Billiard Hoang

There are not many restaurants in Seattle, or even the country, where you can eat a bánh mì and play a round of pool at the same time. That alone makes this pool hall on MLK in Columbia City worth visiting. Add delicious and reasonably priced Vietnamese food (nothing on the menu is over $15) and the plethora of seating, and you have one of the best group dinner destinations in South Seattle. And they even have their own parking lot.

Fried tofu is the star of Billiard Hoang’s menu, whether it’s stuffed inside long gỏi cuốn or stacked on a large, $6 bánh mì. If you’re looking for something even bigger, go with the bún thịt nướng, piled high with lettuce, grilled sticky pork, and springy vermicelli noodles. We especially love the bún thịt nướng during the summer since it’s cold, refreshing, and satisfying—definitely worth sinking the eight-ball on purpose so that you can give it your undivided attention.