Pagolac is one of my all time favorite restaurants from my childhood. We always get the lemongrass beef and squid, beef in grape leaves, and the rice noodles. The whole catfish is definitely worth trying too! The service is always amazing, the waiters and waitresses are always checking in to see if we need anything and the restaurant is at a good volume even when there's large parties there. read more

Saigon Pagolac - Whole Catfish - Vietnamese Near Me - Houston, Texas

Grilled catfish knocked it out of the park, everything else was inside the park. Restaurant is tucked away in an older plaza of Houston and probably needs some updating, especially the restrooms. We ordered 7 course beef, grilled catfish, and banh xeo. Catfish was amazing. Skin was thin and crispy. Mest was so so so juicy and tender. My mom was raving about it the whole time. 7 course beef was less outstanding. Everything was lukewarm, a bit greasy, some even tough. Bo la lot was good, but greasy. Banh xeo was just ok, decent for $11. I also thought the mam dipping sauce was a bit watery - could be more flavorful. read more

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We were the only customers when it opened on a weekday & the man behind the counter didn't even greet us much less acknowledge us. He sat us down when he was ready. The restaurant was humid & my sibling mentioned it smelled gross but I was too hot to even notice. Eventually a waitress took our drink orders but didn't come back for quite a while so we had to flag her down to order food. There were only 2 other tables in addition to ours yet the service was extremely slow throughout our meal. We ordered the 7 beef & one of the meats was super tough (reminds me of meat that's been reheated multiple times) so I don't believe all the food was fresh. The Nem Nuong was good but one good item doesn't make up for the rest of the mediocre food. We've dined here numerous times over the years & it seems the quality & service has gone downhill. read more

A fun 7 course meal, almost like a Vietnamese barbecue. We cooked our own meats and rolled them in rice paper with veggies, then dipped in a fish sauce. We also got the whole fish and that was delicious too. read more

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We always want to support our viet restaurants but this is uncall for. Their fried fish is very good. I'm just upset that they always give us rotten veggies. The food cost almost $50. Cá nướng thì ngon rồi ko chê nổi còn rau thì nhìn giống họ lượm ở thùng rác ra và hốt vào hộp cho vợ chồng của mình để ăn. Bộ ở Mỹ hết rau hả hay chợ búa ko có! Làm ăn kiểu này ko khá nổi rồi. read more

Saigon Pagolac - Viet veggies - Vietnamese Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Hands down one of the best Vietnamese restaurants I've ever been to -- and that's saying a lot considering I used to live in LA, where great Vietnamese food is everywhere. The catfish was unbelievable -- perfectly crispy on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside. I have no idea how they pulled that off, but it's the kind of dish that makes you stop mid-bite just to appreciate it. I usually judge a dish by whether I could make it at home, and this catfish? Not a chance. It's a must-try. We also ordered the roast chicken, and it was just as impressive. You can taste the quality -- like it came from a real farm, free-range and full of flavor. On top of the amazing food, the service was just as excellent. Our server was incredibly attentive without being overbearing, and the dishes came out fast, hot, and beautifully plated. Everything about the experience felt smooth and effortless, which only made the food stand out even more. The portions are generous, every dish was packed with unique and vibrant flavors, and there wasn't a single bite I didn't enjoy. This place is something special -- I already can't wait to go back. read more

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I Just ordered the fish today and so disappointed. The fish is so dry and no juicy at all. Nothing looks like other people's pictures. read more

Saigon Pagolac - I Just ordered the fish today and so disappointed. The fish is so dry and no juicy at all. Nothing looks like other people's pictures. - Vietnamese Near Me - Houston, Texas

Decently clean environment. Friendly staff. Pretty good food! Plenty of open space for family style/ group to get together to eat. Had the "bo 7 mon" subbed the meatball for extra bo lot. The meats are pretty big! The soup is alphabet soup. I was expecting rice porridge so thar was kinda funny to me, because I've never came across that. I would def stop by again if I was back in town and give their other dishes a try. read more

