6-1-Pho

Was visiting son here in Columbus and because I like to check new Vietnamese places had the opportunity to check this one. The phở broth (vegetarian broth) was very flavorful and the chicken was surprisingly moist (which dried out chicken tends to be one of my main complaints). The vegetaran spring rolls were quite delicious with a hint of basil. Price was well equivalent to the fulfilling content of my appetite. It maybe difficult for me to be swayed to try other places during my visit. And i did very much like the choice of background music, as it applied well to the laid back feeling a fua ll tummy can give.

Being gluten free they were very accommodating. But I think they are extremely overpriced. And it was not the best phở I have ever had. Just ok. I was kinda disappointed.

The banh mi was no good. It was supposed to have pork belly and pâté, but the meat inside had the texture of overdone roast beef and not a lot of flavor. The bread, which should have been warm and crisp and crackling outside and soft inside, was just kind of meh, like, «I’m a tired hoagie roll and I’ve over everything.» Alas.
I’m a banh mi fan, and a wordplay fan, so I was really hoping for better from 6−1-Phở. But if I’m back and try something else and it’s good, I’ll update my review.

The clever name is what brought me here. I am a phở fanatic… Maybe the reason for the sub par rating. When I entered, I was greeted by the shop owner… Pleasant surprise. The atmosphere was ok… Kind of commercialized, but very clean. It was set up like Chipotle, easy ordering. We had steak phở & pork belly Banh mi. The phở was just OK. The broth was bland and kind of greasy. The vegetables were fresh but I didn’t like how they served the veggies in a takeout container. I hard the disposable spoons! They do have recycling which is a plus but kind of an oxymoron with all of the plastic being used. The banh mi was not great… Not even good. I threw it away after a couple of bites. The veggies were fresh and good but the meat, not so much. Looked like prepackaged crappy cold meat. So yeah. The more I write, the more I want to rate this 2 stars. But the owner was very pleasant.

I work right across the street and have tried a lot of what they have. The sandwiches and rice bowls are mediocre but the Phở is really great!

Phở/​Com/​Bun served like Chipotle. (You pick the broth, meat, and other toppings at the counter.) I love the concept! The staff is very friendly, and it is a local business, so I do really want them to succeed… But as things currently stand, this restaurant will not survive. There are too many better alternatives in Columbus.
First, the broth for my beef phở tonight was the least flavorful out of all the phos I’ve ever had in my life. Their beef broth is entirely dependent on adding hoisin sauce and sriracha to have any flavor. Phở broth should have enough flavor in it to stand on its own should you choose not to add any sauce… and the broth here fails that litmus test. Every other phở that I’ve tasted in Columbus (Lan Viet, Buckeye Phở, Phở Asian Noodle House, Tai’s Asian Bistro, and the now closed Lac Viet all serve superior phở.)
My next concern is the meat selection. They do allow you to do half & half of two types of meat. (I went with half beef, half rare steak tonight.) But every beef phở I’ve ever had previously came with sliced beef (rare or not), meatball, and stewed beef tendon. So despite the superficial appearance of having a variety of meat on the menu, you actually get less variety in your beef phở at this restaurant. And the already cooked beef was tough and relatively flavorless.
And finally, the price. It’s waaaaaaaay overpriced. I’ve never paid over $ 10 for a beef phở, and that’s what I paid here after tax. Why am I paying more for phở in North Clintonville than I would downtown at the North Market?
So in summary: inferior phở at a higher price than the competition. Rather disappointing. A part of me wants to give them another try, maybe try out their rice bowl or the bahn mi sandwich next time. But unless they revamp their broth, I’ve definitely had their phở for the very last time.

Good food but was a little pricey for my taste. Phở is too simple to be this expensive

I was back in 61-​PHO again a couple days ago and it really was great. I love the inside of the restaurant, it’s so green and kind of like you are in a garden of sorts. Sadly, I ordered my food to-​go again as I had to hurry home but, again, the décor was so inviting I almost changed my mind. It took my order less than 15 minutes. I ordered the tofu bowl with some rice and veggies. Next time I think I might just ask for veggies. One thing is for sure, it all tasted unbelievably fresh. I don’t think I could ever say I had tasted freshness until I ate that bowl!
I also got the veggie spring rolls, those things are to die for. I could make a meal out of those. Or several meals. I hope more people check it out, the employees have been nice and helpful each time I’ve gone. It’s just such a cute cool little place!

