GAH! This makes me so sad! I'm sure there's great pho in SF and nearby. I haven't eaten here yet but I heard that Pho Garden http://phogardensf.com/page.php?Page=home is quite good. They also have the famous Pho Challenge...2lbs of meat and 2lbs of noodles...YIKES!!! But I have had friends eat there and they say its pretty good.

I personally don't care for chicken pho as I don't think it qualifies as real pho, but its a good place to start as an introduction. Also, are you a purist? Some people swear by not adding ANYTHING into their pho or at least add minimal items. I come from the school of "throw whatever condiments are on the table and then some". I like how you can personalize to your tastes. Rare steak or flank is pretty easy to stomach. I would avoid the tendon and tripe if you're not in the "gamey" aspect. The broth should be fragrant and have a really deep flavor profile.

Best of luck! If I go, I'll let you know!