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A Hanoi steamed rice crêpe stuffed with chicken and mushroom with dipping sauce.
The Banh Cuon at Le Colonial is a Hanoi steamed rice crêpe stuffed with chicken and mushrooms.
Neil John Burger Photography

Houston’s 14 Best Vietnamese Restaurants

Here’s where to find warming bun suong, classic taro cakes, bahn mi, and a symphony of Viet-Cajun flavors

by Brittany Britto Garley Updated
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The Banh Cuon at Le Colonial is a Hanoi steamed rice crêpe stuffed with chicken and mushrooms.
| Neil John Burger Photography
by Brittany Britto Garley Updated

With one of the country's largest and fastest-growing Vietnamese populations, Houston is undisputedly a stellar destination for Vietnamese food. The rich cuisine has been a Space City staple for decades, with many time-honored restaurants, from Asiatown to Downtown, brimming with pate-packed banh mi, warming bowls of pho, and Viet-Cajun-style dishes, including signature, spicy-laden crawfish. In recent years, interest in the cuisine has only intensified with the emergence of celebrity chefs like Christine Ha, winner of MasterChef’s Season 3, and Trong Pham and Nikki Tran, who appeared in Netflix’s Ugly Delicious, both of whom have shined a significant light on Vietnamese cuisine’s breadth and versatility.

The options are vast, but here’s an essential starting point. Whether diners crave a filling noodle dish, crusty banh mi with Vietnamese coffee, or a more modern, Vietnamese American interpretation of a dish, this map will lead them to the best Vietnamese restaurants in Houston.

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Quan Ba Ky

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This colorful Vietnamese restaurant opens at 8 a.m. and closes at midnight, meaning diners have all day to enjoy its rich dishes. Indulge in pho, noodle dishes, fried rice, and fried and saucy seafood platters. Don’t leave without trying its specialties, including its classic, savory taro pancakes, which are layered with herbs and peanuts, and the bun suong, an aromatic shrimp noodle soup served with shrimp balls.

11550 Bellaire Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77072
(832) 230-0864
(832) 230-0864

Crawfish & Noodles

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For the ultimate Viet-Cajun dining experience, head to Crawfish and Noodles’s original location in Asiatown — or its newest outpost in the Heights’s Houston Farmers Market. Helmed by James Beard Award finalist chef Trong Pham, this Houston restaurant delivers explosive flavors, including its signature Viet-Cajun garlic butter-seasoned crawfish. When the mudbugs aren’t in season, Crawfish and Noodles still offers a solid menu of seafood, including blue crabs, shrimp, and snow crabs, which can boiled in Viet-Cajun spices or fried and served salt-and-pepper style with tamarind or straight black pepper. Pair with one of its noodle or rice dishes, like the com chien Thai, or basil fried rice with pork, for the full effect.

11360 Bellaire Blvd #990, Houston, TX 77072
(281) 988-8098
(281) 988-8098

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Old Saigon Cafe

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Banh mi at Old Saigon Cafe is great, but it’s just the beginning. The restaurant’s menu is full of Vietnamese classics like shaking beef, plus meats and tofus that are curried, fried, or grilled, warm bowls of pho and ramen, refreshing salads made up of mango and papaya, and more. Its drinks selection is just as diverse, with hot and iced teas, boba teas, smoothies, Vietnamese iced and hot coffees, and salted lemonade sodas.

6383 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77057
(832) 668-5270
(832) 668-5270

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The Blind Goat

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After outgrowing her counter within Bravery Chef Hall, Masterchef champion Christine Ha opened the Blind Goat as a full-service restaurant in Spring Branch. Her thoughtful approach to Vietnamese street food is revealed in a menu of rolls, wings, skewers, noodles, and fun interpretation of Houston staples like Saigon street corn, a Vietnamese-style elote made with corn ribs, saté, scallion oil, and Parmesan cheese. Must-try dishes include the herbaceous lettuce wraps filled with bánh khọt — savory, crispy pancakes topped with shrimp and scallion oil and served with fish sauce vinaigrette for dipping, and the Texas barbecue brisket fried rice, made with the help of neighboring barbecue spot Feges’s smokey beef. Seal the meal with Ha’s apple pie a la mode, a Gordon Ramsay favorite laced with star anise, ginger, lemongrass, and fish sauce caramel.

