Cancel

Open app

Search

Lao Ocean

4.5 (148 reviews)
ModerateSushi Bars, Laotian, Thai

Lao Ocean Photos

Business Info

LAO OCEAN ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Trendy
Good for kids
Outdoor seating

You might also consider

More like Lao Ocean

Recommended Reviews - Lao Ocean

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

Chicken wing
thienly n.

Lao food for my mom's birthday on the road! Such a good hole in the wall. Our waiter was extremely kind and helpful! The food came out fast and was very tasty. Our favorites were the green curry and mango sticky rice! They had pandan green rice and taro purple rice! Would recommend going here! It was a yummy Lao/thai fusion

Chicken bites
Joyce C.

I love their sticky rice... the curry shrimp and beef was ok..the fried rice was good too

Fried pork belly, Lao style papaya salad and Mee Katit
Joy M.

Vacationing in Pensacola and excited to discover a Lao restaurant. Being Laotian myself, I love the name of the restaurant. It's even more fitting that the restaurant is close to the ocean! I didn't have high expectation since it doesn't seem like there's enough Laotians around for them to serve authentic Lao food. They proved me wrong. They have the option of Lao style (more pungent) or Thai style papaya salad. They even serve mee Katit, a traditional creamy rice noodle soup from Laos. I don't know of many Lao restaurants that would even serve this dish. Everything we tried was delicious. The restaurant was packed for lunch on a weekday with a mixture of crowds. I was excited to see so many people enjoying Lao food!

Beef appetizer with papaya salad which is soooo good. The wrapped hot towel is nice touch.
Stella H.

So glad this place did not close. Their food is always great. Counter service and sit where you want, then enjoy! You won't be disappointed.

Mango Sticky Rice
Cherelle T.

Pandan mango sticky rice my fav dessert. Sooo freaking yummy my second time ordering it

Fried Chicken Wings
Ka V.

Order before you sit down - the person taking our order was very nice and patient with us when my husband didn't know what he wanted. Pho definitely tasted like Laos style - which I do like and it came with a lot of meat. However, there was barely any broth. The fried chicken wings were okay. I loveeeeee me some Pad kee Mao, but this was just okay. The noodles were not my favorite, I prefer fresh noodles - it tasted like the dry noodles (I don't mind them but not for my pad kee mao). I wish they would've used fresh pepper instead of powder chili pepper for spice. They have a take out area where you can grab your own to go boxes, which was pretty convenient.

Mee Ka Tee
Renee D.

What a wonderful first time experiencing this hidden gem! Food was fresh and delicious! Looking forward to going back and working my way down the menu!

Lao Ocean makes any rainy day better.
Blake S.

On a rainy December day I couldn't think of a better restaurant near the house than Lao Ocean. If you are looking for some soul warming food, think soup, and there are several here to try. If you haven't seen the off the menu soups let alone taste them, you are missing out. There is an Onion Soup that tastes just like Funyuns and it is actually sprinkled with them. Think East meets West. A light Asian version of French onion soup. No cheese or bread. Then there's the Shumai Soup. It is a lighter broth, maybe vegetable based, with shumai floating around in it with tender baby bok choy. Both are delicious! We have seen the Shumai Soup offered as a special of the day before, but today we called and they said they had it, even though it was not on the specials menu board. Then there is the Lao Beef Pho, the Pho Gai (chicken pho), Miso soup, Tom Yum, and Tom Ka. We haven't tried all of them yet. They're so good we discussed buying one of each of the soups and freezing them for the future. How wonderful would it be if you had a cold to warm up some of those soups? Other things we ordered were the egg roll which somehow are impossibly light feeling in your mouth, without that greasy coating so many egg rolls will give you. I'm not sure how they accomplish it but there might be rice vermicelli in them with the vegetables. I could eat like five orders of them. So good! We both ordered the fried rice. I ordered the Lao Fried Rice with shrimp as my added protein. Helen ordered Lao Seafood Fried Rice which was a special for the day. Both were fantastic! You know how you can never get the rice to be perfectly crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside at home? These guys can accomplish it no problem! It's perfectly cooked, and perfectly seasoned. Just a little bit of soy sauce to finish, and it's an explosion of flavor in your mouth! It was a ridiculous amount of food for two people, but we planned it that way. We wanted lots of leftovers to eat for the remainder of the dreary weekend. By Sunday afternoon everything was gone! If you haven't tried Lao Ocean do yourself a favor! Don't forget that they have sushi too! The Super Seaweed Salad is where it's at!

Pho Beef
Mikelyn P.

This place is amazing! Location is in the Walmart/ Starbucks parking lot on the side facing Holiday Inn. Absolutely amazing staff. I found this by actually doing a door dash at lunch time and I HAD TO GO BACK! Authentic! Delicious!! JUST GO!

