Kim Chau Restaurant

Best Vietnamese/​Phở place we have found in the area. Looks like a family operation. Everyone very nice. Authentic flavors. Large portions. The salted lime aid is also awesome and so are their coffees. Tucked into the back of a shopping center to easy to miss but worth the visit.

The Bun bo hue wasn’t as good as other places.

Updated review:
Went to Kim Chau for take out again. Good stuff. We enjoyed all of the food we ordered. I love how many fresh veggies that they give you with the Cha Gio too. Good food at a good price.

One of spring branches hidden little treasures. For this area it has the best spicy beef noodle soup. It’s a must try if you’re ever in this area. We’ve been coming here for the last 15 years and it never disappoints

Food is great! Atmosphere is meh

Stopped by this restaurant after landing back into Texas. It was easy to find and relatively close to IAH. We came by around noon and they weren’t too busy for a Sunday. There wasn’t any Mi Xao Don on the menu (besides for catering), but our waiter was super nice and said they’d make it for us anyway! I was craving Bun Bo Hue and they did not disappoint (I’m Hue!).

Came here for lunch on a whim with a coworker. We thought we were heading to a different Vietnamese food spot. But the reviews for this establishment were so good that we figured we wouldn’t be disappointed. And we definitely weren’t. The food was very good. Very reasonably priced at less than $ 10/​person. I had the beef tips with rice and it was very quite tasty. My coworker had a noodle bowl and she said it was good as well. Apparently they have $ 5 bowls of phở on Fridays. We’ll definitely have to come back and check that out.

I’ve been to Kim Chau a few times and can honestly say I would return for the Bun Bo Hue. The phở isn’t bad but there are other places closer to me that I would rather have it at. The BBH on the other hand is good here, no need to drive to chinatown! I do agree that they sometimes skimp on the meat but I see it as portion control.
Their spring rolls are fresh and delicious, I think made to order. I tried to order just one but you have to get the pair, no singles! I ended up eating the second one when I got back to my desk…#fatkidprobz. On Fridays, they have a $ 5 phở special where you can order any phở, any size, for $ 5. I made the mistake of ordering a large just because I could and I didn’t finish all the noodles. They do have other items on the menu including rice plates and a variety of other noodle dishes but I usually stick to the BBH.
You also get a free drink of choice when you check-​in on Unilocal!Café Su Da FTW!

Pretty good! I’m not giving them 5 stars because I’m a big chicken eater and they didn’t have chicken vermicelli! But I got the pork and it was very good and had a lot of flavors!
The spring rolls were also tasty but next time I’ll stick to the bun.
I’m really interested in coming back on Friday for $ 5!
The young man at the front was very helpful and nice. His daughters were there and they were so adorable. I went at 5 so no crowd.

As it pains me to go into a place where one of the main guys wears a Cowboys hat — (I’m a Redskins fan) this is probably one of the best hidden gems in the state of Texas. The bun bo hue is flavorful and is reminiscent of your mom’s home cooking and the sua dau Xanh wrecks havoc on your taste buds that the pairing of the two is superb. I also like the cha gio and the banh beo that they make here. This place isn’t about frills, the people at Kim Chau focus all their attention on the food and the service, things that are kept simple and that’s how it should be. This is my go to spot every time I’m in Houston.

Not much to go in depth about… It may be a hole in the wall place but… $ 5 phở fridays… What’s not to love about that? Any size as well so why not get a large.
Bun Bo Hue is also really good here, I believe it is their specialty.

Came here on a Friday for their $ 5 phở special and was not disappointed. The broth was flavorful and the meat and veggies fresh. Was it the best phở I’ve ever had? No, but for $ 5 it was good, hot meal.
The customer service was great. The gentleman who helped us was friendly and kept the water refills coming.
I’d come back again on a Friday.

Had a pretty good lunch here with a work colleague the other week. As is no surprise, I’m terrible when it comes to the local (or national) celebrity scene. Apparently sitting one table over from us was a news anchor for ABC and behind me were two local celebs (food truck and social media). Our waiter was the one who tipped us off.
The phở was pretty good. We got a free drink for checking in. The food did take quiet a while to arrive and when we went to pay, the guy forgot to give us the free drink that we got via the Unilocal check-​in. For that, it gets a solid 3 stars. Had the food come out quicker and a mistake not been made, it would have been a contender for 4 stars.

