Have been to their sister shop in SJ so was keen to try our local one here. Parking is super easy…read morein the public lot behind the shop row. Ambiance is cool, very airy and inviting. Came for a weekday lunch, 3 of us and got seated right away no problem. Love the special options on the menu, so many interesting things to try! The koong karee (prawn curry) and har mok seafood were my favorite. Special mention for the khao soi too! Big portions and took home enough for another meal. Prices are a little higher than the usual Thai joint but it's worth it.

Grabbed lunch with a friend and we enjoyed this place…read more We shared the tom yum crab omelette and the mama pad kee mao. We both liked the pad kee mao over the omelette. It was really flavorful and it all came together really well for us. I think we were a bit underwhelmed with the omelette. It wasn't bad, but I expected a bit more in terms of flavor and it wasn't much to remember. The cocktails were really yummy and creative.

Been coming here for a very long time. The have the best Thai, Laos, Hmong, and not Vietnamese food…read morehere. Consistent very good food quality, service, cleanliness, great price and always satisfying. They always have the best Laos style papaya salad, Kapoor noodles, curries and have this huge large size Thai Iced Tea or lemonade for $7 for like two people. Love this place! The waiter/waitress are very fast and attentive and always greet with a warm smile like you are home. Parking might be a bit challenging but somehow we always are able to find one pretty easily.

While visiting Joaquin Miller Park, we needed some good food and we came by here for dinner around…read more5:30pm. We ordered many dishes, all tasty and not overly spicy. Larb with chicken, fried tofu with string beans, cabbage with pork, and a few more. All made well and look well presented on your table. Veggies nicely cut and tasted good. Customer service: good. Bathroom: clean. Decor: homey, pleasant paintings of their Fatherland hang on the wall. I would come back.

the food was great and my female waitresses was lovely! although the male worker ignored us…read morecompletely and walked away when we asked for service. The overall vibe and ambiance was very chill and welcoming.

My friends and I stopped by on a Friday evening at 7:30 p.m. looking for a table for four and the…read morewait was around 45 minutes. Between the four of us, we shared a variety of dishes, including their Champa Wings, Nam Kaow, Lao Sausages, Yum Nom Tok, Champa's Fried Rice and Pad Thai. Of these dishes, my favorite was easily the Nam Kaow. This dish had so many layers of flavors and textures. I could honestly eat a whole plate of this myself and be satisfied. Every grain of crispy rice was fried to perfection and there was a wonderful sour and spicy tang throughout each bite. The other dish I really enjoyed was the Lao sausages. These sausages are packed with so many different herbs and spices. The lemongrass flavor was especially prominent. Like the Nam Kaow, this dish also went really well with the fresh mint and lettuce that's provided on the table. There's a good reason why this unassuming Thai and Lao neighborhood restaurant has a line out the door: the food is absolutely delicious. Definitely one of my favorite meals I've had in 2026 -- I can't wait to stop by again.

I dined at Bhan Mae Vane with a group of 8 and had the opportunity to try out a large variety of…read moredishes. Between our group, we got Sakoo, Nam Khao, Fried Clear Rice Roll Wraps, Sai Oua (Lao Sausages), Crispy Pork Belly, Pad Kee Mao, and a large side of Sticky Rice. Of the dishes, the Nam Khao was a standout favorite for me. I loved how crispy and crunchy the fried rice was in the dish. There were so many layers of flavors and textures from the fish sauce, the peanuts, and the fermented sour pork. If there's one dish you must order when you stop by here, it's this one. Another dish I really enjoyed was the Sai Oua; I get this dish whenever I see it at restaurants. Although I've had Lao sausages which were very heavy in lemongrass flavor, the ones here did not have the same flavor profile. Instead, the ones here leaned more towards the spicy side. The crispy pork belly was another standout dish for me. If you enjoy Filipino lechon or Cantonese siu yuk, this is another must-order dish. The pork is well seasoned and has the perfect ratio of lean to fatty parts. Overall, I had wonderfully delicious meal. I would certainly recommend coming as a large group so you're able to order a wide variety of dishes. If you're looking for something to really excite your taste buds, head over to Bhan Mae Vane.

It is a spacious restaurant with a loud atmosphere. The tables are spaced closely together so it…read morefeels a little tight, but the high ceilings help. Nam khao - the flavors are nice and doesn't feel too heavy. The fermented pork is light and the peanuts and rice make up a lot of the texture. the rice is crispy, but it is the type of crispy where it sticks together. - pork rinds were fluffy crispy - juicy wings - fresh flavorful sausage - crispy and juicy pork belly Service:3.8 Ambiance:3.5 Food:4.5 The food came out quickly, but the service was slow. They were slow to refill waters.

Part of our cruising around the bay involved casually finding the bistro where we need to meet for…read moredinner later tonight. It's crazy what you bump into when you're not looking. After a couple of hours sight seeing, we took a wrong turn and ended up in this town and stumbled onto this beauty. It's like a new generation of Thai food for us. Not at all what we're used to or have ever tasted. It was great! A very intimate, joyous fellowship broke out with great friends and an even better atmosphere. Seating is outdoors only and you're surrounded by flowers and the very vegetables we were about to eat. Very surreal! I believe it's the first time I've ordered food and they literally grew it outside the eatery. It was all delicious and I highly recommend you get lost and stumble into them, yourself. I love this place!

