Review Wat Da Pho - Melbourne

Wat da dina? This place looks exciting ...... but how can a place with a Fancy name, Cool, Upbeat Music serves a Dull Pho Soup? Great location on the strip of Clarendon St, it was quieter on a Day Light saving evening, probably due to the Night Market at South Melbourne Market. Upbeat Music, Cool Cafe set up, yes it has many of those cool Cafe lights all over the ceiling. Unfortunately the Soup was dull, could it be because it has been in the Pot for far too long? Okay not the worse Pho soup I've ever had and no amount of Lemon, Black Pepper, Chilies and Fish Sauce can bring back that distinct Pho stock flavour. Free Hot Tea, Water or that Frozen Young Coconut Juice, then again Vietnam's 333 beers are plenty. Service is fast and good. I hope it will be better next time I go, Lunch.

This is Pho? I'm asking! This is the first time I've tried Pho and I'm pretty disapointed. The noodles were chewy, store bought, flat rice noodles, and the "broth"... there was no broth, it was clear, colorless, unseasoned tap water, not even salted. There were plenty of condiments I was encouraged to add, which I did because it was so bland and flavorless. The meat didn't seem overdone, it was still a bit pink in the center and, apart from a few peices, tender, but still, bland and flavorless. Maybe I came in on a bad day, but I was given no reason to come back and I can't recommend it.

Wat Da Pho's pho is alright. Not the most authentic broth but it's not bad in anyway. Bit pricey for the size but for something extremely close to the city it isn't a bad option, especially if you can't travel out to Footscray or Richmond.

Pho didn't have any taste, very bland. Was a very hot day came in expecting to be in the aircon and they didn't have any so was dying. Could do so much better, still the staff are nice. Wouldn't come again though.

They put a sign on my white metal fence and left black tape all over it. When they first asked if they could, I thought I would say yes as I am all for local business. They assured me that when the sign would be removed, they would leave the fence the way they found it. Well they didn't and have ignored my requests for help to remove the tape. It just won't come off. Not great customer service.

Great place. Pho is beautiful. The Ching rolls are great and the meat skewers are too. Fresh and flavoursome. The way Vietnamese should be.

Good value of pho compared to where I'm from, good broth and good meats. No complaints! Attentive and quick service.

Was ok overpriced long wait. Had to put the pho together myself. Better food quality in St. Albans

Food was decent! A local guy who did the register, food ordering, running the floor all by himself, is just extraordinary and he deserved the credit!

Despite their names, I prefer their vermicelli dishes than their pho. The vermicelli is served cold, unlike some other Vietnamese places, and it comes with a decent portion with affordable price tag. Their meat on sticks taste great, doesn't matter if it's beef, pork, or chicken. They open until pretty late too, so it's great !!

This restaurant has plain tasting pho that doesn't really compare to the authentic ones in Footscray and Richmond. Came here once and don't want to go back

Quick lunch time spot in south Melbourne. Pho is better than most places you'll find and the skewers (sticks) are awesome too. Reasonable prices are a bonus!

Authentic Vietnamese food which is very affordable. Walk the area of South Melby and find this unassuming place. They do both dine in and take away and is quite a popular choice.

Very hit and very miss. Come here as it's the closest place for pho but and can end up feeling really satisfied or feeling like I have just drank a bucket full of salt water. On a positive note they don't add msg to their soup, but I'm assuming they need to add more salt to enhance the flavour hence why it can be too salty at times.

Had the classic rare beef pho. Soup is too salty. Nice atmosphere though. There's more authentic options for pho around the area for a cheaper price

The Dear Luncher was walking down Clarendon Street and felt a tap on his shoulder. Well it wasn’t a tap on the shoulder as it turns out, it was bird shit. They say that this brings good luck to the victim of this natural ‘event’. After cleaning the bird shit off - a mere few minutes had passed and luck began to manifest itself. Across the road, The Dear Luncher noticed a bustling eatery with a line extending from the counter, almost to the outside footpath. This establishment was Wat Da Pho, which is a very similar phrase to what The Dear Luncher uttered when that bird did its business.<br/><br/>The Dear Luncher was pressed for time and began to worry about how long lunch would take considering the large queue. After ordering the “Sticks on the Celli” - chargrilled honey/sesame chicken skewers, vermicelli noodles, lettuce, cucumber and other assorted Vietnamese salad ingredients – The Dear Luncher took a seat and his meal arrived fairly quickly and it looked scrumptious. The chicken was fantastic. All salad ingredients crunchy and FRESH. This was a wonderfully executed vermicelli salad. Well priced at $11 too. <br/><br/>If that salad is an indication of how the rest of their meals go, then that would explain the long queues. <br/><br/>Nice one, Wat Da Pho.

