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    Gai Noi

    4.3 (619 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Gai Noi Photos

    Business Info

    GAI NOI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Gai Noi

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    Anh T.

    I had the most incredible Lao/Thai dishes today. Definitely might've been the best calamari I've ever had in my life. The squid was very fresh and it was not robbery or not chewy it was literally the perfect texture. I absolutely love the pad Thai here. It is so delicious. It does not come with protein and there's no protein option. It just comes as with the eggs, scallions and bean sprouts. I can't wait to come back here and try the fried tofu and some of the other skewers. There's only metered parking in this area. The parking lot next to the restaurant is not their parking lot. It is a pay lot only. The service was spectacular, very attentive and not too pushy. The interior is very dark small it does have an upstairs however I dined at the bar in the main room main entrance.

    Green bean
    PajFuabcha V.

    We went for dinner and ordered a lot of yummy food! The food came out pretty fast one by one. Everything tasted great! I also tried their Passionfruit Punch cocktail and that was also pretty good. My favorite was the basil wings! Love the dry rub and mayo sauce that came with it!

    Basil Wings
    Mary V.

    I looove Gai Noi! The authentic Laotian cuisine paired with the elegant, lush vibes is always amazing here! You don't need a reservation, which is nice, but parking can get kinda packed--just something to keep in mind. It was such a beautiful day out, so my family and I stopped by for some mocktails and a few small bites. We ordered our go-to favorites: the green beans and basil wings, both tempura-fried and coated in their signature dry rub. Absolute chef's kiss--rich, tangy, and perfectly spiced! We also tried the crispy pork belly, which was deliciously crunchy and savory. My only note is that the portion was rather small. For drinks, I had the Pineapple Butterfly, which was sweet and refreshing, while my husband enjoyed the Guava Mule. I highly recommend Gai Noi--great food, drinks, and just an all-around good vibe.

    basil wings, peanut noodles, gai basil and red curry
    Elizabeth K.

    If you're looking for a flavorful, unique dining experience in Minneapolis, Gai Noi absolutely delivers. Every dish we tried felt intentional, fresh, and packed with personality. The restaurant had a pleasant atmosphere with lots of wicker and woody designs. We started with the gai basil, which made the perfect appetizer, flavorful, slightly spicy, and surprisingly fresh. It set the tone for the rest of the meal in the best way. The peanut noodles were a standout for me. They had this creamy, almost carbonara like texture, but with a subtle sweetness and crunch that made them really memorable and different from your typical noodle dish. The basil wings were easily a highlight, super crispy with tons of flavor in the breading. They had this lemony, spicy kick that made them hard to stop eating. For our main, we had the red curry with jasmine rice, which leaned on the milder side. It had a gentle sweetness with gingery notes and bamboo that made it feel comforting without being too heavy. To drink, the guava mule (mocktail) was fresh and tropical, light, refreshing, and a great balance to the richness of some of the dishes. Overall, Gai Noi feels like a place where every dish is thoughtfully crafted, with bold flavors and a menu that's fun to explore. It's perfect for sharing plates and trying a little bit of everything.

    Outside of restaurant
    Catherine Y.

    Been to Gai Noi a few times, including for a private tasting event through the Minneapolis Community Education. Food has been pretty great every visit. The latest visit was this past Friday for an early dinner (before 6pm) with friends before going to a performance at Orchestra Hall. One of our friends arrived early so she hung out in the bar area and put our name of the list for a table. We were lucky that our table was ready when we all arrived because it was the busiest I have seen Gai Noi (probably because it was a very warm Friday eventing) in mid-March. Keep in mind that Gai Noi is walk-in only, no reservations unless for a private party/event. Our group got a variety of dishes to share and it was delicious! We also liked sitting in the top floor of the building because it has a lot of nice decor and natural light. Our server was super friendly and helpful. However, it felt like everything took some time because he was pretty busy managing many tables. Highly recommend Gai Noi for the delicious food and great atmosphere.

