“ I recently tried Pho 888 for the first time with a friend who swears by it, and it absolutely lived up to the hype! The pho was incredibly authentic, with a rich, flavorful broth and fresh ingredients that made every bite perfect. You can tell they put real care into crafting traditional dishes, and the menu offers so many options to explore. It's clear why this is my friend's favorite spot, and I can't wait to go back and try more. If you're looking for truly authentic Vietnamese food, Pho 888 is the place to go! ”

“ TLDR: phenomenal food, friendly service. One thing I love about this place is the quality of the meat in their pho. Portion is huge but also high quality. The meat is incredibly tender and tasty and basically a perfect broth. One new thing I saw this time was durian boba tea which tasted very authentic. ”

“ Best Pho in IOWA! Bubble tea and ice coffee is a must. Appetizers are excellent. Hit and miss with ladna. ”

“ Can't believe I haven't written a review for this place yet! Food: Their pho is definitely the best in Des Moines. They give a generous amount of meat/protein and their broth is flavorful. Service: Nothing special - they take your order, give you your food, skip the small talk and that's ok! everyone is different Atmosphere: Place is outdated, booths are ripped, and tables are bent out of shape. Lots of seating. Not the cleanest place but sometimes that's how you know a place be bussin' (definitely not the case for all places lol) $30 for 1 large pho tai, and 1 regular pho tai bo vien ”

“ The pho is good but my all time favorite is their bun Bo hue!!! Would recommend this to friends and family ”

“ Our first time at this restaurant. Great menu! Wide variety of Asian foods. Service was good. Open atmosphere. Our server was able to answer all our questions and make recommendations based on the questions we asked. I had a Dragon fruit bubble tea. Yum. Jake had a Vietnamese coffee. It was amazing. Strong and smooth. If it hadn't been so late in the day I'd probably have had one also. Check it out. You won't be disappointed. ”

“ The food here never disappoints. Obviously, their Pho is outstanding, hence the name. Huge portions, delicious broths, reasonable prices. Best Banh Mi in the DSM area, in my opinion. Their combination Banh Mi (Banh Mi Dac Biet Sub) has plenty of toppings, including and, most importantly, the homemade pate. Aside from the classic Pho, I always love the Mi Vit Tiem (Duck noodle soup). The flavor is amazing, and the bowl is massive! Sometimes, the service can be a bit slow, but they are always helpful, and it does not detract from an otherwise worthwhile experience. The restaurant itself is pretty big and very open, which is great for big parties or families. It's also great if you love being able to see the food being brought to tables so you can see some of the options if you have a bad case of hungry indecision, as I often do. Last but not least, their Boba smoothies are my favorite. They nail the Honeydew flavor, and they add jellies to the top (boba and jellies can be removed, obviously but fun for those who enjoy it. ”

“ Pho was really good. Got a large bowl and couldn't finish it. Lots of customers. It's not upscale so don't expect fancy and pristine. Service was OK. They don't kiss your butt, butt they wernt evil either. They're just working. ”

“ Upon arrival in Des Moines, IA on a brisk October 2022 via Jefferson Bus Lines, I looked around the immediate vicinity, And lo and behold, I found a Vietnamese restaurant @ Pho 888. I arrived around 12:30pm in Des Moines IA to a Jefferson Bus lines bus station on 2nd street. It's pretty cool that there was at least one Vietnamese restaurant in the vicinity and I decided to dine in at the one literally next door to the Bus station just because. After looking around Miscellaneous, the store next door, I walked into an half empty Pho 888 Vietnamese restaurant. Mind you, it's the Midwest in late October. The ambiance was nice and quiet, subtle and sweet at the same time. I got seated almost immediately and got the one closest to the entrance so I can see out the window of cars and people who pass on by. My experience here at Pho 888 Vietnamese restaurant was about 1 hour or so. I was on vacation and didn't really need to be anywhere afterwards, so I took my time. My order of summer rolls and a large bowl of combination Pho is my favorite go-to set meal, along with the usual water. Sometimes I would get a beer, but water usually suits me just fine. It was cool to see the people who dine here. Makes having Pho in the Midwest more enjoyable and memorable. The overall experience here at Pho 888 Vietnamese restaurant in Des Moines, IA was good, quiet, and casual. It was nice to really sit down and enjoy myself here after a trip north from Kansas City, MO on a private coach bus. The service was pretty good and nice. Took about 5 minutes before the server to take my order after been assigned a table, but that's okay. Everything seemed to be good here with COVID-19 social distancing involved and people seem not to be wearing a mask, because we were all spread out anyway. The service was friendly and nice, while being casual too. For the most part though, the experience here at Pho 888 was good and well needed. The restaurant itself was spotless and typical of what you'd find in a contemporary simplified Asian theme restaurant. The provide typical table service, but when it came time to pay the bill, you'd need to go to the counter and pay that way, instead of having the server bring the bill to you and they'll take you payment. The Pho itself was delicious and I helped myself to the extra noodles. It was good. Although they were skimpy on the vegetables, it was a decent portion, but normally would have twice the amount. The summer rolls were prepared fresh and made to order, which is what I usually look for. And with that, if you are cruising along in Des Moines, IA and that Pho craving hits, consider Pho 888 as you craving fix. It's probably a hidden gem here. Pho 888 Vietnamese restaurant is located at 1521 2nd Avenue, Des Moines, IA. They accept major credit cards as well as cash. Since I arrived via a private coach bus, what I learned that there is limited parking in front of the restaurant. There are other parking spots via street parking nearby wherever you can find them. Best bet would be to try to get here early enough to secure the best parking spots available. The prices here are pretty good and usually on point with what most Vietnamese restaurants go for these days. Usually $10-$15 per bowl of Pho is expected. Pho does soothe the soul, especially when you are on vacation and need that soul enrichment that it provides time and time again. The summer rolls are great for snacks on the road too, if you decide on ordering more for the road. The experience here at Pho 888 was enjoyable and only 2 miles away from my hotel next to Drake University. Didn't have to take an Uber, but if you do need transportation advice, consider the local transportation options that Des Moines provides. Or Uber and Lyft can accommodate you as well. 4.0 stars for the overall experience. 4.5 stars for the food and ambiance. 5.0 stars for the location but 3.0 stars for the prices. Support local! B ”