Having Recently returned to the DMV after a stint in the Asian-food desert that is Annapolis, my wife and I decided to venture explore our plethora of options for Thai food in the Potomac-McClean area We decided ti take a flyer on Esaan based on yelp reviews and - OMG - this should have been on our rotation year ago! Now, the restaurant itself is deceptively unassuming. It's tucked inside a strip center behind a bank and next to two other (well rated apparently) restaurants with only a handful of seats, both indoors and outside. DO NOT let the appearance deter you from sitting dow and enjoying what will be an unbelieveanly good meal . We kept it simple - we started with the special fish dumplings (fish based dumpling around a pork/mushroom filling), the Yum Woon Sen and their house Drunken Shanghai noodles. My wife asked for mild, and j asked for medium on the spice levels The flavours were simply divine. The portions were perfectly sized in this era of gigantosaurus dishes and the service was helpful and friendly. The only possible negative comment was that my medium spicy was leaning toward the mild (ok - it was actually mild) side of the spectrum. That's certainly an issue that can be overcome - and is always better than falling on the other end of that spice spectrum where you risk having your face melt during the meal. We will definitely be back - and cannot wait to explore more of the menu! read more

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As a visitor from Dallas, and just happened to be driving by, decided to stop in on a whim. Absolutely impressed with every dish, from the fish dumpling appetizer tho the fantastic curry. Sorry for a lack of photos, but we ate everything as it hit the table!! read more

Esaan is another Thai restaurant in the Downtown McLean area that specializes in Northeastern Thai cuisine. My college friends and I enjoyed another dinner together this past Thursday. The service wasn't the most attentive, but we were able to be in and out within an hour. LARB TOFU - 18 I don't like cilantro or a lot of the garnish for larb dishes, but my friends who do enjoyed the aromatics. I ate the tofu plain and it was crispy and flavorful on its own. DRUNKEN SHANGHAI NOODLES WITH SHRIMP (KEE MAO GOONG) - 28 I really liked the texture of the Shanghai noodles, which was chewy, almost with a slight crunch. However, some noodles were wide and flatten and others were curled up like a scroll. Flavor wise, the sauce was great and the shrimps were juicy and tasty. We enjoyed this! CRAB MEAT CURRY - 27 Each order came with three small bundles of rice noodles garnished with some green onions, a side of basil and beansprouts. There was a large bowl of crab meat curry (green?) that we could enjoy the noodles with. We didn't think the noodles soaked up the curry very well, and there were some cartilage pieces in the curry. Overall, this was just OK. We ordered a sticky rice (+3) to finish the rest of the curry since there was more curry than noodles. CUSTARD W/ STICKY RICE - 8 The custard was velvety and smooth, almost like a denser version of ice cream. It wasn't too sweet and went well with the blue sticky rice, which had the perfect texture. This was a good dessert to end the evening. For the most part, the food was good but the portion sizes are small for the price. I would come back in the future! read more

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Service was great, the waitress was friendly and sweet. The space was nicely designed and comfortable. Given the cost of the entrees and the interior design, the plastic seating chairs felt a bit misplaced. I'm a stickler for cleanliness so I'd rec recaulking the bathroom sink and sprucing up the bathroom! Drunken noodles: way too salty, the tapioca noodles were different, they had a nice chewiness and crisp bite Green curry nest: right level of saltiness and spiciness, I didn't think I'd like the noodles but I really enjoyed them! Plenty of delicious tasting chicken, not those dry thin slices you normally get, these feel more like hand cut juicy chicken thighs, I'd let this again Sweet sticky rice with custard: delightfully warm and slightly sweet, the custard has a lovely texture and flavor, I'd recommend trying this read more

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overall a good meal, a touch expensive, some solid dishes though and unique ones. favorites: sun dried beef (great texture), pork shoulder (great flavor and sauce), panang curry, drunken noodle (loved the rolled noodles. good - khao soi and pad thai. wouldn't pay the extra for the crab khao soi, the crab gets lost in the curry. skip - nam khao, lacks some acid, lots of fresh ginger takes over the dish, and it has a lot of ground pork which I haven't seen in other versions of this read more

