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    HEM Kitchen And Bar

    4.1 (420 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    HEM Kitchen And Bar Photos

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    HEM KITCHEN AND BAR ATMOSPHERE

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    Cayli P.

    Solid Vietnamese restaurant for street food style or nhau vibes. Something different from your typical Vietnamese restaurants. The aesthetic is "vintage street chic." Having the cars and motorbikes inside creates such a unique atmosphere that's both nostalgic and trendy. Overall, would recommend for the atmosphere and different style of Vietnamese food.

    Thai flavored chicken wings
    Trisha C.

    I came here again for lunch, craving their Melo Melo salad. I have not gone here for months. I love their Melo Melo salad (oc goi) and was quite disappointed that the portion size was smaller and there was less toppings on it (see picture), and yet, the price was the exact same. If they were putting less toppings than before and have it be smaller, they should have a lunch price for it like they do for their other lunch items. I still have the picture when I came before and they no longer have the shell anymore. Otherwise, service and ambiance are the same as before and still good.

    egg coffee
    Mimi P.

    Located in Vietnam town, so there were lots of parking spots and space! They're known for classic Vietnamese street food items, and had to try it out. Service was alright as we had to wait for the mi bo kho a tad bit longer than the rest of the dishes, but it was a busy time during lunch. For the mi bo kho, it had a lot of fatty meat, more so than actual meat, which was not good; however, the flavor was there. I got the banh mi bo ne dish, which came with salad too. The meat was juicy and delicious, as well as the banh mi not being too hard but soft and crunchy. I also tried the egg coffee which was strong yet yummy!

    Pauline P.

    If you're ever missing Vietnam -- go to HEM! One of the greatest things about Vietnam is the street food and sitting outside on those small plastic chairs with those small plastic tables. My friends and I came here for dinner and it was some of the best food and we really had such a great experience. Everything was cooked to perfection and that green dipping sauce that comes with everything was chef's kiss. The clams, scallops, shrimp...all the seafood really, had such great flavor. I was trying to savor every last bite of those freshwater prawns in the salted egg sauce. If you're overwhelmed and don't know what to get they do have a grilled seafood combo which comes with a nice variety. We also really enjoyed the grilled beef -- so tender and juicy. After dining outside, we went inside and sat at the bar and enjoyed some drinks at the bar. The staff was really nice and made us some cool drinks. I highly recommend HEM -- good food, fun experience, cool atmosphere, what more could you want?

    Cuddlefish too dry
    Christine L.

    Pluses 1. Our server Phu was so kind and helpful - great service 2. Grilled razor clams was delightful 3. Clean restaurant Areas to improve 1. Iced tea was very bland 2. Kumquat chiller too sweet 3. Dragonfruit guava tea too sweet 4. Cuddlefish was overcooked - please don't over grill it! 5. Mixed skewers very dry no flavor and underwhelming 6. Grilled pork with rice was too sweet 7. Fried chicken with rice was too dry Really wanted to like this place but higher price point and we probably won't return after our $100 lunch for 3 adults.

    Sam W.

    Came here a few weeks ago to have dinner with my family and my husband's co-worker. After my husband told me that we were going to eat here, I was honestly pretty stoked to try some authentic viet street food!! When we got here, we were seated pretty quickly, maybe the first 2-3 mins. They were able to accommodate babies/todders as well (high chairs were available). The ambiance of this place was great! Loved the vibes inside, plenty of photo ops and great background for photos too! Here's what we ordered: Drinks wise: Egg coffee: I thought this was good! Creamy, frothy goodness, STRONG coffee! Draft beer: light beer is light beer, haha. Just refreshing while enjoying the meal. Seafood Fried Rice: we got this for the kids, they enjoyed it overall! I had some of it and thought it was pretty good and decent amount of seafood, I thought! Crispy Pork Belly: This was amazing, although, I was getting full after eating my entree that I couldn't finish the rest of this (bummer). Loved the crispiness of this and the sauces were delightful!! Seafood Platter (my husband's co-worker ordered this): I had a few pieces of what he had, and I enjoyed the clams! Grilled Skewers combo (my husband's co-worker also ordered this): now, I'm not that kind of asian that likes to eat internal parts of a chicken (ex: heart, liver, etc. or even feet haha). It all looked good, but i enjoyed the actual beef pieces. Good flavors! Shaken Beef: My order! Pretty good, it wasn't super tender as I was hoping for, but it was okkkkk. Service: Our server was ok, but I didn't like how he kept trying to push on us to order certain items... Example; I wanted the Shaken Beef, he kept saying that I should order the 5 Spice Grilled Beef instead, my husband and I kept explaining that we don't really want to order a ribeye since I rather eat that at home since my husband is such a grill master when it comes to steak that I won't eat it anywhere else aka out, but he kept pushing on that. I kept insisting that I just want the Shaken Beef, it was what I wanted since it's done different than what I would do at home. Eventually he caved in... He then kept asking if we were going to order any drinks other than water, he probably asked more than 3-4 times. I eventually got a draft beer which I was going to order anyways... Also... now with my kids, you're going to expect it to be messy unfortunately with kids in general, he made it seem like it was a "burden" from the way he said it to us. He said along the lines to my 7 year old son and 2 year old toddler, "look, now I have to clean all this mess you guys did! so much food on the floor!" I don't know if he was joking around or he was serious, but he wasn't smiling about it... they didn't do it intentionally - they ate their food, but kept dropping their plastic silverware constantly which was annoying, but I kept trying to pick it up as best as I could. Overall, it was an ok experience, I'd come back to try other food items as there's so much to try. I would only hope I get a different server from who we had last time as he wasn't all that great unfortunately....

