The Rice Box: American Chinese with a Modern Twist in Houston

The Rice Box Introduce

From its humble beginnings as a food truck to its iconic brick-and-mortar location, The Rice Box has become a celebrated name in Houston's culinary scene. It’s not just a Chinese restaurant; it's a unique experience that blends classic American Chinese flavors with a cool, modern, and "futuristic" vibe. The restaurant has successfully carved out its own niche by focusing on familiar dishes like General Tso's and fried rice, but executing them with a level of quality and atmosphere that sets it apart. The Rice Box appeals to a diverse crowd, from college students looking for a late-night bite to families seeking a quick and satisfying meal. The casual, trendy, and cozy atmosphere, combined with a commitment to providing a welcoming space for everyone, including the LGBTQ+ community, makes it a comfortable and inviting destination.

The Rice Box is conveniently located at 1111 S Shepherd Dr, a prominent address that places it in the lively and central area that bridges the Montrose and River Oaks neighborhoods. This location is a hub for dining and entertainment, making it an easy stop for people from all over Houston. The restaurant offers a variety of accessibility features to ensure every guest has a smooth experience. It has a wheelchair-accessible entrance, parking lot, restroom, and seating, demonstrating a commitment to serving all members of the community. In terms of parking, The Rice Box provides both a free parking lot and free street parking, which is a great convenience in such a popular and busy part of the city. Its central location and focus on accessibility make it a hassle-free choice for lunch, dinner, or a late-night craving.

The Rice Box offers a range of services to meet the needs of its diverse clientele, from on-site dining to convenient takeout.

Dine-in: The restaurant provides a casual and trendy setting for guests to enjoy their meal in a fun and unique atmosphere. The outdoor seating is a popular option, with some locations even providing heaters for cooler weather.
Takeout & Curbside Pickup: For those on the go, The Rice Box makes it easy to grab your order and head out with both standard takeout and curbside pickup options.
Delivery & No-Contact Delivery: The restaurant partners with delivery services to bring their food right to your home, with a no-contact option for a safe and convenient experience.
Onsite Services: The Rice Box is known for its fast service, making it an excellent choice for a quick bite during a busy day.
Late-night Food: Open late on weekends, The Rice Box is a popular destination for those seeking a delicious meal well after other restaurants have closed.

The Rice Box is known for several features and highlights that set it apart in Houston's dining scene.

Unique Atmosphere: Customers consistently rave about the "cool," "modern," and "futuristic" vibe of the restaurant. The industrial design and neon lighting create a "totally unique" experience for a Chinese restaurant.
Consistent & Flavorful Food: While some experiences may vary, a core highlight for many long-time customers is the consistently delicious and flavorful food. Dishes like the General Tso's, Mongolian, and fried rice are widely loved.
Vegan and Vegetarian Options: The menu is very accommodating to those with dietary restrictions. Dishes like General Tso's, Sweet and Sour, and Lo Mein can be made with tofu or cauliflower as a protein base, a feature that is highly valued by vegan and vegetarian diners.
Fast Service: The restaurant is known for its quick and efficient service, ensuring that you get your food without a long wait.
Value & Portions: Customers frequently mention that the portions are generous, offering great value for the price and often providing enough food for a second meal.
Great Sides and Sauces: The classic dishes are enhanced by popular sides like the flavorful Crab Rangoon and a variety of premium sauces that can be added to any order.

To get a taste of The Rice Box's unique offerings, you can visit their location in Houston or contact them directly. The address is 1111 S Shepherd Dr, Houston, TX 77019, USA. For any inquiries, you can reach them by phone at (713) 294-4549. Their convenient location and straightforward contact information make it easy for anyone in the Houston area to stop by for a meal.

