The Rice Box

Chinese restaurant · Virginia Court

The Rice Box

Chinese restaurant · Virginia Court

2

5504 Morningside Dr, Houston, TX 77005

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The Rice Box by null
The Rice Box by null
The Rice Box by null
The Rice Box by null
The Rice Box by null
The Rice Box by null
The Rice Box by null
The Rice Box by null
The Rice Box by null
The Rice Box by null
The Rice Box by null
The Rice Box by null
The Rice Box by null
The Rice Box by null
The Rice Box by null
The Rice Box by null
The Rice Box by null
The Rice Box by null
The Rice Box by null
The Rice Box by null
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Highlights

Futuristic Chinese eatery with neon lights, generous portions  

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5504 Morningside Dr, Houston, TX 77005 Get directions

riceboxed.com
@riceboxed

$10–20 · Menu

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5504 Morningside Dr, Houston, TX 77005 Get directions

+1 713 505 1287
riceboxed.com
@riceboxed

$10–20 · Menu

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Last updated

Aug 8, 2025

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@eater

Houston’s Best Restaurants Near Rice University | Eater Houston

"Distinguished by its bright neon sign and futuristic interior, this Chinese food truck-turned-popular local restaurant chain stands out. The Rice Village locale, where dining in is just as favored as taking the meal to go, is no exception. Popular entrees include sesame chicken, pepper steak, and Mongolian beef, all of which come in generous portions with a side of rice and an egg roll." - Brittany Britto Garley

https://houston.eater.com/maps/best-restaurants-near-rice-university-rice-village-houston
View Postcard for The Rice Box
@eater

Where to Eat and Drink in Rice Village

"This Chinese food truck-turned-popular local restaurant chain is easily distinguished by its bright neon signage and interiors, and its new Rice Village locale is no exception. Dining in is just as favored as carrying out, with the restaurant open until midnight on weekends. Portions are generous, with entrees like sesame chicken, pepper steak, and Mongolian beef accompanied with rice and an egg roll." - Megha McSwain, Brittany Britto Garley

https://houston.eater.com/maps/best-restaurants-near-rice-university-rice-village
View Postcard for The Rice Box

cameron lindsey

Google
Wonderfull experience. Loved everything about it. The food was a good amount for the price. Plenty of seating options when I went. Cool environment and plenty of photo opportunities. I ordered the sweet and sour chicken with fried rice. I wish there was one further north like Spring or Woodlands area. Bothrooms were clean and plenty of parking close by.

Liz “Liz”

Google
4.5 Stars – A Futuristic Dining Experience (Best at Night!) If you’re looking for a place that feels more like a scene than just dinner—Rice Box is it. We visited at night and the whole vibe was absolutely electric. It felt like stepping into a video game or a high-energy movie scene, with vibrant neon lighting, bold design, and that sleek cyberpunk kind of edge. The aesthetic alone is worth the trip, but heads up—it’s a lot. If you’re someone who’s sensitive to bright or flashing lights, has sensory sensitivities, or gets migraines easily, this might not be your spot. Otherwise, it’s a total visual treat. The inside was clean and fun, with decent customer service and a family-friendly vibe. The bathrooms, however, weren’t the cleanest, so that was a bit of a letdown. Still, I’d say the overall environment makes up for it, especially if you’re sitting outdoors in the shared patio area—it’s beautiful out there at night, and there are plenty of other great restaurants nearby too. We were actually meeting friends from different places and all grabbed food from our favorite spots, then met up in the middle. Such a great setup! As for the food—I didn’t love the orange chicken. It wasn’t bad, just not a standout. But the rice was phenomenal. I also got the cream cheese rangoons and egg rolls, and they were definitely the highlight of the meal. There was this one dipping sauce that was so good, I used it on everything—rice, rolls, you name it. That sauce made the whole meal for me. I didn’t get a drink because we were restaurant-hopping that night, but for just one meal, I spent around $25, which I thought was totally fair for the portion and quality. The area itself felt very safe, even at night—people walking around, eating outside, dogs lounging near tables… it was a great atmosphere. Just a note: most places around there do charge for parking, so be ready for that. Would I go back? Absolutely. I’m definitely going to recommend this place to friends, family, and even my business partners visiting the city as a really cool nighttime spot. It’s an experience more than just a meal—and I can’t wait for others to enjoy it like we did.

