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    Tainan Bistro

    4.2 (135 reviews)
    InexpensiveTaiwanese, Noodles
    Open 10:30 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Tainan Bistro Photos

    Business Info

    TAINAN BISTRO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Outside
    Jando S.

    Despite a relatively large Taiwanese community, it's actually quite surprising (#1) that Houston doesn't have an abundance of Taiwanese eateries. Enter Tainan Bistro, owned by Mr. Hsu, a man from the same southern part of the island. (#2) There is no doubt, this is one of the last Taiwanese restaurants in the city. Cuisine wise, it's far from the best I've had, but it is a rare gem, a true dive, and should be protected at all costs. There's a lot of mixed signals here, from a well advertised "bento box" deal (4 items for a set price of $7.75), to everything being practically self-serve with plasticware, to almost zero air conditioning, and even a large sign in the back that advertises Vietnamese banh mi (#3). The restaurant is spacious with large and small tables far and wide, and an equally large parking lot to boot. They are trying to be everything to everyone, but somehow it's still constantly empty. The menu is authentic and very extensive. The variety of Taiwanese specialties is impressive, which includes items such as braised pork over rice (滷肉飯), beef noodle soup (牛肉麵), oyster pancake (蚵仔煎), and even the occasional stinky tofu (臭豆腐). They even have the steak platter (台灣夜市牛排) which is currently available for a $5 off for 8 anniversary discount discount. I was very impressed with their oyster pancake, despite the fact there was too much salad and sauce, but was loaded with lots of oysters. Another winner was their fried chicken rice plate (炸雞排飯) and the steak platter was nicely cooked medium rare with a nice bundle of egg noodles and an unappealing handful of previously frozen veggies. Their fried dumplings were surprisingly crispy and juicy and the Taiwanese fish tempura (甜不辣) and always popular popcorn chicken (鹽酥雞) were excellent. I wasn't the biggest fan of their braised pork belly with preserved veggies (梅干控肉) where the flavor was a tad overpowering and the the same boded for the beef noodle soup and its extra dark, murky broth. While most entrees have now eclipsed the $10 mark, I'd say the portions are substantial enough to merit them. I appreciate that the website is updated and pickup can be scheduled online. The staff is mainly Mandarin / Taiwanese speaking and parking is easier here than in most other plazas in Chinatown. I think there's still a lot here to love and I'm looking forward to finding out during my next subsequent visits. __________ (#1) And disappointing. (#2) Tainan. (#3) Don't do it.

    Sign to pay before you choose your cafeteria lunch plate
    Michelle Y.

    No they don't got Banh Mi! Even though their sign may suggest it. This is a Taiwanese cafeteria place where lunch is super affordable and tasty. Just pay before you point at the items for the lady to scoop onto your plate. They sell prepaid discounted lunch card here. Never seen this type of thing but lots of people come in with their cards during lunch hours

    Sizzling beef plate with noodles and black pepper sauce
    YuJun L.

    Folks who grew up in Houston 20 years ago will remember this location used to be a food hall where a bunch of different shops had their own stalls selling food. The space largely looks the same, but has a seating hallway area now. Went here twice while I was in town. The owner is also Taiwanese which is a plus. Got the popcorn chicken, sizzling steak platter with black pepper sauce, and 蚵仔麵 (cut noodles?) For the money definitely really good bang for buck. I enjoyed all of the food immensely and they all tasted authentic. My only gripe would be that there's no air conditioning so make sure you use the self service station and grab some napkins and lots of water. Besides their main menu they also have a bento station where you pick and choose what you like.

    Andrew C.

