Hẻm

Overall - one of our fav Viet restaurants in Houston so far! Menu - lots of options and is aesthetically pleasing and easy to read. Dishes I'd recommend getting are the com tam (broken rice), hu tieu, and FOR SUREEE the Bo Ne platter (super delicious n flavorful). Their sea salt coffee was also delicious! Considering we did come twice n got to experience different food quality, it does seem to depend on how busy the place is lol. Service - while both our servers were nice and friendly, our first one was more attentive and helpful. Granted we came at a less busy time the first time, it was reasonable ish why our food came out so late the second time we were there. Ambiance - really like the lanterns n cute decor. Really brings out the viet street vibes and the music added to it. Id recommend getting a booth seat bc it's cuter but be aware it's slightly dimmer. There's also outside seating that looks cute!! Also shout out to the boujie bathrooms. It was clean and very aesthetic inside as well. Makes a great mini Photo Booth!

This restaurant is nothing short of amazing!! It was my must go to place when I traveled to Houston recently. And it did not disappoint!! The service, the vibes, the small little tables and chairs like you were really eating on the streets of Vietnam were all perfect! The seafood was all cooked to perfection! The thin sliced beef with tamarind sauce was so good my 12yr old ordered another one immediately after having his first bite. We ordered a couple iced teas as well (a lychee and a lotus seed tea) both very unique but equally delicious and the perfect amount of sweet! HEM was so good I LITERALLY have been back a whole week now and already looked at flights to go back!

I finally had a chance to make it there specifically for their happy hour, so this is for that! Mezcalita (4.5/5): The smokiness of the mezcal is nicely offset by the citrus flavor of the lime juice. Would definitely recommend for mezcal enjoyers. Hem Egg Rolls (4.5/5): One of our favorite of the happy hour menu. Great small bites of flavor that are very sharable. Salted Egg Oysters (4/5): Flavor was good and I'd get them again. The oysters were a tad small on some. Chicken Wings (3/5): I think this was the second weakest happy hour dish we got. We ordered one fish sauce and one thai sauce flavor, and got what looked like two of the same type. If there was a difference, no one could tell. The chicken wings were decently sized but a bit too dry for me. Fried Mix Skewers (2/5): Can skip this, basically just fish ball skewers and not worth it. Too dry, relatively flavorless. Goi Oc (Melo Melo Salad) (4.5/5): Not part of the happy hour menu, but I'd highly recommend for 2+ people to share. Great balance of flavors and spice. They made it without nuts for me, which was greatly appreciated! Service was attentive and on point as always. Would definitely come back for the happy hour egg rolls and drinks again.

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!

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?

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

I was looking for a Vietnamese seafood street food type of restaurant and HEM met the expectation. I specifically wanted the Oc Len Xao Dua (sea snail in coconut milk) which was so so good. The crispy pork belly was good, but I felt like it needed rice because it could get dry eating it on its own unless you're eating it as a drinking snack. The seafood platter (can't remember the actual name on the menu) is a great way to sample most of their seafood dishes in different styles and sauces. Highly recommend! The interior feels very vibey as if you're in Vietnam with all of the decor and bike inside, lots of photo ops if you're into taking pictures. The service is good as well.

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.

Amazing food. Only came here during weekday lunch so no trouble getting a table but I imagine this place is quite popular on the weekends. We got the seafood fried rice and a variety of yakitori including chicken hearts and gizzards (my favorite). Very flavorful and a good portion.