Cara Thompson

Google
I've heard great things about The Rice Box from our oldest daughter (vegan) the last few years. I had the opportunity to take my sweet step-mom for Chinese yesterday after her procedure, and realized we were close and could try it! The theme and decor were super fun; 80's style futuristic and neon but still contemporary. It worked well and was upbeat. Between us we ordered steamed dumplings, chicken fried rice, and sweet and sour chicken. The entrees came with a choice of side and eggroll each, which was plenty of food, and we each had an entire meal for later to take home. The staff were quick, efficient and super friendly. Food was delicious and hot and we can't wait to go back again! Definitely bringing my husband soon.

DelVina Herbest

Google
Wow. This place was awesome. The vibe was so fun. Gresia, the staff at the front, was so kind and informative. She didn't rush us and really wanted to make sure we understood what we were ordering. She gave awesome suggestions and the food was SO GOOD! Texas has flavor!!! Probably the best Chinese food I have ever had -- and I am really picky about my Chinese food. Sesame Chicken, Pepper steak, Chinese broccoli, friend dumplings. Oh. My. Yum.

Aron and Janet Jarrett

Google
First time here. We stopped for early dinner in between appts at MD Anderson. Restaurant is very clean, service was excellent and food was fresh and tasted delicious. Shrimp fried rice with chicken egg roll. Tso chicken with fried rice and chicken egg roll. We also enjoyed the fortune cookies.

sheryl james

Google
I was at the VA Hospital & looking for a good Chinese restaurant. A police officer at the hospital suggested The Rice Box. This place was really good. The portions are plentiful. I got the Mongolian Beef and the beef was very tender. It wasn't as spicy as I would have liked but it was very good. The vegetables in it was very fresh. There was a lot of beef, unlike some restaurants give. It came with an egg roll & the server brought me three large crab wontons for free. My boyfriend ordered the pound of ribs & it was a lot. They were pretty tasty & sauced well. After this place was suggested to us I checked out the reviews & they were mostly good with a few saying the food was just okay. I will definitely return & try some of the other dishes on the menu. The atmosphere was very nice the way it was set up. This is a great place to try out.

Crystal Ornelas

Google
Such a beautiful place, not as flavorful as it appears. The “box” are huge portion. Being my first time trying, I wish the cashier would have explained the menu. I wanted to check this place out for the bright colors & neon signs, but it was such a lack of flavor.

Sankalp Mogulothu

Google
What a cool experience. Loved everything about this place. The food, the atmosphere, the futuristic looking menu on the wall and the friendly staff. Shout out to Miguel Angel who went above and beyond with his customer service experience. Loved every item we tried on the menu and this place also has few cool corners for those instagram pictures. Parking available but limited.
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Vicki L.

Yelp
I set my expectations low when it comes to American Chinese food so I will say the food here was actually not that bad. I ordered the Eggplant Green Beans with a side of fried rice and my partner got the General Tso's Chicken with a side of broccoli. Both came with egg rolls and a fortune cookie. The food came out piping hot and since we were eating in, we got to enjoy it while everything was still fresh. The eggplant green beans were very garlicky and tasty but way too salty for me. I really wish it was a bit less salty because other than that it was good! I liked the fried rice but could have done without the bean sprouts; the egg roll was crispy and delicious. I tried the General Tso's from my partner and I liked that the chicken was crispy and not soggy, although this is not something I would usually order for myself. The portions were honestly huge and a single order could be split into 2-3 meals. It felt like the rice container was never ending, they really pack that rice in! I might stop by again if I ever crave Chinese American food.
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Kyley B.

Yelp
Rice box food is for those with challenged tastebuds. Its a last resort spot for me. Step above panda express and thats only because that have tofu and I am vegetarian. I ordered orange tofu it taste like tomato sauce w hint of oranges. I make this from scratch theres no tomatoe base whatsoever. Its overpriced one entre is 18 buck no drink for fast food. The decor is what brings people in but if you love real Asian food of any kind you know this is crappy food.
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Linda T.

