Pho Binh

Probably one of the best phở places in the inner loop area. Being from Alief /​Sugar Land, good phở is only a couple of minutes away. Since moving to the inner loop, I haven’t been able to find a truly authentic Vietnamese place until now. I like Les Ba’Get too, but they are more Vietnamese fusion, so I’d put them in different categories.
I got the Phở Go and Banh Mi Dat Biet. Both were delicious! My boyfriend enjoyed his Phở Ga meal as well.

I rarely give 5 stars but this restaurant deserved every single of them. Arguably the best Phở Dac Biet i have had in my Phở eating career. Granted they are a chain but they operate as they are independent. Broth is perfected with the Hanoi smoothness. Viet sandwhich very legit, bought 2 for my flight back. The com bo luc lac is irresistable as well. Beef cooked slightly well done which is the way I prefer. Non MSG they advertised. Will def return if I have the opportunity to revisit Htown.

After a busy day, me and the bf stopped at Phở Binh since it’s in the neighborhood and hands down, it was the best phở place in the area! (Without having to go to Bellaire of course ;))
It was fairly busy on a Sunday afternoon and being located on White Oak, parking is kinda a mess. By luck, we found a spot by the convenience store and we looked around to see if there were signs that said «for store parking only» none were around so we hoped it was safe. (Sorry if we couldn’t park there!)
The restaurant itself is cute! Very modern and trendy, very fitting for the area. It does not have table service, so when you walk in just go straight to the counter and you can order your food. They do have a selected variety of beer though so that’s cool (Modelo, Lucky Buddha, Tiger.) and wine. Our whole order was perfect! It didn’t take long for our food to come out either! We waited just about 12mins for our food to be brought to our table. I ordered the tofu vermicelli, the bf had the beef flank phở, with some shrimp spring rolls and an order of fried spring rolls (Don’t judge us, we were hungry!) The vermicelli was delicious!!! It had this lemon/​mint flavor, it was sooooo good. Everything was fresh too. Drinks are self serve, and at the drink station, they have any utensils you may need along with Sriracha and hoisin sauce.
It was very clean and the service was fast and all of the employees at the front were very friendly! The prices are a tad higher than other phở places in Houston, but the prices are «Heights prices» so of course you’re paying for the quality of food and the area. Since it’s so close to our house, I can see ourselves becoming regulars here. They also offer sweet goodies! On this day, they had strawberry cake, carrot cake, chocolate and German Chocolate cake. On their menu, they say they have macaroons but they told us they don’t carry them anymore! Whomp whomp…
To finish off the meal, we ordered 2 boba smoothies (Avocado and Sunrise Smoothie (peach, strawberry and mango) and they were awesome! Very creamy and not too sweet! They have a dog friendly patio and I saw quite a few families bringing their little ones too, so thats good to know. This place is a gem in the Heights when you’re looking for some good food without having to make a long drive.

Food was excellent!!! Service was fast!!! The staff was very friendly!!! We will definitely be back many many times

I was craving some Phở and didn’t want to drive to Bellaire.
Parking is limited but we lucked out and got a spot right up front. This is definitely more «Americanized» than typical Vietnamese places, but this isn’t a bad thing. Lots of families and Young couples inside. We chose to sit on patio because it was quieter. I had P3 (steak and brisket) & G had P4 (steak and meatballs). We also order shrimp spring rolls and egg rolls.
Spring Rolls: G didn’t care for the peanut sauce AND we paid $ 2.95 for better ones at Huynh the night before (here they’re $ 5). Egg rolls are good but pricy at $ 6.
Phở was good and the large was a nice generous serving. However, the side of veggies consisted of only a handful of bean sprouts, ¼ of a lime, 3 small slices of jalapeño, and a sprig of basil and a sprig of cilantro. I like extra extra veggies so I was disappointed by the small portion.
G said he didn’t care much for the steak and much prefers when it’s served raw so it cooks in the broth. He also thought the strips of streak were a little too thick and somewhat tough, but I thought they were fine.
We bought a slice of Hummingbird Cake (Google it… yum) and carrot cake to go, but we haven’t had a chance to try them yet. We’ll keep you posted. They also have a large menu of smoothies and the like, but we didn’t try any of those.
All-​in-​all, an average place for Phở. It’ll do in a pinch but wouldn’t be my first choice.

After having visited Phở Binh, I see that it’s part of a local mini-​chain of Vietnamese restaurants. This Heights location, with its modern, streamlined décor, seems to be aimed at in-​town yuppie diners, which in our neck of the woods (Ohio) might signal watered-​down, Americanized takes on the phở and other standards. But Phở Binh, as far as I can tell, keeps the food quite authentic and fresh. (I say this as a Scotch-​Irish-​Anglo who grew up in Georgia, but who’s eaten a few hundred bowls of phở all over the place over the years.)
The broth in the phở dac biet didn’t have a boldest beef flavor, but it did have a very nice complexity. Beef flank was tender and properly rare, but there wasn’t all that much of either it or the other cow-​based items. Noodles came out a bit clumped together. All in all, a serviceable, solid, and perfectly enjoyable bowl of phở. (That’s something I can rarely say in Cincinnati.)
Goi cuon were quite good, too, with a variety of very fresh herbs. The wife is a huge fan of bun, and she reported that her grilled-​shrimp version was terrific.
Drawbacks? The location and slicker ambience mean that the prices are a little higher, and the mallrat music playlist (Katy Perry and Britney Spears, it sounded like) was pretty atrocious. (At least it wasn’t very loud.) Café sua da disappointingly came pre-​made, but it was still tasty.
We were in Houston for a couple of months as Katrina refugees, back when we were New Orleans residents. So I’ll acknowledge that Phở Binh is nothing to get super-​excited about in Houston, with its sizeable Vietnamese population and heavy-​duty Vietnamese restaurant competition. But if I could plunk it down in my neighborhood in Ohio, I’d be there as often as possible.

