Tan Tan Restaurant — Restaurant in Houston

Ok, this is my favorite place in the city for Chinese food!! Every time we've been here (about a dozen in total), the service has been wonderful. Today's service was exceptionally expedient, and the food was fantastic, as it always is.

We ate from 4 dishes, family style, so that everyone had a little bit of each dish. There are many selections on the menu, but I really enjoyed the different flavors of the menu items we selected today, in particular. So, if I may make a suggestion based on our most wonderful experience today, here's what we had. Whether you're new to this restaurant or have been here before, I think this combination of dishes provides an experience, rich in flavor, varied in textures, and tied well together to satisfy one's palette. Our selections:

Flat Rice Noodle with Beef and Brown Sauce . Warm, savory, earthy. Soft textures, just melts in your mouth. This is the reason we come here. We order it every time. At this point, I feel it's safe for me to call this "comfort food." I'm sure it's the equivalent to a large warm towel fresh from the dryer after a shower. Seiously, if you were to throw this dish into the air, it would turn into sunshine. #iykyk

Eggplant with Basil sauce. This was the surprise hit for me! I'm normally not a fan of eggplant dishes, but this may have been my favorite thing I had today. Rich, aromatics of the Basil in a darker brown sauce, that had just a hint of a kick to it. Thinly sliced onions were the perfect compliment to the sauce, along with the Eggplant. I found myself going back to it for the sauce alone. It was delicious mixed in with the steamed rice. I hate to keep going on about it, but I can't stress enough how much I just don't care for eggplant and never really have, but this dish was truly STELLAR!

Tangerine Beef. (pictured) This one is SOOOO GOOD! Citrus, combined with aromatics from the ginger slices in a brown sauce tie in nicely with the Basil from the Eggplant dish, but is a little sweeter, (which in turn translates well to the 4th dish we ordered). The textures on the beef are fantastically contrasted between the soft, tender, generous slices of beef and the firm, crispiness of the breading around it. Not sure if it's doubled fried, or how they achieve it, but it reminds me of a chicken fried steak type vibe, but the sauce!!!! This was our "big hit surprise" from a few visits back. We only recently discovered it, but it never disappoints. Always a table favorite!

And finally, the Walnut Shrimp. (pictured) This one has become a staple for us over many visits. This is the one dish with the furthest deviation of flavor profile from the other dishes, but hits on a different level vs. some other places where we've had the same dish. The shrimp are HUGE! Perfect, thin, crispy texture on the tempura coating. The sauce is light, creamy, and a little more on the sweeter side. Large chunks of glazed walnuts provide a soft sort of crunch. The sauce is nicely proportioned to the (did I mention they ARE HUGE?) shrimp, so as not to overpower it. All of it served atop very thinly shredded lettuce and cabbage, which combines nicely with the sauce and shrimp to give a light and sweet taste of slaw, without feeling like you're eating soggy coleslaw. Cabbage and carrots are still firm, sauce is sweet and creamy. It's simply done, no real big surprises, but the difference is, they do all of these things at an elite level. Everything is executed at the highest level with the freshest ingredients. It's just simply well done.

I suggest these 4 dishes and even in the above order...just a small plate of each one, from the flat Noodle to the shrimp. Call it "around the table" and enjoy! I made more than a couple "round...

I recently had the opportunity to dine at Tan Tan Restaurant, and overall, it was a pleasant experience. The restaurant offers a cozy and inviting atmosphere, making it a great place for a casual meal with friends or family.

The service at Tan Tan Restaurant was excellent. The staff members were friendly, attentive, and accommodating throughout our visit. They promptly greeted us upon arrival and ensured that we had everything we needed during our meal. The waitstaff was knowledgeable about the menu and provided helpful recommendations when we were deciding what to order.

Speaking of the menu, Tan Tan Restaurant offers a variety of dishes at affordable prices. The standout item for me was the pan-fried noodles. They were absolutely amazing—crispy, flavorful, and packed with fresh ingredients. The portion size was generous, making it a satisfying and filling dish. I would highly recommend trying the pan-fried noodles during your visit.

The egg rolls were another highlight of our meal. They were well-prepared, with a crispy exterior and a delicious filling. They were served piping hot and accompanied by a flavorful dipping sauce. It was evident that they were made with care and attention to detail.

However, not all the dishes lived up to our expectations. The dumplings, unfortunately, fell short. They didn't possess the same level of flavor and quality as the other dishes we tried. The filling lacked seasoning and the texture was somewhat disappointing. While this was a letdown, it's important to note that taste preferences can vary, and others may have a different experience.

In terms of value, Tan Tan Restaurant provides affordable prices for the quality of food and service they offer. The portion sizes were generous, ensuring that we left the restaurant satisfied.

Overall, Tan Tan Restaurant is a solid choice for a casual dining experience. The friendly service, cozy atmosphere, and standout dishes such as the pan-fried noodles and egg rolls make it worth a visit. While not every dish hit the mark, it's evident that the restaurant strives to provide a positive experience for its customers. I would recommend giving Tan Tan Restaurant a try and exploring their menu for yourself.

Please note that this review is based on my personal experience and taste preferences, and individual...

H1 House Special Rice Cake/Banh Bot Chien for the win! This place hands down makes the best banh bot chien in the city. It's always cooked to crispy perfection. It's a pretty solid order when practically every table gets one, some tables order multiple because it is that good! It's seriously the best. Can't find anything even in the same caliber of delicious as Tan Tan's Banh Bot Chien.

We also got the beef crispy noodle/hu tieu xao and it was the best as well! It was very different than the hu tieu xao at other places, the noodles were extreme crispy and it was absolutely delicious! We ate the entire dish and didn't feel guilty about it at all. The mi is also very good as well when it's colder weather. The birds next/mi xao is also delicious. All the portions here are giant and definitely shareable. Family style is the best way to go here so that everyone gets to try a variety of things.

They have expanded over the years so you shouldn't have a wait since the place is giant now.. The parking lot is still a super pain just as all other parking lots in Chinatown/Bellaire area. But it's super worth it, they have another location on Westheimer as well that is less crowded but new and super nice. This location is older but it is consistently good.

The service well is typical Asian Restaurant service, slightly subpar. You don't go here expecting super awesome service, it just won't happen, you go here for the food. The servers are always in a rush and there is not a lot of chit chat, they are in and out. No frills service here. They will seldomly check in on you and you are lucky if you get your drink refilled without having to ask. You get a lot of food for the price and the food is amazing, but the service is not there to wow you. It's there to serve your food and take you order. So if you can't deal with short and to the point service this isn't the place for you. But if you like consistently delicious food, this is the place for you. So the miss the mark on service and therefore they don't get 5 stars but it's hard to go to an authentic Asian restaurant for an affordable price and get 5 star service in my opinion.

Tan Tan will always have a place in my heart for...