Pagoda Vietnamese Bistro & Bar Hours: See Profile   4705 Inker St Houston TX 77007 832.673.0400 You might also be interested in these:     Bistros    Food Delivery    Vietnamese Food Restaurants    ZIP 77007 Profile Description: We are the first authentic Vietnamese eatery west of downtown with a full menu comparative in traditional quality that can be found in Southeast Houston better known as Chinatown. For urban dwellers that find that part of town too far, Pagoda Bistro is bringing the delectable banh mi, cafe sua da, and pho to the city. Bringing you the best tastes of Vietnam - The Pagoda Family   Add Review PROFILE     MY REVIEW: I agree with anonymous eater that it is definitely "not a destination restaurant that Vietnamese food fans will drive across town for." As you walk in - it ranks of sewage. They should fix that problem right away. There is no sign and we drove around because their hostess is incompetent of the area. She sounds like she came from the hood. The food is overpriced. They will be screwed once Les G*ivral's opens on Washington. At least at H*ue on Richmond and Kirby, you are paying for stellar food in a beautiful atmosphere. Pagoda will do well with non-cultured customers that have no clue what real Vietnamese food tastes like and smile as they pay $6 for banh mi they could get with better bread and ingredients for $2. What an insult to those that know. I was disappointed to say the least. NAME: Houston Diners SUBMITTED: 7/12/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: 07-07-08 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: A great addition to the Shepherd/Washington restaurant scene. Pagoda has a bistro-length menu. All the dishes we've tried were excellent. We particularly enjoyed the calamari and the green mango salad; the Shakin Beef and the Pagoda Bowl vermicelli. Good food; reasonable prices; classy new decor. We'll be returning regularly! NAME: Eatin' Out SUBMITTED: 7/5/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: July/2008 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: Finally. Some good Vietnamese food in the Heights area. Or at least good Vietnamese food with a twist. It's a relief to be able to wine and dine with this genre of cuisine. The only other time I get a chance to eat decent Vietnamese food is when I'm with my wife and her parents, but to be honest some of the things they order don't quite agree with this English-Irish palate. This place does. The Shaken Beef is sooooo tender. That was a real surprise. I was hesitant in ordering this entree because I've had a similar dish at M*ai's on Milam which I had to leave the plate half full because my jaw got tired from "chewing the meat they scraped off of the ankle of a bull" to quote the Mrs. She never understood why I went there. I guess I like Vietnamese food that much. As for the decor, it's pleasing to the eye. No neon lights to sear your cornea with and no huge speakers to thump your ear drums with. It is a bit echoy and I'm not sure if they're going to address that, but I'd say a few more paintings, plants, or cloth covered areas and it'll be that much more enjoyable. Pagoda rolls, here I come! NAME: lookin4somthinnew SUBMITTED: 6/24/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: 6/14/08 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: I visited Pagoda for the first time last week with my boyfriend. We had heard about it from a coworker of mine and decided to try it. It was wonderful! We came in around 8 P.M. on a Friday and it was pretty busy. The ambiance was very warm and inviting. I love their chandeliers above the bar; they are so pretty!!! I also love their choice in music--it's young and contemporary. We sat in a cozy little booth by the window and ordered the spring rolls and crab soup as appetizers. The spring rolls tasted so fresh and the crab soup was nothing short of delicious. We ordered the lamb dish and the shaking beef for our entrees. We were surprised at how tasty they were!!! I've had lamb at many different places (where it has been gamey and overcooked) and I have got to say that this place is the best. They really know how to prepare it. Also, the service was great--our server never let our water glasses go empty and the owners came by to see how we liked everything, which was really nice. We will definitely be coming back!!! NAME: msfoodcritic SUBMITTED: 6/14/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: June/2008 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: I had been waiting several months for this place to open. The outside of the restaurant is deceiving, as it looks like a big yellow house. Parking is limited. The inside seems to still need completion. The wooden floors in the front are warped and there's a sterile couch on the left side. The bar area is clean and there are 2 nice abalone shell chandeliers and 2 flat screen T.V.s -- the drink menus --especially mixed drinks