This is one of my favorite restaurants. Â I have been there 7 or 8 times and have been very happy with every thing I ordered. Â I love the Pho soup, their noodle dishes, the salmon, the clay pot....
I took my sister for her birthday, which was the true test as my sister frequents Vietnamese restaurants. Â She loved it. Â
The staff and owners are very friendly and actually recognize and greet you when you walk in - very refreshing.
If you are looking for a place with outstanding food, great ambiance, and welcoming attitude, you won't be disappointed.
"Our menu items are made from the freshest certified-natural ingredients. We serve the highest quality and best tasting meat, including natural, humanely-raised Thunder Ridge beef, hormone-free, grain-fed Sanderson Farms poultry and all natural White Marble Farms pork."
NOTICE--I HAVE NOT BEEN THERE-THIS IS SIMPLY A RESPONSE TO THERE ABOVE CAPTION.
i am going to orange county to take out a friend and her son and googled "restaurants serving humanely raised meats irvine" and this is one of the offerings that came up.
knowning that i am a carnivore and will always be--i am trying my best to only visit those restaurants that source their meats from HUMANELY RAISED, NON CAFO FAMILY FARMS.
a little googling and it turns out that there is no "Thunder Ridge Ranch nor is there a White Marble Farms( it is actually a made up name under the SYSCO brand.
so word to the wise, if you really only want to give your money to restauants that serve grass fed or humanely raised meats, etc---do your home work and do not take their word for it. Â search and call and ask questions
I live right next to this place and stop in quite often. My go to items are the ahi spring rolls, the garlic chicken noodles and the vermicelli chicken. The food is absolutely wonderful, however considering the area it is located in, you can find much more reasonably priced vietnamese food. With that said the staff is extremely friendly and always recognize me, so I dont mind paying that little extra!
Review Source:I really like this restaurant, they have great pho and noodle dishes. Â I really like their clay pot dishes, especially the clay pot sea bass, it comes in an amazing sauce. Â
It's a little expensive but has a great ambiance, friendly staff, and is even a good place to watch a game.. If you want a nice "sit down" Vietnamese dinner, this is the spot.
I came here after work with a few coworkers. Â I didn't have any food but I ordered 1 drink at the bar.
Nobody was behind the bar for a few minutes, so when the bartender eventually walked in I thought he'd immediately look to see if anybody needed any service. Â Instead he proceeded to look at his phone. Â I was amused and wanted to see how long it would take him to look up without saying anything. Â It probably took a good minute.
Anyway, I ordered a Jameson & ginger ale. Â He gave a good pour, but mixed coke and sprite instead. Â That's cool if you don't have ginger ale, but it'd be nice to have a heads up.
$9 for a strong drink. Â If I'm in the area again, maybe I'll try the food.
Went here for a coworkers' get together....pretty decent prices....five for most drinks and as well as select food thingies...
I ended up getting the lollipop strawberry martini....totally tasted like candy...or fruit punch ha.....it wasn't on the happy hour but well worth it I says.
The satays were good....as well as the dumpling thingies....as far as the eggroll type stuff...I definitely preferred the fried eggrolls over the springrolls....but think it was more a matter of preference, but still both good and the sauces that came with it were quite tasticle!
Not sure if I would go here often but it's nice to change things up from time to time if we get tired of daily grille or some other local place =)
Good ambiance and great service!
I've been here quite a few times, and never been disappointed. The service is always friendly - Say hello to Tom or Susie, the owners, and they will make sure you have a great dining experience.
Their egg rolls is superb, the best in town (All the other rolls are great too). Their pad-Thai is delicious, and their "Ca kho to" is so tasty. They also have a great wine selection. Make sure to try their Rose with their "Pho" - it's a great combination.
1/26/13
Our first time here and we gave this place a solid 4 stars!
The Veggie Pho was really good and we do have to say the service by Duke was great! We ate on the bar side and also had a cocktail  that was yummy and strong! I really think it was the service that made it a 4 stars...if you ever go eat at the bar and be served by Duke!
Stumbled across this isolated place with someone's recommendation. If you're looking for really authentic vietnamese food, look elsewhere (Westminster/Garden Grove/etc).
Ordered the spring rolls, and for $6, it was rather disappointing. The rice paper was hard as if the food had been pre-made and sitting out for too long (probably was). Also tried the Seafood wonton soup with egg noodle... the wontons themselves smelled old and the "seafood" included was like 2 shrimps and 3 pieces of calamari... and for $12 that's not really acceptable.