What is worth choosing about The Rice Box? The best way to answer this is to look at what makes it a local favorite. It’s not just about the food, but the entire package. The Rice Box has successfully taken the familiar concept of American Chinese food and elevated it with a modern, trendy twist. The atmosphere is a huge draw, making dining in a fun experience. The restaurant’s "futuristic" look is "totally unique for Houston" and makes it feel like more than just a place to eat; it’s a destination. This, combined with the fast and friendly service, creates a perfect "vibe" that keeps people coming back. The menu itself is a testament to the restaurant’s appeal. While a single, negative experience can happen anywhere, the overwhelming consensus from long-time customers is that the food is "consistently delicious and packed with flavor." The ability to customize dishes with different protein options, especially the comprehensive vegetarian and vegan choices, makes it an incredibly inclusive and versatile spot. The generous portion sizes are also a significant benefit, ensuring you feel like you're getting great value for your money. For those who appreciate a unique blend of culture, cuisine, and atmosphere, The Rice Box is a must-try. It's a testament to how a simple concept can be transformed into a beloved local institution by focusing on a great customer experience, high-quality ingredients, and a truly unique style.

The Rice Box Menu

Premium Sauces
Spicy Mustard $1.00
Spicy, like super spicy. made in house our spicy mustard is no slouch. will clear the nostrils for sure
Sweet Chili $1.00
Our herb based sweet chili is a cult fave. totally made in house, this is our house wing sauce and is incredible for dipping eggrolls...and just about anything fried
Orange Sauce $1.00
Sauce used on our orange chicken, made from real orange, delicious totally made in house
Sweet Sour Sauce $1.00
Made from plum pulp, our sweet and sour is...sweet and sour totally made in house, delicious
General Tso Sauce $1.00
The rice box og general tso sauce. made in house, great for dipping wings and pouring over rice
Duck Sauce 88 $1.00
Think the mall, 1988. this duck sauce will take you way back, incredible and super delicious with eggrolls and all things fried totally made in house
Sesame Sauce $1.00
Our sesame sauce. notes of light, toasted sesame. made in house.

Salt N Pepper Stacks
Salt N Pepper Tofu $9.29
Our Salt n Pepper stacks are SUPER tasty. Stir fried with bell pepper, green and white onions. Salt n Peppa Stacks pair with just about anything on the menu! Great in all formats, tofu is great! Nothing short of amazing! Comes with a side of our herb based sweet chili!
Salt N Pepper Cauliflower $9.29
Our Salt n Pepper stacks are SUPER tasty. Stir fried with bell pepper, green and white onions, Salt n Peppa Stacks pair with just about anything on the menu! Great in all formats, cauliflower is great! Nothing short of amazing! Comes standard with our herb based sweet chili!
Salt N Pepper Eggplant $9.29
Our Salt n Pepper stacks are SUPER tasty. Stir fried with bell pepper, green and white onions, Salt n Peppa Stacks pair with just about anything on the menu! Great in all formats, eggplant is great! Nothing short of amazing! Comes standard with a side of our herb based sweet chili.
Salt N Pepper Chicken $10.69
Our Popcorn Chicken is SUPER tasty. Dry fried with bell pepper, green and white onions, Popcorn Chicken pairs with just about anything on the menu! Nothing short of amazing! Comes standard with a side of our herb based sweet chili.

Noodles (Chowfun And Lo Mein)
Chow Fun (Veggie) $15.59
Freshly made rice noodles stir fried with egg, bean sprouts and green onion. Our play on the famous street food from the mainland. Recommended with Tofu (in veggie format), but is fantastic with all proteins. Make it spicy!
Chow Fun $15.59
Freshly made rice noodles stir fried with egg, bean sprouts and green onion. Our play on the famous street food from the mainland. Recommended with beef, but is fantastic with all proteins. Make it spicy!
Lo Mein (Veggie) $15.59
Our Lo Mein features thick egg noodles stirred with snow peas, carrots and green onion! Great with Tofu or Cauliflower! OG!
Lo Mein $15.59
Our Lo Mein features thick egg noodles stirred with snow peas, carrots and green onion! Great with Beef, chicken or shrimp! OG!

