This was my first visit to Mein's for a wedding celebration dinner but it won't be the last . I must say the food was very delicious. We ordered the Beef Scallion dish , fried crab Rangoon, Thai tea & coke. The beef was tender with a nice flavor. The fried ragoon was delivered piping hot and crispy to our table. The portion for one dish can be shared with others in your party. This gives you the opportunity to taste several dishes. We couldn't have asked for a better meal. The service was impeccable. Our servers were attentive to our needs. Drinks were promptly refilled. The table was cleared often of empty plates leaving us more room for comfort. We had excellent service. The ambiance was calm and relaxing for it being a large busy restaurant. Everyone could talk with each other in their normal tone. Background music was on point. We will be back at a later date to enjoy our newly discovered gem. read more

Seems like a more trendy Asian fusion type of restaurant. The only 5 star dish here is the red oil dumplings - pan fried to perfection! Squid ink fried rice is a cool concept but just tastes like normal fried rice. Dijon mustard x charsiu pork does not work at all. Lava toast is forgettable. Overall, this place has above average prices for Chinatown combined with below average portion sizes, and the dishes do not stand out much. read more

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Great service with excellent hot made to order fresh ingredients cantonese food. Came with family and we all loved the vibe and great service. The food came quickly and taste was so good we end up cleaning our plates. Their LAVA dessert was so good that even when you are full you can not resist ordering and eating the lava dessert. Anyway, give them a try and you will not be disappointed. I know I will be returning to try more of their other delicious food. read more

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Our latest visit to Mein was per usual. Service was good and the food was delicious. If you haven't been here before, the decor is very much a nod to 1950s/1960s Hong Kong era. While the food includes dishes from different parts of Asia, I tend to order HK Wonton Noodle Soup, the Red Oil Chili Dumplings, and I even tried the Garlic Black Bean Chicken this time around, which was tasty. Will be back sooner than later I'm sure. read more

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We came across this place and it was so packed for dinner that we just had to try it and see what the hype was about. It looks like a new trendy pan asian fusion spot with dishes from many different cuisines. We got the jajjangmyeong and cake noodles. Although good, they weren't spectacular and I feel that what would've been better are the shareable meats and veggie dishes. I definitely will be coming back to try the other dishes. read more

Mein Restaurant - Chinese Near Me - Houston, Texas

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My husband and I stopped in around 5:30 for dinner. We were seated immediately with no wait. We've been here several times and it's always been consistent with the quality and freshness of the food. It's uncommon to dine in Asian restaurants where the customer service is great. Here at Mein you will get wonderful attentive service from the entire staff! read more

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My friend and I had lunch here on a Sunday afternoon. It was my friend's first time and I hadn't been there maybe 8-9 years ago. It is in a shopping/restaurant complex with plenty of parking which was busy as expected on a weekend. We were immediately seated since it wasn't too crowded. The server was nice and patient as we looked over the menu. It was a very spacious dining area and definitely can accommodate big groups of friends or family. We got eggrolls, pad Thai and dry beef hor-fun. The beef flat noodle dish was really good and we ended up finishing that together. We both weren't a fan of the pad Thai unfortunately because the noodles seemed little dry and chewy. She did enjoy the eggrolls which were served crispy and hot. Overall, the food was decent and customer service was great! read more

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I finally found a great Chinese restaurant place in Houston! We tried the eggplant, house crunchy noodles (equivalent to the more traditional chow mein), salt and pepper squid, and beef. All the dishes were not only tasty, but also sizeable and affordable, and service was prompt. They were also courteous enough to bring us out hot water as the restaurant A/C was blasting. Overall, I've found one of my new favorite family style Chinese restaurants in the Houston area. read more

Stumbled upon Mein while in Houston's Chinatown area and wanted to try a new place other than our usuals. I'm so glad we found this place. Decently sized with lots of booth seating which I loved. We were immediately greeted when we entered and were quickly ushered to a table. Our waiter was prompt, attentive and friendly so I'd say pretty good service. I ordered crab rangoon as an appetizer and the garlic black bean shrimp! Loveddd it! Food was sizzling hot and the bell peppers were so fresh and sautéed perfectly! My fiancé ordered the pepper steak which was just as good packed with so much flavor. The meal portion was perfect, we definitely enjoyed our meal. Great price too! read more

