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    So Saap

    4.3 (873 reviews)
    ModerateThai, Laotian, Vegan
    Open 10:30 am - 11:00 pm

    Order So Saap Takeout or Delivery

    So Saap Photos

    Business Info

    SO SAAP ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Happy hour specials

    Recommended Reviews - So Saap

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    Reviews With Photos

    Plain sugar cane, 2 Fish Platter, Crab meat fried rice
    Tiffany T.

    So Saap is one of my favorite San Diegan Lao and Thai restaurants. I love their happy hour deals, especially their plain sugar cane juice, and the fact that they're open late night. I've been there multiple times with family and friends, and some notable dishes we enjoyed were their Seen Lod (Beef Jerky), Drunken Noodle, Pad Thai and their fish platter. We've never had to wait to be seated, but this restaurant is seriously a hidden gem. The inside is clean, the decor is super cute, and the servers are polite and friendly. The service never disappoints, and the food is very filling and flavorful--especially their crab fried rice. For spice lovers, ask about their spice rack! It has a variety of sauces and spices to up the heat. Fair warning that parking is hard, there's a small lot and street parking available.

    Michelle M.

    One of my favorite restaurants to get some delicious Lao Food. If you're unsure what Laos food is, it's similar to Thai food (because of proximity of countries geographically. The food are similar, if not, the same. I love coming here, they have many choices. This place is also a vegan/vegetarians dream. They have choices for everyone! My recommendation: Papaya salad Curry's and the calamansi sugar cane.

    Yum Ka Poon
    Valerie C.

    Heard of this place through TikTok and I've always been wanting to try Lao food so I was excited to try this place. My party of 3 were sat promptly at 530 on a Friday. Inside was pretty empty. Service was friendly. We ordered a handful of dishes but I can only speak to what I go and how it tasted: Yum Khao Poon Lao style: the vermicelli noodles were overcooked and it tasted overall bland. Better with the chili sauce but otherwise passable. The fried chicken skin was good together though! Boat Noodles: delicious! Earthy and deep flavors, noodles cooked well and meat was tender. I love how intense and slightly sweet the soup broth was. Would order again Unfortunately I would say there's a bit of a pest issue in this place - there were constant swarms of large flies at our table, more than 5. My party had to pack up our food and leave quickly because it was such a burden to keep swatting them away, and gross too! Happy I tried So Saap but I wouldn't come back.

    Chicken fried rice
    Smitha A.

    I was so excited to try this place. I have heard so much about it and how it's gluten free etc. unfortunately, most of the dishes marked gluten free I asked about, were not available. Example: the fried chicken. They only have one fried chicken now and it's NOT gluten free. Then I asked about the shrimp egg roll you can pay $1.50 more to make gluten free. NOT available. Finally I got the drunken noodles. Made with vegan gluten free sauce. They were decent. The noodles could have been chewier and the beef could have been more moist. My companions also gave average ratings to the food. I'm bummed they didn't have more gluten free options. But the service was pretty good. The place itself is clean but standard. No Bells and whistles.

    No-Mango Sticky Rice Ala Mode (Ube Ice Cream)!
    Robert K.

    Ho Lee Fook!!!! This Place is a Gem!!! I love southeastern asian cuisine and this place delivered... the dark and stinky papaya salad was my favorite. THE CHICKEN SKIN IS TO DIE FOR!!! For dessert we ordered sticky rice with no mango and on the side, ordered Ube ice cream and plopped it right on top of the sweet sticky rice!!!! WINNERS!!!!!

    Drunken noodle
    Olivia S.

    Came here last night with my family for a late-night dinner. (They're open until 12 a.m.) The restaurant had plenty of seating and was full by 10 p.m. A good sign. We were greeted and sat right away. It took a while for them to take our order, but that was the only time we had to wait. Our servers were friendly. The food was pretty good. My son gobbled down his drunken noodles. We shared the ribs, and all of us enjoyed the fried bits of garlic. My mom wasn't extremely impressed with the fresh spring rolls, but that's because we have another spot that's set the bar extremely high. I loved my panang curry. In fact, my mom said it was the best dish; I agree. I'd come back. Maybe bring a friend so we can hit up that cocktail menu; their cocktails looked delicious. the cocktail menu.

    Tanya W.

