The 5 Best Vietnamese Restaurants in Houston

1.) Hughie’s

^{Credit: Hughie’s}

Website: Hughie’s 

Address: 1802 W 18TH St, Houston, TX 77008

Contact info: 713-869-1830

Operating hours:  Monday – Wednesday: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM 

Thursday – Saturday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM 

Sunday: Closed ​

One of the most well-established Vietnamese restaurants that has provided Houston with quality food for years, Hughie’s has reached fame and they now have two branches, but we’re sticking to their 18th St. branch for this review! 

We figured quickly that Hughie’s main appeal is their food perfectly captures the marriage between American and Vietnamese flavors. Their menu has plenty of Vietnamese options, but the standout has to be Hughie’s Specialties for us.

All of their Specialties are tasty and very budget-friendly, but the cream of the crop for us has to go to their Country Fried Steak! It’s affordable for a filet mignon ($16!), and it also comes with this side of garlic mashed potatoes which goes well with the gravy.

A little tip from us, if you want better discounts on their drinks then we suggest visiting them on Fridays and Saturdays for half off on wine bottles and a “reverse Happy Hour,” or $4 off on select beers.

The only thing that we don’t appreciate as much about Hughie’s is that they’re closed on Sundays, which can be disappointing for Houstonians who are only available on the weekends. But then again, most restaurants are closed on Sundays, so we understand.

But if you ask us? It’s okay since you can get a bit of their cooking to-go, too! You can buy their Ghost Pepper Chili Oil which is in a lot of their food. We have to warn you that it’s a lot spicier than expected, so prepare a glass of milk beside you!

2.) Vietopia

^{Credit: Vietopia}

Website: Vietopia

Address: 3805 Southwest Freeway Houston, TX 77027

Contact info: 713-664-7303

Operating hours: Monday – Thursday: 10:30 AM – 10:00 PM

Friday – Saturday: 11:00 AM – 10:30 PM

Sunday: 10:30 AM – 9:45 PM

With its beautiful atmosphere and astounding food, we were genuinely surprised to find out that they can still give out that authentic, Vietnamese street food flavor for anyone who wants to try out a good Vietnamese restaurant in Houston!

What really surprised us the most about Vietopia was its menu. They have plenty of menu options to choose from, but what stood out the most to us was their “Try Something Different” menu. We tried it, and it’s a breath of fresh Vietnamese air!

Our top recommendation from the Something Different menu is by far the Hunter’s Special. Order it with chicken, and you’re in for a treat. The chicken is stir-fried nicely, and the lemongrass doesn’t overpower the chicken’s flavor at all! 

That said, their Vietnamese food options are still good, too. In our opinion, the Eye Round Lean Beef & Brisket Pho Noodle Soup is the most authentic one we’ve tasted yet. The Pho comes with great cuts of meat and the broth has that right kick we like.

But if you expect Vietopia’s fancy-sounding food to be expensive, then you’ll be right. Their menu items are more expensive compared to other Vietnamese restaurants in Houston. The Hunter’s Special is $17. And the Pho we mentioned will set you back $18.

However, what they do better compared to other Vietnamese restaurants in Houston are their vegetarian options. They have a lot, but we recommend the Vegetarian Stir-Fried Noodles – the flavor profile is great, and mix the egg in and you’re in for a treat!

3.) Viet Alley Restaurant

^{Credit: Viet Alley Restaurant}

Website: Viet Alley

Address: 11210 Bellaire Blvd 133 Houston, TX 77072

Contact info: (346) 754-5197

Operating hours: Monday – Sunday: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM

With their slogan being “street home-made food”, we were deeply impressed with Viet Alley Restaurant’s approach to Vietnamese food that ticks all the boxes – authentic, delicious, and plenty of food choices to boot!

That being said, you’d have to pick and choose the menu items correctly to get the best value for your money. Though their Banh Mi is good, we can’t justify paying $16 for the Banh Mi Bo Ne, and that can still go up if you add some items to it, too.

However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t hidden gems on the menu! There are lots of affordable choices to pick from, and there’s something for everyone! They have delicious rice meals, refreshing drinks, and – get this – filling vegan options, too!

If you want a filling rice meal, then you should go for the Com Tam Thit Nuong. The pork belly has the right amount of fat and is grilled just right. The Cafe Muoi, or Vietnamese coffee with sea salt cream’s sweet and salty goes well with the grilled pork’s savory.

But if you’re a vegan, then they have a delicious vegan option, too! Vegan or not, we suggest trying out the Bun Tofu Chay. It has the right amount of seasonings, and the tofu tastes like meat. 

4.) Miss Saigon Cafe

^{Credit: Miss Saigon Cafe}

Website: Miss Saigon Cafe

Address: 1421 Richmond Avenue, Houston, TX 77006

Contact info: (713) 942-0108 

(713) 942-9286

Operating hours:  Monday – Saturday: 11 AM – 3 PM, 5 PM – 9 PM

Saturday: 5 PM – 9:30 PM

Sunday: Closed

What impressed us the most about Miss Saigon Cafe is not that you can customize your meals, nor their diverse menu – but rather the fact that you can get what you pay for with their large serving sizes!

Don’t think that the size is a compromise for flavor though – their food’s flavor profile is top-notch, too! Out of all the things that we’ve ordered, we highly recommend trying out their Pho and sandwich.

The Pho has this delicious, slow-cooked broth, and add a side of bean sprouts to the broth and you’re in for a treat. What’s more, you can also customize the meat in your Pho, too! Word of the wise from us? Get beef and chicken together, and thank us later.

Their sandwiches are really good, too! The baguettes are nicely toasted, and add some fried eggs and rotisserie chicken into the mix and your tastebuds are in for a treat. The garlic mayo they put on the bread adds to the flavor, too.

We really can’t fault Miss Saigon Cafe that much when it comes to their food. Rather, the only thing we didn’t like as much is that they’re closed on Sundays

And that can be a shame since they’re one of the few Vietnamese restaurants in Houston that can customize your meals to vegetarian! Though you’re only limited to the entrees and the soups, it’s still a nice gesture for those with dietary restrictions.

5.) Nam Eatery

^{Credit: Nam Eatery}

Website: Nam Eatery

Address: 502 East 20th Street Houston, TX77008

Contact info: (346) 571-8980 

[email protected]

Operating hours: Monday – Saturday: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Sunday: Closed

Nam Eatery set the bar high with their claims of being the “best Pho restaurant in Houston.” But, after a quick visit, we can confirm for ourselves that they truly are a Vietnamese restaurant worthy of every Houstonian’s attention.

When opening their menu, the first thing that you’ll notice is the sheer amount of finger foods they have available! Though there’s a lot, we suggest trying out their Egg Rolls and Dumplings for that authentic Vietnamese dining experience.

Their entrees are really good, too! Our top pick would be their Pho Tai Sliced Filet Mignon – it’s the perfect fusion dish if you’re feeling fancy! The Filet Mignon is tender, and adding it to the Pho broth really brings out this flavor we didn’t quite expect.

But if you’re not in the mood for noodles, then the Baguette Banh Mi is a good option, too! The Spam & Egg is a safe, tasty choice, but if you’re up for some adventure, then the House Pate and Fried Eggs Banh Mi is a good pick! 

Again, we really can’t criticize anything about the food and the only nitpick we have against Nam Eatery is maybe the fact that they’re closed on Sundays. 

Them being closed on Sundays means you can’t get any reward points. And yes, these reward points can net you some good deals on food, and even free menu items if you’ve saved enough! Some reward points can even land you exclusive discounts, too.

FAQs about Vietnamese Restaurants

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