| Overall (based on 6 ratings) |  |
| Broth (flavor, fragrance, clarity) |  |
| Noodles (texture, clumpiness) | |
| Meat (tenderness, quality) | |
| Vegetables (variety, freshness) | |
Huy
Initially, the restaurant's broth has too much flavor of star anise, two months later, I give it a try again, and I could say it is the same quality as the Pho in Denver, which is a measuring stick for me. I recommend this place for the occasional Pho craving.
bobbyz
Being from Southern California (San Diego and Los Angeles area), I have been accustomed to having had the best Pho in the US. I would consider myself as one of the harshest Pho critics in America and I can provide a very unbias and professional opinion. My experience here is very different to the previous rater. With all due respect, I would not give this restaurant anything other than average and it DOES NOT compare to anything like the Pho in Denver! The broth is very bland and plain. The meatballs actually did not taste fresh. The vegetables were somewhat wilted. I would have to rate my experience as poor.
Rod
10/30/09-ate lunch there at about 1pm. There were 4 or 5 tables occupied, all Americans except one. Several tables came and went while we were there, steady but not busy.
I ordered cha gio first. It was decent. Not by any means the best, but it was okay. The rolls seemed fresh and light, but a tad bit bland. Fish sauce was bland but not bad. The veggies that came with it were not as fresh as I would prefer, but not bad. I ordered a large pho tai chin nam, and my friend ordered a medium pho ga. The veggies that came with the pho seemed fresh. My pho was decent. It satisfied my addiction. Didn't suck, but wasn't the greatest. The meats had a little fat, which I like, and don't find much anymore. My friend liked the pho ga. The service was decent. No complaints.
Unlike Mr. National Pho Badass who posted above, I am just an average person who loves Pho. But, like him, would say overall this is an average pho restaurant. Not bad by any means, and if you need a fix, it will get the job done. Colorado Springs doesn't have a lot of options, so this might work for you. It certainly passes my test.
anonymous
I thought this place was pretty good. Not the best I've ever had, but very decent. Their chicken was very good too. Usually pho places only give dark, fatty meat, which I don't like. So I was very pleased with pho 54. I would recommend trying it.
C. Nguyen
Tried this out on my last day of project. It got mixed reviews but generally good. Place is in recessed strip mall on east side so keep a look out or you'll miss it. First thing that hits me when I walked in is the funky smell of the place, definitely needs airing out. We came in the late afternoon and 2/3 of the tables had sun hitting you in the face if you are facing out as they have half blinds. I suggested we moved to an inner table as my colleague was getting uncomfortable with the glare. Decor is spartan and service was fairly quick. Menu is very short with everything listed on 1 page. I ordered the large pho special which came out in a huge bowl. Veggies were well represented and mostly fresh with some sprouts browning. The noodles were oddly vermicelli sized and not the thicker pho strands even though they do have the same texture and doneness. Broth was clear but somewhat average lacking some punch in the star anise/roasted onion/beefiness with some beef fatty aftertaste. The broth is also tepid with no onion/scallion backing the aroma. The meat was noticeably lacking in quantity so I could not find enough to judge the quality. As the table did not have the small bowls for dipping sauce, guess its a moot point.
With their prices close to the top end of the national pho prices for a large bowl, it is passable for a pho fix but only 3/10 for overall value.
May
The broth was pretty bland and there was not a lot of noodles given. Was disappointed! Not a lot of meat was given either.
