I've been mulling over this review for the two months since I dined here with a group of three others, but it's time to bite the bullet, and get the job done. Service was impeccable from start to finish, and by "start," I mean the moment I walked in the door of Paadee. Friendly, welcoming, competent. Our server could answer many questions, and when stumped, she got the answers. The food: the menu changes frequently, so there is no point in describing individual dishes. What I will say is that each dish was exquisite, beautifully presented, with exceptional flavors that varied significantly from course to course. Several of the courses were actually "WOW" experiences that I truly crave! I'm really not impressed with the semi-family style service, though. Is it that difficult to do individual plating? Timing: So often when one goes for a multi-course tasting menu, the meal stretches on and on. Not so here. They have the timing down to perfection, which means no rushing, but also no waiting. I think, because they do two seatings nightly, that they prioritize this aspect of the meal. Beverages: Well, unfortunately, here is where I had to take off points. Prior to this, it would have been a five-star review. Sadly, I opted for the $45 beverage pairing, assuming they would know what they were doing. In reading other reviews, many people were pleased by the pairings; in fact, one of my dining companions thought that the pairings were fine, but she acknowledged that her palate was not very experienced. However, as someone who actually teaches and lectures about food and wine pairing, I found the beverage choices at odds with the food. This was one of those very rare meals where the wines actually detracted from the overall enjoyment of the meal, rather than enhancing it. There wasn't anything wrong with the wines themselves, as they were delicious and well-crafted, but they fought with the food. Asian food of any kind is often difficult to pair with wines, but it can be done, and I have had some mind-blowing experiences. I truly wish I had just gotten a beer to sip aside the food. If I return (and the food itself is worthy of the $85 ticket price), I would skip the pairings, and either get a beer, or just rely on water. read more

One of the best pre-fix experiences I have ever had. Already scheduled the next (as they are typically 6 months out) So get on it!

This is amazing, plan ahead dining. I write this review as someone who was taken here so I am not going to complain about the price, which is high. However, you are getting an amazing customized experience and delicious taste combinations. I don't love spicy food, but the wait staff was great about advising me. The spiciest item we had came with a side of rice so I could try it without too much trouble. I hope when you go they have a fish-cilantro-mini pie thing. It.was.amazing. read more

Worth the wait! We stumbled upon an exotic, anniversary menu! I've eaten all over the world and I have to say that Langbaan tops my list of best restaurants. Just the ambiance itself was worth the wait. A restaurant inside of a restaurant, with a secret bookcase door? You can't beat it! read more

Langbaan - Delicious! - Thai Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I love this place. The flavors were incredible in every bite we had. And the textures! The creativity! Wow oh wow. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, with the hefty price tag and the 6 month wait, but it was all delicious. We went in November, and in that menu, the snacks, soup and salads were the best part of the meal. Absolutely blown away at the items. However, the "main dishes", if that's what you would call them, were not as good and required a bit more adventure than the previous items. However, it's all in personal preference and I'm sure other people felt the opposite and moreso enjoyed the later items. Aside from my personal preference on some items and the hefty price tag, this is a great restaurant. I'd highly encourage someone to get on the waiting list that has an adventurous side, just in case they serve fried smelt again. read more

Thoroughly enjoyed my birthday dinner at Langbaan in February 2016. Everything from the service, the ambiance, the front row seats, the knowledgeable staff and the FOOD was stellar. It is definitely worth putting your name on the waiting list. I am not a huge fan of seafood, so you can imagine I was a little hesitant, but the flavors the kitchen was able to put together for all twelve courses.... nothing short of delicious and perfection. This is by far one of the best restaurants in Portland and I can't wait to go back! read more

Every dish was a flavor explosion, kept wanting more of a certain dish, but then more delicious dishes came out, and we loved them too. It's relatively cheap compared to a big city restaurant putting out this quality of food and service. And yes, the vibe is awesome too, love the drinks! I want to go back, but I'm also putting this on my bucket list of accomplishments! Thanks Chefs & Langbaan staff!!! Made a memorable birthday. :) read more