Saigon Pagolac - Vietnamese Near Me - Houston, Texas

The waiter's thumb was in our food when he handed it to us. Kind of gross, but no big deal as we just avoided eating the part he touched. Later, we noticed that we received the wrong dish. When we inquired about it, he had little care and claimed that we told him incorrectly. Maybe this guy was new or something. Manager didn't care either and it took two tries to get it resolved. Interior decor can use a little bit of maintenance. It looks as though management gave up trying. The original decor is falling apart and is a bit sad to see. People come here for the food though. The food is decent. What stood out was the bo la lot. Had good flavor and wasn't dry. The rest of the dishes were ok except for one of the meats that wasn't seasoned or marinated. Perhaps it's meant to be eaten with ample amount of sauce, but I wasn't a fan. This place has been here for a long time. My parents used to dine here when I was little. Sad to have received poor service which led to a bad experience. I wouldn't come back for a while (if they are still open). read more

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I came here just for their grilled meat with perilla leaves. It's called Bo la lot in Vietnamese. Really juicy and has a nice Smokey flavor. It definitely satisfy my craving and everything was flavorful. read more

Saigon Pagolac - Bo la lot - Vietnamese Near Me - Houston, Texas

I didn't like the precooked beef and everything came out at once therefore nothing is hot except the bo nhung dam. Califonia restaurant for 7 courses of beef still the best. I will continue my search for a better one in Houston. read more

I've been coming here for years! Beware, you will smell like food after eating here. Authentic Vietnamese food! Inside the walls are painted with famous Vietnamese tourist spots. There are traditional Vietnamese instruments on display as well. Up front, there is a sit lo, Vietnamese taxi bike. The service is always stellar. The lady is extremely efficient and does the work of 4 ppl! Refilling waters, cleaning up plates, running entres, she does it all! Even when it is busy, she is able to keep up! The Baked catfish is what I usually get as well as the 7 course beef. This is a must try if you're looking for do it your own spring rolls! read more

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Service was not great. I went to the counter to pour my own water. We did the 7 beef. Only the grape leaves wrapped beef and the one big meatball was decent. Everything else was overcooked and dry. The raw beef was just no flavor. We also ordered the catfish. Cooked perfectly and rather large for a medium. But no taste to it. Was really bland. Fish sauce didn't save it. But the skin was crispy and the meat was tender and juicy. And the egg rolls cha gio was very good. Nice and crispy and fat. Overall, not something I'd wanna try again. read more

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EDITED with latest info, but wanted to offer the initial perception of the situation below in disclaimer section; the food review still remains. I will add 1* back but still should be better about this in my opinion. Overall: WARNING - further investigation of the tip situation was that they automatically charge 18% for parties of 6+, BUT this is NOT noted on the bill at the time of payment; they added it on after. At worst, this dubious and misleading; at best this is very confusing. Be upfront and transparent with your customers! Good: In honesty, the food is pretty decent with a few slip ups, The meatballs were juicy and flavorful, Lots of fresh vegetables with the bo bay mon. Serving sizes felt good. Bad: The chili present at the table was not really spicy at all. The bo la lot (wrapped in betel leaf) was on the dry side - per conversions, this is not typical. And the banh hoi was dripping with water - way too soggy. The building was rather cold and damp; I could see it being uncomfortable (or maybe slightly unsafe for people with poor mobility?) Disclaimer: the following section has been redeemed to some extent (noted above) -- WARNING - make sure to fill in all tip/total on the bill; or else they might force a tip in you, like they did my party - despite us leaving a cash tip. This alone murks my perception of this restaurant - there are likely other places you can find bo bay mon without having to worry about this. Ugly; They wrote in a tip after we left a cash tip after investigating the cc charge. This is the sole reason for the 1* rating. Falling under some shady Vietnamese stereotypes I guess... -- end Disclaimer read more

Saigon Pagolac - Vietnamese Near Me - Houston, Texas

One of my favorite places to visit when I'm In Houston. The 7 courses of beef is excellent as well their beef vinegar fondue. Portions are large enough to share. read more

When I'm craving authentic Vietnamese food, this is kind of our spot. There is never really any wait when we got. We went at 7pm on a Friday. We love ordering their banh xeo which is cooked just like my moms. Crispy, flavorful and huge. We also get the fried catfish (large) and it feeds 5 people enough! We got two orders of the Bo la lot & we love wrapping it in the rice paper. They are BYOLiquor too! read more

