Pho Your Choice 2: A Vietnamese Noodle Soup Restaurant in South Carolina

What Pho Your Choice 2 Offers

Pho Your Choice 2 is a Vietnamese restaurant specializing in pho—the aromatic beef or chicken noodle soup that forms the backbone of Vietnamese cuisine. The restaurant serves traditional pho bowls with rice noodles in a broth simmered for hours, topped with your choice of protein, fresh herbs, and vegetables. Beyond pho, the menu includes bánh mì sandwiches, spring rolls, vermicelli bowls, and stir-fried dishes that reflect the broader range of Vietnamese home cooking.

The restaurant's name signals its core appeal: you build your bowl according to what you want. You choose your broth (beef or chicken), your protein (rare beef, brisket, chicken, or combinations), and your level of spice. Fresh herb plates arrive at the table—basil, cilantro, lime, jalapeños—so you season as you eat rather than accepting a single fixed version of the dish.

Key Takeaways

• Pho Your Choice 2 specializes in customizable pho bowls where you select your broth type, protein, and spice level.
• The restaurant serves traditional Vietnamese sides including fresh herbs, bean sprouts, and lime that you add to your bowl at the table.
• Beyond pho, the menu includes bánh mì, spring rolls, vermicelli bowls, and stir-fried entrées for variety.
• The restaurant operates as a casual counter-service or table-service establishment typical of neighborhood Vietnamese pho shops.

How to Order and Customize Your Pho

When you arrive, you'll typically order at the counter or from a server, depending on the location's setup. You start by choosing your broth: beef pho (phở bò) or chicken pho (phở gà). Beef pho comes in variations—some broths use bones and brisket, others emphasize rare beef sliced thin enough to cook in the hot broth as it reaches your table.

Next, you select your protein combination. Common options include rare beef only, brisket only, a mix of rare and cooked beef, or chicken. Some locations offer seafood pho or vegetarian versions with tofu. The bowl arrives with rice noodles and broth, and a separate plate of fresh garnishes: Thai basil, cilantro, bean sprouts, lime wedges, sliced jalapeños, and sometimes onions or other vegetables. You tear the herbs, squeeze the lime, and add what you want as you eat—this is where pho becomes personal.

Menu Beyond Pho

Pho Your Choice 2's menu extends past the signature soup. Bánh mì sandwiches—crusty baguettes filled with Vietnamese cold cuts, pâté, pickled vegetables, cilantro, and jalapeños—offer a quick, portable alternative. Spring rolls (both fried and fresh) appear as appetizers, and vermicelli bowls (bún) provide a room-temperature option with grilled meat, herbs, and a fish sauce-based dressing.

Stir-fried dishes round out the menu: beef with broccoli, chicken with cashews, or shrimp with vegetables, typically served over rice. These dishes appeal to diners who want something other than soup or who are ordering for a group with varied tastes. Prices tend to be moderate, reflecting the casual neighborhood restaurant model rather than fine dining.

What to Expect When You Visit

Pho restaurants in South Carolina typically operate in a casual, efficient style. You order, pay, and either sit at a table or take your food to go. The atmosphere is usually bright and straightforward—functional rather than elaborate. Walls might display Vietnamese art or photographs, and the space fills with the distinctive aroma of simmering broth and fresh herbs.

Service moves quickly during peak hours (lunch and dinner), so expect a short wait during those times. The restaurant may be quieter mid-afternoon or late evening. Most pho shops welcome both quick solo diners and larger groups. Bring cash if possible, though many now accept cards; call ahead if you're unsure about payment methods.

When Pho Your Choice 2 Is Open

Vietnamese pho restaurants typically operate during lunch and dinner hours, often opening around 10 or 11 a.m. and closing between 9 and 10 p.m. Some locations close one day per week, often Monday or Tuesday. Hours can shift seasonally or for holidays, so checking ahead by phone or online before your first visit prevents disappointment.

Lunch is often the busiest time, particularly on weekdays when office workers and students stop in for a quick, filling meal. Dinner brings families and groups. If you prefer a quieter experience or want to avoid a wait, mid-afternoon or early evening often works well.

How Pho Fits Into South Carolina's Vietnamese Food Scene

Pho restaurants have become neighborhood staples across South Carolina's larger cities and towns, reflecting both the state's growing Vietnamese community and broader American appetite for Vietnamese cuisine. Pho's appeal is practical: it's affordable, filling, and naturally accommodates dietary preferences through customization. A bowl of pho costs less than most other sit-down meals and delivers complex flavor from hours of broth work rather than expensive ingredients.

Pho Your Choice 2 represents this accessible model. The restaurant doesn't require reservations, doesn't demand formal dress, and doesn't charge premium prices. It's the kind of place where a construction worker, a student, and a retired couple might all be eating at neighboring tables, each with their own version of the same dish.

What to Bring and How to Eat Pho

Pho is eaten with a spoon and chopsticks. The spoon holds broth and soft ingredients; the chopsticks grab noodles and herbs. You don't need to know this in advance—the restaurant provides both, and watching other diners or asking your server will orient you quickly. The experience is informal and forgiving.

Bring an appetite. A standard pho bowl is large and warming, designed to be a complete meal rather than a starter. If you're ordering multiple dishes to share, plan accordingly. Many diners order one pho and one appetizer (spring rolls or bánh mì) to split, or each person orders their own pho and shares sides. The fresh herb plate is communal—everyone at the table typically shares it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between beef pho and chicken pho?

Beef pho (phở bò) has a deeper, richer broth built from beef bones and often brisket simmered for 12 to 24 hours. Chicken pho (phở gà) uses chicken bones and is lighter and more delicate. Both are aromatic and complex, but beef pho is heavier and more savory, while chicken pho is cleaner and slightly sweet. Try both to see which you prefer.

Is pho spicy?

Traditional pho broth is not spicy—it's aromatic and savory. Heat comes from the fresh jalapeños and chili sauce (sriracha or sambal) you add at the table. You control the spice level completely. If you don't add jalapeños or sauce, your pho won't be spicy at all.

Can I get pho if I'm vegetarian?

Many pho restaurants, including Vietnamese shops across South Carolina, offer vegetarian pho with vegetable broth and tofu or just noodles and vegetables. Call ahead to confirm Pho Your Choice 2 has this option, or ask when you arrive. Vegetarian spring rolls and bánh mì (without meat) are also usually available.

How long does pho take to arrive?

Pho is made to order, so expect 10 to 20 minutes during normal service, longer during peak lunch or dinner hours. The broth is kept simmering, but the noodles and protein are assembled fresh for each bowl. If you're in a hurry, call ahead and ask if you can order ahead for pickup.

What should I order if I'm new to Vietnamese food?

Start with a beef pho with a mix of rare and cooked beef—it's the most approachable introduction to the cuisine. Add herbs and lime gradually to taste. If you want something besides soup, bánh mì sandwiches are familiar (similar to a deli sandwich but with Vietnamese flavors) and spring rolls are a safe, popular appetizer.