Never got a chance to finish my post the first time around but I'm glad I waited till round 2. The food is absolutely incredible and consistent! Service is fantastic and the quality of the dishes is superb. Definitely give this spot a try! Easy to find parking here, kid friendly and super cute restaurant with clean bathrooms and a really nice stocked bar! read more

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It was really quiet on a Saturday for lunch, but had a good time here. I went with the chicken Pad Thai, which was presented very nicely and tasted good. It's not the largest portion nor the cheapest restaurant you go to, but overall you're getting good Thai food. read more

Esaan Northeastern Thai Cuisine - Esaan Pad Thai Chicken (Pad Mee Korat) - Thai Near Me - McLean, Virginia

First time trying out a Northeastern Thai cuisine! Service was very efficient and wait time was exceptional. We ordered app: Tom Yum Soup, fried egg rolls, fried tofu Entre: Panang curry chicken, and Pad see ew All were very delicious! I highly recommend trying out this place. You won't be disappointed and your stomach will leave satisfied! read more

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Esaan is one of our favorite eateries in NOVA. We would show up more often if we lived closer. Esaan specializes in tasty Northern Thai cuisine that reminds me of the late great Pok Pok in Portland, OR. On our most recent visit, we ordered the Crispy Spring Rolls and Golden Crispy Fried Tofu as appetizers. For entrees we ordered Yum Woon Sen and the Kao Soi. Esaan's spring rolls are the best spring rolls I've ever eaten. The delicate and flaky roll wrappers are indescribably good! Love 'em! The dipping sauce is delicious too. The peanut sauce that comes with the fried tofu is amazingly good. However, even though the tofu cubes' texture was great, it seemed that Esaan forgot to salt the tofu. The dipping sauce does not fully compensate for the missing salt. The Yum Woon Sen was a handsomely prepared dish, very easy on the eyes. Esaan's Woon Sen comes with bean curd (glass) noodles, shrimp, minced pork, onion and chilis. The Woon Sen was good but could have stood a little more seasoning. The Kao Soi, as always, was excellent and delicious. It's a coconut yellow curry soup with egg noodles, served with a chicken drumstick. Accompanying the kao soi was a little side dish with fresh red onion and pickled vegetable. Unfortunately, for me, the side dish also contained cilantro, even though I asked that they keep cilantro the hell away from me. But the mistake was quickly rectified. Kao Soi also has crispy fried noodles, and at Esaan they bring the crispy noodles out on a separate plate in an almost theatrical move. This will always be my favorite dish at Esaan. Service is responsive and orders are filled quickly. And yesterday evening, we loved the music being played. It was kind of a chill dance beat selection. read more

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We had a great dinner at Esaan and our first time with a Northestern Thai restaurant. We had a spicy chicken and lap soi chicken when curry coup - both were flavorful, spicy, but really delicious. I wished the restaurant had an automated reservation booking system but you either have to call them or have Google book for you. Service was quick and plenty of parking in the plaza read more

Esaan Northeastern Thai Cuisine - Thai Near Me - McLean, Virginia

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I love Esaan food and it's hidden in McLean. It's a very compact restaurant - there was a table placed right in front of the door when you walk in, which I have never seen before. The food is so-so. Quite expensive but considering the location, it kind of makes sense. The short ribs had barely any meat in it. All bones. The papaya salad was the best thing. They said a prawn special and it was decent. read more

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Our meal was spectacular-- I would order it all again. It is definitely some of the best Thai spots in the area. We split the whole rock fish, fried whole squid, shrimp pad Thai, shrimp tom yum soup, cornish hen, and nam tuk. Most people in my party loved the fish the most, but I really liked the pad thai and surprisingly the cornish hen. -not many places have green thai tea so I had to try it. I liked it, but not the best I've had read more

