I have eaten at Tao Ngo multiple times as it's near my parents' home and they frequently eat here. It had been a while since I last ate here, and the food was different from what I remembered. I ordered the sesame chicken lunch special with fried rice and hot and sour soup. The soup is more sour than hot. I also ordered a Coke; they serve canned sodas with a glass of ice and no free refills. The sesame chicken wasn't spicy, and I was expecting some spice, especially with a chili logo next to the item indicating it's spicy. The fried rice was usually flavorful, but this time it was a bit dry, and the small pieces of pork mixed in were also dry. The egg roll was good. Our table also ordered Vietnamese egg rolls and calamari. The calamari batter was well-seasoned, and the calamari was nice and thick; it was served with a bowl of steamed rice on the side. The Vietnamese egg rolls were also good, although the lettuce leaves that came with them had a small bug on one. I've definitely had better meals at the restaurant before, so I'm hoping this was a one-off. The service is always really great. read more

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My family and I always find ourselves craving Tao Ngo's delicious homestyle meals whenever we're away from home. In fact, it's become a tradition for us to dine there as soon as we return from our trips. We like to order the following dishes and enjoy them family-style: -Canh chua cá (sweet & sour fish soup) -Cá kho tộ (Vietnamese caramelized fish) -Sườn rang muối (salt & pepper pork) -Đậu hũ lúc lắc (shaking tofu) My absolute favorite is the shaking tofu. It's the dish we reach for first and finish the fastest. I've yet to find another restaurant that can replicate its taste and texture. The tofu is crispy on the outside and coated in an addictive sweet and savory sauce. The caramelized onions add a touch of sweetness, and the lemon sauce brings a subtle tang that makes the dish even better. Tao Ngo's cozy atmosphere, attentive staff, and well-seasoned, comforting Vietnamese food are the reasons why it has become a staple for my family whenever we return home from a long trip. read more

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I wasn't quite sure what I'd receive when I ordered the Beancurd, Pork and Chive soup (sm), but it sounded simple and hot, which was what I was craving. The chives and loosely made meatballs infused the broth with flavors I consider typical of Vietnamese soups that have simplicity and depth. I was surprised when it came with a small "hotpot" setup. When dining in and ordering the soups, I've been able to request an order of white rice (medium-sized bowl), to eat with the soup, at no cost. I like how everything is metal and ceramic. read more

Tao Ngo Restaurant - Beancurd, pork and chive soup (sm) - Vietnamese Near Me - Houston, Texas

A true staple in the North Houston area. My family and I are always here celebrating life's milestones. If you're looking for a quick meal with fast, friendly service, this is the spot. The food is consistently amazing, well seasoned, and absolutely delicious. read more

Tao Ngo Restaurant - Fried Pork Intestine, Shaken Beef (Bo Lúc Lac), Sautéed Greens, Clams, Vegetable Salad - Vietnamese Near Me - Houston, Texas

My family has been ordering food to go for years from Tao Ngo, and it is always delicious and basically if your own Vietnamese mother cooked it. All of this came with two boxes of white rice which was more than enough for our family of 10 adults and five kids. Food is very well seasoned. My favorite dish is probably the calamari-- the batter is crunchy and savory and just overall delicious. You can call an order ahead and let them know a time for pick up and it's usually done right at the time you request! read more

Tao Ngo Restaurant - Variety of dishes to go - Vietnamese Near Me - Houston, Texas

This restaurant has been around for decades! It's your favorite authentic, momma cooking dishes on North side! We came in with a party of 8 and ordered some of our fav dishes. I'll describe the dishes. Must know what to order! Green leafy soup with pork minis Calamari Beef riblets Bow of rice Price for this meal was less than $100. Similar places in bellaire have same dishes. Sorry no pics. Maybe next time. read more

