There’s been a lot of talk and media coverage about one of Orlando’s newest eats Twenty Pho Hour. Twenty Pho Hour is a 2D restaurant that tricks your eyes with optical illusions of the interior being flat while serving various types of noodle dishes.
I headed out to Orlando to check it out. I visited on a Saturday afternoon, around lunch time. Expecting it to be packed, I was surprised with only a few other patrons inside and no wait.
Contents
The Exterior
Twenty Pho Hour is located in a shopping plaza on International Drive. There is plenty of parking, but not much 2D theming on the exterior.
The Interior
Modeled after other 2D cafes in the world, the interior is interesting and makes for great photos. It feels like you are walking into a flat, black and white, comic book world. (Psst! Make sure you take a peek in both unisex bathrooms for more interesting decor.)
Ordering Food
When you enter the restaurant, a menu is presented overhead on monitors. T-shirts and other gear are available for purchase. Then, your order is taken by a staff member and you pay at the register. Next, you are pointed towards a table with a number to wait for your food. Drinks are self service at a fountain machine, along with chopsticks, forks, and napkins.
Menu
My photos of the restaurant menus are hard to read since they are presented on monitors. The menus below are taken from the Twenty Pho Hour website.
Food & Service
After getting a drink and sitting down, a plate full of bean sprouts, lime, and basil arrived. Shortly after, the crab rangoon appetizer arrived. Unfortunately, the crab rangoon didn’t have much filling inside – with two being nearly empty.
Just a few minutes after the crab rangoon arrived, the trifecta dish arrived. It consisted of a broth base, udon noodles, shrimp, chicken, and beef. The broth was salty and the meat blander than I expected. While I ate it, I would categorize it as average. I also found it expensive, at $12.
The plates and bowls matched the 2D theming, which was fun!
The service was fine – not overly friendly nor rude. As I mentioned, my food arrived quickly and I was checked on twice.
Hours
While named Twenty Pho Hour, the restaurant is not currently open 24 hours a day. The current hours are: Monday to Wednesday 11am to 10pm, Thursday and Friday 11am to 3:30am, Saturday 24 hours, and Sunday until 9pm. I recommend you check the hours before heading to the restaurant.
Overall Impression
While I had high hopes, I think Twenty Pho Hour is a one and done for me. However, I do plan to visit Cafe 2D in St. Petersburg this fall.
If you have visited, share your experience in the comments. Did I visit on an off day? Should I have ordered something different? Did you have an amazing experience at Twenty Pho Hour? I’d love to hear your thoughts.