Pho Tan Vietnamese Cuisine

We decided to visit Phở Tan last night and it was great. The Shrimp Curry Red sauce was superb. Spicy but not too hot for me. Phở Tam is under new management since February and the proprietor is a very energetic Vietnamese woman. She explained that the name of the restaurant has changed to Friendly Phở Tan. It’s location is s little off the main roads but will worth the trip. We highly recommend it.

Small place with only one waiter on a Saturday evening, very nice but forgot my daughter’s lemonade and spent most of her time in the kitchen. The spring rolls and egg rolls were tasty but the sweet and sour chicken had some tough breading and a weird sauce. My husband liked his curry dish and Vietnamese tea.

Enjoy coming here. New owner over the last 3 months, but food is good. Owner is actual Vietnamese as well.

Good food and service was very quick as we got our plates in less than 10 min. The restaurant’s neighborhood is a bit shady but the restaurant itself is clean and staff very friendly and accommodating.

Would not recommend this place to any phở lover. The broth makes or breaks this awesome Vietnamese delicacy. But looks like Phở tan killed the broth by adding sugar. The sprouts did not look fresh either.

Been coming here for awhiiiiiile! In the past year, I want to say they’ve changed owners twice. Which is not a good sign but I really hope they are here to stay. The phở is delicious, flavorful broth, good portions of meat and noodles, great serving size and plenty of beans sprouts and Thai basil for your meal is given. I actually believe the boba teas have gotten better since the old owners, the bobas are sweet and chewy whereas before they could be hard or still frozen. They have also added Chinese food to the meal which I have not tried but am glad they did. It’s always a bit empty when you come in and I think they could use the business. If you like phở or Vietnamese food, come by! It’s a hole in the wall place for some great food

Reading from others here, and speaking with the current owner, it seems ownership changed over the last few months, so I don’t have any comparison to the previous restaurant in this space.
That said, based on the current set-​up, the owner is extremely friendly, as the name suggests. We happened to be the only diners there at the time, and had a chance to chat, and get some background. The food was satisfying, and made with care, if not a bit on the sweet side. Balancing it out with the jalapeño and various fixings sufficed. They had a fair amount of options, typical of Vietnamese spots; we went with the Grilled Pork, shrimp and egg roll vermicelli, and phở special beef and meatball.
Overall, it’s generally an okay area/​spot to pop in for lunch or late lunch/​early dinner, if you’re in the area (vs. a «destination spot» per se).

New owner as of 5 days ago. Very nice lady. Food is still delicious and I would say definitely check it out! You will not be disappointed. I got the spring rolls and phở tai. Flavor is right on point.

Phở in Trenton… the satisfaction of that rich stock with those deep delicious flavors on a cold winter day! Squirt some fish sauce, some spicy bean sauce and some chillies in vinegar from the bottles on the table if you like. Very fast service. Reasonable prices. Easy parking. In Trenton. Not much more one can ask for.
The coffee tastes good but is very very strong… unless you are used to it, get ready to stay awake for the next three days and nights.
Did not try the other dishes and do not intend to.
Tip: The servings are huge so come hungry.

Good phở! The place does seem sketchy but it is nice inside. Went in during my lunch break, ordered some spring rolls that were delicious, the sauce was a bit sour for my taste but still enjoyed it. Ordered a steak and brisket phở which was pretty good. Came with the side of basil, jalapenos, lime, and bean sprouts. You also have sauces at the table from sirachi, fish sauce, soy sauce and such.
Service was a bit off, but to be fair there was only one waiter. He had no problem serving us and was very nice. Although having to ask for drinks was a bit strange for me.

If you like Nooodles and soup, check this place out. From the outside at first glance it seems sketchy, especially since you are kind of in the heart of Trenton. But inside it’s nice, clean, and welcoming.
The bowls of soup are HUGE! Noodles, bean sprouts, basil, jalapenos, whatever protein you choose, slice of lime… and all the fixins on the table (sriracha, hoisin sauce, soy, etc.)
The people running it are very nice. Great little hidden gem. Stop in for a bowl or soup… they also have vermicelli bowls and other rice plates and things of that sort.