I'm very disappointed with my visit and I had been wanting to try this spot out for the longest…read moretime!! Finally made it and they only do take out and cater to just make the food rather than providing at all any public service. No one greets you or offers assistance especially with how the online menu you would order on at this location. Even after waiting and calling out to the people preparing the food for help I still did not get what I ordered completely I was missing the blue rice which would have kept a star up but because I was denied what I asked what was pictured and even paid more since there was a lunch special and told if you want what is pictured on the menu order the dinner item Their online menu isn't updated so don't look at their website Their other locations are way better than this spot which is an express only with rude employees I definitely suggest the other locations in Oakland and Palo Alto Beautiful areas with great customer service and they present their food instead of getting missing items over priced take out only. I will say the food was still delicious and I ate everything but with the blue rice that extra star would be there Expect No help To go only And missing items with the miss communication of rude service The reason stars fell off on my end The 2 stars I did give was just for the food still being delicious but that missing rice made it seem not amazing as the sit down locations aside from here And the other star was for it being close by to me so convenient I would had told all my family and friends but I will tell them to never go here unless you just want the food ok but check the items before leaving Go to their other locations the food and service is far way better than here

My friend (who's half Lao) was visiting from Atlanta, and since there's an abundance of Lao cuisine…read morehere in the Bay Area, we had to try one out! We narrowed it down to three and chose Lao Garden because of the positive reviews and authentic menu items. Lao Garden did NOT disappoint!! We visited during Memorial Day for lunch. PARKING There's a sign outside, but I missed it. Parking is available at the back of the restaurant as well as street parking. SERVICE Since it was a week day for lunch and it was a holiday, the restaurant wasn't at capacity. There was one server who was attentive and wonderful! We met the owner and head chef, Kanlaya, who was very friendly. I could see her passion for Lao cuisine and her desire for guests to enjoy it. FOOD We were pretty excited so ordered quite a few items to try -- we definitely had leftovers. Everything was DELISH. * Pandan Green Tea -- delicious! * SAI QUA (Lao sausage) -- made fresh. Meaty and herbaceous. It was grilled and charred. Yum! * THU LITH'S FAMOUS SAIKOO --My friend was waiting to try this, which was the main reason we chose Lao Garden. It was excellent. Under "Wraps," these are steamed tapioca balls filled with pork. The tapioca balls were fresh, soft, and chewy, while the pork filling was well-seasoned and balanced. It was served with lettuce, mint, and parsley. * MOK PA -- Steamed catfish with lemongrass, dill, onions, and wrapped in banana leaves. A favorite of mine! Light and aromatic. It was served with steamed veggie medley and jeow mak len (tomato dipping sauce with various spices). * EGGPLANT PRAWNS -- Seasoned and tasty. Eggplant and prawns cooked to perfection. Since it was lunch, there was a special for this entree. * FRIED CHICKEN WINGS w/ PAPAYA SALAD -- This was also a lunch special served with sticky rice. We were chatting with the owner, and she was kind enough to change it to Lao style, which is more pungent with the umami from fermented fish sauce. The wings were crispy, and the papaya salad was well-balanced and tasty. Discovering Lao Garden was a fantastic experience, and we truly enjoyed their delicious dishes. I can't wait to return and share this hidden gem with friends and family so they can enjoy it too.

3.5 STARS I'm boring…read moreso where did I get my spice? SE AZN food! It's hard to find a Laotian resto that isn't clumped in with Thai and/or Khmer cuisine so Lao Garden piqued my interest. Walk-in only. But if you have a party of 5+, rezzies are accepted. Back patio is dog-friendly. F O O D * Nam Khao: Crispy Rice w/ fermented pork sausage, peanuts, lettuce, herbs ($25): https://tinyurl.com/yn97yper Many rave reviews on socials saying this is the best nam khao and worth the price. The crunchy, chewy texture was on-point and they were generous with the naem, fermented pork sausage....but it was oddly bland, like they forgot to dress it with the spicy, punchy acidic dressing. * Thu Lith's Famous Saikoo: Steamed tapioca balls w/ ground pork, sweet radishes, shallots ($25): https://tinyurl.com/5n8xnhsz Saikoo is hard to find so this was a must order on our visit. The saikoo had a nice bouncy QQ chew and is filled with a ground pork mixture. Flavor leaned sweet. If you like Viet bánh bột lọc, this will be your jam. * Mok Pa: Steamed catfish w/ lemongrass, green onions, dill, steamed vegetables, jeow mak len ($22): https://tinyurl.com/yxrvnxjb The catfish was flaky and moist but the flavor was one note: earthy. I wished they used more fish sauce and aromatics (i.e. lemongrass and galangal) for citrusy umami. Served with steamed veggies with a traditional Laotian spicy roasted tomato dip that was not spicy at all. * Grilled Rack of Lamb (3 pc-$32): https://tinyurl.com/57hstz93 - Requested medium rare A touch overcooked but the marbled lamb was forgiving, it was still very tender with a great smoky char from the grill. Served with nam jim jaew that felt diluted as it was missing the bold spicy, tangy, salty, and slightly sweet flavors. * Sticky Rice ($8) Aside from the incredibly steep price for a single serving, they brought this with the apps so by the time our entrees arrived, the sticky rice had cooled and hardened. S E R V I C E Friendly and earnest. We had to flag them down for things but understandable since we were the only ones in the patio. We arrived for an early dinner and were the only customers at the time so it was surprising food service was slow with entrees taking 45+ minutes. A M B I A N C E Spacious and vibrant with faux greenery and flower walls. The back patio is partially covered. P A R K I N G They have a private parking lot in back but can easily be missed; take a right after April Rose Provisions. Overall, I had high hopes for Lao Garden but the flavors were far too mild for my personal taste. When I have Laotian food, I want to be punched in the face with funk, citrus/acid, and heat. Off day?

