Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    HEM Kitchen And Bar

    4.1 (434 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

    HEM Kitchen And Bar Photos

    Business Info

    HEM KITCHEN AND BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Hipster
    Casual
    Touristy

    You might also consider

    More like HEM Kitchen And Bar

    Recommended Reviews - HEM Kitchen And Bar

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Trinh N.

    I met Vi who work at the bartender she is super cute and nice! the restaurant is not way too busy maybe because I went in passed lunch time' but food here is very yummy. I love how they present the look of it'

    Thai flavored chicken wings
    Trisha C.

    I came here again for lunch, craving their Melo Melo salad. I have not gone here for months. I love their Melo Melo salad (oc goi) and was quite disappointed that the portion size was smaller and there was less toppings on it (see picture), and yet, the price was the exact same. If they were putting less toppings than before and have it be smaller, they should have a lunch price for it like they do for their other lunch items. I still have the picture when I came before and they no longer have the shell anymore. Otherwise, service and ambiance are the same as before and still good.

    Cayli P.

    Solid Vietnamese restaurant for street food style or nhau vibes. Something different from your typical Vietnamese restaurants. The aesthetic is "vintage street chic." Having the cars and motorbikes inside creates such a unique atmosphere that's both nostalgic and trendy. Overall, would recommend for the atmosphere and different style of Vietnamese food.

    Jamie L.

    This was my first time trying Vietnamese street food restaurant in Houston and I was quite impressed. It was so nice to see Vietnamese cuisine that isn't. Super mainstream like pho and banh mi. I ordered the grilled skewers, fish stomach, grilled pork, and Whelk in coconut sauce. The skewers had good flavor. Some of the meat was really tough. But I do want to highlight that the dipping sauce that they serve it with is insanely good. . My favorite was the fish stomach. Perfect flavor so much garlic and the texture was great. The grilled pork was a little burnt. Not my favorite. The whelks in coconut sauce had really good flavor, but they were very difficult to eat. The holes in the Welks were not big enough, so it was very difficult trying to get the meat out. The restaurant also didn't provide utensil to help with that. I feel like that would've been helpful. Service was good and interior is clean. Overall, I think the flavors are really good. Execution could be better, but I definitely want to come back and try other dishes.

    Grilled skewer combo
    Ivy L.

    Vietnamese street food! Eating here is always a good time. My favorite is the pork cheek dipped in their house made sauce. The seafood fried rice is the perfect carb to eat along with the main dishes. The food was served pretty quick and the server would come by frequently and ask if we needed anything. The decor inside gives a street food vibe and there are TVs showcasing how street food is made in Vietnam.

    Cuddlefish too dry
    Christine L.

    Pluses 1. Our server Phu was so kind and helpful - great service 2. Grilled razor clams was delightful 3. Clean restaurant Areas to improve 1. Iced tea was very bland 2. Kumquat chiller too sweet 3. Dragonfruit guava tea too sweet 4. Cuddlefish was overcooked - please don't over grill it! 5. Mixed skewers very dry no flavor and underwhelming 6. Grilled pork with rice was too sweet 7. Fried chicken with rice was too dry Really wanted to like this place but higher price point and we probably won't return after our $100 lunch for 3 adults.

    egg coffee
    Mimi P.

    Located in Vietnam town, so there were lots of parking spots and space! They're known for classic Vietnamese street food items, and had to try it out. Service was alright as we had to wait for the mi bo kho a tad bit longer than the rest of the dishes, but it was a busy time during lunch. For the mi bo kho, it had a lot of fatty meat, more so than actual meat, which was not good; however, the flavor was there. I got the banh mi bo ne dish, which came with salad too. The meat was juicy and delicious, as well as the banh mi not being too hard but soft and crunchy. I also tried the egg coffee which was strong yet yummy!

    Pauline P.

    If you're ever missing Vietnam -- go to HEM! One of the greatest things about Vietnam is the street food and sitting outside on those small plastic chairs with those small plastic tables. My friends and I came here for dinner and it was some of the best food and we really had such a great experience. Everything was cooked to perfection and that green dipping sauce that comes with everything was chef's kiss. The clams, scallops, shrimp...all the seafood really, had such great flavor. I was trying to savor every last bite of those freshwater prawns in the salted egg sauce. If you're overwhelmed and don't know what to get they do have a grilled seafood combo which comes with a nice variety. We also really enjoyed the grilled beef -- so tender and juicy. After dining outside, we went inside and sat at the bar and enjoyed some drinks at the bar. The staff was really nice and made us some cool drinks. I highly recommend HEM -- good food, fun experience, cool atmosphere, what more could you want?