I came back to this place again, this time with my in laws, because I really loved the vibe and the food from last time. We wanted to sit outside, but they told us that if you sit outside you cannot drink alcohol. My family was a little disappointed because they wanted that feeling from back home, sitting outside and drinking together, but it was still okay. We came on a Saturday night, so we already knew it would be busy, and yes it was packed even though it had just stopped raining. We ordered almost the same things as last time because everything was so good and I wanted my in laws to try it. Here is what we ordered: * Dozen of oysters: Super fresh and delicious. We ended up ordering two dozens which shows how good they were. * Seafood fried rice: We asked for the kid version with only shrimp. I understand it was a special request, but the dish itself was a little bland and just decent. * 5 Spcies Grilled Beef (Bo Ngu Vi): Still delicious like last time. The only thing is they really need to give more papaya and carrot pickle. I do not know how we are supposed to eat the whole plate with just a few pieces. Even when we asked for more they also only brought a little. * Skewers Combo: Really good like last time. Also needs more pickle. * Chicken Cartilage (Sun Ga): We got the garlic fish sauce version and it was so good. This was my favorite of the night. * Crispy Pork Belly (Ba Roi Vo Gion): Very crispy and delicious. I wish I could have some Banh Hoi and fish sauce to eat with the pork belly. That would be perfect. * Lady May: A lychee refresher drink. Very tasty and super refreshing. We had a great time and a great experience again. Our server was really nice and attentive. Since we had a small kid with us it got a little messy, but he still helped us a lot without any complaint. Overall everything was amazing just like last time. I only hope they can give out more pickle because when you eat a lot of greasy food you need some sour to balance it out. Even with that, this is still a great place for bringing family, especially with the outdoor area. The only thing is you cannot drink

We were craving Viet seafood and shellfish items during our trip in Houston, so we decided to give Hẻm a visit for a quick meetup with some friends. The location is big but quite packed. They even have outdoor seating for those who can bear with the hot weather. Since it's our first visit during traveling, we made sure to order a feast to try out different items. - Stir-fried chicken gizzard and unlaid chicken egg: pretty simple with lots of seasonings. Not bad, but not great - Tamarind beef carppacio: flavorful, spicy, tangy. One of my favorite - Raw shrimp with Thai sauce: really spicy, but the raw shrimp tasted clean - Snails with coconut sauce: quite bland, our least favorite - Conch with garlic butter sauce: super garlic-y and buttery with good hint of spice. Get yourself a bánh mì and wipe off the sauce - Razor clams with morning glory: also flavorful and fresh clams - Grilled oysters with cheese: too much cheese for small oysters, but still flavorful. Overall, everything tasted great. Comparing the price tag with the amount of food we had, I think it was worth it. Each portion is enough to share among our party. Definitely will visit again when in town!

What a fun place to eat dinner or lunch . We came on a Thursday for lunch. Wide selection pf food options, lots of seafood. We were greeted and seated immediately. They took our orders and food came out within 5 mins. We ordered mini shrimp eggrolls, mango salad was so refreshing and the fish sauce was so on point. Delicious! We also order razor clams , and squid. Everything tasted great.. I could do without the fried squid. It was pretty salted and nothing special , definitely come back again to try other items.

I came here with family and we got the melo melo salad, which was super good, and had a lot of clams. We also got their razor clams and their fried spring rolls, which was actually amazing since it was very crispy and not too salty. We also got their thai-flavored chicken wings, which was also good but a bit too salty. We went during happy hour on the weekdays, and the thai-flavored chicken wings and the Hem fried spring rolls were on the menu. They are usually very crowded on the weekends, and I can see now! There were quite many employees on the weekdays, but I know. how packed they can be. The ambiance is very fun, and definitely a place for late night eating and drinking. Will come here again.

Literally a great experience. From the service to food, it was amazing. We arrived at opening and there were a few tables of people dining in already. As we enter, it feels like you're stepping inside a restaurant in Vietnam. The interior decoration was so nice. You're immediately greeted by the lovely staff. They were so friendly to us! Love it. This place is definitely a good vibe place to hang out with a big group. Order food and drinks, just have a great time. The food was AMAZING. We didn't know they had a happy hour and got here during it. That was such a lovely surprise . The tamarind beef carpaccio is a MUST. I can literallly eat that alone without sharing lol I didn't get to try their entrees. We really stuck to appetizers and small dishes. Everything on the happy hour was good. Definitely a must come if you're in town!!

