Houakhong Restaurant — Restaurant in Merced

We've gone a four times, and each time it got worse. This last time was the absolute worst service I have ever received. When we came in there was a party of 12 and us (2 and child). Right after we ordered an appetizer the large party received their food, so they weren't really holding anything up for us.

We ordered our food and a hot tea. The foot came in a timely manner, but the hot tea took 40 minutes. We never received a refill on our waters, and waited about twenty minutes for our server to come back so we could get boxes. There was a lot of noise coming from the front room, so I figured they were busy. I eventually went to the front to ask for a few boxes, and I was right they were busy. The two servers were busy chatting loudly with some guy who brought in KFC. I asked for boxes and went to pack up. My husband went to ask for a to go cup for his hot tea, and the server rolled her eyes at him.

When I asked for a manager, it was made clear there was none. I proceeded to tell the servers about how awful their service was, and how unhappy I was. I've been in the restaurant business since I was knee high, and this is not how you handle an upset customer. She laughed at me, and when I told her I would not be coming back she told me, "That's fine."

To be clear, I don't expect a lot. I expect to see my server at least once or twice during the meal, to see other tables bussed (not left piled high with dirty dishes for an hour), and when there is an issue to see it acknowledged. I didn't even wanna refund, I wanted them to acknowledge their rudeness and apologize (at the very least).

Never coming back, and with service like that I'm surprised...

Updated again in Jan 2023. (At bottom) Ordered raw laab. They gave molded cabbage. Rice cracker had hair in it. I actually seen bugs in my pho noodle there a couple times and I never said anything and just scooped it out and ate the food and still have tip, but today she also gave a attitude to my grandpa for just asking for his receipt. They don't wear hair nets when they cook, so food usually comes with hair and tables usually not fully cleaned and she scoops ice without gloves or anything after doing what she does. One time there was a live fly swimming in my son's Thai tea. I wouldn't recommend the place unless you don't mind some hair and uncleaned tables when being served.... I recently went back and thought things was different for the new year, but it wasn't. Found hair in my food again and I did noticed they didn't wear any hair net and the cashier lady grad the jalapeno peppers with her bare fingers and put them in the glass jar for me to get from and I kept and hearing coughing from the kitchen and when I left, I realized no one but me was wearing mask and it was only me and my child, besides all worker!... I will never go again. I almost threw up watching her put her fingers in the jar! And all that coughing! All this good reviews must be fake reviews from their own family!... I can't believe this resto is still open with them always having hair in food and coughing with no mask and touching sauce with fingers after working with money!. This...

Convenient location near 99 entrance ramps in a building that could be mistaken for a residence. Fast service, extremely generous portion (i got a $12.95 noodle soup that lasted 5 meals!). A busy restaurant, most patrons seem to be Thai and spoke their language with the staff. I take this as a sure sign of good authentic food. The "atmosphere" is basic, no frills, lo-heeled, 1980s wood paneling and linoleum wood grain tables (which seat 4)and floors. The cook came out of the kitchen to ask how I liked my soup. It was perfectly on the spicy side. If you want your food mild you should ask for it that way in advance. The menu is relatively simple with ingredient descriptions of the dishes. It was easy for me to choose exactly what I was in the...