My daughter ordered the 6 course takeout for my birthday-one of the most amazing meals we've had. Each of us had a different favorite. My husband loved the green curry pork with fried rice, my daughter's fav was the chicken relish lettuce wrap with sticky rice, me, the pork collar with cracklins all day...plus these savory brioche rolls and strawberry tarts foe dessert, just wonderful and every course had its own sauce! read more

Definitely worth the long waitlist. We went for my birthday and it was Thai street food. I would say the first three courses set the bar really high. It kind of plateaued midway through and the dessert helped make it memorable. Staff was efficient and friendly. I highly recommend getting there early so that you can be seated on the chefs counter. read more

Great food and atmosphere. We were lucky enough to get in on a Sunday night cancellation in May. As far as the tasting menu goes, it was really good, but I wished they individually plated the dishes. read more

Overly delicious. Everything was fresh and the timing of the servings were on point. I'm not going into detail about each dish except that everything was of high quality and tasted amazing. You also had all ranges of spice, temperature, and texture. I highly recommend sitting at the bar (only 4 seats so get there early) so you can see the food being prepped. Some will squawk at the pricing because it's Thai food but it's really about the experience of seeing the food coming together, the expertise of the team in action, and the story behind each dish. 5.5 stars because you can bring you own wine and pay a corkage. Because the menu changes monthly I definitely intend on hitting this place up a few times a year. If you're trying to impress a date, skip the steak and bring them here. read more

I went to Langbaan in November 2017 with my best friend. It was the best meal of my life.

Huh. Really? I don't get it. Why the rave reviews? Okay, first the good. It is mighty fun to go into a nice looking gourmet Thai join and pass behind a revolving bookshelf/hidden door to your own secret little restaurant behind. The setting is nice, albeit a bit generic. The Schoolhouse Electric lighting, the rough hewn slab of wood for a counter. It's good, pretty stuff, and it works and maybe that's why it's popular, but it is a bit generic. Also, the staff was lovely, cheerful and attentive from reservations through the last goodbye. The cooks didn't look miserable. Great care was taken to make each dish pretty and just so. Now the bad. The food. It wasn't that it was bad. It just wasn't worth $60 for a prix fixe menu. We had about 10 courses, and left full, but a bowl full of macaroni and cheese can be filling, too. The first few courses seemed dominated by lime juice, fish sauce, and fist fulls of herbs. There was none of that juxtaposing flavors banging around in our mouths in a surprising way. It was more an experience of shoving the giant fennel branch out of the way to get to the single mussel which was one of the courses we were served. It was a relief to get to the main course- lettuce wraps, sausages, and as we went for the seafood add-on, something with seafood. But then dessert, or maybe it was pre-dessert, added insult to injury. It was a smoked mung bean. And it tasted just like a wet match. The flavor just lingered and lingered in a way none of the other flavors had. The stringy coconut ice cream that followed was received more in a 'good lord, please get this wet match flavor out of my mouth' kind of way than a delightful palate cleanser, leave you feeling clean and fresh kind of way. It felt like I needed to go to Langbaan, as I am a part of the multitude of Portlanders who bemoan the lack of good, plentiful Asian food in general around here, but the experience at Lang Baan wasn't memorable or delicious enough to merit the $150 we ended up owing after having two $60 meals and two beers each with tip. I guess all in all, I'm glad they're here, I'm glad people are liking them, I wouldn't want them to go under, but I can't imagine I'd go back if I were the one deciding where to head out for a special dinner on any given night. read more

Loved almost everything besides some liver but that's prob on me. Cool secret door to get in and divine food. I wish I could afford (money and weight) to eat that well everyday! read more

Was really looking forward to Langbaan after putting our name on the waitlist in April for a spot in early September. We were the first to arrive and be seated and our server came right over and took our drink order. All was well at that point - the cozy dining room had nice ambience with a view of the chefs in the kitchen. Things then took a turn for the worse. Our drinks never arrived --even after several other people were seated and receiving their drinks and food had started coming to other tables (except ours). We finally flagged down the other server and she apologized and went to check on our drinks. While still waiting our server brought over a complimentary glass of wine and apologized. Ten minutes later our drinks still had not come but the food had began arriving. Our drinks finally did arrive so that was the end of that saga. For the record, I understand service can sometimes be spotty and understand mistakes happen. However, in this case our server avoided us long after our drinks should've arrived even though the room is incredibly small. The food. Dear Langbaan. I had waited and waited to try you. The food was very disappointing. Out of the 9 dishes I would say 2 of them were good. Not great, just good. About three dishes in I told my boyfriend I was disappointed. It did not feel like a $70 per meal place nor worth the 5 month wait to get in. My boyfriend, who has been to Thailand, was very disappointed. Had very high hopes - sadly would not recommend. read more

