Garden Grove Vietnamese restaurant Pho 79 has been awarded the prestigious James Beard America’s Classics honor for its contributions to the country’s dining landscape. As one of the first pho specialists when it opened in 1982, Thọ Trần and Liễu Trần’s restaurant nourished Orange County’s growing Little Saigon neighborhood and introduced Southern California to one of Vietnam’s most iconic dishes: beef pho.

While Pho 79 serves a variety of beefy cuts, like raw tenderloin, meatballs, and tripe, the oxtail version has always been considered the restaurant’s signature. It’s a big win for a 36-year-old institution to churn out some of the best pho in the region, with Eater writer Euno Lee describing it as such: “Star anise-infused steam billows out from bowls of robust brown broth at this Little Saigon institution that’s seemingly always packed. The fatty beef brisket adds another dimension of richness for a noodle soup that’s truly one-of-a-kind.”

Pho 79 joins local restaurants Guelaguetza, Yuca’s, Langer’s Deli, and Philippe The Original on the James Beard America’s Classics list.

Pho 79. 9941 Hazard Ave, Garden Grove, CA 92844.