Hẻm | Vibrant Vietnamese Street Food & Cozy Local Vibes in Houston

About This Spot

Stepping into Hẻm is like finding a spirited corner of Vietnam plucked right into the heart of Houston’s Bellaire Boulevard. The moment you arrive, the space hums with a thoughtful blend of urban energy and neighborhood warmth—neon lights glow softly against exposed brick walls, while subtle music rises just enough to create a relaxed buzz without overwhelming conversation. It’s a place that encourages lingering, inviting you to settle in and savor not only the meal but the moments between bites.

The pace here is unhurried. Unlike the hurry of many city eateries, Hẻm offers an experience where time can stretch out, whether you’re catching up with friends or diving into a quiet meal on your own. The atmosphere captures the spirit of a vibrant Vietnamese street scene—not through chaos, but in the quiet details: small, welcoming tables, lamps that imitate street lighting, and even little touches that evoke the energy of a local market or tucked-away alleyway.

When it comes to the food, Hẻm feels like a humble celebration of familiar flavors, elevated. You’ll find yourself drawn into dishes that balance bold seasoning with comforting textures—from crispy, golden chicken wings that carry hints of fish sauce or Thai spices, to adventurous street-style snacks like grilled pork cheek and sizzling chicken gizzards. These are dishes made to share, paired with refreshing sodas that sparkle with kumquat or passionfruit, or a soothing herbal tea that grounds the meal in tradition.

What resonates most is the subtle interplay between the personal and the authentic. The staff’s ease and attentiveness add to this gentle authenticity without feeling staged—they welcome you as if you’re stepping into a friend’s favorite spot rather than a formal dining room. It’s a place where the vibrancy of Vietnamese street food culture is experienced not just in the flavors, but in the pace, the light, and the unfolding human moments.

What’s Available Here

Outdoor seating
On-site services
Takeaway
Dine-in
Delivery

Fast service
Great beer selection
Great cocktails
Great coffee
Serves local specialty

Lunch
Dinner
Solo dining

Wheelchair-accessible car park
Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Wheelchair-accessible seating
Wheelchair-accessible toilet

Alcohol
Beer
Cocktails
Coffee
Comfort food
Happy-hour drinks
Healthy options
Late-night food
Quick bite
Small plates
Spirits
Wine

Brunch
Lunch
Dinner
Counter service
Dessert
Seating
Table service

Bar on site
Toilet

Casual
Cosy
Trendy

Family friendly
Groups
Tourists

Accepts reservations

Credit cards
Debit cards
NFC mobile payments

Good for kids
High chairs

Free of charge street parking
Free parking lot
Parking

Location & Hours

Monday	11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Tuesday	11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Wednesday	11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Thursday	11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Friday	11:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Saturday	11:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Sunday	11:00 AM - 10:00 PM

Guest Reviews

Rhonda Venkatesan 14 Dec 2025

Greeted by friendly staff upon entering. Waited only a few minutes to be seated. The atmosphere was lovely with music playing and summed lights. The food was excellent and reasonably priced. The flavors were bold and delicious. Our waitress was friendly and attentive without being overbearing. We spent 2.5 hours here and we were never pressured to leave. I will decimated be back!

ed papin 11 Nov 2025

We came to Chinatown or another restaurant and couldn’t get in the door so we saw this place and gave it a try. Wow! Wow! Wow! I have never been a big fan of Vietnamese food, but I will definitely be back to this place. My wife had a very impressive seafood dish and I had the pork Vietnamese sandwich. Vivian was our server and if you’re tired of the non-service of other restaurants in Chinatown, Make it a point to come to this place. She made sure our drinks and food were perfect and the prices are about 50% lower than I thought they would be. If you get the Ban Mi, Ask for extra Vietnamese butter to put on it. Vivian is awesome and made the whole experience way more than we expected! I’m a convert. My wife has her friends club that gets together once a month and they go to a different restaurant each time and she has added HEM to her rotation. We WILL be back and bring our friends.