Luckily I was fortunate enough when I was a kid to have had several friends who were Vietnamese. This place brought back excellent memories of my childhood eating phở, which is my go-​to meal here. It’s so wonderful that it’s almost addictive. Service is wonderful!

Phở served Chipotle style in a modern setting., with a cute restaurant name Well, we got our food quickly and it was a huge portion, so there were some plusses. The individual topping container with lime, cilantro, bean sprouts, and sauce was also a nice touch, especially for people getting takeout. But the phở itself was just okay. Not offensively bad, but the broth was definitely on the bland side, and that’s the most important component! The rare steak took a while to cook in the hot broth (so if you don’t like to see your meat still red, avoid this option!), but the meat was good.
I’m kind of curious to try the other offerings, but overall there seems to be much better Vietnamese food options in Columbus (Huong Viet, Buckeye Phở, Mili).

I went to 61PHO for takeout. It has a great modern atmosphere. Great for dining in or take out. Service was fast and friendly! They dont just have PHO, they have Vietnamese noodle bowls and sandwiches too!
I was asked if it was my first time and was given a thorough explanation of all the choices. I had the Vegetarian PHO and it was delicious!
They give you the broth, noodles and veggies in seperate containers when you do take out. She explained how to prepare it, and of course I forgot when I got home… only thing I would suggest is an instruction card for take out. Will visit again!

This is a great locally owned restaurant. In keeping with the casual fast-​food trend, it basically Vietnamese «Chipotle». The phở is delicious (I Iove the beef broth with meatballs!) and the menu is very simple while also being progressive with surprising options like Bahn-​mi (sub), Com (a rice bowl), and Bun (a cold noodle salad). It’s a great place, Lisa, who is one of the owners is very friendly, and I hope they are here to stay!

I LOVE 614! I heard they had a rough opening, but they must have worked all their kinks out when we made our visit. The Phở bowl is a HUGE serving, so you might elect to share. Also, they have the best vegie rolls I’ve ever had, so make sure to get an order of those too. The patio is nice, but they trap you in there — so if somebody is meeting you there, they have to go inside, to meet you outside. I think it may be a way of keeping pets out too. Can’t wait to come back and try some more menu items!

First of all, I’ve been excited to try this place ever since they opened as I live just down the street and really enjoy myself a hot, steamy bowl of phở on colder days. So when I was out running errands on a brisk, overcast Sunday afternoon, it was a no-​brainer that I would grab phở as I made my way back home.
Because I was in a rush of sorts, I didn’t have much time to take in the surroundings of the space, but I remember the décor being very clean and modern. The assembly-​line style ordering process makes it easy to have a fresh, quick meal whether you’re staying or going, plus the simple menu of soup bowls, rice bowls, noodle salad bowls, banh mi sandwiches and spring rolls makes ordering a breeze.
The young girl who took my order was very cheerful, helpful and answered my questions with ease. Being a vegetarian, I ordered the phở with vegetarian broth and tofu. The girl loaded up my bowl with a huge portion of steaming hot rice noodles and topped it with what I think was an onion and scallion mix. Not quite sure, but it looked very fresh — as did everything else.
I then moved down the line to the cashier who opened a small refrigerator that housed plastic containers of the phở fixings. Each contained a few slices of fresh jalapeño peppers, a fair amount of bean sprouts, sriracha and hoisin sauce, a lime wedge and to my disappointment just a a couple small leaves of Thai basil and a few tiny sprigs of cilantro (I didn’t realize how little they give you until I got home). I did ask for more slices of jalapeño because I like my phở spicy and don’t enjoy adding sriracha unless it’s totally warranted (takes away from the aromatic and very flavorful broth).
I pretty much raced home because I was so stoked to enjoy my phở — my walk taking me about 15 minutes instead of the usual 20 or so. I opened my bag to find a bowl of noodles and tofu, the container of toppings and a container of broth. I was quite impressed with the broth’s aroma, but sadly, it wasn’t hot. Boooo. Perhaps this was due to my walk, but it didn’t take that long and the temperature wasn’t cold enough to result in barely lukewarm phở.
So I nuked the broth in the microwave for a minute or two, dumped it over the noodles and added my toppings. The broth was so delicious, I couldn’t stop slurping it, and the large portion of rice noodles left my hungry belly fairly satisfied.
Overall, I give this place three stars. But I have some suggestions for the owners that could put this review at four or even five stars later on:
1.) Add a few more sprigs of cilantro and more Thai basil leaves. This is one of the best parts of phở and you guys really skimped on it.
2.) Offer a vegetarian option with veggies in place of tofu. Maybe carrots, peas, mushrooms, broccoli, etc. I actually rarely eat tofu for various health reasons, so I only ate a couple pieces of the tofu. If I could’ve added veggies instead, I wouldn’t have had to make myself a snack not even two hours later.
3.) Lower the price. I think a bowl of veggie phở shouldn’t cost more than 8 bucks. At 9.75, it’s two dollars more than a bowl of vegetarian phở at Buckeye Phở — and they give you veggies plus heaping portions of fresh herbs. But guess what you guys have over Buckeye Phở? Dat broth, tho. YUM.
I think 6−1-Phở’s reviews have been fairly poor simply because they’re still working out some kinks as they’re very new to the Cbus food scene. But if the owners take Unilocalers’ suggestions to heart, I think they could find their groove and be well on their way to becoming a local success story.