Street Bites And Desserts
Crab Rangoon $1.89
Thick, Fat, Crab Rangoon. Made from scratch and served with a side of herb based sweet chili, our crab rangoon is delicious. They are large.
Chicken And Nappa Cabbage Dumplings $7.79
Classic chicken and nappa cabbage gyoza style dumpling. Sourced from L.A., this is our house dumpling. It is great steamed or fried. Easy and light, pairs with anything!
Pork And Nappa Cabbage Dumplings $7.79
Classic pork and nappa cabbage gyoza style dumpling. Sourced from L.A., this is our house dumpling. It is great steamed or fried. Easy and light, pairs with anything!
Eggrolls $0.00
Old school style Eggrolls
Scallion Pancake $6.49
Flaky, savory pastry classic: The Scallion Pancake aka Cōng yóubǐng is packed with green onion and is amazing to wrap any of our dishes or dip in any of our sauces! Think Cumin Beef wrapped ( 15/10 on flavor) or dipped into our house made curry - delicious!

Chinatown Classics
Sweet And Sour $14.99
With notes of sour plum our Sweet and Sour Chicken is served with grilled red and green bell peppers, onion and pineapple. It's a classic, our's is delish!** Can also be made in vegetarian format with tofu or cauliflower as your protein base!!**All dishes served with rice, vegetable and eggroll with a fortune cookie! Eggroll comes with chicken and cabbage on the inside, can also be made vegetarian!
Sesame $14.99
Sweet in flavor with hints of toasted sesame seed, our Sesame Chicken is tossed with grilled bell peppers and onion. In the Wok the Sesame caramelizes to give you a candied flavor second to none! Try it spicy! ** Can also be made in vegetarian format with tofu or cauliflower as your protein base!!** All dishes served with rice, vegetable and eggroll with a fortune cookie! Eggroll comes with chicken and cabbage on the inside, can also be made vegetarian!
Mapo Tofu $16.46
Chengdu style Mapo Tofu （麻婆豆腐）with minced 44 Farms Beef! Delicious and an absolute perfect pairing with any spicy selection on The Rice Box menu. Think Ma (tingling sensation on tongue) and La (straight spicy), the dish brings the heat!
Curry $14.99
Thick with strong notes of coconut and fresh lemon grass. Our curry is stir fried with sweet potatoes, carrots and cilantro! Although standard our curry comes with chicken, you can upgrade to *44 Farms beef! Served with a fresh lime wedge and topped with cilantro. Amazing. *can be made with tofu or cauliflower if you are not feeling meat, please note however that our curry is made with a chicken broth and cannot be made 100% vegan/vegetarian (pictured is our curry cauliflower) All dishes served with rice, vegetable, egg roll, and fortune cookie!
Yu Xiang - Sweet Garlic Style $14.98
Hailing from the Szechuan province, these dishes are garlicy, sweet, and have just a hint of spice (but of course, we're always happy to dial up the heat if that's your thing). This is typically an eggplant dish, but feel free to order this flavor variant with Chicken, Beef or Tofu to add to the bounce of the wood ear mushrooms and bell peppers standard in the dish. Delicious!
Chongqing - Spicy Style $14.99
One of the Szechuan inspired dishes on our menu! Think spicy (la) and mouth numbing (ma), salty fried chicken pieces ....delicious! This house special CANNOT be modified, however does come with peanuts and those can be removed! Goes great with beer and tea!
General Tso $14.99
Our General Tso is a deep, rich, sweet and savory, candied fried chicken. Want to bump up the heat? Just say the word and we can make it medium spicy. It's a crowd favorite, legends were written about General Tso! - Great with our house fried rice! ** Can also be made in vegetarian format with tofu or cauliflower as your protein base!!** All dishes served with rice, vegetable and eggroll with a fortune cookie! Eggroll comes with chicken and cabbage on the inside, can also be made vegetarian!
Kung Pao $14.99
Old school, our Kung Pao is stir fried with red and green bell pepper, celery, peppers and peanuts. We recommend with chicken like the O.G., however you can make it with shrimp or beef! Being savory and spicy, we highly recommend with fried rice or noodle upgrade. ** Can also be made in vegetarian format with tofu or cauliflower as your protein base!!** All dishes served with rice, vegetable and eggroll with a fortune cookie! Eggroll comes with chicken and cabbage on the inside, can also be made vegetarian!