A pretty staple place for the northwest asian community. Its been around for a very long time and recently went through a decent remodeling by adding in better tables, lighting, paint on the walls and some modern chandeliers. There's also a few large tv's to watch sports. We dropped by for a later Sunday dinner and got the hot pot soup with fish. We ordered the small size for a family of 4 and it still came out to be a very generous portion. We also got salt pepper squid and tofu as well as pepper beef. All pretty decent dinner portions and filled us out tremendously. This place has decent service in my last visit but I've had way worse experiences in food and service in my prior visits. For now, this place will be the go to place for me whenever I'm in the north west side of town and need a quick family meal (which is almost always never). read more

Everything we ordered was on point except the fried calamari. It had a weird fishy taste and texture than usual. Service is always great here. It was filled w big family gathering today. This was the day after 4th of July but there was no wait. This is our go to when we are craving a home cooked meal. read more

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Great food, customer service and wait time for an order to go. We had the pork vermicelli bowl, bahn me and shrimp spring rolls. Can't wait to go back! read more

Tao Ngo is a neighborhood classic. Everything about it is nostalgic for me from the layout of the restaurant down to the food. If you want a quick bite to eat, this spot is perfect with its quick service and reasonable priced meals. There is a reason why this place has stand the test of time! The absolute stand out dish here is their shaken tofu, ca kho (caramelized fish), canh chua, shaken beef, and their shrimp fried rice. Even though I am not a vegetarian, I am constantly thinking about that shaken tofu! It is the perfect texture-- crispy outside, airy inside glazed with a beautiful sweet and salty fish sauce glaze that you can dip into a side of lemon sauce for that extra kick. read more

Long due review for the restaurant. We have been here numerous times and always happy with the outcome. Food is good and service is nice. read more

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Great food and all of the above. Been going here after my sibling introduced me and now it's a spot I visit often. Thank you for the warm welcome and delicious Vietnamese dishes XOXO read more

Best real Chinese -Vietnamese food I know in Houston many rare very good dishes available here. Should match you if you like southern style Chinese food or southeast asian Chinese food. Recommendation for first visit would be Dau hu Luc Lac and Bo Luc Lac. If you dare try the dac biet or fish maw soup. Added the menu book photos since existing ones are a bit unreadable. read more

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Food is always good here. I recommend the Vietnam egg rolls, the spring rolls, # 133 there steam chicken and there dry stir fried beef noodles. All so good! Price is also fair and the portion are great! read more

Tao Ngo Restaurant - a variety of food items - Vietnamese Near Me - Houston, Texas

Small place but the atmosphere is pretty good on a Sunday night. Service was great as everything was prompt and handled well. Whole meal for my family came out to be $173.38 with my family of 5. The menu had updated prices with stickers over the original price. Didn't get the pictures though. Ordered a bit too much since we had to go boxes. Besides Thai tea and the special dessert (che dac biet) which was amazing, everything that we ordered was good but not outstanding - let me explain. The vermicelli with pork and egg roll had a nice portion so I'm glad about that. Egg rolls are crunchy and had great flavor alongside the pork. The peanuts, some lettuce on the bottom, and the nuoc mam given enhances the dish by a lot. 5/5 The salted baked squid had a nice crunchy, salty texture. Nothing wrong with the squid and the batter. Would need to eat this with some other dish. 4/5 Onto the Yang Chow fried rice with meat (com chien duong chau). Now with the fried rice they made, they were mediocre at best. Couldn't even taste the meat in the fried rice. Had to add some squid to make it taste better even with the shrimp in it. 3/5 The marinated steamed chicken has amazing flavor with the lemongrass on the side and the texture of the chicken is soft. Pretty much expected 5/5. Just be careful eating around the bones. The pan noodle seafood (mi xao gion do bien) and the crispy egg noodle seafood (mi xao mem do bien) had this sauce that didn't taste nice. There wasn't a difference between these two besides the texture of the noodles. There was vegetables and seafood that were great additions. Really heavy on the umami though. 3/5 Now for my family who ordered separate: the rice with pork, sunny side egg, and an egg cake (com bi thit nuong cha hot ga). My little brother ate it all so I'm sure he loves it. No complaints. 5/5 My father got the hu tieu mi nuoc. Said he likes it so 5/5. Overall 4/5. Would I go back? Only if my family decides to. Not a place to visit regularly because of prices. read more