Great concept. Poorly executed.
Arrived an hour before closing as indicated on the handwritten sign on the door. The employees were locking the door already and telling potential customers that they were already closed. Eventually, they changed their mind and reopened the doors.
The concept is intended to be the Vietnamese version of Chipotle or Piada. Unfortunately, it took 45 minutes to get the food despite being 8^th in line. The holdup was not the food preparation but the slow checkout process.
Food was OK but not exceptional. Definitely not worth the wait. Might have been worth it service was nearly instant.

Décor: light and modern on the inside, a large bright green wall with chalk drawings dominates the space. Bamboo in vases and jars on every table make it feel less like you’re eating in a quick-​serve atmosphere. Plenty of room and parking.
Food: three pretty standard Vietnamese options (phở, com, and bun), with plenty of variety in proteins and toppings. Overall, food was solid, but not spectacular.
Bottom line: great for a quick bite, but if I’m craving Vietnamese I’ll stick with my other Columbus standards.

One star for poor execution in the Chipotle-​esque concept. Fresh food becomes entirely ruined when it is turned into fast food.
First off, you can’t leave bun (vermicelli noodles) out in the cold sitting in a container waiting to be used. The noodles will harden, clump together and become hard to digest. This is exactly what happened to mine in my bowl.
Wanna know what else is hard to digest? Raw egg rolls. Since they didn’t have the traditional thit nuong (grilled pork that usually goes with the dish), I opted for egg rolls… Except the meat inside my egg rolls were still pink and the shell was soggy. When you’re rushing to serve in a timely matter, things like this happen. If it were a sit down restaurant, you wouldn’t have this kind of expectation. (I told the owner about the raw meat and she quickly made a new bowl)
I sat down and tried my friend’s phở while I waited for my food to be returned and — yikes. The broth was cold and bland. Usually at phở restaurants, the broth is at a boil so when you pour it over the meat and noodles, it’ll cook them. However, when you’re served luke-​warm broth, it leaves the beef still very raw.
Not many people will pay $ 10 for a fast food meal. And not many people will pay $ 3.50 to add extra protein. I pay less than this at authentic Vietnamese restaurants that take time to make my dish.
Steering far from authenticity, 61Pho lacks research and it clearly shows. Had the owners looked further into this concept, things would’ve been better executed. Quality was poor, service needs work and pricing is irrational.

