I've been coming to Sue's Kitchen for a few years now, and I somehow feel like the quality of the food has been going down. During our most recent visit, everything seemed to lack some flavor. The Kao Poon had been one of my favorite dishes before, but there was something missing about it this time in terms of the broth. Some new dishes we recently tried were the Chicken Wings and Som Tum. I enjoyed the wings, though I wish they were a bit saltier. The Som Tum was great. It would have been better if the tomatoes were cut smaller and the peanuts chopped and better distributed. Overall, the food was okay. I'm not sure if we'll be coming back for a while, but they've been a favorite of mine for a while so I'll be sure to give them another try. read more

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As there aren't many Thai/Lao places around I always come here when I need some good soup. Ingredients are super fresh, broths are good and love love love the khao piak. Staff are nice, can get pretty packed inside. Located on a slanted lot, the parking lot is kind of like a hill and limited space so be prepared for that. read more

Sue's Kitchen - Khao piak - Thai Near Me - El Sobrante, California

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This place still has the best Thai/Laotian food in the area, but it's becoming less and less worth it. Party of five ate here today for lunch and got three orders of Pad Thai, a Pad Kee Mow, a curry dish, and a fried calamari dish. The food was excellent as usual, but service and ambiance leave something to be desired. The calamari came out without lemons. The dishes didn't all come out at once, but about 5 minutes in between. The final kicker was how hot it was inside-- it was cooler outside (75 degrees) than it was inside. With an uneven atmosphere and service, I probably won't be dining in again. read more

She's did not disappoint. I came here for dinner with my daughter and the server was able to immediately show us to a table. The service was quick accompanied by delicious food & generous portions. Service has improved since the peak of the pandemic. Glad to see this establishment still thriving. I recommend asking for any spicy condiments to add to your food. read more

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We ordered $50 worth of food today at Sue's Kitchen. The fried chicken wings were overcooked, dried out and inedible. The fried wings and rice dish consisted of 4 half pieces of chicken (2 whole wings) and a serving of fried rice which had no taste totaling approximately $17. The Pad See Ew was dried out, gummy and tasteless and had little to no chicken or broccoli in the dish. Unfortunately, we ended up tossing most of the food in our recycle bin. What has happened to what used to be one of the few restaurants in El Sobrante that had consistently good food? Sadly to say that we will not be returning to Sue's Kitchen again. read more

Pad Kee Mao and Massaman Curry are what we got and it is good! Been here a couple times and I always like the quality and taste of the food. Great thai/laotian restaurant in the area and plentiful portion sizes. Medium spicy is the way to go if you like spicy and can't do extreme spicy because it will tear your insides up (in a good way haha). Food comes out quickly and service is prompt with a clean interior and exterior. read more

Sue's Kitchen - Pad Kee Mao - Thai Near Me - El Sobrante, California

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Great spot. Seems like a family run place which is always nice. Staff were very friendly and attentive. Good was delivered quickly and was delicious and flavorful. Prices were very fair especially for the bay area. Generous portions. read more

Sue's Kitchen - Thai Near Me - El Sobrante, California

The last time I've been here was in 2014 and only got the pad thai, thai tea, and nam khao. I remember it being superrrr yummy! I was feeling a little nostalgic and wanted some thai food from here again. This time, got the pad kee mao which was flavorful! I wished I ordered it spicier because I do like the heat The portions were also generous too! Next time, I'll be retrying the nam khao and trying the khao soy!! read more

Sue's Kitchen - Thai Near Me - El Sobrante, California

First of all, I've lived in this neighborhood for most of my life and the food has always been great. I went there with my family today for the first time and they loved it! The service was great, we arrived on a Thursday evening and were immediately seated. The host who I believe was the owner even moved us to a better table immediately when we noticed our table was a little wobbly. We already knew what we wanted so we just ordered it immediately and with all of our requests the owner happily and joyfully delivered. The combo platter was delicious , we swapped the regular egg rolls with veggie ones and they were delicious with the peanut sauce. I got the pad see eew and my family member got the seafood pad Thai and both were delicious and plentiful! They really do give you a hearty portion for a great price! The ambiance was pleasant and nice like it was since I first came here. Overall we will be back again! read more

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A hidden gem situated on a steep hill. I'm always afraid to park my car here because I feel like my car is going to roll back... but hey, Iook ma, I made it and the reward (the food) is worth it! This is one of the only Laos/Thai restaurants in the El Sobrante/Pinole/Hercules area. To be honest, I'm not sure if there are any other ones because Sue's Kitchen is THE ONE I always go to with my s/o. This place is super casual. Workers/owner are warm and pleasant. We typically order the same items: pad see ew, nem khao (deep fried rice ball mixed with "spam" like meat, mint leaves, cilantro, green onions, and lemon grass served with lettuce and sweet chili sauce on the side), kao poon/kao soy, fried chicken over fried rice, and Pad Thai. The consistency of the dishes are always the same - tasty, flavorful, and plentiful. If I had to pick my top 3 favorite dishes, it would have to be the nem kao, kao poon, and beef pad see ew. read more

