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    Pho Zen Texas

    3.4 (156 reviews)
    Closed Closed

    Pho Zen Texas Vietnamese Restaurant Photos

    PHO ZEN TEXAS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Pho Zen Texas

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    Pho
    Brandon R.

    Great meal. This place has been there for a while and we finally gave it a shot in January. I noticed a sign that says under new management out front and if that's the case then they are paying attention to quality. The pork had great seasoning and was lean and tender. The fried rice was excellent and my wife's Pho also good. We ordered fresh spring rolls as an app and I'm pretty sure one of the chefs made them to order. I would highly recommend trying Pho Zen!

    75. Vietnamese Coffee
    Lauren S.

    Worst Vietnamese coffee I have ever had. It was extremely strong and the bottom part was extremely dark and super thick sludge that was not even mixed in well or drinkable. Do not waste your money trying it.

    Although seemingly good, and a truly favorite  pastime of mine, Pho Zen is a repeat offender of The Houston Health Department.
    Bryan K.

    This is a seemingly great place, and a truly favorite pastime of mine. That's why it was horrible to learn that Pho Zen is a repeat offender of The Houston Health Department. The location has been, at times, temporarily closed due to failure to address "roaches, flies, rodents and other pests on the premises." Please, please remedy these health hazards! You guys have been great and I want to continue dining here (as I have since you took over Quizno's) without you being shutdown or anyone getting sick. Please take your customers' well-being seriously. We like you. Please respect us. https://houston-tx.healthinspections.us/media/search.cfm?q=d&f=62333A1A-5056-A20F-9E7FEFD7E21B793F&i=2C3082FB-5056-A20F-9E4D14CD46A3B6B6&sd=09/30/2019&ed=10/15/2019&z=ALL&m=LIKE&maxrows=10&e=Pho%20zen&tp=ALL#

    Bowl of yum yum
    nathalie m.

    Went there for lunch on Friday afternoon. The place is small and inviting, very cutely decorated. The aroma of all the goodies being concocted in the kitchen welcomes you as you step through the doors. I'm going to guess the waitress and waiter were also the owners? They were kind and very attentive. The food...ah the food! We had Pho, spring rolls and fresh lemonade. The soup was piping hot how I like it, the spring rolls fresh and the lemonade on point. The freshness of the soybeans was impressive. Crispy and crunchy. Not a bit brownish and soggy like at some places. Def recommend this place, this just became the new place to go for Pho.

    Very berry smoothie with boba
    Christina A.

    So I was a bit scared to come here due to the mixed reviews but I'm glad I did. The place was very clean and the service was exceptional. We were greeted once we entered and we sat a table. The waiter brought the menu fast and got our orders started. The egg rolls came out fast and were steaming they were also devious ! Can go wrong with that. The boba smoothie was okay nothing wrong on their part I just don't think I wanted that flavor even tho I asked for it. The pho was delicious my husband enjoyed his too and he's pretty picky about pho broth. I'll give this place a 3.7/5.

    No bag of veggies :(
    Victoria M.

    I was very excited to have another pho option in the area. I stopped in at 7:50pm on a Tuesday and noticed that they close at 8. I asked if they could accommodate a to-go order and they were super nice about it and even thanked me for being considerate of them. I glanced over the menu and went with my standard test-a-new-pho-place order: pho tai and com thit nuong. Altogether I waited around 10 minutes. In that time, at least 2 other people came in for to-go orders and one couple for dine-in, all of which were taken care of. Only one couple was turned away when they showed up right at 8pm and were told that the kitchen was closed. I got my food and went home to check the goods. Pho tai w/ rare beef and meatballs: the broth was very aromatic but lacked beefiness. Noodles and rare beef were fine, meatballs were a little tough. They either forgot (I hope) or just don't give out the bag of veggies/accoutrements that come with. I don't need the veg, but I do need the lime/sriacha/hoisin. What's worse is that I somehow had run out of sriacha at home and only had a lemon :( So it ended up being lemon/chili paste/hoisin instead. Com thit nuong cha gio (grilled pork rice plate w/ eggroll): I'm glad this came with the eggroll so I could try it without getting a whole order. Better still because the eggroll was just so-so. The pork was done well and they use the regular (not crushed) rice. The nuoc mam is a bit sweeter and less spicy than other versions I've had. I'll let this place get it's bearings for a bit and try again. So far, it's ok for a quick fix but I'll still have to go a bit farther to get better pho.