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The place is kinda sketchy from the area but inside is nice and clean , the staff is nice and friendly , the foods were good and above average for a Vietnamese/ Chinese type of foods. read more

This place used to be good a few years back. Now all the food portions are smaller and price increased. Service is quiet bad too so don't expect much when you come here. Sadly, I won't be coming back to this place anymore. read more

I would not suggest it to people who want to eat it because it's too expensive and the food is terrible I miss the old day's tao ngo, seriously what's wrong with the restaurant, and why was the waiter so rude? The noodles soup tastes disgusting, it's like water with no flavour. read more

It's a nice restaurant because it has the variety of selections, with reasonable price. Service was good. Except for they're not very consistent. read more

Love love the consistency on the authentic flavors here! Service is always friendly and attentive. Located on the north side of Houston away from the usual Chinatown but worth the visit if you're in the area and craving for Vietnamese comfort food. We've also ordered a combination fried rice party tray here on another occasion and it was delicious. Will continue to support this business! Keep up the great job team Tao Ngo. read more

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Sour soup fish hot pot - french style fried tofu - fish clay pot All three dishes were well executed. My favorite was the fried tofu. Man i could eat that by itself without any rice. Customer services was nothing to complain about nor rave about. read more

The service is great. But that might be a function of how busy they are. It was not busy when I was eating. The menu is super large, and for a menu to be that large you're betting on yourself to make every dish delicious. They didn't do bad, it's pretty good authentic Viet food. I had Hu Tieu Kho and Fried fish. Everything tasted good. I like how they bring the fish out upright, it definitely makes it look better. read more

Tao Ngo Restaurant - Fried fish - Vietnamese Near Me - Houston, Texas

The food is prettty good and decent priced. Howe er, the service is not that good. I had to get up from my table to find out waiter on his phone after waiting for a good while to order our food. He wasn't attentive whatsoever. I almost walked out without paying because of how bad the service was. Food was good tho. This place is spacious and great for dining in, despite their bad service. read more

Been here a couple times for weddings or just for dinner. Has good food, staff is nice and friendly.me

TaoNgo is a family-style restaurant offering a big menu of varied items. It is a family business, so the owners are usually there and customer service is pretty good. Most the waiters are fast and friendly. One young lady, who wasn't even the person responsible for our table, was especially courteous and continuously stopped by to check on us. We ordered Ca Kho (catfish in claypot) and Canh Chua Ca (sweet & sour catfish soup) and they were both very good. Portions were also generous; we had four people, didn't finish, and ended up taking to-go. We also wanted to try the dry Hu Tieu My Tho noodle and it was mediocre. Overall, a great place for casual family dining. read more

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Love that they have very homey options here. Their Banh xeo is massive! Would totally recommend the ca kho to and canh chua and Banh xeo. Service is fast and food is amazing max portion is great. Would come here when I miss my moms cooking !!! read more