Mongolian $15.99
Wok fired with white onions, scallions and snow peas and topped with white pepper our Mongolian / Emperor stir Frys are amazing! Being one of the most versatile items on our menu, you can choose Beef, Chicken, or Shrimp as a meat base! We recommend beef, but all are great! Light, savory and vegetable forward! (featured in picture is Mongolian Beef and Shrimp) ** Can also be made in vegetarian format with tofu or cauliflower as your protein base!!** All dishes served with rice, vegetable and eggroll with a fortune cookie! Eggroll comes with chicken and cabbage on the inside, can also be made vegetarian!
Cumin $15.99
Light aromatic spiced Texas 44 farms beef! Comes standard with white onion and green onion. This dish is a house special and the vegetables CANNOT be modified. You can however swap out proteins. Please note however that this dish was engineered to be eaten with beef (and lamb).
Baby Bok Choy $11.49
Baby Bok Chow is a light, crisp savory classic vegetable that pairs amazing with any dish on the menu. If you are feeling vegetables today, then this dish is for you. So good!
Eggplant And Green Bean $12.49
Chinese Eggplant and Greenbeans dish is light and delicious. Lightly stir fried with green beans, eggplant and fresh garlic, this dish can be made regular or spicy and is a take on the Szechuan classic! Pairs amazing with any dish on the menu, great for sharing!
Garlic 4 Season Green Beans $14.99
Classic Chinese style long green beans stir fried in a light savory sauce with plenty of garlic and julienned cut onions! You can add any protein of your choice as well, o so good! Recommended with beef or tofu! ** Can also be made in vegetarian format with tofu or cauliflower as your protein base!!** All dishes served with rice, vegetable and eggroll with a fortune cookie! Eggroll comes with chicken and cabbage on the inside, can also be made vegetarian! ** Can also be made in vegetarian format with tofu or cauliflower as your protein base!!** All dishes served with rice, vegetable and eggroll with a fortune cookie! Eggroll comes with chicken and cabbage on the inside, can also be made vegetarian!
Orange $14.99
Said to taste like a dream sickle, our orange chicken is served with grilled bell peppers, onion and mandarin oranges! It is topped with a fresh orange slice and dehydrated orange sprinkles. Citrus forward and sweet, this dish is also great spicy! ** Can also be made in vegetarian format with tofu or cauliflower as your protein base!!** All dishes served with rice, vegetable and eggroll with a fortune cookie! Eggroll comes with chicken and cabbage on the inside, can also be made vegetarian!
Orange Peeled Beef $19.76
Citrus, Candied, 44 Farms Beef! Need we say more? Insanely delicious and addicting! This house specialty CANNOT be modified, it's delish!
Garlic Eggplant $15.99
Peppersteak $15.99
Our Pepper Steak is seared then stir fried with bell pepper, onions and carrots and is topped with fresh cracked pepper. Our pepper steak has notes of toasted sesame and dark soy and is also fantastic spicy! Great with shrimp or tofu too! ** Can also be made in vegetarian format with tofu or cauliflower as your protein base!!** All dishes served with rice, vegetable and eggroll with a fortune cookie! Eggroll comes with chicken and cabbage on the inside, can also be made vegetarian!
Chinese Broccoli Beef $15.99
An old school classic, our Chinese Broccoli Beef is local 44 Farms beef stir fried with Chinese broccoli and white onions in a light savory sauce! If Chinese broccoli is not your thing, you can swap for English style broccoli florets! Great in vegetarian format with tofu or cauliflower as well! ** Can also be made in vegetarian format with tofu or cauliflower as your protein base!!** All dishes served with rice, vegetable and eggroll with a fortune cookie! Eggroll comes with chicken and cabbage on the inside, can also be made vegetarian! ** Can also be made in vegetarian format with tofu or cauliflower as your protein base!!** All dishes served with rice, vegetable and eggroll with a fortune cookie! Eggroll comes with chicken and cabbage on the inside, can also be made vegetarian!