    Gina N.

    Redemption post!! We finally made it back for the dinner menu and it 100% lived up to expectations. This place is basically a Vietnamese izakaya: it offers plenty of authentic vietnamese food and drinks. There is a massive dinner-menu with lots of variety, but the seafood is top tier. The Garlic Butter Razor Clams are a MUST. We order this dish every visit and it just so rich, bold, and garlic-y. So delicous. Another one of our favortes had to be the Scallion Oil Oysters - a fragrant street food classic. I think the only dishes we didn't like were the crab Papaya Salad and the baked cheese oysters. The salad had a very distinct crab paste flavor, which was too fishy/pungent for me, and I personally don't think the oysters need a creamy sauce, since they're already creamy. The oysters taste best with something more light/refreshing/fragrant. As for the drinks, there are cocktails, zero proof drinks, and coffee availble. While I can't speak on the zero proof items or cocktails, I can say that the coffee is spot on. My friends and I had several varieties of coffee and they were all good, but my favorite had to be the Egg Coffee. It might sound weird, but the egg makes the coffee smooth and creamy. Overall, HEM is a great dinner pick for traditional vietnamese street/bar food. Can't wait to try out other item on the menu. Highly recommend.

    5 spice grilled beef
    Jason N.

    I use to love going here for delicious Vietnamese food but I'm not sure if I can recommend this any longer. HEM is essentially a upscale pricey Vietnamese Izakaya as another reviewer has mentioned. The vibes here are wonderful from the moment you step inside. They have absolutely nailed the atmosphere down from the fantastic lightning indoors, to the outdoor small tables and small seats to match the Vietnamese Street food atmosphere. Dishes: Five-spice grilled beef - character grilled beef ribeye marinated in five spice sauce topped with tobiko. This is probably one of my most favorite entrees here. Always worth and delicious Grilled beef skewers - delicious! Both this entree and the five spice grilled beef come with a green sauce on the side and is always fantastic Dungeness crab (black pepper) - incredibly overcooked and would not recommend here. I believe we paid around 26$~ per lb and felt very disappointed to find the crab meat tough, rubbery, and hard to extract from its shell (signs of being overcooked). Pineapple fried rice with shrimp - very bland and dry, the shrimp was overcooked. I honestly do not remember this dish being this bland from the multiple times I've been here. I genuinely wonder if the quality of their food has dropped since I last came here. Salt and pepper squid - incredibly overcooked, rubbery and tough. I think this is the worst much rang muoi I've ever had Coconut coffee - delicious still as always and I still recommend it to others Overall with the competition in Bellaire Chinatown I can't recommend this place anymore. Too pricey and the quality overall of the dishes here are low with almost all of their seafood dishes being overcooked. I might only come here for the Coconut Coffee now but they have some real competition with the latest trending Vietnamese coffee shops in town that have just opened in the last year.

    Judy C.

    Walked-in on a Friday evening and was a bit of a wait for a party of 4. Took about 20-30 minutes to be seated. Started off with some appetizers and got the Salted Crab Papaya Salad with Salted Egg (very flavorful and nice crunch on the papaya), Grilled Oysters (had a delicious garlic flavor, topped off with some crispy shallots) and Grilled Skewers Combo (meat was nicely marinated) and the Garlic Butter Scallops (MUST GET, reminds me of the garlic butter in crawfish mixes). We also ordered the Crispy Pork Belly (it was indeed crispy and juicy). For the main, we got the Hem Fried Rice (which had shrimps and fish eggs in it and an assortment of other seafoods like scallops and squid). We also got the Pork Jowl (great char on it). They also offer an assortment of drinks from Vietnamese Coffees to fresh Juices. Lots of seating indoors and some outdoors. Very Authentic to Vietnam vibes. Parking - within the plaza

    Com Chien Bo Loc Lac, Mi Bo Kho, Khoai Tay Truffle
    Duyen T.