Tried the Classic pho at Wat da pho as it was located near the South Melbourne Market. The broth was beautiful..so full of flavour and the serving was huge. The ingredients were fresh and tasty but the let down was the rare beef slices which was not as tender, perhaps due to the cut of the meat.

Excellent customer service, made my first time here a very enjoyable and welcoming one! The rice paper rolls were all very delicious, will definitely be back for more!

Tasty food and quick service. The spring rolls and the pho are great tasting and very good value for money. The pho itself is a large portion enough to fill any one up

Havent been back there for a while bcoz we changed our vietnamese pho spot to another place down the road. Finally decided to go back recently and just a bit disappointing. Soup is not really hot which is a per hate for me...its busy but dont know why?!

Quick lunch fix on their rice paper rolls, I quite like it in general the portions are balanced and along with the sauce it's pretty delightful to me. I haven't tried their pho yet but it looks a bit westernize and different from the ones I eat in Springvale. <br/>Customer service was a bit inconsistent, sometimes the girl was nice sometimes she's grumpy

After about two years in South Melbourne this little unassuming Vietnamese-ish cafe will probably end up being my most frequented lunch stop. So hey, that says a lot. Wat da Pho is about sixty seconds from the office (thirty if you take the fire exit) and has the right balance of price, quality, nutrition and they take card (ugh, can’t believe that’s even a thing here). I’ve tried most of the menu now and will lean towards the rice paper rolls for speed or the “Da Sticks” for any other occasion.

Love the lemongrass beef skewers! On their own, on rice vermicelli or on rice they are great. Spring rolls are yummy and crunchy. Rice paper rolls are a meal in themselves and very tasty. Again I love the lemongrass beef. The pho is ok. Good when I'm in need of a bowl and can't be bothered travelling to Richmond. The beef is good quality but the broth is quite tasteless.

Came here for a quick lunch and finally decided on the honey sesame chicken skewers with vermicelli. The accompanying sauce was great and it was the perfect portion size. Had friendly service and food arrived quickly which was a plus considering it was the 1pm lunch rush. Would definitely return :)

Seriously rude. I walked in to order lunch and the guy would not even turn around to serve me. Easiest decision to walk out and spend my cash next door! <br/>Poor service is the worst thing you can do.

My go-to lunch stop on wet days or hot days.  Beef Pho with the lot on wet days and Chicken Sticks on Da Chelli on hot days.  Something is happening lately however, the soup was a bit lukewarm and service is a bit slower.  I'm not sure why.  Hopefully it'll go back to how it was again.

Went to this little restaurant during the Friday lunchtime peak. Good sign to see it was busy along bustling Clarendon st. Ordered the classic beef pho, came out very quickly which is greatly appreciated! Broth itself was tasty but was a bit watered down, could tell by the colour of the broth and it wasnt steaming hot as it should be. Not quite up to the standard and portion sizes of Footscrays pho but nevertheless enjoy all of it on a cold day!

Visited wat da pho on a Saturday night. We shared the pork skewers to start with, they were really nice and came with lettuce cups, carrot, cucumber and dipping sauce to make little roll ups. Then I had the pho bo, it was quite a dark broth and was quite strong in flavour. I prefer my pho to be a little mild though. Overall it was good, I'd go back for the skewers and give the pho a miss though.

When the weather begins to turn my mind drifts to my favourite things, soup and being inside. Lucky for me, Wat Da Pho has inside tables and the amazing Vietnamese soup, pho. Time to be warm inside and out! Whenever we we visit Wat Da Pho, it  always seems to be full with people lining up to order an tables already claim. Pho is the star of the menu, but they’re also well known in the area for their 3 for $10 rice paper roll specials.