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Super tasty noodles but portions were really half sized. Definitely not family style. Moreover, special imported noodles for the drunken noodle seemed like they were dry noodles rehydrated- which would make sense. It just means they got their dry noodles from Thailand. We had take out, food was done when we arrived, can't speak to the ambience. We were all still hungry so dug into our homemade dessert right away. read more

This is a quaint restaurant. What is Northern Thai? Seems to me it is less sweet and more ginger from the dishes we ordered. For appetizers, we ordered fried pork belly. I wished there was a bit more meat. Our order was pretty fatty. We also ordered crispy rice salad. It reminds me of a Laotian dish. Wish the crispy rice was a bit crispier. For Entrees, we got the green curry that came with 3 bundle of noodles and the stewed beef noodle soup. The green curry is a bit less sweet than normal but had lots of ginger. Eating it with noodles is an interesting spin. The beef noodle soup reminds me of boat noodle soup at other Thai restaurant. The beef were small chunks but I wished it was a different cut. Some pieces were tough in texture. Overall, the dishes were great and a bit on the smaller portions. The staff were very friendly with excellent service. read more

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Stopped by for a late Sunday lunch and it was empty! That's crazy because the food is absolutely fire. My husband and I love northern Thai food and Esaan absolutely delivered. We tried the iced Thai green tea latte, the crispy rice salad special, the Khao Soi, and the Khao Mun gai Tod. Everything was fantastic. I particularly loved the crispy rice salad. I hope to return to try more of the northern Thai specialties like their som tum or their meats with sticky rice. read more

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My wife and I find the bracing, bold flavors of northern Thai cuisine quite addictive. We love Padaek in Falls Church, but are always on the hunt for other restaurants to get our fix of funky, fresh salads with sticky rice. Esaan's menu of unique dishes, including multiple varieties of larb and papaya salad, piqued our interest. We visited the restaurant for a quick weeknight dinner, and were surprised to find the small dining room half full. Our server appeared to be the only staff on duty, but nonetheless expeditiously took our order and brought out our food. We opted for three items: the corn salad, the somtum muor, and the yum kai zap. This order ended up the ideal amount of food for us. We received the corn salad first. Sweet corn kernels arrived tossed in a spicy lime dressing accented by chunks of green beans and salted egg. I wish the salad came with more salted egg, but the sweet-savory-sour combination brought plenty of flavor. The somtum muor is described as an Essan style papaya salad with the addition of noodles, extra vegetables, and pork sausage/crackling. I did not detect any of the promised pork in the salad, but we nonetheless truly enjoyed this fiery and funky item. The dish is not for the faint of heart as it utilizes fermented fish sauce and lots of chilis, but we love these flavors and kept going back for more. Finally, the yum kai zap is best described as fried chicken larb. Juicy, tender, and lightly fried chunks of boneless chicken are tossed in toasted rice powder, chilis, onions, and herbs. The fried chicken itself carried a perfect battering which felt light and fluffy while remaining crisp throughout our meal. The nutty and herby seasonings complimented the chicken pieces quite well. The dish came with a tasty side of black sticky rice, which additionally paired well with our other salads. Our bill totaled $50, which we felt was fair given the quality and quantity of food. We are already planning our return visit for more intensely flavorful Northern Thai food, and look forward to sampling more of the menu at Esaan. read more

One of my fave thai places in the area! Delicious and not the same foood found at most thai places. Super cute and recommend

While in the area one night, I was craving Thai food but wanted to try something different. I decided to stop into Esaan. I had seen the menu here before and was intrigued. I enjoyed my meal and was not disappointed.   For appetizer, I tried the Hoy Jor. It was delicious, fresh-made, and I was happy with it. I also tried the Kai Kluk Ka Pi and Nam Tok Nue entrees. The Kao Kluk Ka Pi was a flavorful and thoughtfully made dish. It was a little small portion-wise and I would have appreciated a handful more meat and shrimp paste fried rice. The Nam Tok Nue was a classic Thai dish done well.   I like that the menu here strays away from typical Thai restaurants and offers more unique and authentic dishes. I would like to come back and try other options on the menu. read more