My husband and I were looking forward to this experience. Made a reservation months ago. Service was good. Ambience was ok. Prices were of course crazy. We don't mind paying if the food is worth the cost and it was not. Salty, small portions, fishy. Probably the worst Thai food I've ever had. (We travel the world and have eaten a crazy amount of amazing Asian fare). This is just another pretentious Portland hipster spot devoid of taste trying to be relevant. Don't waste your time or money. Pok pok has better Thai. read more

It must have been around December or January that I read all about Langbaan and set my heart on experiencing it. I remember going to the website and finding zero reservations for a party of two. I was crushed. Luckily, I placed myself on the waiting list for July 5th, knowing we would be going out to celebrate our 7th wedding anniversary that night. Month's later I am haunted by the incredible press and accolades that Langbaan continues to accumulate. I check for reservations occasionally but never find anything available. Then, as I sit at my desk packing my stuff up to head home one Tuesday afternoon, I get a text message. A table for two has opened up on July 5th at 5:30! I had 15 minutes to reserve it, so thank goodness I was just sitting around. Good fortune had clearly smiled upon me. The day arrives, we have already looked over the prix fixe menu a dozen times. Every dish seems as though it was created just for us! It's a central Thailand themed menu, heavy on greens, coconut milk and seafood. All our favorites. The meal starts with three snacks. first a delicious prawn and naval orange wrapped in a tasty leaf. These are followed by rice cups filled with tender scallops and a sweet lemony coconut sauce which blows.my.mind. The hand woven egg net filled with pork and water chestnuts and topped with a pickled cucumbers totally wows us too. Each snack is two of three bites which is larger than we were expecting. Next comes soup which luckily we don't have to share. Savory pork meatballs, cuttlefish and greens in a rich broth. Then, two salads; the octopus is my husbands favorite with thai basil and a creamy dressing. The octopus is cooked perfectly, it's soft and savory, not chewy. I preferred the salmon with pickled watermelon skins which are a little spicy. Finally, it's time for the main course. We are given all three entrees and a bowl of rice at once and instructed on which to eat first. The cod and fermented rice starts us off, we pile it onto leaves and cucumber boats. Next, the Peking duck with spicy dipping sauce. This is a dish I have always wanted to try and it did not disappoint. The third entree is a main lobster which is soft and sweet, served in a coconut curry. The rice is a great tool for mopping up all the delicious sauces. At this point we are stuffed. I don't know how anyone has room for any wine with all this food. Dessert is coming though and as soon as I see it I know I can make room. It's a coconut granita with melon balls and tapioca pearls. It's incredible and light. Then, one more dessert because why not. It's a warm coconut custard. It's so thick it's almost like a little cake, and somehow it's the perfect end to the meal. The food aside, the staff really goes the extra mile to make this an incredible experience. They explain everything as they place the for in front of you, they keep the table clean and effortlessly move from dish to dish. The chefs are nearby and you can watch them systematically prepare each plate. It's perfection, from beginning to end. They have thought of everything. If you ever have the opportunity to eat here, take it in an instant. You will never forget it. read more

Worth the trip in from NYC to experience the restaurant that GQ listed as #2 in the country. Highlights from the 11 course meal were the unbelievably delicious pork knuckles and the spot prawn with crispy fried head. The dessert was also out of this world. It was clear after the experience why this the hardest to get reservation in PDX. read more

In relative terms, you're going to leave Langbaan wishing you ate at Ava Genes twice. Or put in terms of other restaurants on that street, you're going to wish you ate at Navarre 3x instead, and the Blue Goose 6x for the same price. The service was problematic. The staff rattle off their memorized descriptions in pretty detached fashion. read more

