Tainan Bistro

Lovely, authentic Taiwanese cuisine The owner is so friendly and heartwarming. Portions are quite generous and the food tastes great while being extremely affordable. I’ve tried the salt and paper fried chicken nuggets and it’s always well-seasoned, freshly fried, and juicy. The pork bento box features massive portion sizes with two pork chops, numerous tender pieces of vegetables, and more. It’s a true hole-in-the-wall place so the atmosphere isn’t the most upscale. There’s plenty of seating, it’s clean, and there’s self-serve soup but it could use a makeover.

Upon entering the restaurant, we were immediately greeted by the friendly owner. There is a wide range of Taiwanese dishes that ranged from street foods to restaurant dishes. There’s a self-serving section with water, sauces, utensils and complimentary soup (egg drop with tomato; it tasted similar to what my mom made at home growing up). We ordered the stomach, oyster vermicelli noodle soup (豬肚蚵仔麵線）, braised pork rice (肉粽飯), tempura with fried chicken (甜不辣鹹酥雞) and the pork chop steak. The owner also incredibly generous and served us homemade Taiwanese sausage to try out. The flavours of all the dishes we ordered were authentic and reminded me of home. Portions were generous and pricing is affordable. Highly recommend this gem of a place. We will definitely visit again to try out other dishes!

Tainan bistro is a hidden gem! As a Taiwanese, this place totally reminds me of childhood. You cannot beat how affordable this place is. The quality resembles home cooked meals and truly was so delicious. Portion was great. I eat a lot and I left full. Definitely worth a visit for some authentic Taiwanese/Chinese food

The food made me miss home. The chicken was so juicy, and the eggs were excellent. It was true Taiwanese-style food, and my girlfriend and I had a very satisfying lunch.

Tainan Bistro is hands down the best place for Taiwanese-style food in Houston! I’ve been coming here once a week, and it never disappoints. Their 3 Cup Chicken is absolutely phenomenal... perfectly cooked with incredible flavor. The dishes are always fresh, authentic, and satisfying. The staff is friendly, the service is quick, and the atmosphere is cozy. If you’re craving authentic Taiwanese cuisine, this is the spot. Highly recommend!

The owner is super friendly, the portions are generous, the menu is incredibly diverse, and the place is filled with authentic Taiwanese flavors.

We’ve been visiting this place many times now—sometimes once a week. As a Taiwanese myself, I would say it’s truly a gem with lots of Taiwanese street food that is hard to find elsewhere. Overall, the taste is pretty authentic (of course, not comparing to the ones I had in Taiwan but comparing to other ones I’ve tried in the US cities). Our favorite has been their chicken/beef steak on a hot plate! The noodles and sauce are both pretty good—a hearty meal I would recommend to everyone :)

This is a place to go when you feel homesick. Owner has always been friendly and warm, with a smiling face. Bento with 2 veggies and 2 meats has good flavors and portions, filling for an adult male. Sizzling steak tastes like back home. Steak could be a bit more tender and black pepper sauce was a bit too spicy for my personal taste. But like I indicated previously, you go there for the sense of home. I am a repeat patron.

I wish there is a Tainan Bistro where I live. During our recent trip to Dallas area, we swung by Houston and decided to give Tainan Bistro a try before driving back home. The restaurant is actually a lot bigger than I expected. There is a section of bento type food selection and then you can also order dishes off the menu, which is what we did. For dine in, we tried braised beef noodle soup, minced pork and rice, and a dried tofu stir fried dish. After a few bites of the food, I knew I had to place a to go order because I wanted to try so many more. We walked away with like...four bags of food. I had some of them portioned out so they are sitting in my freezer so I can have it when I have Taiwanese food cravings. I will point out also that I am not a fan of mi fen (rice vermicelli), but the nice gentleman suggested I try it, so I ordered one and omg, one of the best I've ever had. Love this place!

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

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

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

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

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

We have been ordering delivery from Tainan Bistro for months, and I have to say that the food is always in point. The Fried Chicken Steak is nicely seasoned to be savory and spicy and fried to perfection. The Lion's Head meatballs are huge and delightful. The Braised Egg has a hint of 5 Spice along with soy sauce and smoky tea flavors. The Chinese Rice Box is the ultimate bargain, with 4 different meat and vegetable dishes with steamed rice. It is a surprise as to what the chef chooses to serve in each box, and each box easily feeds 2-3 people. We are very pleased every time we receive our delivery from Tainan Bistro.

