“ I don't know what to make out of this place. Why is it so hot inside? Was AC broken or were they trying to save money for electricity? Either way this place worried me. I ordered the food and I am professional with this type of food, but the quality was decent. Fried chicken was a bit overcooked. But vermicelli was on the spot. I feel like I gotta try this place one more time, but I will go with 4 stars for now. ”

“ I love the variety of their menu. Restaurant is clean and attentive staff. My family comes here to eat if we want Vietnamese food and we are in the Mira Mesa area. I have recommended this place to friends and coworkers. My sons favorites are the sizzling cubed beef steak and Pho with Egg noodles. ”

“ My mom and I shared the large bowl of pho dac biet and had the rare steak on the side. This was perfect to share. The broth was delicious. And I was able to cook the steak perfectly in the broth. They gave a lot of green onions, sliced white onions, and bean sprouts. My cousin had the pho tai with the rare steak on the side. She said it was good and fulfilling, but next time she'd order without onion. Ice water was so yummy! We shared the shrimp and pork spring roll appetizer. It was delicious. ”

“ Food: Tasty pho with lots of veggies. Affordable sandwich at $9. Sizzling steak with pate - steak is a bit salty, but pate is really good. Veggie fried rice has lots of veggies and not greasy - not much egg in it tho...maybe just one egg. Service: very fast. Ambience: more of a quick eatery type of place. Fast and affordable with delicious food. ”

“ I was visiting my family in San Diego and they wanted to meet up at Pho Ban Mai in Mira Mesa. We usually go to a different Pho place down the road but, to be honest, I wasn't sure I'd like this place because of the low reviews. I was quite surprised to find I really enjoyed the food here! Pho Ban Mai is nestled within the same plaza where Rite Aid, Boiling Crab and Seafood City are located. It was a little hard to find because the signage wasn't as visible. We were seated quickly but we had about a dozen family members and we were split into separate tables. Note: This restaurant is not made for large groups; however, the staff were accommodating and made it work. Because of the smaller group seating, the orders were placed by table number. For example, there's a QR code which launches their menu and you would place your order from there. It's pretty cool actually. But if you're someone who does not have a smart phone, you'll be ordering the traditional way through a server and, from our experience, the language barrier was a challenge. We ended up placing 3 group orders due to our split tables but we were able to ask to pay on one big check. A few things we ordered from our table: * Bun Thit Nuong Cha Gio (Vermicelli with Grilled Pork and Egg Rolls) - This is great for sharing. The dish itself is plentiful and you have your carb, protein, and veggies. This came with an egg roll, which is filling on its own. * Grilled Pork with Broken Rice - This came with a side of pickled veggies and a perfectly rounded scoop of steamed rice. I believe you get the option of fried rice or steamed rice but we opted for the latter. The taste was delicious! * Pho #1 - House Special Noodle Soup - It's just standard that we order the first pho option whenever we go to a Vietnamese restaurant. The broth had a good flavor and it wasn't oily. * Beef Steak Cubes with Fried Rice and Salad - Bo Luc Lac is a family favorite. The beef cubes are always tender and juicy and comes on a sizzling hot plate. It's perfect served over steamed rice. And the nuoc cham (fish sauce) flavors the dish with a sweet and salty umami. Overall, everyone enjoyed the food. Ordering was a little chaotic but we were able to get that settled quickly. I'm glad we gave this place a shot - the ratings are low but I guarantee you, you'd be surprised how good it is here! You won't know til you try it! ”

“ I am honestly surprised this restaurant has an overall poor rating. I've been here many times and each time the food is great and the service. Everything we ordered is delicious and it was served in good time. The restaurant itself is clean. No complaints for me. ”

“ It's no hidden gem but it will do the job for all your viet food cravings! I came here with a group of 16+ and although very surprised, were happy and open to serving all of us. Pho dac biet: Get Although there's nothing dac biet about this one, it will for sure fill you up and cure all your hang overs. It's not the best bowl you'll ever have but it's satisfying and solid. Service was hit and miss but I can't complain much because of our very lage party. Although it's not my first or second or third choice... I don't regret having a big vietnamese family dinner here. ”