Ribs And Wings
Wings $17.99
6 Jumbo Wings marinated in a dry rub and are served naked. Choose to have any of the following sauces on the side or tossed with wings. Wings come with steamed rice and eggroll with any sauce of your choice. Totally recommend the herb based sweet chili for first timers!
Salt N Pepper Wings $17.99
6 Jumbo breaded wings marinated in a dry rub and are dry wokked with our house salt in pepper blend. These wings are made to order so they come out piping hot and juicy, they delicious! Served standard with a side of our house made sweet chili!
Chongqing Wings (Szechuan Spicy Style) $17.99
6 jumbo breaded wings that dry wokked in our housemade Szechuan spice, providing a perfect blend of heat and mouth numbing goodness! Made to order, our Chongqing wings come out piping hot, juicy and delicious! Comes with steamed rice and eggroll.
Baby Back Ribs $21.59
Thick, juicy baby back pork ribs tossed in a garlic and herb sweet chili glaze, delicious! 1lb-ish (4-5 RIBS), comes with rice and eggroll!

House Fried Rice
Yang Chow Fried Rice (Veggie) $8.99
Yang Chow (Yangzhou) style fried rice is light, aromatic. It comes soy free and you can add a protein of your choice! We recommend the Tofu or Cauliflower!
Curry Fried Rice (Veggie) $9.59
Fresh off the Wok, our curry fried rice is incredible! Recommended with Tofu of Cauliflower!
Curry Fried Rice $9.59
Fresh off the Wok, our curry fried rice is incredible! Recommended with beef, chicken or shrimp our curry fried rice is made fresh with bean sprouts, egg, chives and cilantro...with notes of coconut and lemongrass, its amazzzzing! Comes with an eggroll and fortune cookie!
Yang Chow Fried Rice $8.99
Yang Chow (Yangzhou) style fried rice is light, aromatic. It comes soy free and you can add a protein of your choice! We recommend the combination of shrimp and Chinese sausage!
House Fried Rice $8.99
Fresh off the Wok, our house fried rice is a crowd favorite. You can choose to have it made with Beef, Chicken or Shrimp, made fresh with bean sprouts, egg and chives, classic!! Comes with an eggroll and fortune cookie!
House Fried Rice (Veggie) $8.99
Fresh off the Wok, our house fried rice is a crowd favorite. You can choose to have it made with Tofu or Cauliflower

Soups
Wonton Soup $7.99
Our Wonton soup is a deep, rich bone broth served with with house made pork wontons. Delicious for any occasion!
Hot N Sour Soup $7.99
At the core, our Hot and Sour soup is made from a deep, rich bone broth. It is both hot AND sour and comes with tofu, wood ear mushrooms, mushrooms, green onion and contains egg as well. A heavy hitter!