The saving grace to my meal was the chicken claypot. The rice was nicely browned on the outside and the sauce they used was really tasty. One con to this dish was the pool of oil that was waiting for me at the bottom... and the sinking feeling I got knowing I probably consumed enough oil to last me a week in one sitting.
Good Ethnic place in a high rise condo project.
Parking fairly easy in a structure behind the restaurant that you'll not see until you drive around the corner. Â Walk thru the door of the structure and you are next to the restaurant. Â Good food but slightly hurried service. Â Tell them you want to take your time at dinner. Â Wine prices are comparable to the bigger chains but happy hour pricing only in the bar. Â There is a projection tv on the bar wall that probably should have been taken out a few years ago in favor of other flat screens. Â It doesn't bother anyone but it shows the age.
First Vietnamese food experience and I now I love it! Â Pho flavorful, healthy and light. Â Have tried several appetizers and it's difficult to choose just one as a favorite. Â Husband likes the traditional spring rolls. Â He also likes the clay pot sea bass, served steaming hot with a delicious sauce. Â Servers are friendly.
Review Source:Wow! Just amazing. I was randomly looking up Pho tonight and for a place open after 9pm and happened to stumble upon this joint that I've been driving past for several years and didn't know it existed. Hands down my new favorite Vietnamese place here in Orange County. Super friendly staff Angie and Duke were amazing. It seemed like everyone that walked in knew each other and great atmosphere. Highly recommend this place and it's definitely on my list to dine at very regularly. A+
Review Source:This place is tucked away in the high rise community off of Jamboree. The interior is very modern and stylish. Service is actually VERY good for a Vietnamese restaurant, but yes, they do charge more than your local pho place. I love the menu because it has a lot of my favorite Vietnamese food items, such as banh xeo and banh mi! Both are pretty good here, especially the beef lemongrass banh mi! We also tried the bun thit nuong - the noodles were warm, otherwise dish was tasty. Hey Vietnamese restaurants, please serve noodles cold not warm, ok?! Oh I also tried the wonton with egg noodle soup. The broth was lacking flavor, if it had a bit more, it would greatly improve the dish. Overall, this place is almost perfect for Vietnamese food. I think they just need to add more seasoning. The banh mi was perfect though. :)
Review Source:Phans55 has become my neighborhood favorite...
It's a bit of a hidden treasure but i live nearby.
The food is always fresh & very high quality.
And the service is always very good as well.
Went there tonight - and last night too.
(i am a very picky eater).
LOVE their eggplant and Tofu.
Prices are reasonable in my opinion...
This is not  $4 college Pho place -
Quality is everything.
Im a BIG Phan.
I Haven't Been Here In A While, But Came Back For A Birthday Celebration. The Hostess/Waitress Was Very Friendly & Attentive! She Was On The Ball! 2 Thumbs Up! Especially For Remembering My Name The Whole Time.
Very Friendly Staff. Very Cool & Casual Atmosphere, But Very Modern.
I Tried The Grilled Beef Spring Rolls Again. Still Good! The Seabass Was Very Moist! Had A Bite Of The Braised Short Rib. A Bit Dry.
Chocolate Mousse & Raspberry Mousse Was Flavorful & Refreshing. I've Always Liked The Drinks. I Ordered The Serrano Margarita. It Was Awesome! A Great Spicy Kick To It. My Kind Of Drink!
What's not to love about an intimate restaurant with fantastic specialty drinks and a full and flavorful menu! Â My husband and I are partial to the shaken beef, the ahi spring rolls and if you venture into fried goodies, I really recommend the Imperial Roll. Â The trick for the Imperial Roll...order it Vietnamese Style! Â It will come with lettuce and basil; wrap the roll in the lettuce/basil and don't forget to dip - it's delicious. Â Their lemon grass wok chicken is wonderful and our daughter craves their garlic wheat pasta! Â The owner is there regularly and is a joy, and the service is friendly.
Review Source:My favorite Vietnamese restaurant in Irvine. A lot of choices on the menu. I actually feel a little sick today, and their Pho is perfect for me. Not too strong flavored as other places are. Kinda like homemade Vietnamese soup noodle that my friend cooked me long time ago. The size of the bowl might be a little smaller than other places. For the first time, I finished my bowl of pho.
Spring roll is very good.
classy setting, pricey but healthy food. I would take my friends there next time!
This review is based on the quality of food, presentation and ambiance. The pricing is higher than other mom and pop Vietnamese places but you get what you pay for with those places. If you are looking to pay under 10 dollars a person, this is not the place for you.
My husband took me here for the first time a recently. This location is located in a apartment home complex. We went during dinner time and the place was full. I liked the fact they make their broth by scratch. I decided to go with the soup. We started with the Crispy Imperial rolls as an appetizer. They came out hot and were delicious.
