SB Pho

Kendrick Guehr

We recently discovered SB Pho and are big fans. The pho is incredibly flavorful, and the ingredients taste exceptionally fresh. We also appreciate that you can add extra vegetables to the soup. After trying several pho places around Santa Barbara, SB Pho is hands-down our favorite. We’ve already been back multiple times in the past few weeks and plan to make it a regular stop in our restaurant rotation!

Geoff Severson

Very good authentic Vietnamese food. Pho was steaming hot and tasty. Egg rolls are great. Owners are sweet and helpful.

Kyler Fairbanks

Tried the bun bo hue this morning, and I love it. The broth was flavorful and not too spicy, and the beef was tender. The overall atmosphere and service was great too, but can be better. Will come again next time to try the banh mi.

Henry Farkas

You order and pay at the counter. They bring your food to the table. That's convenient because when you finish eating, you can just get up and go. There's no waiting for the check. The pho (pronounced fuh)is outstanding. I had the small vegetarian pho with glass noodles. It was great. There was plenty of food in the small size pho. I highly recommend SB Pho in Santa Barbara.

Tyler Carr

Came here twice in one day. Vegan options in sb are dwindling, especially high protein ones. I got the rice plate and doubled up on marinated tofu. I thought the veggie and protein portions were small compared to the rice (pictures of regular plate and double tofu). Super healthy and flavorful. My friend was happy with her beef pho.

Zoe Metz

The best pho in Santa Barbara. I go here about once a week and I always order a large beef or chicken pho. I always bring my freinds! Really good Vietnamese coffee too.

Cao Trí Đỗ

I tried the banh mi out of curious (first time here), and it went beyond my expectations! The baguette was crunchy, the fillings were flavorful! Totally recommend!

Anthony David

Honestly a little confusing to get here but really really tasty food. Can taste the freshness of ingredients and the people here actually care. The beef pho was fire, and had just enough noodles and beef - the vegan pho even almost had a better flavor than the beef pho which is surprising. Had a vegan banh mi and bulgogi and honestly thought they weren’t going to deliver on that but was super flavorful and the bread was really fresh. Wish if wasn’t so far!

The food is amazing and the service is impressively fast. We’re a vegan family with kids who previously lived in Vietnam, so we’re very familiar with authentic Vietnamese flavors - and we truly enjoyed our lunch here. The fresh rolls and vegan tofu pho were excellent. The boba tea was delicious, and the fresh coconut drinks were a real treat. Highly recommend!

We live in West LA and drive >1hr for the best pho here. The owners and host are always incredibly warm, kind and generous when my eight year old and I visit. She can be a picky eater but when we're here she finishes her own bowl of beef pho and just feels so happy. Me, too! We really appreciate how ingredients also look and taste really fresh, clean and flavorful and I love that I can get fresh young coconut here! Thanks so much for being wonderful we're excited to return soon.

Timothy Welling

I've been meaning to try this spot for a while, and I'm glad I finally did today! I had a large Beef Pho and it was fantastic. If you eat your veggies I recommend using everything they give you and mixing it all in the soup. A great Family-owned business that I'll be happy to enjoy again soon

Had a nice Báhn mi with bulgogi (it’s a bit extra but worth it!). Fresh veggies. Great roll. Sturdy enough to hold everything but also easy to bite into at the same time! Quiet inside the restaurant (maybe add some music?) but outside courtyard is gorgeous!

Fresh and tasty pho. I had the vegetarian pho. They have small and large size bowls available. The restaurant is not visible from the street, it's in a courtyard. The street us closed off for cars,however there are parking lots nearby.

SB Pho has some really delicious food. Their online menu needs updating though, because the prices are $1-2 lower compared to the actual printed menu in store. This is a bit deceiving! I usually order the veggie pho with steamed tofu instead of fried tofu. The small is a good size, and I usually struggle to finish a large. The ratio of veggies, tofu, noodles and broth is perfect. The side plate includes cabbage, basil, and lime. If you want bean sprouts you have to ask for these. There are some other great veggie options on the menu such as the tofu bahn mi. All my friends who are meat eaters enjoy all the meat options on the menu. Overall the food is delicious and portions are good. Easy to order at the counter, find a table indoors or outside, and when you’re done eating you can just leave. Staff comes around every so often to check in. I would recommend eating here, just be aware of the price differences on their website vs what you will actually be charged in person.

cindee lanning

Fresh and tasty pho. I had the vegetarian pho. They have small and large size bowls available. The restaurant is not visible from the street, it's in a courtyard. The street us closed off for cars,however there are parking lots nearby.

Carrie T

Had a nice Báhn mi with bulgogi (it’s a bit extra but worth it!). Fresh veggies. Great roll. Sturdy enough to hold everything but also easy to bite into at the same time! Quiet inside the restaurant (maybe add some music?) but outside courtyard is gorgeous!

Kay Kavanah

SB Pho has some really delicious food. Their online menu needs updating though, because the prices are $1-2 lower compared to the actual printed menu in store. This is a bit deceiving! I usually order the veggie pho with steamed tofu instead of fried tofu. The small is a good size, and I usually struggle to finish a large. The ratio of veggies, tofu, noodles and broth is perfect. The side plate includes cabbage, basil, and lime. If you want bean sprouts you have to ask for these. There are some other great veggie options on the menu such as the tofu bahn mi. All my friends who are meat eaters enjoy all the meat options on the menu. Overall the food is delicious and portions are good. Easy to order at the counter, find a table indoors or outside, and when you’re done eating you can just leave. Staff comes around every so often to check in. I would recommend eating here, just be aware of the price differences on their website vs what you will actually be charged in person.