Agree with the rest of the reviews about prices and portions. You get a lot for your money here. There's a lot of variety on the menu to explore as well, and most of the items we've ordered tasted very decent for the price. For the price and portions, you're giving up on ambiance. This place looks like it was stuck in the 80's or 90's. And that's perfectly fine if you're just here for the food and value!

The house special beef soup is my staple order here. It's served with tender chunks of beef, a hearty broth, noodles with the right amount of firmness / bounce and vegetables like bok Choy and grilled onions. They also have excellent dumplings and bento dishes on their menu

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

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

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

Absolute gem of a location if you're looking for Taiwan cuisine. My favorite dishes are the beef noodle soup and beef noodle dumplings. Like everything, they've increased their prices due to inflation but portion wise they're still giant portions that will leave you full. Broth was rich and there is plenty of space for large gatherings or just a meet up with friends.

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

Very delicious and affordable hole in the wall Taiwanese restaurant that sell different rice plates. The portions are huge and includes a bit of everything such as the meat, rice, veggies, pickled veggies, and an egg. I've had the popcorn chicken rice plate and the pork chop rice plate. I feel like the popcorn chicken used to have more flavor a while ago, but it seems to be less seasoned on my last couple visits. It's still very good however I would prefer how they seasoned it more back then. I would definitely come here for lunch especially if you want a quick budget meal that will fill you up! They also have a lunch bento option where you pick two meats and two vegetables if you're looking for more of a variety for lunch for about $6 to $8.

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

Fast and friendly service Generous portions Great variety of styles of food during lunch on the weekends, not many customers are eating indoors but there is plenty of space Buns and dumplings are authentic and handmade

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

We got several dishes to share - Oyster Omelette, Oyster Vermicelli, Taiwanese Sausage, Scallion Pancake, Salt Brined Chicken, Wonton Soup, Beef Noodle Soup, Dumplings. Everything is delicious & tastes authentic. This food brings me back to hot summer Taiwan days eating on tiny chairs/tables on the side of the street. Its unfortunate we can't travel in this pandemic but thanks, Tainan Bistro, for giving me a taste of Taiwan!! It's the next best thing. Will 100% be back next time I'm in town!

Stable of Chinatown OG restaurant. Good and cheap. Cash only. Don't expect good decorative. Staff is nice.

We usually come for the bento $6 for two meat and two veggies plate. I decided to get the rice vermicelli soup since it was cold! Such a big bowl and the broth was quite tasty. My husband had his usual entree with meat ball, deep fried fish, green beans and bitter melon. The lady gave him so much rice. They have complimentary soup, and help yourself with the plastic ware. Good food, great value and nice folks! Owner is from Tainan and he's often by the register.

Wondering aimlessly around the plazas on bellaire blvd looking for food, per Thursday usual, I stopped in the metropole center (home to mala schezuan) and parked by Tainan. Decided to see what's inside -- and glad I did! It's $6 for 2 veggies x 2 meats rice plate special... huge portion! 4/5 stars just for price. What a bargain! Y'all just be careful 'cause I feel like there's something wrong with this particular plaza. People forget how to drive here. Smh

Nothing like Tainan at all. The worst sesame noodle I have ever eaten in a restaurant. Don't waste your time and money.

As a Taiwanese American, I was disappointed to see the food quality and selection. There was a lack of traditional Tainan dishes such as stinky tofu and eel noodles. The interior reminded me of a hole-in-the-wall place. The menu was obscenely long. Some of the bread rolls were frozen and not fresh. The dishes came in very large portions. One dish could be shared with four people. The mei fun noodles were decent. The minced chicken roll was lukewarm and lacked flavor. The black vinegar was the worst I've had and tasted as if it were expired. I think they have potential. It would be better if they shortened their menu and focused on a improving some dishes. It should be more about the quality of food rather than quantity of food.

What a great place for some fresh buns, noodles, and rice! There aren't that many Taiwanese restaurants in houston and Tainan Bistro is really great. The owner is super sweet too! I love their pork fried buns and Taiwanese fried popcorn chicken. Always so fresh! Their rice noodle is always so tasty and if you like bento boxes, they have those too. What a gem!

Stopped by on a Sunday afternoon only to find the place closed. Please update your hours!

