This area of Hercules is a hidden gem no doubt. Tucked away in a shopping center, there are so many good eats including Thai Lao. It's so aesthetically pleasing inside (see pics and video). The owner was there when we entered, and we were able to chat about Thailand and the Lao culture. So friendly and welcoming! Service was quick, efficient, and portions were ample for the lunch specials. We ordered chicken satay to start (comes with a nice helping of peanut sauce and cucumber salad), a pad Thai for the table with tofu, and a few lunch plates including the yellow curry, pad krapow, and spicy eggplant. Everything was packed full of flavor, and they bring a spice/sauce tray out to the table if you need to bring your dish up a notch. The lunch special comes also with a 2-piece appetizer like potstickers, egg rolls, and curry puffs which I thought was a nice touch. Plenty of shopping center adjacent (and free) parking, and wallet friendly. They serve Thai/Laos beer, wine, and a nice dessert menu. Would love to come back and try the Lao's menu including the papaya salad and larb. read more

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This was my first time trying Laos cuisine. I truly wish I could remember the name! Service was great. Granted I was the only one in there. I told him it was my first time there and had no idea what to get. He explained the dishes and I ordered a noodle dish. Tasty! Super hot (temperature!) and very fresh. I enjoyed it. The decor was a delight! read more

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I've never tried Lao food before until now. My team invited me to try the new Lao restaurant, and the food was more flavorful than I expected! I recommend the nam khao and pad kee mao. They're really flavorful with a nice spice! I'd love to order the Lao food! The rice sticker with mango is great and sweet! Reminds me of the Vietnamese dessert. The service is sweet and great! They have a deaf daughter. They speak English, Lao, and use some ASL. They cook the Lao food with heart. Please support their business! The interior is full of cherry blossoms and paintings of Laos and Thailand. They beautifully display Lao and Thai culture. read more

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Thai food is my favorite cuisine, so I am always happy to try new Thai restaurants. Larb, in particular, is my favorite food, and it did not disappoint here! I would ask for maybe a little more lime juice next time, but it was good. My husband got the beef salad and some Tom kha soup. I tasted both and they were good, too. The Thai iced tea was very very strong. I would come back! read more

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It's not too often that I find a Lao kasoy place so I was super excited to try this place in person. I had DoorDash this once to my boyfriend's house and of course it didn't taste the same without the added spice and condiments. I love the aesthetic of this place. I loved that each wall showcased Thailand and Laos. The restaurant is located in a plaza/center so there is plenty of parking in the parking lot. The staff was super nice, we were greeted as soon as we walked in and were told to sit wherever we'd like. As I mentioned, I ordered the kasoy and was even asked what spice level I'd like and of course I said spicy!! There was definitely a kick when I took the first bite, but I added a couple scoops of the chili oil and hot sauce. It was good but I felt like something was missing. I do wish there was an appetizer option for lao sausage. I almost considered paying the extra $16-17 for some but opted against it. Will be back for my kasoy fix and try their angel wings and mango sticky rice. read more

Thai Lao Restaurant - Thai Iced Tea - Thai Near Me - Hercules, California

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I've driven past this restaurant many times never knew that it existed. Today we had our meal meal here. The "Pad Kee Mao" was the wow dish for me minus the tofu. The flavors danced in my mouth. We also had the "Crab Fried Rice". The staff greeted us and seated us right away. The crab tried rice serving was enough to share between three people the pad kee mao was really wasn't. Also the thai tea was delicious a must have. read more

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New owner is very nice. But the star goes for the food, the nam khao was oily as hell -- pad see ew was meh (I've had better), their pad Thai was dry. I don't think I am going to come back here. The food is 2/10. Big ups to the nice owner for giving me a free matcha Thai tea though. But they need improvement on their food. read more

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We came here to eat as a group of 6 on a Friday night and were able to get seated right away without reservations. There is a faux garden wall and bench near the entrance which is a nice photo op. The menu is a bit of a choose your own adventure between Laos and Thailand. My dream is to come here with a big enough group that would warrant getting one dish two ways to compare. The food - Masterful Nam Khao - I thought this dish was masterpiece. It's a lettuce wrap that contains the freshness of herbs, tender rice, crunch from bottom of the pot crunchy rice, chewy bits of sausage - sweet, salty, umami, some tang, a little heat. If Willy Wonka made entrees, he'd be researching Nam Khao. Well Done and Delicious Tom Kha Soup with Chicken - creamy, sweet, herby, tangy. Another one of those dishes that hit so many taste buds. Pad Spicy Eggplant - my in-laws' favorite dish - nice and tender eggplant and a nice glaze to everything Yellow Curry with Chicken Pad Thai Pho - Lao Style Not my Jam Papaya Salad - Lao Style - quite a bit of fish sauce, which was fine. Thought it was over the top spicy for me. Lao sausage - fried (?) sausage sectioned and served on broccoli Overall, most dishes were packed with flavor and the turnaround from the kitchen was quick. Definitely getting Nam Khao next time and would be excited to explore other things on the menu. read more