Delicious char grilled skewers and more than enough pho. A little inconsistent with the ingredients in the pho unfortunately. Still quiet satisfying on a cold and windy night

Made the mistake of ordering the entree sized 'Da Sticks' last time, got a container of huge lettuce leaves that were extremely difficult to eat. But the chicken was very tasty!! Last time I ordered a dish with vermicelli noodles and tofu and it was the bomb! Will have to try and find that one again! Rice paper rolls are cheap and awesome!!<br/> <br/><br/>~~~~The pho is awesome!!

Been here a lot and can't really fault it. Staff are great, rice paper rolls are delish along with the Mayo... My fav. Only thing is when they run out of rice paper rolls they won't make anymore. Had the vermicelli salad with pork, so good and very fresh. Lucky to have this as my local.

This place is my local, and I absolutely love it! Came across it by accident with the bright lights and music - but I love the vibe. Pho here is reasonable price, and delicious! Service is friendly & efficient. I've made my review 4.5 as I just wish they were open Sunday nights! 😁😜

My favourite place. Nothing fancy but good, simple vietnamese food with lots of flavour. The prices are really reasonable and the service is great. My only complaint is the rice paper rolls seem to be getting smaller every time I go.

We had few quick work lunches there. Busy little shop. The pho was nice. But the beef and pork sticks on rice wasn't very good. The meat was so dry. I had to have some water to flush them down. I will definitely go back for the pho but no the meat sticks on rice....

A convenient and inexpensive feed. It was quiet on a Saturday night so it seems relatively easy to get a seat. We had char-grilled skewers and the classic beef pho. Food was a bit slow after the skewers came out. We finished, and waited a bit too long for something as simple to dish up as pho. For this style of dining, I'd prefer my food faster. The pho tasted okay but the broth was on the lackluster side. It just doesn't taste the same as the good Vietnamese places.

My favourite place to grab Pho in Melbourne (maybe cos its close).<br/>The pho is always tasty and there is always alot of it.<br/>I usually order the Prawn Spring rolls on the side, which are served with Lettuce and Sauce and are extremely tasty.<br/>Lovely in summer sitting out the front on the footpath.

We went there few days ago for a quick work lunch. The pho was ok. Not supper good but for the price, can't complain too much. My friend had lemongrass beef sticks on rice, it was a disappointing dish. The sauce was lovely but the meat was much too dry... She found it was a bit hard to chew and swallow... Will probably go back for the pho but certainly not for the beef sticks

Wat da dina?<br/><br/>This place looks exciting ...... but how can a place with a Fancy name, Cool, Upbeat Music serves a Dull Pho Soup?<br/><br/>Great location on the strip of Clarendon St, it was quieter on a Day Light saving evening, probably due to the Night Market at South Melbourne Market.<br/><br/>Upbeat Music, Cool Cafe set up, yes it has many of those cool Cafe lights all over the ceiling.<br/><br/>Unfortunately the Soup was dull, could it be because it has been in the Pot for far too long? Okay not the worse Pho soup I've ever had and no amount of Lemon, Black Pepper, Chilies and Fish Sauce can bring back that distinct Pho stock flavour.<br/><br/>Free Hot Tea, Water or that Frozen Young Coconut Juice, then again Vietnam's 333 beers are plenty.<br/><br/>Service is fast and good.<br/><br/>I hope it will be better next time I go, Lunch.<br/><br/>04/02/2016

great customer service,great atmosphere.The pho...not so good.. bit too sweet and not authentic tasting however chicken skewers were absolutely delicious.

Great little Vietnamese spot Pho sure! Hipster vibes with low hanging incandescent lights, tasty and affordable. I had he vegetable and tofu Pho (made with beef stock, at least the waitress knew what was in it and warned me upfront which is nice) and the chicken skewer with salad.