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Ca nuong, bo nhung dam, bo nuong vi, banh xeo... they had it all. I felt like I died and went to heaven. Many of these items are specialties and even my parents don't make them at home anymore. Imagine my delight, when I discovered this spot on my most recent visit to Houston! I want to know how they made the ca nuong -- best dish of the meal. Service was a bit slow but they were slammed. So, not their fault. Only complaint is their mam nem (anchovy dipping sauce) was too watered down and sweet. I wanted something for savory. read more

Saigon Pagolac - Vietnamese Near Me - Houston, Texas

Nestled in the heart of Chinatown sits Saigon Pagolac a family style Vietnamese spot that has not changed with time. Still looks like how it did back in the day. It's best to eat in family style manner here. A few recommendations are the whole fish, DIY beef spring rolls, Lemongrass beef, Savory crepe and the Beef wrapped in Betel leaf. It's nothing out of this world, but the cuisine is authentic Vietnamese as you won't find things like Banh Mi and Rice plates on their menu. Definitely worth a try, but I can see how others would be intimidated by the menu offerings especially if you don't know how to roll your own spring roll. read more

One of the old timers in Chinatown. This place has been here as long as I can remember. My family and I used to come here fairly often and we loved the food. I recently visited for dinner last week and I am pleased to say this place is still awesome. Known for their seven beef courses, sizzling grill, and whole fish, the food here is great. Our table of three ordered the seven beef course and a chow mein. The seven courses come with: - Thin slices of raw beef cooked in boiling vinegar soup mix: this is basically hot pot before hot pot blew up. Swish the meat a few times and you are ready to go. - Beef wrapped in banana leaves: so flavorful and moist. - Meatballs: the juices ooze out when you bite into them. - Beef salad: thin slices of cooked beef mixed with lettuce, onions, carrots, other veggies and mixed with fish sauce. Solid. - Giant meatball with shrimp chip: this is ground beef mixed with vermicelli, peas, and other items. The way I was taught to eat it is to break off a piece of shrimp chip, top it with some meatball, and pop it in your mouth. - Grilled beef wrapped around onion: this one is kind of in the middle for me, not great but pretty good. - Alphabet noodle soup with ground beef: the scallions, onions, and pepper add lots of flavor and is a great way to end the meal. Chow mein is fried until super crispy and then topped with a stir fried mix of veggies, mushrooms, chicken, chicken, squid, snow peas, baby corn, and my least favorite watercrest. Delicious! I will be back soon! read more

I bought to-go dinner bò lá lốt, it did not seem fresh for the day and it is very like left over from yesterday. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone. read more

Food was delicious. Be careful not to order too much. I recommend the Beef 7 ways. I order is enough for 2-3 people. The service was prompt and friendly. read more

The staff here is a hot mess, the food and menu is inconsistent, but the 7 beef course is great! They were not busy at all when we came in (maybe 2-3 tables filled up out of the whole banquet-style restaurant). The menu can be a little intimidating seeing as there are SO many items but, rest assured, they may actually be out of most of those items because that's exactly what happened when we came in. We were interested in a lot of the dishes (including the highly acclaimed fish) and drinks but the waitress let us know that they didn't have X dish. Why have such an expansive menu then if you are out of most of the items? I ordered the Cm Gà Nớng Bì Chả Trứng Chiên/Rice with Vietnamese meatball and egg and the chicken was SO dry. I really don't recommend ordering anything from her with the exception of the Bò 7 Món (Seven Courses) and maybe the shrimp crackers/chips. It felt like I was back in Vietnam eating these wraps with my cousins and since it's such a tedious dish to prepare at home, it's a great opportunity to order while eating out. I don't think it's worth it spending money and effort trying to order other dishes. read more

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This restaurant is known for its seven course beef and with good reason! Each of the beef preparations tastes different but all are tasty. My favorites are the little rolls wrapped in herbs and the charbroiled meatballs. The order comes with lots of fresh vegetable sides and spring roll wrappers, and it's fun to mix up the fillings of the spring rolls with each of the kinds of meat. Each order comes with a lot of food, so I'd recommend getting one less order of the seven course beef than there are people in your party if everyone is going to share. I've also had the whole baked fish here, and it's amazing! If there are people in your group who don't eat beef or you want another option, I'd recommend this. The service can be a little slow sometimes with water refills or sauce refills, but I've never had an issue with any employees being rude. It's located in a big plaza a little further away from the main ones in Chinatown, so parking is easy to find. *photos are from pre-pandemic when dine in was safe but the food is as tasty as ever for take out!* read more