    No frills Taiwanese spot that hosts the best Chicken Steak Rice in the old Big Ten Cafeteria spot. As someone that used to love some San Dong and Star Snow, this place is THE place to go for it. What we got: - Taiwanese Pork Chop rice: Pork chops were decent sized with good flavored. Not fried/breaded but still good - Chicken steak rice: Delicious, tender chicken steak and definitely a clear winner - Pork belly with preserved veggies: Pork belly was saucy and flavor was fine, but this one didn't hit the spot - Chicken roll: Reminds you of Taiwan and a must-get if you haven't tried this before and/or if you like it - Three cup chicken: Super flavorful, lots of bones, but delicious overall They also have bento boxes where you can select rice + a few items that they load up at an affordable price. Great spot to check out if you're craving some Taiwanese comfort food

    Aaron L.

    Ordered takeout here as our last meal from our weekend Houston trip. An authentic, modestly priced eatery, you really can see that it's all about the food here. Railway pork chop bento: Came with a pork chop, pickled greens, a braised egg, and rice. Simple, hearty, and delicious - nothing fancy but this dish doesn't need to be. The pork chop was seasoned well and cooked perfectly. The pickled greens (mustard greens and edamame) offered a nice counterbalance to the richness of the pork chop, and combined with the rice makes you want to eat more with each bite you take. 5/5 Taiwanese style fried rice noodle: I'm usually not a huge fan of mi fen (rice vermicelli), but this place does it better than anywhere else I've tried. This vermicelli dish was stir fried with pork, mushrooms, carrots, cabbage, Chinese celery, and green onions. You can really taste the wok hei in this dish, which offers yet another layer to the flavor already provided with the seasoning and ingredients. Approved by a Taiwan native (gf)! 5/5

    Beef noodle soup
    Megan Y.

    This place has the best beef noodle soup I've ever gotten in the states. The noodles were QQ (just right), the soup is flavorful and tastes just like how I remember them from Taiwan, and the meat. Man...the meat is how they won me over all the other places. Don't be intimidated by the huge chunks of meat. These are super juicy! I hate meat that's over cooked or too dry. Their beef noodle soup's meat was cooked perfectly tender. I got a balance of flakey juicy meat plus a bit of tendon in each bite. Will definitely be back for more!

    $6 "bento"
    Patty C.

    I've returned a few times since my initial review, and I've enjoyed each experience since. I will say I haven't ventured far from cafeteria style combo plate. At $6.50 a piece, it's really enough for two meals is and my go to item when I need something fast that's not fried. I especially enjoy the chicken curry and stewed pork with bits of gelatinous fat. The dining room is as hole in the wall as it gets, so don't expect any sort or ambiance. It's functional... and that's about it.

    Beef Noodle Soup
    Bryan V.

    So glad I discovered this hole in the wall Taiwanese restaurant. The beef noodle soup was a large portion that was generous with the noodles and beef. The soup is light, savory and not spicy. I loved the texture of the noodles. The dumplings were large and pillowy. I only paid $20 for both the noodle soup and dumplings. I want to come back and try their mapo tofu next!

    Pork and vegetable buns! So big and delicious!
    Lisa H.

    I rarely give five star reviews...this place is AWESOME and so affordable! This may not be a modern styled shop but the food is SUPERB! The lady that helped us was super nice! The food is really good and super affordable! If you are looking for traditional Taiwanese food, this is the place! I wish we could eat here every day. We are visiting so definitely wanted to try other things but we certainly would not have had a problem with eating here everyb

    Jeannie K.

    Graphic skin rash picture warning I understand that these are tough times and I believe we should support mom and pop stores. However, restaurants still shouldn't be selling food that has gone bad. I bought two boxes of food here Sun evening. The owner gentleman is nice even though the server isn't. I got two to-go boxes, $6 each. This was past 6pm on Sunday, and I got that there aren't as many fresh options available but I was really craving vegetables and I figured, This place is cafeteria-like so the turnover must be high enough (and food assumably fresh enough). I got the baby bokchoy (qingcai), bitter melon (kugua), braised pork, and eggplant in one box and another leafy vegetable instead of kugua in another box. This was the only storebought food I had over the weekend. By Mon night, I broke out into hives all over my limbs and trunk, and now that it's Tues evening, it's only getting worse even with Claritin and Benadryl. Times are rough but food safety standards shouldn't be compromised.

