Mai’s is located in the heart of Midtown Houston’s "Little Saigon," where street signs are in Vietnamese as well as English. There are other good Vietnamese restaurants in the neighborhood, including some that are slightly cheaper. But Mai’s is my favorite for a variety of reasons. First, there’s the food. The enormous menu reads like a book (literally) and is filled with nearly 200 Vietnamese and Chinese delicacies. Everything is very fresh, and I have never had anything I tried here that I wouldn’t be happy to order again. And with so much to choose from, you’re bound to find something you’ll love here. If you have trouble deciding what to order, the helpful waiters are happy to make suggestions and describe the different entrées for you. That brings me to the second great thing about Mai’s --the employees. Owner Mai Nguyen has a real gift for selecting friendly, professional employees and training them well. Service at Mai’s is usually outstanding. Drinks are always refilled promptly, food is served just as soon as the kitchen crew puts it on the plate so that it always comes out piping hot, and special requests are always met with agreement, not an answer of "no, we can’t do that." On the one occasion where I experienced bad service, Mai herself came over to apologize for our waiter’s shortcomings (he was brand-new), and a few minutes later a complimentary order of spring rolls appeared at our table. The amazing thing was that we had not even complained about the lack of attention we were getting, but apparently Mai had noticed what was happening from her perch behind the cash register.
Besides the great food and service, Mai’s long hours makes it a great choice for late-night dining. The restaurant is open until 2:30amSunday to Thursday, and 3:30am Friday and Saturday. With a Midtown location, Mai’s is convenient to both Montrose and Downtown and the bars and clubs in both neighborhoods. The restaurant is also very popular with the gay crowd, and same-sex couples are always welcomed and made to feel very comfortable.
As for the food, it’s hard to go wrong at Mai’s. Of my many favorites are the delicious spring rolls, garlic chicken, and stir-fried chicken with either snow peas or broccoli. I’m also hooked on the tangy, spicy garlic tofu, one of the restaurant's many vegetarian and vegan dishes. In addition to the wonderful food, Mai’s features some unique beverages, including Ca Phe Sua Da, iced coffee that is brewed at the table directly into your glass, and then mixed with sweetened condensed milk. It may sound strange, but trust me, it’s delicious.
- Website: http://www.maisrestauranttx.com/
- Metro Routes: 17 Gulfton, 53 Westheimer Limited, 78 Alabama/Irvington, 163 Fondren Express, MetroRail Red Line (Ensemble/HCC Station).