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Last minute take out - ordered 2 orders of sticky rice, beef larb (bitter/spicy/med well). Tui Mui (papaya salad spicy, shrimp, mussel and noodle). Rice ball salad and a free thai ice tea. Very good! read more

This restaurant is closed, Taste of Lao Thai is the new name & new owners but same location so please delete Thai Lao ASAP !!!!!!!!!! Please update Yelp !!! thank you !!! read more

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I've mostly ordered to go from this place and the food has always been good. The restaurant itself is clean and bright.

Excellent food, flavoring is sooo delicious that it is addicting. Very friendly attentive service. Prices affordable. Brought my son and another friend here 2x this week! Lol. It is definitely going to become my regular watering hole. read more

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We stumbled upon this place by accident, our main destination was the Chinese place next door although I must say it felt like it was meant to be! This place gets 5 stars from me and my family! We've been here a handful of times since moving to Hercules and they have not missed yet! The consistency is top tier and the service is A one! I highly recommend trying this Asian Fusion restaurant out if you live or are around the area! read more

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One of several Thai restaurants within the Hercules/Pinole/Rodeo area. Ordered take out on a Friday night and unexpectedly it was a quick turn around completing our order. Semi-busy inside, as it was a cold night so lots of soup and hot items being ordered from what I saw being served and eaten by patrons. If a Thai place has nam Khao, I have to try it. Thai Lao's version is in my book, with plenty of veggies given to make hand bites. The tom yum and pad thai are also dishes for me to check out: Chicken pad thai was good, will have to ask if it can be made spicy, but majority of the noodles were broken up into small pieces, so not really a noodle dish. I wished the tom yum had more protein (chicken) and was a little sourer. It was more lemongrass forward. Papaya salad is a must try! read more

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Simply delicious! Our family favorites are the Nam Khao and Pad Thai. Reasonable pricing and beautiful decor. Service is good. Clean bathroom. This is probably my favorite restaurant in Hercules! read more

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My friend suggested that we stop by here for dinner. I was told this is a new restaurant. Plenty of parking spaces and easy to find a spot. Here's what I ordered for the table: Lao sausage Lao style papaya salad, add shrimp Khao soy Pad see ew Nam khao tod Sticky rice I was pleasantly surprised by the flavor of lao sausage. Papaya salad was spicy and has that kick I'm looking for. Khao soy looked spicy but the flavor of the soup was actually mild. Service was not as quick due to one person working in the front of the restaurant. I wasn't in a hurry though. Price wise I thought it was affordable! I was too full to order Mango with sticky rice. I'll be sure to try this next time. Server was nice and provided a good service. He refilled our water pitcher often. I'll be back! read more

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Date of visit: Monday, April 7, 2025 Service: I was greeted immediately as I walked in and decided to have dinner at a table by the window. I ordered my food a little bit before 6pm and I was extremely happy that my food was brought to the table at 6:05pm. During dinner, I appreciated the constant attention to see if I needed anything. At the end of dinner, they boxed all of my leftovers for me. As I was leaving after I paid my bil, they thanked me for coming in. Food and drinks: The Pad Thai with chicken was made perfectly to my liking because it was not too dry and not too saucy. The Tom Yum with shrimp was just the right amount of spicy for me. The Thai Iced Tea was perfect because it was not too sweet. I couldn't decide between the two desserts so I ordered both, the sweet sticky rice with mango and fried banana with ice cream. I preferred the fried banana with ice cream. Ambiance: The Thai or Lao music was different to listen to, but it made the dining experience a very great unique experience. The restaurant is beautifully decorated. I live in Manteca. I took a relief shift for work in the area. I will definitely be coming back if I'm ever in the area. Thank you very much! read more

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I am not the best at taking pictures but these plates are truly beautiful and tasty. Friendly warm environment. The staff is kind. You can see they take a lot of pride in what they do. They are still decorating. I am exited to go back experience the good food and see the restaurant look beautiful. read more

