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Vietnam Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Vietnamese Food Specialty Food Ethnic Food Vietnamese, Ethnic Food [Edit]
605 W 19th StHouston, TX 77008
Neighborhood: The Heights
(832) 618-1668
- Hours:
Mon, Thu-Fri 11 am - 3 pm
Mon-Thu 5 pm - 9 pm
Tue 11 pm - 3 pm
Fri 5 pm - 10 pm
Sat 11 am - 9:30 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Daneen J. said: "The food is fantastic and I love the atmosphere! Came here with the BF and although we were probably the youngest patrons in the place, we had an amazing time listening to the live music provided by the gentleman in lederhosen and the…" read more »
80 reviews for Vietnam Restaurant
Review Highlights
"My friends love the orange beef and bo luc lac."
(in 8 reviews)
"Lemongrass Tofu -- fried tofu was amazing and crispy."
(in 6 reviews)
"...to keep coming back and try something different every time."
(in 3 reviews)
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80 reviews in English
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Review from Terah K.
1/7/2012 8 Check-ins Here
The most important thing I want when I dine is SERVICE... and I received great service and food at Vietnam Restaurant.
My hubby and I where greeted at the door and asked how many. We replied two. The server noticed I was quite bundled up. She asked if I was cold, I told her yes. She said, "I'll give you the warmest seat in the restaurant."
Once seated, she asked if I would like some hot tea to help warm me up. Of corse, I took her up on this offer.
Now, I may not be the most adventurous orderer, but I know what I like. I order my usual, 110- the vermicelli bow with charbroiled pork. But there is a kicker, I love love fish sauce. It needs to be drowning in fish sauce. I let our server know that I need a bowl of fish sauce, she smiled and said "I got cha!"
The food came out and was great. We where frequently checked on and always had water in our glasses.
And the icing on the cake is that this restaurant is BYOB!!! -
Review from J. B.
Houston, TX
10/24/2011
It's BYOB that is a definite plus but I had the char-grilled pork with rice plate and the meat was over marinated and so thin that I wasn't even sure what I was eating. My husband had pho and said it was alright. It it kind of pricey for Vietnamese food but it is in the Heights.
The night we went, a storm was coming through and the place lost power a couple of times but it was really warm in the restaurant to begin with. -
Review from Prince V.
Danbury, CT
1/20/2012
Service is horrible during lunch time. If you dont go there in groups you will not get serviced well. They forgot to give me the check. I was thinking to get up and leave. Food was so ok. portions were small. got the sesame chicken. Very soggy and feels like not cooked. WILL NOT GO BACK THERE EVER AGAIN.
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Review from Will B.
Houston, TX
7/3/2011
You've got to be kidding me.
This is the same exact food you can get at Eastern, Happy All, Golden Wok, Timmy Chan's, or any number of greasy spoons around Houston, but they'll charge you 7 dollars more because it comes on a square plate -- and because it's next to a bunch of lame art galleries. Is this what my old neighborhood has become? I hope they build 70 Wal Marts in the Heights for karmatic punishment.
"Vietnam" is Chinese food at 19th street prices. Stay away. -
Review from Lora P.
8/1/2011
This is a pretty good neighborhood Vietnamese restaurant in the Heights. I usually don't think of this place when I'm craving Vietnamese, but Pagoda was shut and I didn't feel like driving to downtown for Mai's, so we decided to try this place again.
Last time I'd eaten there, I'd had one of their Vermicelli bowls and it was good but was nothing memorable, so this time I decided to try something less generic. I ordered the Chili & Spice Shrimp dish- it is really spicy so be warned! But it was so good! I loved the flavor of the curry and the veggies were still slightly crisp just the way I like them. I would absolutely order this again. My husband didn't have as good luck as I did- he ordered some beef dish that was ultra thin slices of beef, which sounded good in theory, but they were reallllly dry and ended up being like little slices of leather. I wouldn't recommend getting this dish.
