Pho Cao

Cool little spot. Went with friends on a Thursday night for some phở and had a wonderful time. I had immediate flashbacks when pulling into the parking lot. Took me back about 10 years to when it was a hookah bar. Time flies. Fast. The food is good; I am new to the phở/​ramen thing and am loving every single minute. Delicious.
Thursday night is karaōke night. Fun times. Of course there are the few show offs, just like it is at any karaōke night. But who am I to judge them for spending their whole entire week prepping for this? Hog that mic dude singing Whitney Houston, I’m not drunk enough anyway. ;)

I enjoy visiting Phở Cao for Vietnamese food (Spring Rolls & Phở).
I love the Live Music atmosphere.
I go to Gypsy’s Blues Jam on Tuesdays whenever I can. She’s a gracious host & it’s a fun jam! :)

Phở with live blues playing was a bit odd. I spent most of my time there look to see if John Tapper from Bar Rescue was going to walk in. The food was average at best.

Love this place! My favorite spot for phở with the best service. The staff is chill and super nice

I’m here right now. It’s my first time. My friends took me her for my birthday. Service was great! Food was okay. Being Vietnamese everything tasted on the bland side. The main reason why I gave this place a 2 star is we came here on Thursday for karaōke. You write your name on a list to wait in line. I got a chance to sing my song and my friends we right behind me on the list but for some reason they didn’t get to sing after me. So I was confused. I believe the DJ for the karaōke puts up people he know and regulars first before us. Which is a totally unfair and bias. I don’t get how a restaurant will gain new regulars when they do this to new people. Probably will be my first and last time here. Was a fun spot til that happened. :/

Very excited I came to this place. I gotta admit I went around 2 in the afternoon and there were Almost no cars in the parking lot and the building is pretty skeptical from the outside, but I thought hey why not!
Phở with chicken and added veggies, my bowl came out super fast and overflowing with goodies inside! I was so busy enjoying the broth, veggies and meat I almost forgot about the noodles!
Can’t wait to come again!
**I come here every week, now**

Phở cao dao from Cali will never top any phở I’ll ever eat but surprisingly I enjoyed the phở from this resto. The noodles were fresh and their crispy rolls was cooked to perfection. Definitely would come back again! Yum!

I think our expectations were a little different than what we got.
This place is not so much a restaurant as it is everything else. It’s a bar, it’s a lounge, it’s a live music venue. The menu is plentiful… plenty of asian cuisine, including Phở. But there’s a pool table and a stage. And a musician performing an extensively long sound check. Once the band started, we ate as fast as we could not because the music was bad, but because it was too damn loud for us to hear each other talk!
The service had much to be desired. Our server, very young, had no idea what several of the menu items were when we asked questions about them. But instead of offering to ask the cook, he just stood there with his hands in his pockets saying «Um, you know, I really don’t know what that is»…well…GO FIND OUT!
And I don’t know if you’ve ever been the last to finish your food, but normally, the server leaves some plates. But instead of just letting us rest a bit, he was trying to take away our plates that still had food on them, and even while one of us was still eating, he asked if we wanted a to go box for her meal, and put the check out. At waffle house, sure… but we just expected a bit better.
My clay pot with crunchy rice was anything but crunchy. It was basically steamed rice, beneath a layer of steamed vegetables with some thick sweet sauce poured on top of it. Not tasty at all.
Anyway, we tried and we disliked.

Fun place. Went there for the first with a couple friends on a Thurs. night for karaōke and some drinks. We generally go to various karaōke bars in the east valley and wanted to give this one a shot. Crowd was definitely a 20’s crowd, however I think there was a special celebration going on that night that brought in the big group.
Phil does karaōke on Thurs nights there and he always does a great job. Drink prices were reasonable but nothing to brag about. Will probably venture back there again.