    Half-eaten triple chocolate pie, yum!!
    Jeremy T.

    So I visited again a 2nd time finally on another weeknight and had a pleasant experience. The waitstaff was very attentive and friendly. My correct drink and food order came out in no time and even the owner came by my table to ask how everything was going. A much different experience from my first visit and I'm glad I gave them another chance. It appears they have hired a few new wait staff as well, so business must be doing well. If one of their only negatives is that they close early....that isn't really all that bad for a new business.

    Mango Sherbet
    Amani E.

    This was my first experience at Pho Zen.The food was very delicious authentic Vietnamese cuisine. Love the fresh dumpling soup,the sea food was very fresh and very well prepared. Delicious fillet of beef.Black peppers shrimp and squid was to die for.Service was excellent,

    Chicken noodle soup
    Au N.

    It's my first time here and the chicken noodle soup is so GOOOOOD!!!! My friend also like her spring roll and fried rice. We will be back again.

    Vermicelli with Tofu
    Nathalia D.

    Drove by this place a few times and decided to try it out. The food was so good, not to mention they were completely accommodating to altering some of their menu items. The vermicelli was simple and fresh and the tofu was incredible too. Would definitely come by again

    Small pho
    Jackie L.

    I have not been here for a long while and noticed that the restaurant is definitely looks like it is under new ownership. The decor and cash desk have totally been changed and I believe for the better. I ordered the pho with brisket and meatballs and the broth was flavorful. However the only negative I can say of it that they seemed to be very low on the protein portion and extremely high on the noodles portion. Parking is also a pain in the butt! I came quite early around 10:30am and there was only one slot available for me luckily!

    Maria S.

    I ordered chicken pad thai. I don't think a Vietnamese restaurant should be in the business of serving Thai food if they can't make it. It wasn't tangy enough and the chicken used was cheap. Moreover it was loaded with onions and green peppers. The bill was $14. I approached the register to pay and gave the waiter $26 in cash. I told him I need $10 back. He took a long time to figure it out.

    A bowl of comfort. I always enjoy this restaurant. Wonderful food. Friendly faces. Cost friendly. & very time efficient.
    Samantha C.

    We ordered the egg rolls, white meat pho, & lemon grass beef. The portions are very generous. Served hot in a timely fashion. Kim took care of us who is always so sweet. Homey little shop and they always have good music in the background.

    Regular size brisket + rare steak Pho. Generous portions! ($8.50)

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    Phong N.

    Thanks Brandon so much for your supporting !

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    Very good customer service and the food is excellent. They are very kind. We enjoyed our pho. Definitely a spot to go back to.

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    4 years ago

    Delicious food, very sweet owners. Called for pickup and my order was ready as soon as I got there

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    4 years ago

    She hung up on us twice. So mean. We were ordering something to go and pick up and she was so mean

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - Pho Zen Texas

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    Mensho

    Mensho

    4.5(387 reviews)
    2.6 miChinatown, Sharpstown
    $$

    Definitely go here. Flavors are wonderful. Service is great. Portions are excellent. If you are…read morea ramen fan, don't pass this gem up -- it's simply awesome!