All in all, I'm really glad we went and I'll probably start frequesting this place more often since I enjoyed it so much. It does get packed on weekends at dinner time and there was a line of people waiting when we left, so be prepared! -
Review from kris r.
10/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
My wife always gets the lemongrass tofu, and I always end up stealing it off her plate. They have some good dishes, but not the best I've had. We mainly come here for the lemongrass tofu and that is about it.
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Review from Andrew V.
Houston, TX
3/11/2011
Working right around the corner, I hit this place whenever I need a quick Vietnamese fix.
The food is fairly good. Not my go to place but not bad.
This isn't your typical hole in the wall pho joint though. It's a nice casual restaurant and you see lots of business people here at lunch.
Prices are a little higher than most Vietnamese restaurants. That said, it's still very inexpensive.
If you haven't been here before, don't go out of your way. If you are in the area though and desperately need some pho, this place will do the trick. -
Review from Jennifer D.
Houston, TX
3/12/2011
This place caters to people that don't know any better.
The food is Vietnamese that has sacrificed quality for an attempt at being trendy. All sauces and vegetables that come with these traditional dishes have to requested. The pho was a big clump of noodles. My sprite was tasty.
The service was terrible. Though friendly, we had to ask for many things and wait A LONG TIME. The busboys were attentive.
Bathrooms are clean.
I'd go back if I was stuck in the area and really craved some pseudo asain food. But that still wouldn't justify paying $7 for a bowl of soup! Go anywhere else in Houston. -
Review from Heather C.
Indianapolis, IN
4/1/2011
The reviewer below was right...it's for people who don't know better. With one of the largest Vietnamese populations outside of Vietnam, Houston has so much better and it's not here.
My spring rolls were dry and somewhat tasteless and my entree of lemongrass tofu was pretty unexciting. -
Review from Jeremy L.
Houston, TX
4/6/2011
It has good taste and lunch is always fast and a right price. I have gone a few times. Last time was shrimp and vegetables. Tasty, but I like the beef or chicken better. Vietnam eggplant special is good too.
When you ask for extra spicy they put in a little more oil (which I am not a fan) and sliced fresh jalapeños. Spring roll is same as most places. I like the soup that comes with the lunches. It is very light, perfect for lunch.
I have not been for dinner, but I usually go with co-workers. Have not had the Pho there but I know cheaper places for that.
Service has been a little slow twice, but other times not too bad especially for Noon. -
Review from Marcus M.
Houston, TX
3/30/2011
Went for lunch, was hoping for Vietnamese lunch specials. Instead, the lunch specials were all Americanized Chinese dishes.
My chicken with broccoli was corn-starch-alicious. And that's not a good thing. My brown rice was also way overcooked. Sure, the portion was HUGE and the price was right, but the flavor wasn't.
Service was great. The place is spotless, impressive especially since it's so busy.
If I ever make it back, I'll try the Vietnamese dishes, but a first impression is so important, ya know...? -
Review from andrew r.
Houston, TX
4/1/2011
Vietnam Beef with the lime sauce is extremely wonderful. It's hard not to get that every time. The wonton soup is the best I've ever had. Huge wontons and the broth was perfect. Not too salty, not too bland. Great place for a quick $15 meal.
One server there was totally a pain. He didn't want to be there and ran through everything then seemed put out when I asked a question. A few other times, all of the other servers took a lot of pride in their job.
Peanut sauce is a little runny for my taste, but the spring rolls are just that. Simple, cheap appetizers. I still get them every time. I recommend trying it out.
Best part... bring your own wine! :) -
Review from crazyjanemd K.
Austin, TX
12/5/2010
Uhm, not sure where all these good reviews are coming from. I think probably from people who don't know good Asian food.
My boyfriend wanted to try something new. He lives in the Heights and we had seen this place. We wanted Asian, but didn't want to drive to Midtown or Bellaire.
First sign that it was going to bad was that staff were not Asian and there were no Asian patrons there. This is generally a good rule to follow for most ethnic places.