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I came to Mein to celebrate my birthday with my parents. The interior was gorgeous, and the seating was ample. I was surprised by how diverse their menu was, which ranged from Chinese food to Malaysian, Korean, Thai, and even a few Cambodian dishes, so that was a plus! The portion sizes were reasonable, and ordered the following: 1) Phnom Penh Twin Soup (2/5): It's hard to find Cambodian food in Houston, period, so when I saw the various "Phnom Penh" options on Mein's noodle menu, I was excited. But truthfully, this... was quite the let down. They had some staple ingredients such as liver, minced pork, shrimp, and heart, so I expected a richer, complex taste with the toppings that Phnom Penh Noodle Soup (or Hu Tieu Nam Vang), but I found the broth extremely bland, and my parents shared similar sentiments. My suggestion? Topping the noodles with fried garlic instead of garlic oil would help a lot and make the soup more aromatic. Nonetheless, I like to keep an open mind and would give the other 2 Phnom Penh dishes a chance. 2) Chicken Black Bean Sauce (4/5): Delicious! The chicken was a bit dry, but adding bell peppers, onions, and the Black Bean sauce made it a delight. :) 3) Char Kuey Teow (5/5): This blew me away, and the addition of Chili Oil crisps provided on the table? CHEFS KISS. Ordering stir-fried flat noodles is such a staple at Chinese restaurants and is hard to mess up, but everything about the Char Kuey Teow was excellent; usually, I don't like to get seafood dishes, but the squid, shrimp, etc. didn't have that fishy aftertaste. The texture of the crispy pork fat was also unique, but enjoyable. Despite my lengthy qualms about the noodle soup, my mouth salivated at their other menu options, and I would bring my friends to Mein in the future! read more

Mein Restaurant - top: Garlic Black Bean Chicken , bottom left: Char Kuey Teow, bottom right: Phnom Penh Twin Noodle - Chinese Near Me - Houston, Texas

I came right at the busy lunch hour but was seated right away. I started with red oil dumplings which was my favorite thing I ordered. I will be thinking about those and wanting to come back for more. Then I had the shaking chicken which I also loved, a lot of great flavor. I also had the egg tofu that was perfectly cooked and melted in my mouth. My least favorite was actually the lava cake. It was really tasty but the filling wasn't my favorite. I also think I was trying to compare it to the toast at house of bowls. The service was great and I had two servers checking in on me regularly. After hearing about this place for years I finally made it and can say it did not disappoint. It's definitely on my list of places to come back to in Chinatown. read more

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Mein is awesome! I love the entire vibe of the restaurant as it has a nicely decorated interior and they are able to accommodate large parties. Every single dish that we ordered was so tasty and flavorful. I would absolutely order the soup dumplings and firecracker chicken again and again! Even portions are huge as they are intended to be shared amongst the table. Highly recommend! read more

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Service is ok, surprisingly many customers. Food is too expensive compare to its quality. Some dish portion is very little.

Omg. Yum. The service. The food. Everything authentic and so beautifully plated! Was visiting from out downtown and to have late night eateries like Mein that stay open late and have legit dishes...boom! Sesame beef was so tender! Maw soup was delish. Food comes out quick but the quality is very much all there! Definitely one fo the ebstsbdown in belleaire . read more

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An institution for years now! We always order the same thing and always satisfied -- sansai egg tofu, walnut prawns, string bean olive leaves, and dry beef horfun. They have been pretty consistent throughout the years in terms of food quality. They do bring out the food when it is made so sometimes you may get one dish way before the other but it's never been an issue for us. The reason for the 4 stars is because they state of the restaurant isn't as nice as it was when first opened but that is the norm of most restaurants in the area. read more

Food was pretty good, nothing really stood out. The service was really good! Our server was very attentive and food came out in 5-10 minutes! The vibe is very cool and nice as well! read more

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You must try if you like Cantonese food. The service is excellent and price is very reasonable.