Went around 5:30 for an early dinner on a weekday and the place was quite deserted. There's only one English menu and it was taped to the counter, so here's your heads up if you're a non-Chinese speaker. Friend and I shared a bowl of bean sauce noodles, a rice plate with the purple rice ($5.5 for 2 vege sides and 2 meat sides), a scallion bun and a leek dumpling that were next to the cash register. Neither of us had cash and we were trying to make the $15 minimum.. Needless to say, we were stuffed and couldn't even finish everything. All the sides reminded me of home. They used 3 different types of noodles for the bean sauce noodle, which wasn't as flavorful as I'm used to. We were super indecisive and the uncle behind the counter was super patient and friendly and did not mind us taking our time and me translating for my friend. Will def be back with cash for the rice plates and the buns!

Holy mother of cheap, delicious, food! I came here with a few other Yelpers and between all of us, I got to try a few of their dishes and they were all delicious! And cheap! And they give you big portions! The dumplings? Yes! The dumpling soup? Yes! The noodles? Yes! The chicken fried steak over rice? Oh Em Gee, YES PLEASE!!! This restaurant is counter service only so don't expect any service because everything is self serve. Get your own water, utensil, napkins, etc. The only thing the staff will do is take your order, deliver your food, and take away the dirty plates. Downside? $15 MINIMUM for credit card charge. Like, what?! Seriously?! How many dishes do I need to get before i can use my credit card? Three? What if I wanted to dine alone and didn't have any cash?

Delicious!!! They are so delicious! A friend recommend the place for their Bao. They are not only taste great but also at reasonable price range All $29 dollars!!! Staff members are very friendly ~

Good service and affordable prices. We love their food specially the vegetarian noodles

Great prices and portions. During my first ever visit, I got the beef noodle soup which was absolutely delicious. Flavorful broth, tender beef, and chewy noodles were exactly what I was looking for. I will say they could update the decor a little bit, but other than that I can't wait to try the other things in the menu!

I keep coming back to this place, and everything I've eaten here has been delicious! Not to mention at a GREAT price (around $7 for a big portion). Here are a few things that I've tried and loved (photos attached): - Beef Noodle Soup (牛肉麵) - Bean Sauce Noodle (炸醬麵) - Oyster omelette (蚵仔煎): my mom's favorite! - Taiwanese fried noodles (米粉) with veggies and tofu: warning, big portions! - Pan-fried bao (煎包): I always take these to-go and store them in my fridge, perfect for lunch or an afternoon snack. The food is delicious, and the people here are so kind and friendly. Don't overlook this place!

Welcome Tainan Bistro 味佳香 to Chinatown. Although I'm not an expert with food from Tainan, but y'all hear me talk loudly with really good Taiwanese food. After departure of Taiwanese Yummy Kitchen 頂好小館, I received so many questions asking "where to find authentic Taiwanese food?" Especially for Metropole Center, there are cuisines from Hubei, Hunan, Hong Kong, Sichuan, Shanghai, Beijing and Xinjiang. Early this year, I discovered this Tainan Bistro. So, I updated my blog. https://iyelpalot.blogspot.com/2016/06/biz-at-metropole-center.html?m=1 I first heard about a Taiwanese restaurant opening from a co-owner of B10, the former restaurant at this location. I call this a benefit of my networking skill. So, my eyes were on this location. I told Mr. Hsu, the owner of Tainan Bistro about this story. He was happy. I'm here mostly for the lunch box $5.50 for 2 meats, 2 vegetables and choice of rices. It's either 5 grain rice or steamed rice. Although there ain't much meat in Taiwanese food, but I like every dish they offer. The buns are more moist than Shandong Noodle House, maybe it's because they're all freshly made. The prices are very reasonable. I can't eat too much starch, but the ones I tried were so delicious. I often share them at work, because they're sold in a group of 6 or 8. Besides what you see in the front, raise your head to read the menu board for cook-to-order items. If you want them in English, look for bilingual menu on the counter. It's much easier than using a Google Translator app. For this, I give them a high five. Every summer, I struggled to find a really good Taiwanese restaurant in Chinatown for my annual #TimeForTaiwan #ChinatownCrawl UYE. Yup, you guessed it. Stay tuned for my announcement. The following Chinese review is not a translation my English version: 我期待的台灣小吃終於來到休斯頓了。自從頂好小館離開之後, 這個購物中心卻少一個專門台菜飯店。我最喜歡快餐便當。 兩素兩葷才$5.50, 加了稅不到六塊錢。又好吃又省錢。味佳香, 贊! **18th review of 2017**

Yum!!! Ordered popcorn chicken meal. Delicious!!! My family and I love eating here. Will return for sure.

