Lien's Viet Kitchen

I ordered to go for the first time after a friend recommended this place. I'm viet and always looking for more great banh mi options especially in the medical center. Ordering to go was very easy. The server at the cashier was friendly. Inside looked very nice and relaxing place to eat alone or with family/friends. My husband got the beef stew noodle which he really liked and he's pretty picky on that dish. I got the house special banh mi with veggie eggrolls & viet iced coffee with coffee jelly. The eggrolls were really good and crispy but I didn't enjoy my banh mi or coffee as much as I thought I would. It is the most I paid for banh mi and the taste didn't make it worth it. It was decent but not great. I probably won't try the banh mi again but I would consider going back to try a different dish and different drink!

The food is great. We tried beef Pho and chicken sandwich. Highly recommend this place

In a quiet neighborhood area with easy parking, which is a plus! The young lady working there was nice and friendly, which is another plus. But was it because I got takeout, and that's why the food quality isn't as good as other people's? The barbecued pork is really well done, but the soup with the pho didn't have as much layer and depth as I'd have liked. Overall, 3.5 stars!

Was googling Vietnamese food in the med center for lunch and found Lien's Viet Kitchen. It's closer than tracking out to midtown and the food was surprisingly delicious! I got the lemongrass tofu vermicelli with pork eggrolls and it was fantastic. Just what I was looking for! I find that Houston really doesn't serve fresh Vietnamese herbs with their vermicelli bowls and I feel it adds so much flavor. But most places here just do shredded lettuce, cucumbers and pickled veggies. The noodles were cooked perfectly, the eggrolls crispy and flavorful and the lemongrass tofu was good. I find myself craving vermicelli bowls from this place often but unfortunately they aren't open on Sundays, which is when I want it most. They also make their own fresh baguettes for Banh mi and their Banh mi are a good size. I always say I want to try them, and my coworkers love them, but love the vermicelli too much! Give them a try!

I thoroughly enjoyed everything about Lien's Viet Kitchen! I must confess at the time of writing this review, I've been back three times. Lien's has not disappointed yet.The first time I came was on a whim after leaving a work conference at NRG having skipped lunch, I was craving some solid Vietnamese cuisine close by for a late lunch. I looked at a few nearby spots and decided that Lien's looked pretty enticing. I drove up and was lucky to get the last space in a rather small parking lot. I walked in and was greeted by the welcoming staff. The person working up front graciously told me to take my time and was patient with my questions. After putting her through my basic but hopefully accurate attempt to articulate my order in Vietnamese (always trying to get my practice in), I sat down and waited for the Tofu bánh mì and House Special Combo Pho that I had ordered. Yes, I was starvin' like Marvin, so I was hoping for something extraordinary. I was not disappointed at all. The bánh mì was exquisite, with heaps of savory tofu that must have been marinated in heaven. Combined with the cucumber, carrot, butter, pate and cilantro it all came together in a crescendo of mouthwatering synergy enveloped in a crispy phenomenon. I felt like time slowed down and I could hear and see each flake of bread as it crumbled into my mouth. Let's just say I was impressed! I devoured it wholeheartedly.After polishing off the bánh mì, ít was time to call on the reservoir of hunger I would need to finish this bowl of pho. Within a few tastes of the broth, veggies and lime, I knew I was in pho a treat! I lost track of time, as I worked my spoon and chopsticks in unison to grab every last noodle, meat and veggie in that bowl. When I came back to my senses, the bowl was completely empty and dry. I walked out of there in a daze, thinking about the deliciousness I had just experienced. Needless to say, I had to return with friends and indeed I did twice. The best thing about coming with a group of friends is that you can eat family style, so I was able to taste a variety of dishes. To date I have also had the Grilled Pork bánh mì, Beef Stew, Grilled Pork Vermicelli, Shaking Beef, Shrimp and Pork Spring Roll, and Ca phê sữa đá (Vietnamese Iced Coffee). I have enjoyed every thing I have ordered so far. I look forward to returning to do some more gastronomical research and write another in depth review.The service is excellent. The food is fantastic and the ambiance is relaxing every time I go.