Drunken noodle

See all

6 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

10 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

6 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 months ago

Amazing food and my go to in the Gulf Breeze area. Pineapple fried rice is truly incredible and not to be missed.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Joyce C.
2
83
261

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

10 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 1
Photo of Julie M.
41
46
24

10 months ago

Tasty Thai Food in an unexpected place. Pick up times are not accurate, plan much longer.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Ka V.
3
49
61

3 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1
Photo of Renee D.
110
24
5

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of A H.
58
82
0

1 year ago

The people are amazing! We eat regularly at this restaurant and the food is always consistent and fantastic! I highly recommend!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

9 months ago

Good fried rice but not alcohol , the service was tooooooo slow!unless you have a long time to eat do not come here

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 1

3 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 3
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Q L.
16
663
83

2 years ago

Food and drinks are too sweet for my liking. Tried it twice. Dining area was packed when I went.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Becky M.
35
20
39

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Celene R.
8
129
333

3 years ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

The most authentic Laotian/Thai food in the area. Was pleasantly surprised to see Nam Khao on the menu! Everything we tried was SO good!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

Page 1 of 4

Ask the Community - Lao Ocean

You might also consider

The Grand Marlin - Their famous baked oyster Rockefeller

The Grand Marlin

4.4(1.5k reviews)
1.8 mi
$$$

5/10/2026: Grand Marlin is top-notch!…read more We had an incredible experience here on May 10th. Our server, Brittany, gave excellent service and was incredibly accommodating. Since the three of us in our group aren't big eaters, we asked to split a portion of everything we ordered, and she didn't blink an eye. We started with the BBQ shrimp, which was fantastic! It's not a heavy, traditional BBQ flavor--it's more of a rich, New Orleans-style sauce. With six shrimp total, it was perfect for splitting, especially with the delicious bread served alongside it to soak up that amazing sauce. Nom!! Two of us split the wedge salad, and Brittany happily accommodated our special request for ranch instead of blue cheese. Our other friend had the kale salad and thoroughly enjoyed it. For the main course, the three of us split the filet mignon, which came with a dollop of mashed potatoes. The char on the steak was absolutely fabulous, and the potatoes paired with it perfectly! The restaurant is fairly dark and can get a bit noisy on busy nights, but we enjoyed our time immensely. Grand Marlin has private rooms and is easily the most high-end restaurant on Pensacola Beach. Our total was $178.00 before tip, which is well worth it. The attire ranges anywhere from dressy to beach casual, they have several great seating options for special occasions, and there's even a gift shop with some great finds. For anyone who remembers, this used to be the Boy on a Dolphin years ago. As an honorary Pensacolian since 1975, I consider myself a bit of an expert on all things Pensacola Beach--and you won't be disappointed here! Pro tip: Get a group photo by the bay before leaving. Even at night, it shows off those perfect Pensacola views.

Went here with friends and the meal was phenomenal. We had the oysters as an appetizer that were…read morefresh and large. Our wait staff was super attentive. Our meal was beyond delicious. The Grouper Picatta was fresh and I would order it again and again!! It was the best fish I have had in a LONG time--and we live in South Florida surrounded by great seafood restaurants. We both had the same dish. Our friends had the wasabi tuna and raved about it. All four of us shared the brownie sundae. Would come to this restaurant again. Great sunset views too. Parking was close and easy to get a spot--this was a week day and they were packed! We went on their wine special day for 50% off--nice surprise.

Photos
The Grand Marlin - Interior seating area

Interior seating area

The Grand Marlin - Honey was I yf tuna.

Honey was I yf tuna.

The Grand Marlin - My TGM Signature Praline Basket

See all

My TGM Signature Praline Basket

Joe Patti's Seafood Company - Fresh Gulf shrimp boiled that night.

Joe Patti's Seafood Company

4.5(988 reviews)
4.5 mi
$$

I love Joe Patti's. I'm never in Pensacola without stopping there. It's easily one of my favorite…read moremarkets. The fish can be a bit pricey, but that's pretty standard everywhere. What really sets Joe Patties apart is the quality. Nothing compares to the freshness of their fish and seafood. If you feel like you're paying a little more, just know that when you cook it properly at home, the quality more than justifies the price. One tip: if you're getting steamed shrimp, skip the pre-steamed option. Go to the counter, pick out the shrimp you want, and have them steam it fresh for you. Definitely grab one of their tubs of garlic butter and herbs and have them add half or the full amount depending on how much you're getting. I got the Argentine shrimp, about a pound and a half, and had them use half the butter. No one in my group expected it to be as good as it was. I set the plate down and it was gone in less than five minutes. I was lucky to even get three pieces for myself. We also purchased a whole grouper and had them fillet it for us. We seasoned it with their Everglades rub, and I have to admit it was probably the best grouper I've ever had in my life. The freshness makes all the difference. We grill often and have made grouper before, but it's usually been frozen, and it never comes out anywhere near this good.

Joe Patti's Seafood Company is a renowned establishment in Pensacola, operating as a bustling…read morewaterfront hub for the freshest catch in the region. It is highly esteemed by both locals and tourists for its premium selection and competitive prices. * Seafood Recommendation: Don't miss out on the Royal Red shrimp, known for their delectable lobster-like taste and tender texture - have them steamed in the kitchen! * On-Site Steaming: A notable feature is the option to choose fresh shrimp, lobster, or crab and have it steamed on demand with personalized seasonings, ideal for a convenient, high-quality meal during your vacation. * Deli & Bakery: In addition to raw seafood, the market offers a complete deli with hot Gumbo, freshly baked bread, and various prepared dips such as the popular smoked tuna dip. * Sushi & Specialty Items: Inside, you'll find a sushi bar and a wide array of imported gourmet cheeses, oils, and crackers to enhance your dining experience. Verdict: A definite must-visit. Whether you're purchasing seafood to enjoy at home or grabbing a quick bite, Joe Patti's Seafood Company offers affordable quality. I consider it a go-to dining spot during my stay here.

Photos
Joe Patti's Seafood Company - Fresh catch coming in!

Fresh catch coming in!

Joe Patti's Seafood Company - Out front

Out front

Joe Patti's Seafood Company - Already cooked crawfish!

See all

Already cooked crawfish!

Lao Ocean - sushi - Updated May 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...