    Crunchy wings
    Erika C.

    I loved my experience at Gai Noi! There was a long line for a table around 530pm on a Friday, but luckily there were several spots available at the bar top which was first come first serve for food & drinks. We started off with cocktails - the passionfruit punch was delicious. The menu is designed for shared plates so its fun to try several items to share. We ordered the crispy wings which were as described - perfectly crispy - and topped with fried jalapeños. Also not pictured (because it was so good) was the crispy pork belly - yum! We ordered the peanut noodles as a main dish which had incredible flavor.

    Egg rolls Peanut noodles Pork fried rice
    Aimee L.

    This place was definitely a highlight of my trip in MN. We loved the family style dining as we got to try a lot of menu items. The crunchy wings were my favorite thing here! We opted to sit outside since the weather was nice.

    Jitt B.

    This is one of the most upscale Thai/Lao restaurant with delicious and authentic cuisine from our culture. We love every dish on the menu! Service was incredible - our server was friendly, attentive and took such great care of us. The vibe is comfortable, family friendly, accommodating for a big group and the decor is just lovely. They have the best cocktail drinks! We had the Mok Paa, Pad Thai, Jalapeno Wontons, Khao Poun Gai, Fried Walleye, Laab Gai, and lots of sticky rice. Everything was perfect and so delicious! Highly recommend this spot!! **Something to note: this is a no-tipping restaurant and an 18% gratuity charge is added to the price of each entree.

    Pork fried rice
    Becca E.

    I absolutely love Gai Noi- if I lived closer I would be getting this at least once a week. They don't take reservations which I honestly really like! The tables open up pretty quickly! The service is always top tier and there's constantly servers, managers, and staff asking if everything tastes good and if they can get you anything else. For drinks we got the Star Fruit Margarita and Over the Horizon. Food- basil wings. Literally a 100/10- best wings ever!! Pork fried rice- perfect flavor and so yummy! Seasoned fried beef- so flavorful and really good with or without the sauce! I love how open and big the tables are on every floor. It never feels crowded and everything feels so welcoming. I love coming here because they serve the food as family style!

    Mallory J.

    I was nervous about this restaurant not taking reservations, but I shouldn't have been. Plenty of seating and got in right away. Really fast service and attentive. Absolutely incredible food, will be back! Fun place to come during a Minnesota winter as it feels tropical and warm inside.

    Sam Q.

    Food was excellent; I was blown away by how light and crispy all the fried food was (not oily at all!). Flavors were all very strong and almost every dish had a bit of a kick to it. Highlight for me was definitely the basil wings. Don't skip dessert!

    Basil Wings
    Stacey N.

    I have been meaning to try this restaurant for MONTHS! I was a little apprehensive because they didn't take reservations and I live 45 minutes outside of town, but good news is they have plenty of seating and my friend and I were able to get seated within 10 minutes of getting there! The menu is robust! I had a hard time deciding what I wanted but went with the infamous basil wings, green curry noodles and wontons. The wings were well worth the wait and are so good! They were fried but not too heavy which I always struggle with when eating fried food. The wontons were not great. Could have done without those. The green curry noodle was the perfect entre and I was so happy with it! Perfect for a cold Friday evening meal and it hit the spot! There is so much more I want to try so will be back! Tucked into the Loring Park neighborhood, the restaurant itself was buzzing and so cozy. I felt very at home and loved it! Will be back!!!

    jalapeño wontons
    Isha A.

    This restaurant doesn't take reservations and is huge but still gets packed, so go at a time when you're able to wait for a table! It's so cute inside here, I love the second level that had the beautiful windows. For a drink I got the Thai tea, which I don't think I would get again. Food: - Basil Wings (9.4/10): One of my favorite things to get at their restaurants. The dry rub is spicy and delicious. Love that it comes with fried peppers too - Jalapeño wontons (8.7/10): the star of this is the pineapple sauce imo! So good - Drunken Noodle (6.6/10): The noodles were cooked well however, I didn't like the tamarind sauce on it - Gai Basil (7.1/10): Not my favorite Thai basil chicken type of dish - Mango Custard (9.3/10): Light and refreshing! Perfect end to the meal

    Starfruit Margarita - so so good!