    Gina N.

    Redemption post!! We finally made it back for the dinner menu and it 100% lived up to expectations. This place is basically a Vietnamese izakaya: it offers plenty of authentic vietnamese food and drinks. There is a massive dinner-menu with lots of variety, but the seafood is top tier. The Garlic Butter Razor Clams are a MUST. We order this dish every visit and it just so rich, bold, and garlic-y. So delicous. Another one of our favortes had to be the Scallion Oil Oysters - a fragrant street food classic. I think the only dishes we didn't like were the crab Papaya Salad and the baked cheese oysters. The salad had a very distinct crab paste flavor, which was too fishy/pungent for me, and I personally don't think the oysters need a creamy sauce, since they're already creamy. The oysters taste best with something more light/refreshing/fragrant. As for the drinks, there are cocktails, zero proof drinks, and coffee availble. While I can't speak on the zero proof items or cocktails, I can say that the coffee is spot on. My friends and I had several varieties of coffee and they were all good, but my favorite had to be the Egg Coffee. It might sound weird, but the egg makes the coffee smooth and creamy. Overall, HEM is a great dinner pick for traditional vietnamese street/bar food. Can't wait to try out other item on the menu. Highly recommend.

    5 spice grilled beef
    Jason N.

    I use to love going here for delicious Vietnamese food but I'm not sure if I can recommend this any longer. HEM is essentially a upscale pricey Vietnamese Izakaya as another reviewer has mentioned. The vibes here are wonderful from the moment you step inside. They have absolutely nailed the atmosphere down from the fantastic lightning indoors, to the outdoor small tables and small seats to match the Vietnamese Street food atmosphere. Dishes: Five-spice grilled beef - character grilled beef ribeye marinated in five spice sauce topped with tobiko. This is probably one of my most favorite entrees here. Always worth and delicious Grilled beef skewers - delicious! Both this entree and the five spice grilled beef come with a green sauce on the side and is always fantastic Dungeness crab (black pepper) - incredibly overcooked and would not recommend here. I believe we paid around 26$~ per lb and felt very disappointed to find the crab meat tough, rubbery, and hard to extract from its shell (signs of being overcooked). Pineapple fried rice with shrimp - very bland and dry, the shrimp was overcooked. I honestly do not remember this dish being this bland from the multiple times I've been here. I genuinely wonder if the quality of their food has dropped since I last came here. Salt and pepper squid - incredibly overcooked, rubbery and tough. I think this is the worst much rang muoi I've ever had Coconut coffee - delicious still as always and I still recommend it to others Overall with the competition in Bellaire Chinatown I can't recommend this place anymore. Too pricey and the quality overall of the dishes here are low with almost all of their seafood dishes being overcooked. I might only come here for the Coconut Coffee now but they have some real competition with the latest trending Vietnamese coffee shops in town that have just opened in the last year.

    Judy C.