I had such high hopes for this place! Love that the ambiance reminds me of Vietnam. For four people, we ordered: - Thai Squid Salad, Gỏi Mực Thái This was subpar... to best explain it, the carrots mango and cucumber shreds were not marinated long enough, so it was stiff. There was barely any squid. Kinda pricy for what it is. - Five Spice Grilled Beef, Bò Nướng Ngũ Vị I enjoyed this. This is the one dish I'd definitely recommend. You get to choose how you like the beef to be grilled. Yummy! - 2 of the Grilled Combo Skewers, Combo Xiên Nướng Pretty good, but they're just skewers. Nothing special. I'd order these again for group dinners. - Razor Clam Stir-Fried Noodles Literally can't mess this up. Good choice of carbs. - Sizzling Chicken Gizzards and Hearts, Lòng Gà Trứng Non Cháy Tỏi It's good to try for the one time. I didn't care too much for it. With tip and tax, we paid about $150. I wasn't full, but I was satisfied. I kinda got tired of the food. I find this restaurant to be bit more expensive compared to other seafood restaurants in the Bellaire area, and the food is nothing to write home about.

HEM is extremely successful at caring out a unique niche of Vietnamese Street Food with traditional flavors and a modern twist. The restaurant performs well in many areas including spacing and ambience. The entire area is not only adequately space with lots of available seating, but there is a huge array of decor that creates an immersive vibe of modern Vietnamese Street Food. They nailed the aesthetics. We ordered a razor clam dish sauteed in basil and herbs. The green creamy sauce that comes with it adds a refreshing bold citrusy taste that definitely helps mellow out the seafood very well. I think its calamansi based and becomes readily apparent in many of their other entrees. The same can be said of the oyster dish we ordered. The touch of Sunnyside eggs nested inside the oyster adds a very nice creamy yolk texture as you're eating the oyster. Plating and presentation are done extremely well and exceeds my expectations. The host and waiter staff are very friendly and easy to get a hold of when you're ready to order. They also frequent your table to make sure things are in line and meeting expectations. I love the decor! Enjoy!

The skewers were good but some of the meat was tougher to eat than others. I'm not sure if I ordered the wrong things but I didn't enjoy their noodle dishes as much as other places I've been to nearby. It's a cute place though with good service, I would come back to try other things on their menu.

The restaurant hem reminds me of the streets of Vietnam, including the heat. I don't know if it's just Houston is hot because a lot of restaurants are just hot. The bathroom is pretty cool. The table we were seated at had a bag hanger on the end of it... I wish I knew about it before I bumped my leg into it. There was a guy there who seemed to be very particular of things so he moved our stroller into the back of the truck. The place is very popular and for good reason. Our friends like HEM and recommended their Bo ne which you can get with a bone marrow. My husband got one without the bone marrow. NOTE: you can only get it during their lunch menu. It was a Saturday and we were able to order from dinner menu as well. But most things our waitress recommended was seafood which I'm not really into. My husband and brother in law liked what they ordered. The banh mi was very light. Add the creamy bone marrow. Add some egg and bo ne. I liked my crispy pork belly but don't expect a very crispy pork. I just like the dipping sauce and pickled veggies to combat the fatty pork pieces. I also ordered a bowl of rice on the side. I would've tried their Viet coffee here but we had already made a stop at a different establishment that serves Viet coffees.

Can't say much about the interior cause we sat outside (which if I had to do it again, I'd caution against). The chairs are itty bitty and the space is cramped. Not sure what the thinking was around the decision for such small chairs. Also important to note...way too many bugs at this time of year--meaning there's no bug solution from the restaurant to keep them at bay when you're eating so you're on your own (and no alcoholic drinks outside). Service was prompt. They're a little stingy with the white rice for some reason. They brought out two small bowls for a table of 4 adults and 4 kids. Grilled Skewers| Really liked the pork ones. And the green sauce is really what makes everything here sing. Beef ones were nice too, though felt like the pieces were pretty darn small. Crispy Pork belly | Huge portion. A must order in a big group. Egg rolls | Good but not amazing. Though I can see this being a fun drink snack. Grilled Razor Clams | Just okay. Maybe stir-fried would've been better. 5 Spice Beef | Parts were way too sinewy though the flavor was good. Chicken Cartilage | Garlic butter. Great bar snack. The kumquat soda | Okay but nothing special. The pricetag was quite high so keep that in mind, but there were enough good dishes here to give it another go and try some new menu items. Hopefully inside next time. It's a heavy meal. Lots of fatty and fried stuff so it's perfect for drinking, but maybe not if you're looking for light fare.