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MY ALL TIME FAVORITE PLACE FOR SPRING ROLLS! It's a great place for big family dinners too. I go here everytime I'm in town. They have a huge variety on their menu but I highly recommend the Ca Nuong and the bò 7 món and bò lá lớt. Everything is so good! read more

Saigon Pagolac - Vietnamese Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Staple Houston spot for Bo 7 mon. This or jasmine. Has a variety of other dishes. We had the grilled fish and some other dishes. read more

Saigon Pagolac - Vietnamese Near Me - Houston, Texas

I was so disappointed about bò nhúng giấm. It is totally different what I used to have in VietNam. The hot vinegar dipping is tasteless, the beef is frozen. Bò and mực nướng vĩ is better. But the squid is tiny. Just recommend for bò nướng vỉ only read more

Saigon Pagolac - Bò nhúng giấm, bò và mực nướng vĩ - Vietnamese Near Me - Houston, Texas

Best place to get the baked fish to make spring rolls for family gathering. Got 2 of them plus bo la lot and eggrolls. They gave lots and lots of herbs/veggies with fish sauce. Lady on phone was super friendly. Order was ready to go at pick up time. Thanks. read more

Omg this place is such a hidden gem. My bf wanted to come here to try something new and I absolutely loved it! It's kind of hidden when u drive past but the inside is very spacious and lots of seating. The food here is SO good, so flavorful and fresh. I haven't been able to find this dish (that tastes this good) anywhere else in bellaire. The service here was very sweet and friendly. Would recommended to anyone looking for a delicious and authentic Vietnamese cuisine experience! read more

Saigon Pagolac - Special bánh hỏi combination 10/10 - Vietnamese Near Me - Houston, Texas

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One of my favorite go to viet restaurant!!! Get the following: 7 course beef Catfish Sizzling beef with lemon grass Fried squid Bacon pieces for the 7 course beef read more

Thưởng thức những món ngon về thịt bò, SaiGon Pagolac tọa lạc tại 9600 Bellaire Blvd Suite 119, Houston, TX 77036 Video: https://youtu.be/mefEU1kVACU Local guides: https://goo.gl/maps/JDiJx7jzt1naNbqZ6 read more

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My family has been going to this restaurant for nearly 3 decades now and always for the 7 courses of beef! You get a large amount of fresh veggies and herbs, rice paper, 1 single shrimp chip, along with the 7 course beef. They allow for substitutions and I'm a huge fan of the Bò lá lốt so I swap out the bò nhúng dấm for more. It's quite the deal at around under $30 and can feed a group of 4 with everyone feeling full. Things holding me back from 5 stars: -they now cut the rice paper into quarters, making it hard to roll all your meat and veggies -only 1 single shrimp chip ... seriously these aren't expensive don't be shy! Give us more! -soup can be a bit sour at times when to-go'd (even when I open it to eat right when arriving home) -veggies occasionally wilted (esp the plantains and bean sprouts) when to-go'd even when I eat right away read more

Random vietnamese restaurant I decided to try with some friends. Food was wonderful here. They definitely don't skimp out on the portions! Great place to take a group and the prices are great considering how much they serve you. read more

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We had a hard time finding this restaurant. It was in the back of the shopping complex and the restaurant sign is not facing street view outward. There was a security guard in a suv with blazing lights parked in the parking lot. Warning: if you look at the security vehicle's led lights you might get a seizure from because it was that bright and like a laser show. We came around 8pm for dinner and the restaurant was packed. Even though it was packed we manage to get a table. My first impression is this place is loud and super duper smoky. The restaurant did not have enough ventilation to properly vent out the smoke from all the table griddles and it was super hot due to all tables were grilling on their griddle. If you can tolerate all of these cons then this place is for you. I love how generous the restaurant was with the herbs and keep bringing out more to refill. I appreciate that because that is how my family eat at home, lots of herbs and veggies. The service was great and the staff was nice. We ordered T14 cook on our griddle and a medium size fried catfish because the large size catfish ran out. The beef, squid, and shrimp had lemon grass and green onions on it drizzled with oil. In my opinion all three protein could have been seasoned better for flavor. The medium size cat fish was overly crispy and a bit hard to eat. Once you get through the tough crispy catfish skin there is somewhat soft meat. (Tip: My mother told me it's better to get the large size catfish than the medium because the meat will taste better.) We had 5 people and that was plenty of food for all of us. The restaurant charge $2 for a small plate of noodles if you want that to put in your springrolls -.- . Overall, based on the restaurant environment and food quality I'm on the fence about this place. The smoke alone was a big no-no for me. I do believe if I came during a different time where it's not crowded and smoky, and they didn't run out of large size catfish perhaps my experience would be different. If I do get the opportunity to come back, I would try a different time and day to see if the meal is enjoyable before deciding not to come back. I think the great service and many baskets of herb was the deciding factors to be worthy to give this place another chance. read more