Mein is one of the staple restaurants located in this plaza. They have quite an extensive menu and I highly encourage ordering family style with your party so that you can try lots of dishes. We tried the clams in black bean sauce, egg tofu, beef broccoli hor fun, red oil dumplings, and stir fried string beans. The egg tofu had an amazing texture... slight crisp on the outside and silky smooth on the inside... Pairs well with the chili oil that's on the table. The beef broccoli hor fun hit the spot! Very savory & saucy and the texture of the flat noodles was addicting! The string beans were a nice palate cleanser but also had an addictive flavor. The dumplings were crispy but not super saucy as I expected them to be. Clams were solid but nothing to write home about... could also be more generous with the sauce for this dish. Overall, Mein is pretty consistent and great for group dinners. read more

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We were there on Saturday 7.30pm and were seated in a booth after waiting for about 10 minutes. It's pretty quick. The service is amazing with friendly servers and they always were checking on us. The vibes of this restaurant transported me to Hong Kong. It's noisy; it's loud and busy like how it's supposed to be! I love it. The food is delicious and has "wok hey". I cannot wait to come back and try more dishes with more friends. We had to pack 3 to-go boxes because the portions were huge. And also remember to ask for the pickled chili to go with your food (it's not served on the table) - if you know, you know. read more

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Always tasty ordered the shaking chicken and the beef and scallions. Everything was flavorful. My husband didnt like it the first time we came because he likes Americanized Asian food. This time he loved it. He stated he could taste the quality. read more

Mein Restaurant - Shaking chicken and beef and scallion - Chinese Near Me - Houston, Texas

Had lava toast super duper yummy, chili oil dumplings, Green beans with minced meat, and walnut prawns. read more

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A true hidden gem tucked just behind the bustle of Chinatown. While parking can be a bit tricky and limited, there's street parking available nearby. We arrived around dinnertime and despite a few parties ahead of us, we only waited about 15 minutes outside. The interior has an industrial vibe with an open kitchen, and there's plenty of seating to accommodate both small and large groups. But the real standout here is the diverse menu. We ordered the string beans, calamari, and firecracker chicken. Everything was well seasoned and perfectly cooked. The generous portion is perfect for sharing. The calamari was especially crispy and addictive. We couldn't stop eating them! And the firecracker chicken? So flavorful and satisfying. read more

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Routine staple. Some of my favorites include the wontons, the xiao long bao are worth the wait, black bean chicken, jalapeno prawns, shaken tofu, and the beef scallion. Always look forward to the lava toast that can be split by 2! read more

My family and I came here as a party of 5 on a Saturday afternoon and were seated immediately. The staff was kind and our waiter was attentive. The restaurant was bustling, yet our food came out pretty fast. The decoration inside was nice and made the ambience comfortable for family gatherings. Out of all the things we had, my favorites had to be the char siu and the tofu. They were seasoned well and were addicting to eat! The soup was also good, however, I thought the fried rice could have used some more flavor. Overall, I give the following ratings: - char siu: 8.2/10 - tofu: 8/10 - flat rice noodle: 7.8/10 - cucumber salad: 7.2/10 - soup: 7/10 - fried rice: 6/10 I'd love to come back and try out their other dishes! read more

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Great ambiance! This place is great for families or for an intimate date night. Greta menu selection. There is bar seating if it is packed and you would like to be seated quicker. Service is great and fast. read more

Mein Restaurant - Chinese Near Me - Houston, Texas

Mein is one of those rare establishments which meets all of my expectations, and then some. Although I have known about Mein's existence for quite some time, on the first Sunday of November, I finally decided to make the drive to Chinatown and check this place out. The restaurant is located on a street behind a major Asian shopping center off Bellaire. Being familiar with this area already, it was relatively easy to find. The signage outside Mein is subtle, so just look for the business number (A-13) and the large printed menu outside. I arrived within 30 minutes of the end of lunch table service, so opted for takeout instead. My order was simple: Lava Toast and Char Siu. Everything I tried tasted great! The Char Siu (roast pork) was served with Choy Sum (Bok Choy) and mustard, with rice on the side. The mustard tasted like it had an essence of wasabi, and this complemented the Char Siu well. The Choy Sum is steamed, and this also pairs well with the Char Siu. The Lava Toast is basically an exquisite french toast with a maple syrup-based sauce on the side. It's infused with salted egg custard. Two people could easily share this delectable dessert. Overall, I think this is an upper echelon, outstanding example of Cantonese fare in Houston. Highly recommended. read more