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About a 3.5: Esaan serves northeastern Thai cuisine, known for their usage of strong fish sauces and chili peppers. Their menu is pretty extensive, offering seasonal menus/specials, appetizers, salads, rice and noodle dishes, pork/chicken/beef/seafood/fish/veggie options, sides, and drinks. We came here for an early dinner, and I ordered: +the Esaan Pad Thai - stir-fried noodles with bean sprouts, chives, and tamarind sauce, topped with fried garlic; you have the following protein choices: tofu, chicken, or shrimp, which I opted for the shrimp; this was not as sweet as other pad thai dishes I've had, but I still liked how they cooked the noodles perfectly al dente and made the dish super saucy (which I like!); there were large shrimp as well. I also liked that they served the crushed peanuts and chili flakes on the side to top to your heart's content I also tried one of their appetizer specials, which was a crispy white sand whiting fish dish - these came as two, marinated in turmeric and topped with a salt fried garlic; note that this is bone-in. These were okay, and any fish lovers would enjoy it. A tangy sauce is provided, but you could also ask for just regular vinegar to dip it in. On the next visit, I'd like to give their Esaan Panang Curry Chicken, Kao Soi, Yum Khanom Jeen Pra Too, and Pia Koong a try. I do wish that they had better ventilation or the air on correctly, since I could smell some of the musty-ness, and it was kind of uncomfortably humid inside. Service was friendly, and the place itself is small and cute - part of a strip plaza, you may miss it - it's located around the corner from the Pulcinella Italian Kitchen. Plenty of parking in the shared plaza lot, but the lot fills up quickly! +Esaan Pad Thai with shrimp +friendly service +plenty of parking in the strip plaza lot read more

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Solid 3.75. The fresh rolls had a sauce that was THE BEST DIPPING SAUCE EVER!! Papaya salad was fresh and we asked them to kick it up a notch and they obliged. The Penang curry and pad Thai were way too sweet (for us). I didn't taste much other than sugary ness which is a shame as it was obvious there was so much other complexity in jt. Cute tiny interior and fantastic service!!! read more

Esaan Northeastern Thai Cuisine - Thai Near Me - McLean, Virginia

Went here a few times with friends, and its consistently great. This is one of the few places where I get a Khao Soi (and one of the few places where you can get it as a vegetarian option), and it has been a pretty good order every time I get it. The flavors are unique and punchy, and its a unique thing to try if you are used to typical noodle dishes at other places. The interior is quite intimate and small, but they do have some outside seating. They also sell shirts if you are into that kind of thing. read more

The food was alright. I was bit disappointed by the Khao Soi because the chicken tasted slightly old. The chicken didn't fall off the bone like other places. The curry flavor was good though! My favorite dish was the Krapow short ribs. Never had short rib style krapow before but it was good. I'd say, considering how expensive it was, my rating would have been a 4 star. I only dropped my rating because my server did not seem enthusiastic to serve us. She didn't really smile or check up on us. That is not usually the type of service I would receive at other Thai restaurants. Final score: 3.5 star! read more

4.5 stars for really solid Thai spot. My wife and I were looking to grab a bite to eat one evening somewhere in the McLean area. I fired up the Yelp app, looked at my Washingtonian Top 100 bookmarks, and saw that Esaan was located nearby. We drove over to a rather unsuspecting plaza (which has another Thai place located about 100 feet away) and walked inside. We encountered a fairly small venue with a register up front (seems like this place does a lot of take out) and tables that were pretty close together. The hostess/waitress took us over to a table and handed us the menu. She was actually one of my favorite type of servers were she was attentive and answered questions, but not overly talkative and friendly aka providing just the right amount of service. After ordering some drinks from the menu, my wife and I put in our food orders. After looking over the Washingtonian's review, I decided to order the Somtum Muor, which is essentially a papaya salad on steroids, and the pla tod rock fish, which is $60 but is over 3 pounds! The Somtum Muor came out first and, while my wife was not a fan due to the fermented fish taste, I thought the dish was absolutely fantastic. All of the different flavors and ingredients seem a little random, but they actually work together to make a really tasty dish. My rock fish came out a little while after and, as you can see in pictures and other reviews, the presentation is definitely a show-stopper. Fortunately, the taste lives up to the hype as the lime dressing and cashews again present a combination that would seem random, but actually really works together to again make a tasty dish. Overall, you would see a place like Esaan from the outside and not think much. However, the excellent service and outstanding food revealed this spot to be one of Northern Virginia's hidden Thai gems. Definitely consider checking this place out next time you are in the area or ordering some takeout/delivery. read more

