Are you in need of a large bowl of fresh pho with spring rolls? If you are, Mai’s Vietnamese Restaurant is the place for you.
Mai’s is a restaurant in downtown Houston that has been open since 1978, named after luck and prosperity. Mai’s fights for authenticity and exceeds expectations for being a little restaurant downtown that is rarely busy. Mai’s is a small casual Vietnamese restaurant that is fit for anyone including kids and vegetarians that is open Tuesday thru Saturday. When you walk into Mai’s after parking behind the restaurant, you are greeted with a calm and serene ambiance. That includes a great waitstaff that are very polite and attentive, answering any question you may have. These questions could be about their nice menu that includes descriptions, categories and pictures so you get an idea of what is to be expected.
I have gone to Mai’s many times and the food has been nothing less than excellent every time. The last time I went to Mai’s I was nicely greeted at the big glass door where I was seated right away. The restaurant is very authentic looking- with Vietnamese decorations filling the walls. Mia’s was also very clean and organized, with staff making sure to wipe down a table right after customers leave.
After being seated we ordered shrimp spring rolls and our drinks that came out within ten minutes. The spring rolls were very fresh with crunchy lettuce and juicy shrimp that paired perfectly with peanut sauce that was savory and sweet. For drinks my dad ordered coconut juice that comes straight from a fresh coconut which is also very good. For entries we ordered the Pho Tai for $17 and the Goi Ga for $17. The Pho Tai is a very large bowl filled with rare beef that cooks with the broth that is savory and rice noodles that are soft. The Goi Ga is a crunchy, spicy cabbage chicken salad that can feed three or more with crunchy peanuts and crispy onions on top. Both of these entrees were excellent and could feed my family of five.
Overall I would give Mai’s a 10/10 for the great experience and would definitely recommend it. Mai’s is located at 3403 Milam St Houston, TX 77002.