    I LOVE Lao food, and this restaurant has one of the most authentic menus I've seen! They serve comforting, home-style Lao dishes that are so hard to find at restaurants. What do you MEAN you have Kao Poon, Gang Nor Mai, And padaek?! I was so excited to see these on the menu. My only request is to please add Nam Khao!!! They offer a separate vegan menu and dishes are likely able to accommodate a vegetarian diet as well, making it easy for everyone to enjoy a great meal. The service was incredibly warm and welcoming. They made me feel right at home, and chatting with them was one of the highlights of my visit. I'll definitely be back to satisfy my Lao food cravings! Kao Poon - 4.5/5, SOOO good but just a little too salty for my preference. LARGE portion and I loved all the fresh veggies mixed in with the curry noodle soup! Pad Thai - 5/5, I'm basic but I LOVE a pad thai. This was so good, we prefer a shrimp protein and again LARGE portion. Noodles cooked perfect and the sauce was delicious and tangy just how I like it! Famous Laos Platter - 5/5, I love Thai/Lao style jerky and sticky rice. This was a really nice sampler of my favorite meats and the side of papaya salad was really good! Khemer skew - 4/5, very lemongrass forward! Kumquat sugarcane, Longan, and Thai iced coffee - 5/5, all super bomb and delicious!!!

    Drunken noodles & fried pork belly
    Melanie M.

    I tried this for the first time the other day and was impressed. I got drunken noodles with a spice of 3 and it was spicier than I expected. The fried pork belly satisfied my cravings of something similar to lechon kawali. It could've been packaged better for delivery though because some of it was soggy by the time I got it. I'd try again but not get delivery next time.

    Real duck?
    Sylvester R.

    So I came in late and saw Lao thai on the sign so I wanted to definitely try it as I really like thai food. The staff was quite pleasant and kind. I ordered a basil duck fried rice. The rice and flavors were seasoned very well. The only complaint I have is that for the price, I got very small bits and pieces of duck. Very small. I am used to seeing large pieces of succulent duck. If this was vegetarian or plain rice then it would have been amazing.

    Pad Ka Pow Chicken
    Leanne C.

    Pad Ka pow was a 10/10. I got it level 4 spicy. We paid an additional charge for Tom Yum flavor for the french fries but honestly felt like the seasoning was lacking. It could've used more flavor. Worst dish was the Vegan Nam Kao. It tasted very sour and mushy. We mentioned it to the server but was told it might be due to a new chef. We only took two bites and decided not to eat it just in case it would upset our stomach. Disappointing because my friend and I get it all the time and it doesn't taste like that. Sad to waste $18 on this dish as we didn't take it home.

    Garlic Chicken with "extra chicken" (wayyyyy to many veggies super bland, would not recommend)

    Ordered through uber eats maybe it was just what I ordered or an off day but got the garlic chicken with extra chicken and then heavenly jerky I paid almost 30 dollars for the garlic chicken and it was probably some of the worst I've had. Super bland, sauce tasted very watery, and chicken was so dry. Also I added the extra chicken and it seemed like it was even less chicken than most other places. Will go with Bahn Thai or something next time. The whole entire bottom was filled with huge pieces of cabbage and broccoli. Talk about a cheap filler. Was very disappointed

    pad thai + lao pork sausages W/sticky rice + Thai tea 24oz + Calamasi cane
    Sheila V.

    Sausage was super flavorful and had a good kick of spice. Dare I say best pad thai I've ever had - umami, sweet, spicy, everything you could ever want. Calamari cane juice was super refreshing and the thai tea was a nice sweet break from the heat. Highly recommend!

    Wooo!!!
    Leland S.

    Oooiii! I've seen their social media posts and So Saap's marketing game is So good. Does it live to the hype? Let me share with you. AMBIANCE Parking: Plaza parking and street parking. It can get pretty busy so do Depending on the time of day, it can get busy, but there are usually enough spots to make it manageable. Seating: Inside seating that's casual and comfortable with enough room for let's say 15 groups good for pairs or families. Vibes: Welcome to City Heights! It's not the flashliest place of San Diego but it's a nice local grit and grind neighborhood. It's not overly flashy or trendy, jst a neighborhood spot serving food that clearly comes from culture, family, and tradition. The spot itself is well decorated with Lao and Thai artifacts to represent their culture. There are tvs if you want to catch a show or game and I dig the pop music in the background for a nice familiar tune. Great place for a friendly food adventure or dinner with family. FOOD / DRINKS Dragon Fruit Sugarcane (Recommend) Refreshing and fun. The sweetness of the earthy sugarcane paired really well with the subtle fruitiness of the dragon fruit. It was light, cooling, and the perfect drink to accompany the meal. Sausage Platter (Highly Recommend) This was delicious! The Lao sausage was incredibly flavorful with its herbal notes and spices, while the jerky had that perfect chewy, savory quality that made it hard to stop eating. Pairing everything with sticky rice and papaya salad gave it that unique Lao feel. Mok Fish (Recommend) This impressed me. Delicate fish wrapped and steamed with scentful Southeast Asian herbs and seasonings, creating a dish that felt both comforting and deeply flavorful. It had a home-cooked quality that made it memorable. Chicken Skin Laab (Recommend) Your solid chicken skin crisp but what separates it from your usual crispy chicken skin is the mixed laab herbs and lime. Every bite had a little crunch and a little kick. CUSTOMER SERVICE Awesome! Friendly and welcoming. The staff seemed genuinely excited to share their food and answer questions, which always makes the experience better. TL;DR OVERALL 4.5 Stars. Good food, reasonable prices, and an opportunity to experience flavors that you don't often find everywhere. So Saap isn't just serving a meal--it's sharing a culture. This is no hidden gem, much love to Owner Carrie and the So Saap crew for sharing their Lao/Thai culture with us. #RepresentAZN TIPS * Bring a friend to share and check their social media for good deals!