    Walked-in on a Friday evening and was a bit of a wait for a party of 4. Took about 20-30 minutes to be seated. Started off with some appetizers and got the Salted Crab Papaya Salad with Salted Egg (very flavorful and nice crunch on the papaya), Grilled Oysters (had a delicious garlic flavor, topped off with some crispy shallots) and Grilled Skewers Combo (meat was nicely marinated) and the Garlic Butter Scallops (MUST GET, reminds me of the garlic butter in crawfish mixes). We also ordered the Crispy Pork Belly (it was indeed crispy and juicy). For the main, we got the Hem Fried Rice (which had shrimps and fish eggs in it and an assortment of other seafoods like scallops and squid). We also got the Pork Jowl (great char on it). They also offer an assortment of drinks from Vietnamese Coffees to fresh Juices. Lots of seating indoors and some outdoors. Very Authentic to Vietnam vibes. Parking - within the plaza

    Oil scallion grilled oyster
    Brandon D.

    We got the happy hour oysters which is such a steal. They were originally $16 and we got them half off. We got 2 orders of the grilled ones: mỡ hành (oil scallion) and trứng muối (salted egg). Both were good but my favorite were the oil scallions. Such a flavor bomb and love the fried onions. The green sauce is pretty citrusy and a little spicy. The salted egg oysters are more heavier and rich. We also got the Bò lúc lác (shaken beef), crispy pork belly, and the seafood fried rice. the shaken beef was cooked medium with onions and bell peppers. It comes with a salt and pepper sauce as well. The beef was cooked so well and I loved munching on the onions and bell peppers in their special sauce. The pork belly is served with their signature sauce and pickled eggplants, leeks, and vegetables. The skin was crispy afff and they had big fattty pieces. The fried rice had shrimp, squid, and scallops. It was ok but the sauce they give you with it actually makes it really good. I loveddd the oysters, wouldn't be opposed to a meal of only those grilled oysters

    Com Chien Bo Loc Lac, Mi Bo Kho, Khoai Tay Truffle
    Duyen T.

    I been coming here with family for awhile now and has pretty good Vietnamese food. I usually come on weekends which is always packed and usually a 10-20min wait for a table. I like that there is indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor seating is Vietnamese style with the small plastic table and short wooden stools which I find super fun. The staff are super nice but some are a little lost because of how busy it can get. The food is good but not consistent in quality nor quantity. There's times where the food is super oily, salty, or smaller portions which is a little disappointing. I usually get the Com Chien Bo Luc Loc (stir-fried beef cubes w/ fried rice) which is really good. As the meat is well seasoned and works perfectly with the rice. I recently tried the Mi Bo Kho (beef stew soup w/ egg noodles) which wasn't bad not my favorite. Overall, good Vietnamese food and vibes.

    Stir fried noodles with razor clams.
    Maggie X.

    HEM's commitment to embodying the spirit of Vietnamese street food is adorable. I like the inside decor a lot. Service was spotty, as the restaurant is often packed to capacity with a line out the door. Prices are on the higher side, which is understandable given the plethora of seafood on the menu. Broiled salted duck yolk oysters: The combination of salted duck yolk with briny oysters was delightful. The oysters were slightly overbaked, but still tasty nonetheless. Baked scallops with quail eggs: Unfortunately these were severely overcooked to the point of being rubbery. The quail eggs were also overcooked. Otherwise the combination of flavors would have been delicious. Baked mussels: We opted for two flavors, salt and pepper and fried garlic. I preferred the garlic slightly more but both were quite good. The creamy sauce complemented each flavor well and helped accentuate the juiciness of the mussels. Mixed skewers: My least favorite dish of the night. A few portions of the skewered were over fried and bone dry. The mix of sriracha and hoisin and tangy sauces helped the dryness a bit. Stirfried noodles with razor clams: Perfect seasoning and sautee on the noodles themselves. The razor clams were unfortunately overcooked and rubbery. I liked the contrast of the crunchy vegetables combined with razor clams and noodles. Pork jowl: Tender on the inside with a slight char on the outside, these morsels were cooked well. They were flavorful even without the sauce and kept me coming back for more. Taro and coconut jelly dessert: I hadn't tried this kind of dessert before, but my Vietnamese friend explained to me they're supposed to be cooling in the summer. I enjoyed the variety of different jellies, which included taro and coconut. The icy floral water paired well with the creaminess of the jellies, and the addition of crunchy fruit and almond slivers was a nice touch. I generally prefer my jellies a bit less set, but I didn't mind the texture too much. Overall a refreshing end to the meal. I'd come back for the fun ambiance and robust flavors.