Esaan Northeastern Thai Cuisine - Pla Tod Samun Prai Rock Fish - 3 lb - Thai Near Me - McLean, Virginia

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Cornish hen is was well seasoned with Thai herbs but that also made us come off bit too salty. Especially when you put the spicy sour sauce on top it becomes extra salty. Definitely needed the rice to counter it, would be helpful if there were side veggies with the chicken to help refresh/cleanse the palate. Pad Thai has a more sweet and soy sauce flavor compared to the common orange-colored tamarind variety. Portion size was a bit small and noodles came out already clumped together, but it was decent to satiate a pad thai craving. Seating is pretty small/limited as well as parking, so better to visit at a non-peak time. read more

Esaan Northeastern Thai Cuisine - Esaan Pad Thai ( Pad Mee Korat) Shrimp ($15) - Thai Near Me - McLean, Virginia

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It's no wonder this restaurant is empty while the other restaurants are packed. I was a bit suspicious when my online order was ready and packed within 5 minutes of placing the order and not a soul inside the restaurant aside from the staff. The food is not fresh with low quality ingredients, the restaurant cuts corners. I was duped and allured by the scrumptious photos on the website and seemingly authentic dishes. Hands-down the WORST Pad Thai with tofu. The slimy congealed noodles were clumped together with a weird rubbery texture. As other Yelpers have noted, the Pad Thai is bare bones with a handful of bean sprouts and scallions slapped together with dry lumpy noodles that seemed to be prepared in a large batch earlier than morning. The noodles weren't even rice noodles and looked like stringy Singaporean noodles. After a couple of bites, my toddler and I threw in the towel. The tofu was stiff and hard, and didn't taste fresh. The spicy Penang Curry with tofu was really runny with just blocks of tofu. It was the oddest presentation. Weirdly, there wasn't a single veggie in the dish. The chunky tofu faired better than the tofu in the Pad Thai and seemed fresher. The spicy curry seemed like it was prepared earlier that morning. I indicated mild and the curry was quite spicy and the experienced heartburn. It was served with white rice and there was no option for brown rice. My hubby enjoyed the Kao Mun Kai Tod with fried chicken and steamed chicken rice. The portion size was a bit small. I was really rooting for this business and wanted to support this local family-owned business especially as I observed a bored looking grand child stuck inside this prison of a restaurant. I just can't support a business that cuts corners while charging for pricy lackluster stale dishes served with stand-offish service. $50 down the drain read more

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Esaan Northeastern is discreetly located in a mixed neighborhood with shops, offices, and restaurants (three doors down from another Thai restaurant). The cozy venue, tastefully decorated, includes a small bar and seats about 50 people. RSVP is recommended and come early to avoid the crowds. We decided on Esaan because of its location and the great Yelp reviews. The waitress quickly brought us a cold bottle of tab water to share. And I ordered the Blue Pea ice tea to go with their sweet, savory, and spicy dishes. The Grilled Squid and papaya salad appetizers are must haves - to share or have them as a meal. Grilled beef and crispy pork belly are delicious but portions are in the small side. Overall - Esaan is authentically Thai with McLean (rich) clientele. read more

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Love it here. Food is delicious and different; northern Thai vs Bangkok. A little far away for us but it can be delivered. Wonder if orders can be scheduled in advance for delivery? read more