Solid Vietnamese food. I was feeling a little sick so I came for some beef pho and it totally hit the spot. I've also had the vermicelli bowls. They're very large and I wish the vegetables were more plentiful and fresher but overall, not bad. I don't think the banh mi is very good. There are better options in the area if all you want is banh mi. I like the decor. It is casual without being rundown. It feels clean and bright inside. I've only gone during off peak times so it's never been packed. The employees are all Vietnamese and helpful. I rate it about 3.5 stars because there is so much competition in the area. I prefer lua viet's vermicelli bowls and go to thien an for banh xeo. But lien's is solid if you're nearby and crave Vietnamese food.

Tried a new place and it was delicious. The food came out quickly and the sitting area is comfy. I ordered the shrimp friend rice and Crab Rangoon. Everything was fresh which cause by me off guard because I'm not sure if I've ever had Vietnamese food this fresh although it's my expectation. Lemonade was delicious

This is such a hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese kitchen. The food is spectacular, all the workers are kind, and the vibes are casual. A cute place to have dinner with a friend or maybe even a low-pressure first date. The pho was just what I needed after a long day at work and the bahn mi was delicious. Their teas pack sweetness but were so refreshing. ‍

Overall 4.5 stars for a local mom and pop shop dishing out fresh, pretty plates of homemade Vietnamese fare and refreshing drinks close to the med center! Their flavors are on the lighter side but nothing a douse of their fish sauce can't fix :) The interior is cutely decorated with simple tables. It was quite warm when we went, glad I was wearing workout clothes. Buc luc lac shaking beef: nicely flavored, meat was tender, very tasty. Not the most tender shaking beef we've ever had, but it was so flavorful that we didn't even use the salt/pepper/lime sauce that it came with. Steamed rice roll plate: my favorite of our meal! I picked the one with fermented sausage, pork roll, fried pork, just because I I was curious about what fermented sausage was. It turned out to be a slightly sweet sausage (like Chinese sausage) with floral notes. But I really enjoyed the rice roll noodles! They were thicker than the usual paper thin / see-through ones, but I actually liked them for a slight chew. Everything mixed with their fish sauce was so extra scrumptious! Om nom nom~~~Fried chicken wings: cute little tasty wings. Looked super flavorful with all the onion on top, but it was lightly flavored. Still tasty and polished off! The onions themselves were extra flavorful. Salad with grilled pork: exactly what it sounds like. I thought it was going to have more of the pickled carrot and daikon, but it was more of your traditional salad greens topped with the grilled pork (which is okay to me). It made for a nice lunch to take to work the next day though! Popcorn chicken appetizer: nice meaty white meat nuggets that weren't dry, would prefer with more flavor but it did come with a spicy fish sauce. Banh mi, grilled pork: Just okay-- the bread (apparently house made!) is a bit dry, and maybe this would make a great sandwich to keep for later in the day or next day. The meat wasn't very flavorful and was also a tad dry, but I loved all the pickled carrots / daikon. We asked for no cilantro, and it was chock full of it...Sweet and sour chicken: our least favorite dish. Still nice nuggets of white meat, but the sauce of cloyingly sweet and had a slightly orange / floral note. Would prefer less sweet and more sour. Overall, the food was fresh and really enjoyable, especially how cutely each plate was presented with so much color! Order and pay at the counter, and the rest (water, utensils, sauces, etc.) is self serve. Plenty of free parking. Service was friendly-- they did forget the boba in the smoothie but immediately rectified the mistake after we asked about it. If you don't like cilantro, ask for no cilantro on everything! I'm really happy we found this place, as it's close by, tasty, and casual-- yay!

Such wonderful food! My sister and I went there for the first time on Saturday and had Pho and spring rolls, both of which were some of the best we have ever had. The food is very fresh and the restaurant is clean. The owners are also wonderful. We will definitely be returning. Thank you!