    Drunken noodle with chicken

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    1 month ago

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    28 days ago

    The pad ka pow is really good . The taste is really good . It is real Thai food . I like it

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    Page 1 of 22

    So Saap Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - So Saap

    How can I order your fried chicken skin by mail ? Saw in Facebook that we can order my mail.

    https://sosaapchickenskin.com/

    Hi, I thought this buisiness had a name change. Or did they relocate?

    They relocated and bought out Ban Lao.

    Can you make Laotian papaya salad vegan? And the Thai tea?

    Hi so Laotian style papaya to get it real Lao umami style unfortunately a vegan version of fermented fish sauce etc will be harder to come up with. Maybe one day in the future. And our Thai drinks unfortunately are made with item that contain milk.… 

    Do you have vegan options?

    Hi yes a lot of our items can be made vegan

    I would like to place a large order for delivery for a catered dinner event for 12 people on a Friday at 6pm. When is the best time to call to place the order?

    Which items are in the taste of Lao party platter?

    Hi our taste of laos platter 4-6 people $99 -papaya salad of choice -Larb salad (beef, pork, or… 

    What is the pricing for the party mini size nam van cups?

    Hi so our mini size Nam Van 30 for $90 50 for $130

    Do they have outdoor seating?

    No there isn't

    The only way to order klf is on the weekends?

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Peace Pies - Mystical Mushroom Quesadilla and kale chips

    Peace Pies

    4.7(604 reviews)
    7.5 miOcean Beach, Point Loma
    $$

    Peace Pies is restaurant transcendance. What a healing environment, from the floral garden patio,…read moreto the warm inviting people, to the food packed with love. The raw vegan renditions of old time favorites are nothing short of delicious mysticism, bringing past and future into a single moment of transformation and pure bliss. This is the future of food luxury, a healing sanctuary to consciously nourish, and Peace Pies is blazing the path. I cannot give enough praise, absolutely legendary and inspirational. I tried over a dozen meals + treats and everything was 4.5 to 5 stars, for real. Special shout out to the Twix, Fudge Brownie, Mushroom Stroganoff, Tyler, JP, and of course, all the pies. THANK YOU PEACE PIES.

    Peace Pies is an absolute gem!…read more If you're looking for fresh, completely gluten-free food that actually tastes incredible, Peace Pies delivers on every level. Everything is raw, thoughtfully prepared, and you can truly taste the quality of the ingredients. The chef is hands-down amazing and somehow manages to turn healthy food into works of art. I ordered the buffalo wrap, which came with kale chips on the side. It definitely has a kick to it, but it's balanced by an entire rainbow of vegetables packed into the wrap. Every bite feels nourishing, full of vibrant ingredients that feed your body with different vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. I also ventured out and tried the freeze-dried durian. The texture immediately reminded me of a Lucky Charms marshmallow, although it's much less sweet. The flavor is incredibly difficult to describe--mild and subtle at first, with a fleeting savory note that quickly transforms into something almost tropical, like guava crossed with a nutty vanilla cream. It's unique, delicate, and unlike anything I've tasted before. For dessert, I sampled the Butterfinger and Twix. The Butterfinger filling has a green hue, which might surprise you at first, but don't let that fool you. The chef has somehow recreated the classic Butterfinger flavor in a raw, healthy version. It's not quite as sweet or crunchy as the original, but the flavor and texture are remarkably close and absolutely delicious, this is definitely a must try! The Twix was my personal favorite. The layers of caramel, cookie crunch, and chocolate come together perfectly. The balance of flavors is simply incredible. I've tried several items from Peace Pies over the years, and this place has never disappointed. The menu is creative, fun, and proof that healthy, raw, gluten-free food can be absolutely delicious. Highly recommend! Once in a while the workers are busy working in the back, prepping food and creating recipes- so you may have to get their attention... If they hear you come in, you're greeted immediately with helpful guidance to the menu. I came on prior occasions with my best friend who has many allergies and is of dark melanin- I state this because of a prior ill review regarding preferential treatment based on skin color. That has not been our experience. And I hope that review doesn't deter anyone from trying out this place.