Phở was okay.
But pork chop tasted sour. I know BBQ taste. it can’t be sour. I complain this issue but the server didn’t understand.
I finally canceled the food but it was unpleasant experience.

Upon entering this little Vietnamese spot I was greeted by a banner «under new management». Since this was my first visit I was unsure if this was good, bad or neutral. The place was very clean, and pretty empty but it was a late-​ish lunch. I was intrigued when I noticed that on each and every table was a condiment organizer with silverware. Ceramic spoons and chopsticks.
I had previously decided to try lesser known dishes, and was recommended a grilled chicken platter. It came with a few fresh veggies, 2 shrimp (don’t ask me) a nice grilled breast and white rice that was laced with a green onion type of sauce. The meat had been marinated and although it had a nice grilled flavor, was not overcooked. The rice with the green sauce was most surprising, I expected dull white rice, but this sauce was killer. If they sold it separately I would gladly purchase.
I also tried the summer rolls, unfortunately they arrived after my entrée. But they were very good, packed with pork and shrimp, and coupled with a tasty sauce. To drink I had a mango bubble tea. I’m not expert on this beverage, but would probably skip it on the next visit.
The service was friendly and was able to answer a few Q’s with only a slight language barrier. Food came out very quickly, if it was dinner time I would say too quickly, but for lunch speed is good. I purposely skipped ordering the better known Viet specialties, so that I can try them Phở sho on my next trip in.

Lunch August 2015: sallied forth despite mixed reviews. Management cognizant of reviews based on sign «Under New Management.»
Three of us had the spring rolls, hoagies, and viet coffee for about $ 13 less tip each. Parking easy, no day-​light safety concerns. Clean, well lighted place with soap opera running on TV above a table of items of Buddhist worship. Sadly, irony surpassed the lunch trade. We were the only table.
Food was fresh and the proportions adequate. I look forward to returning in the fall for the phở.

came here for a late lunch on a Sunday. place itself is a hole in the wall on a random street in Trenton. I ordered the chicken banh mi ($ 4) and a Vietnamese iced coffee with milk ($ 3.50). The banh mi could definitely use more veggies and meat but the bread was delicious and the seasoning was good. The iced coffee was rich and intense.

This restaurant is one of my favorites. I’m here at least once a week. I was very excited when they first opened and they’ve never disappointed.
My go to are: 1) the summer rolls, always stuffed and excellent, 2) charbroiled pork bahn mi, the most delicious! Their bread is so fresh! 3) steak & meatball phở, the classic. Always end your meal with a Vietnamese iced coffee, super strong coffee sweetened with sweetened condensed milk.
The prices make me feel like a thief they’re so low, so I make sure to always tip well. It’s a family run place and the service can be a little rough, but it’s never too packed and they’re always super accommodating so it’s not a big deal. This place is worthy of the drive from Princeton to Trenton.

I am really not sure what everyone is raving about. I have been to many Vietnamese places and eaten lots of Phở. Although the server/​owner was really nice the food was not good at all. The phở we got did not taste like anything I have had before and was greasy.
The place smelled and did not look clean. We ate there because it was late and we were hungry. They need a good clean up and paint job.
Overall, not a good experience at all.

I’ve been doing the happy dance all day since I found out there was a Vietnamese restaurant in the area, in the middle of Trenton no less. It’s definitely nice to have something different in the area, not that there aren’t already some really good spots to eat.
The food is fresh, comes out quickly, it’s cheap and SUPER DELICIOUS!!! Omg… everything was so good. Apparently they’ve only been open for 3 months and this is the owners first restaurant but definitely he has it all figured out. The restaurant is clean, looks nice inside and out, the menu has a lot of choices but isn’t overwhelming, and there are off the menu vegetarian items. However personally I would’ve included those on the menu like the tofu vermicelli I had that was awesome.
If you’re unfamiliar with Vietnamese food I recommend you go and try something new. If the owner is the one serving you, you’ll see how welcoming and nice he is and he can definitely point you in the right direction. I went with my boyfriend and Mom and we got the shrimp soup, the beef phở, summer rolls, and a veggie tofu vermicelli bowl with a nice hot pot of tea.
Here’s hoping that this place is here to stay and will prosper! I will definitely be returning for another delicious meal.