    This place might be my favorite place for ramen. After trying the vegan garlic knock out (VGKO)…read moreramen, I can't stop thinking about it. It is so flavorful and garlicky. So delicious! Probably the best ramen I've ever had. They also have the garlic knock out (GKO) ramen which is similar but with chicken soup instead of vegan soup. I came here with my vegetarian friend and she was so surprised to see so many vegan ramen options. I think they have about 4 different ones and they all sound so good. I love matcha so I got the crispy matcha kinoko which is king oyster mushroom tempura with matcha sauce. I thought it was just ok. I also got the duck matcha ramen and I was not too impressed. It was unique but the taste was just ok. Maybe a little odd to have matcha in the broth. I would definitely come back for the VGKO ramen or the GKO ramen. I also saw they have other interesting ramen on the menu like spicy lamb ramen, wagyu Texas bbq ramen, and soupless ramen. The wait was not too bad on a weeknight but not sure about the weekends. This will be the place I would come back when I'm in the area.

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    Mensho - Busy dinner service

    Busy dinner service

    Mensho - Signature ramen

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    Mensho - Don't get this. Interesting concept to put matcha in, but I'm not a fan. No longer on menu as of April 2027

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    Don't get this. Interesting concept to put matcha in, but I'm not a fan. No longer on menu as of April 2027

    Tue Tam - Mi xao don

    Tue Tam

    4.7(54 reviews)
    3.4 miAlief

    This was such a random spot! I spend a lot of time in china town and never knew this was here and…read morethat it was mostly vegan. A couple things to note: 1. It is not 100% vegan. For some reason, they have 1 item (egg roll) that is not vegan. 2. Service is full service style without full service quality. Would be a better setup if we could order at the counter and sit down because that's pretty much the level of service we received anyway, so just keep that in mind going into it. 3. It was pricier than expected. We spent $50 on the items shown here. I wouldn't say I was pleased with what we spent vs what we received. Overall, the food was a mixed bag.. the soup didn't have a ton of flavor despite it being one of their most popular dishes. The 'snails' were really interesting and I enjoyed them. For $20 I wouldn't get them again but they were fun to try. The steak dish was definitely the highlight. It was so good that my non vegan boyfriend bet me $1 it was real steak. It wasn't. Overall, I think it's worth a try but it's unlikely I'll be back anytime soon. Maybe to pick up the steak dish. Beside that, Trendy Vegan offers really good Asian cuisine at a more reasonable price point.

    I said we've got to get some hot soups today while it's still cold in Houston; before it warms up…read more And a dear friend said hey let's try this vegan Vietnamese restaurant on Bellaire Boulevard, run by a mom and her daughter and I thought the Vietnamese equivalent of a "cocinera tradicional"?, sign me up. And so we met up at Tue Tam on Bellaire to sample. And I'm kind of excited about vegan Vietnamese because there's some organ meats and some flavor profiles that are meat based in Vietnamese that can be kind of goofy for me so here was an opportunity to get some flavors without having to worry about weird organ parts, cubes of blood and other stuff that aren't my first choices. I started with a soup associated with crab originally. Bun Rieu. Tomato and noodle based. John and Richi joined me and we shared a vegetarian banh xeo (perfect for anyone with allergies to shrimp. And an additional soup and a vegan riff on shaking beef. A great place for sure.

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    Tue Tam - Restaurant

    Restaurant

    Tue Tam - Hu tieu mi

    Hu tieu mi

    Tue Tam

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    Quan Yin Vegan Restaurant

    Quan Yin Vegan Restaurant

    4.2(329 reviews)
    2.9 miChinatown, Alief
    $$

    I was in town for work and was amazed to find food that is not only vegan but really, really good!…read moreService was great! Will be back again for sure :)

