A longtime Houston seafood favorite has entered a new chapter as Crawfish Cafe and Pho Prime have combined operations under one roof in a newly renovated 10,000-square-foot restaurant in Houston’s Chinatown.

The dual-concept venue, created by Mamba Hospitality Group, represents a complete overhaul of the original Crawfish Cafe that first opened in 2013. The new space blends Vietnamese heritage with New Orleans-inspired details and Houston’s vibrant dining culture, offering guests an immersive environment designed for all-day dining, drinks, and community gatherings.

Located at 11209 Bellaire Boulevard, the full-service restaurant seats 214 guests indoors and features menus from both Crawfish Cafe and Pho Prime, allowing diners to mix Vietnamese classics with Gulf Coast seafood favorites in one sitting.

The interior was designed by Daniel Chen of Houston Design and Construction in collaboration with owners Kiet Duong and Julie Nguyen. The dining room is divided into two sections filled with cultural details from Vietnam and Louisiana. Two 20-foot murals by Houston artist Donkeeboy highlight the connection between Bourbon Street and the Viet-Cajun culinary tradition.

Throughout the restaurant, Vietnamese elements are prominently displayed with bamboo accents, street food carts, traditional leaf hats, hand-woven basket boats, and lush greenery. New Orleans touches such as trolley-style booths and fleur-de-lis archways add another cultural layer. A central area called the Viet-Cajun Village sits beneath a hexagon skylight and can be reserved for private events. A bungalow-style patio and koi pond are expected to open later this spring.

To celebrate the opening, Crawfish Cafe has introduced a new signature Viet-Cajun sauce made with oranges, lemons, butter, garlic, and spices. The citrus-forward sauce will be exclusive to the Bellaire location during its first week before expanding to the restaurant’s other Houston-area locations later in March.

Crawfish Cafe’s menu features Gulf Coast-inspired dishes including Crawfish Cheese Bread, Crawfish Beignets, Oyster Nachos, Cajun Shrimp and Grits, Salt and Pepper Shrimp, Beer-Battered Cod Tacos, Po’boys, and whole fried fish platters. Diners can also build their own seafood boil with options such as crawfish, snow crab, mussels, shrimp, blue crab, and lobster tails with customizable spice levels and sauces.

Pho Prime contributes a range of Vietnamese comfort foods, including sixteen varieties of pho made with ingredients such as oxtail, beef short rib, shrimp, and chicken. Other offerings include Bo Ne steak and eggs, Bo Kho braised brisket stew, vermicelli bowls, banh mi sandwiches, and a pho-inspired French dip sandwich served with beef broth for dipping.

A shared bar and drink station offers specialty beverages including Thai tea, egg coffee, and coconut coffee alongside cocktails such as New Orleans Lemonade, a Cajun Bloody Mary, Lychee Mai Tai, and a lemongrass mule. Beer and wine are also available, introducing alcohol service to the Pho Prime concept for the first time.

The restaurant also houses Mamba Hospitality Group’s corporate offices and a test kitchen used for developing future menu items.

Crawfish Cafe and Pho Prime are open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. in Houston’s Chinatown, next door to Ocean Palace.