Yelp
Great vibe, cool atmosphere, great bang for your buck, clean, and friendly service. Food quality to price is good. Overall good, Americanized Chinese food for the price AND great vibe to hang out with friends, especially if you attend Rice University. My only complaint is their shrimp with walnut (by the way, comes with white rice and a Chinese egg roll). It's not great as a leftover as it disagree with my stomach. Oh, and their green beans with eggplants can use less salt. Otherwise, everything else is good while dining in and as leftovers.
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Christabelle C.

Yelp
We finally decided to eat in the restaurant instead of take-out. Vibes of the place is industrial atmosphere. Lots of group seating spaces. Service is fast and staff are friendly. This is one of our go-to places for noodles and fried rice. They hit on flavors we're looking for. *Chicken Wings-- 2/10- flavor is not for us *Beef House Fried Rice-- 8.5/10 (one of our go-to but we forgot to indicate NO bean sprouts) *Shrimp Lo-Mein-- 8/10 (the shrimps they use are really small and we usually like bigger shrimps in our noodles. We also forgot to tell them NO VEGGIES, not a fan of it) *Candied Walnut Shrimp-- 1/10 (Not worth nearly $15. Shrimps are too small and wayyyy too much batter. Flavors are not the same as traditional Honey Walnut Shrimp-- more modern flavors. We got this for take out last time and thought it arrived soggy. And after eating inside-- it has a light crunch but soggy internally. I think if you switched up your batter to egg whites and cornstarch-- it would be amazing. Stays crunchy and batter is not heavy.) *Chicken Egg Rolls-- 7/10 (they're average. The sauce it comes with doesn't really hit. IMO it's better with that Asian sweet chili sauce Overall-- still our go-to for fried rice and noodles.
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Melodi D.

Yelp
The Rice Box was not bad--it just wasn't great. First, to talk about the ambiance, it felt very gimmicky and insincere. They lean a lot into the urban landscape and neon signage theme. Everything is made of cement; nothing cozy or welcoming about it. Definitely a spectacle from the outside, and I can see the appeal, but in my opinion, it doesn't make for the best dining experience. Now for the food. We ordered the Orange Chicken and Cumin Beef. Both of them were fine. I would even say the Cumin Beef was pretty decent. They were just lacking in bold flavors and spices; it felt watered-down. It was also pretty pricey, with each meal coming out to around $15. I can understand why someone may like this if it is one of their few encounters with Asian food. However, we are lucky to have so many great options for authentic, flavorful, and fairly priced Asian food in Houston--it simply doesn't make sense to come here.
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Michaela J.

Yelp
finally got to try this restaurant and it was okay. if you're looking for authentic chinese food this is not it but very tasty chinese inspired. love the vibe of the resturant; quite unique. the service from the cashier was great, and he was very patient seeing that it was our first time dining at the restaurant. we typically eat family style so we ordered a bunch of food: general tso chicken with lo mein , beef chow fun, and shrimp fried rice with three egg rolls. so yea... we're hungry and excited! it's freezing indoors but a nice night out so we sit on the outside patio. our food arrives and it's one tray, three boxes, a container filled with the chicken, utensils and napkins. i'm wondering where the plates are or at least another tray. mind you-- it's just two of us and we ordered a lot of food and are not planning on sharing this food by taking turns eating out of the boxes. the girl who brought the food came back with soy sauce and so i asked for a plate she said they don't have any and so i ask for something to eat on since we have a lot of food and she brings a container (instead of a second tray) so okay i eat out of the container and it's lid :) the food was plentiful and tasty. the general tso chicken was unusually very sweet! i've never had it like this before; it was different but okay. the lo mein was a bit on the dry side and just noodles-- if you're looking forward to vegg in it that's not happening. the beef chow fun was my favorite; so tasty, good amount of beef and tender. the shrimp fried rice was great if you're on a low sodium diet i will say but i enjoyed it. oh and the chicken egg roll was good. it's a bit pricy for chinese food but for the portion size it's cool. we ate at the resturant and also had left overs for two more meals (for one).
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Lanre M.