This is a great restaurant for lunch and dinner. A warm decorated place, nice service with attentive staffs. I like seafood a lot, so I can taste the different of frozen seafood and the fresh ones really well. Overall, I definitely come back this nice restaurant because of the quality and freshness of the food. Moreover, the restaurant's atmosphere and friendly staff are also highly commendable.

The service is excellent. The wait staff continually checked to see if you needed anything else. The food is top-notch. There were many items on the menu that I plan to order on my next visit.

Dining at Hem exceeded ALL of my expectations! After hearing all of the hype about this place, my family and I decided to try it out when we stopped by Houston. First off, the decorum looked amazing. It literally looked like an actual alleyway in Vietnam, which translates to "Hem" in Vietnamese. All of the inside felt nostalgic to those who have ever visited or lived in Vietnam. Service was excellent as well. Our server was nice but very attentive and knowledgeable about the menu, which was really helpful for us. As recommended by our server, we ordered the Hem Seafood Fried Rice ($16.00), Grilled Seafood Combo ($30.00), Sea Snails in Coconut Milk ($16.00), & Salted Egg Flavored Chicken Cartilage ($16.00). For drinks, we just ordered Iced Kumquat Tea ($6.00) and Iced Lychee Tea ($6.00). The portions were decent, but the taste totally made up for that! Everything was so flavorful. Our favorite would have to be the seafood fried rice & chicken cartilage. They were seasoned perfectly and had the right amount of flavor to them. The kumquat tea was so tangy, but in a good way. I'd definitely recommend trying Hem at least once if you're in the Houston area. Just keep in mind that they do get packed, but that's only because the food and vibes are so good!

Viet food that's pretty tasty and good service. Ordered conch, steak, grilled chicken. Their conch with the spicy sauce is good and the one with the shell has a good smokey flavor. Lots of table and service was very excellent. Seating area is spaced out and there's a bar with good drinks to choose from. Parking plentiful in the front. Recommended going either early or later at night, this place usually crowded.

Food - not sure if it's related to our bad ordering but food is overall average and decent. Egg rolls are great crispy and good ingredients as expected. Fried rice looked very promising yet lacking a flavor, ask for their chili oil (that is def unique) and add all the chili oil and the sauces available with the rice and it def makes it better. The clams were just not it, smelled fishy as well and flavors are not infused well enough. The steak though was a surprise, personal favorite out of all the dishes ordered Service - super nice friendly staff Ambiance - it's just so adorable and well decorated in here I had to come, in addition the tv always play the yummiest Viet street food!

We started out at the bar and the girls were very friendly and attentive! I had their kumquat mojito and I thought it was excellent! They actually muddled the mint so that was awesome! We got a table afterwards and ordered their fried rice, water spinach sautéed with garlic, razor clams, baked oysters and some beef plate! All the food turned out to be very good! They had a green sauce that accompanied 3 of the dishes and it was really delicious! Very complementary to the flavor to the dishes! The location was beautifully decorated! Lots of vibrant colors so it's a great place to break bread with friends/family/out of towners! We'll definitely be back!

One of the best food places I tried in Houston! Service was really friendly and answered any questions we had regarding the food and drinks! The restaurant was very cute inside definitely picturesque for people who love taking food pics!