To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much from 61Pho, especially on their soft opening night. However, the restaurant was truly a hot mess soon after I arrived. The efficiency, typical of a Chipotle-​esque restaurant, was definitely not there. They were seemingly well-​staffed, but in terms of menu inventory and food preparation, they were definitely slow and not prepared. By 630 pm, they had already started running out of menu items. With adequate prep and inventory, I’m sure this will improve. It has to in order for 61Pho to succeed.
The restaurant itself is small, but clean and well-​lit. Even after taking into consideration the outdoor seating (3 tables), the space is still on the small side. Also if the line gets too long, the outer wall seating is affected, making 61Pho feel very claustrophobic. While the restaurant was a frenzy on soft opening day, the staff was extremely polite and kept everyone happy for the most part. The owner was apologetic and actively sought out feedback, which was a good sign.
Food-​wise, I ordered the Pork Bahn Mi. It seemed like the smart choice, given the fact that they were running out of everything else. It was hastily and sloppily prepared in front of my eyes. Unlike traditional bahn mi i’ve had with thinly sliced cold cuts, the pork used at 61Pho consisted of thick pieces (shoulder and belly) that were precooked and skewered. This made for quite a hearty sandwich. As messy as it looked, it tasted great. The homemade French Pâté was rich with flavor and their mayonnaise seemed to have a spicy kick to it. My only qualm was that the bread could have been crunchier. Definitely one of the better (albeit not as traditional) bahn mi’s I’ve had in Columbus.
From a pricing perspective, I thought items were reasonably priced but definitely not inexpensive for the quantity of food you receive. I’m using Lan Viet in the North Market as the main source of comparison. A phở at 61Pho runs you $ 10, a rice/​noodle bowl $ 9, a bahn mi $ 8 and spring rolls $ 6. Lan Viet’s pricing is $ 8, $ 8, $ 5 and $ 3 comparatively. The pricing is most likely not going to be an issue for most, but I think cutting menu item prices by $ 1 would make the public happier. However, I can also understand the business side of things.
Overall a shaky soft opening for 61Pho, but the quality of their bahn mi will make me come back. I can’t comment on the phở or rice/​noodle bowl dishes, but judging from the appearance my friends’ dishes, they looked just okay. I’ll be back for the bahn mi, hopefully they will have their efficiency issues sorted out by then.

I’m torn on this one.
I met the Columbus Food Culture and Fun group here for 61Pho’s soft opening tonight. This space is quite tiny inside. Something like three or four booth tables. The patio area was fantastic, with the long, wide tables (great for groups)!
I do think they could benefit even more if the grand opening wasn’t tomorrow nite. I felt the staff was still somewhat discombobulated. Not to mention there were so many of them working behind the counter. I’m assuming they were mentally prepping, in case they got a large clientele, but the efficiency does still have room for improvement. We got here just in time, too. A long line began to form as soon as we sat down. That’s definitely a plus for this joint — the more people, the more the word spreads, the more traffic they will get (ideally).
On to the food. I shared their Vietnamese Spring Rolls and Bun bowl with chicken. The only other Bun I have to compare is Lan Viet (in the North Market), and 61Pho’s was not up to par, in my opinion. With that said, I thought the salad tonite was decent. The sweet rice vinegar (?) dressing was slight, the perfect accent. I do wish the toppings were more — I loved all the veggies. The chicken was moist and had good flavor.
The owner came out to check on our group. She was polite, pleasant. I think it’s a double plus that she asked us for any suggestions/​improvements. And she listened intently to our comments with a smile. I hope this establishment is able to iron out the kinks, and is successful!

Tonight was their soft opening, only announced to their social media network, and it must be a rather large network for there were a lot of people there. So much so they started running out of ingredients at 7 PM! I already knew it was going to be heaven for you could smell the broth’s five spice from the parking lot. I LOVE that spice (if that was what it was…)
They’re following the ever-​poplar Chipotle format, where you get in line and wait for a series of people to construct your custom Phở (soup bowl), Com (rice bowl) or Bun (salad bowl). I got a Beef Phở with beef broth ($ 9.75.) Again, such a nice fragrance of spices, but, I’m not tasting a lot of depth. So, not the best in the city, but SO CLOSE!
Next, (yes next!) I got the Pork Banh Mi ($ 8.75.) OH. MY. So, so good. Everything was perfect, including the paté which makes or breaks a bahn mi for me. The bread was a little hard, but fresh-​a first day kink, I feel. It had «rolled» pork belly and pork shoulder (which seemed to be skewered and grilled), that perfect paté, some mayo and pickled veggies. Oh, and cilantro. HAVE to have that for a proper Banh Mi. There’s also a subtle sweetness to it, probably the paté, which made everything meld so well.
They have a small patio and the inside could probably seat up to fifty, so if you time it correctly you could probably fit a couple small groups in there.
Vietnamese coffee (iced and hot), soft drinks and you can make an bowl of phở a kid’s size for $ 5. They also had vietnamese rolls (a fave of mine but already sold out), vegetarian spring rolls and various fried egg rolls. So it’s a great place for vegans, vegetarians and gluten free.
All-​in-​all a great start. The team seemed to be hustling, getting orders out and visiting tables. I’ll definitely be returning to try all their Phở broths (three!) and proteins (a whopping five!)