Yelp
The restaurant's ambiance is futuristic and unique, setting it apart from the usual dining experience. The food was served hot, fresh, and delicious, and the service was decent. Although some patrons had to stand due to limited seating, it was worth the experience. As a pickup-and-go restaurant, I was caught in the rain, but this place did not disappoint with its diverse menu options. I am excited to try another dish on my next visit.
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Hunter S.

Yelp
Super good food, super cool experience! My number one tip here is that the portions are actually huge! We ordered way too much food, but all of it was excellent! Cyberpunk vibes on the interior and very cool menu. Curry chicken was fantastic!
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Cameron G.

Yelp
SHORT STORY Regular Chinese food $13+ Very nice restaurant design Casual Cash and Card accepted *not the best parking situation but there is a parking garage near. LONG STORY Not too much of a long story but Rice Box is good but I didn't think it was anything great. I've been twice. The times I've been the service was pretty fast and they've been nice. You look at the board, then order and head to a seat. This place can be filthy, the tables, the bathroom. There should be more attention to cleaning. But other than that it's a ok spot looking for some day or light night Chinese when in the area.
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Ana L. G.

Yelp
Wow, place was busy tonight but the menu cough tour attention. Glad to make it in and get some food, it was tasty !! And Kudos to the staff , they were doing an amazing job at moving the customer timely and providing such good service Faves for the evening Garlic green beans Curry fried rice with shrimp House fried rice with shrimp Pork dumplings
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Dee D.

Yelp
I've had a few things from here and everything was always really good. The box was full of food. The curry fried rice is my favorite. The steamed broccoli is really good and balances out whatever meal you pick to get you a good amount of veggies. The crab wontons were not the best. I wouldn't get them again. But I will definitely be trying more things here.
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Zack H.

Yelp
Portions are nice! And the place just screams cool. Very fun place to spot some neat cars too.
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Chieko K.

Yelp
Interesting and delightfully aesthetic cyberpunk Chinese spot. I would def return for the lights at night cuz it's filled with neon lights, and decor that are typical for cyberpunk or asian night life vibes. As an Asian-American living in california I was skeptical about this chain and look, the main menu is your typical American Chinese staples like orange chicken etc. However, I was pleasantly surprised with the ribs and wings. Im not a texas yeehaw cowboy so I don't know if these ribs are legit are not, but I CAN speak to the Szechwan (sichuan) spices on their Chongqing ribs. They also offer salt and pepper wings as well as other flavors and THESE are the items you should be getting from this spot. Yang Chow (yangzhou) fried rice is also a good sign on the menu, as fully Americanized places only offer the classic fried rice. I heard a worker describe yang chow fried rice as fried rice without soy sauce but that's not true. It's supposed to be seasoned with salty meats and spices and such. I didn't get to try it, but the fact that it's on the menu was another pleasant surprise. The manager was super friendly and nice. She checked in on everyone and really made the vibe nice, even though this is a fast food spot and not a sit-down restaurant. Seating: indoor and outdoor tables Parking: free parking lots around Wifi: no Payment: cashless preferred Vibe: casual cyberpunk Chinese fast food spot Dress code: casual but this would make a killer photoshoot spot at night
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Alyssa P.

Yelp
I got food poisoning from here! The only thing that was good was the fried rice and crab Rangoon. Everything else I bagged up and gave to the homeless.
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Jennifer H.

Yelp
Finally tried The Rice Box and it was delicious! I had the Garlic 4 Season Green Beans with beef and I loved it. My family had the General Tso chicken and Sesame chicken. Tried some of their food and they were yummy as well. Definitely recommend!
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Sophia A.

Yelp
So I decided to try this Rice Box on Morningside and I was enthusiastic since my boyfriend wanted some Rice Box because we had a great experience at the Heights location. I ended up getting 4 things, Orange Chicken, Pepper Steak, Garlic Eggplant w/ Minced Beef, and an extra Chicken Eggroll. Let's start off with the good. The Pepper Steak was decent. The steak was a bit tough, but the flavor was definitely there for the most part. The service was decent as well, especially the guy that took my order, give that man a raise, and the food came out in under 10 minutes. Also, the eggroll was crispy and delicious. Now on to the bad, the garlic eggplant with minced beef was not that good at this location. In fact, it tastes different than the heights location altogether. The flavor of garlic and minced beef was absolutely non existent what so ever. It was overpowered by a sweet sauce, which I didn't like at all. Also, the eggplant was way overcooked. The Orange Chicken was disappointing as well, the orange flavor was barely present. They put so much sauce on there that the fried chicken was not crispy when biting into it. The white rice and the noodles were dry, and not even the sauces can save that to save its life. In conclusion, we'll stick with the Heights location. We will not return to this location.
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Courtney C.