Stopped in for an early Sunday dinner and was glad they had room for a last minute table. This…read moreplace is clearly a takeout favorite because people were constantly coming in to pick up food. The staff greeted me right away and got me seated while I waited for my friends. They have a lot of inside seating and its clean. Our waiter recommended a few of his favorites, and honestly, he did not miss. The chicken curry puffs and the sizzling basil rice were standouts. It was my first time trying them, and now I'm hooked. I'd definitely come back just for those.

Wawa Thai is an assuming neighborhood Thai restaurant with a colorful interior and a chef-driven…read moremenu of Northern Thai dishes. We started with the Laos-style Papaya Salad, a salty, spicy, pungent combination of shredded papaya, carrots, tomatoes, green beans, and Thai eggplant mixed with a chili garlic lime dressing and salted crab. From the specials menu, the Khao Soi was a noodle soup made of egg noodles in a creamy coconut curry broth, topped with crispy fried noodles, red onions, lime, and pickled mustard greens, served with a choice of protein (I got the tender boneless chicken thigh). Next, the Fried Chicken and Roti was a huge piece of fried chicken served on top of a thick, flaky, layered roti, along with a fried egg, yellow curry sauce, and cucumber salad. The most comical part of the dish was the fried chicken, which looked impressive, but was composed almost entirely of crunchy batter surrounding a thin layer of meat in the middle. Not sure whether I was disappointed or amused. The Grilled Coconut Salmon was a salmon fillet marinated in coconut milk, lemongrass, onion, curry paste, kaffir lime leaf, and basil, then wrapped and grilled in a banana leaf. The flavorful, aromatic, tender salmon was served with jasmine rice, steamed vegetables, and a strong chili garlic sauce on the side. Finally, the dish I was most excited about trying was the Khan Toke, a huge platter with a ton of different items for sharing. The vegan version came with hung lay curry with vegan meatballs, jackfruit salad (my favorite component), tofu stir-fried with pineapple, nam prik noom (green chili dip), deep-fried puffs filled with curry potato, puffs filled with taro paste, fried tofu, fried tofu skin, fried vegan meat, mixed vegetables with coconut milk (including greens, eggplant, pumpkin), and sticky rice. While the platter definitely looked colorful and impressive, most of the items were disappointingly bland or mediocre in flavor. This one dish was skippable, but everything else we ordered was delicious and came at a good value with friendly service too!

I am so sad to write this but must for my fellow people who love Thai and Lao food. I will not be…read moreordering from this place again. Having eaten both cuisines my entire life as a Southeast Asian and having made both myself growing up. Service was good and staff were friendly. 1) pad Thai: ok, but didn't have enough tamarind flavor. Generous amount of chicken and tofu. This saved our meal. 2) Laos style papaya salad: worst I've ever had. The papaya is shredded wrong, was missing an ingredient, and I've never had it served with purple cabbage. A must skip. I have a feeling they do not make it in a mortar and pestle.

Ok - hear me out. This place is so strange because it's more of a grab and go place INSIDE of…read moreCastro Village Bowl. But we got the pad see ew and the fried rice here with a drink (total $44) because we were starving and didn't have time for dinner before meeting up with a friend group to bowl - and I was pleasantly surprised at the value of what we got?? Pros: - The 2 dishes we ordered, came with HUGE portions - I was so surprised because I expected it to be overpriced (since it's inside the bowling alley and the place also services bar food/fried food fitting for a bowling alley) - Tasted pretty good honestly! not bad. it didn't hold up well later in the night or the next day, but not terrible. - decent amount of veggies and meat in the pad see ew! - Pretty quick service, food came out in less than 10 mins, and they gave us a buzzer so we knew when the food was ready Cons: - obviously service can be a bit hit or miss, but it's a bowling alley, so set your expectations accordingly Overall, I wouldn't come out of my way to eat here - but it is refreshing to not only be stuck eating fried bar food at the alley