| Overall (based on 13 ratings) |  |
| Broth (flavor, fragrance, clarity) | |
| Noodles (texture, clumpiness) |  |
| Meat (tenderness, quality) | |
| Vegetables (variety, freshness) | |
Tom B
In a strip mall behind Castleton Mall, Viet Bistro has an exceptionally friendly staff. However, the food is only average. The Pho lacked any real taste, and no amount of seasoning could overcome that.
pls
Expensive for a Pho restaurant. Soup is tasteless, has chinese food beef.
anonymous
Stingy with the meat and veggies.
SANDIE
They have the best and very clean!
Tom
I moved to Bloomington from Seattle three years ago, and although I don't miss the rain or the housing prices, there are days when I feel like I could commit heinous crimes in exchange for a bowl of steaming Pho (pronounced "fuh"). Unfortunately, the state of Indiana has few answers for the Pho lover, at least in my experience. Viet Bistro is no exception. First off, it is overpriced. In Seattle, a large, generous bowl of beef, chicken, or tofu Pho will run between 4.25-5.95 (if you are in Seattle, try Than Bros or Pho Hoa). At V.B., you will pay no less than 7.95 for a much smaller portion. In addition, V.B. pays scant attention to the little things that make Pho so enjoyable. The plum and chili sauces are served in their dirty straight-from-the-supermarket bottles. There are no small dishes to mix the sauces, nor is the side dish of bean sprouts, basil, and jalapenos sufficient enough for the bowl of Pho. Finally, the broth is not awful, but not great either - it is overloaded with chinese 5 spice, which is a necessary ingredient, but it can be overpowering when used in large quantities.
On the bright side, the lady who runs the place is really nice, and makes the experience more pleasant.
I'll have to stay tuned to this website to see if the winds of change bring new Pho opportunities to Indiana. I'll keep my fingers crossed.
butch
Very little on the vegetable plate. Broth is below average and service is terrible.
WB
I arrived between lunch and dinner. The sign said closed. As I turned around to leave, the door opened and a smiling lady invited me in. I was super hungry, so I was grateful for the kindness. I was hoping for a big bowl of all that is good in this world, like I'm used to. I ended up with a murky broth that had decent flavor. The size of the bowl was smaller than I am used to, but then again I really didn't want more. The side dish of fresh accoutrements was also disappointing, limp and skimpy.
Because the lady was so kind, I am going to return to try other menu items. Clearly, the pho is not their forte.
I've tried 3 different pho places in Indianapolis and so far, all have disappointed. I am going to try Sandras next. Let's keep our fingers crossed.
Mark O.
Agree with other posters. Pho was OK at best.
anonymous
BEWARE, DISHONEST PEOPLE!!!
Owner and employees appeared nice and friendly but beware! They are very dishonest!!! If you use credit/debit, please keep receipt. They will enter a tip amount even though you had written $0 on the tip section. Have you been cheated all along and not aware of it because the people there just seem so nice???
JP
I stopped in for a bowl of Pho around 11AM in the middle of the week. I ordered the Pho Bo Vien and was disappointed upon arrival. The garnish plate contained slimy sprouts, italian flat leaf parsley, and half a lime. No chili's. The broth was flavorful and the noodles were of good consistency. I like to put a bit of sriracha sauce in my pho after I have eaten it down about half way. I took a sip of the broth and it absolutley LIT ME UP! I know how to handle my sriracha, and did not put much in at all, so upon further review of the bottle I see that the expiration date was three years ago. While i doubt that the contents of the mostly full bottle had been hanging around for that long, I do believe they are re-filling the bottles with homemade sriracha (which ruined my Pho).
PHOGIRL
Rude and overpriced, they understand that there aren't many choices in Fishers/Castleton area, where PHO is fresh.