Heard that this place was known for bun bo hue so we had to try it out since we are in town for the first time, visiting from KC. It did not disappoint! I got the small size and it was the perfect portion. The flavors were on point! Vegetable plate to accommodate the dish was freshly prepared. The only thing that I did not like was how you only get to sample one piece of every meat/​item. For a small bowl, you only get 1 piece of blood, 1 small piece of pig’s feet, 1 piece of meat loaf (cha lua), and a few slices of meat. Prices were fair; $ 6.99 for a small bowl and $ 7.99 for large.
We also ordered banh beo as an appetizer. It was yummy! The cakes were nice and thin. For the topping, they actually used thinly diced shrimp instead of just the orange colored grounded shrimp flakes. The fish sauce was on point!
My fiancé and his friend don’t like bun Bo hue so they opted for the phở instead. They gave it an average rating. I can understand that, after all, it’s not what they are known for! Overall good service and food!

Went here for their $ 5 phở special on Friday and tried their famous bun bo hue. I was not very impressed with either. The phở broth was alright. There weren’t a lot of noodles. For a large bowl of phở, it was rather tiny to me. It barely filled me up. The bun bo hue was just ok as well. I’ve had a lot better.
The mung bean drink was good. Very «beany» texture, which was expected. Was not overly sweet like people have said. It was just right.

Don’t let the outside fool you. The food is delicious and so are the drinks. The service is great as well.

I came here during lunch. Wasn’t busy at all and they had a TV on tuned into ESPN, I think. Ordered a large bowl of dac biet phở. The difference between this and most other phở places is that the beef, chicken, and tendons were actually «meaty» instead of thin slices. You get a free large drink also if you check-​in using Unilocal and show it to the guy taking your order.

This is Hubbs’ and my go-​to to blast our phở craving. Not only is it close to where we live (and not all the way off 290 or Bellaire), but they serve decent phở and other Vietnamese dishes.
Their phở is a standard beef broth with rice noodles and veggies. But they use thin strips of tenderloin rather than whatever steak other places use, so the beef is very soft and tender. It was weird for me to adjust to, since my phở meat of choice is usually flank, but Hubbs seemed to like it a lot.
He also got their special, the Bo Bun Hue (I think), which is a seafoody soup in a red broth. I’m not really into seafood, so I didn’t care much for it. But being a lover of authentic Asian food, he was all about it.
They have $ 5 phở on Fridays. AND if you check in, they have a free drink offer. I’d get the lemonade, something you can tell they make fresh in-​house. Usually it’s the perfect amount of acidity and sweetness, but last time I got it, it was way too sweet!

I love hole in the wall Vietnamese noodles houses, and this is definitely one of them.
This restaurant has some of my favorite bun rieu. Seriously love this crabby noodle soup dish. Their bun bo hue is delicious too if you desire something on the spicier side. I just love the clear bowls they serve the soups in!
However, on the last two visits, the broth for the bun bo hue was just warm. I had to ask for them to reheat it. While waiting for my soup on the last visit, a small cockroach skittered by the condiments on the table right in front of me.
It’s a real shame because it’s a family run restaurant, and the owner seems really nice, but almost lukewarm soup and creepy crawlers just won’t keep me coming back.

Eating here is like eating at home. I can always expect a great meal when I come visit my friends and grab a bite. I have brought both my friends and family to dine here.
If you haven’t met the family, please do! I get excited when I see the whole gang there. They are very friendly and will remember your face. Everyone here feels like family, even the customers that frequently visit. You can see a connection between the staff and customers as you walk in.
My favorite dish is the Bo Luc Lac. I’m sorry if I spoil you with the pictures I provide. They knock the socks off my feet. I have ordered it both on rice and banh mi. All the other dishes are appealing as well. I am never disappointed with the food I receive here. Everything is always on point and boosts my taste buds. They offer the best tasting Vietnamese food I have had. Don’t let my words deceive you, check the pictures if you don’t believe me. Or better yet, go in and give them a try. I promise you won’t be turned away.
Don’t forget to show up for their annual Lunar new year celebration. An all you can eat buffet will blow your mind away! You might catch me there lending a hand on that day lol.
They also exceed the customer’s expectations when you ask for a special request. They once made home made yogurt and Chris creates special drinks!