Kim Tài

Kim Tai is easily one of those spots that reminds you why Houston has such an incredible food scene. The flavors here were really, really good across everything we tried. I asked our server for their personal favorite or recommendation, and the dish I was given did not disappoint at all. The menu had a spicy indicator for the dish, but once I tasted it, it wasn’t overly spicy in heat. Instead, it had deep, layered flavor, the kind of spice that builds complexity rather than just burning your mouth. If you appreciate bold flavors without everything being painfully hot, this hits the mark perfectly. We also tried fresh spring rolls and a comforting noodle soup, both of which were well-balanced, fresh, and satisfying. You can tell the kitchen really knows what it’s doing when it comes to seasoning and broth depth. The dining area itself isn’t very large, so seating is limited. When we went, it was during the lunch rush, and there was only one person managing the floor and register, so the wait was a bit longer but that was completely understandable given how busy it was. Overall, Kim Tai is a Houston staple for a reason. The food quality, flavor depth, and consistency make it one of the best Thai spots in the city, in my strong opinion. Definitely a place I’ll keep coming back to.

WOW!!!! Authentic x1000000. 40 years of service and i can see why. Thank you for your amazing food and great experience. The host was very nice and helpful. Vegan or fasting or carnivores they have it all for everyone. Prayers and blessings for another 40 years.

This is within walking distance of our home. We went for the first time recently and were amazed by everything we ordered. Everything tastes great! My husband ordered the Bahn Mi but he finished my soup because it was sooo good! And he typically doesn’t drink that much soup! The sauce for the rice cake is by far my favorite from different Vietnamese restaurants. The service is also very good, very friendly and fast.

This place was a happy accident. My husband and I took a chance with this restaurant and we were pleasantly surprised! Everything we had was delicious. Very authentic! If you're in the area you should stop by. I know we will go back.

We ordered banh mi sandwiches today, and they were delicious! We tried the grilled pork and beef, which were flavorful and well-made. I will definitely return to try other dishes from the menu. They offer parking, but with only 4-5 spaces available, it can sometimes be limited. Street parking is available in the surrounding area!

This old-styled Vietnamese restaurant offers many good Vietnamese dishes. I especially like “Duck Noddle Soup” (Mi Vit Tiem).

While the building was well loved and could use some care and updating, the food was outstanding. Being from south Louisiana, I’ve often been disappointed by food in Houston. I often find it white washed, lacking authenticity and layers of well developed flavors. This place is definitely an exception and worth a trip for sure.

Great mom and pop Vietnamese restaurant, one of the best in the downtown area. Good classic options, cheap, and great portion sizes. Highly recommend the noodle dishes. There is very limited parking and seating, but when we came in it wasn’t too busy. Owners are very nice, and we thoroughly enjoyed our lunch there.

After driving past this place for a year and wondering if it was good, I finally decided to order some food to go. I can't speak on the service but the food I had made me wish I had tried this place sooner. I tried the egg rolls and the Bo luc lac. The egg rolls I would give a 4/5 only because the cilantro was served on the side and I think I would preferred it in the egg roll or in the sauce? Just more incorporated than on the side. But a good appetizer for sure. The real star was the Bo luc lac. Absolute 5/5 for portion and flavor and can't wait to order it again. I was actually sad I didn't take any pictures so that I can share it with my friends and family. I'll definitely be ordering from Kim Tai again.

So first - not what I call the most authentic viet food, but still decently delicious and well portioned. The venue is very hole in the wall-ish, small parking lot (maybe 6 to 8 spots), just a few tables. Service was efficient and friendly, about what you expect for a venue that looks likes it's been places. Got the pho, rice plate, and combination banh mi. Pho was fairly large with plenty of beef, noodles, and broth. Broth was flavorful about what you expect. Beef was odd, imagine chunks instead of thin slices but was tender and good. Rice plate was also decently sized, chargrilled chicken had good flavor. Egg roll was nice and crispy. And the banh mi was ok... good size but needed some more flavor, think they went light on the mayo. Food did take a bit of time to come out, but probably a small kitchen and 1 cook so be prepared for that.

Large bug was found dead in a cold cut sandwich and the waiter acted like it was no big deal. Friend that recommended the place to me also experienced gastrointestinal issues later. Food was okay, but not worth gambling food poisoning over. I do not see how this place has 4 stars at all.