Moved to Tyson's a few months back and now really finding the hidden gems of McLean. We drove past Esaan and I bookmarked it so we could try it the next time we were craving Thai. We ordered take out and noticed their prices were way higher than normal Thai spots and their dishes were more authentic it seemed -- no drunken noodles so this forced me to try something new. We ordered the Tom Yum soup with chicken, it was delicious! Perfect for a cold winter night. I ordered the moo nam tok and my husband got the pork shoulder. Of course we added a sticky rice for dessert! I will say the food was delicious. Probably some of the most flavorful Thai we've ever had. But the biggest reason why I'm only giving it 4 stars is the portions are kind of small. For the price you're paying for some of these dishes I would assume I'd be stuffed after -- not really. The rice that came with the pork shoulder feels like it should be on the kids menu. Maybe we'll come again, I'm not sure. The portion size just wasn't enough. read more

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This is a Thai food lovers paradise with an incredible Japanese whiskey and Tequila selection! I live in Brooklyn , but I'm a chef by trade. I came across this place during a business trip and the food is outstanding. Recommend grilled shrimp and Fish Dumpling on the special menu read more

Esaan Northeastern Thai Cuisine - Thai Near Me - McLean, Virginia

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I had never tried Northeastern Thai food before and was really looking forward to eating here after my friend recommended it. We were instantly greeted as soon as we walked in. The menu can be viewed on your phone by scanning a QR code. I'm not sure if they started doing this because of Covid, but it seemed sensible enough. I was super hungry so ordered my go-to Som Tum (papaya salad), the Esaan sausage, Pla Tod Samun Prai (rockfish), soft shell crab, fried rice, and the banana and coconut milk (for dessert). Everything was amazing - from the presentation to the flavors in each dish. You really couldn't go wrong with any of the menu options here. My only complaint is that the portion sizes were a bit small for the prices. I definitely wanted more of each dish! read more

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Great family owned spot in McLean - friendly and prompt service and welcoming space. Really love seeing regional Thai food - the menu isn't your run of the mill Pad Thai, Masaman Curry, Grilled Chicken, boring old menu. We asked for authentic dishes we wouldn't get at other restaurants so we got everything they recommended. Started with the somtum muor - while I like unique flavors, this papaya salad with fermented fish sauce was just a bit too funky for me. The ingredients were fresh and the spice level was spot on, but the fermented fish was just too strong for my palette. Next we had the Chiangmai sausage which was excellent. Smoky from the grill, herbaceous, with a hint of curry spices - absolutely loved it. For main course I had the moo nam tok which was grilled pork shoulder - I have to say this was one of the best if not the best single dish I've ever had at a Thai restaurant. The lime juice was so bright and helped to highlight the mint, red onion, and chili - while the roasted rice brought a nice textural element - please do yourself a favor and order this! My colleague ordered kao soi which was fantastic - the noodles were cooked perfectly and the yellow curry broth was so rich and flavorful - definitely one of the better ones I've had. In total the bill was $65 which seemed great for the amount of food we had - will definitely be back! read more

What a great Thai dining experience we had ! Pad Thai shrimp prepared w/ thinner (angel hair like) noodles was excellent; Not over- cooked nor over-seasoned like some other places. We would come back just for their whole rock fish (fried). I asked for some extra "sauce" ) which further enhanced the "healthy refreshing" flavors. It's made w/ fresh lime juice, ginger, red onions, lemongrass, basil. Massaman curry was also very tasty ! I highly recommend this restaurant. Ambiance is average enough but we came for their cooking and it surpassed our expectations for a small tucked-in place. It's located in a tiny strip mall but had no issue parking. I give 4 stars for the chef's skills and an extra star for a better marketing reach (that they're not best at like many other hidden gems! read more

Esaan Northeastern Thai Cuisine - Massaman curry - Thai Near Me - McLean, Virginia

