Pho Ga Dakao

I was feeling homesick and really wanted my mom’s chicken phở. Hence I searched all over Houston for a place to satisfy my phở ga cravings, and I ended up at Phở Ga Dakao. BEST DECISION EVER. The phở ga dac biet was off the hook. The broth was so rich and the chicken meat was random chopped pieces of a whole chicken. Also, they added a hard boiled yolk… SOLD. Definitely reminded me of home!
The atmosphere/​cleanliness was ok (can be a little cleaner), that’s why I’m giving them 4 stars instead of 5. Also the service was «ehh», didn’t refill our drinks and the waiter never checked on us. Other than that, this place is the bomb for some tasty phở ga!

I have only eaten phở ha kho once before this. A friend recommended this place to me for their phở ga kho and the mien ga.
Phở ga kho is chicken phở with the broth served on the side. The phở ga kho was better than the one I had in New Orleans. Make sure to ask for the dac biet with extra sauce. Dac biet will include chicken gizzard and liver.
The mien ga was good but it was lacking in the protein department.
The service was nice and attentive.
My only complaint was that the cups were dirty.

Phở Ga Dakao is a Vietnamese restaurant in Houston that specializes in Phở Ga (Phở with Chicken). Sure, there are many Vietnamese Phở restaurants in Houston, but what makes Phở Ga Dakao unique is one dish. And believe it or not their signature dish is worth making a visit.
My Overall Rating — 4 Stars (Atmosphere, Service, Food, Return)
Atmosphere — You find Phở Ga Dakao in a shopping strip along Bellaire. If you blink you’ll miss it, because it looks like just about every other phở restaurant, inside & out. They have typical plain chairs, tables, and lots of Asian patrons. Unfortunately, nothing about the restaurant is unique or memorable. I will say it’s clean — and this matters. ½ Stars.
Service — Like the atmosphere, the service is very typical of Vietnamese restaurants. You’ll place your order almost as soon as you sit down, food comes out super-​fast, and the next time you see the staff will be to pay. Don’t expect follow ups, drink refills, or any extra touches. This is the norm for these restaurants, so you have to have those expectations going in. Point for speed and not being bad. ½ Star.
Food — Ok, I will admit up front my food rating is based on one dish: Phở Ga Dakao Dac Biet — Dry. Dry you say? How can Phở be served dry? They take a base Phở Ga, drain it of the broth, and then toss it their sweet nuoc mam (fish sauce). Not sure what makes it sweet (ginger maybe?), but the result is incredible. You end up getting a noodle dish with tender chicken, fried shallots, fresh herbs, and soft phở noodles. The nuoc mam gives it a wonderful flavor that enhances the chicken. The fried shallots add a nice kick of flavor AND texture, and all these combinations together equate to a great dish. Yes, you can also get a broth based Phở Ga Dakao Dac Biet, which is also excellent. The brother is clean and clear, all other components are also there, but you don’t get the nuoc mam enhancements. Still a worthy dish. Honestly — I don’t know where else I can go to eat this dish so they get my votes. 2 Stars.
Will I Return? — Yes. I’ll be honest, again I base by return solely on one dish. But it’s one of those dishes that isn’t replicated anywhere else, so by default I’ll return. The fact is, there are plenty of good Phở restaurants in Houston, but Phở Ga Dakao has a unique dish that makes it stand out. 1 Star.
My Unilocal Rating Scale (Sum of all parts):
1 Star — Atmosphere — Is it a cool dive? Perhaps an upscale place? No matter the type, atmosphere plays a big part and I’ll give a star if I like it or thinks it has great charm.
1 Star — Service — You can have a great meal with bad service. But that’s also what can make a five star joint drop to four. It’s important to the dining experience that service is great and on point.
2 Stars — Food — I’ll award up to two stars for the food, since this is the main reason we dine out. Sometimes the extra star is given for value, but it’s really all about the food.
1 Star — Will I come back? — If I know for a fact I’ll return, I’ll give this a star. A place has to make an impression for me to return.
Each Category can be given up to 1 star except food (2 stars) because I consider all these categories important to the overall dining experience. I will sum them up to provide my final Unilocal score.

Like all my friends have said, the Viet food in Houston does not compare to 626.
Located in a huge plaza. Plenty of parking. Restaurant is big. Service was decent.
Phở Ga Dakao Dac Biet — $ 6.25 — Decent Phở Ga. Broth was pretty clean and good chicken flavor. Meat was tender. Nothing bad but not mind blowing.
Cha Gio — $ 4.95 — Crispy eggroll. Fish sauce was bland. Tasted watered down.
Ca Phe Sua Da — $ 2 — Iced Viet coffee on a hot humid Texas day. Refreshing with a jolt!