Yelp
Vibe- This is a fairly new spot in the Rice Village area that looks super futuristic and cool. They serve Chinese cuisine. They have many vegetarian and vegan options on their menu so that was a plus for me :) Customer service- Great! Food/drinks- I got the tofu with general Tso and it came with white rice and a vegetable egg roll; the food was alright, that's why I gave 4 stars overall. Parking- I parked in the garage a few restaurants down from the spot and the first 2 hours were complimentary! You can park on the street but good luck with that on a busy day or night.
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Lexus A.

Yelp
Really thought I would love this place but it's so over hyped! I've gotten better honey walnut shrimp and crab rangoons from Panda Express. The shrimp were so small and HEAVILY breaded so they appeared bigger (and they had no sauce). The rangoons were mid and so was the fried rice. They do have good portions and staff were friendly but probably won't be back. Pictured: all the breading I took off the shrimp, mini shrimp, and fried rice which I barely touched.

Htx Delivery D.

Yelp
Great group of friendly hard working people even during peak hours! Sometimes your order won't be ready when you arrive but they acknowledge and assure you it'll be out soon.
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Michele B.

Yelp
The Rice Box has been on my list of places to try since I moved here. Finding parking mid-day was a complete disaster. And with the heat wave, I was not interested in walking a long distance to eat. I appreciated, though, that there were 4 parking spots directly in front of the restaurant for pickup and take out. This worked out well since I had opted for take-out. Walking in, I didn't really understand the vibe this place was going for. Yes, futuristic, but I think this is more about brining people in than it is about having a fully-baked concept. The futuristic vibe stops at the menu.... while I'd expect it to be incorporated everywhere else. Since I had never been here, I ordered the beef chow fun based on a recommendation. The service was prompt, kind, and super easy. Now, the reviews about large portion sizes are completely correct- I was able to split my noodles into 2 meals. I thought the flavor was great (albeit salty, but I think I should have expected this). I do think that this restaurant is extremely overhyped and overpriced for the overall flavor of the food. And this isn't to take anything away from this restaurant, I think I just simply... don't get the hype. Would I call this a "must-try?" No, but I would come back if I wanted a quick to-go meal.
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Christina M.

Yelp
Newer location with a prime corner lot. This location is really big compared to the other and has a nice indoor and outdoor eating area. They give generous portions and is more like American Chinese cuisine then if you were to get Chinese food in China town. (Off bellaire). Egg rolls were really good with a nice crunch to them. Fried rice is just okay, it definitely needs a protein to make it better. They also don't have any spicy chili sauce or saracha around so u may want to have some in ur pocket. I got Kung pao chicken and it all tastes good with fresh crisp veggies but it's still missing something for me. I think the Chicken was cut into chunky pieces. I like my kung pao diced smaller. I'll come here again bc it's solid but it could be better. Service was good, everyone was nice.

Samantha B.

Yelp
My first visit to The Rice Box was a delightful experience. The ambiance was vibrant yet peaceful, and the staff was exceptionally friendly and accommodating, especially to us newcomers. The food was excellent, and the portions were incredibly generous. My group of three all had leftovers to savor. We are out-of-towners and will dine there again in the future.
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Greg L.

Yelp
I went to the location off N.Shepard before and this one seems to not be the same experience. Food was like a McDonalds version of Asian street food. I like MCD by the way but was expecting higher quality and fresher flavors so expectations not met. Very " 1st world prob"review I know.
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Damion L.