    Emi V.

    I was looking for a Vietnamese seafood street food type of restaurant and HEM met the expectation. I specifically wanted the Oc Len Xao Dua (sea snail in coconut milk) which was so so good. The crispy pork belly was good, but I felt like it needed rice because it could get dry eating it on its own unless you're eating it as a drinking snack. The seafood platter (can't remember the actual name on the menu) is a great way to sample most of their seafood dishes in different styles and sauces. Highly recommend! The interior feels very vibey as if you're in Vietnam with all of the decor and bike inside, lots of photo ops if you're into taking pictures. The service is good as well.

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    HEM Kitchen And Bar Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - HEM Kitchen And Bar

    Can you order lunch during dinner?

    No, you can only order from the dinner menu. Note that most of the more well-known Vietnamese dishes like vermicelli bowls or fried rice are only on the lunch menu and the dinner menu is street food dishes.

    Does HEM Kitchen and Bar take reservations?

    I think it's just walk-ins!

    Do you guys serve dinner menu during lunch hours on weekends?

    Yes, I have ordered from the dinner menu during the lunch hours.

    Can I order off of the dinner menu at lunch?

    No :( . I've tried.

    View All 6 Questions

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    Xeo Yum

    Xeo Yum

    4.7(115 reviews)
    12.7 miMidtown, Fourth Ward
    $$

    Xeo Yum is a Vietnamese eatery located in a food hall in Midtown. They are known for their bánh…read morexèo, which is a crispy Vietnamese crepe/pancake. The filling is placed in a pan and then a thin layer of batter made with tumeric and coconut milk yellow batter is poured on top. You wrap the lettuce around the bánh xèo/bánh khọt and dip it in the fish sauce. I got the bánh khọt and the bò né. Bánh khọt is like a mini, thicker version of bánh xèo and came with nine pieces. Their bánh khọt was crispy, sweet and savory, and went well with the fish sauce. Although the portions initally look small, they are very filling. The bò né was filling and sizzling when it came out. It also came with a side of salad. The meat was tender. I really liked the bánh khọt and would definitely come back for them. It's nice having an authentic Vietnamese restaurant in our area, close to us, so we don't have to make the trek to Bellaire every time we crave some Viet food!

    Typically, when an Asian business has a cheeky name like Xeo Yum, it's widely assumed that it's…read moreheavily Americanized and therefore shouldn't be taken seriously. I couldn't have been more wrong. Xeo Yum (#1) as it turns out is one of the most legit Vietnamese places in Midtown serving up some of the city's best banh xeo and banh khot. Located inside of a Food Hall (#2) in the back corner, they have low-key become a destination and without question, the most popular stall in the entire place. The fan base didn't happen overnight but is a direct result of Chef Cuong Nguyen's commitment to quality Vietnamese fare. Banh Xeo is their signature item, which is also known as a sizzling crepe or pancake made of rice flour, tumeric, and coconut milk. The banh xeo holds well, is perfectly crispy, and is nicely stuffed with an assortment of beans sprouts, shrimp, and some of the best grilled pork belly I've had. Another specialty item that doesn't get enough mention is their banh khot, which is similar but has a mini muffin / cupcake like appearance made in a specialty cast iron mold. This version is wonderfully crispy and pairs perfectly with fresh greens and fish sauce with some funk. It is my favorite item here. Some have argued they also serve one of the best bo ne (#3), the Vietnamese version of steak and eggs served in a skillet. The chunks of beef are nice and tender with just a tad of char, served with two fried eggs, and a banh mi baguette with a mix of butter and spare. Normally I think of spam or sausage included with the meats, but Chef Cuong's spin is with cherry tomatoes. It's a different approach and I'm not mad at it. Folks not looking for this can shoot for bo luc lac, aka shaking beef, which is also recommended. The staff here is sweet, hard-working, and very friendly. They also make a mean Vietnamese coffee and offer free iced self-serve water. The prices are what I would expect in a Midtown food hall, and there's plenty of seating. Anyone checking out the food hall need to make Xeo Yum as part of their eating itinerary. __________ (#1) A play on the Vietnamese sizzling crepe, Banh "xeo" and yum" (#2) Previously the Conservatory and now Stestí Food Hall. (#3) Boh-Neh. Not bone.

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    Xeo Yum - Menu

    Menu

    Xeo Yum - Follow!

    Follow!