The place is very nice, cute, and clean but the food is just alright. It doesnt taste like authentic vietnamese food and the phở portions are really small compared to the price. My avocado also had no taste.
The cashiers were nice though.

I had the P1 combo with a small side of bone marrow as suggested by the Houston Press and it did not disappoint. This was my first time at Phở Binh and I will be back! Awesome location right off White Oak.

We had the crunchy garlic shrimp was soooo good! The pepper steak was nice & tender beef! I liked that it had plenty of veggies! Hopefully they will have the soft she’ll crabs next time!

This is a great local restaurant go visit. The staffs are extremely accommodating and friendly.
They have a dog friendly patio and they are kids friendly too.
Their menu in this location offers some unique dishes that their other locations don’t offer. They offer things like crunchy garlic shrimp, lamb chops and grilled mussels.
My favorite though is their spicy bone marrow. It’s served pipping hot with s robust flavor and served with pieces of baguette bread.

I am a huge fan of this specific location because it’s less than 5 minutes away from my home and office. At Phở Binh — Heights, you’ll get the hipster atmosphere with authentic flavors you’ll normally find in Chinatown (Bellaire).
THE BEST spring rolls you’ll find in the area. I like the shrimp and grilled pork spring rolls. I won’t say that they make the best phở in town but it’s good enough. The broth didn’t taste like it was cooked in the bone marrow long enough, hence the 1 star deduction.
I would like to come back and try their vermicelli and café sua da (Vietnamese Iced Coffee). I’ve already been back twice within a week!

This place has been so solid. Their
take-​out has been clutch and delicious. The phở is right on, vermicelli and rice plates are perfect. This type of Americanized Vietnamese fare has been much needed in Heights.

Fairly pricy Vietnamese restaurant, and the food was bland. Very salty, especially the soft shell crab.
Favorites:
Tilapia fillet grilled in banana leaf ($ 10.95)
Orders:
Soft shell crab salad ($ 11.95)
Combination phở ($ 9)

I never quite understood my Vietnamese friends’ enthusiasim about this superior phở joint in a distant land called Bellaire Chinatown until they opened in the Heights, then the rays of wisdom cast its rays upon little ol me with great fervor.
All of them, i mean every single Viet friend i have rave about Phở Binh. I usually frequent Phở Saigon and Simply Phở but after having the Binh goodness, I cannot go back. I simply cannot. I did and it was less than satisfactory. I suddenly don’t care for the expensive menu, not that I ever have for good food, but i dont even mind the horrendous, nonexistent parking. Give me phở and give me spring rolls now!
The broth has so much depth and flavor profile. Rich and earthy, almost rejuvenating. The noodles are chewy and fresh, almost like homemade. The meats are tender and delicious. Love the phở! The spring rolls are the best in town. Seriously. My new go to phở.

3.5. This is the perfect solution for when you are feeling all sorts of lazy pants and don’t wanna drive anywhere too far to get phở.
That being said, this would not be my first choice for phở.
Order at the counter, and self-​serve grab your drank, utensils, and whatever shenanigans you could find yourself needing.
Phở is appropriately priced for The Heights; rent here is $$$$, so I get it.
Pleasant staff and nice vibes.
Our phở came out quickly, and while the meat cooked through, the soup wasn’t boiling hot, so most of my meal was lukewarm while eating. That would be the only hesitation for not coming back.
To all those little Asian girls who are 5’0 and weigh 100 pounds and can eat like bosses, GET THE LARGE. The regular bowl here is for (1) small eaters and (2) those who get full off of the struggle of using chopsticks in tandem with a soup spoon.

There are so many phở options in Houston and they all seem to have good reviews. We came here because of the vicinity of where we stayed. The restaurant is newer, cleaner, and more catered to a young hipster population than the typical Vietnamese restaurants that I am used to. You go up to the counter to order food and they hand you a number where they will bring out the food later. In addition to phở, they offer desserts and drinks that are typically not seen at the usual Viet places.
The phở was good with enough meat and flavor in the broth. I was a little sad that my phở tai «gan» was not the usual gan I get at other restaurants. I supposed they did write out the description on the menu but I chose to disregard it. The gan here was more fatty instead of the chewy thick tendon that I like. But overall, the phở was good and made me feel like home. The prices here were a little pricer but I think it’s due to the area the restaurant is in. The price wasn’t that much higher so it wasn’t a big deal. Anyways, come check out this restaurant if you’re in the area!