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After watching the show, Check, Please!, we went to Sue's Kitchen for lunch. We want to try Laos foods so ordered Kao Plak, Kao Soy and Nam Khao, All the dishes were well-seasoned and flavorful. We did take awhile to figure out what to order but the server was patience. Highly recommended this restaurant. read more

Sue's Kitchen - Nam Khao - Thai Near Me - El Sobrante, California

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Tucked away on a hilly strip mall, Sue's Kitchen was on the very end. You could almost miss it if you aren't careful. I was lured in to eat here by all of the Yelp Reviews. Some really positive things about this place: - Vaccination is required to eat inside. - Service was attentive and quick. - Restaurant is clean I think the only issue that I had was the food. The Khao Soi was different than I had imagined. It was clear broth when the ones I like are creamy with coconut milk. This one ate more like pho. Also the beef in the eggplant dish (Pad Makeur) was really tough. The sauce was on point and needed a bit more rice. This place is a solid choice to eat but didn't exceed my expectations. read more

Sue's Kitchen - Khao Soi - Thai Near Me - El Sobrante, California

Laotian/Thai places are usually a hit with me due to the innovative dishes and delicious flavors. Sue's Kitchen is a gem in El Sobrante, which is luckily only 10 min away from me. It's been a while since I've had my first meal here but I remember the strong flavors and comforting vibe of a home-cooked meal. Service was friendly and my food had come out pretty quickly. I got the Kao soy soup dish and it was like eating a warm hug. Broth and meats were rich , flavorful and the wide rice noodles were tender and cooked well. I couldn't stop sipping the broth, even though I'm sure the salt level was pretty high. Also got the fried calamari, which was tender and the sweet savory sauce was the perfect complement. Prices weren't too bad. I need to come back and try the other dishes- there are so many Laotian favorite dishes to try, like nam khao. read more

Best papaya salad I've ever had. Spicier than expected but the combo of noodles, cabbage, peanuts and papaya was so delicious. Pad Thai was very good. read more

My favorite restaurant in the east bay, and easily top 5 in the Bay Area. Used to live and work by here, frequented for lunch at least once a week many years back when they first opened. Always loved coming here, and have missed this place so much. I'm glad they're still in business and still rocking incredible food. Took my wife here today and decided to dine in for lunch - they asked for our vaccination cards immediately upon walking in and everyone working there had masks, place also looked super clean. We were the only ones dining in so got to pick a table by the door / windows. They had a good amount of pick up orders which was great to see. Waitress was super friendly and efficient - we ordered the same dishes we've always loved - - Neur Num Thoke (5/5), sliced beef salad, it's so clean tasting and flavorful, not heavy at all, mint, clilantro work so well together. - Pad Makeur with Chicken (5/5), my favorite dish, no other place does it like Sue's. Get this. - Panang curry seafood (4/5), it's good but the panang curry was a bit watery and lacked some flavor, also the pumpkin pieces needed to be cooked more - they were rather hard. The veges and seafood tasted fresh though. Both entrees came with really tasty rice, and the portions are decent sized. We didn't finish everything and took over half the pad Makeur to go. Pro tip - ask for the chili tray, their pickled chili slices and chili sauce are all home made and might be the star of visiting here. I've been asking if they make these for sale ever since they opened many years back lol, but they only offer for in house only. If they did decide to sell them one day, I'd buy them all (hope the owners see this)! All the dishes are like $10-$15 which is a steal, especially compared to Thai places in SF. Do yourself a favor and come here - just not on a Sunday since they're closed. I will dream about returning. read more

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Sue's Kitchen is so great. The pad thai and pad see ew were phenomenal. I'll be excited to keep supporting this business. read more

Sue's Kitchen - Pad See Ew - Thai Near Me - El Sobrante, California

Try to go when they are a bit less busy, and the food will be presented in a nicer way lol Either way, food is good. read more