Trang Tran 08 Nov 2025

Hotpot is the only thing we haven’t tried at this restaurant, everything else is consistently good to exceptional. We’ve noticed that dining in is a perfect 10/10, while to-go orders can be hit or miss. For example, our bò kho came without the bread it should have, and we requested extra sauce for the dry hu tieu, but it wasn’t included, and even received a broken container. Despite that, we still give them 5 stars because we genuinely love the food!

Nayeli Applefield 06 Nov 2025

My friend picked this place because of the cool looking atmosphere outside with a little chairs resembling I’m guessing what it could be eating like in Vietnam, “The street way”, But she lacked to check the menu. To our surprise, it was very authentic, Food flavor absolutely delicious. nothing that we ordered was disappointing. Our waiter what’s absolutely wonderful he made us feel welcomed, Manager was very attentive as well making sure we had everything, Everything was very clean one thing that I always appreciate And restaurants it’s the water flavor, It was definitely purified. No fishy flavor. I really also get dessert but their dessert looks so interesting and also they did not disappoint. Very delicious. Can’t wait to come try their lunch menu during the week. Definitely a go to place in Houston.

Tanmay Kokkula 31 Oct 2025

We came in around on a Saturday at 6:30 PM. Walking in, we were hit with the unique vibe that was styled around a street/urban setting. The atmosphere was incredible, all the set dressing (neon lights, brick walls, model street vehicles) felt on theme and contributed the street aesthetic. The entire restaurant was well lit with some of the main lighting came from the neon signs and hanging lights. They played really lively music and it was pretty loud but not so loud that you can't hear the people at your table. The staff and service was incredibly nice. When we got there the restaurant was pretty packed but we immediately got a seat. Our waiter gave us her opinions on what she thought we should get. Our waiter was pretty nice and every now and then someone came in to check on us. Every dish we got (Chicken Beef, seafood fried rice, truffle fries, mini eggrolls, and thai sauce chicken wings, passionfruit soda, coconut, vanilla, and green tea flavored ice cream) felt immaculate and well priced, each dish around $15-20 each. The meats (beef, thai sauce chicken wings) were tender. The beef was pretty chewy and was marinated and flavored with a brothy umami flavor and was slightly sweet. The chicken wings were sweet and crispy/crunchy on the outside and rich and savory on the outside and it gave this satisfying feeling when chewing it. The thai sauce felt sweet and spicy and it gave the wings a nice aftertaste. The seafood fried rice felt incredibly rich and slightly oily. It was slightly crispy but at the same time the rice felt soft and almost fluffy. The rice also had a slight umami flavor. The actual seafood in the seafood fried rice was going to include squids but we just got shrimp and scallops. The shrimp pieces were pretty big and there was a good amount of them. The tail of the shrimp was crunchy and the shrimp itself felt succulent and fresh but otherwise the taste blended in with the rest of the rice. The whole meal left me feeling incredibly satisfied and fulfilled more so than the other meals so it was definitely a highlight for me. However the fries were a bit too salty and kind of lacked the crispness you'd expect in fries but they were nicely thick and still good overall. The eggrolls had lots of filling and was savory and crispy. The added fish sauce it came with added some sweetness and tanginess. The drinks were really fresh, fruity, and the juice blended well with the soda. Also, the ice-cream was really good for its price because there was so much of it and it was in an entire coconut and it was soft and smooth, for the most part. Some of the ice-creams did come out more icy than others but it wasn't too much of a problem. All in all it was an incredible experience and I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone interested! I would totally come again!