This 11+ course tasting menu dinner room is well worth making the reservation. It is only open on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday with a seating at 6 pm and a seating at 8:30 pm. The room holds 24 diners maximum. You choose either a $60 menu or a $40 menu. A wine pairing is available for $30, or you can have one of the tap beers, etc. The menu changes monthly and they switch emphasis to different areas of Thailand. The chefs cook in the open kitchen, and you can watch them up close if you sit at the 4-seat chef's bar. Be warned, though, that those barstools are uncomfortable after an hour. The dinner lasts about two hours. The food arrives fairly rapidly, grouped into snacks, salads, soup, main courses and dessert. It is served family-style to your entire party. We had a group of three people and we were enthralled from the first dish of shrimp on betel leaf, through the lobster salad, salmon ceviche, stuffed cuttlefish in sour soup, halibut in fermented rice, coriander beef, mussels and clam curry, braised pork rib, smoked trout in chili. Some of the preparations, such as the crispy catfish net on green mango salad, were intricate. Most were just very well arranged. We savored every bite. Only one dish was a little too aggressive with the chili. I thought the wine pairings worked very well. We were so pleased that we plan to return monthly as the menu changes to continue to explore the best of Thai cuisine. If you don't want to go the tasting menu route, then instead enjoy the Thai comfort food at PaaDee restaurant any night of the week. read more

Attention to detail, and an obsession with their craft is obvious, it shows in every dish and every bite. The flavors were constructed beautifully, and I can't wait till my wallet will let me justify a return visit. read more

AMAZING!! Beautiful space, extremely friendly and accommodating staff, and the food was out of this world.

so.. $65/person??? its very delicious and every dish was very well composed. but.. they give you 1 dish for 2 people... and portions were ridiculous. didnt feel like a meal but more like a sample tasting? and the waiting time in between each dish was long so i wouldnt recommend for an impatient person like me. You basically take a small bite and u just wait.........and wait.... the first couple of appetizers had bold flavors and was pretty satisfied.. but there were nothing "unique" about their entrees which was a huge disappointment for me.. felt like i can get that at any decent thai restaurant for quarter of the price. service was great, space is beautiful.. but just dont go there hungry.. we were ready to eat a second dinner by the time we walked out. :( read more

Wonderful experience! Cocktails were great and food was simply amazing. An adventure I look forward to taking again.

Every dish is well thought out and bursting with flavor. Each month they change the menu with the freshest ingredients in mind. Great choice. read more

This place is AMAZING! No wonder it takes months to get a reservation. It's probably the best food I've ever had at a restaurant. If you are a picky eater this place is not for you. With that said, the only thing I don't like is cilantro and they garnish every dish with it, but it can be easily removed. There is the option to pay $30 more for the wine pairings and I highly recommend doing so. They were perfect. Service was spot on and very friendly. It's nice they describe everything when they bring it to the table. Want to go back ASAP, but it's booked out forever! read more

Better than any meal I had in Thailand! Simple remarkable. Service was splendid. Wine was perfect pairing!

A very special and outstanding dining experience. Service was welcoming, gracious, professional, knowledgeable and fun. Food was a variety of deep and subtle flavors. Favorites were the soup (n a pork broth) and wagyu....oh and the pig, and oh...Excellent cocktails, solid wine list. Some serious and delightful food. Just go. read more

Best Thai food I've ever had and an amazing value! If you can get a table it is a CANT MISS!!!

This meal easily falls in the top five meals of my life. Like other reviewers on this page said, this wasn't just a meal it was an experience. A truly magical experience. Worth the wait. read more

Food was delicious!! Well worth the wait! Each course have many different flavors. Loved how they set it up in front of you if you were seated at the bar table read more

Great food but I saw one of the cooks selling drugs outside. A little shady if you ask me. Ruined the experience a little.