Omg amazing!! I'm so happy to have a viet restaurant less than ten minutes from my house. I happened to pass by it one day and it seemed like one of those hole in the wall restaurants. The menu is HUGE. The service was good and efficient as well. The food was great as well and very affordable. Their bot chien was sooo good. Will be back!

I'm happy Kim Tai isn't too far from my work! Their food is affordable, fresh, and tasty. It's a small family run business with great food. I really love the bo luc lac. The meat is tender and tossed in a really flavorful sauce. I also like their spring rolls and pork banh mi. Everyone there is really kind. The only downside is the parking is extremely limited but it's definitely worth a visit!

We had the grilled beef Bahn Mi and it was the best one we've had to far. The meat was so soft and delicious that me and my husband had to go back for another one. Didn't get a chance to take a picture of the food

Great little hole in the wall with great prices!! The lemongrass chicken was pretty good, a staple dish. It was pretty empty around 3 when we arrived but quickly filled up within the hour. Located right next to the red line rail station. They accidentally overcharged me, but was happy to correct it so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. I would go back!

Shrimp fried rice & Combination Pho is good. Cute little viet restaurant where the grandpa looking man I assume is the owner said they've been here 47 years and older than I am. Never been here and craving some shrimp fried rice which they have on their menu. Next time I gotta try the other extensive list of items they have. Wouldn't have expected but they have boiled crawfish here too. Next time! Parking is tight with only a small amount of parking spaces in front of the restaurant. There's also street parking if you know how to parallel....luckily I didn't have to attempt that yet. But I would for a cute little hole in the wall restaurant like this.

Wow. Super sketchy outside, but don't let that steer you away. This is now my go-to viet place. We had their banh mi dac biet- delicious!!!!! Pho was average. Bun bo hue was top notch, best in midtown, highly recommend to try. I would love to come back to try their other dishes. On another note, their service is slow so keep that in mind. Food price- this is how it should be. Feels like prior inflation. Banh mi was like five dollars!!

I'm from out of state, I was looking for a good banh mi dac biet and also ordered some cha gio to go. The cha gio was incredible! On its own, very well flavored, wrapped in lettuce and dipped in Nước mắm (theirs was unique, floating garlic and pepper seeds, a touch sweet, tangy); off the charts! Great sandwich packed with delicious meats, toppings and all planted in a good crusty bread. Service was quick! I highly recommend you check out this quaint spot!

This place is awesome. Very much no frills and family run restaurant but a great place for lunch with friends every day. The food here is even better. We tried a few things and literally loved them all. Grilled beef Banh Mi - so fresh and delicious. Tofu banh mi (we added pate) - my husband is not a fan of tofu and even he thought this banh mi was really good Tomato and beef with flat noodles - this is a spicy dish that we've never had elsewhere before but it's full of flavor Rock and roll beef - must order! It's one of our go to dishes. And the fried rice is delicious with it. In general this place is delicious with very reasonable prices. Highly recommend!

Yummmm, this small "hole in the wall" restaurant had great food and great service!! I especially enjoyed the egg rolls, wontons, and their sesame balls!!! The beef pho + combination noodle soup both came with a lot of meat, which was tender and warm and perfect for a cold day!! The rice plates offered a variety of flavors (and look how perfect that egg is). The sesame balls contain mung bean and were so delicious. They're bigger than they look in the photo. We finished everything so fast and left feeling very satisfied. Will definitely be coming back!!

Pleasant surprise. Yelp isn't giving this place enough credit. Yes it's a hole in the wall. But it's 1) very affordable 2) has a certain hole in the wall charm and 3) surprisingly delicious. We had the beef pho, the beef lu lac and the beef bahn mi. All delicious. The lu lac was extraordinary and a steal at $12. The service was better than you'd think for a hole in the wall. It was pretty busy considering we went on a Sunday mid afternoon, but it should be line out the door and down the street with this combination of food and price. Easiest 5 star review in a while. We need to go back soon to try more dishes.

Delicious tofu dish with perfectly cooked veggies. The sauce is yummy! Hot jasmine tea was a perfect compliment on a cold day.

This food is not as good as it used to be 10yrs ago. The shrimp are farm raised. My shrimp fried rice tasted old and flavorless with the audacity to have a little heat. You pay $10 for shrimp fried rice and only half the container is filled with food. Paid extra for extra egg and didn't get that. The fried shrimp was doughy and flavorless. I will not be back.