Not all phở restaurants are created equal and this place is no exception. I can’t complain though. The servings are big and very filing. Atmosphere is kind of dark with black and orange painted walls but i can’t rate them on the color of their walls everyone has different taste. All in all this place is good I will be returning. oh! And about phở soup being great for colds and hangovers. .this is so very true.

the set up is nice, but the food is awful. I had chicken teriyaki and asked for noodles instead of white rice. the chicken was slimy and it did not look or taste like chicken and the noodles were stuck together when I put my fork in them the whole bunch came up. When I told them it was awful they still wanted to charge me full price. They only gave me a 10% discount. That’s poor business I won’t recommend or every eat there again.

Best phở in town and killer atmosphere. I would happily write an extensive review written exclusively using phở puns but I’m too drunk thanks to the strong drinks and dope servers, especially Chris.

Missed the band. Flat beer. No roses lime juice. Great staff and a cool crowd. Wish WWF got here earlier. Will come back.

I came with my mom on a weeknight and we both enjoyed our experience. The restaurant/​bar/​lounge/​nightclub (?) is an interesting concept but the service and food here were good. We started with the shrimp spring rolls and both ordered phở, I ordered meatball and my mom ordered chicken. The veggies for $ 2 extra is totally worth it too– they give you a lot of nice broccoli, carrots and other assorted veggies. Good prices here too– I would come back.

Food was delicious but the after effects not so much. Both my son and I had nasty bubble guts. Shoulda stuck to my usual Phở place.

We love the Bun Bo Hue, or spicy beef noodle soup. If you like phở, you have to try this. Thicker noodles, darker spicier broth, and it has a mixture of meets.
The fried egg rolls are bomb! But most Vietnamese egg rolls are bomb, so what can I say.
They have a Bo Luc Lac dish, or shaken beef thats pretty good. I would rate it a 3 of 5 because Ive had better. Its a little too sweet for my palate.

Nothing is good here. Came in for lunch and was very disappointed. No napkins on the table, no plates with our appetizer. Paid for food we hardly touched. The flavor was off and the spring rolls were stuffed with iceberg lettuce. The location is great but good Veitnamese food can be found elsewhere and will be worth the drive.

Awesome phở ! But music was just a little bit too loud, was hard to have a conversation with my boyfriend,

This is a new location for Phở Cao since they moved. I rather liked this location better than the first since it’s easier to access and the layout is more open. Open mic on Sunday evenings!
I sat at the bar alone and at first Phở Cao somewhat still confuses me; Vietnamese Phở restaurant at a dive bar? I guess it works in a sense, but I was just trying to watch the game and didn’t care much for the performance. I ordered a Export 33 to start and just a bowl of regular Phở. They have ramen Phở, but I wasn’t sure if I should go for it since I didn’t feel to adventurous that night. Overall, the Phở is pretty good. Broth came nice and piping hot they way I like it! I think the side sprouts, basil, and jalapeño could be at tad bit fresher, but maybe it’s out of season.
In the end, Phở Cao definitely caters to a new crowd that enjoys their Phở with a beer and live music. You probably won’t see many traditional Phở lovers here, but that doesn’t matter. I would like to point out I do appreciate good service here. My bartender was busting her butt; as a former waiter, I totally understand that work life and appreciate what it has made me become. Kudos to the bartender! — Enjoy!

I came here for lunch with a friend. I ordered their Phở Gah. The atmosphere is similar to a dive bar atmosphere, not your typical Phở place. I read other reviews ahead of time saying this but took the chance since the first Phở option we wanted was closed.
When we walked in a server/​hostess told us to sit anywhere we’d like. Every booth seemed to have an empty glass or finished plate (about 3 or 4 empty booths like this) besides those currently occupied. We opted for a two person table instead. One of our chairs was sticky and so was the menu.
The food itself was ok. I judge Phở by the chicken, this chicken seemed liked it was canned and not fresh. They do serve coconuts though, if you are thirsty or Jasmine tea. That is if you don’t want alcohol from the bar. I ordered tea, but I didn’t realize they planned on bringing it cold when I prefer hot. Though, I wasn’t asked a preference either way.
I would eat here again, it’s just not my first choice for Phở.