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When I trll you this place is great for groups, THIS PLACE IS GREAT FOR GROUPS! I came here first with my mom and sister back in 2020 and ever since then I've been going with my boyfriend because I love Ca Nuong (oven baked/fried fish) spring rolls. And honestly its fun to make your own rolls (even if its not perfect). When i order i usually get the medium fish but the last few times I've been they did not have medium so I've ordered the jumbo which is suprisingly still managable to eat with 1 other person. The jumbo is best for 3-4 people. I also order a bowl of rice noodles because it doesnt come with it. The service is great! They do get busy but even then they still provide great service and are attentive to their customers. Overall the bill usually comes out anywhere between $50-75 depending on the size of the fish and if I order appetizers (most of the time no appetizers since I want to eat the entire fish) read more

Chỉ có bò lá lốt là ăn được. Cháo thì bưng ra ngay từ đầu, đến lúc cuối thì lạnh ngắc. Một buổi Mother's day thật là khủng khiếp read more

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This was a great experience! We had the grilled fish. They provide rice wrappers, the veggies, noodles and the fish and you roll your own spring rolls. The food came very quickly. The veggies were very fresh. I don't think the fish is actually grilled as it was really oily. I think it must be fried. read more

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The Bo 7 Mon (7 course beef) at Saigon Pagolac hit the spot for lunch today. My favorite meat entrees are the Bo nhung dam (rare beef in a sweet vinegar broth), the bo la lot (beef wrapped in betel leaf), and the beef salad. It was all delicious and makes for a satisfying meal day or night. I love the huge basket of lettuce and herbs they bring out along with the Bo 7 Mon. It really compliments the meat dishes and keeps things light and fresh. A huge shout out to the lone waitress at Saigon Pagolac. She has been there a long time. She has the sweetest smile. She delivers amazing service and offers great recommendations. read more

Saigon Pagolac - Vietnamese Near Me - Houston, Texas

It's been several years since I've eaten here again, and nothing has changed much: big restaurant full of tables, spacious, and clean (needs remodeling though). The Bo 7 Mon was $31.00, but they provided beef in 7 different plates. My favorites were the bo nhung dam and the bo salad. The other beef dishes were not that flavorful, so I'd rather order separately next time instead of trying all 7 different plates. It was a good experience, and the kids enjoyed their meal choices: bo luc lac and bo nướng (lúc lắc is better). Prices are $10.00+ a dish, so be aware of this (unless it's a light appetizer) read more

Went there the first week it re-opened. Service was great and proper covid protection taken. The food itself was pretty good (not amazing) and super great value for the amount of food you get. Don't miss out on their spring rolls which were huge and very good. read more

Saigon Pagolac - Vietnamese Near Me - Houston, Texas

Friends brought us here for the Vietnamese 7 beef dishes. Four of us arrived around 830pm on a Friday night and we were seated right away. Not long after, the table was transformed into food heaven, with lettuce and veggies, a couple dipping sauces, hot water bowls, and rice paper. Not knowing the proper Vietnamese verbiage, I'll describe what we got. We had vermicelli, pork balls, grilled beef wrapped in Hawaiian leaf, a whole cooked catfish, and the sliced beef you sauté in a vinegar broth at the table. Service was prompt, food was delicious, and the water glasses stayed full. Delicious place that we would return to. read more

Saigon Pagolac - Delicious! - Vietnamese Near Me - Houston, Texas

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