Pho Far East

Really early morning flights are never easy, but here I was pulling up at the Phở Far East here in Raleigh, NC after a wicked early morning flight from Baton Rouge, LA. After picking up my rental car at RDU, I was off to do lunch with a friend.
I learned of this Vietnamese restaurant a couple of months prior to arrival when a friend of mine who lives in Raleigh mentioned thi is place to me as being one of the best in the city. Not to mention that one of her nieces regularly eats here and also claims to be one of the best too. And and so, it was meant to be coming here for lunch after arrival to Raleigh on a crisp summer day on June 2016. It’s unofficially a new state to which I have a bowl of great soothing Phở in and it’s in North Carolina! Always nice to be back on the east coast to find Vietnamese restaurants to feast in! The entire experience here was as average as you can get, being that this place is in a small shopping center and the ambiance was rather nice and casual. We got here at around 11:15am and it was fairly light. A few tables were occupied already, but it wasn’t busy at all. There was no visible air conditioning, but it felt comfortable anyway. Nothing uneventful happened here although I thought that the bowl that had the Phở was a little smaller than I’m used to, especially when they had only one size for the Phở. I ultimately had the phở with the great amount of meat, combination phở.
We also ordered a couple of appetizers, which ended up being put on one tab and my Raleigh friend picked it up at the end of the meal. Another friend of ours joined in just when we were about to order up. The appetizers we gotten were some spicy shrimp things and an order of fresh summer rolls with shrimp, which was the perfect refreshing thing to eat on a June day in Raleigh. For what it’s worth, having Vietnamese cuisine in Raleigh can be the one of the best things I’ve done on this trip to North Carolina, besides running a marathon or two. The restaurant itself is clean and very much organized, as many other Vietnamese restaurants across the country have been and continue to do. Phở Far East Vietnamese restaurant is located at 4011 Capital boulevard here in central Raleigh. They accept major credit cards, which is always a plus and grateful that this meal was comp’ed by my friend, whom graciously took the check this time. The prices here is rather competitive, averaging about $ 8-​$ 11 a bowl of Phở, which is nice and the appetizers range from $ 4 – 7 a piece. Being that Phở Far East is in a nice strip mall, parking here can be a breeze, since there is plenty of parking.
Lunch here at the Phở Far East was simply great, being that I got to meet a friend whom I last saw 4 years ago doing the Outer Banks marathon in Kitty Hawk, NC. It was a nice reunion since she was doing the same half marathon I was doing as well too (Race 13.1 Raleigh). The service was typical and average, friendly, and polite. Of course, that’s how it should be. Too bad I did not have alcohol though, I would have upgraded that rating possibly. Lol The phở itself was classically nice and habit forming, as usual. Love the basil and bean sprouts in the broth and the rice noodle combination mixed with the meat to provide the sultry concoction that we all have come to know and love. The appetizers were refreshing and energizing. It was obvious that I felt nice by eating here at Phở Far East and it’s most likely the best recommendation that I have recently received. Best bet is to get here for your next meal or special event.
I would definitely rate Phở Far East a winning 4.0 stars. While I may say that the food itself was 4.0 stars, the ambiance and service can be a 3.0 stars. It all evens out though.
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B

Absolutely LOVE this place!
If you’re a Phở fan you gotta try this spot. Friendly staff, great good, excellent service, and good prices! You won’t be disappointed.
If you love Phở, you’ll love this place!

I thought I’d never have Phở again when I gave up eating meat. Not so — they have a veggie phở that is amazing. YUM! I love the atmosphere, too.

So no tea, no shade, but I was just sitting here, minding my own business, slurping on my Phở Dac Biet when I noticed the sensations in my mouth were… off. I kept chewing, trying to decipher the mixed messages my mouth was giving me. After some thought, I decided to eject the food in my mouth to find a big piece of paper towel! Happy Friday everyone!!!

awesome！love 21 crispy summer roll，with fish sauce, 20 summer roll with peanut sauce， and 31 famous phở. We also enjoyed durian bubble tea and salty plum.

So this is the only place I’ve ever had Phở based on a recommendation of a friend. I have nothing to compare it to, but I will say it as delicious!
I ordered it for takeout (#36). They packed all the sides, noodles, meat, etc. separate from the broth. I appreciated that as the vegetables were still fresh and crunchy by the time I was ready to eat it. The flavor is amazing. Ratio of broth to meat to noodles was perfect! It’s best with all the fixings. I enjoyed very much.