    I been coming here with family for awhile now and has pretty good Vietnamese food. I usually come on weekends which is always packed and usually a 10-20min wait for a table. I like that there is indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor seating is Vietnamese style with the small plastic table and short wooden stools which I find super fun. The staff are super nice but some are a little lost because of how busy it can get. The food is good but not consistent in quality nor quantity. There's times where the food is super oily, salty, or smaller portions which is a little disappointing. I usually get the Com Chien Bo Luc Loc (stir-fried beef cubes w/ fried rice) which is really good. As the meat is well seasoned and works perfectly with the rice. I recently tried the Mi Bo Kho (beef stew soup w/ egg noodles) which wasn't bad not my favorite. Overall, good Vietnamese food and vibes.

    Stir fried noodles with razor clams.
    Maggie X.

    HEM's commitment to embodying the spirit of Vietnamese street food is adorable. I like the inside decor a lot. Service was spotty, as the restaurant is often packed to capacity with a line out the door. Prices are on the higher side, which is understandable given the plethora of seafood on the menu. Broiled salted duck yolk oysters: The combination of salted duck yolk with briny oysters was delightful. The oysters were slightly overbaked, but still tasty nonetheless. Baked scallops with quail eggs: Unfortunately these were severely overcooked to the point of being rubbery. The quail eggs were also overcooked. Otherwise the combination of flavors would have been delicious. Baked mussels: We opted for two flavors, salt and pepper and fried garlic. I preferred the garlic slightly more but both were quite good. The creamy sauce complemented each flavor well and helped accentuate the juiciness of the mussels. Mixed skewers: My least favorite dish of the night. A few portions of the skewered were over fried and bone dry. The mix of sriracha and hoisin and tangy sauces helped the dryness a bit. Stirfried noodles with razor clams: Perfect seasoning and sautee on the noodles themselves. The razor clams were unfortunately overcooked and rubbery. I liked the contrast of the crunchy vegetables combined with razor clams and noodles. Pork jowl: Tender on the inside with a slight char on the outside, these morsels were cooked well. They were flavorful even without the sauce and kept me coming back for more. Taro and coconut jelly dessert: I hadn't tried this kind of dessert before, but my Vietnamese friend explained to me they're supposed to be cooling in the summer. I enjoyed the variety of different jellies, which included taro and coconut. The icy floral water paired well with the creaminess of the jellies, and the addition of crunchy fruit and almond slivers was a nice touch. I generally prefer my jellies a bit less set, but I didn't mind the texture too much. Overall a refreshing end to the meal. I'd come back for the fun ambiance and robust flavors.

    See all

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    14 days ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ivy L.
    0
    10
    43

    24 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 2

    8 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    9 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    11 months ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 4
    Love this 6
    Oh no 1

    10 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 2

    4 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Judy C.
    544
    381
    1286

    10 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    10 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 1

    11 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    11 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Sam W.
    245
    422
    3210

    6 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 2

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 2
    Photo of Faez H.
    238
    116
    1805

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 2
    Love this 2
    Oh no 2

    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 11

    HEM Kitchen And Bar Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - HEM Kitchen And Bar

    Can you order lunch during dinner?

    No, you can only order from the dinner menu. Note that most of the more well-known Vietnamese dishes like vermicelli bowls or fried rice are only on the lunch menu and the dinner menu is street food dishes.

    Does HEM Kitchen and Bar take reservations?

    I think it's just walk-ins!

    Do you guys serve dinner menu during lunch hours on weekends?

    Yes, I have ordered from the dinner menu during the lunch hours.

    Can I order off of the dinner menu at lunch?

    No :( . I've tried.

    View All 6 Questions

    You might also consider

    Mikiya Wagyu Shabu House

    Mikiya Wagyu Shabu House

    4.7(256 reviews)
    1.9 miChinatown, Sharpstown
    Kitchen open late
    Takes reservations

    Came here for dinner and it was amazing! The wagyu and seafood were excellent (we chose the gold…read morelevel). We tried the house and tom yum broths and both were really flavorful. Big shoutout to our server Alex! She was so friendly and attentive. She put alot of care into our experience. We felt like this was an elevated AYCE because of her. Great food, great service, great vibes. Definitely coming back, and hoping to get Alex again next time!

