Pho Tran88—named after the food they serve, the owner’s family name and a lucky number symbolizing prosperity—opened in downtown San Marcos in April 2021. Since then, the family-owned restaurant has built up a loyal customer base.

The background

Husband-and-wife Steven and Dao Tran opened Pho Tran88 on The Square in April 2021. Steven Tran, the restaurant’s head chef, and his family had previously owned Pho NB in New Braunfels but sold it in 2020.

Dao Tran said they didn’t know much about San Marcos when they set out to open their own spot.“We only knew San Marcos as the outlets,” Dao Tran said. “We only went there shopping. We never knew about The Square, we never [hung] around the downtown area, and when we went to see it, we really liked it... a lot of our customer base followed us too.”

The Tran family opened a second Pho Tran88 location in New Braunfels last year.

On the menu

Pho Tran88 specializes in pho, a Vietnamese noodle soup, and serves vermicelli, banh mi, Vietnamese rice platters and Chinese food.

Dao Tran said the pho broth is simmered overnight and comes straight from bones. She said Steven Tran puts his heart into the cooking, traveling to both locations every morning to check on the kitchen and ensure everything tastes right.

“I think that's what brings back a lot of customers,” Dao Tran said. “We don't take shortcuts.”

A family affair

Being family-owned and operated, with loyal employees, has been a large part of Pho Tran88’s success. Dao Tran said. The San Marcos location is managed by her sisters, Samantha and Cathey Tran, and she said the restaurant staff are treated like family.

Dao Tran said everyone who walks through Pho Tran88’s doors is like family to them.

“We love San Marcos,” she said. “The support we get from San Marcos, we're so happy...Everybody's so supportive of us, and they want us to always be successful.”

• 212 N. LBJ Drive, San Marcos
• Facebook: Pho Tran88