The decor was nice, place was very clean. Waitress was extremely nice and helpful.
The best thing was...the coke. Seriously.
I got lemongrass beef. I tasted absolutely no lemongrass in it. It was little circles of round steak, which is fine, but tends to be very dry. It just tasted like it had been grilled in lots of soy sauce. It was very, very, very dry - close to beef jerky. The rice was poorly cooked - kind of mushy and flavorless, even though I think it was supposed to be jasmine rice.
My boyfriend got some sort of shrimp dish, which appeared to be seasoned only with salt and more salt.
Honestly, our money would have been better spent at McDonald's. -
Review from Jonah L.
Houston, TX
5/20/2011
-Beautiful decoration 5 stars,
- friendly and down to earth owner 4 stars,
-he came to our table and recomended their signature dish lemon grass chicken. WHich was really amateurish and mediocre. Other dishes were worse,. what a disppoinemtn, For it is the only viet restaurant in the hgihts, the owner should really invest and hire a better chef for some real vietnamese food in the area. Miss the REAL lemon grass chicken in the little cambodian restaurant on 18th st and ella, 1 star,
-cost us over $40 for an apetizer and 2 entrees, feel cheated 1 star,
All in all 2 stars, not going to go back. -
Review from Camille P.
Houston, TX
11/15/2010
The hubs and I were starving after a hard days work so we decided to meet here for dinner. It was a Wednesday night and the place was packed by 7pm. We were sat in a nice quiet corner near a big group. The group wasn't loud at all so no complaints there!
We ordered the vietnamese eggrolls which were pretty good. They were very generous with the cilantro and lettuce.
Our main entree was the shaking beef. It was impressive. The beef tenderloin chunks were perfectly marinated and came with the tasty wok aroma.
We also ordered the Pho just to see how it is. It was probably the Worst Pho Ever. I added the fish sauce, hoisin and lots of herbs but it still did not help.
Service was very attentive considering how busy they were.
I will probably go here again when I am craving their shaking beef. NOT their PHO. -
Review from Melissa M.
Sugar Land, TX
Weird service, decent food, parking spaces, and a clean restaurant... I'd go back. We went here with friends who like this place and found a large clean restaurant that I must have passed many times but just never noticed. The service was weird. We had two waiters who both thought they had our table and it was like watching a dance of the waiters for the first 20 minutes we were there. One would come by and ask for our drink order, then the next one would. one would come by and ask for our order and then the next one would. We did eventually order. The imperial rolls were very good and served piping hot! The sesame chicken was just ok, nothing great but nothing awful. My friend ordered some eggplant dish where the eggplant was lightly fried and then had a sweet sauce on it. It was delicious! I don't know what the name of it is, but this place does a great one of whatever it is.
Overall this place is ok. Some of the food is quite good. The service is weird and confusing, but it's better than most Vietnamese restaurants I've been to. I'll be back again to give them another shot.Listed in: I love Asian Food!
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Review from Christine H.
Houston, TX
6/20/2011
Moved to the Heights area and missed being near Chinatown so swallowed by skepticism and tried this place after reading some of the good reviews on here. While the shaking beef (bo luc lac) I shared with a friend was decent, the chicken vermicelli bowl (bun ga nuong) and iced coffee (ca phe sua da) my husband had plus the spring rolls (goi cuon) we all split were barely mediocre. Everything was on the expensive side. I guess you're paying for a trendier looking place, but the thing about Asian restaurants is usually the more run-down a place looks, the better their food. This place is no exception--clean+hip=bad and overpriced Vietnamese food. Heights Asian Cafe or Pho Binh (if only it would open for dinner and on Sundays!) are better options for Vietnamese in this area.
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Review from Meredith M.
Houston, TX
6/16/2010
Went for a quick Monday night dinner last night. The only thing we liked was the imperial rolls. The BBQ pork spring rolls were bland, the "Vietnamese" tofu tasted fishy, and the Chili/Curry Beef was tender but flavorless.
