What to Order at Hop Tung in McAllen: A First-Timer's Guide

Hop Tung's menu runs close to 300 items across Chinese and Vietnamese sections, which is a lot to take in on a first visit. Here's a starting point, organized by what you're actually craving rather than by menu category.

If You're Not Sure Where to Start

Dim sum is the easiest low-commitment way to try a range of dishes in one sitting — order two or three small plates instead of committing to one entree. The BBQ pork bun and pork and shrimp siu mai are dependable starting points.

If You Want Noodles

Beef Hakka noodles is a good entry point into the Indo-Chinese stir-fried noodle style. If you'd rather go classic, chicken lo mein or shrimp lo mein are the more familiar soft-noodle options. For something with more texture, pan-fried noodles come out crisp on the bottom with a stir-fry topping.

If You Want Soup

Pho is the obvious choice — pick a protein (brisket and chicken are the most approachable starting points) and the bowl comes with fresh herbs and lime on the side to season yourself. If you want something with more heat, Bun Bo Hue is spicier than standard pho.

If You Want Dim Sum

Beyond the BBQ pork bun and siu mai mentioned above, steamed shrimp dumplings and steamed vegetable dumplings are solid choices if you want to keep things lighter, and sesame balls or mango sticky rice work as a dim-sum-style dessert.

If You Want a Rice Dish

Rice plates pair a grilled protein — beef, chicken, pork, or shrimp — with steamed rice, a straightforward option if you want something filling without ordering a full stir-fry entree. Fried rice is a separate section entirely, with beef, pork, shrimp, chicken, vegetable, and a couple of specialty versions like Chinese sausage and shrimp fried rice.

If You're Vegetarian

Tofu versions run through most of the noodle and stir-fry categories — tofu pho, tofu Hakka noodles, vegetable lo mein, and vegetarian stir-fries like black bean tofu, curry tofu, and lemongrass tofu. Vegetable fried rice and vegetable dumplings round out the dim sum and rice options.

If You Want a Drink

Hop Tung's bubble tea and slushie section runs more than twenty flavors, from Thai tea and taro slushie to fruit teas like lychee, passion fruit, and mango. Vietnamese iced coffee is the other notable drink on the menu if you'd rather skip the tea.

Add-Ons Worth Knowing About

A few small add-ons are easy to miss: hot oil for anyone who wants extra heat, extra pho broth, a small side of steamed rice or fried rice, plain lo mein, and crispy noodles.