Tao Ngo Restaurant - Vietnamese Near Me - Houston, Texas

The best way to summarize this place is that the food was decent but the service was horrible. Now before you start getting all judge-y and say that Asian places are known to have bad service, I'm already using that scale. My biggest complaint about this place was that we went there for a family dinner, but rather than doing full family style, we each picked an item to eat. Well, essentially, half of the table got food, and the other half were left starving until more than an hour later, all the food was gone, and we finally tracked down a waitress to ask about the food just to find out that she had given our food to another table!!!! The same waitress who took our order and double checked it still brought out the food and gave it to someone else. I'm not just saying this to blame her, but she admitted herself that our food went to the wrong table! You would think that after the 3rd time asking for the food, something would have clicked that maybe, just maybe, she should check with the kitchen or the other tables or something. Anyways, the food itself wasn't too bad. The portions that we finally received were a bit small, but again, that could be attributed to the fact that they had to make it in a rush to make up for it. We ordered the Bo Luc Lac which was pretty decent, the Hu Tieu Ap Chao (which could have been crispier), the shrimp fried rice (4/5), spring rolls (4/5), and the crab puffs (3/5). My favorite was the Hu Tieu Ap Chao because they do have the crispy ones, but again, I think because it was rushed, it wasn't as crispy as it could have been. Overall, I might try this place again, and give them the benefit of the doubt, but their service needs to vastly improve to change their star ratings. read more

Someone needs to put a space after that "O" so that you don't pass up "Tao Ngo" but let's not sweat the minor details but instead I would like to point out to you how much of a transformation maybe a decade ago has changed this restaurant. Back track to the 90's when my mother and brothers would drag me kicking and screaming to get back into this place. It is in a bad neighborhood, the food stank as well as the patrons, the carpet was always dirty as well as the menus, the waitress by the window thinking a cardboard box would hide her from view her picking her nose, the list went on......and those wobbly tables made me sea sick! Forward to sometime in the near future, this time my mothers and brothers kidnapped me and tossed me in here butt kettle over tea pot first. Wow! Is this that same place I used to loathe coming into? New carpet? New table? New menus?....Ok, I can do this. What an adjustment! I've been here another 3 times before this review was spurt out and I can say that it's a decent place for what is in the immediate area. The parking is plenty even though it shares with other strip center businesses. You cannot miss it since it is the only one with an outside awning that sticks out like grapefruit sized color contrasted butt cap of a baboon. You all know what I'm talking about, you've seen it! Step inside and you will be seated either in a large round table for a small Asian family of 10 or a simple 4 top. The large round tables are of pretty expensive material I would suspect cherry wood or something dark topped with a 36" lazy Susan (I'm sorry sister in law, we had to make light of your name on this while at the table, forgive us). Let me skip to the service part for a minute. Beforehand I would say in the 90's you would always have to bring your glass to the front or steal a pitcher of tea/water to get anything refilled and the only way you were getting your check was if you looked like you were ready to make a mad dash out of the door. It' is not like this anymore, service is attentive not by just one person but by at least 3, these people believe in a little team work. Yes! A little Americanization to the service puckermutt infused in this transform of a sprouted business will go a long way with me. Thank you for your attentiveness. These people around the second month of 2014 crew really do care. The food, it's all really good. From the salt n pepper lobster mother had (by pound only, it ended up like $40 ouch) to the fried tofu which is just right for the price you pay around $8. I've come to a conclusion that no asian restaurant knows how to make their fried tofu spicy even if you beg them but I'm not knocking them for this, just keep with the menu version, they tried. The Pho' that I sipped from my niece had a decent flavor and the fried rice as a plentiful plate instead of a skampy skipper like some places visited. The iced tea was a decent strength but not the tannin strength I was looking for but it'll pass and I could tell it was fresh. The water did not taste toilet tainted, the silverware was plentiful and didn't have any water spots on it and the waitress was cute. Oh, did I stick that in there? Sue me, she deserved recognition because of that out of Asian mold service. The restroom is a different story. Some of us judge a kitchen by it's restrooms. It's not McDonald's but it's not near Buc Cee's if you get the drift but it'll do. At least you get free flowing paper towels to open the door on your way out. This is going to be labeled in my head as a "definitely worth returning" bin, try it, you'll like it. read more

Tao Ngo Restaurant - Fried toe foo.....tofu - Vietnamese Near Me - Houston, Texas