I love street food so I was pretty excited when I heard of a new spot serving Vietnamese street food on Bellaire. It's usually pretty busy when I stop by so I would recommend making a reservation if you are coming with a larger group. Food: Beef carpaccio: 5/5 hands down my favorite dish here I always have to get it Thai style shrimp: 4/5 shrimp were fresh, had a strong wasabi like kick Truffle fries: 4/5 standard but good Whole Razor clams: 3/5 good flavor but they were overcooked and dry Wings: 4/5 pretty decent Steak: 3.5/5 I had it once and it was good but the second time it was overcooked Pork belly: 3.5/5 a little dry as well Garlic butter razor clams: 4.5/5 razor clams are small but the garlic butter was so good, I couldn't stop eating it with rice Fried rice: 3.5/5 I believe it came with pineapple and shrimp, it was a little sweet. Nothing too special Coconut snail: 4/5 decent but pricey for the portion Overall, service is usually pretty good and I enjoy some dishes here. I don't mind coming once in awhile with some friends for casual snack foods and drinks

The atmosphere is nice and the decorations are super The food is pretty good and unique. It really reminded me of being in the streets of vietnam and eating the food there. The service was excellent, nice, and very quick. A beautiful spot to stop by late night and enjoy Vietnamese classics.

My husband and I have been to this place many times. But today when my mom and I visited for a special weekend hangout lunch, the experience was completely ruined by the horrendous service and attitude by the server, Leonie - She first took down the wrong order item, and when we pointed it out to her that she tried argue with us that she was not wrong. I then asked for the correct item to be sent in and brought to us. Also, I told her to bring the wrong item back to the kitchen, because I couldn't not eat it due to my health condition - she rolled her eyes and turned her back on me to continue to serve other customers. When the check came she had both the wrong item and the correct item on the check offering 0 explanation or apology on what happened. If this is the standard of service this restaurant will continue to have, my family and friends will never return.

Hem is a trendy place, very reminiscent of the Vietnam street food scene where you would go out with your friends and family at night time, and eat on the side of the road. I really liked the decor, the restaurant is clean and spacious and the service is good. I've been here two times and honestly the food is just okay, it's expensive for what it is, and the flavor profiles aren't really giving. They all seem to be missing that authentic feel. The presentation for the dishes is great though, from colorful garnishes, boards for steaks and skewers, they really went above and beyond to make the dishes look better than they tasted. The items I got are listed below. Thai Squid Salad - this dish needs more sauce, the cucumbers, carrots, and were all stiff, dry and bland from the sauce not soaking into it. There was also barely any squid rings, and they were all tiny. Skewer combo - this dish was average at best, you don't really taste any smokiness from it being grilled and the meats were a little dry. Nothing to write home about. Five spice beef - this was our favorite dish, the beef was tender and I really liked the five spice flavor in the beef. I definitely recommend getting this one. Razor Clam Noodles - This dish was good, seasoned well, and had a good amount of razor clams in it. Sizzling Chicken Gizzards and Hearts -Name is misleading, it wasn't sizzling, came as more of like a dry pot, kind of like a gà kho style dish. This was okay, definitely order some rice with it, it does get super salty. Overall I like how Hem is introducing Vietnamese street food to Houston, but it's just not that good.

The food was amazing! From the salt/pepper squid to the freshly cooked lobster, it was amazing. Our server was great (I wish I would've gotten her name) but she answered all of our questions and lead us to such a great experience! The interior is very cool and highly suggest coming here if you want to bring a friend from out of town somewhere. Such a good experience!

Exterior at first glance really give off Vietnamese street food vibes. Interior decor continues the cultural expose with tables and booths along with bar seating. The food tastes amazing and are highly recommended by locals who are experts in viet cuisine. Service is decent, they take your order and check up on you from time to time. Come here for good food and good vibes!

I love this menu. Such a variety of yummy options! I recommend the chicken thigh with garlic noodles, pineapple fried rice and banh mi Bo ne. Service was quick and polite. They let us sit in a booth even though it was quite busy and it was 2 of us and a baby in a car seat. Interior is very cute. Love the holiday decor and vintage bus near the entrance.

great food! amazing service! I got two beef bone marrow bc one was too small lol. lucky me! the pork belly dish was good but the sauce was amazing! The Bo Ne you can build your own banh mi! I want some more of the pate and the butter. the beef was cooked medium rare! eggs were cooked sunny side up in the pan. Good vibes in the restaurant! it's like eat Vietnamese street food but more elevated! Will be back to try other dishes soon!