    Photos
    Peace Pies - Garden sitting area

    Garden sitting area

    Peace Pies - Remains of a Buffalo Wrap, cookie sandwich and smoked cheesy kale chipa.

    Remains of a Buffalo Wrap, cookie sandwich and smoked cheesy kale chipa.

    Peace Pies - Buffalo cauliflower wrap

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    Buffalo cauliflower wrap

    The Yasai By Rakiraki - Front entrance of building

    The Yasai By Rakiraki

    4.2(369 reviews)
    4.0 miLittle Italy
    $$

    I came here 9 years ago during its grand opening when it was still called Raki Raki. You can still…read morefind my review here. Unfortunately on my morning walk this week, I noticed the restaurant is empty and there's a for lease sign up. To be honest, the food was good but not cravable --I never felt the need to go back. In recent years the restaurant rebranded and focused more on vegan options. Their business hours were also scaled back and I can't remember seeing them open during lunch hours.

    Came here for a birthday celebration and was less than thrilled with the experience. Made…read morereservations which I would recommend as the location is fairly small and packs up quickly. They have a really nice selection of both vegan and non vegan options. Ordered the Garlic Edamame, Karaage Bao Buns, and Crispy Gyoza. Garlic Edamame was delicious! It had that perfect combo of chili and the garlic was just right. And by just right I mean LOTS of garlic. Little side note, they didn't provide another dish to discard the eaten ones and also had to ask for plates which made a bit of a mess when you are sharing a bunch of small plates. Karaage Bao Buns were so good that we wound up ordering another order. If someone had ordered these and not told me they were vegan I would have never know. The texture of the Not chicken was perfect and the rest of the added flavors from the aioli's and garnish were well balanced. Our least favorite was the Crispy Gyoza. The ends were perfect combo but the middle was mush and the texture and flavor was not spectacular. It might have just been the cook but the the ingredients seemed like they were too wet when they were fried. Service was the absolute worst. Had to ask several times for our drinks when tables that were sat well after us all had theirs. I would come back in hopes the service was better but what a let down when we were there to celebrate and were ignored with the servers passing by us and not checking on us.

    Photos
    The Yasai By Rakiraki
    The Yasai By Rakiraki
    The Yasai By Rakiraki

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    Veganic Thai Cafe

    Veganic Thai Cafe

    4.5(729 reviews)
    2.6 miHillcrest
    $$

    The place was very cute, quiet and comfy! Perfect place for a date or intimate dinner. The food was…read moreto DIE FOR! I'm not a vegan, but this is some of the best Thai food I've had in the area (couldn't tell it was vegan food). 10/10 and definitely coming back. The staff was so friendly too :)

    Haven't been here in years. We decided to check out the spot and see how it's been since we last…read morevisited. We luckily got parking in front of the restaurant. Pay at the meter. After we paid, we thought the place was closed...but then realized it wasn't. We tried to go in a different door that was locked. The entrance is so confusing because it's literally on the inner side that you can't see! Can easily be missed! Good thing we found it before leaving. When else entered, it was empty! On a Friday night. It felt like VIP and private we had the restaurant to ourselves but it was so sad at the same time. They were more strong on to-go orders as customers came and went. We ordered their vegetable tempura, pineapple fried rice, and panang curry. Everything came out hot. All was good except the pineapple in their fried rice was spoiled. We brought it to their attention, and they corrected it right away. They explained it was canned so they're not sure how it could've been spoiled. We were unable to eat it. They made us a fresh new hot plate. They also brought us everything we requested like condiments and boxes. The lady was very nice about it. I couldn't hate on the place. It's just sad to see it dead compared to how it was before. The economy is really tough, and too expensive to dine out. The only one-off would be the spoiled food many because the food isn't circulating due to low demand. Anyway, the staff were very nice and polite though. Was not at all mad or rude when we mentioned it.

    Photos
    Veganic Thai Cafe - Inside back seating

    Inside back seating

    Veganic Thai Cafe
    Veganic Thai Cafe - Thai Iced Tea

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    Thai Iced Tea

    So Saap - thai - Updated August 2026

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