SO GLAD THEY ARE BACK OPEN ON SUNDAY NIGHTS (never close again please..). Came here for a casual dinner and drinks last Sunday-mistakenly purchased both rice paper rolls aswell as another noodle dish. They're rice paper rolls were so filling and delicious, I wish I had only ordered them (we had the tofu and chicken varieties). Cold noodle dish was also fab (few inedible pieces of chicken, but nothing too insane). Cocktails were awesome too aswell as service. I do wish they had a bit more variety with the drinks menu but apart from that, super happy with everything. Definitely coming back again soon! Thanks guys

Their website and Google said they close at 9:30pm, so imagine our surprise when we got there at 8:40pm and it was half closed, and the grumpy waitress was trying to get me to sit on one of those bar chairs because they are packing up the other tables or outside which is a bit cool. Finally after huffing she let us sit inside in a normal table.<br/><br/>The pho obviously is not as authentic as te ones in Footscray or Richmond but on a semi cool night it certainly hits the spot. The chilli in here are still super spicy which we love and it's close to home. So what to do but to visit there often even with bad service.<br/><br/>Next time, lesson learnt! Should have checked Zomato instead for the most up to date information on opening times!

Cute and cheerful restaurant with a lot of thoughtful décor. We didn't have high expectations, but it was just one of the pho places to be ticked off the pho to-do list. It was actually a lot worse than we had thought. Wouldn't come back. Plus, they didn't even have Three Colour Drink. Sadness. Essential Condiments for pho

Not bad. A little less authentic than you find in your hole-in-the-wall like in Richmond. But nothing really to complain about. Pricing and service also reasonable. If you're taking away, then a good place to go if you're not hard-core for authenticity. I find the vermicelli a better choice here and would prefer a more authentic pho offering and so I usually hold off for that.

Where else can u get a healthy and delicious meal for $10...... Great value, friendly vibe, I eat here a few days per week. Kimmy the owner will take great care of you. Must try the avocado smoothie!

is great on the run pho & salad dishes basic but cheap as chips.<br/>around $10 lunch. they have great condiment selection  i.e satay chilli oil & can ask for extra herbs. <br/>is always packed out . the pho is super super hot which is great in winter,and i ask for half noodles in my pho.as they put alot in!<br/>can also pay extra $1 to add mushroom or veg to meat pho.<br/>the manager is so nice too,she always accomodating.

Very hip and cosy Pho restaurant. <br/>What to expect from the pho? You'll find tastier broths around town, but the beef slices and herbs were the freshest I have found - more than making up for the broth.

This pho cafe closes at 9pm while we arrived at 8.55pm, ended up enjoying their pho and avocado smoothies til 9.45pm. The boss definitely knows how to win the hearts of her customers and thank you for filling four happy tummies tonight!

Was looking for a good place to have dinner in South Melbourne area and we chose this one to try. The restaurant looks adorable, the ambience is pretty good. We ordered some dishes: spring rolls, chicken pho and pork with rice to share. I might say the foods are just average.. It was good but not too special. Worth to try tough.

Fresh, vibrant and not heavy handed with the over seasoning of broth that many pho places like to do. <br/><br/>Not being in Footscray or Springvale probably has them a little bit more timid with their version of the lot with offal. For example no pigs blood.<br/><br/>High chairs available but no change table here. <br/>

The most hip Viet joint I've been to. Friendly service and good food. The pricing is reasonable and menu gives you a good variety. The only downside will be that it's quite small so be prepared to bump into other eaters!

Love this place!! Quality fresh ingredients everytime. Pho is fantastic, rice paper rolls delicious and frozen coconut water amazing! Great service too... friendly staff. One of our favourite places.

With a venue as funky as its name, this South Melbourne Vietnamese hawker style restaurant has been an instant hit with its patrons since it opened its doors a year or two ago. Whilst the pho doesn't quite make it under the $10 mark (Wat Da Pho's classic beef pho sitting at $10.80) its definitely still value for money. With its fragrant broth (that's not too salty!), generous lashings of tender thinly sliced beef and all the usual sides - this dish is one that's definitely worth coming back for!

Yum! So delish, light and refreshing. Generous portions, fast and friendly service and doesn't cost a fortune. My usual orders are either the slice rare beef pho bowl or the honey chicken or pork vermicelli. Their avocado smoothies are on point as well.

Fresh, delish, tasty. I cant go past the grilled chicken salad. meat is tender and salad is fresh, a real treat every time I go. only downfall is that the place is smallish and the wait is long.