    Tainan out of ten
    Fox E.

    My grandma is from Bangkok. I call her my Thai Nan. This Bistro is named after her. They have really delicious and very typical Taiwanese food which is made to perfection and with a lot of love. They've been here forever and I've been enjoying their Taiwanese fare on a number of occasions ever since first coming to Houston a few years back. You really have to try it to see how good it is. Definitely some of the best Taiwanese food around in Houston for sure. Comparable to some of the better ones I've had in other places like New York City.

    Pork belly rice dish
    Sarah S.

    A well known "secret" spot among Taiwanese locals in Houston, this place is unbeatable in terms of price and portions. Entrees vary from $7-9 in general for huge portions of rice/noodles and protein. The flavors of all their dishes have truly never disappointed me. And they're always friendly with a huge space/lots of tables. I do think it could be a little hot in the place for some people. Their central A/C is rather on the warm side with overhead fans going instead. Not bad! But a litttttle warm, even for me who prefers to keep the temperature warmer. Also, just as a note, $10 credit card minimum! I most recently got their beef noodle soup (not their house special one, just the classic one) and it was good! Very solid choice. Good portions, good flavor, good amount of meat and chewy noodles. My SO always gets their pork belly rice plate, which comes with a GOOD portion of chopped pork belly with a GOOD portion of vegetables over rice. The vegetables perfectly balance the pork belly so that the flavor isn't too heavy. And it's delicious and a big enough portion for him to feel full. Would highly recommend. Overall, this place is a hidden gem that locals love. Would highly recommend if you want to try some classic Taiwanese cuisine!

    Beef noodle soup and beef noodle dumplings (right)

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    Northern Pasta 北方面食

    Northern Pasta 北方面食

    4.3
    (163 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    Their advertisement pictures on the store front's glass got me drooling so I wanted to check it out…read morewith my boyfriend, also I'm a huge fan of northern chinese food because it's my mom's hometown. The got nice wall art too, depicting the popular dishes from the north so I had my expectation and hopes up. Service is ordinary, she speaks little English but can get by ordering, we order first at the counter the sit anywhere. Braised egg is 2 for $3.50, salty but expected since it's marinated. Came out steaming hot, and yolk was not overly cooked and dry, not bad. Starting with the Chinese hamburger I felt sad and know not to expect too much from the other dishes we ordered. First the meat look different than what others have posted before, and it was kinda dry and too salty to eat. There was no other spice, only the meat juice flavor. The bun they use was stale to eat. Traditional way of making this should be the flaky oily pancake, or at least make the buns softer to eat. The mutton stew was clear and very heartwarming to drink on a cold day. But the portion is super small for the price. The glass noodles were gone in literally two bites. I had none to share with my boyfriend. This dish come with the burger bun too that you can soak them in the soup so I guess this is the extra carb make up for the less noodles. Oil splash noodle is their specialty? It was good but didn't wowed me. Noodles are chewy and well cooked, came with lots of bean sprouts. The sauce is flavorful and actually not too oily which I enjoyed more. You can add the beef for an extra charge, it's the regular braised beef, was just ok. I find it funny that their all food arts on the wall look nothing like the actual way they serve it.

    Wow!!! The noodles here are some of the best I've ever had. They are hand pulled, thick, chewy. The…read moreoil splashed noodles are incredible--not only are the noodles excellent, the flavor is rich and addictive with umami and subtle spice. We also loved the pork and leek dumplings and Chinese breakfast items (sweet soy bean milk, deep fried dough). Don't think you can go wrong with anything on the menu--homey, authentic Chinese food. Self order at cash register area, self seating. Awesome prices. Limited indoor seating.

    Photos
    Inside (chairs put up at 3pm, but can bring them back down if needed)
    Inside (chairs put up at 3pm, but can bring them back down if needed)
    Beef noodle soup
    Beef noodle soup
    Lamb soup.