Yelp
Been going to rice box since they were at UH at the food truck and John was still working on the truck. I brought my wife and she fell in love with it from the beginning! I am also a restaurant owner and I know how ratings can make or break businesses. So that's why I'm still giving them 5 stars, and because they've always been great and our go to spot. However, our past 5 visits or so have been very mediocre in taste. We always split the same thing, a Mongolian beef and sub for cauliflower, extra veggie egg-roll. Lately, we haven't been able to even finish it! Not sure what this gooey sauce they are putting on the veggies but it's not good at all. We tried a different dish for the FIRST TIME ever (orange chicken)! My wife and I have been getting the same thing for over 4 years now! Never a change in order. But we wanted to see if that gooey sauce was specific to the Mongolian and sadly the orange chicken had it also. Sad to say but this has definitely vibed us out and Although I enjoyed the chicken wings my wife doesn't eat meat. So, we're very sad about the recipe change for the sauces but we will definitely be back to see if anything has changed. Please bring back the old recipe so my pregnant wife can satisfy her cravings!! :)
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Stacy L.

Yelp
This is a nice location in Rice Village. The menu is quite extensive and most items have several meat & vegetarian options. I thought the entrees were a bit pricey, but then I changed my mind. I ordered the Mongolian beef with rice and I ate on that for 3 days. My initial order I started in the restaurant. I was full after eating less than half. I took it home, reheated it thinking I would knock the rest out for lunch. Nope, I still ate only about half of my take home portion. So the following day I finished off the rest. So in reality I paid about $5 per serving. Definitely worth the price. I got white rice with my meal at no extra cost. You can also do brown or fried rice for an upcharge. There are noodle options as well. You also have your choice of chicken or veggie egg roll. I will definitely be back!
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Chi A.

Yelp
I'm convinced y'all will go anywhere Instagram or Tik Tok tells you to go. I was excited to try this place out as it was suggested to me by a friend and it was a disappointment. We got there on a Saturday around 6:30pm and the line was out the door. So of course, that led me to believe that the food was good. Despite all the Gen Z's in the line, I was hopeful. My friend waited in line while I grabbed us seats on the patio. Our food took about 30 minutes to be ready and it had ZERO flavor. Mind you, I got fried rice, so nothing fancy. The staff was great though and there was ample street parking so those were the only highlights.
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Timmy L.

Yelp
We were in the area and decided to try out this place. When we walked in, it has a futuristic menu on the wall and order with the cashier. After you order, you can sit down and they will call your name and bring the food to you. The dining area does not have a lot of seating space. I ordered hot and sour soup, Kung pao chicken, and salt and pepper eggplant. The soup had a unique flavor and ingredients and does not taste like the usual hot and sour soup flavor. The eggplant shell is deep fried but the outer layer skin was hard and chewy. The chicken wasn't bad as the flavor was all there. What really made the dining experience bad was the temperature in there. The place was so hot inside that I was sweating and people around me was fanning themselves. I didn't even wanna eat in there as every bite seemed enjoyable due to the heat.
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Mahwish S.

Yelp
This is the second time I ordered door dash from Rice Box. I ordered because I remembered that they give good portions and I would have some left over for lunch. However, I was disappointed because the flavor was lacking. The orange chicken had too much breading and barely any orange flavor. I also ordered a medium spice level Kung Pao chicken which was better than the orange chicken, but still lacked as much spice and flavor profile than I was expecting. I like spice and I would say their version of medium is really a mild to me. The best thing was the chicken egg roll. Unfortunately, I was satisfied with this meal this time.
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Natalie P.

Yelp
The food was great, I order the orange chicken and it was amazing I also tried the green bean and eggplant very delicious. Service was amazing too.
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Jingwen H.

Yelp
Wow, they pack a lot of food into these small containers! 2 entrees and one serving of noodled lasted me and my friend two meals! The concept is definitely very cool, but kind of overstimulating when you dine in the restaurant. The walnut shrimp was overly sweet and got a bit soggy, but I liked the pineapple! The beef noodles were also just alright and the beef didn't have a ton of flavor, so we added soy sauce and chili oil and it was fine. Egg rolls were also okay, not super flavorful. It took a while for our food to come out, but it was also super busy so that was probably it. I can definitely see myself hanging out with friends here for a quick bite, but the meal was just average.
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Natalie S.