Similar to Star Snow with self serve drinks and utensils, you can either order at the cafeteria line or at the counter where the menu is. I got the beef noodle soup which is my favorite one in Houston. It's a big bowl with lots of noodles and veggies but could use more beef chunks. I usually get like 5-6 pieces in it. The soup is super flavorful and I can drink the whole thing (even if I shouldn't). I don't speak mandarin and the checkout people don't really speak English well so sometimes it's hard conversing with them but I just talk slow or point at the menu. The one on the wall is all in Chinese but the one taped to the counter has English.

Old staple in China town. Plenty of seats in the restaurant. Cleanness however is lacking in the restaurant. They have both cafeteria or you can ordered from the kitchen. Simple modest but they served the most tasty Taiwanese street food in this side of town. Oh yeah most economical restaurant in China town . Minced pork sitting on top of bowl of steam rice with braise egg and simple boil baby bok choy is simple yet divine. Want cheap and delicious food with traditional Chinese music to relax your day this is the place. I would be back to try more stuff on the menu,

Hidden away in one of the older Chinatown plazas in what used to be a Vietnamese restaurant (B10 cafe anyone?), Tai Nan Bistro is a simple and modest restaurant that serves some of most tasty and affordable food in Bellaire! They offer bags of buns (baozi, mantou, and even chive pockets), dumplings, and side dishes for you to grab-and-go, but also an impressive menu of food made to order. Various noodles (beef, sesame, black bean, etc.) and rice dishes, bento boxes-- any of the "regular" dishes you see at other restaurants, they'll probably have it. A meal ranges anywhere between $5 (!!) to $8, and the portions are massive! I wanted to keep this my little secret, but sharing is caring... My go-to at Tai Nan Bistro is their a la carte bento boxes, where you peek at what they have offered and pick 1 meat/protein + 2 vegetables, and it comes with a whopping load of white rice (or pay 50 cents more for purple rice). The lady always gives me huge portions, so I end up paying $6 for maybe 4 or 5 pounds worth of food (not kidding) that lasts me two meals! It's fun to see what they have offered when you walk in, and if you're ever needing some more veggies in your diet, this is an easy and yummy way to get them in :D The workers are always nice and smiling, and I have heard some of them speak English, although somewhat broken English. The point-to-order technique would work for those bento boxes. Some of the menu specials are only written in Chinese, so bonus points if you bring in a friend who can read! I will have to say the ambiance is less than desirable... Hopefully one day they'll remodel? So don't plan to dine in--check out this unassuming little bistro and then do take out and enjoy your meal (or possibly two) at home with a full belly and still-full pocket! :)

This place reminds me of home. Their beef noodle soup is full of flavor...it has pickle cabbage which has a hint sweetness and acidity, fatty beef that melts in your mouth, the smoothest noodle you'll ever slurp on, and a hot umami broth. This is my go to Taiwanese dish! It cheers me up every time I eat it!

I grew up on this place, and I'm so glad nothing has really changed since I was little. Everything is affordable and tastes authentic. Their portions are huge but they don't chicken out on flavor. I especially love their bakery selection with their variety of bao zi. If you do come here, prepared to pay with cash, as most old shops accept cash only.

For those who likes fancy restaurants, this place may not be for you. But this place is definitely for you who are looking for typical Chinese food that your mom cooked at home. On top of a la carte menu, they have also the daily deli menu. You would get 1 rice box with 2 types of meat and 2 veggies on very affordable price. So i normally ordered 2 rice boxes for same day meal, and i ordered another 2-3 a la carte menu for next day meal as it can be easily reheated. I was also impress the way the man in the cashier address the food i was looking for as i couldn't really figured out what i wanted in the menu. He asked me the ingredients that i wanted and he helped me to select what i wanted. Not a typical Chinese restaurant service that normally don't care about customer. Keep up the good work and maintain the service please!

We bought two items, and we were disappointed with both. 1. Healthy buns (養身饅頭). These are the saddest healthy buns I have ever seen. Other places sell these buns filled with Gogi berries and assorted nuts. The ones sold here had nothing, unless you put the buns under microscope. I guess if you squinted hard enough, you might spot a trace of Gogi berry buried inside the bun somewhere... if you are lucky. 2. Smoked chicken (薰雞). The smoked chickens were sold in boxes, and we were told that each box contained a whole chicken, not half. But tell me, how come there was only one drumstick in the box, and the amount of chicken you got was about half the size sold at other restaurants? Congrats on finding a new breed of genetically modified chicken with one leg. We are always willing to support local restaurants, but this place is a hard pass.

