Isu Station pho restaurant with pineapple fried rice: Bangbaedong

Today I want to introduce a pho restaurant near Isu Station that's famous for its deep, hearty broth!!

I visited on a Monday evening and there were still quite a lot of customers, which got me excited even before walking in — it seems like this place is always busy whenever I pass by!

Today's spot is Bangbaedong Ssalguksu Isu Branch 🇻🇳🍜

Inside Bangbaedong Ssalguksu Isu Branch: is it full even on a Monday evening?

The interior of Bangbaedong Ssalguksu Isu Branch really felt like Vietnam! Look how many customers there were even on a Monday evening — that's how popular this Isu Station spot is.

Parking, hours and seating at Bangbaedong Ssalguksu Isu Branch

Bangbaedong Ssalguksu Isu Branch basically doesn't offer parking. That said, depending on the situation, one car might be able to park, so if you're planning to drive, I'd recommend calling ahead to check!

⏰ Business hours

• Mon–Thu 11:00 - 22:00 (last order 21:00)
• Closed Friday (9/25) for Chuseok holiday
• Sat–Sun 11:00 - 21:00 (last order 20:00)

• 🍚 Unlimited refills at self-serve bar | 🥡 Takeout available | 🛵 Delivery available
• 📶 Wifi | 🚻 Separate men's/women's restrooms | 🪑 Waiting area
• 👥 Groups welcome | 📞 Reservations possible | 👶 Baby chairs
• 🪑 Group seating for 4–7 | 🍜 Bar table and solo seats
• 💳 Local currency card/mobile | 💰 Zero Pay | 📱 Easy pay accepted

With everything from solo seats for eating alone to group tables for larger parties, this place looked good for solo meals, lunch, and dinner alike.

Check out the Naver coupon! Bangbaedong Ssalguksu Isu Branch offers a vegetable spring roll coupon for Naver photo reviews. It can be used when ordering with other menu items, but can't be combined with other coupons, so it's worth checking the conditions before your visit.

What we ordered, and how the self-serve bar works

What we ordered that day was

• 🍜 Mixed pho
• 🍍 Pineapple fried rice
• 🥟 Cha gio (Vietnamese spring rolls)
• 🍺 Saigon beer

That's what we ordered!

Each table came with sauces that go well with pho, so you could add them right away to your taste. Side dishes and rice are available from the self-serve bar — and the best part was that it's unlimited refills, so you could go back for more whenever you wanted.

If pho alone feels a bit light, adding rice on top makes for a much heartier meal.

Mixed pho: how rich is the broth and how much meat?

🍜 Mixed pho

The first thing I noticed with one sip of the broth in Bangbaedong Ssalguksu Isu Branch's mixed pho was how deep and rich it was! Rather than a light, clear-style pho, this was the kind where the broth was properly simmered and intense.

Above all, the meat was really generous — enough that you could grab a bite of meat with almost every mouthful of noodles. A bowl of pho alone is already quite filling, but with that much meat piled in, satisfaction was high. I got why so many people come here looking for pho near Isu Station.

Pineapple fried rice

🍍 Pineapple fried rice

True to its name, the pineapple fried rice has pineapple mixed right into the rice, and pineapple is also served on the side as a bonus!

The rice was fluffy and well-fried, and the sweet-tart flavor of pineapple added a whole different charm from the pho. Taking a bite of this after the rich pho broth refreshed the palate — the combination of the two dishes worked really well together.

Cha gio (Vietnamese spring rolls)

🥟 Cha gio

And personally, I couldn't skip mentioning the cha gio! The outside was so crispy that you could feel the texture the moment you bit in.

Crispy on the outside, moist on the inside, and the juices burst out with every bite. If you're deciding on a side to go with your pho, this is a great one to order and share.

Saigon beer

🍺 Saigon beer

You can't have Vietnamese food without Saigon beer! Going from the rich pho to the crispy cha gio, a cold beer fit right in naturally.

The combination of a bite of cha gio followed by a sip of Saigon beer was especially good.

Who should visit Bangbaedong Ssalguksu Isu Branch, and when?

The mixed pho had deep, rich broth and plenty of meat, and the pineapple fried rice had a nice sweet-tart flavor and fluffy texture. On top of that, the juicy, crispy cha gio rounded things out — every single dish was satisfying. Eating it myself, I could see why the place is so busy (because it's actually good).

If you're looking for a restaurant near Isu Station or Chongshin University, or craving a rich bowl of pho and a hearty meal, this is worth a visit! Thanks for the meal today 🫶