    If you are looking for the ultimate luxury hot pot experience in Houston, Mikiya Wagyu Shabu House…read morein Chinatown is the gold standard. I recently opted for the Diamond AYCE set, and it was hands-down one of the best dining experiences I've had.  The Diamond tier is worth every penny. It unlocks the entire menu, giving you access to the most premium cuts and decadent sides. Here is the breakdown of why this spot is a must-visit: The Meat & Seafood * Japanese A5 Wagyu: The star of the show. The marbling is incredible, and it literally melts the moment it hits your tongue.  * Australian & American Wagyu: Even the "lower" tier meats here are exceptional. The ribeye and brisket were fresh, tender, and flavorful.  * Premium Seafood: The Diamond set includes a fresh seafood platter featuring succulent lobster (Boston and Norway), sweet shrimp, and sashimi-grade salmon that was incredibly fresh.  Signature Sides & Appetizers The Diamond set isn't just about the pot; the appetizers are high-end restaurant quality: * Wagyu Bone Marrow: Rich, creamy, and decadent--a rare find for an AYCE spot.  * Foie Gras Toast & Wagyu Nigiri: These elevated starters set the tone for a luxury meal. * Truffle Wagyu Beef Don: If you have any room left, this bowl is packed with umami. The Atmosphere & Service The service is top-notch. The staff is attentive, constantly refilling broths (the Sukiyaki and Spicy Miso are personal favorites) and clearing empty plates without you ever having to flag them down. The 90-minute limit is more than enough time to get through several rounds of premium cuts.

    Photos
    Mikiya Wagyu Shabu House
    Mikiya Wagyu Shabu House
    Mikiya Wagyu Shabu House

    See all

    Old Alley Hot Pot - My sauce: sesame paste, soy sauce, satay sauce, fresh red chilies, sesame oil, hot oil, cilantro, peanuts

    Old Alley Hot Pot

    4.4(291 reviews)
    2.1 miChinatown, Sharpstown
    $$

    I hate writing this review because I absolutely loved the Austin location. In fact, that's exactly…read morewhy we decided to make the drive to the Houston restaurant. The good news? The food was every bit as good. Houston also has an all-you-can-eat option, which I actually prefer. Instead of trying to predict your appetite and ordering everything at once, you can keep placing rounds throughout the meal. We took full advantage of that. The broths were just as rich and flavorful, the meats and vegetables were fresh, and everything tasted exactly how I remembered from Austin. Unfortunately... after we placed our final round of food, an uninvited dinner guest showed up. A whole ass cockroach decided it was his turn for hot pot. Not on the floor. Not scurrying across a wall. He confidently climbed onto our table and proceeded to do a full lap around the actual hot pot like he was making sure we ordered enough for everyone. At that point, dinner was over. Look... I live in Houston. I know we have roaches. But when one is comfortable enough to climb onto a customer's table in the middle of service, that's not something I can just shrug off. This one genuinely pains me because the food deserves so much better than a 3-star review. If I were rating the meal alone, it'd be an easy 5 stars. But sharing our table with a cockroach that looked like it had visited before knocked a couple stars off the experience. I really hope management gets the issue under control because I'd love a reason to come back. Until then... I'll happily make the drive to Austin.

    I've had my eye on Old Alley for a while, but just didn't get a chance to check it out until this…read moreweek. + Excellent weekday lunch special, one of the best value hotpots in Houston. You can get more than one broth to choose from + Good variety of food to choose from, though you have to order via QR code/server + Grilled beef skewers were very tasty, we ordered a lot! + Dessert soups (snow fungus, and eight treasures) felt very homemade, as if by my mom. + Attentive service + Nice ambiance, does feel a little like I was back in Chongqing/Chengdu. - The sichuan broth has a good spice level but it is much too salty, even as they add more broth base. - Beef rolls had a fairly strong 'gaminess' that extended that flavor to the vegetables also cooking in the same broth. Very open to coming again, just need to address those two (somewhat personal) painpoints.

    Photos
    Old Alley Hot Pot - Dining area

    Dining area

    Old Alley Hot Pot - Toothpick beef

    Toothpick beef

    Old Alley Hot Pot - Beef ribeye

    See all

    Beef ribeye

    Shabu Squared - Our Shabu Squared signage that is facing BW8.