It was really busy and there was a waiting list so we sat outside. The food was delicious as always but service was very very slow. I wouldn't recommend sitting outside unless you have time to spare or want to feel like you are in the homeland. Back to the food. I can't remember all that we ordered but I got pictures. We ordered the fried rice twice because everyone loved it and couldn't get enough. The shaken beef is juicy and tender. The combo seashell was good since we get a sample of different type.

Food 5/5 - Wow, wow, wow! The food tasted amazing! From the pineapple fried rice, the skewers assortments of heart, gizzards, beef, and to the crispy pork belly every dish delivered a tasty, delicious heightened sense of fulfillment. Ambiance 5/5 - street food vibes. If you ever been to Vietnam you'll feel like you've traveled back! It was such a immersive experience. Oh btw, after 10pm, the lights get dimmer and the music get clubbier. The vibe keep hitting. Service- 5/5 explained the menu very well, servers were very attentive despite the packed house. Overall 5/5 will come back again!

The new Ai HOA strip center is full of amazing Vietnamese cuisine, and HEM is up there with the best of them. The ambiance inside is cool and comfy, perfect for a date night. The outside has cheap colorful plastic chairs and tables reminiscent of restaurants in Vietnam. The menu is pretty expansive with plenty of options. It was difficult to just pick a couple of dishes but Yelp helped on that. For 4 adults and 3 kids, we ordered: - Grilled Skewer Platter: 4 different types of meats, with 2 skewers each. Everything was good, and the cilantro lime sauce that came with it was a must dip. - Seafood Fried Rice: another dish with great flavor and large pieces of shrimp. My sons enjoyed this one! - Crispy Pork Belly: 11/10 absolutely amazing must get dish. The crispiness of the skin and the delicious sauces...my mouth is watering thinking back at it. - Seafood Platter: another great dish if you want to try multiple things! The mussels, oysters and snail were all incredible. I did not try the scallop with quail egg but everyone at my table said it was the best! - Papaya Salad: just like Thailand, even with the crab and Thai chili peppers! IYKYK By around 7pm, this place was absolutely packed inside and out. Loved our dining experience here and will definitely be back to try more dishes.

From the moment you step inside, the energy is palpable--dynamic music sets the tone, creating a modern Vietnamese atmosphere. The menu is a creative journey through traditional Vietnamese dishes that taste just like home. The Vietnamese coffee is extremely good. I recommend the Coconut Coffee for those feeling bold. And it's not just about the food--this place knows how to make an impression in all areas. The restrooms are clean, spacious, and thoughtfully designed, offering a surprising level of comfort that's often overlooked in casual eateries. Service is very good. All staff members seem very attentive to everyone's needs. Combination of tasty food, great ambiance, and attention to detail (even in the restrooms) makes this restaurant stand out. Perfect for authentic Vietnamese cuisine while soaking up a lively atmosphere.

HEM, or hẻm, translates to "alley" in Vietnamese. If you were to ask a Vietnamese native what the word means to them, you might hear the word described as "a small road that branches out from a main one". This is a suitable name for this place because there are lots of little hẻm everywhere in Vietnam populated with food carts, and I think the theme here is street food. The atmosphere isn't typically the first thing I bring up in my reviews, but I must applaud the owner for how well they executed such an authentic modern Vietnam vibe. For the decor, they have all sorts of props such as a moped and tuk tuk on display. In the background, they have TVs playing snippets of street vendors preparing food. What I adore the most are the little plastic outdoor furniture in the front - you see these everywhere in Vietnam and it makes the environment feel lively when you see customers sitting outside having a good time. The food is authentic, bold, and dare I say... wild (in a good way). They do not shy away from prominent flavors derived from fish sauce or salted fermented crustacean parts. We ordered a seafood sampler (mostly bivalve mollusks), crispy pork, salad (with the salted fermented crab legs!), fried rice, and skewers. If I were to go again, I would probably order the same thing, plus a fancy drink. Everything was delicious, even the snails (which I typically find lack flavor). The BBQ pork was very crunchy and surprisingly not dry. Service was good. No complaints there! Although we had a large party, which required a mandatory tip, our waitress still boxed up our left overs without asking. Overall, the food, atmosphere, and service all played a part of a memorable foodie experience. I recommend coming here with a group of close friends who enjoy these types of flavors. Afterwards, if you still have room, walk down to Mia's and order some fresh cold sugar cane drinks to finish the night.