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    Lamb soup.
    Hu's Cooking

    Hu's Cooking

    4.5
    (1.1k reviews)
    7.8 mi
    $$

    Look no further for authenticity, flavor, and complexity in Chinese cooking near the med center!…read more Though we opted for more "simple" dishes during this experience, you can judge a place by if they can do their simple dishes well. The mapo tofu is one of the best we've had outside of Bellaire with spicy, savory, numbing, and warmth that you expect from a good mapo tofu. Crispy popcorn chicken is a classic that's spicy, lightly fried, and crisp. It has an authenticity that other places around can't replicate and makes you keep craving more. The portions are also appropriate for their price. Service is incredibly quick, and you can order as you go and receive your dish within 10-15 minutes, regardless of how busy they are. As for the ambiance, it's loud, it's hectic, and it's simple... maybe a stretch, but makes me feel like I'm eating at a mom and pop shop in the heart of China. This place is definitely a go to if I'm convincing a friend of Houston's great food scene! Rating: 4.5/5

    My mom wanted steamed fish with ginger, scallions, and that light sweet soy sauce. Hu's Cooking…read moredelivered! When we ordered, they mentioned it'll take about 20 mins but it came out in 10. No complaints here since we were starving from an 8 hour road trip. The Dan Dan Noodles...I had high expectations but sadly this dish fell short. I recommend Hu's Cooking to use a bigger bowl and more sauce because it was difficult to mix the noodles and the sauce wasn't...saucing, unfortunately. I wish there was more flavor in this dish. The Scallion Pancake was super over-fried and oily. See image in my review. The outer parts of the pancake were fried to a crisp and only a small circumference in the center stayed chewy. I know Chinese tends to be oily but this pancake soaked up way too much oil. Half a Peking duck: super great price for so much meat. The difficulty when eating this dish is gnawing the meat off the sharp bones of the duck. Mapo Tofu with white rice: pretty easy staple, no complaints here. Dinner on a Saturday was packed but we got seated quickly and food arrived fast.

    Photos
    Spicy chicken, clear noodles with red pepper sauce, and stir fried green beans
    Spicy chicken, clear noodles with red pepper sauce, and stir fried green beans
    Open til 11:00pm on Wed, Thurs, Fri and Sat
    Open til 11:00pm on Wed, Thurs, Fri and Sat
    Hu's Cooking

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    Xing’s Kitchen

    Xing’s Kitchen

    4.3
    (79 reviews)
    8.7 mi
    $$

    I love Xing's Kitchen. Whenever I find myself in Sugar Land, it's my go to for Chinese, mainly…read morebecause I love the Shanxi oil noodle which is the best I've had. I swear it's just one really long hand made noodle, so it's a bit hard to share, but it's a must-get. We also tried the Claypot noodle and it was good as well but a bit of an acquired taste. The restaurant is located inside Jusgo grocery store. The seating is quite limited so I wouldn't recommend it for large parties. And it's pretty mom and pop, so if that's your jam, go for it. Chairs are mismatched, drinking water is somewhat self-service in small cafeteria-style plastic cups, and tables are small. Like I said - mom and pop, and that's not a bad thing. It's just not exactly a place where you would have a nice business meeting. Service was ok - nothing to note. You pay at the cashier which is like 2 feet from where you ate. Yes, it's a small space. Overall - I love this place and will keep coming back.

    The restaurant is quaint and you basically seat yourself. The waitress brings you water and…read moreutensils. The Shanxi oil noodle is still the best in town with perfectly chewy noodles with the most well balanced sauce. I decided to try the claypot noodle with crisp pork which arrived piping hot with excellent flavor and the same hand pulled thick noodles. The soup was very well seasoned and paired well with the noodles, but I'm not certain that I would get it again since their other dishes are so spectacular.

    Photos
    Interior / ig: @joyyeats
    Interior / ig: @joyyeats
    Henan lamb stewed noodle / ig: @joyyeats
    Henan lamb stewed noodle / ig: @joyyeats
    Outside

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    Outside

    Tainan Bistro - taiwanese - Updated July 2026

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