I sat here over 20 minutes before anyone asked me can I help you… Bad customer service!

It seems like this place is trying to make it work, but it’s barely working…
I got the surf and turf Phở and I got 2 pieces of beef and 2 pieces of shrimp for 9 $, I’m not impressed. His was the house rice and it looked like a pile of mush!
Staff was attentive and friendly…
Don’t over charge the customer so you can afford a space as big as a warehouse!

There’s nothing like a piping hot bowl of phở! My favorite thing on the menu is definitely the steak and meatball phở. I get it every time I come here along with the spring rolls.
Great atmosphere and a good staff. I’ve been here several times now and can say that wont change anytime soon. The food always comes out fairly quickly and never disappoints! I love that this place has a bar and has a fairly decent drink menu with good prices. Sake bombers are a must, I always get them when I come here.
Perfect location for a weekend date or just to catch up with friends. Don’t pass this place up, it will not disappoint!

Upon walking into Phở Cao I immediately felt the dive bar atmosphere as has been pointed out previously, with music playing a bit too loudly for my taste. However, it felt cool and the employees were really friendly, my server also knew his menu well.
I ordered the Spider Crab Spring Roll (Goi Cuon Cua Lot), Fried Chicken Dumplings (Ha Cao Chien), and the Ramen Noodle Phở. The softshell crab was my favorite, felt really fresh and healthy. The ramen phở was also good, but nothing special. I was kinda disappointed over the dumplings, the consistency of the chicken was a bit bland and the overall dumpling was doughy. Finally, the price was kinda steep. Therefore I give the whole experience 3-​stars.
Although the food wasn’t great, I would come back to one of their nightly events. As I wrote previously, the staff were friendly and I felt the atmosphere was cool. They organize open mic nights, karaōke, and have live performances. So that’s definetly something to check out!

8.50 for a regular bowl of Phở and 2.50 for a coke!!! Uh… How about no? After tip I spent $ 14. The phở here isn’t even that great because the meat was odd tasting. Service was okay in that it was fast, but the ambiance of this place is off-​putting. I was hesitant to come here, but not coming back because of price and atmosphere (and I came when it was quite).

I have gone here a couple of times for lunch, and I tried this place for a late dinner on a Saturday night. I think the experience is a 3 but the food is a 4.
The good: the phở and the goi cuon (spring and «summer» rolls) are pretty legit. Despite the higher prices (what do you expect in Scottsdale), the flavor is on point. The service is fast and I like that there is an option to have beer with my Vietnamese food (because Heineken makes the experience, people).
The meh: Weekend nights are strange here. We showed up at around 8 or so. There were 3 – 4 different cover bands singing karaōke-​grade covers, and all 55+ as far as age. That’s not a bad thing, it just wasn’t the scene I was hoping for. It was, however, really obvious they need a sound guy. The feedback on the speakers was miserable and ongoing. Not pleasant for a dining experience.
I would like to go back again (and this is 100x better than Noodles Ranch up the street) but I’ll try again on karaōke night to see how the vibe is.

great price and excellent service
tried chicken phở delicious !!

Nice place with decent Asian food. Phở Cao is mainly a bar that also serves food. Good staff that seems to care about their patrons.
Wish they’d cut back on the garlic and use better quality chicken parts (i.e. Only use chicken breasts).