    Xeo Yum - Banh xeo (Vietnamese savory crepe)

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    Quan Ba Ky - Garlic noodle with shrimp. 2nd most popular dish

    Quan Ba Ky

    4.4(134 reviews)
    0.1 miAlief

    This spot is low key with a nice, clean interior and friendly service. I visited here to check out…read moresome noodles and crawfish. When I arrived there was nobody dining in the restaurant, that was a bit worrying, but I figured it was a bit early for the dinner crowd and late for the lunch crowd. Food & Drink - 4.5* First up was the noodles, I enjoyed them, but I wouldn't say the hype I'd heard about from some others was there. They had nice flavor, but there just wasn't anything "special." 3.5* Then it was on to the crawfish, and my oh my. Superb, the flavor is delicious and unique. This more than made up for the noodles dish. The potato and corn was good too. Service - 5* Solid. When I first arrived the owner was quietly reading a newspaper and eating his own lunch. He paused to greet me and advised that I could sit anywhere. He provided water and adequate time to determine what I wanted to order. The food came out quickly and he checked in a few times to make sure everything was ok. As time went by, the crowd of folks showing up increased quite a bit and he still managed to check in on tables consistently. Pricing - 4* This is where it was odd. Always subjective but I found the noodles to be overpriced for not only the size but what I felt was a pretty simple dish. The crawfish on the other hand was priced very competitively and made up for the overpriced noodles. I provided pics of the menu for someone to make their own assessment but in general I thought many of the dishes were pricier than they probably should be. I know inflation is certainly killing many businesses and consumers but even these felt a bit off. Overall - 4.5* This is definitely going to be one of my go tos for crawfish when in the area. The flavor is fantastic, the pricing is good, the size of them were solid. There are a couple of other dishes I may try on the next visit. The restaurant is clean, the owner is very nice, and it's a nice low key space to just enjoy a good meal with friends or family.

    One of the best Vietnamese places I've ever been hands down. I still think about it a year later…read more They had a very big variety of food on the menu, so you could have your fill of Vietnamese dishes. I believe the crawfish is seasonal, so go during crawfish season because this pho was delicious. The crawfish were so tender and the pho was so flavorful. The beef dish was also so good to eat and balanced. The fried beef balanced so well with the fresh salad and rice. I will say that when we went the parking lot was a little deserted at night. I would definitely lock your doors and take all your valuables. But that's all or Houston, so just stay safe!

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    Quan Ba Ky - Interior Mural

    Interior Mural

    Quan Ba Ky - The number B1

    The number B1

    Quan Ba Ky - B1. Also known as Tik Tok Soup

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    B1. Also known as Tik Tok Soup

    Huynh Restaurant - Lemongrass Chicken and rice plate

    Huynh Restaurant

    4.3(1.3k reviews)
    14.1 miDowntown, EaDo
    $$

    I've heard tales of how good the Vietnamese food is in Houston. And boy, Huynh Restaurant lived up…read moreto the hype and more. I ordered the Bun Bo Hue, Duck Tea Salad, and Coconut Coffee. I've been on a Bun Bo Hue kick and while I have yet to find one that I've enjoyed more than regular pho, Huynh's was probably the best I've had yet. 4.3/5 The Duck Tea Leaf Salad was bright and very refreshing. Ordered as an appetizer, it was huge and was close to being a meal all by itself. I thought I had over ordered and probably did, but everything was so damn good, I finished it all. 5/5 Coconut coffee - this was my first time trying this. Served like a Vietnamese affogato, it came with a cup of coconut milk with coconut ice cream along with an espresso of Vietnamese coffee. Lord and waistline willing, I would consume one of these everyday. The contrasts of hot and cold, the bitterness of coffee with the creaminess of coconut. It all balanced and went so well together. Highly, highly recommend. 6/5 On top of all the amazing food was the service. I had just arrived from the airport and came close to their lunch closing time. They welcomed me graciously and without hesitation. As they began their lunch and I was finishing mine, multiple staff members paused their meals to refill water check in, etc. for not only me, but the other few remaining stragglers of the lunch crowd. Huynh is every bit worth it. I will be back each time I'm in town

    Felt slightly more modern than your traditional Viet family owned restaurants. Parking lot is…read moreslightly sketchy though. People seem to really like the whole BYOB idea here. Overall, will definitely satisfy your craving for Viet food in Downtown. Ordered: - 95. Banh Cuon - Reminded me of the ones my grandma makes but with less meat in it. Not a big fan of the Vietnamese ham because it had some chunks of peppercorn but that's just my personal preference. - 73. Crispy Noodles with Seafood - Not usually a dish I typical order or care for. I was fine with it. - 57. Shaken Beef Rice - Beef was flavorful and tender. - Avocado Smoothie - Not much avocado flavor in my opinion.