Great hole in the wall spot with a robust menu (lots of options, veggie friendly) and nice staff! We tried the spring rolls with shrimp, combo banh mi, rock and roll beef with fried rice, and combo pho. Spring rolls - Well made and tasted fresh, but I was expecting a peanut sauce instead of just straight up hoisin sauce Combo banh mi - Delicious! Even better if you dip it in the pho! Bread was fresh and they were generous with toppings Rock and roll beef with fried rice - The sauce was very flavorful and portions were generous. I enjoyed this dish, but I think the banh mi and pho were better in my opinion. Combo pho - Very flavorful and savory broth. Hit the spot! In terms of ambiance, this place is very small and feels family run and cozy. It's not sparkling clean, but as it is hole-in-the-wall vibes that's part of the charm. Be prepared to be packed in tight at the tables. We had a group of 6, and we did have to wait a while for the food to come out, and not everyone's came out at once. I'm sure they were fielding many to-go orders as well. The place had customers streaming in and out the whole time we were there! When you're ready to leave, you go up and pay at the counter. Heads up, the parking lot is small, but you can probably find street parking or a nearby lot to stop at. I think this spot is great for takeout and if you need some comfort food. The restaurant space itself is not the cleanest, but the food was excellent and well priced, and I think it's the perfect place to stop by for casual and comforting food with your friends and family. Would love to come back and recommend for anyone looking for great, authentic Vietnamese in Houston.

Great place and probably the best Vietnamese food in Houston. This place is right by my house and it's super close and one of my favorite places to go for lunch!

Such a great hole in the wall restaurant for Vietnamese comfort food! My friend recommended this place and Mai's as his go-to restaurants. Since I went to Mai's the week before, decided to try the "mom and pop" restaurant this time around. Fair amount of parking and seating for about 8 parties of 4. Menu is varied and very thorough. There were so many options to choose from! Decided to be basic and got the steak and tendon pho. My friend got the stewed duck and yuchoy egg noodle soup, mom got a steak pho and we shared 2 apps - the spring rolls and egg & fried rice cake dish. If you ask for extra bean sprouts and Thai basil, they'll definitely give you more! The spring rolls were so good! Homemade and delishly filled to the brim with juicy pork, shrimp and squid bits. I don't generally like spring rolls (more of a throwaway app where alot of restaurants refry store bought rolls or really skimp on the stuffing) but these were bomb! Fried egg & rice cake dish was interesting....not really my cup of tea but a familiar taste when dunked in the soy-based dipping sauce. Pho broths were well salted and had pretty okay umami flavor. Tried a bit of friend's duck broth soup - very rich and smoky! Would like to order that myself next time, but prefer rice noodles over the egg noodles. Price was fairly reasonable - $44 without tip!!! Such a great deal! They also go very light on the msg or don't put it in at all. Definitely, a better gastronomic experience than the one at Mai's! Support mom and pops! It's just great food and honest service.

Kinda divey. Kinda dingy. Kinda run-down. No frills. Limited parking. Clearly does a lot of take-out business. Fast service. The place was full of Houston Police officers eating at lunch, so you KNOW the food is going to be amazing. I had the daily special-house special rice. It was delicious. I'm going back for certain.

They forgot my báhn mì (shredded chicken) and no straw for my drink. As well no sauces.

Everything is served hot and fresh. My current favorite is A4.The Rice cake. A total yum!

I came recently to this restaurant with my parents for lunch. The location is small but cozy. It's located closer to downtown and parking is not super ample on the lot but we didn't have any issues. We ordered the banh bot chien, wonton soup, and Kim Tai fried rice. All of the dishes were delicious and gave a very strong comfort food sense. It made me miss home and my parents (even though they were eating with me ). My favorite dish was the banh bot chien. It's a bit different from what I've had before since the rice cake is crunchier which gives a really nice texture. I'm glad I came with my parents and I'd highly recommend checking this place out if you're seeking to find good, Vietnamese comfort food!

The place looks unassuming, but if you happen to venture in, prepare yourself for some amazing food. My fiancé and I used to work at the neighboring bars and would habitually eat here. Their bahn mi is the best I've had in Houston! If you're feeling under the weather ask for the special hot soup.... Make sure you're close to a bathroom because it will clear all of the sickness from your body, if you know what I mean. Their pho is pretty amazing as well and I can't wait to have it again. They don't skimp on meat, noodles or toppings. 10/10 recommend.