    Shabu Squared

    4.5(367 reviews)
    1.8 miChinatown, Alief
    $$$

    This place was soooo good. Please understand that this is my first hot pot experience so I don't…read moreknow how it compares to other places but it was amazing. There was plenty of parking out front, I felt welcomed when I came in, and our waitress was friendly and helpful when explaining how to do everything. We did tier 2 dinner with no seafood and it was $39.99. This is not exactly budget friendly but in my opinion if you can eat a lot it is worth it. This place is group friendly for sure. I will say more than 4 people could get chaotic with hot pot. Please note everyone will need to agree on the same tier. If you are new to hot pot don't hesitate to let the waitress know so she can walk you through the experience. We got 4 broths and various cuts of thinly sliced beef and veggies and we all were full within the allotted 90 minutes dining period. Make sure not to waste food because there is a 10$ charge if they deem you wasted an access of food. Overall this was a blast and I will be back during winter!

    We had a very disappointing experience and would not return…read more We arrived around 8:00 p.m. even though the restaurant's posted closing time is 9:00 p.m. Since there are no paper menus and the QR code menu doesn't clearly explain what is included in the all-you-can-eat option, it took us a little time to decide. I specifically asked our server whether we had enough time for the all-you-can-eat meal because I didn't want to feel rushed. She assured us we would have an hour and a half to eat and recommended that option, so we ordered it at $39.99 per person. Shortly after we started eating, my son stopped because he said the broth tasted overwhelmingly like MSG and made him feel sick. I wasn't impressed with the food either, but since we had already paid nearly $40 per person, I continued eating. Around 8:40 p.m. I asked for a bowl of rice. About 10 minutes later, after it never arrived, I asked again. The server went to the kitchen and came back saying there was no more rice because the kitchen had already closed. At that point it was only about 8:50 p.m., even though the restaurant doesn't close until 9:00 p.m. She also mentioned they had already done "last call," but no one ever informed our table that last call was happening. To make matters worse, I explained that my son wasn't eating because he felt sick from the broth and that some of the vegetables didn't seem fresh. Instead of offering a solution, I was told I couldn't order anything else, had to eat what was already on the table, and could be charged if we didn't finish the food. At that point there was no reason to continue the all-you-can-eat experience because we were no longer allowed to order. I asked for the check around 8:50 p.m., but was told to finish the food first. We finally received our bill around 9:00 p.m. and left still hungry and extremely disappointed. The biggest issues weren't just the quality of the food--they were the misleading expectation that we'd have plenty of time for all-you-can-eat dining, the kitchen shutting down before the posted closing time without warning, and the lack of customer service when problems were brought to the staff's attention. We left feeling hungry, disappointed, and unwell. Even an hour after leaving, I had already finished three glasses of water because my mouth and tongue still felt irritated after the meal. For $40 per person, this experience fell far short of what was promised. There are far better Shabu shabu/hot pot restaurants in the area. We'll stick to Shabu Zone and Shabu En from now on.

    Photos
    Shabu Squared - Such an adorable set up! And you get to grind your own sesame for your sesame sauce.

    Such an adorable set up! And you get to grind your own sesame for your sesame sauce.

    Shabu Squared - Prime strip, salmon, prime ribeye, chili cucumbers

    Prime strip, salmon, prime ribeye, chili cucumbers

    Shabu Squared

    See all

    Shabu En - Raw lobsters

    Shabu En

    4.6(613 reviews)
    2.5 miChinatown, Sharpstown
    $$

    Food: 4.5/5 Service: 5/5…read moreAmbiance: 5/5 Overall: 4.6/5 Definitely a very nice experience, so let me get the only big issue I have with this restaurant. Some of their broths land on the EXTREMELY bland side. HOWEVER, they do offer up free soup broth changes as well as their extremely vast sauce bars which can fix up most of the broths. Time for the praise. This restaurant has an insanely immense and impressive amounts of options. There's obviously the staples, but also a lot of the sides and dessert section, which is often not offered at the other places. My only other issue with this place, though it is more minor, is that the additions that you can add to your shaved ice are almost all insanely artificial, but keep it simple and you'll enjoy your shaved ice a lot more. As for their meats, all of them stayed pretty consistent and I absolutely adore the amount of beef options that they offer since it is my favorite kind of meat to get. The duck broth I got, while not for everything, was extremely comforting and homely for me, adding a very unexpected flavor to my meal. I really enjoyed all the options that were here. Lastly, service was all really nice and welcoming. The interior kind of has that cleaning spray smell that might throw people off, but other than that the ambiance was great and very nicely modern. This place, overall, is a great addition to Houston Chinatown and is definitely worth trying out.