Yelp
Rice box is a must for good Chinese food. I really enjoyed the beef chow fun and the sesame chicken. The fried rice is just okay so I wouldn't get it again. My fave has to be the chow fun, but be careful because it's spicy even when you say mild/medium. Ambiance: this place is aesthetically pleasing. It looks like a night market with a lot of bar seating. This location is great because there's way more parking than the shepherd location so that's a plus. Service was good, it just took a while to get our food. The only downside is that they're currently out of sriracha because of the shortage, but other than that everything was great.

Juanita R.

Yelp
The Wonton soup was good but you could tell the eggs were from box carton. The sweet and sour chicken taste like it was as premade straight out of a plastic bag.
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Linh P.

Yelp
I went to hopdoddys the other night and like the child I am, the lights caught my attention so we went the next day for lunch on Saturday. I ordered the chow fun and my boyfriend and his brother ordered the general tso's and pepper steak. You can substitute the rice and get lo mein instead for $2 extra. The price may seem a little high at first, but the portion sizes are very huge. I only ate about 1/3s of my chow fun. The chow fun was very flavorful and had lots of egg pieces in there too which I liked. Each portion can probably serve two people. Each meal comes with an eggroll as well chicken or vegetarian.
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Brittany L.

Yelp
The rice box is a cool, trendy Asian restaurant. The atmosphere is fun. The ordering process was fast and easy. They have the menu on the wall while you stand in line so that you are sure to be ready when it is your turn. They call your name and bring your food out to you when your food is ready. I got the orange chicken and my sister got general Toa's chicken. Both were fire. Also, the egg roles are 10/10!!! They do have vegetarian/vegan options that you can substitute the meat for. I cant wait to go back!
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Thuy P.

Yelp
I have been seeing this restaurant on different locations and when now it opens in rice village next to Hoppdoddy burger. As expected it's a fastfood Chinese food chain. Portion wise is very big, you can easily share the meal with one more person. Food wise is not very good and too salty. Amazingly the eggplants garlic was the best dish and the custard buns are better than I expected. Price range is about from $13-$15 each dish you
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Jessica Z.

Yelp
First time at Rice Box and tried out some of their classics. I liked the decor which gave it a very futuristic vibe and was very unique. We tried their green beans which were seasoned well with an oyster based sauce that went well with the rice, coconut shrimp that was fried well but lacking some flavor, and the spicy chicken which was super tender and spiced well with chili hot peppers and peanuts. We were given so much rice and egg rolls that were a bit soggy. The dishes were relatively large portions so be mindful when ordering. Overall, standard Americanized food with good portion sizes!
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imani s.

Yelp
Ehhhh . The place is very nice futuristic look!!! great portions! I had sweet n sour chicken, pork dumpling, house fried rice , and a veg egg roll I give it a 4.9 out of 10 *Rice was bland *Chicken was okay... they give big portions.... Chicken at the top was alright chicken @ the bottom was sitting in sauce and got very soggy!! *dumpling were best thing on the plate but it tasted frozen not fresh! *egg roll was good and crispy! Go there drunk for better results!!!
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Abigail W.

Yelp
What a cool experience - The Rice Box is a must-try! While on a road trip, we knew Houston wouldn't disappoint. The restaurant itself is incredible. It's very futuristic and gives Tron vibes. It's reasonably priced, especially for the portions. I made three meals out of the Walnut Honey Shrimp. My husband had the orange chicken and was equally impressed. You MUST get the chicken egg rolls, they were the best I've ever had. I cannot stop raving about them. Everything was fresh and out in just a couple of minutes. Excellent service. Keeping in mind that it's definitely more Chinese fusion - we have no complaints.
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Chelsea M.

Yelp
Ambiance online is overhyped. I'd consider rice box Taco Bell tier. Thia tea came out a soda gum and taste like beer somehow. Food was good.
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Amanda K.

Yelp
Such a cool place! Came at night so I could see it all lit up and it did not disappoint ambiance wise! Such a cool concept! We ordered the General Tso's Chicken, salt and pepper chicken, curry fried rice and crab rangoons. Honestly loved it all and were very generous portion wise (the rangoons were huge too!). Service was quick and easy. I wish I lived in Houston so I could come here more often for sure!
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Eryana S.