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8145 Long Point Rd, Houston, TX 77055
(346) 298-1660
(346) 298-1660

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Le Colonial

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With outposts in Chicago and Atlanta, this high-end restaurant in the River Oaks District serves modern Vietnamese dishes in a striking dining room. Pan-seared chicken dumplings spiked with a black vinegar sauce, cha gio — crispy rolls filled with Gulf shrimp, pork, mushrooms, mint, and cilantro — and its delicately wrapped banh cuon make for great starters to share before digging into the crispy, garlic-glazed whole snapper, prepared for two. Don’t eat and run — Le Colonial’s second-floor late-night lounge has a full bar.

4444 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77027
(713) 629-4444
(713) 629-4444
Whole crispy snapper topped with garnishes.
The whole snapper at Le Colonial is a sight to see.
© Neil John Burger Photography

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Saigon Hustle

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With a convenient drive-thru window, Saigon Hustle aims to be the country's most prominent Vietnamese fast-casual chain, but that doesn’t mean it’s skimping on freshness or flavor. The restaurant offers banh mi made with bread baked fresh daily, plus salads, noodle and rice bowls, and spring rolls filled with chargrilled and honey-glazed proteins like barbecue rib-eye, salmon, chicken, and crispy tofu. For a quicker snack or appetizer, go for the crispy wings, which are tossed in a sweet and savory garlic sauce, or its ABC soup, a pho-based broth with peppered ground beef, caramelized onions, cilantro, green onions, and alphabet pasta.

3323 Ella Blvd, Houston, TX 77018
(713) 565-1414
(713) 565-1414

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LES BA'GET

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Don’t let its name mislead you — Les Ba’get is known for lots more than loaded banh mi. The Garden Oaks neighborhood gem, which started as a food truck, features a variety of noodle dishes, pho made with broth slow-cooked for 24 hours, and fresh spring rolls stuffed with hoisin butter chicken, mango and shrimp, or Texas smoked brisket. Diners looking for dishes to share can split its generous portion of buttery and beefy garlic noodles, dripping in chili oil, or puffy beef tendon chicharron seasoned with smoked Sriracha salt and served with charred lime.

1717 W 34th St Suite 800, Houston, TX 77018
(832) 548-1080
(832) 548-1080

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Moon Rabbit

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This Heights restaurant is a vibey place for well-executed Vietnamese fusion dishes and equally compelling cocktails. Start with the banh xeo tostadas, topped with shrimp, pork belly, lettuce, and coconut crema, then dig into crowd favorites like salt-and-pepper squid or shaking beef — filet mignon sauteed with onion, garlic, and jalapeños and served on a bed of greens with rice and lime dipping sauce. Diners also can’t go wrong with one of Moon Rabbit’s banh mi, pho, or vermicelli bowls.

605 W 19th St, Houston, TX 77008
(713) 684-3991
(713) 684-3991

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Kau Ba

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Located in the heart of Montrose amid buzzy bars, restaurants, and coffee shops, Kau Ba is a festive place to enjoy Viet-Cajun cuisine. The menu, shaped by chef Nikki Tran, features dishes like banh cuon rolled with wagyu, grilled scallops with nuoc mam butter, homemade dumplings, and pho with proteins that include smoked brisket and Angus steak wet-aged in cognac. For Viet-Cajun-specific dishes, try its boils, with seafood tossed in Cajun sauces, or the Viejun pho — a combination of shrimp, escargots, and king crab in a Cajun sauce broth.

2502 Dunlavy St Suite B, Houston, TX 77006
(713) 497-5300
(713) 497-5300

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Mai's Restaurant

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Great for a late-night pitstop on the weekends, this Houston institution is a haven for post-partygoers — but it’s also enjoyable at any time of day. The extensive menu ensures there is something for everyone — from fried egg rolls, pho, banh mi, and vermicelli to meat-filled rice plates, as well as an entire section of vegetarian-friendly dishes made with tofu.

3403 Milam St, Houston, TX 77002
(713) 520-5300
(713) 520-5300

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Thien An Sandwiches

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This time-honored Midtown cafe is a casual place to feed your banh mi fix. Go simple with a sandwich built with lemongrass chicken, or try something different, like pork meatballs or Vietnamese cold cuts. Can’t decide? Spring for more than one — Thien An is easy on the wallet, with most sandwiches under $6.

2611 San Jacinto St, Houston, TX 77004
(713) 522-7007
(713) 522-7007

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Huynh Restaurant

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This Houston stalwart is a reliable choice in EaDo, with classic Vietnamese dishes and a popular BYOB policy. Start with the pulled duck salad served with ginger sauce; then, savor the flavors of the bun bo hue (spicy beef noodle soup) with a Vietnamese iced coffee on the side for the ultimate cool down. Dine on weekends before 2 p.m., when plates of sizzling bit tet served with crunchy French bread are between $6 and $10, depending on the order.