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My family loves coming here for dinner. I dined in with some friends on a Wednesday evening, and we got seated immediately as it wasn't too busy! We got the garlic yuchoy, garlic eggplant, firecracker chicken, and sesame beef. Everything was solid, but the best dishes were the eggplant and sesame beef. Both had a hint of sweetness that enhanced the flavor. The eggplant was soft, and the sesame beef was tender. The firecracker chicken was flavorful but a bit on the saltier side. The yu choy is a great veggie dish to supplement the meats. Service was awesome - our server was very attentive and kind. Never once did we feel rushed! Love the vibes of the place, modern and classy. Parking was smooth because the plaza wasn't busy! read more

Food consistently good here. We beat the crowd by coming in when they just opened at 5 pm, because this place is usually packed during dining peak hours. Our go tos are 炒粿条，lava toast, fu zhou chow fan, Chinese crullers. Good atmosphere and friendly service. Our go to Cantonese spot! Update: love their squid ink fried rice, but tilapia was a disappointment as I can see the scales. But they made it right by replacing it with a different dish! Outstanding customer service! Update: love it! Got beef chow fun pick up order and it's still delicious when I got home Update: pork liver was also mentionable. read more

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Mein is a very trendy Chinese restaurant that is all over the Houston food Reddit threads. My Chinese parents who have a high standard for Chinese food were pleased with this restaurant, so this warrants a 5-star review for the food, although we were not pleased with how ungenerous they were with the rice. These are the dishes we ordered: Braised duck: very tasty but super boney (hard to get the meat off) Garlic yu choy: pretty solid vegetables Mapo tofu: this was delicious and not too spicy, thankfully Char kuey teow: yum! This is one of my all-time favourite dishes, and this one came with seafood. Mustard green soup: I am a fan of neither mustard nor ginger, so I wasn't a fan, but the vegetables tasted okay, and the meat was very good. My family liked it. The weird part was that we asked for four bowls of rice, and they told us they could only bring three. I later realized it was because three of our dishes came with exactly one bowl of rice. They are stingy with the rice, which is not normal at a Chinese restaurant. White rice is so cheap too. These bowls of rice were quite small. I am used to getting a huge pot of unlimited white rice to share with the table. We got here on a Friday at 6pm, and the restaurant was nearly empty. Our food came out quickly, but we saw others waiting for a while when it was busier. When we left about an hour later, the restaurant was getting busy, and the very small parking lot was full. The portions were huge, so my family of four took plenty of leftovers home. This was a really satisfying meal! read more

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love this place!! upon entry, your greeted by many staff despite the place being busy, and they are very helpful and take your order carefully and always confirm with you and are willing to modify if needed! the place itself is very busy-- and the restaurant is clean, including bathrooms. the food was delicious! we got jajangmyeon and drunken noodles and they both tasted super good, the jajangmyeon had a perfect balance between the caramelly taste and the savory flavors-- not bitter, and it was such a smooth sauce, and the pork pieces inside were fried super well! and the drunken noodles were a great spice and flavorful! soft noodles, the perfect texture for the perfect chew. read more

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The food here is absolutely incredible! Every dish is balanced, flavorful, and clearly crafted by people who know exactly what they're doing. Nothing is overpowering -- it's just genuinely delicious. Also, the food came out super fast! I love that about restaurants! The service? Exceptional. This team is attentive, professional, and always ready to help. You can truly feel how hardworking and welcoming the staff is, which makes the whole experience even better. The ambiance is so fun and energetic! The décor gives you that lively, modern Asian vibe, and if you enjoy a louder, bustling environment, this place is perfect. Personally, I've always felt that a busy restaurant means great quality -- and this spot proves it. Overall, I highly recommend Mein Restaurant. I would DEFINITELY go back again! read more

Mein Restaurant - amazing art!! - Chinese Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I specifically came here for the Lava toast, so I will only be reviewing that. 4 words: Yummy in my tummy! The texture for the toast was extremely soft, not like some toasts which are either too hard and crunchy or some that are too soggy. The inside was very warm and gooey...I was expecting more flow from the custard when cutting into it, but it was still amazing! The cost (~$10+) was a bit high for a dessert though If you have a sweet tooth like me, pull up! This is the place for you. read more