    I have been excited to try Shabu En and all you can eat hot pot for a while and finally got a…read morechance to stop by on a Saturday evening, without a reservation which was not very smart of me. If you plan ahead, you can make a reservation on their website, but for this particular Saturday night I had to wait about an hour. Luckily it is located in the Diho Square Plaza with other places to walk around and check out while you wait. Specifically, I passed the time by getting some groceries at Welcome Food Center then Miniso. As it is located in the busy Plaza, there is a large parking lot shared amongst the businesses, but this complex gets pretty busy so parking still may be difficult. Also, their lobby generously offers free shrimp crackers and water for those waiting. Eventually my party of 2 was seated, and we opted for the normal adult dinner price of only $34 all you can eat. They also offer a 10% discount to seniors, military, and first responders with valid ID. Therefore pricing structure is outlined on my menu picture I updated. My partner initially opted for the Shabu En signature broth (a delicate yet robust umami flavor, adding depth and authenticity with it subtle smoking is indistinct savory notes) which we thought was actually pretty bland so he switched to Tom yum broth for free. I opted for my usual Sukiyaki broth (sweet and savory soy-based broth, a popular choice for beginners) was probably rendition of this broth I've ever had. It was the perfect mix sweet and savory!!! We opted for the meat choices 7 through 10 - ribeye, certified Angus beef top blade, certified Angus beef Short rib, American wagyu chuck eye roll. Also we took advantage of the abundant sauce and sides bar - self-serve, all you can eat, located in the middle of the restaurant. Absolutely love this restaurant, not only for its affordable price but also its meat choices, side choices, sauce choices. 1 could argue that offering so many sides and desserts and free choices of tea is a bit gimmicky and supposed to fill you up cheaply, but I genuinely appreciate all of the choices especially given its price. Highly recommend this restaurant to anybody visiting Houston who enjoys hot pot.

    Photos
    Shabu En - Interior, waiting area, lobby

    Interior, waiting area, lobby

    Shabu En
    Shabu En - Interior

    See all

    Interior

    Happy Lamb Hot Pot

    Happy Lamb Hot Pot

    4.0(940 reviews)
    6.4 miGalleria/Uptown
    $$
    Large group friendly
    Casual dining

    We love Happy Lamb Hot Pot! This is our go-to location that never misses…read more We're thrilled about them adding the Tom Yum broth base- it is absolutely delicious. We've previously enjoyed doing the best of both worlds pairing, but since they've added Tom Yum, we now do the pot split 3 ways. The self-serve buffet always has fresh veggies and seafood choices. Our favorites include the spinach, bok choy, shrimp, clams, sweet potato, corn, and pumpkin. I think they've done away with the lobster balls which used to be my favorite, but I've since switched to dumplings which are tasty. I love the items from the hot bar- the orange chicken is yummy. The service here is always attentive and friendly. Hot Pot here always hits.

    My friend and I agreed that a celebratory hot pot was the perfect treat after our climbing sesh,…read moreand I've been meaning to try Happy Lamb for a while! Service was fast, and what seemed like a seemingly small building was actually bustling. We ordered the Best of Both Worlds option and requested the Spicy Bone Marrow along with the Tomato Broth; they complement each other quite well, with the Spicy Bone Marrow being our personal favorite. It is definitely spicy, but nothing that I couldn't handle. The Tomato Broth was delicious as well, but added a nice sweetness to our meal. We chose the Classic All-You-Can-Eat lunch deal, and ordered a plate of the Natural Prime-Aged Lamb, the Hand Sliced Beef Short Plate, the Marinated Garlic Beef, and the Pork Belly; I can't say I'm a huge fan of how they divided the meat selections, however, since I could get premium meat elsewhere without being limited. But overall, the meat was of decent quality, and the buffet offered various options. Compared to other hot pot places, they even had a section where you could serve yourself egg rolls, white rice/fried rice, and stir-fried noodles, though I can't speak to the quality... very much buffet-quality if you catch my drift, but still lovely nonetheless. Similarly, you can fetch your own iced drinks and dessert too. I do wish Happy Lamb's sauce station had special pre-made flavors or instructions for making them, much like Shabu Zone or Haidilao; sometimes I don't trust myself to freestyle my own sauce. There are some cross-contamination concerns as well, since there'd be about 4 tongs at foot/pants level, but at least 9 food options (e.g., noodles, dumplings, veggies) to choose from. Not sure if other people share the same sentiment, but I guess they all get boiled in the end anyway. Overall, it's a decent option if you're in Downtown Houston! But I wouldn't call Happy Lamb my go-to spot.

