seated and their parking lot is big enough for plenty of cars to fit. They are also located along Eat Street on Nicollet Avenue so it’s easy to shop at oriental Asian markets or grab some other desserts on your way home.

I’d say their Phở was average. I’ve had Phở from all over the country and Canada.
The large parking lot was nice, I hate having to pay for parking. The place itself was pretty big, lots of tables, so waiting for a table wasn’t an issue. We also showed up at 7:30pm, well past most people’s dinner time. LOL
I ordered the traditional Phở with all the trimmings. I wish the broth was a bit hotter though. The fresh basil, bean sprouts, and lime were nice. I wasn’t super hungry to try any appetizers, but i’d be willing to go back to test other menu options.

My favorite Vietnamese restaurant! Not sure why I haven’t written a review yet… ended up here years ago when we tried to go to Quangs but it was Tuesday and it was closed… and we found this restaurant. The salads are awesome and there’s a noodle dish… sorry forgot what it’s called need to look at the menu. and I just looked it up online but couldn’t find… it’s a dry noodle dish. Yes, dry crunchy noodles with a seafood sauce… it’s just AMAZING! Safe for me for food allergies as way… this is an AWESOME restaurant with plenty of parking at the end of Eat Street, It’s closer to uptown and easier to get there from uptown than from driving up from downtown…

We eat here fairly regularly and find the phở and egg rolls to be great. We always add sri racha sauce to the fish sauce for the egg rolls and it gives it a nice balance between sweet and spicy. Food is served quickly.

Still my favorite of the local phở shops on Eat Street and I love some of the dishes that they only have available on the weekends. This includes the rice porridge based dishes with chicken for the timid and swine offal for the adventurous! It also includes Bun Oc, the spicy, tomatoey based broth with tofu, some type of mystery meat dumplings and small, chewy periwinkle snails that squeak a little between your teeth! It’s a nice taste of authentic Vietnamese comfort food without having to leave the city and all for under $ 9. Based on the number of blackheads (Asians) in the place with me, I think they would agree!

Their Phở is pretty solid. Its just $ 8 for a huge bowl too. Their phở comes with lots of good side ingredients to mix in. Their egg rolls are also good.
Its a little dingy inside but nice enough. Lots of parking which is nice.
Ill keep searching for the best Phở in town…

Went to lunch here with some coworkers and we all got phở. One good thing about this place is the parking. It has a lot! So you’re not constantly watching your car to make wure it’s not being towed!
Anyway, I got the phở combo one with everything and i have to say, the phở was good. The eggrolls… not so much. It had too much cabbage and carrots and absolutely no flavor. The fish sauce dip was also too sweet. The phở was a good sized portion. Broth was nice and flavorful. I did happen to glance over at the neighbor’s food and they ordered the fried noodles, so if I go back, I may try that. However, just be aware that they only have about three waiters at peak lunch times and flagging one down did take us about ten minutes.

I decided to give this place a try a few weeks ago after realizing that I always stick to the same phở places like Phở Hoa, iPho, Quang’s, and Phở 79.
I get the usual dishes I would get at a Vietnamese restaurant: combination/​special phở with beef slices, tripes, tendons, meatballs, etc & a rice plate with shredded pork, pork chop, etc.
Phở:
Soup base was more of a one-​flavored-​note and too bland for my taste. I did not like the beef slices they served at all. They were not very good cuts and very dry — very different than the normal, soft, and tender beef slices that come with phở. They basically look like one flat and thin piece of beef — not much of it either. Noodles and other things were fine.
Rice Plate:
I really liked the sear and flavor on the Pork Chop. It was almost like you can taste the grill. Meatloaf was decent. The pickled radishes and carrots were not good at all. They were sort of soggy and not crunchy. I am not sure if I just got all of the leftover pieces or what? I suggest to slice them thinner. The sauce that comes with it was a bit strong on the fish sauce.
The restaurant wasn’t very clean either. Normally, I would be okay with that if the food is great, but it was alright, so I guess I will stick with my usual phở places.