All in all maybe we made some poor menu choices, but we won't be back. -
Review from Dena D.
Houston, TX
12/11/2010
It's the last time ever!
Vietnam at one time was one of the best restaurants in Houston. I have been going since it was downtown, then moved to the Heights. After the storm, Vietnam made some extensive changes. Upgraded the facility and downgraded the food.
Since the remodel, the food has been inconsistent. Our favorite dishes are the Vietnamese Beef and Vietnamese Eggplant. As stated on the menu, the beef is made of tenderloin, with wonderful sauces, and the eggplant lightly fried in the same sauce.
This week a friend was craving a wonderful beef dish -- and we headed to Vietnam. Only weeks before, I had gone after a long dry spell and it we very good. Well this time, after overselling the quality to my friend, it was horrible. They had pulverized flank steak to replace the tenderloin. It was terrible. Also the eggplant -- soggy in sauce and over fried.
When I mentioned this to the waiter -- he was very receptive and said he would let the owner know. The kitchen staff had been changed and they were still in training. Again he apologized when we left, and said he had told the owner - and if I would like to speak to the owner, he was at the counter.
My question, if the owner new that a customer was not happy, why wouldn't he come to our table? I asked why would I walk over there to speak to him.... when he didn't care enough about a customer to come to us. Forget it.... I have many choices for good food in the Heights and don't have to chew on grizzle instead of tenderloin. -
Review from Thom M.
Houston, TX
2/12/2011
Vietnam Restaurant is wonderful. I have been in with friends several times and ordered family style. I have never had a bad dish and ther service is excellent.
Best of all, Vietnamese Restaurant is BYOB and the food prices are very reasonable.
Great value, great food, and great service -
Review from Shell P.
12/13/2010
It was tough to decide on a rating for Vietnam Restaurant, because it was a little all over the place.
The food:
Overall, I thought serving sizes were a bit small for the price. I didn't like the surprises of things that arrived in a fashion different how they were described on the menu.
Lemongrass Tofu -- fried tofu was amazing and crispy! Only came with four (yes, 4!) pieces of broccoli. And did not taste at all like lemongrass. But I would come back for the tofu. Wish I knew how to make it this well!
Vegetarian hot and sour soup -- not memorable. Tasted like hot and sour soup. I got the "small bowl" for $3.50, which was quite large considering I had plenty of other food. Unless you're a huge fan of hot and sour soup, you should skip this. Disappointing they didn't have vegetarian spring or summer rolls.
Vegetables with Vermicelli -- Served neither hot nor cold. I'm not sure if this was intended (I'm not very familiar with Vietnamese food, other than bahn mi), but the contrasting temperatures of various ingredients within this dish was a bit awkward. Also, the vegetables listed on the menu were quite different from what the dish actually came with. Frustrating, because I wouldn't have ordered it (or would have requested a modification) based on some of the ingredients that arrive and some that were omitted.
My omnivorous dining partner also got the Vietnamese Beef. He enjoyed the actual beef, but it seemed like half the dish was onions, and it was served atop of lettuce and tomato slices, which was not only unusual for Asian food, but also didn't go with the flavors at all. He mentioned that it would have been nice for this dish to come with a vegetable like broccoli to mix up the flavors a bit.
The service:
Nothing to right home about. Several different waiters asked to take our order, so I was wondering if they pool tips or if they were just disorganized. One of them made an off-hand comment that you may expect from the overnight shift at IHOP, but not at a place that looked like it was trying to be somewhat fancy (based on the decor and prices).
Summary:
While not a terrible experience, I think Vietnam Restaurant could benefit from "dotting its I's and crossing its T's", so to speak. Some of the details were missing, leading to an inconsistent dining experience. With minor improvements to service and the menu (both the offerings/descriptions, as well as the actual cooking), an extra star or two could be earned. -
Review from J N.
Houston, TX
3/2/2011
We love this place!
Try the lemongrass tofu, Vietnamese beef, green beans- all awesome .