    I love this restaurant, if I lived closer, I would be here every week! Ha!…read more I was introduced to this restaurant via Lou MC (a fellow Yelper/friend of many years), he had a UYE here and I was one of the attendees. I came back for a solo lunch on Sunday, the restaurant wasn't packed. It's not a modernized place, but it is clean and there was no roaches in sight! There isn't a weird odor either. It appears to be family owned as the two times I've been there is a lady, a young guy, and an older man to be working. My absolute favorites are the veg grilled chicken (my mouth is salivating as I type this), veg fried rice, veg fish, veg meatloaf, and the string beans with veg meat pieces. The sweet and sour soup is tasty too. With the grilled veg chicken; that's the star of the show! Lays on a bed of lettuce with cucumber and tomatoes on the side, the faux chicken tastes way better than grilled bird. The flavor is slightly sweet, but savory and has grilled tips. It's chewy texture and full of flavor with each bite. I think they marinate it with something because it's so divine! The fried rice resembles the non-vegan version; flavorful on its own, but once I add the soy sauce the flavor intensifies into yummy goodness. It has tiny pieces of fried tofu to replace the eggs and loaded with veggies. The meatloaf is doused in savory sauce, but the faux meatloaf is tasty too. The veg fish in the sweet and sour soup was very yummy; the soup broth smooth and didn't have any chunky parts of vegetables. When I went yesterday, there was numerous calls for takeout orders. This place is popping! I was served chrysanthem tea loose leaf; the taste wasn't overpowering and it tasted like water. Very subtle. Oh and the dumplings are good too! Thick in size and crunchy hard shell, not soggy. Huge portions and matched with inexpensive prices. This restaurant is a win win in my book. Despite busyness, they appear to handle it well and don't have long wait times for your meal to arrive. The flavor and portion profile reminds me of Trendy Vegan. You'll get more bang for your buck! Service is cordial; the waiters and waitress doesn't seem too interested in table service or getting to know you. That's alright since I was watching a movie as I ate. If I had to rank Asian vegan options: Quan Yin (#1), Trendy Vegan (#2), and then Pine Forest (#3). Located in a huge parking lot, you'll sure find a spot to park.

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    Quan Yin Vegan Restaurant
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    San San Tofu

    San San Tofu

    4.4(207 reviews)
    2.7 miChinatown, Alief
    $

    First visit to this restaurant/store standalone building with a small parking lot…read more Half is the grocery store and the other half is a restaurant with a full buffet- vegetables and desserts -savory and sweet. Mid sized dining with full glass windows. Once you complete your meal, pick up your food tray, and bring it to counter next to desserts. Someone was waiting to remove empty food trays. I ordered Jasmine rice mixed veggies blend of broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, and carrots.

    Veggie me, veggie you…read more Even after years and years, still one of my fave places when I need to meat decompress. It's a grocery store that has a hot food section with dining and ready to go prepared foods. They also sell banh mis but I heard they've changed a bit. They used to have a tofu and mushroom one that was so perfection. Big pieces of tofu and mushrooms marinated in this delicious sauce. Now I heard they use a tofu and mushroom loaf that is made in house. They also have noodle soups and Vietnamese dishes (com tam, vermicelli noodles, etc) but I go for the deli style lunch box. For $11.75 you get a choice of rice (I've seen brown and purple) or noodles (I always get the noods) plus 3 choices. And a small veggie soup. The lunch box options rotate, there are some items that they have more often. I always get their green beans and I try their various tofu options. Recently they had an eggplant stir fry and it was delicious. There is also an ala carte section that has dim sum items. I love their turnip cake (law bak go). One order comes with 3 pieces and a soy sauce and a chili oil ($5.50). The grocery store has expanded and sells pantry items (noodles, rice, sauces, snacks, etc) as well as fruits and veggies and frozen items (fake meat items). If you are a vegetarian or just need a break, def try this spot. You won't regret it.

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    San San Tofu
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    Fresh veggies

    The Ginger Mule - Butternut Squash Lasagna

    The Ginger Mule

    4.7(349 reviews)
    9.2 miThe Heights
    $$
    Vegan friendly
    Gluten-free friendly

    I've never had a long wait here but we are always sure to come as early as we can because seats can…read morefill up fast in this cozy retreat! The ambiance as soon as you walk in is welcoming, inviting, and intimate. Even if you dine outside, you are sure to feel cozy like a meal in your own home. The hostess always makes you feel invited. Any waiter we have had here has given GREAT recommendations so it helps us break free of ordering the same thing over and over. We have never had a single day of bad service here so we have become regulars anytime we travel into the inner loop of Houston for business or fun. The flavors? My goodness the flavor here in every dish truly speaks to whoever is cooking these incredible dishes! We've even wanted to ask what we can do to even get our dishes at home this amazing! Their bang bang sauce is something you can rave about if you like a little kick to your broccoli. Yum! Luckily a lot of the appetizers are family style but we all still end up battling to finish the last bite before our main dish comes along! My husband has never been a vegetable eater and thanks to the Ginger Mule, we are changing up our dishes at home too! Whatever they are doing here, I hope they keep it up because we absolutely LOVE the food here!! Thank you to everyone here and we can't wait to be back!!!!