It's okay. Well, this place is possibly a tiny bit better than okay, but I'm short on adjectives. Let's put it this way, for something better you're going to have to take a longer drive into Houston proper. This place sets itself apart because it has a bigger menu than the average Asian restaurant in this area. This comes as a relief. It also shows that they can cater to a more developed (and curious) pallet. However, before you get your hopes up, the great menu is not backed by great chefs. The dishes here taste very similar to elsewhere in the area. It just so happens that they have a greater variety. For instance, I would be hard pressed to tell the difference between Kung Pao Chicken here versus some other random place in the area. Both would be characterized as mostly sweet and very weak on the spiciness. Drive into the thick of Houston and you'll get better. Drive into Chinatown and you'll get the best. Having said that... There is a convenience with getting this kind of variety close to work. Plus they're rarely busy when we come here. True, the service can be slow and the place is located in a somewhat questionable area. But I'm not too worried about that. Plus there is an Asian grocery store next door. This can make for some inspired shopping and subsequent cooking. So what do you think? Give this place a try and then write up a review here on Yelp. read more

I have been coming here since I was a little girl. My parents' first date was at this restaurant, and we often times gather here as a family for the delicious meals. I usually only have the Honey Chicken, but this particular time I tried something different and really enjoyed the flavor within the Mongolian beef dish. I highly recommend for any beef lovers! My recommendation for the establishment is working on interpersonal communication skills: being more friendly with your customers. Kindness goes a long way. read more

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Duuuuuuuddddee, I legit left this place in a food coma! Might possibly have over ordered but why the heck not?! This was my first time here and it probably won't be the last. Been on this Vietnamese comfort food binge lately, and this was one of the better places I've been too. Building might be old and dingy looking but when you overlook the cosmetics, food has great expectations! I very much enjoyed everything that we ordered! Ca Kho To (fish clay pot) - yum I can't ever get enough of this dish. Salty and savory! Best eaten with rice or else you'll die of thirst. haha but yeah the fish was really tender, fork went right through it! Loved it! Canh Chua Tom (sweet & sour soup w/ shrimp) - this dish by far the most captivating. Gorgeous to look at and tasted even better! The shrimp was perfectly cooked. Nice tartness to the broth as well. I liked how it's served hot pot style so the soup can stay hot throughout the meal. That was lit for sure! Cua Lot Chien Bo (fried soft shell crab) - Dang these were plump! They served a generous portion of it too! I love the crispiness of it and all the extra bits of onions made it so much better! Chim Cuc Chien (fried quails) -taste like chicken! didn't care for the pickled cabbage & carrots but the quail literally tasted like fried chicken.. haha Cha Gio (eggrolls) - your typical eggrolls made with spring roll wrappers. A little bit on the chewy side. Not crispy enough for me but I do like the fish sauce that came with it! Overall food was great, service was not so hot. Waitress weren't very attentive unless you wave them down but that's too be expected at Asian restaurants. I do like this place so I'll be back. They have an extensive menu.. Literally a booklet! I'll probably try their hot pot next time or even their pho! read more

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Good here tastes so good. I went with my sister fur the first time and will be coming back.

I come here plenty of times because this is my mom's favorite place for quail. I've had many things on their menu such as canh Chua, ca kho, banh xeo, quail, house special lo mein, egg rolls, etc... For one, I would say this place is a little off putting when you enter in. The tables have water marks and seats will be clean 50% of the time. They don't give you enough napkins and your silverware and plates need to be wiped down. Bright side? Service is quick and food is decent. I would say if I had to comment on each item, it would be a worthy note to say that the canh Chua and ca kho is the popular items on the menu. This is sweet and sour fish soup with caramelized fish in a pot. If you've ever had it, I'm telling you it tastes like your grandmother's. Great flavor and you have an option of small or large. Small will definitely be enough for 2-3 people. 4/5 The banh xeo is extremely greasy, if you don't eat all of it at once it will be soggy. Plenty of bean sprouts, but not enough pork or shrimp. Not my favorite. 2/5 The quail is fried to perfection. A salt pepper and lime sauce comes with it. Perfect with rice or a small appetizer or snack. It comes with pickled cabbage. This is something tasty to try when you're here. 4/5 The lo mein is okay. Needs to be cooked more, but the other veggies are well done. The shrimp are small and the beef is chewy. 3/5 The egg rolls are fishy and not that crispy. Filling is not like other places. Negatively saying. 1/5 Overall, this is an authentic Vietnamese restaurant. Decent food, decent service, decent area. Last time I heard there was a burglary next door so hide your kids hide your wife. read more