I’ve had this place bookmarked for awhile, but it took a coworker’s ravings for the phở here for me to finally drop in and see what it’s all about. (He told me that the owners are coworkers from another department.) I read a couple of Unilocal friends’ reviews, and I agree with Kay T.‘s opinion that the restaurant is a dive bar. Upon entering the place, I was disappointed to see that it really was a dive bar, but I wasn’t surprised to find the atmosphere as it is, since another coworker’s attempt at owning a bar (this was ten years ago) had the same atmosphere. It’s just a place where people can go after work, still in their black undershirts and black pants, and get a buzz on, or get wasted. Thankfully, the steak phở I tried here was delicious! $ 7.50 for the regular-​size bowl, plus add $ 2.50 for tendon option. I could even order veggies (bok choy, broccoli, carrot, and something else; important thing is that one may ask for any of these ingredients omitted– great for those with food allergies!) for an extra $ 2. For drink options, the Thai iced tea was too pricey ($ 4, and the restaurant didn’t have any to sell), and an order of Vietnamese coffee was $ 5 (!!). So far, this dive served food and Asian beverages sounded a little pricey for a place I hadn’t tried, yet, so I just went with phở and added tendons. The side dish of sprouts, sprigs of cilantro and mint, and lime arrived first, and seeing how small it was, I knew that the bowl with also be smaller than I’m used to. And it was, but oh, so tasty! The slices of steak was tender; a nice amount of tendon cuts added more textures; and a good amount of egg noodles. I must preface that I’d skipped the second «meal» I’d normally have at work in order to have room for this phở meal, so perhaps I was so hungry, anything would taste great. All I can report is that this is the very first bowl of phở where I ate everything– steak pieces, all of the sprouts on that side dish, egg noodles, AND tendon pieces! The only thing left was a bit of soup. Had that soup not been so salty, I probably would’ve consumed half of what was eventually left over… Afterwards, I did feel that the soup had a LOT of sodium in it, and my face felt swollen, so I think the broth may even have MSG in it, and if Phở Cao uses MSG, I won’t be able to return for a second tasting.
Based on that first bowl of phở, I would like to take my mom here, since she also enjoys a great bowl of phở. (We’ll just split a large order.) She’s a lot tougher a judge than me, though, since she knows how much it costs to make a broth meal (food shopping, costs, and preparation time). I just know that upon seeing and feeling the ambiance of the place, she will ask me to take her somewhere else– I don’t blame her, I almost left without dining here myself! If I’m right about the MSG, I won’t have a reason to return.
The female bartender that served me was friendly, and the male server that handled the one table I saw occupied was, as well. Happy hour is served from 3p to 6p. I didn’t ask if there was reverse happy hour. Given the area, though, I wouldn’t want to be there that late in the evening.

It’s ok. It doesn’t feel like a phở place… more like a noisy dive bar. I mean, if you are into that then it’s fine. I just like that it’s open late and serves phở. Recently I had the ramen phở and it wasn’t bad. I was expecting it to be terrible, but it wasn’t!
Service was bad though. We waited 45 minutes before we got our food. The waiter cited that they were busy, but seriously? 45 minutes to dump some broth onto the noodles? Oh well.
I give it 3 stars because it’s open late and it’s not terrible phở. However, during the day, I’m heading to my usual phở place that’s $ 4 cheaper, have better meat portions, faster service, and better tasting phở.

I was torn between four and five stars. For some reason I expected a place that looked all nice and beautiful on the inside and the food would be mediocre. But it was the exact opposite. When I walked into the place I was surprised how plain it was and almost resembled a dive bar.
But then everything changed. Our server was very good with the menu and had several recommendations and was extremely helpful. The food was very tasty and the pineapple fried rice was outstanding.
It will probably end up being one of my go to places because the price was right for outstanding food. I’m not as concerned about the cheap bar décor. It was just a bit of an odd experience.

Okay, so I finally get to this. After experiencing the «basement» of past Phở Cao, I was so happy to see they have moved on up to the Northeast side. The night we went they had live music, the Phở was good, and the service shined. I wish people wouldn’t bring their screaming toddlers to places that serve a lot of alcohol. The place was loaded with whiners and criers. But food was good and that’s why we came.

This place is the MUTHA-​PHO-​CAO!
We came here on a whim since I’ve been craving phở.
My boyfriend was very hesitant to eat here but decided «happy wife. happy life». Boy wasn’t he happy after he finished devouring the Mongolian beef! I had the phở tai and potstickers.
This place definitely has great potential for a late night night cap that’s close to home.