I found the counter/bar dirty. Also, one employee was eating behind the counter. I ordered noodles with tofu and veggies. The taste was just ok; however, I'm glad the tofu was fried. Parking is limited. I did like the limeade and they're not trying to gouge prices. A big cup is $3.

Flavours of my wonton egg noddle soup was authentic and intense. LOVED it! I can ONLY eat wonton when the wrappers are super thin (pictured), that the wonton skin is almost transparent. Not too big on pre-packaged soy sauce, but at least they had soy sauce. Just waiting on my banh mi.

I ordered to go but it was such a great experience. As picture you can see they give you packets of hoisin and sriracha. The broth is package separate so you can reheat if needed at home and to not make your food soggy. I also got chicken wontons which were so crispy and came with a delicious sauce. This is such a wonderful business to support!

Amazing food. Bahn Mi with tofu and with egg are great. Parking lot is small but usually you can find something.

Food is good. Price is very good. Do not expect Service (very slow) and should not go when you super hungry because you will wait very long for food I waited more than 30 minutes for just one dish.

Food was incredible and service is on point! Crawfish came out perfect and their Pho broth hit the spot.

We started out with Banh Bot Chien, a Vietnamese street-food of crispy and chewy rice cakes surrounded by an omelet-style amount of eggs and green onions. I didn't care too much for the eggs but I like to dip the rice cake with the dipping sauce that comes with it. For my entree, I got the Duck Noodle Soup. You get a duck drumstick. The bone was still cold. The broth was flavorful but a little sriracha and lime would make it taste so much better. I don't think they provide any condiments unless you ask. My sister got the Pork and Egg and she likes her food. We also ordered the seafood noodle soup for the little ones. The restaurant is a true hole in the wall. You have the whole family working. We waited for a while for our food to come out. We had to remind them that we ordered coffee and the seafood noodle soup for the kids. I had to feed my nephew my noodles while they prepared the kids food. We all left still hungry. The portion was small so I would get some appetizers to go with the entree. The Vietnamese coffee tasted diluted. Service was not great. Parking is very limited also.

Drove past this dumpy exterior for years. Usually the best places are in these dumpy exteriors, so I finally have it a shot. Wow is all I can say. This or Hughie's is my favorite wonton soup! Big ole' wontons and several of them in each cup. For my entree, I've only gone with the firecracker beef or chicken. Sooo good, I have adventured to try anything else. Even their jasmine iced tea is great! Service is hit or miss, but I enjoyed the food so much I didn't dock it a star. Parking can be a little difficult if there busy, the venue is tiny.

The meatball pho, and the combination banh mi are awesome!! We have them for dinner at least once per week, and sometimes more often!!

Got off the metro at a random stop and decided to try a new place. This place is AMAZING. I got the bun thit nuong cha gio and both the thit nuong and the cha gio were unique and delicious. The thit had more lemongrass than average which I loved and the pork in the egg rolls were very well seasoned. Really glad I stopped in here, I'll bring my parents next time, I think they'll like it a lot.

The service was great but the pho wasn't extremely good, kind of bland. The dumplings and spring rolls were amazing though!

Best food in life !! 10/10 would recommend. Cooked with love if I could I would eat here every day !

I like this place for their salt and peppered friend shrimp, their wonton soup is great, and their shaking beef dish is amazing. Only bad thing that would change my review is that for pick ups it takes about 10 minutes longer than they say it will take, like I don't care if its a 25 minutes wait for pickup just say that instead if 15. Other than that the food is great!

Do Not SSTOP here, very dirty place, arrived home with food and hair was in the stir fried noodles, very unpleasant and unacceptable!!!!! Customer Beware

I got the shrimp vermicelli dish, it was delicious however the next 36 hours made me wish I had never step foot anywhere near this establishment. I couldn't keep anything down including water, I legitimately thought I was going to die. Please for your own safety just don't eat here or maybe avoid this dish.

Authenticity at its finest. Good quality Vietnamese food made by real people. We visited on a Thursday afternoon and were greeted by the owner & daughter themselves. They said they've been around for over 26 years. Bo luc lac was great and 10/10 would order again. We also ordered the combination fried rice and veggie/tofu fried rice, the latter of which had a mix of fresh vegetables such as bell pepper, cucumber, etc. in it. I preferred the combo fried rice more. We waited for about 15-20 minutes for our takeout. I didn't mind this at all as the service we had was much more personable than Les Givral's. We were also pleasantly surprised when we found out they included a free egg roll with the combo fried rice. Parking can be tricky as the lot is smaller. However, despite its appearance, I would not skip out on this homely restaurant. Decent food, no frills, and a good experience -- knowing you are supporting real people and a real family.