A tough place to reserve so was unsure it warranted the wait.....wow. The atmosphere and service were great. Each course was delicious and the drinks perfect. The staff did a great job explaining each course and were very attentive to our needs. Some of the best Thai food I have eaten read more

This place is a great experience, and I had been waiting for over a year to go. There were a few things on the current menu that were a little too salty for my taste but this place is awesome and the other 7 things we had were great! Very excited to see what comes next with their new menu! read more

This was a great experience. This is a speakeasy restaurant that has a pretty extensive yet delicious tasting menu. I was a little disappointed that after our meal and when leaving the restaurant I was still hungry as the plates were very small. All in all it was a good experience but there are better restaurants out there in Portland. read more

OK, so the food was delicious but I think I got a total of 12 bites. Spent $200 and still need a burger. It would've been 5 stars at $50 pp and with a staff that didn't take themselves way to seriously. read more

Really beautiful food. We had a fabulous meal with impeccable service. Hats off to them!

Incredible, sexy, authentic, and so worth the three month wait! This is a tiny little restaurant packed with big flavor. I loved everything we were served. We enjoyed the full tasting menu and also did the wine pairing. I highly recommend you make reservations now!!! read more

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Waited six months to get a 8:45 reservation. Dropped $180 for a dinner where the appetizers were good but the entrees were not good at all. The portion were small and two many similar favors. We all were disappointed to say the least. I would skip this place. read more

Although reservations for Langbaan were months out, using Yelps' SeatMe provided an unexpected spot on a recent Saturday night. Langbaan is chef Ninson's 24 seat intimate fine dining version of Thai cuisine that is found behind his Paa Dee restaurant and holds the coveted Oregonian's 4-star review thanks to the culinary expertise of Ruaysuntia. Langbaan also received nods in 2015 from James Beard Foundation (semifinalist Best New Restaurant) and GQ magazine (2nd place Most Outstanding Restaurant list). You enter Langbaan by going into Paa Dee, making your way to the restroom but make a sudden u-turn and approach what appears to be a bookcase and pull on the large handle to enter. The menu selection here is a fixed tasting menu with innovative cocktails and matched wine pairing available from Paa Dee's excellent mixologist. The service was good with each dish was presented and explained individually at your table. It is noted that the service is table specific so you only got your next course when you were finished with the current course vs whole room getting the same course at the same time. There are also only 2 seating's each night and due to their size and concept, don't expect vegan or gluten free options. The fixed menu is a parade of courses that consist of one-bite flavor wonders. On our night, we were privileged to actually sample a new menu and approach that was the result of Langbaan being closed for 5 weeks as they explored Thailand for new inspiration - and they found it. The menu was divided up into 3 snacks, a soup, 2 appetizers, 4 dishes that make up the 'main', and 2 desserts. We started off with very creative and wonderful cocktails and opted for the wine pairing. Note that the wine pairing was very well done and perfectly complemented the Thai cuisine. Our menu included: Snacks: marinated shrimp with pomelo, chili, lime and ginger wrapped in a betel leaf; scallop in coconut cream with lemongrass, and galangal in a crispy rice cup; and Phuket style rice noodle stuffed with ankimo, dried shrimp, shiitake mushroom, port, sprout, omelet, garlic and soy vinaigrette. Soup: savory clam in coconut broth, Romanesco, matsutake mushroom, sawtooth, and shallot. Appetizer: soy cured wagyu zabuton, groundwork carrot, braeburn apple, dried squid, mint, shrimp powder; kanpachi, mandarin orange, delicate squash, pomegranate, sunchoke, zucchini, pine nut. Main: Dungeness crab curry with cha-om, pineapple, betel leaf, kaffir line; turmeric fried squid with tentacle and smelt; Chef Ann's (Ruaysuntia) salted duck egg relish with prawn, fresh greens; Jasmine rice. Dessert: cassava, job's ear; pineapple, black bean in coconut borth, jasmine ice; pan fried roti, local spicy honey. Overall the majority of the dishes were mild with only the last 'main' dishes considered 'spicy' for those sensitive to chili heat (as my dining companion). Out favorites for the evening were scallop in coconut cream, savory clam in coconut broth, soycured wagyu zabuton, kanpachi with orange, and Dungeness crab curry (spicy), and the cassava and job's tear and pineapple in coconut broth. This is not a budget outing as total damage, including tasting menu, cocktails, wine pairing, and after diner scotch was $125/person (expensive by PDX standards). So if you are in PDX and enjoy a fine dining Thai experience, you will be competing with us for any open seats going forward. Definitely worth the reservation and the detour read more