The crown jewel in restaurateur Mike Tran’s growing empire, Mein is one of the city’s best spots for Cantonese cuisine. The housemade noodles are a star of the menu, made from scratch daily and tossed in XO sauce or served with a variety of meats, veggies, garnishes, and broth on the side. The crispy duck leg, served with tender pancakes, is also a must.

Located at 9160 Bellaire Blvd, Dim Sum King has been in operation for over a decade and continues to provide Houstonians with various dim sum dishes.  Whether it's their steamed shrimp dumplings, rice soup with pork blood, spareribs, chicken feet, or king crab shu mai, Dim Sum King offers an array of flavors and dumplings that don’t disappoint.

Launched in 2007 with the goal to share some of the most riveting aspects of Korean cuisine, this national restaurant chain is a top spot for Korean BBQ in Asiatown. Head to the Asiatown location in a group and start with an appetizer, like its warm tofu or kimchi and pork soup and an order of pan-fried or steamed dumplings. Then, dive into cuts of marinated barbecue beef, pork, and chicken that you grill in the middle of your table.

For the best soup dumplings and crispy-bottomed bao in Asiatown, no place holds a candle to One Dragon Restaurant. A mom-and-pop shop with just 10 tables, the husband is the cook, while the wife runs the front of the house. Staff are friendly, and there’s always a wait during peak hours. Beyond the dumplings, highlights on this Shanghainese menu include the braised pork belly, the seasonal vegetable plates, and the crispy red bean dessert.

Bring a crowd and order one of the excellently-priced group meals at this James Beard-nominated Sichuan eatery, which comes with a variety of dishes like water boiled fish, cumin beef, pot-roasted tilapia, and a selection of appetizers. For solo diners, the mapo tofu and red oil-tossed rabbit is not to be missed.

This beloved OG Asiatown spot does a little bit of everything. Want Chinese barbecue? Roast duck, roast pork, soy sauce chicken, and char siu can be eaten in or taken to go. Want live seafood? The tanks just inside the door house everything from live king crab to spot prawns and fresh fish. Hot pot and stir fry, fried rice, and noodles are also on offer. The key here is to order multiple dishes and share them all, family style.

Since 2013, this Asian Town establishment has been offering its take on Chinese and Vietnamese seafood, with dishes like their peppercorn Dungeness crab being as visually appealing as they are delicious.  Its black pepper lobster, crab fried rice, king crab, and walnut shrimp are more than enough to satisfy a seafood lover, but if looking for a different form of protein, be sure to try their Peking duck with a side of snow peas.

Two Hands has taken social media by storm with its colorful variety of crunchy corn dogs that come clothed in elaborate and edible dressings. Whether ordering the potato dog — a corndog wrapped in potato cubes and fried — or the classic Seoul dog, its take on corndogs is sure to leave you satisfied and with a new dining experience.

Viet-Cajun crawfish is a Houston staple, and this Chinatown restaurant offers up one of the city’s best takes. The bugs are big and juicy, the seasoning is spicy, and there’s plenty of beer to cool you off. If crustaceans aren’t your thing, there are a variety of noodle and rice dishes, plus more interesting fare like hot pots and curried goat on offer.

Belly up to one of Houston’s best bowls of broth at this chef-endorsed pho spot. A dedicated crowd of regulars, including chef Justin Yu, swear by its noodle soup as one of the best lunches in town and an ideal hangover cure. If the pho craving strikes late, head to sister shop Pho Binh By Night for noodles from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m.

For traditional pull cart service and delicate dumplings, head to this dim sum haven that’s complete with truffle shu mai, tofu pork rolls with oyster sauce, and a delicious, steamed mushroom and chicken bao. Be warned — this place gets packed with lines winding outside of the building, but service is usually swift.

All-you-can-eat shabu shabu, or Japanese hot pot dishes, is the name of the game at Shabu Zone, where diners can stuff themselves silly with a selection of premium meats including certified Akaushi Wagyu. Choose from its seven broths, make your own combination of condiments at the sauce station and load up your pots from an expansive buffet of fresh vegetables and seafood ranging from blue crabs to large sweet shrimp. Added plus: dessert is included in the price.

Arguably the most popular banh mi spot in Hong Kong Mall 4, Alpha Bakery is a killer and budget-friendly lunch destination. Traditional oblong bread rolls are smeared with house-made pate and house-made mayonnaise and filled to the brim with your choice of protein like grilled pork or shu mai meatballs then topped with pickled carrots and daikon, jalapeno slices, cucumber, cilantro and a few dashes of Maggi. Try the thit nguoi cold cut, which is the most popular.