Wat Da Pho does great pho in good serving sizes, and it's always fresh and tasty.  <br/><br/>Downsides are that the queues get massive during lunchtimes, and there's no easy place to queue, so manoeuvring in and out of tables is always a pain.  Also, would love a smaller portion size at a smaller price. I can never get through the whole thing. <br/><br/>They do a good job at takeaways, though, and after you've ordered, service is pretty quick. Top notch pho.

In a city brimming with Vietnamese joints it's a battle to stand out. What the Pho delivers a simple modern decor with a simple no fuss menu. Is this the most authentic Vietnamese? arguable perhaps. But is the beef in the pho rare and deliciously tender? very much so. The spring rolls are crisp and tasty. It's popularity speaks for itself. I have to say though, that blender makes one hell of a racket.

Sorry! im very strict with PHO its either because im Vietnamese or ate PHO all my life in Sydney and Vietnam. The flavours here is light but fragrant, light as in weak taste more watery than normal, also the noodles are not my thing because I like fresh noodles not rehydrated one. But I was told this is how Melbourne does their noodles.Ohhhh their avocado shake was not great, as you can see it light in colour and not as smooth as Sydney's shakes. Lack in avocado taste. Btw I like it how the wait person are white! Multi-cultural

Really don't like how the veggie pho is cooked in beef broth. Also, rice paper rolls were 90% noodles and 10% veggies. Not exactly impressive. Ingredients however, were fresh. Probably won't visit again.

The restaurant looks nice and clean. The service was ok. The pho was a little bit light in the taste but it was still better compared to other Vietnamese restaurants in South Melbourne area.

Tiny portion and raw beef warm (not hot) soup. Minimum $16 for payment by cards. Cardboard faces when they serve you. However, taste of the soup is pretty good compare to grand opening which is  big improvement. I hope they accept card with less minimum spent so that I wont get coins.

Good environment and service but as expected, pho was sub standard as the flavors were not there. It's good to fill your stomach and not your taste buds

The pork spring rolls are amazing! Best in the area - the chicken skewers on rice are also great, as are the pork and prawn rice paper rolls with peanut hoisin sauce. <br/>Not sure about the pho - could be better but not bad. <br/>This is a regular take away destination for us and it's always great

Went here with group of friends and i must say i loved every bit! From the spring rolls, grilled chicken skewers to the pho and smoothies! Great lil place to go

Walked in at 4 past 12 today. Was the first to place an order. A random guy with absolutely no energy and life took my order. He didn't even look like he worked there and literally looked like he was just plucked off Clarendon St. No uniform, it looked like he had just finished fighting with the other chick that was working there. It suddenly became about him and not about the food I was about to eat. We then we're bought a take away pho and handed it to us thinking we ordered takeaway? We were thoroughly seated and settled with our napkins and tissue all placed neatly ready to dine in. So why would you assume it was ours? This lady had no idea was she was doing. And the guy. He needs to smile alot more. He made my experience awkward because he was so awkward looking. And as for the pho. Our fault for coming in right at opening time, the flavours hadn't fully developed yet.

Cold pho is unacceptable. My Pho was cold and served within 5 mins after ordering. It tasted so wrong being that warm and the service was rushed and mediocre.

A real neighbourhood gem. Friendly service, funky deco, laid back ambience, great presentation and clean. Quality of the food is solid.

...I neither felt like having dinner at a far restaurant or cooking so I chose to visit a Vietnamese restaurant in the neighbour hood called Wat Da Pho. It was my third visit and the service was still excellent. I opted for the TaiNam Classic pho ($9.80) with rare sliced beef and beef brisket. The broth was awesome. It was savory. The meat was tender as well. I can’t get enough of this pho.   TaiNam Classic Pho ($9.80) Compliment My sister, who had been my dining partner for the past one and a half months, decided to order DacBiet- The Lot ($11.80) and it really was a LOT. There were rare sliced beef, beef brisket, tendon, tripe, and beef meatballs in the dish. The flavor was m

My pho came with condiments served on a chopping board. It was aesthetically pleasing and surprisingly pretty good. The chicken broth was light and clear, with condiments adding depth to the soup.