A must go place!! This restaurant gives you the tastiest Vietnamese street food. I got to try this place with my family and it was actually worth every penny. Form crispy pork belly.. to the dynamite mussels.. to the oysters.. papaya salad... garlic skewers... & many more street food items, everything tasted so good!! Each entree was about $16-20+.. not bad if you're doing family style anyway. The staff was fast and efficient, everything came out inna timely manner. I heard this place does get busy on weekends, but we came on a Tuesday night and it was not so busy! lol.. but the bathroom was pretty awesome- it had a huge selfie mirror with lighting features, as well as art and pictures all around the bathroom. I've never seen a bathroom like that before! Everything about the atmosphere and decor all had some meaning, almost like a glimpse of Vietnam. Which was cool to see. Side note- would love more truffle oil on the French fries!

Unfortunately I came during lunch so I was not served the night menu which contained all the actual viet cuisine one would come here for, so this review will be based on the pre-3pm lunch menu which is much more conventional viet affair. Really trendy looking place first of all, for the ambiance I found the price to be reasonable and food to be on par with what I would expect from bellaire. Drink selections were interesting as well and my lunch experience was good enough for me to want to come back during night hours for the full menu. Would I Go Out of My Way to Try? Yes Would I Return? Yes Ambiance- 10/10 Food Taste- 7/10 Service- 7/10 Value- 7/10

I'm not sure how their normal menu items are, as they only offer those for lunch. We visited during dinner time, and the menu was extremely limited, with about 90% of the options being play foods. However, the happy hour items were a great deal. Both the grilled oysters and fried chicken wings were good. I wouldn't recommend the fried chicken feet. While they are great as a dim sum item because they are steamed, they were extremely hard to eat when fried. The grilled skewer combo was okay. The decor ambiance is nice. It gives the street of Vietnam vibe. The services are ok. If you are looking for a dinner meal, this is NOT the place. If you are looking for a hang out drink and chat place with some interesting items to eat with, this is a good place to try.

This place is super cute and unique, gives off a modern Vietnamese street food vibes. Outside the restaurants that have some seating with small tables and chairs (which is seen in Vietnam almost everywhere). We ordered mainly street food dishes, really just Oc, and it was delicious. Presentation and flavor was great. The Oc Len Xao Dua was flavorful and creamy, I wish the Goi Oc we ordered had more oc, they were also cut pretty thinly so couldn't really taste the oc flavor, mainly just the mango and nuoc mam flavor. The Oc combo was a good deal, being able to get a variety of oc with different flavors, it was all good, my least favorite would be the oysters with cheese. But that's probably because I don't really like cheese like that. The service was great! Everyone was really kind and attentive, which surprised me considering how busy they were.

Excellent ! We enjoyed everything we ordered! Fresh and well balanced ! Everything we ordered complimented each other very well. Service here was great and attentive! Ambience atmosphere was lovely with a good crowd for Sunday dinner.

Vietnamese street food in a fun and lively atmosphere. Having passed by HEM many times over the years, I was always curious about what attracted so many here. Now I know. With good food and good service, this was a great experience. Shrimp fried rice: fried rice topped with grilled shrimp. Rice was well seasone and shrimp tasted fresh and snappy. Papaya salad: this dish was quite refreshing. There were fermented(?) raw crab legs which threw me off a bit but it worked. Fried pork belly: crispy thick pieces of pork that came with a sweet fish sauce dip. Hearty, crunchy, and delicious. Skewer medley: a mix of beef, chicken gizzards, pork slices, and okra. Well seasoned dish that came with a refreshing green sauce. I ended up dipping a lot of stuff in that green sauce. Oyster, scallop, mussel sampler: this one is a mix of cheesy oysters, orange sauce on mussels, and scallop with quail egg. The dish came with three pieces per type and is a good way to try a little bit of everything. Fun dinner!