Byob makes this neighborhood gem a great bargain! -
Review from Allison M.
Houston, TX
4/17/2010 1 Check-in Here
It's strange that you can drive by a place at least a dozen times and not know it is even there. This is the Vietnam Restaurant for me.
A friend suggested that we forgo our usual Mexican Friday dinner for Vietnamese. Disappointed that I wouldn't be having a 'rita I reluctantly agreed.
Great change of pace and the best Asian food I have had in the Heights. The interior is clean and modern with concrete floors. The waitstaff was accommodating and prompt, even though I believe the median age had to be 19 at the most. We brought a bottle of wine, as it is BYOB, and our friend let us in on the secret that is if you buy the bottle of water then the corkage fee is $1, if not then it is $2. Confused? Me too.
The food was really good. I certainly had no issue chowing down on my shrimp and pineapple in white sauce. My husband ate every bite of his pepper catfish. The white rice was perfectly sticky. My 2 year old chowed down on her chicken fried rice. In conclusion, life was good.
I am happy to support a local restaurant and know that this will be added to our takeout rotation.Listed in: 19th Street--The Heights
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Review from David N.
9/23/2009
Tôi yêu thit bò!!! (Ok I give up, but apparently yelp doesn't like my vietnamese accent marks)
However, a statement like this might not be understood here since not a single person I saw was Vietnamese, not a host, not a waiter, not even a cook. So I wondered how they could be called Vietnam restaurant.
I was visiting my mom's office which is only a few minutes away from here and I was craving some Vietnamese food and this was the closest thing to it in the area.
First off, this place is NICE inside. When I walked in I knew this place wasn't a real vietnamese just based on the decor and the fact that they accepted credit cards. It has a very modern feel with non wobbly tables. Next, when you order water, they bring bottled water, I was a bit annoyed but I was like whatever, and was waiting to see the bill to see how much they would be getting us for.
As far as the menu went they offered a lot of the default dishes I order when I eat with my mom family style. I ordered the bo luc lac, the muc rang muoi, and the canh chua. (Basically the shaking beef, deep fried squid with pepper and salt, and sweet and sour soup.)
The shaking beef was superb, but these days this really is a hard dish to mess up. The deep fried squid was awful. This usually is a dish I love but they made it feel like some frozen squid sticks reheated. And the sweet and sour soup was way too salty. The soup also had very little pineapple or okra, which are musts in my opinion. Also they had chicken instead of fish...
As far as the pricing goes, it wasn't as bad as I thought we were going to get charged for a place like this in an area like this. These prices were comparable to something you would find in bellaire which says a lot because the service was better and it was much cleaner. Also the bottled water was only 1 dollar a bottle.
Overall, It's not a place I would come for authentic vietnamese food but definately a place I would take newbies for vietnamese food since it's clean and has good service.Listed in: Best Vietnamese Cuisine
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Review from Gretchen P.
Houston, TX
1/27/2009
Do you have a list of restaurants that are you "fall back restaurants?" Your "plan Bs?" Restaurants that are consistently good, have a range of options including healthy, and may even offer "to go" if the restaurant is packed. A place that is within a few miles of your house. You might even have a menu in your car so you can call in an order if you are out and about. This is one of those restaurants.
I've had a few hit or miss dinners here. One of the hits was the Lemongrass Beef. Thinly sliced grilled beef served with either rice or rice paper, as well as lettuce, bean sprouts, mint, basil, and cilantro.
The food is not spectacular, but it's good. It doesn't contain MSG, so it's mostly healthyish. They're a little on the pricey side, but not terribly so. For example, I could name a few other places that have far superior spring rolls in a larger variety of fillings for half the price. However, Givral's BBQ Pork Spring Rolls are about ten miles away, defeating the whole "just around the corner," neighborhood feel of Vietnam's.
In fact, if you want to check out a good cross section of Height's residents, people watch here. There's an odd mix of newlywed Emo kids and old Houstonians, along with everyone in between. There's always an amusing table to eavesdrop on...not that I eavesdrop.