Their Thai Iced Coffee was made with Illy (my favorite). It was really one of the best one I have had but I am a coffee fanatic and have always enjoyed Illy coffee on its own.
Decor: Gorgeous setting! Looks very classy!
Food: Ok, nothing stood out. We ordered the special pho ($10), small rare steak pho ($5), and the crispy imperial rolls (appetizer). The pho broth was flavorful but the pho itself tasted like any other place. I like that they use organic, local produce and do not use MSG. However, the quality of the ingredients and the food should speak for itself if that were the case. For dessert, we ordered the macaron sampler. 4 mini macarons for $6! We had the caramel (2), chocolate, and raspberry. They were pretty good but a bit hard. Not worth $6.
Drinks: We enjoyed our lychee martinis, nice and strong! ($9 each)
Service: Good. Started out well but we were later forgotten and left waiting awhile for our check.
I've been here a couple of times, its a nice place. I would return for happy hour at the bar since it is normally overpriced for what you get.
Good flavor, good food, but overpriced.
Came here for a work lunch and like the decor a alot - very fancy looking for an Asian restaurant. Very chic looking and nice place to have lunch. I was a little thrown off because their menu  doesn't have the Vietnamese names of each dish, but there seems to be a wide selection of food to choose from.
Just out of curiousity, I tried their tofu and vegetable pho in a chicken broth (comes available in veggie broth mushroom flavored). They also feature a seafood pho, which seemed über strange to me (I'll try it next time). The broth itself is standard and has good flavor, and the tofu and broccoli and bok choy were a pleasant surprise. I've never tried this combination before, but it was quite good.
Overall it serves decent Vietnamese food, but I still prefer the no-nonsense, get in-get out restaurants in Westminster.
I've only tried this place for happy hour. drinks and food are $5, beers are $4.
Nice local place for a quick drink or bite to eat. Â They have quite a menu for happy hour but i've only tried a few items so far:
- garlic yam fries - these were delish! i loved the siracha mayo that came with it.
- original spring rolls - basically you only get 2 rolls (cut into 4 pieces). these were ok.
- chicken satay - you get 2 sticks of meat. it tasted ok. peanut sauce was a bit more watery than i prefer.
- grill beef spring rolls - i actually liked these, very refreshing even for beef. i did, however, use the satay peanut sauce instead of the fish sauce and i thought it tasted better :)
- chicken fried rice - i dont know if i was just hungry, or if it really was that good but i really liked it. had good flavor, and was filling.
a nice place for a quite bite/drink, but for the prices, I think i would prefer a regular, non-fancy vietnamese restaurant.
I was in desperate need of some pho. it was one of those days when that's the only thing that will do. didnt feel like driving to Westminster and I had always seen this place. Â heard it was ok. but desperate times call for desperate measures.
3 things I liked about it.
1) the place was quiet. literally. no one was there. we were the only ones. you won't find that in Westminster
2) the decor was great! Â so modern and sleek. the kitchen was open so you could actually see them make your food. Â very trendy!
3) the flavor was actually pretty good. very hearty and it hit the spot perfectly
3 things I didn't like.
1) I got the large. it was like $12. for pho? Â c'mon! Â not fun times
2) my fiancee got the small. it was like $6. but it was the size of an appetizer soup
3) the waitress was super nice but didn't check up on us. and when I needed something, I had to literally get out of my seat to get her attention.
she was really friendly though. after our meal she chatted with us for a few minutes.
1 star because yelp made me...
Worst meal/dining experience I've had in years!!! Â Meat was dry(overcooked) in every dish we ordered, as well as flavorless. Â When we expressed our disappointment, the owner proceeded to argue with us and try to tell us it was due to the fact that they don't use msg and use free range antibiotic free meat. Â That's great! But, I am a chef who also cooks with free range/grass fed meats and my food comes out tender and flavorful.
Note to the owner: The restaurant business is a risky one and it's repeat customers that keep your doors open! Â Never argue with a customer and learn how to take corrective criticism!
I was a little surprised at what I found within an inner street of an apartment/condo complex called Phans55. Â Instead of a clean, traditional Vietnamese place for pho, we found a trendy, loungy, chic Vietnamese Asian fusion-type dining place that you would think belonged more in Vegas than in the business area of Irvine. Â After having lunch with my daughter there, the main thing that I come away with complaining about is how expensive it was and that it wasn't worth the cost...
The atmosphere is really chic with all of the dark wood panels on a muted grey color scheme with fancy light fixtures and a eye catching bar area. Â The glass windows extend all the way up to the high industrial design open ceilings to give it that modern, contemporary feel...
