Pho All Seasons

I love this restaurant. The food is so fresh and the proprietors are quality people. I am very lucky to work in the neighborhood and eat here 2 to 3 times a week. I have explored the menu. Pho, Wonton soup, chicken salad, beef salad are all wonderful. The food consistently makes me happy and grateful that they are here.

After a long work week in Ames and having good, but mostly American/Western food, we needed an ethnic fix. Enter my comfort zone, Pho from my motherland.

I knew we were in the right place when we walked I. And half of the restaurant were Vietnamese peeps. Was a warming experiencing hearing patrons throw a few traditional Lunar New Year greetings at each other and the owners.

It's a small mom and pop shop, so much so, pop was the sole soldier working the entire front of the house. As such, don't expect super fast service, but good service nonetheless.

We started with the fresh spring rolls, which were good, and their fried egg rolls, which I probably won't order again. The egg rolls were pretty much veggies, loosely filled, and served with a sweet and sour type dipping sauce. It was more of an Americanized Chinese style egg roll, not a Vietnamese cha gio with nouc cham.

I ordered the pho dac biet and it was VERY good. The large is HUGE. Most places back home have suffered from shrink-flation and large bowls are tiny now. Not this place, I struggled to finish the bowl.

My friends got the seafood pho, and another got the pho ga (chicken). I of course did not slide my chopsticks in theirs and swipe a bite, but they said they enjoyed theirs.

I would definitely come back here again and maybe try some of their other dishes.

Absolutely excellent food quality, presentation and service. Couldn't ask for better from Pho. Sorry, no pics this time.

Absolutely PHOnomenal! Fast service, friendly faces, family atmosphere. This place is definitely the epitome of "diamond in the rough". The outside leaves you a bit skeptical, but I encourage you to walk inside and experience some of the best Vietnamese cuisine I've ever had!

A stand alone restaurant with ample parking. It's a family owned gem. The inside is not much to look at but the food is outstanding. Fresh authentic ingredients, large Thai leaves, mint, leeks and onions... large portions and the flavors are just amazing. Another culinary gem in Des Moines on my list of favorites! They make the best Pho I've ever had and all the other dishes I've tried have been equally amazing.

I don't know that we've ever missed dining here when in Des Moines since we discovered this place. Unfortunately they haven't had wings available the last couple of times but the firecracker shrimp makes for a good substitute.

I went with the lettuce wrap instead this time and enjoyed every bite of that!

Their grilled pork Bahn Mi is the best in the state that I've found so far. Being from Cedar Rapids we have none available. Iowa City has had decent options from time to time but none still in business that I'm aware of.

Anytime I have a chance to go to Des Moines my mouth immediately starts watering in anticipation of this place and the delicious flavors available from their sandwiches, appetizers, and pho.

They make a great chicken pho that I like to get without noodles. They provide extra bean sprouts. The Bahn Mi is too good to pass up even though I'm avoiding breads these days. I can pass on pizza but not on this sandwich!

If you want some adventure and like bold flavors, you want to try this place.

The best grilled pork banh mi in Des Moines, in competition with the best I've ever had across D.C, SF, San Francisco...and dare I say it, Vietnam.

If you like crunch, heat, unami, tartness, pate...don't miss out! =)

Pho broth is super flavorful, and the pork bahn mi is delicious! Been looking for a great pho spot in Des Moines.. So happy we finally tried this place!

The noodles away hard and it cold and the restaurant some they open and some time they close if they want

Not impressed at all. Bun Bo Hue wasn't spicy at all. Meat was tough. Broth was thin and fishy. No blood cube. The salt and pepper squid was not salty or peppery. It was deep fried, so at least that part was right.
So I won't be back. It was just lame. Its a cheap dinner and there are actual Vietnamese people here eating, but I guess that's because there is nowhere else.