Ok, if you’re looking for an authentic phở place in Raleigh, you’ve officially found it. Plain and simple– the phở is delicious, the prices are reasonable, the establishment is clean, and the service is quick.
My recommendation is #36. Don’t forget to add some hot sauce, hoisin, and all the side toppings (lime, sprouts, etc). Also Thai iced tea is not half bad. If it’s a cold winter day or you’re nursing a hangover, a bowl of phở is the answer and you should definitely come here to get it.

We decided to try this place because of all the great reviews. We also have heard great things about it from others. We walked in on a Wednesday night and were seated right away. At the table there were all the essentials for phở. All the sauces and soup spoons and plenty of napkins.
We started out with the veggie spring rolls. I was not impressed by these. They came out super greasy! We had to use napkins to blot off the grease and even after we blotted and blotted there was more grease. We finally tried them and they were so greasy and you could actually taste the fried greasy flavor. I know for a fact that when frying foods they should not be greasy and they should not taste fried. They really need to work big time on their frying technique because it is all wrong! The spring rolls were super disappointing!
As for the phở, it was delicious! We got the veggie phở and there were tons of veggies, broth, and rice noodles. We also got the plates of extra fixings. The phở def made up for the appetizer. If I am in the area I would come back for this! It was perfect on a cold gloomy day!
The service was excellent! By the time we left the place was packed and it was a weekday!

Busy, busy, busy. We were here on the first Friday of 2016, and everyone else was too. That meant that the staff were pretty busy and stressed (our server asked if we were ready to order, and when we said yes, he walked away) but they still fed us good food quickly.
We had the fried tofu appetizer, which was good but not the best I’ve ever had. The silken tofu is lightly breaded and fried, so if you’re looking for crispy tofu, this isn’t it. I had a tofu and vegetable dish that was meant to be spicy, but I didn’t taste much spice. It was good, but a little plain; I’d prefer it to be a little spicier. I would probably order something else next time. My husband had stir fried beef and vegetables with peanuts, which he really enjoyed.
We both thought that the drinks were the best part of the meal. I had a Thai iced tea, and it was one of the better ones I’ve tried. My husband got a mango bubble tea. He thought the mango drink itself was good, though it was too sweet for me, but he didn’t like the boba (the squishy jelly balls they put in bubble tea). He loved boba when we lived in California, so it may just be different from what we’re used to.

I heard many people recommend Phở Far East so we finally ventured to this Vietnamese restaurant on Capital Blvd. The restaurant is located in a shopping mall and there are tables on either side and it is not really that big. We were promptly seated and the restaurant was full and every time a table cleared, a new group came in. If you end up seating near the wall with the newspaper accolades, you will find a framed review from fellow Unilocaler and food blogger Ron W. on the wall. We started with the spring roll with pork. I admit that this was the only part of the meal that I did not like. The pork and flavoring was too chalky for me and I could not finish it. That aside, the bowl of steaming hot phở made the experience a 4. The fresh and colorful greens from the Thai basil and bean sprouts liven up the table and are perfect in the bowl of steaming Phở. The meat was fresh and the broth is authentic. The prices are on par with the other Vietnamese restaurants and you pay at the cash register at the counter. I like how they were open on Sundays as well and it was worth the trip to N. Raleigh for phở.

I’ve eaten a lot of Vietnamese food in my time and Phở Far East is one of my favorite Vietnamese restaurants in Raleigh. Everything is reasonably priced and the food is very authentic. There’s only one size of phở here and it is huge! I usually get the phở with flank, meatballs, and eyeround. This is a good bowl of phở to order because it comes with all the meats. The broth is very good and hot enough to cook the meat perfectly. They give you a lot of meat too and the bean sprouts, mint, and fresh jalepenos are a must to complete my bowl of phở. For the price, size, and quality, the phở is a must here.
If you’re looking for something that other Vietnamese places might not offer, the Gio Du Du is really good. Its a green papaya salad with fresh shrimp and pork served with shrimp chips and fish sauce. It’s a little pricey at $ 15, but its some of the best I’ve had in Raleigh and isn’t offered at too many places. The papaya is fresh and shredded very nicely and the fish sauce compliments everything really well. I would also recommend the Banh Hoi if you want something really authentic that I have yet to see anywhere else. Its basically thin rice noodles that are cooked and pressed together to form a sheet and you eat them with fresh vegetables and grilled pork and shrimp. Its similar to the Thit Nuong, which is the rice noodle bowl version.
Overall, the food at Phở Far East is very good and is really authentic Vietnamese food. I would give them 5 stars because I love Vietnamese food and its some of the best you can get in Raleigh.