We opened with an appetizer, one of their Traditional Rolls made of shrimp, chicken, Vietnamese herbs, cucumber, and came with a peanut sauce on the side <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/phans55-irvine-3?select=Yz7PiyNt65iPpMlOUVfHTA#URfEsIw9cKS9nScLPXCdzA">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>.  There wasn't too much good or bad about these other than the fact that it was $6...
Off of their Simply Noodles Menu is something of a crossover item,  their Wonton Noodle Soup <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/phans55-irvine-3?select=Yz7PiyNt65iPpMlOUVfHTA#lxBsVUv4oWzbwgo-mkasFg">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>.  They seem to take pride in their broth which is stated as an simmering of chicken and beef bones for 6 hours. It was a sweet broth that was enhanced by roasted garlic, yellow onions, and cloves with a hint of star anise and black cardamon flavor, finally topped with green onions and cilantro.  The submerged noodles and wonton couldn't be seen initially, It was such a stingy, chintzy amount for $10 <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/phans55-irvine-3?select=Yz7PiyNt65iPpMlOUVfHTA#4TBSJvehKXHqlC9dOCDwyA">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>.  My daughter had it and didn't seem to complain much, but it didn't seem to wow her either.  I doubt that they have anything on Sam Woo's wonton which are some of the best...
I had a rice noodle salad called a Grilled Five-Spice Chicken that was served cold (room temperature) <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/phans55-irvine-3?select=Yz7PiyNt65iPpMlOUVfHTA#l19yZhqQy6KrP8zhI8AVYQ">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>.  The chicken had nice color to them from the curry spiced marinade, also the requisite grill marks were prominently on display <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/phans55-irvine-3?select=Yz7PiyNt65iPpMlOUVfHTA#StcY51cUpyhexUzqBY11Ng">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>.  The vegetables were nicely presented with julienned carrots, chiffonade lettuce, and diced green onions.  The cold rice vermicelli pasta was slightly tacky meaning that they were a little stuck together but not too badly; overall ok.  I felt like I was eating a healthier noodle salad with some chicken for protein.  The salad came with chili nuoc mam dipping sauce which was sweet and sour in taste with a hint of spiciness which added a dimension of taste to the otherwise blandish noodles...
The food and trendy chic ambiance was probably a minimum 4 stars but I couldn't justify the inflated pricing for lunch, it isn't as if they were particularly renowned for their dishes, were avant garde in their dishes, or had even made a name for themselves yet. Â They're just a little too pricey for the average clientele for lunch, including me...
Was seriously craving pho today and I hadn't been to any of the joints in the area where I work. I saw this place on yelp and decided to give it a try.
I was confused by the location at first (it's literally tucked away in some apartment buildings) but when I walked inside I was surprised to see the fancy interior!
I was seated right away and the service was wonderful! While I was eating the manager came and asked me about myself and how I found out about the place. I told her I would write a review because the food was so delicious! (The fresh squeezed lemonade is to die for)
Everything is organic, no msg, and always made fresh to order. (Unlike most quick vietnamese joints around).
I must say I was impressed.
Hoping to spread the word and get my friends out to Irvine to try it out! I don't think they'll be disappointed :)
Phans 55 is located close to my office building, so I'm eating here or getting take-out on a fairly regular basis. You can't go wrong! Great quality food, nice decor and ambience, and you can't fault the service. It's definitely more upscale than your Westminster Vietnamese restaurants, so be prepared to pay a little more for it.
I highly recommend the imperial roll, beef pho, cellophane noodles with crab (the crab is fresh!), and the chicken clay pot. Oh, and they have one of the best happy hours in the area.
Awesome quality food! This is not a hole in a wall place so don't expect it to have a hole in a wall price! It has very nice decor and ambiance for a Vietnamese restaurant. There's also a bar that serves a lot more than just 33 and Heineken beers. Definitely recommend coming here if you are craving Vietnamese food and want to be in a nice environment with great service.
My favorite is the sweet potato fries, seared ahi tuna rolls, ginger chicken clay pot, and chicken rice clay pot. The sweet potato fries is perfect with the spicy mayo dipping sauce and tastes great with beer. The seared ahi tuna is refreshing and very innovating. It has lettuce, mango, mint, and avocado dip in a wasabi cream sauce mixed with soy sauce vinaigrette. A great contrast to the sweet potato fries for appetizers. The ginger chicken clay pot reminds me of my mom's ginger chicken. If you are home sick, this might be the dish for you. They serve this dish with white rice but I recommend paying extra and order crispy rice. Crispy rice is great if you like crunchy buttery goodness.