Mein Restaurant - Lava Toast - Chinese Near Me - Houston, Texas

Many people know about Mein Restaurant in Houston Chinatown. It serves the most authentic Cantonese cuisine and it has a nostalgic interior. No wonder Chow Down Chinatown Facebook Group admins often dine at this restaurant. I came here one night after a hard day at work. It was near closing time. The waiter reminded me that certain items were not available, like soupy dumplings 小籠湯包. Bummer, I really wanted to try them but oh well, I'll come early next time. I ordered a dish that I couldn't cook at home. They used the freshest ingredients and authentic spices to create a delicious meal. I will definitely bring my foodie friends over. read more

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The place was okay nothing amazing. We got the Yuen chow fried rice, charsiu, xiao long bao, and lava toast. First off the service was good nothing special just your regular service from a restaurant. The love looks pretty nice having chandelier and a nice atmosphere. Now the food I was rather disappointed because the charsiu wasn't soft and tender like what you would usually expect flavor wasn't there either. The Yuen chow fried rice was good nothing special I wish there a little more meat or flavor. The xiao long bao wasn't really disappointing, it had little to no soup and the wrapper was thick. Now for dessert the lava toast I like the custard inside but the bread was thick and under fried so it was a chewy bread. I would've liked it more if it was a little thinner or fried longer. read more

Mein Restaurant - Chinese Near Me - Houston, Texas

Before I say anything else, I'm shocked at how many people don't know that when a dish comes with salt, pepper, and lime on the side, you're supposed to squeeze the lime juice into the salt and pepper, then use it as a dip. So many people seem to think they're supposed to sprinkle the salt and pepper on the dish then squeeze the lime and that takes away so much from the dish! So if you get the salt and pepper squid or the salt and pepper tofu or anything else that comes with salt, pepper, and lime on the side, make the dip! It's life-changing! WOK SEARED LIVER: I thought the dish was good and I liked the sauce, but the slices were much thinner than I prefer. RED OIL DUMPLINGS: These were good, but you need to make sure to dip it in the oil because that's where a lot of the flavor is. It tastes like a Szechuan dish, but it's not overwhelming like some that I've had, and it's not too spicy. They're pretty big though and came with 6 dumplings. FIRECRACKER CHICKEN: This had a strong chili flavor, but it wasn't too spicy. It was also very tender and moist! SHAKING CHICKEN: This was crazy moist, flavorful, and tender! Wow! Tasted marinated so the flavor reached the inside of the chicken pieces and wasn't just on the outside. Highly recommend! GARLIC EGGPLANT: I absolutely hate eggplant, but I loved this! The flavor was delicious! I might've eaten more of it than the people at the table who normally like eggplant lol hands down the best eggplant I'll probably ever have! SALT & PEPPER EGG TOFU: I got this because I like their Sansai Egg Tofu and wanted to know how this was different. Also why it's double the price lol (it's because it's double the portion). It's good, like the regular sansai, but it doesn't have the sauce and you dip this one in the salt, pepper, and lime sauce. I personally prefer the sansai because I like the flavor of the sauce better. DRY BEEF HOR-FUN: I love the texture of their noodles! They're slightly chewy in the best way. This also had great flavor! Last time, it was bland, but I guess that was a fluke. PAD THAI: I was surprised that they use pho noodles instead of pad thai noodles, but it was really good! My whole table enjoyed it! I'd recommend trying it if you're interested. FISH MAW CRAB MEAT SOUP: The small was still pretty big. Individual entree sized. It had good flavor, but the fish maw was softer and less spongey than I'm used to. It definitely hit the spot though. YAKULT YUZU: I just wanted to try something new when I ordered this, but it really disappointed. The crushed ice was super annoying and made it so hard to drink. I basically had to wait for the ice to melt to drink a little. It'd be way better if they just used ice cubes. Can't understand why they don't. The actually drink was decent. read more

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Really enjoyed my time at Mein! Went on a Friday night at 7:30 and there was about a 20 minute wait. It's a nice little nook not far from Asia town on Bellaire. There are about 6 other small restaurants on that strip and the parking lot was pretty crowded but there was still parking available. I ordered the shaking tofu, which was delicious! It had garlic, mushrooms and onions and was nicely seasoned. It also had a nice crispness to it as well. They give you a ton since basically most dishes are family sized. It came with jasmine rice and my friend also got the fried mantou which was basically fried crispy dough. My partner wanted to substitute chicken for shrimp with the pad thai, but there's a $3 up-charge for that and it was already about $16, so we thought that was a bit high for that as most places just let you choose your protein. My friend started talking to the owner who was super friendly! They had a good conversation that even continued after we went into the parking lot. Good times ! read more