Wat Da Hipster. The first hipster Pho place I have been to (decked out with plants and expensive lights and minus the sticky floors expected in a Vietnamese restaurant) - super busy during the lunch period, but as per all pho meals, the meal is pretty much ready by the time you sit down. I tried the Beef Pho and the soup was a little on the oily side, but the flavour was tasty (probably could have done with a little more sprinkling of salt) and the vegies nice and fresh.<br/>This place is order up (no table service) but the prices are fair (around $10 per bowl) that you would expect on Victoria St. The tables are share tables, and not a lot of room during the lunch period.

Atmosphere was cool but the pho was bland and nothing special. Wouldn't go back

Not quite there yet..... Trendy place in South Melbourne, serving alright Vietnamese food but not quite hitting the mark.<br/>We had the Caramelised Coriander Pork skewers, which was served with rice noodles, herbs, lettuce and dipping sauce. Pieces of pork was too big on the skewer, the dipping sauce was only so-so. It was not an easy to eat thing... it's definitely fun to eat but take heed: you will get messy with this one. And there was nowhere near enough herbs for the amount of meat on the place. Vietnamese food is all about the freshness of salads and HERBS. Lots of herbs. Be generous with this stuff. It's make or break here....<br/><br/>Then of course, we each had a bowl of Pho. It smelled delicious, but a big bowl of somewhat watered down soup, small serve of rice noodles, and overcooked beef. Sadness. <br/><br/>Wat da pho? I mean, seriously, what the pho? indeed... it was only average pho at best. <br/>So thumbs down for the noodles. Again, stingy with the herbs! And a mountain of mung bean sprouts brought out to the table before even our entrees where delivered.... what's that about? Anyway, it was put on a way too trendy platter that made it impossible to get the sprouts without creating a mess of sprouts all over the table. Looked nice, but was it practical? Hell no.<br/><br/>Speaking of practicality, I find little comfort in squeezing into tiny tables, which have already been piled full of sauces, chopsticks, small plates etc... AND my biggest bug bear... the tables were sticky, the little sauce plates were not clean, the water glasses not clean... everything just felt a little bit sticky.... <br/><br/>On the good side, the food was not terrible or bad by any means. It was just average. The staff were friendly but clueless. The food did come out rather slowly too.....<br/><br/>There is nothing else like it in South Melbourne so if that's all you've got and all you've been exposed to, then yeah, good for you. This place is wonderful for you and South Melbourne.<br/><br/>I would say it's ok, but nothing memorable. Better elsewhere for cheaper prices and less squishy tables.

Rice Paper rolls are delicious and good value. Service is very quick and prompt. Skewers also full of flavour. The Pho is a disappointment though and lacks flavour compared with Footscray pho's or Mekong in the CBD.

Are you pho real?. This place is absolutely DELICIOUS! I love their rice paper rolls and the mains are fantastic.

We ordered pho & the chicken & beef was dry with no flavour. Please cook when the dish is ordered. I am not sure we are coming back again.

Room for improvement. As I walked in, the layout of the restaurant reminded me of a restaurant in Hanoi, Vietnam. Great feeling. <br/>We tried the pho and the pork & prawn paper rolls. The portions for the pho were small and the pho soup tasted watered down (not enough pho flavour). I like to taste the pho first for the initial taste, before adding sauces to it. But no matter how well you flavour pho with hoi sin, chilli or lemon to your own liking, if there isn't the initial flavour of pho, the flavour will not taste right. The pork and prawn rolls. They were very fat, too much vermecelli. The flavour was different, the seasoning for the pork was too rich when combined with the peanut sauce. Each to their own. <br/>They didn't serve tea here either, which is what was lacking..green tea usually hits the spot with pho.<br/><br/>The service: Prompt, friendly and polite. The food came out right away which was impressive. No complaints with the service. <br/><br/>Will come back again when the cravings hit, hopefully with improvements.

The portions are a lot smaller. We got charged extra for beef balls today. We always order beef slices and beef balls. <br/><br/>This place used to be fantastic and nice food. Something has gone wrong , Not rushing back here anytime soon. We have been dining since it opened.

Perfect for a winters night!Great weeknight filler<br/>We ate the rice paper rolls with the hoisin sauce and chilli,lime,mayo sauce which was amazing! Also had the spring rolls with the lettuce wraps. The phos itself are delicious, no fuss, value for money.