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Food was phenomenal and the service was great. We ordered chicken fried rice, Vietnamese & Chinese egg rolls, beef pho and chicken and shrimp in bean sauce with white steamed rice. Everything was cooked to perfection. read more

My all the time favorite Vietnamese restaurant in town... Where you can find the real Authentic Vietnamese Chinese food. I'm not gonna lie to you, I can eat here three times a day lol :D This restaurant has been run for a long time and the food always make you want to come back more and more. You should definitely check out their Bo Luc Lac that will be one of your best cube steaks you ever tried, also Canh Chua Ca, Ca Kho To, French Fried ToFu, Guang Chow Egg Rolls,... and also the lunch and dinner special menu available all day are also super good choices... they will not disappointed you. In addition the staffs here are super friendly and nice. You will have your good services. YOU SHOULD COME TO THIS PLACE !!!!! ;) HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!!!!! read more

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Great Vermicelli Bowls? I stumbled across them a little while ago and now I visit frequently. Ingredients are always fresh and the portions are generous! read more

Delicious food and fast friendly service. Can't wait to come back! We had so many dishes that I can't list them all! soooo much good food!!! read more

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I'm so glad I visited Taongo. It's located right next to Thang Hung supermarket. I wanted to try an unique Vietnamese entree I never have had and my tastes buds were looking to be satiated with a foodgasm. Well I happened to see Christine N.'s picture of a yummy looking sour fish soup called Canh Chua Ca. I happened to know she has good taste in food so I decided to order it. Actually it's a sour/slightly sweet catfish soup which was so fresh and healthy tasting but also tantalized my taste buds. Yes fish soupgasm! Lol. The soup has fresh pieces of catfish, greens, herbs, pineapple, red chilies, okra and those crunchy fried onions sprinkled on top. It came with a large bowl of fresh white rice, pickled jalapenos and several different condiments. The best part was mixing the condiments into my individual little serving bowls each time and getting an explosion of flavors. Some more sweet and spicy and some more salty and hot, etc. I truly liked this soup so much that it may be hard for me to order anything else ever! Soup 5 Star!!! I also got a BBQ pork fried rice which was average quality to go. My waiter was sooo Awesome and I felt so pampered by him. I would love to give the restaurant 5 stars but I've only tried those 2 entrees so far. I'll definitely be back. Plenty of up close parking later in the evening and open till 10 pm weekdays. read more

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Chinese & Vietnamese food (many items on menu). Full lunch crowd at 22 tables (5 round w lazy susans), mostly non-Asian. My order: #185 Bun Thit Nuong Cha Gio (picture) Charcoal broiled pork, Vietnamese eggrolls, peanuts over vermicelli, covering lettuce, cilantro, and few token slivers of carrot Pork: plentiful, good quality meat (no fat or gristle, and cooked but not stiff), but not much charcoal flavor like some better places. Egg Rolls: not greasy but not as spicy or flavorful as better places Fish sauce: mild hotness by default Overall: fresh, good quality ingredients, well prepared and good value P.S. Student is learning English and the Teacher ends the day with the word "sin" for them to learn. Student asks, "Is that all? How about other tenses?" Teacher says, "Sorry, but today is no sin-tenses day". read more

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Great food and service. Easy to order and always made on time with no delays. Nice people.