QUAN BA KY Crawfish Vietnamese Restaurant

Tucked away in Alief, where Houston’s Chinatown has grown into one of the city’s richest food destinations, you can find some of the most comforting and authentic dishes outside of Vietnam. Alief has long been known as a hub of cultural diversity, where restaurants aren’t just businesses—they’re extensions of family kitchens and traditions carried across oceans. From Cantonese barbecue shops to Vietnamese noodle houses, this neighborhood has shaped Houston’s reputation as a food city.

Quan Ba Ky is one of those gems. I came specifically to try their Bún Suông, a specialty noodle soup you don’t see everywhere. The broth is light yet deeply flavorful, with just the right balance of savory and sweet. The star, of course, is the shrimp paste “suông,” shaped into tender little patties that hold a delicate bite. Paired with rice vermicelli, herbs, and crisp vegetables, the soup feels both refreshing and comforting—perfect for Houston’s unpredictable weather.

What makes this bowl stand out isn’t just the taste, but also how it connects to the wider story of food in Alief. Dishes like Bún Suông remind me that Chinatown isn’t only about dim sum or pho—it’s a crossroads of flavors, histories, and immigrant experiences that have come together to create something uniquely Houston. I’m proud to live in the heart of it, surrounded by so much culture and incredible food.

If you’re looking for something beyond the usual bowls of pho, Bún Suông at Quan Ba Ky is absolutely worth the visit.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

The staff were friendly and the food were great! I recommend the taro cake and the garlic shrimp noodles. So yummy

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I could’ve sworn I left a review for this place already lol
Anyway, I’ve come here for the crawfish and ended up trying the bun suong once and was hooked. The soup is so flavorful, though I do wish the noodles were a bit softer.
I don’t recommend the fried catfish, it was rubbery and tasteless.
I did like the lemongrass lime drink! It reminded me of a Brazilian limeade, if you’re into that.

Come on a day when you have time because the service is a bit slow, it’s seems like there’s only 2 people running the restaurant.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 4

Service: 3

Recommended dishes: Crawfish Market, Bún Suông

Came here for late night chickens hot pot and the owner recommended the goat hot pot instead and i realized why when the food came out. The photo showed everything that came with it. A plate of noodles and a plate of cabbage, no other vegetables or tofu.

As you can see the hot pot has little meat, and it’s all lean meat, no skins no belly. He sold us the left-over with full price. And the lemongrass lime is definitely powder, it started to separate. Owner has Zero pride in cooking food, all about making money.
I will never come again.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 1

Service: 1

I bought 10 whole chickens from this store for a birthday party, and I was extremely disappointed. After I unfroze them, they all had such a terrible smell that I had to throw every single one away. This was a complete waste of money and ruined my plans for the party. The quality was unacceptable, and it raises serious concerns about the store's hygiene and food safety standards. This establishment absolutely needs to be inspected.

Great food and good price

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

The food was good especially the fried rice and some other foods

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Bún Suông, Bun Bo Hue

We had 6 pounds of crawfish with their special sauce, and it was delicious! The sauce had just the right mix of sweetness and spice. SO flavorful! The drinks were also really good and paired perfectly with the meal. Can’t wait to go back!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Went to lunch and sampled these dishes. They were all flavorful and delicious. I gave a 5 star for food because they deserve more than a 4 star but I thought the eggrolls were not up to par. All the other dishes made up for it though. The shaking beef was tender and very flavorful. The crawfish is a must try and the bun suong is their most popular soup dish. The taro cake was one of the best I've tasted, hot and crunchy and perfectly cooked. The fried shrimps and fries were ok. Comparable to similar fried dishes. The server was nice, funny, and very patient while taking our orders. Our food came out very quickly. Very enjoyable lunch.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

Crawfish is the best! Must try.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

The place is ok it was one person trying to handle everything at onetime didn't finish talking my order the can coke is 2.99 which is to high also alot of tablets where dirty the guy when i was trying to buy one more pound of crawfish he dint want to sale me another one basically he dint want us to order another one evendo we order 2 pounds which it just like 7 or eight crawfish also the kitchen it was a mess I could see it in front of my table food was not cook right 1st trying it I dont recommend it here I will not come back also they need to hire more people. Also the crawfish dint had no potatoes or corn nothing was charged to much for this .

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 1

Service: 1

had an incredible experience at Quan Ba Ky. I ordered the Garlic Shrimp Noodles (Tôm Mì Tỏi) and started with Bánh Bột Chiên as my appetizer—and wow, both dishes blew me away. The noodles were packed with flavor, perfectly cooked, and loaded with juicy, garlicky shrimp. The bánh bột chiên had that crispy, chewy texture done just right—comfort food at its finest.

What really stood out, though, was the atmosphere. It instantly transported me back to the feeling of grabbing late-night street food in Vietnam—casual, cozy, and full of life. The service was also fantastic—friendly, fast, and everything came out super fresh.

If you’re looking for authentic Vietnamese flavors and a nostalgic vibe, Quan Ba Ky is a must-try. I’ll definitely be back!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

so good! first time and they open late

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

so delicious and great service! I got the tiktok soup which was almost better the next day even

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Beautiful establishment, clean and very cozy. Staff makes you feel at home, so sweet and so attentive. I take it to heart when people are kind to my child and they were so sweet to her, makes me want to come back to try all their other dishes. Now to the food, IT WAS AMAZING! Everything we tried was delicious, we very much indulged and tried several different things and the bill was still under $100. Will come back again!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5