Eh, this place is decent. It is pretty good phở, but it’s expensive. It is probably the most popular phở place in the area so it gets very packed on the weekends and at dinner time. Service was good, no complaints there.
I judge a phở place by 1) oiliness of broth 2) amount of noodles 3) amount of meat 4) amount of free veggies on the veggie plate. oh and 4) flavor of broth sans hoisin sauce and sriracha.
1) broth here isn’t oily. they know how to make proper phở broth.
2) good amount of rice noodles! I hate it when phở places skimp on this but phở far east didn’t disappoint.
3)I got a decent amount of brisket (phở tai) and was pretty impressed. I do like my pieces cut thinner – these were a bit thick, but still very much edible.
4) yes! extra lime wedges! also hate it when restaurants only give out when lime wedge per person eating. there was also a lot of bean sprouts and other veggies. very good.
5) very tasty. there is a reason everyone comes here for phở.
Just wish it wasn’t like $ 9-​$ 10 bucks for a bowl of phở like whattttttt

With all the rainy weather we’ve had recently, I was craving a hot bowl of phở and knew that Phở Far East would satisfy that craving. But I think everyone else had the same idea, because this place was packed! We arrived around 8PM on a Friday and all their tables were full, with many more people pouring in the door. Luckily, we were sat right away as another couple was leaving. So if it is cold and rainy weather, you might be in for a little bit of a wait.
Our order was taken quickly, despite how busy they were. We ordered the #26 for an appetizer, which is papaya salad with pork and shrimp, served with shrimp chips. This is the second time we’ve ordered it and it was delicious and refreshing! The dish did take awhile to come out, but it is understandable since the dish takes a good amount of prep and is not good if prepared in advance. I think it also took longer to come out during this visit, because they were so busy.
For my main meal, I ordered the #36 Phở, which had meatballs, eyeround, and shank. Their standard bowl is huge! I was only able to eat half and took the other half home for delicious leftovers. They balance the portions between broth, noodles and meat very well and it is probably my favorite bowl of phở I’ve had in the Triangle. They give you plenty of bean sprouts for your phở and the table has all the sauce you need to flavor your phở to your liking.
If you are interested in something else besides phở, I’ve also had the #60 Banh Hoi too. This dish is also incredibly fresh and delicious. While it is a bit pricier than the phở, you are still getting your money’s worth with the amount of food they give you. I enjoyed ordering this, because this is not a meal that I would EVER be able to make at home, with the thin rice noodles.
While service was a little slow this particular visit, it did not really bother me. For this type of food, it is to be expected if you want good quality. I much rather wait a little longer for freshly made food than be served quickly with food that has been sitting around waiting to be ordered. They get a very strong 4.5 stars from me! If you are looking for a good Vietnamese meal in the Triangle, then this is the spot to try!

For the price, it’s not bad but nowhere near impressive.
Let’s start with the service: what service?
We rarely got our water cups filled until after our meals (when we tipped), we had to raise our hands up in the air to get any sort of attention from any of the staff, and the server was resting his arm on our table as he hurried us to order.
I get that it’s a casual restaurant but I didn’t appreciate the lack of care.
We ordered one of the vermicelli noodles (with grilled shrimp and a spring roll) and a Banhmi (not on the menu).
The vermicelli noodles were boring with not nearly enough peanut sauce. The shrimp were far too overcooked. The spring roll was yummy but that was about it for that dish.
I tried some of my friend’s Banhmi and it was bland. It had a spicy kick from the raw jalapeños but the bread was dried out. Also, they went very minimalistic on their meat! I wouldn’t recommend ordering a Banhmi here.
We both ordered taro bubble teas because they didn’t have any melon-​flavored ones. The taro bubble tea was sweet but too icy and not creamy enough.
Overall, nothing was absolutely horrid but I don’t see the hype in this place.

Awesome. Super authentic, super good prices, and super delicious food. This is what I hope for when going to a Vietnamese restaurant. Bubble tea? Check. Phở, Vermicelli, and Vietnamese crêpe offerings? Check. Super weird homoerotic majestic horse painting on the wall? Check.
All joking aside, this place is great. The food was absolutely awesome and they’ve got all the favorites that I would hope to see (including many more I need to try, including the phở). It’s really good. Go here first. This is where it’s at.