Leave it to Unilocal to uncover yet another gem in the rough.
In this case, the rough refers to the section of North Brunswick Avenue in Trenton where Phở Tan has staked its claim and hopes to mine Vietnamese gold out of its kitchen. In the shadow of the former Helene Fuld Medical Center, this unassuming storefront houses an authentic menu that turns out very good VN cuisine. The space shows signs of originally being a Mexican joint, but I have no problems with that.
The staff is very friendly (and cute), and the owner/​chef is checking with his customers to be sure they are satisfied and to tell his story of this 3 month old enterprise. The room fills up in the evening with compatriots, some of whom are obviously family. They fill the air with Vietnamese jokes and deference to the seniors among them. Very nice to be part of this culture for the evening.
I wanted to try the Banh Mi with Roast Pork, and a Small Bowl of Phở with Flank and Tendon. At $ 4. the Baguette Sandwich was large and stuffed with the Pork, Cucumber, Cilantro, Carrot, and some kind of Mayo. A squirt of Hoisin from the table rocket brought the combination to the right flavor quotient. It was very good, although the Pork had some rough spots. It was enjoyable.
The Phở was accompanied by a full plate of Basil, Lime, Sprouts, & Jalapeño Slices that helped the simmering broth attain full taste. The heat of the soup slowly cooked the once rare Beef to a nice medium. The Noodles at the bottom of the bowl were hidden beneath the Beef and condiments, and had to be raised with my chopsticks and flat bottom spoon. Once thoroughly mixed, the full mastery of this creation came to the fore. It was a mighty fine bowl of Phở, full of subtle flavors and textures that were a pleasure to uncover a layer at a time. I could not finish it, and was glad I had not asked for the larger portion.
Phở Tan has great possibilities. I need to try their Vietnamese Coffee and Summer Rolls to be sure it is as good as my first impressions. It will not take long for me to return to sample those things and revisit my ranking.
Phở Tan could be very special.
Good luck to Mr. Tan and his family in this endeavor
SEPTEMBER 10, 2014 — Returned this evening for another run at Phở Tan, and went with the Phở Ga (Chicken) and Spring Rolls. The Spring Rolls were deep fried and stuffed with ground spiced pork. Aside from the oily skin, the app was tasty and filling. The dipping sauce seemed a bit thin and less sweet/​pungent than expected. A little more potency and thickness would improve the final result.
The Phở Ga only came in the LARGE size, and I could not finish it. The broth was new in that it did not taste like it had been simmering for a long time to bring out the spicy flavors. I added a shot of Sriracha to bring it up a notch. However, the Chicken Breast slices were fresh, thick and plentiful. It was the most chicken I had ever had in my phở. I prepped a small dish with a mix of Hoisin and Sriracha to dip the chicken in before eating. Tasted great! All the other fixings were on the table, and I put most of them into the bowl. Good quantity of noodles lurking in the bottom of the bowl.

Felt like eating something healthy for dinner and randomly put phở for a search criteria on the Unilocal app (expecting to find something in North Brunswick) but what the phở! A new Vietnamese place in Trenton!
The first four reviews looked promising so with lots of excitement and hope, I drove down to this place and ordered a Phở Ga (which is available only in a large single-​size portion). The rest of the Phở varieties can be ordered in small or large bowls.
The first slurp of the piping hot chicken broth revealed a pretty good flavor profile. I can only imagine how comforting this would be in winter. Eek! Not thinking of winter. We still have a few weeks of summer left and the entire fall season. Coming back to the bowl of phở, the chicken was succulent and the noodles were cooked fine. Added the condiments, basil leaves, bean sprouts and demolished the entire bowl. Would definitely recommend this place to anyone.