Top Taste is such a great lunch lunch spot in the Downtown tunnels. I did the bun thit nuong and it was so delicious and satisfying. The spring rolls and egg rolls are so fresh. The owner provides the best customer service with a smile. Always happy to support small business owners. I love that there is ample seating in this food court area. read more

I liked this place for a quick and affordable Pho but I had to cancel my order right before paying because there was a roach crawling on the cashier's water bottle. They also keep the pre-made food on the same counter and I just couldn't stomach the thought. read more

2 times this past week I've ordered Saté Chicken Vermicelli and both times it's been unseasoned, non-marinated white chicken. read more

Top Taste - Vietnamese Near Me - Houston, Texas

I love stopping by this place when in the tunnels. The spring and summer rolls are super quick to get, low price, and tasty. The Vietnamese coffee is definitely what I need for a pick me up in the middle of the workday. The tofu banh mi was good, but nothing special. Same with the tofu rice dish. I still need to try other dishes there, but I tend to go for the appetizers I mentioned. The service is super quick and you can get the food to eat there or to take with you back to your desk. read more

Pork banh mi too sweet. Eggrolls too sweet. 1 was burned. Wonton soup was ok. I dont think ill be back.

I have to say they were ok.... So I got a grill pork Vietnamese sub. It was good but not like wow. The sub was quite long. It does have a thin layer of meat. I do wish that there are more sauce to it. I mean it was good but a bit dry. I also got the Thai milk tea. It came with pearl automatically. I actually don't like the pearls. Usually if you want it in, they charge extra. But the pearls were not bad. I think their boba is better than the sub. This place is located inside the tunnel along side with a Chinese restaurant, thai place, Brooklyn and a few other places. There are lots of tables and seats here. Most people here usually do they out. read more

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I think Top Taste is pretty good for a quick Vietnamese flavor in the tunnels considering the reasonable pricing. I ordered a vermicelli with Sate chicken- I think the Chicken was a little less... grilled? Than I would have expected, but all the veggies were fresh and fish sauce was tangy and light so overall I enjoyed the dish. I think this place deserves its long lunch lines and glad I finally tried it after years of walking by it. read more

Top Taste - Sate Chicken - Vietnamese Near Me - Houston, Texas

In the Prince's food court in the tunnels, there are some locations that seem to precariously rotate restaurants every few months. My coworkers and I had casually noticed this new "Asian Subs and Grill" place a while go, but it never seemed too compelling to actually try. Then it got cold outside. Really cold. So, as we sat in our office making lunch plans (which is obviously the most important work we do from 10AM-11:30AM every day), we realized we were jonesing for some banh mi but were not willing to walk outside to our usual Vietnamese place. We trekked to our first Top Taste experience. Now, if you've ever been to see the dumpling nazi, you know why my coworkers start shaking in their shoes whenever we line up at an Asian place. Stereotyping? Yes, but it happens. The Top Taste lady was SO nice, and I could see the shock on my friends' faces. I didn't even order there at first, and she gave me samples of the house special pork. We were pleasantly surprised at how tasty the meat is. We had to wait a whole 15 minutes for our food, which is strange for the type of food they are serving. They apologized for the wait, but the line wasn't that long and I couldn't see a reason it would take that long. The sandwiches come in "half" or "full," and the full is REALLY big. Maybe not ending-scene-in-Bridesmaids big, but you get the idea. This may be the only banh mi place I have ever been to that defaults cheese as an ingredient on their sandwiches. For the lactose intolerants like me, that's a no-no, but perhaps it's a novel idea for others. The bread is thinner than average, and less crispy than I would hope. The rice plate is pretty good, it comes with a generous portion of white rice/meat of choice, a tub of flavoring sauce, and some salad. In general, it's a good place for lunch and the owners are nice- but when it gets warmer we will probably go back to our usual Vietnamese places above ground. read more

The service is super nice but the pho was just ok. The restaurant didn't compare to the Vietnamese spots in the city - texture of the noodles were not as soft and fresh, and a bit thicker than expected. The beef wasn't as flavorful - maybe a leaner cut of meat (not sure why it was more bland). The broth was tasty though. All in all, not bad. I wouldn't come back just b/c my expectations for pho are higher than this place offers. For a tunnel Vietnamese restaurant it's ok. read more