I have had many bowls of phở, and this is one of the best places to get phở.
Reason number one: the restaurant is clean, and there is adequate space between the tables.
Reason number two: the service is good. Food is brought in a timely manner and water is never in short supply.
Reason: number three: The phở itself is fantastic. The chicken phở is the best one that they offer. Others I have gone with like the beef phở best. The spring rolls are also fresh and cold like they are supposed to be. I cannot tell you how many times I have gone to a place and ordered spring rolls and they were lukewarm. Phở Far East does this right.
Bonus: Its not very expensive.

I was extremely disappointed in this place especially since they have so many good reviews. The only reason I gave it 2 stars is because my husband is a really picky Phở eater and he gave it better ratings than anywhere else we have been here in Raleigh.
I ordered the Chicken in Lemongrass and it was absolutely disgusting. I had 2 bites and pushed my plate away. The chicken tasted weird. The flavoring was off and it tasted like they didn’t marinate it at all. I pulled little strands of white hair from it. I don’t believe chicken has hair like the ones I pulled from it. I tried to take photos of it, but my iPhone camera couldn’t make it out.
I’m not really one to push my food aside, I would normally try to mask the horrible flavors with sauces, veggies, but the chickens flavor, texture and after-​taste was unbearable.
Everything I ordered was just not right. The pork in the fresh spring roll had a distinct flavor so I pulled it out and ate the shrimp with the lettuce and vermicelli noodles by itself. The Thai tea was entirely too sweet and had an after taste. I drink too much thai tea and know what I like, I didn’t enjoy their Thai tea and I didn’t even take it to go (I normally do).
Overall I did not like this place. I’m one to give a place a second chance, but I can’t with this place. There were too many things that I ordered from here that I hated so I will not be back.

I finally jumped on the wagon and tried some phở to-​go.
It was pretty good. The broth was really, really good! There are a couple of herbs I’m not over fond of I could taste in the soup but everything balanced well. I got the phở with the meatballs, they were a little mystery meat-​ish to me so I only ate about four.
With this being my first time and it being to-​go, I definitely want to go back and dine in.
Their Strawberry Smoothie with Bubbles was pretty amazingly! I be stopping in more regular for some refills of that yummy goodness.
Happy phở-​ing!

There aren’t many good Vietnamese restaurants in the triangle, and I’ve been hearing about Phở Far East for years. I usually go to Phở Cali when I’m in the mood, but both restaurants definitely have advantages and I may have to start splitting up my visits.
I’ll be honest; I don’t visit Vietnamese restaurants enough to really diversify my dining choices much. I tend to stick to Phở or Banh Mi and apps, but occasionally I’ll try a different entrée. As far as Phở goes, it’s definitely one of my favorite soups to eat out and I think it can be a pretty healthy choice as well. This place has great Phở, but stick with the eye round unless you’re adventurous, and add the veggies from the bowl as soon as your soup comes out so they have a chance to cook.
My only complaint would be with the bubble tea. I had glanced at Unilocal and saw people mentioning great bubble tea here, but it turns out they only have smoothie style bubble tea. I generally prefer milk tea with bubbles, but I tried the Durian smoothie anyway. The flavor and consistency were good, but it was just much too sweet for me and I couldn’t drink much of it. If I order another one, I’ll definitely request no extra sugar. Other flavors may be less sweet naturally and benefit more from the added sugar.
I like the atmosphere inside the restaurant, and I definitely think they have a leg up on Phở Cali in that respect. It would be nice if they had a website with some information instead of having to pick through Unilocal and Urban Spoon, but hey, it’s definitely not a requirement. I’ll definitely be back for a second run, and I’m looking forward to trying some more of their dishes!

A very vegetarian friendly Vietnamese restaurant. I’ve been once for lunch and once for dinner, both times with my fiancé. Both times I ordered the golden tofu curry and he ordered the veggie spring rolls and fried tofu over vermicelli. Both dishes are fantastic. As much as I feel I should branch out, I wouldn’t be surprised if I order the tofu curry every time — perfectly fried tofu, yummy potatoes and carrots, served with the perfect amount of warm, fragrant, and barely spicy curry sauce. I want to run out and get some now!
The service isn’t especially friendly, but it’s efficient. My water glass usually stays full and the food comes out in a timely manner. That’s pretty much all I care about.