Pho 79

I love visiting Aurora because of all the vietnamese restaurants there are, and especially because there are several places that sell banh mi, and this is one of them! The banh mi doesn't seem as popular as the pho but it is an option for take out, and it tastes pretty good, although not as good as other places I have had it. It is also pretty small. The pho here is huge though for the medium size, I wish I had gotten a small, but it was delicious nonetheless. The price is alright, pretty cheap for the portions. The flavor of the pho is very legitimate, compared to other pho I have had which are all very packaged and not homemade. They put a lot of meat in there as well and you can choose what kinds of meat you like such as the brisket, flank, tendon, etc. I only got the brisket, but my boyfriend got a whole variety. They give a lot of limes, mint, bean sprouts, and jalapenos as well on the side, so much that there was a lot of leftover mint. I felt bad because it was a waste. The waiters here are quirky and like to make random jokes, which was cool but awkward. Overall I love this place and it is great that it is nearby and cheap!

I have been to Pho 79 several times, as a matter of fact, this is the first place I ever tasted Pho. From the first time I had it, it definitely had me hooked. I raved about this place for a long time and people who went there would come back to me with lack luster feedback.
So, about two weeks ago, I returned for the first time in about three years. Unfortunately, after being to several other Pho restaurants I realized that Pho 79 wasn't the ish....

The Pho: it was decent, it had flavor and it is what I would expect, nothing to call home about, nonetheless it was good. One thing that I noticed, it tasted like the chicken in my Pho was freezer burned... I didn't eat it, I was better off getting a vegetable bowl.

The service: We all  know, any Pho restaurant you go to lacks service. It is a "churn and burn" environment. They want you to eat, pay them, and get the hell out of there! LOL

The experience: Again, I wasn't wow'ed, I would go there again (if I was invited).

All in all, I love the cultural experience of eating Pho, I would just like to see this restaurant be a little more pleasant and inviting.

I tried this place based on the yelp ratings. I really wanted to introduce my husband to Pho because it's one of my favorite foods. I have eaten pho since I was about 10 years old and have tried it in many cities and places. I've been to places that were fancy and cost more and places in D.C. that were super cheap and only had rows of plastic tables, where you shared tables with random people. For me, as long as the Pho is good I could care less who I'm sitting with.

I could barely get my husband through the door because the stench was so bad... it literally smelled like human urine. It sounds crazy that I actually stayed to try the food but that is how determined I was... the tables were dirty and the menus were sticky and crusted with filth. Personally I am willing to overlook these details if the food is good... it wasn't. The broth was not flavorful and the side of goodies was missing lime and jalapeños, which I consider essential. The basil and sprouts were also wilted. I truly don't understand the good reviews. This experience pretty much ruined my husband from ever trying Vietnamese again, which is the biggest crime. We paid and walked out of the restaurant after only a couple of bites.