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    1 month ago

    Excellent drunken Udon noodles! Service was super and drinks were great! Had the ginger mule and would have loved to stay for more.

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    Gai Noi Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Gai Noi

    Where do u go to make a reservation?

    It's a no reservation restaurant, walk-ins only!

    Are they peanut allergy friendly?

    I’d say no but not 100% sure because they do ask if there’s any allergies. Some of the dishes do include peanuts, also some of the seating is community style so you could be at a table with other parties.

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    Diane’s Place - DIANE'S HMONG SAUSAGE

    Diane’s Place

    4.7(322 reviews)
    2.2 miNortheast
    $$

    I was in town for work recently with 0 plans or reservations and researched this place in an uber…read morecoming straight from the airport. Cozy Hmong-American restaurant with French-influenced pastries? Count me in! I literally updated my destination to this restaurant while in the uber and decided to grab a bit of food before heading to my hotel. I had no reservation, but arriving a little after 1 pm on a Monday had no wait for a bar seat. It's such a cozy, homey restaurant with light wood, light brick, natural light, few plants inside and a very casual patio with picnic tables outside. I could see this place being a tough reservation during peak times. I hadn't eaten all day and was extremely hungry. I opted for the king crab omelette with red curry beurre blanc. I got a side of sticky rice to make it slightly heartier since I was so hungry and got some pastries to go, since I was in a bit of a time crunch to make it to my hotel and take some work calls. Service was incredibly friendly and fast. My server really did Minneapolis proud, chatted with me about my trip, gave me other great goodie recommendations to fill out my dining for the week, and overall really made the visit special. The crab omelette was unreal. Simultaneously fresh, light, but with a hint of kick and richness from the red curry beurre blanc. Excellent flavor combo. I got the crab Rangoon danish and the coconut pandas croissant to go and ate them for breakfast the next day and they were still so light and fresh with unreal flavor combos. The pandan was my favorite and I tend to be a savory over sweet pastry girl. This place is deserving of all of its hype and more. I honestly really wanted to go back and asked if I could try to sneak in a reservation to come again for later in the week, but sadly they are when I was free the rest of the time I was in town. Absolutely scheming to come back to Minneapolis just to eat here again!

    Unfortunately, our experience at Diane's Place was disappointing. Two of the front desk servers…read morewere not very helpful -- when we asked for a cold drinks menu, they told us they didn't have one. However, after we showed them the drink menu listed on their website, another server from the back was able to provide it. On top of that, our order was incorrect and our food was packaged to-go even though we requested to dine in. The food itself was decent, but it was frustrating not receiving what we actually ordered. Overall, the service and lack of attention to detail really took away from the experience.

    Photos
    Diane’s Place - Flowers

    Flowers

    Diane’s Place - Papaya salad, chili aioli, Hmong sausage plate

    Papaya salad, chili aioli, Hmong sausage plate

    Diane’s Place - Breakfast sandwich

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    Breakfast sandwich

    Master Noodle - Sichuan Wonton in Chili Oil

    Master Noodle

    4.2(342 reviews)
    6.4 miMidway
    $$

    Great noodle place with affordable prices. We got garlic chicken noodle and chicken mushroom noodle…read moresoup. Garlic chicken is sweet and sour with a little bit of spice. If you like sweet and sour chicken, this dish is for you. Chicken mushroom noodle soup was a little bland. But I was sick, and this was filling, warm and heartfelt. They also gave generous amount of black mushroom, which I really like. I would not get this soup if I am not recovering from cold or not sick. Chili oil was also tasty and you can tell it's made in house. But, if you are a vegetarian or don't eat a lot of meat, your options are very limited. Service was fast and you can even scan menu and order directly through the code. Vibes are cool and we went around 4. So it was quiet and chill. We will be coming back!