Tram 31 Oct 2025

I been here before just me and my husband, but I never wrote a review on Google but I did one on Yelp if you want to look for it. I came back to this place again, this time with my in laws, because I really loved the vibe and the food from last time. We wanted to sit outside, but they told us that if you sit outside you cannot drink alcohol. My family was a little disappointed because they wanted that feeling from back home, sitting outside and drinking together, but it was still okay. We came on a Saturday night, so we already knew it would be busy, and yes it was packed even though it had just stopped raining. We ordered almost the same things as last time because everything was so good and I wanted my in laws to try it. Here is what we ordered: • Dozen of oysters: Super fresh and delicious. We ended up ordering two dozens which shows how good they were. • Seafood fried rice: We asked for the kid version with only shrimp. I understand it was a special request, but the dish itself was a little bland and just decent. • 5 Spcies Grilled Beef (Bo Ngu Vi): Still delicious like last time. The only thing is they really need to give more papaya and carrot pickle. I do not know how we are supposed to eat the whole plate with just a few pieces. Even when we asked for more they also only brought a little. • Skewers Combo: Really good like last time. Also needs more pickle. • Chicken Cartilage (Sun Ga): We got the garlic fish sauce version and it was so good. This was my favorite of the night. • Crispy Pork Belly (Ba Roi Vo Gion): Very crispy and delicious. I wish I could have some Banh Hoi and fish sauce to eat with the pork belly. That would be perfect. • Lady May: A lychee refresher drink. Very tasty and super refreshing. We had a great time and a great experience again. Our server was really nice and attentive. Since we had a small kid with us it got a little messy, but he still helped us a lot without any complaint. Overall everything was amazing just like last time. I only hope they can give out more pickle because when you eat a lot of greasy food you need some sour to balance it out. Even with that, this is still a great place for bringing family, especially with the outdoor area. The only thing is you cannot drink

Na Li (娜爷 AM1050美食琅琊榜) 24 Oct 2025

Hẻm · A Vietnamese Street Food Spot That’s Worth Exploring With Friends. Hẻm is one of the few Vietnamese street-food-style restaurants in Houston that actually feels worth exploring. There aren’t many places doing this style well, and this one has such a huge menu that you’ll probably want to come with some Vietnamese friends — or at least a bigger group — so you can try more things without the pressure of picking wrong on your first visit. My first experience here was great overall, mainly because I got to sample a lot of dishes. Out of everything we ordered, a few stood out immediately: 1. Raw beef salad with raw egg Everything is raw, but incredibly fresh. The beef is sliced paper-thin, mixed with fresh fruits, and dipping it into the raw egg actually creates a surprisingly smooth, rich bite. Definitely something you don’t usually find in standard Vietnamese restaurants. 2. Snail salad Crunchy, flavorful, and full of fresh herbs and sliced vegetables. Vietnamese street food often relies on bright ingredients, and this dish does exactly that — every bite wakes you up. 3. Bò lúc lắc (shaking beef) Their version leans more American-style, in cube steak pieces, very well-seasoned and flavorful. A very safe and tasty choice for first-timers. 4. Pork jowl If you love chewy, textural cuts, this is a must. Not fatty, but extremely satisfying to bite into. Their drinks are also nicely decorated and fun to try. For something more filling, the shrimp butter fried rice is a good choice — not mind-blowing, but useful when most seafood dishes won’t fill you up on their own. Best drinking snack: chicken soft bones Crispy, crunchy, addictive — honestly one of the best night-market-style snacks, especially if you’re pairing it with a drink. A few notes to help people order smartly: • The soups are good but portion vs. price isn’t the best deal, especially for large groups. • Snail dishes taste great, but considering the price, you could easily buy the same snails at a supermarket and cook them at home for much cheaper — so here it’s more about the experience than the value. The ambience is lively and spacious, with areas for both big parties and small groups. Service was attentive; I won’t say they know the entire menu perfectly (it’s huge), but they were helpful enough. Overall, Hẻm is a fun, authentic Vietnamese night-market-style spot that’s perfect for groups who want to explore a lot of different dishes. I’d definitely come back to try more unique snacks I haven’t had anywhere else. Approved by Your Review Queen Powered by Monkey King Media

Tiffany 16 Oct 2025

This was our first time here at this restaurant after /seeing all the hype on social media. We ordered a few seafood dishes and they were all very enjoyable! The Vietnamese steamed clams were super soft. Not chewy at all. My favorite part would have to be their special sauce that came with the seafood dishes. So addicting!! If I lived in Houston, this would be my go-to late night food spot. The vibes were great. I enjoyed the nostalgic photos of Vietnamese culture on the walls in the bathroom.