    We did not know this was a vegan/ vegetarian spot before coming. The place is a small restaurant…read moreand the door is closest to the courtyard! (My husband and I did a 360 of the building not knowing lol). The decor was earthy, natural boho style. The service was great. Hostess was welcoming, server was kind and the food came out relatively quick. Beautiful presentation and the flavors were yummy of the Texas toast French toast, the oat whipped cream & maple syrup were great. The Jupiter breakfast was $21 & the GF French toast was about $12 with $4 fruit cup. Unfortunately, I was disappointed with my GF French toast. The mock-tail mule was nothing special for $9 of juice :/. In total we spent $58 which is a lot in our opinion. By all means it's not a bad spot and I'm sure other things you are good, but this was just our experience with what we got. There is a statue of a deity in the front of the restaurant & I welcome the Holy Spirit to come upon them all :). May Jesus be with them with eyes to see and ears to hear. There may be other gods but there is only one God, King Jesus Christ Isaiah 43:10-28 God bless

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    Field Nachos appetizer (must try!!!)

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    Ginger Flame

    Harvest Kitchen & Bakery - Fried cauliflower

    Harvest Kitchen & Bakery

    4.6(756 reviews)
    13.2 mi
    $$

    What a stunning restaurant. The greenery throughout the store made everything feel so wholesome and…read morethe elegant decor added a touch of sophistication. The exterior is just as beautifully decorated. It's clear that chef-owner Lori Pope poured a lot of time, heart, and soul into both the menu and the store's design. The hostess was super friendly. As soon as I walked in, she gave me a warm and smiling greeting. The menu was a feast for the eyes. It had a lot of lovely pictures of the different dishes. I was ecstatic to see that there were so many vegetarian and vegan friendly options. Also, most of the dishes can be requested to be made gluten-free. Big plus. You don't order at your table, instead you go to the counter in the back and make sure to bring the sheet with your table number on it. The gal at the counter who took our order wasn't as friendly as the hostess but she was polite enough to inform us about the 15% charge. The food came out very quickly. Hopefully it's because they had a ton of people working in the back. Hopefully. I ordered the Magic Mushroom Tacos and thought it was a beautiful plate. My favorite thing about the dish is the tortillas. It had a nice light crisp to it and kept all the fillings intact from start to finish. The "Magic Mushrooms" were good but could have been better if the batter were lighter and crispier. The batter was a little on the heavy and dense side for me. I also think the sauce could be even better if it had a bit less oil and a bit more flavor. I really enjoyed the potato slices and the fresh berries were a great way to cleanse the palate. My lunch date ordered the Biscuit and gravy dish and thought it was good. We also ordered a side of the Belgian waffle to share. I thought the waffle on its own was extremely sweet and way too dense for my liking. I am happy there's a locally owned and created brunch place like Harvest Kitchen and will definitely be back to try other dishes. Note: There's an automatic 15% service charge to every order.

    To the point: Atmosphere - great…read moreGreet - good Food - good Service - fair Cleanliness - great Would I return - only if in a group and this was the choice I unfortunately don't agree with an automatic tip! This is done because of the ordering process and the requirement to pay at the top of the meal rather than at the end and service was actually performed. The fact that all was done was the delivery of our order and not one check on the table to see how the meal was. They did come by and ask for the dishes, but didn't ask how the meal was. Rating: AWESOME - GREAT - GOOD - FAIR - POOR

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    Magic Mushroom Benedict

    Pho Zen Texas - vietnamese - Updated June 2026

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