I got a snack of Spring rolls here- so that's really all I can review. They were delicious! Hot and crispy, with a flavorful pork filling. The prices were reasonable. The people were super polite and friendly, which is a plus! read more

This is an excellent Banh Mi spot that offers a variety of fresh ingredients to satisfy your taste buds depending on your craving. I ordered the Tofu Banh mi with a fried egg over hard and no onions, accompanied with hot peppers, soy chili sauce, mint, carrots, and cucumbers. The final product was incredibly tasty and the soft baguette made it all the more worthy of a try. The fact that I could taste all the ingredients in each bite speaks for the quality of the food and to further enhance my experience, their customer service was also very friendly. You can hardly ask for more from a small Banh mi spot in the Houston downtown tunnels but perhaps the addition of a seafood-based Banh mi would be the added game changer that is currently missing. I can envision a shrimp or crab meat Banh mi being an instant success, so I am hoping they can integrate that into their menu in the near future. read more

I love this place! I hadn't worked downtown since 2015 n when I came back recently this was the second place I ate at! The banh mi is great I recommend the sate beef but also the sate chicken as well. The bread and red chilis are what make the sandwich for me. The bread melts in your mouth n the chilis give it a good spice be careful they do have a kick though enjoy! read more

Top Taste - Sate Beef Banh Mi - Vietnamese Near Me - Houston, Texas

I recently tried this place and shared the won ton noodle soup, pork cha sui banh Mi, and egg rolls. The soups broth was very flavorful and abs banh mi was delicious, the bread was perfectly toasted and the meat had good flavor. i enjoyed it so much the i went back the following week and ordered the same thing, i will be back to try other items. The owner is a very sweet man and greets you with the friendliest smile. read more

This is a great Vietnamese place in the tunnels. I've only had their pho but it is very good.

This place is ok, the meal I had was not the best representation. I had a beef dish with rice. I love rice so you can't go wrong there but the beef was very dry and looked like beef jerky. I may give them another chance later. Well have to see. read more

Top Taste - Vietnamese Near Me - Houston, Texas

Like previous reviewers have pointed out, this isn't authentic Vietnamese food, but we're not only in the confines of Downtown Houston, we're in the tunnels. As far as food in the tunnels go, this is one of my favorites. ~$7-$8 for a banh mi is a bit steep, but I'm a big fan of Top Taste's Sate Beef Banh Mi. The Baguette is perfectly toasted and the red peppers are delicious. It's great to grab on the go and the line moves through moderately fast during the lunch rush. I'm not a huge fan of the pho - the broth strays too far from pho I'm typically used to having. The owner of the restaurant is an incredibly nice man. He remembers faces and always seems genuinely happy. read more

If you like Vietnamese food and can't easily get to the best spots in Houston like me, this is a good option. Since I take the Park n Ride to work, I normally have to eat at places within walking distance from my job. Top Taste will do the trick if you want to get your Vietnamese on and can't go where you want. It's located in the Tunnels near Main and I'm not sure of the other street (But it's by Macy's). Their Banh Mi sandwiches are so delicious. I personally like one that's called the Sake Beef Sandwich. The employees are extremely friendly and usually will go out of their way to make sure you have everything you need before you leave the counter. It's a bit spicy but good. I have also tried the Pho, however I think I have had better at many other places. From now on, this will be the place I get my Banh Mi sammiches at. The sitting area is quite noisy since Top Taste is located in an area where there are several other restaurant who share the space with them. 1/2 Sandwich $4.50 Full Sandwich $6.99 Pho $6.50 Spring Eggrolls $3.50 (4) read more

Like almost all places in the tunnel, this restaurant needs to be judged within a vacuum closed off by the streets of downtown. Yes, like the other posters have said, this is not authentic Vietnamese food (nor does it really come close--I'm pretty sure the guys running it are Chinese). That said, it's still a good place to get a toasted baguette with grilled/satay/lemongrass meat inside if you have a craving for a non deli meat sandwich for lunch. You just have to appreciate it for what it is. Note: I'd stay away from the Vietnamese iced coffee here. It tasted like regular folgers with some condensed milk. read more

