Rieu Cua Bellaire — Restaurant in Houston

This is hands down the best bun rieu in Houston and I’ve tasted them all in search of the authentic rieu that my Mom meticulously perfected nearly 50 years ago. The broth has the signature tang of tomatoes that I have yet seen accomplished in other rieu bowls served in restaurants. Rieu broth when made correctly is almost like a tomato consommé, clean and lightly tangy with a distinct tomato flavor. The other key ingredient is the rieu itself which consists of jam packed umami goodness; crab, shallot, shrimp and pork. When the soup is served the rieu is usually still holding together in its solid form. However, this block of goodness needs to broken up into the soup to release its flavor. A mistake a lot of restaurants make is their broth contains the crab seasoning (usually the cheap mass produced powdered seasoning) which tends to be too salty and is missing the real crab umami. Rieu Cau has perfected the complimentary balance of the broth and the rieu as its meant to be eaten. Their shrimp paste condiment is also special to their shop. Instead of serving it from the jar its a mix they’ve made. Please note, you have to ask for it if you want it. I don’t usually use it because I like the broth the way its served but when I do it’s the best. We’ve been eating here since its opening; in the last few years a few times a month. We travel from Katy just to eat here. It’s so nostalgic of my youth and especially special to me because my Mom passed before I was old enough to appreciate her food only to find out so few restaurants know how to really make it right. When I complimented the owner on how good and authentic her rieu is she enthusiastically told me how she meticulously sources pounds of fresh crabmeat to perfect her dish. She is so craft proud. We love supporting...

Updates 7/9/2025

Absolutely delicious! This place serves one of the best bún riêu cua I’ve ever had. The broth is rich, flavorful, and perfectly balanced—not too heavy, with just the right tang. The crab paste is fresh and generous, and all the toppings taste so well-prepared. Great portions, clean space, and friendly service. If you’re craving authentic, comforting Vietnamese food, this spot is a must-try!

The biggest regret I had on our Houston trip was coming to this restaurant on our last day. The place is small but it gives you a loving mom and pops shop. My sister ordered Canh Bun and I ordered Bun Rieu. People always say these two dishes tasted the same and such. Yes, it is the same but it's how you prep it. My bowl has so much flavors but I wish the Rieu could be a little bigger. It was cut into small pieces but the flavors was the bomb though. It was little sis first time trying Canh Bun and she was in love. Growing up my mom always make this dish but little sis never liked to try these kind of flavors until now. The one thing I would say is that it's so hot in here. I do understand that it's a lot of older people that comes here, but it was too hot for us. Other than that, everything was superb.

Until next...

We arrived at Rieu Cua for a weekday lunch and were the only patrons in the restaurant.

The restaurant itself is very small and cozy, everything seems to be clean. Service was prompt as our food came out in literally a few minutes.

Bun Rieu Dac Biet - The vermicelli and crab soup was just okay. The broth was average. A lot of noodles and tomatoes in the soup but only a little amount of meat.

Canh Bun Dac Biet - The large vermicelli soup was also just average. Same issue as the above dish with portion control.

Goi Du Du Kho Bo - this is a green papaya salad with beef jerky. Portion size was fine. The taste on the other hand was a little on the bland size. We've actually had better elsewhere.

Bun Rieu and Canh Bun are dishes that our family enjoys making at home each month. Our expectations were very high when eating at a restaurant that specializes in these dishes. Sad to say, everything was just borderline average.

As much as we love to support small businesses, we'll probably not...