    Photos
    Happy Lamb Hot Pot
    Happy Lamb Hot Pot
    Happy Lamb Hot Pot

    See all

    KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot

    KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot

    4.0(186 reviews)
    17.6 miWillowbrook
    $$$

    Great service our waiter was amazing. He brought us new grill tops three times and kept them fresh…read morehe always made my grandmother garlic butter and brought it to her. That was a first for us and was amazing he really made our night. Didn't get a name but got a side pic. . The food was excellent much better than other locations and the service again five stars. We took my 101 yr old grandmother and she loved it. What an amazing experience for her and the family to celebrate my daughters birthday.

    Had a great meal with friends on New Year's Day…read more The venue is older and needs a bit more effort on upkeep. It is eclectic, decorated in an Asian pop culture theme with [sometimes promiscuous lol] music videos playing on a big projector screen. And, it is honestly loud (booths are in rather close proximity to one another and there's constant clatter & commotion from the table action). We had a few issues - the grill didn't stay hot (either malfunctioning or low on fuel), there weren't any hot buffet options (like other locations offer), and a few menu items were unavailable (ran out) - but we enjoyed our meal, nonetheless. Even with a few missing offerings, there is plenty of variety - meats, seafood, vegetables, soups, noodles & rice. The sauce bar has many condiments & dips; you can play mad scientist with your seasonings/marinade. And, there was a cold buffet that offered kimchi and a few fruits. They also had a long list of beverages that included boozy cocktails and exotic smoothies or teas. Kevin was an outstanding server - extremely attentive & superbly patient (bless his heart for accommodating our rowdy and very needy group of newbies lol). He was assisted by a hard working team of table runners and busters who kept us stockpiled and refilled. The crew made sure things were never amiss. Some tips for first-timers: -The AYCE pricing is applied to the whole table, so you have to make a group decision if you want to do bbq or hotpot or both ($5 add on). -Holidays and weekends are priced for Dinner all day. -They don't take reservations, so there may be a wait (especially if you have a large group). -It is booth seating throughout, with a max of 6 people per booth. -You have a 2 hour time limit (which seems like a lot, but you do have to wait for meat to cook on the grill). Venue: 4.0 Ambiance: 3.0 Food (Taste / Variety) 4.5 Service: 5.0

    Photos
    KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot
    KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot
    KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot

    See all

    Go Shabu - Spicy, Tonkatsu, Spicy

    Go Shabu

    4.7(260 reviews)
    29.7 miClear Lake
    $$

    Okay so we are so back. If it wasn't obvious enough, I come here too often and just haven't updated…read moremy review. This place continues to be my family's top hot pot spot, even after going to many locations in the greater Houston area simply due to the soup bases being so incredibly strong and the selection of ingredients always being top notch. The only things I have food-wise about this place are the following: 1. I think the meat selection is often inconsistent. Sometimes I will order the number 3 and 4 and it'll be really good, and other times it will be hard to eat. 2. I think that the noodle selection is missing like a handmade and hand pulled noodle. The closest thing currently is the lo mein, which I really like, but I'm still wanting more options. 3. Often, the sauce stations will have some empty bottles on the side, which is often inconvenient since I tend to add most if not all to my sauce. Other than that, the service this time was much better and much more on top of it. I will most definitely head back here again and again. Like I said in the beginning, WE ARE SO BACK!

    Great selection of meats! Very tasty! Very fresh vegetables and the seafood was fresh and taste…read morewonderful. My true favorite of hotpot is the fresh vegetables anyway! I did try all of the meats and it was a lot of food but every cut was great! Nice open restaurant with plenty of seating and arranged so you feel as if you have your own space. The only reason I dropped it by a star was that there was only one person waiting on a large portion of the guests. She really tried hard and this is not a knock on her. But even though it was a slow night she struggled to keep up at times. I would have given it 4.5 if I had the choice.

    Photos
    Go Shabu - Buffet - Condiments

    Buffet - Condiments

    Go Shabu - Go Shabu spicy soup base

    Go Shabu spicy soup base

    Go Shabu

    See all

    HEM Kitchen And Bar - vietnamese - Updated August 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...