Ask for Pierce! He knows how to treat customers well and will make the best recommendations.
I went to Phans55 with a couple of friends. It's an upscale Vietnamese restaurant with nice decor. I ordered the clay pot chicken and it was really good! Â The portion was pretty good sized for a clay pot and the service was pretty fast.
We'll definitely visit again during our next visit to Irvine!
This rating is for the bar and service.
We had a 12 person group that met here before heading to dinner at Il Forniao. The bartender, Duke, was very attentive and friendly. The atmosphere was upbeat, but not overwhelming. I really like the huge screen that they have for sports games. Prices were reasonable.
Had an amazing lunch at Phans 55 today! The food was delicious and the service was outstanding. Our server Paula was attentive and really made our meal special.
We started off with the Imperial eggrolls and they were awesome. We wrapped them with lettuce and mint and topped them off with this sweet and spicy sauce... delish. For my entree I ordered a ginger claypot chicken. I've had claypot chicken before but Phans was the best I've had. The rice became crispy at the bottom which gave the dish a really nice texture. The chicken was very moist and tender and the ginger and shitake mushrooms really made the dish. For dessert I tried a coconut pineapple rum cake which was to die for. So good, I can't wait to come back!
Phans 55 is definitely the spot for Vietnamese food... come here you will not be disappointed!
Review for pho only:
$10 for a bowl of pho can be justified if it were actually fulfilling. Â The amount of meat in the bowl of pho could be finished in approximately two bites. Â I really wanted to like this place because based solely on the quality and taste, the pho would would be 4 stars. Â But the portion is a real problem. Â Thus, unless they increase the amount of meat or decrease the price, they will never have a full house.
I came here for lunch since it's so close to my work and Fukada was closed (must've been a Monday). Â I would characterize this place as upscale, Fusion Vietnamese food. Â The decor is modern and hip looking and they have some untraditional Vietnamese dishes on the menu.
I ordered their lunch special, which was a six-inch Chicken Banh Mi sandwich with a side of soup and sweet potato fries. Â I thought it was pretty good - better than I expected. Â The bread was firm on the outside but soft on the inside. Â The chicken was tender and the sauces were spot on. Â Overall, I still felt that this place was on the pricey side (my combo was $10). Â I can easily get a foot-long Vietnamese sandwich for about $2 elsewhere.
"In food, as in death, we feel the essential brotherhood of man" - Vietnamese Proverb
A dear friend absolutely loves the Phans55 in Fullerton. Â Not wanting to drive that far, I tried the outpost in Irvine. Â Blessed with a (final?) visit by The Secret Agent, we noshed on particularly Americanized versions of spring rolls, salad, sweet potato fries, a laughable beef dish that reminded me of leftovers my mom made with Hamburger Helper and a chicken claypot, that while not reminiscent of a transcendent version that I had years ago at The Slanted Door in SF, was still a decent representation of the dish. Â The chocolate mousse dessert was the sweet ending equivalent to Donald Trump: Obscenely rich but but with a vacuous gaudiness and obviousness that belies an empty center. Â Hmmm...need to work on that analogy I think :) Â
Yet, I rather enjoyed the energy of this restaurant... family members or relatives appeared to be manning most stations, decent bar with a solid Happy Hour...unpolished but sincere service...the togetherness of the staff seemed to facilitate a really fun conversation with Secret Agent and I. Â It was a good start to a week where I am feeling better again after fighting a cold but facing a horrifically busy stretch at work. Â
This was proof with even unexceptional food you can still have a great time and I sincerely believe the restaurant was part of the reason why. Â Brotherhood of man indeed...
Nice little restaurant tucked away in a hidden location behind The Plaza high rise in Jamboree.
I tried:
Chicken Rolls: nothing special, had a subtle weird taste that I didn't like. --probably the herbs?
Lemonade: Freshly squeezed lime juice with a little bit of undissolved sugar in a tall Sling Cocktail glass full of ice.... Â
Beef Salad: Edible! The grilled beef was kinda raw and I liked the shredded green apple.
Sweet Potato Fries: Bland unless you dip it in that pinkish cream sauce.
Beef Brisket Ragu: Star of the show!!! The beef had a very weird gross smell and was undercooked. Beef brisket has so much connected tissues and takes a long time to cook and I certainly think it wasn't cooked to perfection. The beef is wine braised and perhaps it was the cheap wine, but something just didn't do it for me. The ragu sauce was OK but the whole dish was underwhelmed and odorous. I'd say stay away form this one. Â
Their dessert menu doesn't have much to offer. We got the pyramid, was chewy, too sweet, and rich.
I don't think I would ever go there again.
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