The restaurant has recently reopened; they've thankfully expanded. Before, the space was cramped with tables, people, and food. Cramped! The waitstaff could barely walk amongst the tables. Now there is more room and more tables.
I went recently. Packed. I'm not certain if this was owing to the recent reopening or if it was the fishbowl effect. (More tables, more customers.) Probably a mix of both. Also, the staff seamed a little scattered. Pleasant, but just a little frazzled. -
Review from Linh N.
8/7/2009
Wow. It's taken me this long to discover this place (they were est. in 1980), but I'm so glad I finally stopped in. Vietnam Restaurant may be the only Vietnamese restaurant in the Heights, but lucky for its residents, the food is quite good.
I've been on a sno-ball/Vietnamese food kick this week due to the ferocious heat, so on a recent venture for sno-balls, I made the impromptu decision to stop and grab some dinner. The restaurant is located in what appears to be a small storefront on 19th St., across from Wind and Water Gallery. Appearances can be deceptive because upon entering the dimly lit dining room, I discovered it was huge, modern, and busy! It certainly was not the little crowded, humble cafe room I was expecting. I do recall reading that they had expanded, but this was quite impressive.
The smell of the food was enticing from outside the restaurant and once inside, after scanning the menu's many promising dishes, I decided upon the black pepper shrimp and appetizer orders of spring rolls and fried wonton.
Though the black pepper shrimp wasn't cheap ($13), it was well worth its value--there must have been about ten pieces of fresh jumbo shrimp, lightly battered, accompanied by a lemon juice/black pepper sauce and sauteed jalapenos, onions, garlic, and shallots. This provided three meals for us--2 immediate dinner entrees and lunch for me at work the next day. Just three pieces of shrimp were more than enough, mixed with requisite steamed white rice.
The spring rolls were very fresh, filled with shrimp, tofu, vermicelli, and mint. You received 4 to an order, and though they may seem smaller compared to other Vietnamese places that give you two large rolls, I preferred these as they were easier to consume and the rice paper was much thinner and more homemade to me than the kind usually found at other restaurants and banh mi joints. The fried wonton was a generous serving (8) of puffed cream cheese filled fried badness. It was accompanied by sweet and sour sauce. I may or may not order these again. Oh, who am I kidding--I love fried wonton and to encounter eight pieces of wonton without pork, filled with molten cream cheese no less, this was contraindicated bliss.
I will be back to try the lunch specials and most likely, again for dinner, after my sno-ball treat.Listed in: Such Great Heights
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Review from Robert H.
Houston, TX
1/5/2010 1 Check-in Here
Definitely a place everyone should come eat if you are craving Chinese/Vietnamese food outside of "Chinatown". Based on location alone, for the Heights, in and around downtown/midtown there isn't a better place.
I've been coming here since they had their restaurant on main in downtown. Some of my favorite dishes are the egg rolls, Vietnamese salad (absolutely delish!), steak cubes, and the sugar cane shrimp. Some of the dishes a very authentic and don't be scared to try something new here. The flavors are very good and the atmosphere is outstanding. The wait staff is very good and very fast.
If you are a fan of Asian food and don't want to make it all the way out to "Chinatown", I suggest you come here for sure. -
Review from Michael L.
Houston, TX
11/15/2010 1 Check-in Here
Great food - egg drop soup, chicken curry, sesame chicken were all great.
Service was great as well, and price wasn't bad at all. -
Review from J F.
Houston, TX
4/25/2011
Wow, lots of mixed reviews. I've never had a bad experience either with the food or service. I often order Ca Kho To, which is catfish chunks baked in a clay pot with savory sauce; quite robust in flavor, always good, and I've been told by other fans who would know, very authentic
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Review from Jim M.
Houston, TX
9/12/2009
This is one of those spots where you just know that if you order something different every time you go, your experience is likely to be totally different every time, as well.