Looks like it's a new owner. The pho and banh mi sandwiches are amazing here. Very fresh and the meat is so savory and tender. Definitely one of my favorite lunch spots in the area. I tried the taro milk tea boba and it was also very flavorful, boba was nice and sweet too. highly recommended. read more

This Vietnamese restaurant is sooo good. They have so many options as well. My favorite has to be the classic pho with beef and Vietnamese meatballs! I also love their taro boba slushies. They're so refreshing but if you don't have a sweet tooth, just ask for a little less sweetness! The workers are really friendly and the place is super clean. A must try if you're in the tunnel! read more

I'm pretty wary of eating in the tunnels, but my coworkers would not stop raving about the sandwiches from Top Taste. I went with them one day and ordered the banh mi with grilled pork, all the fixings. What's unique about Top Taste is that it's more Vietnamese fusion than straight-up Vietnamese. The banh mi here has toppings that aren't what you usually get at a banh mi place - the sauce is a vinaigrette, not a mayonnaise, and the spice comes from red chiles, not jalapenos. Regardless, the sandwich is pretty good. Definitely worth trying out at least once if you work Downtown. My biggest issue, though, is that you pay a hefty premium for this sandwich - depending on the meat, it's $8. $8 for banh mi in Houston! Absurd! It's not particularly large compared to other banh mi, either, so you might want to supplement it with something else. I will say that the Top Taste banh mi is pretty tasty, but be careful of how much it'll cost you. read more

Tried this place for the first time last week. It's a pretty good banh-mi place in the tunnels downtown. I'm not sure if there's any other places to get banh-mi in the area, so if you're craving a vietnamese sandwich and you're in the tunnels, this is basically you're only bet. Not that that's a bad thing! I ordered the special beef banh-mi along with a mango tapioca drink. I'll break it down by the item, as it's easier that way. The banh-mi itself was pretty delicious. Savory with all the bright flavors you expect from banh-mi. The peppers on it add a nice little bit of heat too, which is fantastic. The spice pulls it all together well. All this on top of a great piece of toasted french bread. Not the best banh-mi I've had, but it's a solid entry. A full-sze sandwich is definitely filling, and big enough you can split it for two meals. It's more expensive than what you'd get in Chinatown, but I wouldn't expect anything else. It's still relatively cheap and still delicious. The mango tapioca, however, definitely was a downer experience. Don't expect their drinks to be milk tea. It's a weird ice-cream-slushee sort of concoction. The tapioca itself was sub-par, and the mango-flavor was simply bizarre. My first sip tasted like a watered down hubba-bubba bubble gum. Pretty bland as well. Definitely not mango at all. I'd have to say it's one of the worst experiences with tapioca drinks I've had. Perhaps the other flavors are better, but I'd be hesitant to try them. Overall, I'd rate the sandwich a 4, and the drink a 1 for an average of 2.5. I'll give it the benefit of the doubt though and raise it to 3 since I did really enjoy my sandwich. I'll be back - but I'm staying away from the tapioca drinks. read more

Ordered lemon grass pork with rice. The pork was very dry and tasted old. Should've probably ordered the regular grilled pork. Their sandwiches looked good and was the most popular thing on the menu. They also serve boba drinks and pho. Wouldn't come back for the rice plate but I'll certainly give the sandwich a try next time. read more

Top Taste - Vietnamese Near Me - Houston, Texas

Awesome place. The bahn mi are exceptional. They use to pickled thai peppers instead of raw jalapeños and it makes their sandwiches even more delicious. Love this place. The service is fast and friendly. read more

Best Vietnamese in the tunnel. Fresh and tasty. The service can be a bit slow but definitely worth the wait.