    Stopped in here with the wife for some fuel after a blood donation. We loved it alot!…read more You had the choice of either ordering directly from the table via QR code or waiting for a server to come to your table. The staff was very nice and helpful. We ordered the scallion pancakes, Sichuan wonton in chili oil and the Mongolian Beef entree. Everything was delicious! The scallion pancakes were a little bit thinner than I'm used to but the flavor was great especially with the provided sauce. The noodles were excellent just the right consistency that you get out of hand-pulled noodles. The restaurant was overall very quiet and laid back. With pretty artwork and a nice vibe. The window where you can see them making the noodles was a really nice touch. Parking was a little tricky (make sure to park in back) but if you can snag a spot you don't have to worry about street parking. We'll definitely be back one of these days for more noodles!

    Photos
    Master Noodle - Seating area

    Seating area

    Master Noodle - Dumplings

    Dumplings

    Master Noodle

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    Lotus Restaurant

    Lotus Restaurant

    4.3(952 reviews)
    0.3 miDowntown Minneapolis
    $$

    We stopped here after a long run in Minneapolis and weren't disappointed! We had heard of it…read morebefore, but never got around to making a trip in, now after having it we'll probably be adding them as a go-to. We ordered the Lotus Bahn Mi, the Beef Lo Mein, and the Eggrolls. The Lo Mein was delicious, the egg rolls were some of the best we've had in the Twin Cities, and the Bahn Me had such a refreshing taste paired with an amazing bread. I'd recommend all 3 dishes. The place is a little small, but very cute and cozy. Staff was extremely nice, and attentive. They were happy to talk about the options as well. We'll definitely be back, next time I'm going to try their Pho!

    He Said: I have been going to Lotus for so many years. A big credit to the family who runs Lotus,…read morebecause the restaurant has been an institution for so many years. Service is friendly, the food is tasty, and the price is affordable. With all that said, the restaurant has some things that might turn off some people. Parking can be hard to find; there have been altercations in the area; also, the last time we went the restaurant it was not very clean. We will continue to visit the restaurant, but I want to make it known to others about all my experiences. Pros: - Several. We have always felt the hospitality is superb. Cons: - Mentioned in the above description.

    Photos
    Lotus Restaurant
    Lotus Restaurant - Beef (or perhaps chicken) with Potatoes and Oyster Sauce on white rice. Mouth-watering.  LOVE

    Beef (or perhaps chicken) with Potatoes and Oyster Sauce on white rice. Mouth-watering. LOVE

    Lotus Restaurant

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    Kinzo Udon - Takoyaki+ waiting for my creamy udon

    Kinzo Udon

    4.3(36 reviews)
    2.9 miUniversity

    SERVICE: Personally, I like it. It's casual. It has dining…read morehall seating with booths and bench tables available. You enter the establishment and you order your food from one of the kiosk. The kiosk prints out a ticket, which you will hand to a staff member in the queue. He/she will assemble your food and puts it on a tray. Then you'll go through selecting fried appetizers and stuff for an additional fee. When you get to the cash register, they have drinks available. You could order their lattes too via the kiosk. I just had a Coke. There is water available too by the plastic silverwares. When you are done, you bring your dirty dishes to the tray return area. Simple. FOOD: The food was good. I had a tonkotsu udon with added charshu pork. The broth was delicious. I saw other dining patrons who drank from their bowl! The calamari was cooked right. I didn't need any sauce. I also bought the spam musubi, which was egg, SPAM, and rice--I saved it for later and it was delicious. PARKING: I parked at the Oak Street Parking Ramp that is affiliated to the University of Minnesota/M Health. It is $3.00 for 1 hour. The restaurant is just right around the corner. There are street parking available, but I'm not gonna drive around near rush hour/near when students are finishing up their last class and just wanting to get home. There were plenty of parking space in that ramp.