This place is beautiful inside, and very clean. The staff are genuinely friendly. The menu is diverse but not so long it's overwhelming.
I've had the weirdest craving for fried rice lately. Which is kind of dumb. I usually make fun of people who order fried rice. I mean, its left overs. Or its supposed to be, anyway. Who orders left overs? But something has been weird in my brain and it has just been -demanding- shrimp fried rice. So I ordered it here. And it was pretty ok. Some places clearly put a lot of TLC into their fried rice to try to bump it up to being a genuine entree, and some don't. These guys don't, but I think that's probably not a problem. It isn't really supposed to be. But everything in it was correctly prepared, and flavorful, and fresh and bright and good. So no problem.
I also had the shrimp wrap appetizer which smelled amazing and tasted amazing. Peppery, and dense and that marvelous kind of crispy fried goodness without being soggy or greasy. If all dim sum was prepared this well, I'd weigh 400 pounds.
I'm looking forward to coming back to try their soups. -
Review from Katie S.
Houston, TX
2/4/2008
I used to love this place until it moved to the Heights. It ended its streak as my favorite Asian restaurant when I found several bugs in my soup at lunch with my mom and the waiter was less than concerned. I decided to try it again a few years later and ended up leaving before even getting seated when we had been waiting for 20 minutes with our then 12-month old who really needed to sit down and eat some crackers when a friend of the waiter came in and sat down ahead of us. We walked out and haven't been back since.
I give it two stars since the food is good when bug-free. -
Review from Kristin M.
Houston, TX
9/3/2010
Good, not great. This place is close to me and I would return. Food is not totally authentic - but tasty. I had an eggplant dish that I really liked. They have brown rice and it's all nice and sticky. Serving size is generous. Spring rolls weren't the best, neither was the hot and sour soup. Service was great and the inside of the restaurant was nicer than I expected.
Just not authentic enough for me, but I would go there in a pinch (like, if I'm in a pinch for Vietnamese food....which I guess would never happen really...)
This review is boring. blah, blah, blah.....blah blah. -
Review from Brandie D.
Houston, TX
9/10/2009
I heart Vietnam! The staff is extremely friendly, it's BYOB, and the kitchen will prepare your food exactly the way you like it. Most of the time I'm a health nut...and would rather not have my food swimming in sodium or fatty sauces. Vietnam has no problem tailoring your meal to your needs. I usually order a shrimp & veggie or tofu entree with no sauce and steamed with a side of brown rice...it's delicious! They give you enough for two servings and the prices are very reasonable.
The best starter is with their yummy spring rolls and spicy peanut sauce!! Mmmmmm....so fresh!!
Here's the best part....it's a BYOB establishment!! So invite a chopstick companion and bring a bottle of vino for a healthy night out!! -
Review from Elizabeth M.
Houston, TX
9/17/2009
I don't think I'd have ever ended up here, but for making a trip to the Wind Water Gallery across the street. We'd been craving Chinese-American food, and this restaurant's sign advertised Chinese and VIetnamese food. Plus, it was 3pm on a Saturday and very quiet in there. Perfect time for a leisurely late lunch and to test out how the food is when they're not rushed.
Their list of tofu dishes was generous, so my vegetarian self was quite happy. I decided I might as well go straight for the 'house sauce' among the options, and ordered a vietnamese iced coffee as a chaser.
My tofu was lightly battered and fried, and the flavor was wonderfully spicy and salty. My order came with a lemongrass dipping sauce; the two flavors together were really unusual. Alas for me I wasn't expecting a fried dish and can only eat so much fried anything before my stomach rebels. So much of this order came home with me, delicious or not.
I'd definitely go back here, as my menu choice was definitely unique, and now I'm curious about the other dishes. I'll go back if I'm in the neighborhood, that is. Chinatown is closer to my house. A note- this is kinda 'Pan-Asian food for Americans' so don't visit expecting authenticity- that's elsewhere in the city- but for your Chinese-American fix. -
Review from Shyla B.