The Rice Box Details

Service options
Outdoor seating
Curbside pickup
No-contact delivery
Delivery
Onsite services
Takeout
Dine-in

Highlights
Fast service

Popular for
Lunch
Dinner
Solo dining

Accessibility
Wheelchair accessible entrance
Wheelchair accessible parking lot
Wheelchair accessible restroom
Wheelchair accessible seating

Offerings
Alcohol
Beer
Comfort food
Healthy options
Late-night food
Quick bite
Small plates
Vegan options
Vegetarian options

Dining options
Lunch
Dinner
Dessert
Seating
Table service

Amenities
Restroom

Atmosphere
Casual
Cozy
Trendy

Crowd
College students
Family-friendly
Groups
LGBTQ+ friendly
Tourists

Planning
Accepts reservations

Payments
Credit cards
Debit cards
NFC mobile payments
Credit cards

Children
Good for kids
High chairs

Parking
Free parking lot
Free street parking

The Rice Box Photos

The Rice Box Location

The Rice Box

Texas Harris County Houston Montrose South Shepherd Drive

1111 S Shepherd Dr, Houston, TX 77019, USA

The Rice Box Reviews

An average rating of ★4.2 from 1820 user reviews.

egg rollsgeneral tso chickenchow funthai teaaestheticcyberpunkcurry fried ricepepper steakblade runnerchinese sausage

★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1

So I ordered from the rice box as I normally do however I order a little before closing through Uber eats as it’s just at the next light. Normally I’m pleased food is normally hot and tasteful. tonight I was not and I’m not sure if it’s because they were closing but if that’s the case just refund the money and don’t make the order I literally paid almost $45 for Yang Chow Fried Rice “Beef & Shrimp” Extra Spicy as well as Lo Mein “beef & Shrimp” extra spicy my Lomein literally tasted like it had absolutely no spice at all just soy or whatever brown sauce they use even the broccoli was bland and shrimp extra extra white they over do the beef which was dry and old looking and put very very little shrimp. like I normally like their food however tonight I wasn’t pleased. The rice came extra spicy but the noodles they could have kept especially paying almost $25 for something that doesn’t have anything but a soy taste with no type of spice at all. Also paid for extra duck sauce and left in the notes as I always do. To please have the cup replaced with the packets as I do not like the cup duck sauce they provide it is absolutely nasty to me. It will go in the trash. They absolutely didn’t follow the instructions for my lo mein and still sent the nasty cup sauce instead of packets. In the past 3 weeks I promise Ive ordered there at least 10 times I have 2 uber eats account so whichever phone I grab is the account I use. I’m so disappointed that because they were closing they didn’t care about the customer enough to prepare the food as listed on the order. Lomein and rice also came barely warm and very dry looking as if it was already sitting there and they added spice to the rice and forgot to add it to the Lomein. Yeah they may not receive my business for quite some time. If yall are at the next light as I’m on memorial Dr @ Sheppard and I have to put my food in the microwave to heat it up. I’ll order else where. I wish this food was as heated as I currently am.
August 10 · Qweenie MonRoE
I’ve been coming to The Rice Box on Montrose since its inception, and it’s been amazing to see how it’s grown over the years. Not only is the food consistently delicious and packed with flavor, but the whole vibe of the place keeps me coming back. The look is so freaking cool, modern, futuristic, and totally unique for Houston. It feels like more than just a restaurant; it’s an experience. I’m proud to say I make it a point to come here at least once a month, and it never disappoints.
August 19 · Jesse Sanchez
The food was delicious and fresh. I love the atmosphere and the customer service. I will definitely return. The portion sizes are really good big which is a super plus!
May 20 · Why so serious
We came in from having an Amazing day from shopping and because we were on a budget. We bought Chow fun & fried rice to share among 4. The guy working was really nice and gave us extra egg rolls. Very much appreciated! ☺️ I’m glad I was able to come here since it was my first time. Next time I’m around this area I will return for sure!!
July 09 · Areli Lopez
Stopped by to try them out. The location was njxe and spacious and service was quick. I got the combination fried rice with chicken, shrimp, and pork. The meat was tender, however, it wasn't as flavorful as it looked. I also tried the crab rangoons and they weren't anything to right home about about. Maybe come here for a quick bite, but manage your expectations
May 16 · Jarvis Beauchamp