Monster Pho dishes out some of the best Vietnamese cuisine in Alameda County, so it came as no surprise when they recently announced an upcoming new location. The restaurant is taking over the former Bierhaus space at 360 40th St. in Temescal-North Oakland.
Owner Thuyen Tran confirmed with What Now San Francisco that his goal is to open the new location by February, pending some last minute inspections. The new restaurant will feature upgraded technology, including robot servers and simple contact-less ordering, which Tran says is to ease the workload of his current staff that has been with him since the beginning.
Tran adds that the past couple years have been incredibly busy for Monster Pho. Despite criticism for closing doors to diners before it was a public mandate, Tran found that his precaution at the start of the pandemic put him ahead of the game. Keeping his kitchens open and operating as a “to-go only” restaurant, he was still able to fulfill the “monster” appetites among the Bay Area foodie scene.
These days Monster Pho fulfills at least 100 orders daily during the week and upwards of 300 orders on the weekends through Door Dash alone. Their most popular item, the Beef Pho, is made in 200-quart pots which are consumed by loyal customers in less than two days.
Tran owes much of his success to the community, which has supported Monster Pho since its start in 2014. Having grown up in Oakland himself, Tran says that his ultimate goal with Monster Pho is to “give back to the community as best as we can. From supporting mothers to senior citizens, we will work with programs to uplift the community that has lifted us up.”
All the while, Monster Pho will continue to serve the craveable pho and other Vietnamese dishes that have customers coming back for more. For more information, visit www.monsterpho.com and follow them on Instagram and Facebook.