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Sue's Kitchen is what you'd call a hidden neighborhood gem. It's so hidden that heading west on Valley View off Appian Way we drove right by even with Google Map voice directions (which weren't exactly correct). We stopped by for lunch about 2:30 pm, almost lunch closing time. There was only one other table of diners. The restaurant is plain and functional. Sue probably does a hefty takeout and delivery. The menu focuses on Thai and Lao dishes. The menu is the same for lunch and dinner, so it's not cheaper for lunch. Three of us selected 3 dishes: Larb Kai - Chicken salad, my favorite as it was the most authentic Thai/Lao dish we ate. Maybe a bit too salty for our tastebuds, but overall a good dish. Vegetarian Penang Curry with rice was my sister's favorite and the most colorful dish. I liked the pumpkin squash which really made the dish flavors stand out. We wondered why the waiter didn't ask for spicy level as this was mild (even though there is a chili pepper symbol on the menu). The Coconut Shrimp Fried Rice special was on their lighted board. While my dad liked the deep fried coconut shrimp, we all thought the fried rice was plain and bland. Maybe we will come back, but there are many Thai restaurants in the area to try! read more

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Love Sues. Best Thai. Love all their curry. The chicken with rice dish is great. We go there once a month and it gets more packed all the time. I do mainly carry out read more

They have delicious food at Sue's Kitchen. I always get the beef salad or eggplant dish and my husband gets the pumpkin curry. So good! The location and atmosphere are not great but I always find the food makes up for these issues. I also really like the friendly staff. read more

Always a great place for some kao soy or tom kha (add mushrooms)! I always love their nam kao to start off with too. Their rice plates are always flavorful and generous portions. Staff is always attentive and prompt too! The only thing I wish they had was dessert, hopefully they add some in the near future. Even ordering to go, the food is top notch. Def my go to place for my Thai/Lao fix! read more

We have been coming to Sue's kitchen for several years, the food was amazing This afternoon we drove 40 minutes since the owner mentioned that now they open on Sunday. What a disappoint meals. We ordered Larp it came with old lettuce and was missing a lot of flavor. My husband ordered the chef's special fish and fried rice The fried rice it was brown of too much soy sauce. Definitely, the food is going down the hill. 40 minutes away to El Sobrante was not worthy. read more

I believe this is a good place to go if you want some homestyle cooking and you want to feel like your mother was cooking for you. There is a variety on the menu and you can always count on the food and the service. The ambience is good and you gonna be comfortable up in here read more

I eat here regularly and the thai/laotian food is solid and feels like a home cooked meal! Definitely one of the better restaurants in the area. Here's what I recommend: Nam Khao - fell in love with it here and started to order it everywhere else. The pieces are bigger here but I just love it here! Khao Poon - I order this with the thick rice noodles and it's soo good (chicken is a bit dry though) Khao Piak - bf orders this every time and the fried shallots are yummy Fried Chicken w/ Fried Rice - the rice is sooo buttery so prepare yourself Pad Thai - pretty good! Thai Iced Tea - strong tea flavor and very good. The overall flavors are great and pretty consistent, but I would say the meats are a little dry. Parking - they have their own parking lot but it is a steeeeep entrance. Wouldn't recommend taking a low riding car there because you'll scrape going in and coming out. If you're around the area, definitely stop by! read more

The food is yummy. we finally made it here to try. it is a bit out of the way for us to come often. Defintely recommend.

Local gem, friendly owner and staff, no frills just awesome soul warming belly busting foods! So glad my girl friend brought me here! As a life long pork belly fan I was in heaven! We filled our belly with the delicious comfort foods, which fueled us for our long hike afterwards! Wish this was closer to me, look forward to coming back for more! read more

Sue's Kitchen - Pork belly porridge - Thai Near Me - El Sobrante, California

New staff members young waitresses are not friendly at all. No smile like we owe her. We miss the staffs who worked here before!

Today we ordered takeout from Sue's and instantly regretted the decision. We ordered the following: Egg rolls-meh. Chicken Satay-so bland and flavorless. Crab Fried Rice-it should just be fried rice because there was little to no crab and the rice itself tasted old. Chicken Pad Thai-these noodles were so sad-the flavors were off, dry and bland. Steamed Rice-best item we had. Still can't believe we spent over 60 dollars on this meal-what a waste. Never ever again. I'm surprised this place is so highly reviewed. read more

Deserves nothing less than five stars! Best Laotian food I've ever had. Our go-to. Never dissapoints

My family loves this place! Our go to dishes are: Nam Kao, Green Curry with chicken, and chicken satay for the little one. We always leave happy and grateful that we discovered such a flavorful spot close to home! read more

I've always heard about this place but never could really pin point where it was. It's a hole in the wall, in an oddly configured strip mall, up a very steep driveway. Luckily, a friend knew all about this place. Curry Chicken was my choice with the wide flat rice noodles mixed in. I love when the start has soaks up all the curry deliciousness. I ordered medium but there was no heat. I should have gone spicy but when you're doing takeout from a new to you place, it's better to be safe than sorry!! I will admit I was a little put off when my standard clear plastic takeout container had a plastic bag with the goodies stuffed inside. But it worked. And all the curry stayed in the bag vs all over everything. Looking forward to exploring the menu once I get to dine in there. read more

Sue's Kitchen - Yellow curry chicken with broccoli instead of potatoes - Thai Near Me - El Sobrante, California

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The quality food was a great experience and the service was excellent. I loved it and I will return as best as possible.