Besides my mom’s kitchen, I think it’s my fave bowl of phở in town so far! The broth has a rich flavor, al dente noodles, fresh veggies. Great ambiance and suitable parking during off-​peak meal times.
The place is clean and has quick service. My bf and I were there for 30 – 40 mins tops. We slurped our noodles so fast bc service was quick and the food was good.
Will visit again to affirm my taste buds.

Phở binh! You have the honor of being my first review of 2016: D
For those that have not yet been here, remedy that quickly. David and I had waited so long for a decent phở restaurant in the heights area. We’ve tried all of them and this is the best, by far.
Not only is the service great, the food is fantastic. Yes it’s a bit pricier that Chinatown/​smaller shops but it’s so worth it. I mean. they have bone marrow! You can have it in the bone or they have it ready in a bowl for you as well.
The phở broth has consistently been great and today I tried their bo luc lac (shaken beef). The beef they use is so good, and to easily one of the best David and I have ever had. And the price was SUPER reasonable!
We also tried the egg rolls today. And while not authentic, they were delicious as well. My only qualm is that it came with 1 measly piece of lettuce :(
David always eyes their desserts but we’ve never tried them, nor their drinks. One day though. They have these ginormous cakes that look fantastic.
Downside: parking can be pretty terrible. But there’s street parking and a lot across the way as well.

Finally got to try this location. First off, if you’re going at peak times you’ll most likely not be able to get a spot outside as they are limited in parking and most likely you’ll have to street park. Décor inside was surprisingly better than I thought, pretty nice/​chill place to eat with friends. They do also have some outdoor seating in the front patio area. Walk in and order at the counter first, they’ll give you a number and will bring the food to you. Grab your drinks, utensils, and sauces from the side wall.
Phở broth was not as good as the other locations in Chinatown but it’s still on point if you want to grab a bowl of phở in the heights. $ 7.75 for a regular size bowl and $ 9 for a large. Regular was just enough for me. I liked how they gave each person their own personal plate of bean sprouts and veges for the soup. We also ordered the grilled pork rolls which was the same as spring rolls but not with shrimp. I wouldn’t recommend it as the pork was dry and the rolling of it wasn’t good (it was just a big roll of noodles with not correct balance of filling… and it was $ 6 for four pieces which in actuality was two regular rolls cut in half).
I would go back if I wanted some phở in this area and will try out some of the other items they have on the menu.

Phở Binh is a traditional Vietnamese restaurant located near downtown Houston. Its proximity to downtown and distance from the more traditional Asian areas in Houston (Bellaire), results in a very charming restaurant that sticks to its Vietnamese roots while also providing additional creative dishes.
My Overall Rating — 4 Stars (Atmosphere, Service, Food, Return)
Atmosphere — Phở Binh is a great space, it’s only negative is its size. There is a small outdoor patio in the front, general seating inside, and at the back of the restaurant is a self-​service area stocked with drinks, sauces (nuoc mam, sriracha, hoisin, etc.). It’s also surrounded by a whimsical mural that makes you feel like the owners put a lot of thought into the space (which they have). 1 Star.
Service — It’s counter service at Phở Binh. This was surprising, when we first entered the restaurant we waited to be seated. Finally someone spotted us, gave us menus, and told us to order at the counter. Normally I’m ok with this, but Vietnamese restaurants can have a large selection and is better suited as wait service. Other than this opinion, service was great. You order, get a number, when your food is ready it is brought out. The staff came by several times to check on us too so kudos for that. ½ Star.
Food — The phở at Phở Binh is very good. The broth is nice and clear, not oily, and the rice noodles equate to a quality bowl that even the folks on Bellaire would give a thumbs up too. But by no means is Phở Binh defined by one dish. We ordered several other items, which were surprisingly good. One stand out dish was the bone marrow — but it was cooked with Vietnamese spices. It reminded me of a rich Bun Bo Hue. Very original, good, and nice to see how Phở Binh is not just a standard Vietnamese restaurant. It’s much better. 1 ½ Stars.
Will I Return? — Yes. Not only is the phở very good, but Phở Binh has a large drink and dessert menu that I have still need to try. Phở Binh isn’t just a great Vietnamese restaurant inside the loops, it’s a great restaurant. Yes, I will be back. 1 Star.
My Unilocal Rating Scale (Sum of all parts):
1 Star — Atmosphere — Is it a cool dive? Perhaps an upscale place? No matter the type, atmosphere plays a big part and I’ll give a star if I like it or thinks it has great charm.
1 Star — Service — You can have a great meal with bad service. But that’s also what can make a five star joint drop to four. It’s important to the dining experience that service is great and on point.
2 Stars — Food — I’ll award up to two stars for the food, since this is the main reason we dine out. Sometimes the extra star is given for value, but it’s really all about the food.
1 Star — Will I come back? — If I know for a fact I’ll return, I’ll give this a star. A place has to make an impression for me to return.
Each Category can be given up to 1 star except food (2 stars) because I consider all these categories important to the overall dining experience. I will sum them up to provide my final Unilocal score.