It's been years since I've even ventured into this center. So when I was looking for a new place to try I saw this place and punched it into my GPS. Imagine my surprise when I saw where it was located. This space has gone through so many incarnations over the years and now it's a noodle, fried rice, dumpling kind of place. Your traditional mandarin style family owned restaurant that serves some of the best food! Reviews are great! Because I really do read them before trying places out and these reviews are pretty spot on! If you like noodle soups, fried rice, dumplings etc at a very reasonable price with huge portion sizes, this is a place to check out! One note to pay attention to. The menus on the board are all in Chinese and if you don't read Chinese ask for the English menu. They do have them. And being an ABC I had to do that. Although I do know how to pronounce beef noodle soup in mandarin! Speaking of the beef noodle soup. The noodles taste homemade. On site. And the broth is not salty like some places I've been to. It reminded me of the soup my dad used to whip up when I was a kid! Really good stuff! They also have a condiment bar where you can self serve your water and hot sauces as well as treat yourself to some really delicious free soup! A sort of egg drop with tomatoes that is really good! All in all a really good experience! The staff are nice and very helpful! Check it out! But beware of the parking. Pretty crowded. Especially on the weekend!

I watched one of the workers microwave a dish, then empty the contents into a to-go box....and then put it into the bag that was for me and handed it to me. Absolutely nasty. We also got some of those buns with veggie and meat filling, and the inside had started to go bad and was sour. never coming back and recommend you don't either.

Inexpensive foods here but i sure have had better Taiwanese fare else where in town. Zha jiang mian was flavorful in the meat sauce and al dente in the noodles; loved it. Pork chop over rice was not bad; the pork chop was pan-fried rather than deep-fried and cooked just good as in still juicy and not chewy at all. Disappointing was the minced pork rice; the sauce was a little bland and the leafy vegetable on the side was overcooked and looked kinda gross.

Authentic Taiwanese food here. My personal favorite is the chicken fried steak served with rice and veggies. Fresh food and good customer service.

Transported back to Taiwan at this restaurant. Food and service are homey and authentically Taiwanese. You know it's the real deal when the restaurant blasts Teresa Teng songs your entire dinner. Our favorite things to order are: 1. Scallion bun 2. Zha jiang mian 3. Fried chicken combo 4. Fried pork chop combo 5. Steamed vegetable dumplings 6. Potstickers w pork & cabbage 7. Boiled dumplings w pork & chives They also have a station with assorted dishes where you can order 2 meat and 2 veggies for $5.50; perfect for don't-feel-like-cooking nights. Prices, portions, and service are why we keep going back to Tainan Bistro.

Highly recommended! Very good, very cheap Taiwanese food. A friend mentioned this place and I wanted to try something new as we were in a rush to have dinner. We ordered at the counter from the menu but they do have a cafeteria-style pick and choose 2meat/2veggies/rice lunch special (also avail for dinner) for $5.50. Menu was overwhelming, but the counter top does have some helpful photos. We had the pork chop combo ($7) and the fried chicken. Both came with 2 veggies, minced meat, and a braised egg. Free soup, water/hot tea, utensils and sauces are available in the dining area. Food was very filling and we didn't get to finish all of our food. Portions are BIG! Food was very good. It was like homestyle cooking which I truly enjoy. The fried chicken was crispy and juicy and the pork chop was moist and slightly sweet. I wanted to try more items but we were in a rush and traveling so no way we could take it along. Definitely will be back to explore the menu. Prices are very reasonable. Staff was so polite and helpful. They are also very family friendly here. They have clean high chairs and the dining area seats 50+. I imagine they are busy during lunch time. No frills kinda restaurant but they DO take credit cards with min. $15 purchase. 5 stars for value, service, and taste. We will be back for sure!

Zain R., Belly G. and I worked together to try about a half dozen dishes at this place. For the most part, I echo Belly G.'s review but perhaps I'm a little pickier. The fried chicken dish was delicious, a must try for something unexpected as a Taiwanese place. The dumplings were great, both the beef fried ones and the beef soup ones, but I'd personally lean a little more towards the fried. The noodles were alright, but didn't wow me. Just not that flavorful. The fried rice was pretty good, but mostly just a filler in my book. We also tried the pork bun which was pretty good. I'd like to go back, but the menu isn't in English so I'm not sure how well that would work out for me. Prices are good, but service is limited (i.e. for counter service the price is what I'd expect). The credit card minimum also makes coming alone a challenge. While the food is good, it's not very accessible. If I would have gone alone and had to deal with all these problems it probably would have been a 3.

梅菜扣肉 need more fat. The meat is so dry. The baby bok choy is old hard to chew. Unfortunately is the only place for this. Next time maybe order other thing.