Pho Binh Heights is a popular Vietnamese restaurant located in the vibrant Heights area of Houston. It offers a modern and clean dining atmosphere with both indoor and outdoor seating. The restaurant operates on a self-service model where customers order at the front counter before finding a seat. A notable feature is its bar, offering a selection of premium spirits alongside its traditional Vietnamese fare.
Customer Perception
Customer perception is generally positive, with many praising the rich, flavorful, and comforting pho broth, as well as delicious appetizers like firecracker shrimp and dumplings. The staff is often described as friendly and helpful, and the self-service system is seen as organized and efficient. The modern ambiance is also a plus. However, some reviewers have noted inconsistencies, such as a pho broth that was too cinnamon-heavy, tough tendon, or small and stale banh mi. Some also found the noodles in certain pho dishes to be too thick.
Additional Details
Pho Binh Heights is part of the larger Pho Binh family of restaurants, known for bringing Vietnamese cuisine to various Houston neighborhoods. They offer online ordering for convenience.
The restaurant is open seven days a week from 10:30 AM to 10:00 PM. Parking can be crowded, so visiting during off-peak hours might be advisable for easier access.
Meh, super expensive for no reason, the food were ok and the portion were definitely way too small for what they're charging, only had green thai tea, spring roll appetizer, regular bowl of combo pho and softshell crab salad all came over $50. First, you get two lumpia sized eggroll and the meat was mushy. The summer rolls were bland and lacking meat and the pho was just basic at best, can't really taste the bone broth nor the traditional spice. Skip this place go next door get some seafood instead if you're already here
After some tummy troubles, I decided a big bowl of pho sounded great! But, leaving my job on the North side and driving to my fave spot in Chinatown at 5pm, was NOT in the plan. I hit Google and came across this spot that was located in the Heights. On the way home -- perfect!
The restaurant shares a lot with another business and front door parking is quite limited (I'm sure there's more either on the side or in the back). Lucky for me, I found the one remaining space at the front door. Walking in, it was quite nice, I was surprised to find it had a bar. I spotted Don Julio 1942, Clase Azul and Grey Goose. I was mentally settling in for what I thought would be a great experience.
I make my way to the register and place my order: two sodas, egg rolls, large bowl with raw steak and tendon, and extra noodles on the side. Condiments are on a separate bar and they the usual setup, but no chili oil. It wasn't a big deal, I've made it work with just hoisin and sriracha before.
I took my seat and waited for the food. My egg rolls came first, of course. They were hot, flavorful and not bad at all. Then, the pho came. 🫠
Anyone who knows anything about pho is aware that it's a monumental task to create the real deal. And, in honor of the star (the broth) it's customary to take a few sips with nothing added; no veggies, no sauces and no spices. I dipped my spoon into the soup and -- tragedy.
My shoulders sank, and I immediately felt my brow involuntarily furrow, "What the?!?" All I could taste was cinnamon. Not star anise. Not cardamom. Not cloves. Now, I'm sure you're thinking, 'Well, isn't it supposed to taste like cinnamon?', and the answer is, "Yes!" But it's also supposed to taste like all of the other things I mentioned. There was none of that.
After realizing that there wasn't much to be done about anything, I went for the Hail Mary and added hoisin and sriracha. Use of the veggies was NEVER an option, so don't even go there! At the end of it all, I ended up with meat, noodles and broth. 😒 To my chagrin, the hoisin and sriracha actually made it a bit worse, so I decided to not take in so much broth and eat the meat.
Nope! The tendon was tough and kind of gristly, not like the tender and almost silky tendon that I've gotten at every other the restaurant I visited. Then, the rare steak was in two massive balls that I had to kind of finagle with my chopsticks, and swirl around the bowl, to separate them. In the end, the steak was okay, or just wasn't enough to carry a massive bowl if pho.
Finally, I tried just eating the noodles. But, flag on the play! The extra side of noodles I ordered came in a bowl with no broth. We know what happens when thin pasta hits room temperature (or cooler). It solidifies and turns into a ball of yarn, right? Well, that ball of yarn threw off the temp and texture of the whole bowl. And, after about six or seven bites, I'd had all I could take. I decided to leave.
So, to recap, for $38 (you read that right), I got: a large bowl of cinnamon-heavy pho with gristly tendon pieces, wilted/dried-out veggies, mediocre beef, two Mexican Cokes and some decent egg rolls.
SIDENOTE (you knew it was coming):
I write reviews because I rely on reviews!
It's important that I say that because this dish, in particular, holds a special place in my heart and I take its preparation very seriously. With that being said, I'm just one person! Just because I didn't like it, doesn't mean you won't.
And, for those who are saying I should've gotten my money back -- a refund isn't the point! The point is a dining experience that hopefully meets my expectations. Whether it does or it doesn't I chose tell you what I thought about it.
We all take a risk when we eat out. Even the restaurants we frequent or visit on a daily basis can disappoint us. This was my first time here and I am sharing my first time experience with others who may one day decide to give it a try! ~ p
3
The restaurant is beautiful but I paid $12 for a Lemongrass BahnMi half the size of a traditional one priced similarly and less stale. Waited 20 minutes to take to-go while others 5-10 minutes after me were getting fried foods long before me.
A sandwich should not take this long and be this small.
5
I decided to try a new pho place since I recently moved. Upon arriving, the parking lot was a little crowded; however, there is tons of street parking. The area is very walkable as well. The restaurant has both outdoor and indoor seating areas. When I walked in, the staff greeted me and explained how they operate. When you arrive, you can grab a menu and then order your food at the front with the staff. Once you order, you can grab a seat of your choice, either indoor or outdoor. They will assign you a number and then bring your food to you. The process was simple and easy to follow, even for a first-time visit, and everything felt organized and efficient. We had the Vietnamese egg rolls, pho round eye, and gyoza. This was a little different from other pho experiences; however, the self-service style did not subtract much from the experience. The staff was always ready and available to help. Every item we tried was excellent in both flavor and temperature. The pho was excellent, my fiancé said it was her favorite, which is a huge deal as she is very picky. The broth was rich and flavorful, and the portions were very satisfying. The price was fair for the location and experience. We will be returning, and I would definitely recommend this spot to others looking for a good pho restaurant.
4
We were looking for a new pho place to experience after reading some reviews we decided to give this place a try. Love the location & the customer service was great!! I ordered the chicken pho, my daughter ordered the tofu pho. She really enjoyed hers but I didn’t care for the noodles they used. They were thick and hard to break up in the bowl. I enjoy the thinner noodles usually used in pho. The broth was good but not the best I’ve had.
We started with 3 appetizers, got 1 free for spending over $50 LOVED that. The firecracker shrimp 10/10, the chicken egg rolls 6/10 and the dumplings 10/10.
We also ordered a fresh juice Red Juice, delicious.
10/10 red beet, orange, apple, celery, carrot & lemon.
The atmosphere is modern and clean. Customer service 10/10 very friendly and helpful once we told them it was our first time here.
We probably won’t return only because I didn’t like the noodles used in the pho but super happy we tried them out and wish them the best of luck.