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    Huynh Restaurant - Inside

    Inside

    Huynh Restaurant - Bánh ướt dipped in deliciousness

    Bánh ướt dipped in deliciousness

    Huynh Restaurant - This was the star!!!

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    This was the star!!!

    Clay Pot Kitchen - Com Nieu Houston - Ca Bong Lau Kho To

    Clay Pot Kitchen - Com Nieu Houston

    4.1(122 reviews)
    1.7 miAlief
    $$

    Com Nieu Houston is probably one of the best in the Houston area when it comes to authentic…read moreVietnamese food. I've been going here for several years, both in person and for take-outs, and they have never failed to impress me. I like to go here for late lunch or early dinner when the restaurant isn't as busy. The restaurant is in the same shopping center as the Chase Bank and Thanh Da Quan. Even though it's located on the far side of Chinatown near My Hoa Market, the drive is definitely worth it. The restaurant is small and well decorated, and the workers are nice. The dishes are a bit pricey compared to other Vietnamese restaurants for the portion size, but the taste and quality definitely make it worth it. Even my parents, who are super picky when it comes to Vietnamese restaurants, love the food at Com Nieu Houston. Like the name, most of the dishes here are in clay pots. Everything is always super flavorful and perfectly cooked. My absolute favorites are the Thit Ba Chi Kho To (caramelized pork belly), the Suon Non Rim To (braised spare ribs) and the Canh Chua Tom (Vietnamese sweet and sour soup with shrimps). I also really love their Com Chien Ca Man (salted fish & chicken fried rice), which I think is one of the best in town, as well as their Ga Kho Xa Ot (braised lemongrass chicken). The Ca Bong Lau Kho To (caramelized catfish) is my parents' favorite. Photos are from my most recent visit.

    This place may look sketch on the outside but honestly, I'm happy to have found/heard about this…read moreplace. It's comforting to see a lot of Asian families dining in as well. I took my parents here and we ordered the pickled cabbage w. chicken, the clay pot fish, and sour fish soup. It was really good and not heavy at all. My parents ate the whole thing and didn't leave any leftovers. The waiter and waitress were attentive and we didn't wait long for food at all.

    Photos
    Clay Pot Kitchen - Com Nieu Houston - Cơm Niêu

    Cơm Niêu

    Clay Pot Kitchen - Com Nieu Houston - Goi ga

    Goi ga

    Clay Pot Kitchen - Com Nieu Houston - Shrimp chips

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    Shrimp chips

    Nam Giao - Banh Ram It

    Nam Giao

    4.0(480 reviews)
    0.8 miAlief
    $$

    My god. This place was spectacular. We randomly came across this restaurant on a whim and had no…read moreidea that this was a michelin recognized spot. But after eating here, I understand why. I never had central vietnamese food before and never heard of most of these dishes. We saw that everyone was getting the three appetizer platter, bun bo hue, and had to try it. I also got the chicken vermicelli just as a classic. But every single item in the bun bo hue platter was jawdroppingly good. I never had anything like it before. I didn't know there were vietnamese dishes that utilized mochi flour and now I can never go back. Every single item was so good. The mochi was cooked so perfectly as every bite was so chewy and soft with no hard clumps at all. The meat that came with them as well were so sweet and tender. The vermicelli plate was awesome too as you can make a wrap with the lettuce and veggies and rice noodles and they all come together to mouthwatering perfection. I found a new spot to hyperfixate on whenever I come to houston.

    One of my favorite spots in Houston! Not your usual Vietnamese pho spot, amazing small dishes…read more Must get the banh beo chen - I recommend at least 8 per person and doctoring it up with the fish sauce and jalapeño. My favorite appetizers (in order): Banh beo chen, Banh ram it, banh bot loc, egg rolls, crystal dumplings. Personally I wasn't a fan of the paste-y texture of the banh nam but that is a personal preference! Service is not the most hospitable but very quick. We were reseated after spotting a cockroach under our table. But even so I would come back to have this amazing food any day.