912 St Emanuel St, Houston, TX 77003
(713) 224-8964
(713) 224-8964

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Roostar

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This fast-casual family-owned restaurant has three locations in Houston, each of which prides itself on preparing dishes using meats and chopped vegetables marinated in-house. Find banh mi built with sous vide pork belly and fried pollock served with homemade pickled vegetables, plus wings in flavors like garlic butter and a sweet Sriracha glaze.

2929 Navigation Blvd Suite 190, Houston, TX 77003
(713) 636-9710
(713) 636-9710

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Quan Ba Ky

11550 Bellaire Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77072

This colorful Vietnamese restaurant opens at 8 a.m. and closes at midnight, meaning diners have all day to enjoy its rich dishes. Indulge in pho, noodle dishes, fried rice, and fried and saucy seafood platters. Don’t leave without trying its specialties, including its classic, savory taro pancakes, which are layered with herbs and peanuts, and the bun suong, an aromatic shrimp noodle soup served with shrimp balls.

11550 Bellaire Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77072
(832) 230-0864
(832) 230-0864

Crawfish & Noodles

11360 Bellaire Blvd #990, Houston, TX 77072

For the ultimate Viet-Cajun dining experience, head to Crawfish and Noodles’s original location in Asiatown — or its newest outpost in the Heights’s Houston Farmers Market. Helmed by James Beard Award finalist chef Trong Pham, this Houston restaurant delivers explosive flavors, including its signature Viet-Cajun garlic butter-seasoned crawfish. When the mudbugs aren’t in season, Crawfish and Noodles still offers a solid menu of seafood, including blue crabs, shrimp, and snow crabs, which can boiled in Viet-Cajun spices or fried and served salt-and-pepper style with tamarind or straight black pepper. Pair with one of its noodle or rice dishes, like the com chien Thai, or basil fried rice with pork, for the full effect.

11360 Bellaire Blvd #990, Houston, TX 77072
(281) 988-8098
(281) 988-8098

Old Saigon Cafe

6383 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77057

Banh mi at Old Saigon Cafe is great, but it’s just the beginning. The restaurant’s menu is full of Vietnamese classics like shaking beef, plus meats and tofus that are curried, fried, or grilled, warm bowls of pho and ramen, refreshing salads made up of mango and papaya, and more. Its drinks selection is just as diverse, with hot and iced teas, boba teas, smoothies, Vietnamese iced and hot coffees, and salted lemonade sodas.

6383 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77057
(832) 668-5270
(832) 668-5270

The Blind Goat

8145 Long Point Rd, Houston, TX 77055

After outgrowing her counter within Bravery Chef Hall, Masterchef champion Christine Ha opened the Blind Goat as a full-service restaurant in Spring Branch. Her thoughtful approach to Vietnamese street food is revealed in a menu of rolls, wings, skewers, noodles, and fun interpretation of Houston staples like Saigon street corn, a Vietnamese-style elote made with corn ribs, saté, scallion oil, and Parmesan cheese. Must-try dishes include the herbaceous lettuce wraps filled with bánh khọt — savory, crispy pancakes topped with shrimp and scallion oil and served with fish sauce vinaigrette for dipping, and the Texas barbecue brisket fried rice, made with the help of neighboring barbecue spot Feges’s smokey beef. Seal the meal with Ha’s apple pie a la mode, a Gordon Ramsay favorite laced with star anise, ginger, lemongrass, and fish sauce caramel.

8145 Long Point Rd, Houston, TX 77055
(346) 298-1660
(346) 298-1660

Le Colonial

4444 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77027

With outposts in Chicago and Atlanta, this high-end restaurant in the River Oaks District serves modern Vietnamese dishes in a striking dining room. Pan-seared chicken dumplings spiked with a black vinegar sauce, cha gio — crispy rolls filled with Gulf shrimp, pork, mushrooms, mint, and cilantro — and its delicately wrapped banh cuon make for great starters to share before digging into the crispy, garlic-glazed whole snapper, prepared for two. Don’t eat and run — Le Colonial’s second-floor late-night lounge has a full bar.

4444 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77027
(713) 629-4444
(713) 629-4444
Whole crispy snapper topped with garnishes.
The whole snapper at Le Colonial is a sight to see.
© Neil John Burger Photography

Saigon Hustle

3323 Ella Blvd, Houston, TX 77018

With a convenient drive-thru window, Saigon Hustle aims to be the country's most prominent Vietnamese fast-casual chain, but that doesn’t mean it’s skimping on freshness or flavor. The restaurant offers banh mi made with bread baked fresh daily, plus salads, noodle and rice bowls, and spring rolls filled with chargrilled and honey-glazed proteins like barbecue rib-eye, salmon, chicken, and crispy tofu. For a quicker snack or appetizer, go for the crispy wings, which are tossed in a sweet and savory garlic sauce, or its ABC soup, a pho-based broth with peppered ground beef, caramelized onions, cilantro, green onions, and alphabet pasta.