San Francisco, CA
3/18/2009
I just got back from dinner at Vietnam about an hour ago. My belly is warm and full of delicious fried rice, some peppered chicken, and of course the Chao Gio (pretty much Vietnamese egg rolls).
This place was always cute and had a very hole in the wall feel. After they vamped it up post hurricane thou, they are KANANG A NANG! A flowing green-tiled fountain and swanky paintings make me feel like I am at a Zen bistro on the streets of Vietnam. (Ok, I'm exaggerating, but it's a nice place to dine.)
A great place for a cheap lunch and a fun place for a low-key dinner, Vietnam is definitely one of my 'hood faves. -
Review from Agustin S.
Houston, TX
5/15/2008
I'm always up for a big bowl of Pho, it could be 90 degrees with 110% humidity if someone says Vietnamese or Pho in a sentence I start craving it. I just can't get it out of my head. Well it happened on Tuesday and I couldn't get to Vietnam Restaurant fast enough. My office is @ Chimney Rock and Woodway and so the closest Pho I can find is here.
I've only had the Pho with shaved beef. The broth is delicious with cilantro and green onions floating in it. And of course it comes with the usual side of mint, cilantro, and bean sprouts and for some reason they give out lemon instead of lime which I thought was what Pho came with. Another item I have to request is the sliced fresh Jalapenos. And finally the dipping sauce for the beef; you mix some Hoisin sauce with some Sriracha making it to your liking. I also like to add the Hoisin and Sriracha to my broth if the fresh Jalapenos just aren't making it spicy enough for me
With my craving satisfied, I should be alright for a couple of weeks. Until next time Vietnam Restaurant.Listed in: Pho...king A!
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Review from Melissa T.
Houston, TX
4/3/2009
I have read good reviews about this place, so I wanted to try it out, considering it's down the street from my house. My boyfriend and I went there on a Thursday night, and I was not impressed. I ordered water and was given bottled water. When I asked for tap water, the waitress told me that they do not provide tap water during dinner service, which is fine, but I think that the restaurant should at least disclose this bit of information. To top it off, the water is not even Ozarka or any brand that you know. The water is bottled by some company in Spring, TX using reverse osmosis, and they slap Vietnam Restaurant's label on it.
I ordered pho with beef (rice noodle soup), and my boyfriend ordered vermicelli with charbroiled pork. The food tasted very authentic, but the options were not. My only meat options for the pho were beef and chicken. When I asked what kind of beef it was (eye round steak, flank, brisket, skirt flank, etc.) the waitress was not able to tell me. She kept reiterating that it was a thin slice of beef. I tried to add meatballs in my pho, but that was not an option.
The pho and vermicelli were reasonably priced, around $6 or so. However, I looked at some of the other items on the menu, and the prices are kind of high. I'm sure part of the reason is that they are located in The Heights and cater to that type of clientele, but for an Asian restaurant, I expected prices to be a bit lower.
Overall, the food is good, the prices are not. If you are looking for a more authentic Vietnamese restaurant, visit Van Loc in Midtown. -
Review from Thierry D.
Houston, TX
10/13/2011
Good quality food, nice decor. When it comes to Asian cuisine, I still prefer Thai Spice, a few blocks away down the street.
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Review from julie p.
Austin, TX
10/23/2008
I have been here at least a dozen times and always have the best dining experience. Unless they're over crowded, cause this place is a tad small. FYI....The parking lot is riddled with pot holes around back so beware.
Either than that, the food is phenomenal. The BYOB perk is awesome and their service is great. I try to order something different every time I go and I have yet to order something I didn't end up liking.
Their custom bottled waters are cute.Listed in: Chow Down then Bow Down
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Review from Suzanne E.
Houston, TX
9/29/2011
I have no idea how authentic the food is so I can't attest to that. But each and every time I've eaten here the food has been tasty, portion sizes ample and the service fantastic. The upside is the walking distance from the house. A ncie break from the crazy traffic.