The food here was so delicious I can't wait to come back. The service was lovely as well and the ambiance was nice considering the location isn't that great. read more

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Ordered take out and ended up waiting over 40 minutes for my food watching other tables that came after ours served their entire meal first. Girl at the register was rude and certain dishes were cold by the time everything was prepared. I wouldn't order too many dishes at once for take out as they probably leave a number of dishes to the side while they finish the order and cater to people who are eating in the restaurant first. read more

** The following review reflects my dining experience prior to the shelter-in-place order currently in effect. ** Well, El Sobrante certainly has an international parade of eateries, doesn't it? I've had Thai and Indian, and I saw Jamaican, and there was a Little Caesars. That ain't international but what the hey. Anyhow, Sue's represents the less common Laotian palate, and I only became aware of it through a fellow Yelper who recommended it to me since she saw my reviews gravitate toward this part of the East Bay recently. It has an odd strip mall location on what felt like a big mound where I had to shift the gear in my car. The restaurant itself was pretty empty when I entered, and I wasn't encouraged that the staff was their smartphones not making any eye contact. I just sat myself down at which point they started to pay attention. The menu was similar to most Thai restaurants with a few dishes I had never heard of. One was the $9.95 Yum Goong, which appealed to me as it consisted of prawns mixed with toasted coconut, mint leaves, cilantro, lemongrass, green onion, and lime juice. It was made unique by the medium-spicy sweet chili paste. No rice, just a bed of lettuce (photo: https://bit.ly/2x0YVTa). A little too sweet-spiky for me but I liked it. If I had more of an appetite, I would've definitely gone for the Tom Kha Gai as I loves me some coconut milk soup. FOOD - 4 stars...loves me the coconut prawns though the chili paste could've been more savory AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...clean though kinda sparse SERVICE - 3.5 stars...quietly attentive once you sit down TOTAL - 4 stars...Laotian in El Sobrante...say what? RELATED - Exploring El Sobrante? Here's a collection of places I've tried and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2VyCP18 read more

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Yay Sue's Kitchen is still open for take-out during COVID-19!!! I have dined in and gotten take out at Sue's Kitchen more times than I can count. It's my go-to local restaurant because they never fail me and their extensive menu has offerings for just about anyone with any dietary restrictions or preferences. Stowed away in the corner of a (steep and hilly) strip mall lies some of the most authentic Thai and Laotian food in the area. I'm a sucker for stir fried noodles so I'm constantly rotating between their Pad Kee Mao, Pad See Ew, and Pad Thai. Basic, I know but I just can't get enough of it. The few times that I've decided to venture out beyond the stir fried noodles section of the menu, I've found myself pleasantly surprised at how tasty their other dishes were too. I can vouch that their rice dishes, curries, and soups are the ultimate comfort food and you really can't go wrong with any of those options. All in all, the food is fantastic, their portions are incredibly generous and the prices are very reasonable. I'll definitely be back time and time again! read more

We ordered to go during COVID-19. We ordered Green Curry Prawns and Yellow Curry Chicken. To our surprise rice cake with both our orders. Everything was delicious. It was ready quickly and I so appreciated how clean they were and how they were taking all the safety precautions during this time. We'll be back. read more

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One of my all-time local favorite spots. Food always delivers. Always fresh, and delicious, no matter what you order. Best take-out around, or eat in for a great casual meal. Love it! read more

I''d been a regular for many years since their first opening. It's been a year or so since the food quality and quantity have gone down. The potion now is 30-40% less than it used to and the flavors now is JUST...okay. I also left 20% tip for them every time I went there but, now I've to think twice about getting food there. You can't expect us to come back for the food and leave you 15-20% tips if you can't maintain the quality. read more

a gem out of no where, unexpectedly delicious and a tasteful surprise. I'm not from the area and was looking for something close to my friend's and this just happened to pop up on Yelp. We got there right when they opened but it quickly filled up so I was glad we beat the rush. There was only 1 server but she was attentive and quick. The payaya salad came with noodles which was neat. Must save stomach for the fried banana dessert . Restaurant looks old, but well kept and clean. I would definitely go back next time i'm in that area. read more

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