    This is along the East Bank of the University of Minnesota. There's plenty of metered parking and…read moreat the time it was about $2/hour. There's two self service kiosk to the right as you enter and you can make your selection. There's some Udon options, ramen options, rice bowl etc. Very straightforward and I decided to get their special creamy shrimp udon. If you don't order the special Creamy Hokkaido udon, they are able to build your bowl immediately while mine was about 10 mins which wasn't unreasonable at all. I enjoyed my udon and happy they didn't skimp on my shrimps! There's a row of tempura options and other snacks to add to your meal averaging about $2-$5 a piece. There was a lack of variety when it came to beverage options but there's a self service station for water that works too. It was quiet in the space and a small greeting is always nice to have but we navigated through the process.

    Photos
    Kinzo Udon
    Kinzo Udon - Side options

    Side options

    Kinzo Udon

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    Momo Sushi - Tibetan traditional tea pots.

    Momo Sushi

    4.5(371 reviews)
    3.1 miNortheast
    $$

    Momo Sushi is my favorite sushi in Minneapolis. Everytime I get asked for a sushi spot…read morerecommendation, I always say Momo. The rolls are huge and packed with incredible combinations. There is a great variety of rolls so everyone is going to be pleased with the meal. The restaurant itself is tight on space but the dining experience makes up for it. I recommend you beat the dinner rush and go early when they reopen for the evening. Warning, it does get really busy almost everyday because it is just that good! Location-wise it is great because if you struggle to find parking in the small lot next to the spot, you can park on a residential street behind the restaurant and take a short stroll. I'm curious as to what the takeout experience is, I haven't had the chance to order, I would rather dine in the restaurant.

    Stopped by for dinner on Thursday night. We had a party of 6, so it took 30 minutes to be seated…read more The amazing staff kept updating us. It was fine, we walked through the Indian grocery next door. (also fun!) We had a great little table inside. We ordered the Giaoza pork and tumpra veggies to start. (everything was gone the second it hit the table, so no pics) The arrived the sushi, and the hibachi. Every bit was amazing. No left overs and my son (8) orders more Goaoza to go! It was less that $60 for our family of 4. I can't wait to come back and try more.

    Photos
    Momo Sushi - Traditional decoration.

    Traditional decoration.

    Momo Sushi - Sushi bar.

    Sushi bar.

    Momo Sushi - Tibetan mountain roll

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    Tibetan mountain roll

    Potsticker - Potstickers tour for two

    Potsticker

    4.6(149 reviews)
    7.3 miHighland
    $$
    Women-owned & operated
    Established in 2023

    Great food and atmosphere! The sweet and sour chicken was absolutely amazing! Highly recommend!…read moreTake Out was also quick and easy!

    Went here on Mother's Day Sunday, had a reservation for 12:15. We got there a couple minutes early…read moreand were seated right away. The server was very friendly and informative, even joked around with us a little. It didn't look like reservations were needed, except maybe on busy days like Mother's Day. The food was amazing. Potstickers were, of course, super good, but so was everything else. Portions were generous. I got the pork belly fried rice and I think I have enough leftovers for another three or four meals. There is a small parking lot in back, but you have to walk around the building to get to the door. I would say it is not handicapped friendly. If you park in back it would be hard to get to the door unless you are able to make it half way around the block. If you park in front it is just street parking. My dad uses a walker and we were lucky enough to get a spot right in front of the restaurant, anything else would have been a problem. Spacing inside the restaurant is pretty tight as well. Once dad sat down they had to take his walker into the back because there was no room in the seating area. We were packed in pretty tightly and very close to the table next to us. Overall, delicious food! We will be back!

    Photos
    Potsticker - Ribeye with egg noodles 5/5

    Ribeye with egg noodles 5/5

    Potsticker - Orange Chicken

    Orange Chicken

    Potsticker - Mooshu pork or chicken with pancake and jasmine rick

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    Mooshu pork or chicken with pancake and jasmine rick

    Gai Noi - desserts - Updated May 2026

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