    Photos
    Nam Giao - Inside

    Inside

    Nam Giao - Banh ram it (mochi on crisp mochi)

    Banh ram it (mochi on crisp mochi)

    Nam Giao - Combo plater 1

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    Combo plater 1

    Old Saigon Cafe - Spring Roll with Grilled Pork (4)

    Old Saigon Cafe

    4.5(703 reviews)
    5.7 mi
    $$

    This is such an underrated Vietnamese spot!!! I found it online and decided to try it out. And it…read moredid not disappoint. Very surprised with the options and the menu. The service was good, the ambience is super casual but the menu was phenomenal. They had artichoke and salmon pho! I clearly love a good pho and I was all for it! I got the artichoke pho with chicken and it was a 10/10!!! I wish this spot was in Atlanta where I live. I would most definitely be a regular. The fried rice and green beans chicken was awesome too. It was a 10/10 full flavor bomb. recommend.

    It has been a while since we have been back. Came here for Sunday brunch. Place has been…read morerenovated since we were there. There is a mural of Vietnamese landscape and an aquarium of arwanas. We started with mango salad with grilled pork and papaya salad with shrimp. Both dishes came with sweet and sour dressing. Mango was sweet and grilled pork was yummy. Papaya salad was fresh and a bit more subtle. We also ordered the fresh spring rolls. The old Saigon rolls came with mango and pork. Always liked mangoes. The other was regular fresh spring rolls with shrimp. The rolls came out last after when we got our Pho. Would have enjoyed it more if it came after the salads. I ordered the combination Pho with all the ingredients (brisket, eye round, tendon, meatball and tripe)a. There is only one size. There was a lot of noodles for the size of the bowl. They were generous with the meat. Wish they would have more soup. The soup itself was ok. Thought it was a little bland compared to others. Service was quick. It didn't take long to receive our order. They offer reusable wooden chopsticks. Will plan to try the other dishes other than Pho like rice plates next time.

    Photos
    Old Saigon Cafe
    Old Saigon Cafe - Goi Cuon - summer roll

    Goi Cuon - summer roll

    Old Saigon Cafe

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    Annam Vietnamese Restaurant - pork jowl lettuce wrap

    Annam Vietnamese Restaurant

    4.5(62 reviews)
    11.4 miMontrose, River Oaks

    Michelin star deserved! This place was fabulous! Great service? Beautiful restaurant and amazing…read morefood! We ordered shrimp stuffed pepper and my god today it was excellent! It comes in a set of 2 but we got a 3 pack! I ordered the grilled branzino and let me tell you! That chimichurri sauce !! Clutch! It is demonetisation and truly grilled to perfection. My friends ordered the filet mignon and the chicken and they were equally as impressed! I ordered the espresso mousse for dessert which comes out in the shape of a coffee bean. Cuteeee and perfect! This place didn't disappoint and it is a must visit.

    Superb service. They were extremely attentive and polite. Food came out in a timely manner, the…read morechecked up regularly and water was constantly refilled. This is a higher end fine dining restaurant so you should expect the portion sizes and price to be pretty comparable to a lot of other finer dining restaurants. Overall the food's flavor was fantastic. I ordered the king salmon clay pot. I thought the salmon was so tasty! They added pepper and sauce to the salmon - It was tender and flavorful and paired nicely with white rice. The quail (not pictured below) also was super flavorful and was cooked so well it tasted like beef. The soup was also light and refreshing, similar to a west lake soup. It was thicker consistency and had cilantro and chucks of lobster. The drinks served were also super balanced. We ordered the mojito and the dragon fruit cocktail. The mojito was the right balance between minty and sweet with just a hint of alcohol flavor. For the dragon fruit cocktail, it was very fruity, on the sweeter side but not overpowering and was topped with egg whites to give it a little bit of frothiness. I will say, we are slightly underdressed to enter this establishment. Everything seemed so luxurious and many people were in formal business wear! Keep this in mind if you go! There is a parking deck right next to the location as well, both self parking and valet!

    Photos
    Annam Vietnamese Restaurant - Lovely interior & very intimate with just under 20 tables

    Lovely interior & very intimate with just under 20 tables

    Annam Vietnamese Restaurant - Shrimp

    Shrimp

    Annam Vietnamese Restaurant - Best dessert

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    Best dessert

    HEM Kitchen And Bar - vietnamese - Updated May 2026

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