The food was fresh but completely bland. Head to Richmond for the real deal- authentic Pho, larger serves and lots of flavour!

Lately I've been trying restaurants near my office instead of going home to my own area. If you've ever eaten Pho on Victoria St or in Footscray you will be sorely disappointed by going to What Da Pho.<br/><br/>Trendy look and staff but for $9.80 I got a half full bowl of flavourless "pho" and limited sauces but I will say the brisket was quite tender probably due to the slightly thinner cut of beef.<br/><br/>My suggestion would be to stick to Richmond and Footscray for your pho.

Went on a Saturday night at 8pm and they were already closed! They're meant to close at 9! My advice is call before you go... Haven't actually eaten here

Excellent service. We had lunch at Wat Da Pho today, 29/3/2014. The food was yummy, price was good and the service was excellent. Will definitely go there again.

Unphogettable.... What a joint! On a Wednesday night at 7pm this place is full and the meals being pushed out of the kitchen all looked super. We managed to get a spare few seats and loved the buzz that the diners, kitchen and environment created. <br/>The food is fresh and so good and the service is quick, as you expect from this style of restaurant. <br/>The rice paper rolls with pork and prawn were a very healthy size and coupled with the hoisin & peanut dipping sauce were a great appetiser. We also tasted the chicken skewers which came with all the ingredients to create your own San Choy bow. This was fun and a little messy. <br/>Next up our Pho was on the way. A big bowl full of noodle, beef, bean shoots and much more - hard to fault!<br/>It's a cheap, easy, no fuss meal that I could easily do once a week.

Yum. Amazing, beautiful fresh food.<br/>Shame about the huffing and sighing waiter with a chip on his shoulder every day though...

Trendy Pho. Had lunch there today for the first time. Pho x 2 was really good, refreshing and clean. Took home 3 rice paper rolls (prawn & pork) but was disappointed, lack of flavour, minimal if any spring onion or coriander. Hope they can remedy that. Overall good value and we'll return.

A great restaurant for western palate. What a great concept. A well-run restaurant just a bit to bland 'pho' me.

Phonky hipsterViet. I'm amused by restaurants that use clever plays on words for their names, but I'm put off at eating in them because I fear they might treat their food with a jokey attitude. I had to try Wat Da Pho anyway because I live close and it gets good reviews on Urbanspoon. The decor, diners and general vibe of the joint are South Melbourne hipster, not Victoria Street Viet.<br/><br/>My beef pho was not bad, just a bit different to what you'd get in Little Vietnam. The soup base was beefy enough, NO MSG!! HOORAY! and had a sweet flavour note. Maybe palm sugar, maybe galangal? The beef didn't come out rare, but I didn't care. Best that it wasn't pink, because the bowl I got wasn't hot enough to make the bean sprouts soften up. Crunchy to the final chopstick. And I always put these in first, because I like how they deepen the pho's flavour as they cook in hot broth. I'm not saying it's bad soup; just that it has some uncommon nuances. Decent value @ $9.80 for a bowl that was only a little smaller than what I usually see.<br/><br/>The beef rice paper roll I had was passable, but the hoisin/peanut sauce that came with it was better. Cool that Wat Da Pho offers us a choice of four sauces. On the expensive side for a roll @ $3.50. The avocado smoothie I had was worth every cent of its $5.50 docket. It was milk-pitcher sized, WAY thicker than an Australian milkshake, and full of sweet/avocado flavour. There were some small ice chunks in it, but that's a sign of how it's made from scratch upon your order, not from some mix. Wat Da Pho's blender is as loud as the biker cycles that rumble past here when they cruise Clarendon. I reckon this is a good place to go when I don't want to trek to North Richmond.

Pho was okay, rice paper rolls were horrible, staff had no clue what they were serving. Trendy place in a trend restaurant but not what I'm after so won't go back.

Naming this place "Wat Da Pho" was spot on because they really have no clue what real pho is.

TASTY PHO AND SUPERB DRINK .... TASTY PHO AND SUPERB DRINK<br/><br/>We had the noodle soup for lunch today. the beef soup was absolutely delicious, and the veg soup was okay. we totally understand that it is a vegetarian option that normally doesn't have that deep flavour coming from meat. anyway, it was not bad at all.<br/>the Vietnamese beer was not my type, but the flavor of the durian drink was just heaven.<br/><br/>Beautiful Vietnamese food and drink comes with really reasonable price!!<br/><br/>I'd like to go back any time soon.