Thai Lao Restaurant - Nam Khao - Thai Near Me - Hercules, California

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The interior is nice and I can see that this place is run by a husband and wife duo only. The prices are reasonable and they're located in a decent location. We split two dishes which were pad kee mao & lao sausages. Honestly, nothing to write home about as the pad kee mao lacked flavor & the lao sausage itself wasn't strong as well with the rice being extremely tough and overnight instead of fresh rice. I think that there could be improvements to the rice factor and having more seasoning placed within their food. May come back again and hope it has improved in terms of food quality. read more

Thai Lao Restaurant - Beef Pad Kee Mao - Thai Near Me - Hercules, California

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Called in an order on a Wednesday night and he said it would be ready in 15 min. It was sad to walk in and see the place empty especially with all the positive reviews. This place does not disappoint! We ordered: Tom Kha soup with chicken 5/5!! It was SO GOOD especially on a cold winter night. The citrus from the lemongrass was *chefs kiss and big enough to serve 2-3 people. Chicken satay 3/5 it wasn't too memorable Pad kee Mao with tofu 4/5. So tasty and added their chili sauce that really elevated the dish TLDR: hidden gem in Hercules. Great food. Large portions. Definitely coming back for their Lao dishes. read more

Thai Lao Restaurant - Pad kee mao with tofu and chili sauce - Thai Near Me - Hercules, California

I thought I wrote a review for this place but I guess it did not save? This happened more than a few times already. Summary: I'd come back again. Food is good, service is great (I keep forgetting her name, but she's petite young female who's always at the cashier and also getting orders and also serving ). Food: Pla Rad Prik #13. The fish I ordered was salty but if you eat it with rice, the saltiness is balanced out. Oh btw, rice is sold separately so I would say the price here is on the higher side. The veggies on the fish dish were fresh, I could taste its sweetness. The fish was cooked to perfection, not dry, just flaky and moist. The second time I came here, I ordered the Khao Soy. It was ok. I would order if it again I have other choices. It was lacking some flavor, could not pin point what it was. The portion is also on the smaller side. I'm used to getting a giant bowl of this soup. Though the bowl is on the smaller side you get a lot of noodles and decent meat. Parking: free Bathroom: clean Service: Superb! Like what I said, I know I wrote a review for this place and at that time, I still remember the name of that young lady. Unfortunately, now I can't remember, I can only describe her. She has the greatest customer service attitude I've seen. Always smiling, willing to serve, polite, approachable, checks on you just about the right frequency. read more

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LOVE this family run and owned restaurant! The interior is cute and welcoming and the artwork on the walls are beautiful. Very clean and the lady who was working FOH (all by herself might I add, and was rocking it) was super friendly and attentive. Now let's talk about the food. DELICIOUS. We ordered the Pad See Ew, Spicy Eggplant (MY FAVE!), Nam Khao, Kao Pad Thai Lao, Green Curry and Mango Sticky Rice. All of it was amazing! And the portions are big--it was perfect for our party of 7. I can't wait to go back and try a fish dish. Ps, make sure to bring home the cookies they sell at the front. So yummy! read more

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I would've gave a 5 star because they really do deserve it , their food has always been delicious every time we order. My family and I love supporting small businesses and Thai Lao is one of our favorite restaurants in Hercules, but today was the first time we had a problem with the staff, my husband felt attacked with how rude the lady came at him telling him they usually don't make this one dish we ordered on the weekends. I had placed my order through their website and it didn't say what not to order and I would think it was okay because it had let me add it to my cart. My husband said the lady had an attitude very rude explaining it to him when she approached him instead of being professional and how you would think you should talk to a customer. Our order was over a $100 I really do like this place but now I don't know because I don't think my husband would want to come here anymore. read more

I have been here about 5 times since they've opened (dine-in and takeout) and have not been disappointed. The food has a lot of flavor and aside from the pictures below, I also recommend the Panang Curry. read more

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Wow. The Nam Khao stole the show. So crunchy and fresh and vibrant. We also had the papaya salad and the pad see ew. We loved it all! Would definitely come here again. read more

Thai Lao Restaurant - 32. Nam Khao - Thai Near Me - Hercules, California

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No stone was left unturned when it comes to authenticity. This place is FIRE! Amazing service and even better food! We ordered the whole Lao menu among other items. Every dish was fresh, flavorful and sooooo good!!! I can truly say, I enjoyed literally every item we ordered. Will definitely be back whenever I'm in the area. read more

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Came at 1230 and sat around with my friend for over 15 minutes and no water or service. Prices are way too high to be ignored read more