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This used to be our go-to place until we began noticing a decline in food quality. We first observed it with our favorite dish, the Char Kway Teow. Last week, we mentioned to the waiter that the seafood portion was almost absent. Although disappointed, we still ate it. Yesterday, we decided to give the restaurant another chance. Unfortunately, the same issue happened again. We informed the waiter, and he kindly asked if we would like another plate prepared. We agreed. A few minutes later, the manager/owner came to our table visibly upset and defensive, insisting that he had personally cooked the dish. We calmly explained that we have been ordering the same plate for over six years and were simply pointing out the noticeable reduction in seafood. His response was, "So what? If you want more protein, pay extra." At that point, we chose to pay the bill and leave without eating. It was disappointing, not only because of the food quality, but because of the way the situation was handled. Over the years, we have recommended this restaurant to many friends and colleagues. Unfortunately, they have now lost not just us as customers, but likely many others as well. read more

Went here on Thursday evening for supper and the place was totally dead. We had a server that took down our order and she can barely speak any English. She apparently put in an order for fried egg roll when we did NOT order it. Another server brought out the egg roll and we told him that he got the wrong table b/c we did not order it. He took it back to the kitchen and when it was time to pay the check that fried egg roll order that we did NOT order was on our check. I called over our server and told her that we did not order the egg roll and it was taken back so we will not be paying for it. She took the check and to talk to some old Asian guy wearing shorts and a t-shirt with a moustache, I assume he is the owner. She comes back and says that she mis-heard us and thought that we wanted to order the egg roll and if we did not pay for it then the owner will deduct the amount from her pay. My wife says to me that she did not want to cause a scene and it's only $6.50 so just pay for it. We ended up paying for it, even though it was taken back to the kitchen. Bottom line avoid this place if you can. The owners treat their workers very badly and their customers even worst. There are many choices in Houston, USA, don't support a business that does business like the ghettos and back alleys where these owners are from. I really want to give them 0 stars. read more

Great family style Cantonese restaurant! Modern, spacious interior with delicious food. Lotus root bean curd sauce: 1000/5 - Lotus food is my favorite vegetable and this is probably among the top 3 lotus root dishes I've ever had. The lotus root had a soft consistency and rich flavor, and the wood ear and carrots paired perfectly. One of my friends who doesn't usually eat a lot wolfed down this entire dish. Shaking chicken: 5/5 - Delicious, juicy chicken with a good amount of black pepper. Loved the red onions as well. Beef chinese broccoli: 2/5 - A classic Cantonese dish. The beef was pretty salty -- which is how I think Cantonese cuisine goes -- but it wasn't my cup of tea. The noodles underneath the beef and veggies were a nice addition. Yeung Chow Fried Rice: 3/5 - What you'd expect from fried rice at a restaurant. Overall I really liked this place! Would definitely recommend if you're looking for a solid Cantonese restaurant in Houston. read more

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So many restaurants to choose from in southwest Houston. Luckily our friends live in Houston and are able to provide recommendations. Otherwise I wouldn't know where to start (except for Yelp of course). This restaurant is nice and clean. They provide table-side service that is more polished than most of the family-run places that are typical of the Asian food scene. The more "Americanized" format is less intimidating to me than the authentic places, and the food is still spot on. The menu is large and offers is a solid list of Chinese and Vietnamese dishes. Portions are huge and the prices are reasonable. Our party of four ordered five dishes. It was plenty, and we brought home containers of leftovers. On this visit my three favorites dishes were: Smashed Cucumber Salad - This is a traditional Taiwanese dish that is my friend Helen's favorite dish. Crispy cucumber pieces are tossed in a garlicky and tangy sauce. Beef Flat Rice Noodle with Black Bean Sauce - The wide flat noodles are stir-fried with beef, onion, bell pepper. Very yummy. Garlic Eggplant - I loved the fresh eggplant slices cooked with ground pork, garlic and a slightly spicy brown sauce. I loved it. So many other dishes to try. I will be dreaming about this place until my next visit. read more

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