sounded interesting. The wines by the glass were expensive. The restaurant is noisy, as the floors are a combination of wood and stained concrete. Restroom was clean and had pretty Italian tiles. In terms of atmosphere, it seems that the restaurant is trying to be neo-modern but not quite there. The lights are halogen and are not the most flattering for your date and it gets hot. There were two large windows facing a small garden, but only one had drapes. A few modern art Vietnamese lacquer paintings hang on the walls. The menu is short. The spring rolls were nothing spectacular at $6 for 2 rolls -- and the sauce is the blandest I have ever tasted -- I do not know if there was any hoisin sauce! The shrimp salad was surprisingly light with the bamboo shoots and ample shrimp. The tiny shrimp chips were a nice touch. The main reason my fiance wanted to go was to try the spicy beef soup -- aka Bun Bo Hue. What a disappointment! It was $10, twice the cost of the soup you could get somewhere else. They need to take theirs off the menu. The noodle was pho noodle, and it was the blandest soup we have ever tasted -- not a bit of spice! My fiance called it Campbell Soup Bun Bo Hue or Mc Bun Bo Hue. I was ashamed at how they had massacred the soup (I am Vietnamese). I ordered the Pagoda Bowl which was bland and they didn't have enough vegetables on the bottom. I was expecting something spectacular for their signature dish, so this was also a disappointment. For $12, it's pricey. The highest point of the evening was the attentive service by the waiter and the fact that they kept the water bottle on the table. The owner's family members were at the restaurant and 2 of the kids were running around the restaurant, pushing our chairs around, and screaming. Not a romantic atmosphere by any means. I will not return and I would recommend N*ga Restaurant, V*an Loc, or M*ai's downtown ...or go to the Bellaire area for real Vietnamese food. Pagoda needs to change their menu as their food is NOT authentic, but perhaps they can say "Vietnamese inspired." NAME: drfoodie SUBMITTED: 6/10/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: 06/10/08 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: It's hard to review a restaurant that has been opened for less than a month but I think this place shows great promise. The spring rolls yummy and fresh. We had to asked for them without meat. The shrimp salad very delicious. They didn't have a meatless lunch menu options.. perhaps they should add in the future. The location is convenient.. let's hope they catch on... we can all use more restaurants like this for the Heights area. NAME: e4 SUBMITTED: 6/10/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: 06/08 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: I am surprised how contrasting the other reviews of this restaurant were to my own experience. The food was quite dry, especially the meat and rice...noodles were undercooked as well. The portions were small and over-priced...your better off driving down to Bellaire. The bar area was nicely decorated...but dining area was plain...however the place was clean. Still no "great" Vietnamese food in the area...you might try "V*ietnam Restaurant" on 19th near Shepherd...but thats still pricier than Bellaire. NAME: C Farley SUBMITTED: 6/9/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: 06/2008 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: My husband and I had lunch there and it was delicious. We tried two appetizers Spring Rolls and Beef Satey and then split a Vietnamese sandwich. The flavors were all wonderful. The restaurant is really lovely inside and the service was great. We will definitely go back often. NAME: Modgirl SUBMITTED: 6/8/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: 06/08 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Just opened.. excellent food, Pho soup wonderful and all fresh ingredients. Chicken Vermicelli very good, nice atmosphere, very friendly, chocolate cake for desert was unbelievable. NAME: inner looper SUBMITTED: 6/4/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: may/2008 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: I finally got to visit this place last week, after waiting for months for it to open. The place looks beautiful on the inside.. very simple and warm. The food itself tasted wonderful. I had the Shaking Beef, which is often served at other vietnamese restaurants, but not nearly as good as Pagodas. It was clear that they used good quality beef that came out tender and not overcooked, and the marinade was very flavorful. I'm sure I will frequent this place many times in the near future. I'm glad I don't have to drive far now for some good Vietnamese food! NAME: Val SUBMITTED: 6/3/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: 05/08 FREQUENCY: Visited once ©Copyright 1991 - 2008 B4-U-EAT.COM. All rights reserved. Design and database by B4-U-BUY