My husband and I eat here about once a week! WE LOVE IT! It's accessed via the downtown tunnel system. They are very busy for lunch, and after trying the food there, we know why! It's fantastic. I usually buy either the rice plate with sate' chicken or sate' beef, or the bahn mi with either sate' chicken or sate' beef. Both are very filling and tasty. The owner is awesome...great guy and so personable and he seems to genuinely appreciate his patrons. The staff is competent and friendly. Try them out! read more

I love Top Taste! Solid bahn mi, vermicelli and pho, and the large portions and cheap prices make them one of the better values in the tunnels. I would give 4.5 stars if I could but I decided on 5 to balance out some of the reviewers that perhaps have their expectations out of whack. It's not the most authentic Vietnamese you can get, but it's as good as it gets in their category, which is 1: fast food style Vietnamese and 2: a tunnel restaurant. Helping boost my rating is the fact that service is not only fast but especially friendly. read more

The idea of a $7 banh mi sounds revolting. I too am spoiled by my fellow midtowners (ahem, Les G's) but when you've got limited options in the tunnels and lines for Mayuri are too long, a fresh toasted fairly decent banh mi does the trick. Unlike your usual banh mis, Top Taste's are a larger portion, enough to fill you up for the rest of your work day. Skip the spring rolls, you won't need them, you also won't need additional siracha since the banh mi already comes with traditional fish sauce, hot peppers, and a secret tangy soy based sauce that is just the secret ingredient that makes me pay $7 for a banh mi. I don't recommend their Boba Teas as they are wayyyy on the sweater side but overall, Top Taste is worth trying. read more

I eat here pretty often. I usually order the grilled pork vermicelli bowl. Like other reviewers have said, it is not the most authentic Vietnamese you have ever had but it is good, fresh, and always served by very nice people. I have not tried the pho, maybe I will do that today. read more

I had the lemon grilled pork banh mi and was impressed. Generous size, value price, and very tasty. I wasn't as impressed with the bubble tea or wonton soup - they were average. But the sandwich was great. My friend and I were offered a sample of the lemon grilled pork when we stepped up to order - delish! read more

Other reviewers need to keep in mind that this place is an extremely quick and efficient lunch stop located in the tunnels amongst a plethora of low grade fast food. Since discovering this place a few weeks ago, I've probably returned at least 5 times to get the bahn mi. The bread is fresh, the meat is fresh and tastes excellent, and the staff are friendly and complete orders very quickly. read more

No bueno.. this is NOT vietnamese food. don't get the rice dish.. or anything that involves fish sauce because it's totally bland!

I have worked downtown for over 10 yrs. Top Taste is one of the best lunch sandwiches downtown. I think its food quality and flavor rank as good as Treebeards, Brooklyn Meatball, and Mediterranean Grill. However, I think the Sate Chicken and Sate Beef Banh Mi at Top Taste are better than I can get anywhere in Houston. For Italian or Mediterranean I can find comparable (however Brooklyn's spicy marinara is hard to beat) options outside of the tunnels. Top Taste may have the best sandwich downtown. It deserves to be in everyone's regular rotation. read more

This is my go to for Pho. Today I was surprised to see it was under new management. I ordered my usual but was disappointed. What used to be all white meat is now combination (included a piece of bone) and the taste is completely different :( read more

You can't beat it. Fresh lunch for a cheap price. I love this place and wouldn't trade it for anything else. The line moves fast and the food is great! read more

We went here thinking it would be great not to have to to givrals for cafe sua da. Unfortunately we were wrong. It's pre made coffee and it tastes like a week old Black Russian left I the sun too long. Three sips and it went in the trash. Too bad because a good Vietnamese coffee place would bank in he middle of downtown. read more

Banh mi subs are very tasty here. I love the sate beef banh mi. I was not too impressed with the wonton soup so I will probably not try the other soups. But I come here pretty regularly for the banh mi. read more

Every once in a while I crave a Vientamese sub, and this place has it goin on. It's a little walk from my building, but definitely worth it! I order the lemon grass grilled pork banh mi, and it is everything I look for. Crunchy, but still soft french bread, great flavored meat, HOT peppers, cilantro, cucumber, and that sauce is what makes it all come together. I already had lunch today, but I could definitely go for one of these bad boys read more

Like others said the sandwich is a bit high considering most are around $5, however it is quite large and pretty tasty. Thai is entirely too sweet but it's made from powder packets. Staff is very nice. read more

Great subs - the classic Vietnamese subs with cilantro, cucumber, and marinated beef or pork. The subs are toasted and perfect. The staff is very accommodating as the previous post mentioned. The price was only $5.15 (this includes tax) for a great sub!!! I highly recommend this place! read more