Really cool fit out and ambience. Terrible terrible beef, so chewy it was not edible :(

Awesome food with reasonable prices! Yummy!

Fantastic non franchised food. This is a not hidden gem, goes off at lunch time, just great fresh food and fantastic staff. The place is run by the people who serve you so service is friendly and they know their Vietnamese food, as good or better than anything in Melbourne. I reckon it's better than the now mass produced formula of Miss Chu because the owners are running the place and it's not a franchise like Miss Chu.<br/><br/>Every on the menu is good, and you can always find something to suit your taste, even my kids love it!!

I have now dined here several times and have to say the rice paper rolls are some of the best around. Excellent value as well. Today we tried the honey soy chicken sticks - perfectly cooked and marinated to perfection. The rice paper rolls are huge. This time I had the lemongrass beef and chicken and avocado teamed with the chili lime mayo and the peanut hoisin sauce. Delicious! In the past I tried the pho and agree with previous posts that is bland and slightly under seasoned. Despite this the other dishes are delish! Definately recommend and great value!

Exceptional service, cheap, tasty Vietnamese and in a perfect location. Perfect casual dining.

Bland. The pho was quite bland and ingredients used (meatballs, sausages) tasted artificial and processed. Does not compare to the authentic pho places in Footscray and Springvale but this place is still very popular due to the lack of competition in the South Melbourne area.

This hipster "pho" restaurant is neither authentic Vietnamese pho or tasty. The food quality is poor and flavors is for a western pallet, go to footscray or Richmond for the real deal.

Fast, fresh and REALLY tasty. Title says it all really, I loved the choices on the menu, quality & speed of the service, and the taste... wow. Had pork skewers on vermicelli with small selection of green vegetables, including vietnamese mint. Doesn't sound that fancy but when it's this fresh, and when the pork is perfectly cooked and tastes this good - WOW.<br/><br/>My fellow diners had the chicken skewers on vermicelli and loved it also.<br/><br/>Definitely recommended, will be back for sure.

Nothing spesh. Service is lacking. Took them 20 mins to realise they were out of tofu spring rolls. Our dishes were taken away while others were still eating. It's got a funky vibe but I won't be rushing back

Being a regular visitor of the grungy dimly lit Vietnamese restaurants on Victoria st I eyed this new pho house with suspicion. In my mind the trendy interior and hipster crowd equated to expensive pho. I decided to give it a try and boy was I proven wrong. Pho and sticks are excellent and pricing is very reasonable. I love how this place has only a handful of things on the menu but every single item is delicious. One of my fav spots now

Front staff are friendly. Food service is crappy b/c Head Chef is can NOT get his dockets correct. Food is ok ... Broth in the pho needs palm sugar to give that kick, and bit more spices like cumin & cinnamon for extra flavor. Meats balls & Noodles are poor b/c they're store bought and not home made. Beef slices could be better quality (try using wagyu or Angus). I think with their location and demographics, the can improve their quality and people would be willing to pay more. Would I go back again? ... probably not

If your gluten free be careful I was told certain rice papers rolls were gluten free but when we went into to get take away we were told they the same rolls aren't gluten free..Notice this is happening a lot recently with places

Worthy to try !. I'm excited that South Melbourne now have a Pho, beside convenient and so far enjoyed the beef pho & prawn spring rolls. I've been returning couples times even the place is pretty narrow and busy. They always good and delicious.

Super. Yummy Food - great Pho.<br/>It is a good addition to the South Melbourne area - Went numerous times and enjoyed the food. <br/>Service is always quick.

Best pho in the area. When Victoria Street is a bit far away, Wat Da Pho is the perfect South Melbourne alternative.<br/><br/>I admit, I never stray from the 'Classic' - rare sliced beef & beef brisket - although friends tell me the chicken is also delish. It's the clean, fresh tasting broth that makes it and there's always enough garnish to go round.<br/><br/>Try the crunchy spring rolls to share as entree if you need more than a soup for dinner.