Best pho broth I've had. Their crawfish are huge and very well seasoned. Parking can be an extreme sport here, but it's worth it!

One of the dopest most delicious Viet restaurants in the city!!! If you are a guest to the city and have never had Houston's Vietnamese cuisine you have to try here first. From their rice dishes ,soups(pho), and or, banh mi sandwiches. This is the spot to check out in midtown. Hands down my favorite when in the city :) They will always treat you with respect and love. A family owned restaurants that is to modest to flaunt.

Authentic hidden gem that as dive as you can get. Nothing fancy but one of the best spots for the prices. Everything was delicious! The duck pho was one of the best I've ever had! The broth was so balanced and savory I asked for more to put in my Yeti! Perfect for dipping our bun mi. The spring rolls were fresh and dumpling perfectly crispy! Overall if you're looking for a super cheap spot with really good food check this spot out.

Kim Tai is my favorite Vietnamese restaurant in Houston when I'm wanting something more than pho. While I've made some friends nervous by pulling up to this hole-in-the-wall, family-owned restaurant in a somewhat precarious part of Midtown, we've always left happy with full stomachs. The banh mi is cheap, delicious (~$3.25), and rivals Les Givral's. This place also introduced me to the deliciousness that is banh bot chien (savory rice cakes cooked with eggs dipped in fish sauce/soy sauce). They also serve perfectly crispy egg rolls dipped in fish sauce and refreshing spring rolls. Their large portion of duck noodle soup (soy sauce based soup) is also popular. My personal favorite however, is the chargrilled pork over rice with egg (R15). There's something about pouring fish sauce over the chargrilled pork and mixing it with the runny egg yolk and rice. And to top it all off, you get two eggrolls to enjoy in between bites (and who doesn't like eggrolls). While I'd personally try to avoid coming after dark, I'll definitely continue to be making trips to this homey establishment that serves some of the best Vietnamese food I've ever had.

Don't get me wrong I enjoy this place. A hole on the wall mom and pop authentic Vietnamese cuisine. But I am so disappointed today. I called 430p to place an order and be picked up at 530p. That is one hour. Regardless how busy they are, 1h is more than enough to cook a 15min dish to make and 10min sesame ball t po fry. The point is, the waiting. Ofc it took more than 15min to get my order done. Frustrated yes. I may not order for pick for awhile. DISMAY lots! When I got inside they don't seem to know what i was talking about. If not that I really wanted to eat the sesame ball....I would've left. I almost did not leave a tip..yes for what it's for picked up!. But I did.

Mom and pop shop, diamond in the rough kind of place. Crawfish is top 3 in my opinion and I've eating all over Houston. $8/lb.

Good hole in the wall vietnamese chinese fusion resto. I really like everything I have tried so far. Just lacking in the parking space department. So really good for take out.

Years later, I am still excited and look forward to eating here. This place holds such a dear spot in my heart and tummy. The food and the family vibes, I wholeheartedly appreciate. And truth be told, when I lost my Duchess status, I was genuinely sad and to be frank, flabbergasted at the person who frequented more than me! But I digress, it has been awhile since I've dined here, but as of today I hold the Duchess title! (Yay me.) Kudos to this mom and pop restaurant for keeping me wanting more!

This is a hidden gem. We cleaned our plates with joy! There should be a line out the door for this spot. Well done.

I really feel like I got all the wrong dishes and i would like to give this restaurant another chance.. Unfortunately I didn't have the best experience here though. I ordered the chicken and rice dish. The chicken was very dry and I was surprised its wasn't grilled. The chicken tasted like pho soup chicken, which is usually like brick. Most viet chicken and rice plates all serve grilled chicken... And the fried rice wasn't the best. Had a bit of an odd smell to it. The sauce was good though! The bun bo hue soup was just average too. The color didn't look right and the taste was just like regular beef pho. I did, however, like their egg and rice cake appetizer. Had a bit of Tan Tan vibe to it! Anyways, maybe I'll come back another day and give it another shot.