3323 Ella Blvd, Houston, TX 77018
(713) 565-1414
(713) 565-1414

LES BA'GET

1717 W 34th St Suite 800, Houston, TX 77018

Don’t let its name mislead you — Les Ba’get is known for lots more than loaded banh mi. The Garden Oaks neighborhood gem, which started as a food truck, features a variety of noodle dishes, pho made with broth slow-cooked for 24 hours, and fresh spring rolls stuffed with hoisin butter chicken, mango and shrimp, or Texas smoked brisket. Diners looking for dishes to share can split its generous portion of buttery and beefy garlic noodles, dripping in chili oil, or puffy beef tendon chicharron seasoned with smoked Sriracha salt and served with charred lime.

1717 W 34th St Suite 800, Houston, TX 77018
(832) 548-1080
(832) 548-1080

Moon Rabbit

605 W 19th St, Houston, TX 77008

This Heights restaurant is a vibey place for well-executed Vietnamese fusion dishes and equally compelling cocktails. Start with the banh xeo tostadas, topped with shrimp, pork belly, lettuce, and coconut crema, then dig into crowd favorites like salt-and-pepper squid or shaking beef — filet mignon sauteed with onion, garlic, and jalapeños and served on a bed of greens with rice and lime dipping sauce. Diners also can’t go wrong with one of Moon Rabbit’s banh mi, pho, or vermicelli bowls.

605 W 19th St, Houston, TX 77008
(713) 684-3991
(713) 684-3991

Kau Ba

2502 Dunlavy St Suite B, Houston, TX 77006

Located in the heart of Montrose amid buzzy bars, restaurants, and coffee shops, Kau Ba is a festive place to enjoy Viet-Cajun cuisine. The menu, shaped by chef Nikki Tran, features dishes like banh cuon rolled with wagyu, grilled scallops with nuoc mam butter, homemade dumplings, and pho with proteins that include smoked brisket and Angus steak wet-aged in cognac. For Viet-Cajun-specific dishes, try its boils, with seafood tossed in Cajun sauces, or the Viejun pho — a combination of shrimp, escargots, and king crab in a Cajun sauce broth.

2502 Dunlavy St Suite B, Houston, TX 77006
(713) 497-5300
(713) 497-5300

Mai's Restaurant

3403 Milam St, Houston, TX 77002

Great for a late-night pitstop on the weekends, this Houston institution is a haven for post-partygoers — but it’s also enjoyable at any time of day. The extensive menu ensures there is something for everyone — from fried egg rolls, pho, banh mi, and vermicelli to meat-filled rice plates, as well as an entire section of vegetarian-friendly dishes made with tofu.

3403 Milam St, Houston, TX 77002
(713) 520-5300
(713) 520-5300

Thien An Sandwiches

2611 San Jacinto St, Houston, TX 77004

This time-honored Midtown cafe is a casual place to feed your banh mi fix. Go simple with a sandwich built with lemongrass chicken, or try something different, like pork meatballs or Vietnamese cold cuts. Can’t decide? Spring for more than one — Thien An is easy on the wallet, with most sandwiches under $6.

2611 San Jacinto St, Houston, TX 77004
(713) 522-7007
(713) 522-7007

Huynh Restaurant

912 St Emanuel St, Houston, TX 77003

This Houston stalwart is a reliable choice in EaDo, with classic Vietnamese dishes and a popular BYOB policy. Start with the pulled duck salad served with ginger sauce; then, savor the flavors of the bun bo hue (spicy beef noodle soup) with a Vietnamese iced coffee on the side for the ultimate cool down. Dine on weekends before 2 p.m., when plates of sizzling bit tet served with crunchy French bread are between $6 and $10, depending on the order.

912 St Emanuel St, Houston, TX 77003
(713) 224-8964
(713) 224-8964

Roostar

2929 Navigation Blvd Suite 190, Houston, TX 77003

This fast-casual family-owned restaurant has three locations in Houston, each of which prides itself on preparing dishes using meats and chopped vegetables marinated in-house. Find banh mi built with sous vide pork belly and fried pollock served with homemade pickled vegetables, plus wings in flavors like garlic butter and a sweet Sriracha glaze.

2929 Navigation Blvd Suite 190, Houston, TX 77003
(713) 636-9710
(713) 636-9710

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