I was excited to see what Northeastern Thai food tasted like and how it differed from "ordinary" Thai food that we come across. I was pleasantly surprised by the decor of this place that transports you to a beach bar somewhere on a remote island. I did find that the food was slightly pricy but the ambiance could be something refreshing in the middle of Mclean. Food (4.5/5) - I really liked the Khao Soi (Coconut Curry Chicken Northern Thai Egg Noodle) (4.5/5) for its flavors. The quantity will definitely be something slightly less than an average Thai place, but it's nonetheless not lacking in flavors. The Koa Kluk Ka Pi (4/5) was good but nothing too surprising in terms of flavor. I wish that it would've come together for a different flavor when mixed. Lastly, the grilled octopus (4.5/5) was quite good. I just wish everything was a hair less pricy, but that's expected in Mclean. Service (4/5) - The service is solid and was pleasant. Cleanliness (4/5) - The place is doing everything to be covid-safe. Ambiance (4.5/5) - A relaxing place where I'd be happy to come back for HH! read more

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Northern Thai cuisine is one of my favorites and Esaan had been on my list for a while. It was easy enough to view the online menu, call in a takeout order, and find parking; staff was friendly and helpful, both on the phone and in person. The inside is small and cozy and I'm sure I'll eventually be dining in. I ordered two dishes that I always love: laab tofu and khao soi kai. The laab tofu is amazing. The tofu is perfectly fried and the roasted rice and herbs create a beautiful mix of colors and textures. It is addictively delicious. The khao soi was creamy and comforting, with plenty of noodles, though I would've appreciated more greens. I look forward to trying the somtum Thai and kor moo yang, among other dishes. Esaan has quickly become a new addition to my Thai rotation. read more

Esaan Northeastern Thai Cuisine - Labb tofu - Thai Near Me - McLean, Virginia

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Esaan Thai restaurant in McLean Virginia is the most authentic Esaan North Eastern Thai food restaurants I've ever experienced. The food is spicy and done by authentic Esaan Thai chefs. The spicy dishes can be found. Service is very friendly. You will always find a Thai smile at East Thai. read more

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I LOVE Thai food and picked Esaan on Yelp, it did NOT disappoint! I can't wait to come back and try more dishes. We had the chicken pad Thai, crispy rice salad, and the sticky rice with Thai custard. SO SO GOOD. We left with happy bellies and can't wait to come back. read more

They have Khao soi!! Which has been a struggle to find in this area! The restaurant is small but has a rustic dark atmosphere which I enjoyed. I also tried the grilled squid appetizer which was very good and had some amazing citrus zest to it. read more

Esaan Northeastern Thai Cuisine - Thai Near Me - McLean, Virginia

I always have to stop by when im around dc area. One of the best esaan thai place on my list, never disappointed. read more

Esaan Northeastern Thai Cuisine - Crispy shrimp spicy salad - Thai Near Me - McLean, Virginia

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Esaan is a cute Thai restaurant tucked away in McLean. I came for lunch on a weekday so it was pretty empty and quiet, The natural lighting from the sun really lit up the dining area. The whole ambiance was very peaceful. I ordered the Panang curry with tofu. You get a side of white rice. The curry was delicious, a nice balance of red curry, peanut, and coconut milk. I also got a butt load of tofu which I very much appreciated. The tofu was perfectly fried - nice and crisp on all sides. Loved soaking up the curry in the tofu and rice. I do wish it came with a little more than just the curry sauce and tofu, maybe a few pieces of veggies, it would have made it a more wholesome meal. Service was good and nothing to complain about. Out food came out at a timely manner. I would definitely come back to try their other dishes. read more

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I had some friends rave about this place and so glad they found it. Over the last couple of months I've dined here twice. Essan is that good! The menu is Northeastern Thai so you won't find some of your typical Thai noodle dishes here. Highly recommend ordering their Kai Soi Pu, Panang curry, Tom Yum Goong Morfire, Essan pad Thai, Crying Tiger, grilled squid and rock fish. Flavors here are on point. The Kai Soi packs some heat and theres some great texture with the fried noodles. The pad Thai was delicious and we wanted to order more. The Tom Yum was so rich. We finished that dish down to the last drop. The location itself is small so if you have a party over 6 it'll be tight. Food quality is high here and prices are high considering its Mclean. read more

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