+1 415-661-8869
Nestled in the heart of San Francisco’s vibrant Inner Sunset neighborhood, PPQ Beef Noodle House is a treasured Vietnamese restaurant that delivers much more than just a meal—it offers a soulful taste of Southeast Asia with every bowl and plate served. Known especially for its mastery in traditional pho and a rich array of noodle soups, PPQ stands as an unmissable destination for noodle lovers and fans of authentic Vietnamese cuisine.
Step inside and you’ll be greeted by an inviting, no-frills dining atmosphere that reflects the restaurant’s focus on quality and simplicity rather than fancy decor. The warm, welcoming vibe is perfect for casual lunches, intimate dinners, or comforting solo meals. It’s a place where the aroma of simmering broths and charbroiled meats instantly soothes and excites your palate.
PPQ’s menu is a love letter to Vietnamese culinary tradition, featuring standout dishes that shine with depth and authenticity. The Rare Flank Steak Noodle Soup Pho Tai offers a delicate balance of tender steak slices bathing in a fragrant, slow-simmered broth, which is both clean and satisfyingly rich. Hungry diners can also indulge in the Hue Spicy Noodle Soup Bun Bo Hue, a fiery, flavorful alternative to classic pho, showcasing a bold, complex spice profile that warms from the inside out.
Seafood lovers will find the Crabmeat Noodle Soup a sublime revelation, beautifully prepared without the artificial sweetness some competitors rely on. For those craving something with a garlicky punch, the Charbroiled Pork Garlic Noodle and Five Spices Chicken with Garlic Noodle come layered with smoky, umami-rich flavors and perfectly textured noodles that are both hearty and satisfying.
If you’re looking to start light or share, the Shrimp Rolls (Goi Cuon) are refreshingly fresh with a perfect balance of herbs and shrimp, while the Deep Fried Tofu and Chicken Wings bring crispy, savory goodness to the table. Don’t miss the Vietnamese Iced Coffee, a perfect finish that’s robust and smooth, cooling and invigorating all at once.
What sets PPQ apart is not only their consistency in delivering genuinely satisfying dishes but also the generous portion sizes and a keen respect for traditional flavors. Among regulars, the combination soup—brimming with a variety of beef cuts—and the grilled pork salad with imperial rolls are particularly beloved. The balance of herbs, spices, and fresh ingredients truly makes each bite memorable.
Customers from all walks of life have sung PPQ’s praises. One food lover, Vazir Fatehi, celebrated the “really tasty” spicy beef pho and vermicelli noodle dish, wrapping up a perfect meal with their iconic Vietnamese coffee. Another patron fondly recalls enjoying a hearty bowl of pho brisket tendon and tripe on a chill, drizzly evening that filled the soul as much as the stomach. Longtime aficionados like Jean Tsou testify to PPQ’s unwavering quality, especially highlighting the crab meat noodle soup and fried tofu salad, appreciating the delicate balance of dressings and textures that elevate these humble dishes.
Whether you’re a pho connoisseur, a noodle aficionado, or simply someone craving authentic Vietnamese comfort food that warms your heart, PPQ Beef Noodle House is a dining experience you’ll want to return to time and time again. With its rich broths, fragrant grilled dishes, and friendly neighborhood charm, this gem at 1816 Irving Street stands as a testament to the joy of simple, honest cooking done superbly well.
For reservations or takeout, give them a call at +1 415-661-8869 and savor the true flavors of Vietnam right in the middle of San Francisco.
Loved the food here, had spicy beef pho, a chicken with vermicelli noodle phi some spring rolls and ended with Vietnamese coffee. Everything is really tasty and definitely recommended.
If you want a place that's straight up exactly what you ask for - a hearty bowl of phở on April Fool's day, a Monday evening that greets you warmly with a beautiful slow sun peeking through the clouds, a slight trace of drizzle. Well, this is the place for you, traveler. Got the soup with brisket tendon and tripe. Portion size is large enough where you'll be bagging more than half of it home (and I'm a big eater).
Updated review 6/19/2025: 2025 update. The older talkative waitress wasn't working tonight. It was just that shy young guy working alone. We've never had their beef carpaccio, bo tai chanh $24 before. Tonight we ordered it and it was OK. I would have preferred limes instead of lemons. Perhaps they should have pre-lemoned the beef before serving it to us. The five spice chicken garlic noodles $15.45 were great, as usual. Service was a bit lacking with the rookie. Updated review 3/27/2025: Ever since another Vietnamese restaurant opened on the next block, PPQ hasn't been as busy. That other place is more fancy though. PPQ feels stagnant. It feels like a replica of Loi's that went out of business. Regardless, I still like coming here. The five spice chicken garlic noodles $15.45 remains excellent. The chicken has a crispy skin and moist inside. Their buttery garlic noodles might be the best in town without going to a Vietnamese crab restaurant. Service is OK. Updated review 6/14/2022: PPQ is as good as the first time I ate here, back in the 1990's. The thing that keep me coming back is, they are opened late until 9:30pm. Sometimes I take a nap after work and by the time I wake up, most places are closed. My #1 pho dac biet, medium $11.25 was good. There's less meat now than before though. The imperial rolls $9.25 weren't great. They were too mushy in the middle. I would have preferred some rice noodles along with the cucumber, lettuce and mint leaves. Regardless, I'm just glad they were opened at 9:30pm. Updated review. Indoor dining 4/21/2021. Tonight I had their five spice chicken garlic noodles with a fried egg. Even on a Wednesday, they were pretty packed. There's an endless flow of food delivery workers picking up orders causing the single waitress to be overwhelmed. Their little kitchen can't keep up. Their garlic noodles are not bad and the chicken was moist with good amount of flavor. Good job PPQ. Indoor dinner 3/19/2021. Pho Phu Quoc PPQ no longer have outdoor dining tables, only indoors. They have five indoor tables and a few window counter seats. The waitress told me indoor dining started Wednesday 3/10/2021 for them. Sometimes the kitchen staff will make spring rolls in those window seats, so it might not be available all the time. I only came here because Kevin's pho across the street was packed. I didn't want to risk getting sick. I ordered their #1, pho dac biet $12. There was a mistake with the noodles and the waitress had to bring it back to the kitchen. I can totally understand why they messed up my order. The waitress was running back and forth with all those food delivery app workers. PPQ's soup broth was alright. It is authentic and I can taste that it was boiled for a long time. They are really stingy with the meats, tendons and tripe though. The menu clearly said "meatballs". There was only one meatball in my large pho dac biet. Regardless, my meal tonight was not bad. Good job PPQ staff. My bill was $15 with tax and tip.
Good vietnamese food at a reasonable price. It used to be my go to place for traditional Vietnamese pho and flavor remains the same as day one. Except fried imperial rolls were better before. I usually go for the combination soup #1 which had a little bit of everything beef. I also like the grilled pork on bed of salad with imperial rolls. Great place to visit when you want a simple and quick meal. Always fast service!
This is my all time favorite PHO spot in SF for a long time. They have the best crab meat noodle soup here which not using the ketchup to make the soup base. I always choose flat rice noodle which taste really good Fried tofu salad also has the right amount of the dressing to combine with peanuts as well. Simply the simple and good quality food. Five spice friend chicken with rice or garlic noodle are both good too. Satay beef pho it’s special not all the restaurants offer this. However, I took one star down because the restroom really need a renovation work. Overall service is good and good quality also decent too.
If you want to eat where the locals eat when visiting. This place gets busy fast so be sure to go a little earlier than the normal eating hours to beat the rush. You can substitute for a small fee if you are on a low carb diet. They also have kid sizes if you ask. Super delicious.