Dakao Restaurant And Bar

This place gets pretty crowded on the weekends especially on Sundays. The wait isn't too bad since they are pretty quick with their service. It's located in the Tan Binh grocery store plaza. Easy parking all around. They serve all kinds of Viet food on their large menu. My favorite is the bo ne/sizzling steak and eggs and the bun cha Ha Noi. It always hit the spot if I'm craving Viet food in the area. Their bo bia and banh khot as appetizers are also my faves. It's very tempting to want to order the whole menu when I'm here because they pretty much have all kinds of Viet food.

Came here for lunch husband. We were seated wait away. There was a lot of stuff on the menu i wanted to try. Waiter took our order and our pho came out less than 10 mins. My husband order Special Combination Pho 4/5 stars and I order Dry Dark Meat Chicken Pho (Pho Ga Kho) & broth on the side 4/5 stars. Food was pretty good. Definitely will come back to try other stuff.

Let me say that this review may have been affected by the wait I endured to get in. I came in a Sunday morning and when I arrived there was the largest group of people I've ever seen waiting to get into a restaurant. My initial impression was that this place must be astoundingly popular. There were several huge parties and some smaller ones as well. We must have caught the after church rush. There were two people in my party and with caution I walked in to reserve a spot. I was told it would be 20 minutes...20,30,40 minutes...1 hour+ later and after a few inquiries about an update on the wait time, we were seated. This place was highly recommended, so I endured the wait in good spirits. To the credit of the young man working the front door/host area, he stayed calm under overwhelming circumstances. After the extensive wait I was ready to get down to business and I wasn't prepared to review the large menu that was presented to me. In the interest of time I ordered the Phở gà khô (Dry Chicken Pho) with an appetizer of Chả Giò/nem rán (Vietnamese egg roll/fried spring roll). The service by the wait staff once seated was very prompt and fast. The restaurant itself was very nicely decorated and laid out. The ambiance was vibrant with a packed dining area and lots of large groups eating family style. The conversations were animated and engaging. People seemed to be having a blast in there. The Chả Giò/nem rán came out and as expected were excellent. Next the Phở gà khô (Dry Chicken Pho) came out and I was excited to try it. This was my first time eating it and I had high expectations after trying Pho and Bún bò Huế at various locations around Houston. The Phở gà khô was really good and I would say excellent for my first time trying it. I devoured it and in retrospect, wish I would have savored it more. I instinctively understood the concept of how to eat it although the waitstaff asked if I wanted any explanations. Part of the appeal I desire in experiencing Vietnamese cuisine is to understand the traditional way of eating the various dishes and the stories behind the cuisine. It's always appreciated when someone takes a moment to ask or explain the dishes. I really enjoyed the taste and experience of trying this dish!I'll definitely return to try more dishes on the large menu. I hope the wait will not be as long and thus I'll do my due diligence on what peak hours are. I frequent Đại Lộ Sàigon regularly during the work week, so I'll try again then. Looking forward to it!

I know this place is known for the pho chicken but I didn't end up getting that for my first time here. I tried other things on their menu and it wasn't bad. Came on Friday night and it was decently busy. Took awhile for server to come get our order, but the food came quick. Everything tasted very flavorful . Decently priced items here. Will be coming back here if I'm in the viet for viet dishes !

This is place is a must go every time we visit Houston Texas! The broth was flavorful and not bland and watered down like most Vietnamese noodle soups. The portion for a small is just right. It doesn't look like it but they give you so much veggies and meat. The waiter even offered us ginger fish sauce to dip our chicken. The only thing I didn't enjoy much was the bánh khọt.

Had our Friendsgiving here! I love the atmosphere and ambience of the restaurant. The menu is overwhelming and there are so many great choices! Highly recommend!

Shanking beef is too tough, have to shake. Tooth pick out to get all the meat out of my teeth

Best Vietnamese restaurant in Houston! Absolutely love the interior design of the restaurant, there are traditional elements with the decor and it is very spacious. Service is very quick, servers would be walking around the restaurant and are quick to attend to our needs.Food was very flavorful and affordable (portion sizes were pretty big) - from the broth, to the fish sauce, to the protein, everything was seasoned well and was very savory. The fish sauce chicken is perfect to pair with rice and cucumbers.

Tastes like home, maybe even better.I absolutely adore this place and the variety of authentic dishes it offers. Don't be afraid to venture away from the pho and single serving dishes. When my mom took me here, we opted to order a mix of meats, soups, and veggies, enjoying it all family-style. Personally, I thought it took the restaurant up a level. The fish that comes in a clay pot is to die for; full of umami flavor. I will say some dishes are absolutely delicious and some are okay. The banh koc fell short for me as I felt like there was too much breading. Be prepared for a bustling crowd, especially during brunch and dinner on weekends. The place tends to get busy, but trust me, the wait is worth it. Just plan ahead, and you're in for a treat.

Came here on 4/13/24. Busy place. Ordered the beef pho, msg soup, hard to chew beef and brisket. Noodles overcooked. Grilled pork over crushed rice was probably the worst I've ever tasted. Pork was tough and couple of grilled shrimp that came with it was also tough and tasteless. Bowel of soup was MSG laden. One of my worst Vietnamese restaurant experiences I must say. Very disappointing. Seldom feel compelled to post reviews but this one was bad.