I was working for the day in Santa Barbara, and my wife was craving pho, so we decided to try this place in the heart of the city. Unfortunately, our experience wasn’t great. The person taking our order was very rude and seemed completely emotionless. While the food itself was tasty, it didn’t feel authentic—it was more American-style pho. The prices were higher than what you’d typically pay at a pho restaurant, coming to around $30 per person. The portions were also smaller than expected, and I still left feeling hungry and not fully satisfied. On a positive note, the atmosphere inside was quiet and relaxing, which made it a decent place to eat. However, the overall experience didn’t quite live up to expectations.

The pho itself was OK, but had a lot of black pepper! The broth was not clear at all and had some very hard to chew roots so the pho was very hard to enjoy. The pho portions are twice smaller that usual pho bowls are served at the restaurants. The side veggies for the pho were old and looking strange. We had to ask to replace it! The surrounding area is beautiful, more of the sitting area is available outside of the restaurant.

Keith Johnson

I was working for the day in Santa Barbara, and my wife was craving pho, so we decided to try this place in the heart of the city. Unfortunately, our experience wasn’t great. The person taking our order was very rude and seemed completely emotionless. While the food itself was tasty, it didn’t feel authentic—it was more American-style pho. The prices were higher than what you’d typically pay at a pho restaurant, coming to around $30 per person. The portions were also smaller than expected, and I still left feeling hungry and not fully satisfied. On a positive note, the atmosphere inside was quiet and relaxing, which made it a decent place to eat. However, the overall experience didn’t quite live up to expectations.

Lilia Yerosheva

The pho itself was OK, but had a lot of black pepper! The broth was not clear at all and had some very hard to chew roots so the pho was very hard to enjoy. The pho portions are twice smaller that usual pho bowls are served at the restaurants. The side veggies for the pho were old and looking strange. We had to ask to replace it! The surrounding area is beautiful, more of the sitting area is available outside of the restaurant.

I hate to offer negatives but I have to share it. We ate least at 40 different pho restaurants over 20 years so maybe biased. Negatives consist of SB pho’s large bowl (literally a kid’s size vs other restaurants) and tiny proteins. It was late and tire so we gave it chance hoping meats/tastes for tiny portions will be justifiable but nope and over $18? SB is a price gauging area but they probably know they’re getting away with it bc of tourists lol.

Sy L

I hate to offer negatives but I have to share it. We ate least at 40 different pho restaurants over 20 years so maybe biased. Negatives consist of SB pho’s large bowl (literally a kid’s size vs other restaurants) and tiny proteins. It was late and tire so we gave it chance hoping meats/tastes for tiny portions will be justifiable but nope and over $18? SB is a price gauging area but they probably know they’re getting away with it bc of tourists lol.

Not sure how anyone rates this place more than the minimum 1. We ordered two large pho and a small and got those portions. Barely a couple of slices of beef. I’m shocked. If I don’t pay before the food came, I’d have walked away. But they ask you to pay before the food is served. Terrible

I like Vietnamese phone, but this one is the worst ever I had. the lady didn't even greet us. the price is 20% higher than other places and also the portion is much smaller, about 60% the size the other places had. the broth is not good, not clear. It is not the Vietnamese traditional flavor. the pho is puffy, feels like the Chinese noodle. I don't like it at all so is my wife. Will never go again.

Allen Close

I like Vietnamese phone, but this one is the worst ever I had. the lady didn't even greet us. the price is 20% higher than other places and also the portion is much smaller, about 60% the size the other places had. the broth is not good, not clear. It is not the Vietnamese traditional flavor. the pho is puffy, feels like the Chinese noodle. I don't like it at all so is my wife. Will never go again.

Danny KA

Not sure how anyone rates this place more than the minimum 1. We ordered two large pho and a small and got those portions. Barely a couple of slices of beef. I’m shocked. If I don’t pay before the food came, I’d have walked away. But they ask you to pay before the food is served. Terrible

If you've got a bland American palate this is the place for you! This pho place caters specifically to those who grew up on corndogs and meatloaf. Has absolutely no Authenticity to the Vietnamese culture and targets the americanized demographic. I spent a few days in SB on vacation and grew tired of american dishes and wanted something authentic and this had some good reviews. I Really should have known better and paid attention to the demographic of the area so this was a fault of my own. I removed my Fly-in-soup picture review as I really didnt wanna cause loss of business over something that was probably half out of their control. Still, blaming a fly went into the chili oil bottle after reviewing the cctv footage... do you really think you saw a fly enter the chili oil or you're assuming. Check your food first.

celeste zepeda

I don’t know if the older white guy who works there is the owner or the manager but every single time we go we enjoy the food, but we don’t like his attitude. No customer service at all. I don’t know if he’s like this with everyone or just people of color but it’s definitely not a good look. Food is great though

Jay Dag

If you've got a bland American palate this is the place for you! This pho place caters specifically to those who grew up on corndogs and meatloaf. Has absolutely no Authenticity to the Vietnamese culture and targets the americanized demographic. I spent a few days in SB on vacation and grew tired of american dishes and wanted something authentic and this had some good reviews. I Really should have known better and paid attention to the demographic of the area so this was a fault of my own. I removed my Fly-in-soup picture review as I really didnt wanna cause loss of business over something that was probably half out of their control. Still, blaming a fly went into the chili oil bottle after reviewing the cctv footage... do you really think you saw a fly enter the chili oil or you're assuming. Check your food first.