"Since last year, I've made it a personal mission to hit up every pho spot throughout the city and it feels nice to tack off Pho VN 21 off my list. They check off most of the boxes: really solid pho, good service, and affordable prices. I wouldn't hesitate to come back for more.Pho VN 21 isn't a particularly large space, but it's got the potential for seating all kinds of groups. It's got that divey feel, which has always been a driver for me, along with the semi-tacky chandelier, random plant placement, and a bustling staff. This is an ideal spot for solo dining when it's not busy but the likelihood for the rowdy ambiance is very high. To no one's surprise, the bathrooms are not their strong suit.This is one of the only Viet places I've seen that has Spanish translations for their dishes. Rollo de primavera spring roll)? Sopa de carne con fideo beef noodle soup)? Estofado de res beef stew)? These are pretty direct translations and it seems to work as I noticed a number of Spanish speaking patrons. Buen trabajo.The pho is solid. The broth will always play the most important role and while it's not as fragrant as I like, I still appreciate the clean finish and strong flavor. I appreciate that my bowl of pho dac biet had no shortage of meat and was packed with all kinds of cuts, which included a very nice flank and tender chunks of tendon. I also tried their bun thit nuong, where the grilled pork was subtly sweet and nicely charred. The gui cuon summer rolls were certainly better than their semi-wimpy cha gio spring rolls, but both were still worthy appetizers. My Viet coffee was overly sweet #1) and served in a beer pint.While the service was a tinge on the slow side, they were friendly and conversing with us in Viet and really whack Chinese. We appreciated the good natured humor and were impressed at how quickly everything made it to our table. Overall, I liked the food and want to come back to try much more.____________ #1) Not complaining. Lay on that condensed milk."