Yelp
Okay, the first thing you notice about this place is the ambiance. It has a super cool futuristic vibe. If you've been to Universal Studios, it felt like an entrance to a ride. Super cool. One of the guys that worked there helped us out a lot, was super friendly and like genuinely just a solid guy. I wish I remembered his name but he was super cool. The food was surprisingly good, and better than I expected it to be. I ordered the beef and Chinese broccoli. The portion sizes are good for the price that you're paying. Usually going into a business like this you can have 2 out of the 3(food and ambiance, service and ambiance, etc.) but it literally hit all 3 of the points for me: the ambiance, the quality of everything, and the speed and friendliness of the staff. Also they have sparkling water on tap and that is pretty dope. Definitely coming here again!
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Julia B.

Yelp
A sort of fast Asian food in Rice village...fairly busy on a Saturday late afternoon. It was extremely hot and humid in there (maybe some issues with the air conditioning). Service was ok, not super friendly but not rude. The food took some time to come out but that may be because we ordered 6 dishes and appetizers. The food was good. The fried rice has a great flavor. The prices were very reasonable.
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Carolina B.

Yelp
Pleasantly surprised at how delicious and plentiful the food is here! Cool vibe, but not really for young children... better to either get take-out or stay young lol! The vegetarian egg rolls are the BOMB! My fave dishes are the orange peel beef, sweet & sour chicken, and fried green beans. Everything is great! I've even gotten a Thai tea and it was good, though I'd much rather get one from a legit bubble tea type of place.
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Lauren C.

Yelp
It was a little busy due to being dinner time but we still get all of our food pretty quickly, and it was easily one of the coolest restaurants I've been to in a while. I loved how the menu was presented and all of the neon colors. While all of the food was amazing, I was blown away by the nitro Thai tea. I think every bite I tried was delicious, but I definitely need to go back when genuinely hungry because the portions are huge.
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Daria B.

Yelp
First time at this location, overall my experience was consistent with what others have mentioned. Staff were really friendly and greeted us as we entered. Food was good but could be seasoned better - except the egg rolls, those were fire! Docking them another star because the bathroom was gross.
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Gustavo R.

Yelp
The Rice Box in Rice Village is more spacious than any others with the same great food / serving size and price! The service is relatively quick too
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Vinh N.

Yelp
Cool looking venue which used to be a mechanic's garage. It probably does not need this amount of real estate given the amount of take out and delivery customers they have. The only times I've seen the place busy is on the weekend nights although there seems to be a steady late night stream of students. Some of the previous reviews compare this to a more upscale panda express, and I agree. The portions are large, food comes out fast, but the expected flavours are not there. You have to order it spicy or add soy sauce to several of the dishes, (especially the chow fun) to impart it with something. The salt & pepper cauliflower suffered from this flavour problem especially when the sauce pools into the bottom of the box. Sure you can shake the box, but I realised the sauce itself was not salty or peppery. The Kung Pao tofu was pretty good though. I wasn't expecting battered soft tofu rather than the usual deep fried hard tofu. You just have to order it spicy.
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Alexandria R.

Yelp
TikTok brought me here and this place was not amazing. The general tso chicken lacked flavor and my lo mein was cold . Dinning in I would expect someone to come ask me how was my food but that never happened. My food came out too fast literally 5 minutes so I do not believe the lo mein was made to order . I heard this used to be a food truck but the expansion has caused them to lose what helped them grow . I truly wanted this to be amazing as the aesthetics and food portion size are amazing . I will not be returning
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Mia G.

Yelp
Out of everything we ate the wings & the beef were definitely my favorite. The service here is an A+ we gave the food a B . It's nice but not super flavorful like the Chinese food you'd be used to enjoying in Houston tbh . I've definitely had better the fresh oranges in the orange chicken is cool but it's not the sticky yummy orange chicken you're gonna get from "China Bear" where you question what the kitchen looks like but the food is so good you don't even care lol .....here you know the kitchen is clean haha. But the ambiance is nice & so are the workers so we would definitely try again
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Moriah M.

Yelp
The ambiance is my favorite! All the neon lights give such a vibrant feel. Although the food is what's served on most Chinese restaurants menus, I can say that they prepare all dishes exceptionally well. Haven't had a bad experience yet. I can say they are also super nice & fast. I sat there and ask the cashier all his preferences and he was so patient with me when responding with suggestions.