I have been coming to this place since they opened. Great food and Best service. ( Nam Khao) is my favorite at Thai Lao restaurant. if you want to try Lao spicy soup I would also highly suggested Curry Noodle Soup (Khao Poon). they made it with chicken, noodles,, veggies, red curry broth, and meat balls . It was AMAZING. 10/10 Also they just add more menu (pho) and more I definitely will be back to try it read more

Thai Lao Restaurant - KHO POON - Thai Near Me - Hercules, California

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They are serving delicious authentic Lao Thai food at taste of Lao Thai 1581 Sycamore AveHercules CA 94547United States read more

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Love this place! Authentic Lao food, serving up juicy papaya salad (lao or thai style) with Lao Sausages. Make sure you specify your level of spiciness cause I like papaya super spicy! Curry dishes are all delicious and savory Tom Yum soup! Don't forget the mango sticky rice for dessert. read more

Fantastic food and service. I ordered the Trout Trong Keung (Chefs special) and it was very flavorful and well cooked. The sweet mango sticky rice is also top tier. One of my favorite locations in Hercules! read more

Excellent Thai food and soup in Hercules. Most of the items are great, however, there is only one we are not really like it is green curry, it's too watery with no curry with taste. read more

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I'm just another 5 star reviewer. What can I say that hasn't been mentioned by all the others before me? Delicious food, spacious eatery with friendly staff. Get the Nam Khao salad. The best I've had. Not too salty, great balance of crunchy, sour, soft and fresh with all the lettuce and veggies. I crave it too frequently. The chicken satay was moist, seasoned well and served with an awesome chunky peanut sauce. Don't sleep on the cucumber salad. Great sweet and sour sauce. Their yellow curry was so flavorful as well and hearty. It was an awesome meal here. You need to come! read more

Thai Lao Restaurant - Great chicken satay with chunky peanut sauce - Thai Near Me - Hercules, California

First time. Located in a strip mall w/ other restaurants & businesses. Smaller interior w/ 6 or so tables that can seat 2-4 or combined for larger groups. The restaurant can get busy w/ the combination of takeout and those dining in. Staff is friendly but be mindful that wait times can be a bit longer due to limited service staff. When the food arrives it is bright in color and aesthetically pleasing. All the food was tasty and not very spicy , which I prefer. We ordered soup, calamari, eggplant, shrimp and curry and it was nicely proportioned relative to the cost. We had plenty of leftovers for another meal. Overall, a very enjoyable meal. Check this place out. read more

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Thai Lao restaurant not permanent close they just change new name to Taste of Lao Thai read more

We were craving for Thai food and came across this place on yelp. We found out that this place just opened almost a year ago in Hercules. It's near Big Lots and the Post Office. There's a lot of parking available for customers. The place has only a few tables for dining but it was not crowded when we walked in. We ordered To Go and had their Yellow Chicken curry, Spicy eggplant, Pad Kee Mao, and Nam Khao. We also had their Thai Iced Tea. The food we ordered are delicious and not spicy. The food is generous and more than enough for one person. Thai iced tea is made fresh and also delicious. There's an option for lunch or dinner on some items and will be good for that quick lunch. We will come back again and try the other items on their menu We liked the food we ordered and I can't wait to sample the others. read more

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Came back here for a second visit. I went with a friend to have him try this restaurant out. It was quiet when we both went but time got busy when more people started to show up. Service is great, helpful and kind. We ordered A La carte style. We had the spicy eggplant, khao piak, and pad kee mao. I enjoyed the Khao Piak and spicy eggplant with white rice. I'd come back again to try their other dishes. read more

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For dinner, I had a to-go order of Tom Kha soup, Pad Thai and Panang Curry, every thing with Tofu. Food was well prepared, testy and good portion. I will be back. Thanks for the service. read more

Very very very long overdue review here. I LOVE FHE LAARB HERE. Chicken, beef, whatever I've had it all I prefer the chicken, but I'm fine with anything. I've had almost every dish from here and it's always been good food and quick service. The khao piak is also very good here I love fresh made noodles and I like the stir fry egg plant dish read more

Honestly, hands down the best. Fast service? Yup. Affordable prices? you got it. The best damn food ever? YESSS My husband and I went on a Thursday for lunch and ordered the Thai iced tea, Tom yum with tofu, nam khao, pla rad prik, and side of white rice. The food came out so quickly, all the dishes arrived within 5-10 minutes of us ordering and everything was perfectly seasoned, perfectly spicy, and so flavorful it's making my mouth water all over just thinking about it. The Thai tea was one of the best I've ever had. It's strong, creamy, and goes so well with the spicy flavors. Not a lot of places get it right but this one--they know what's up. The Tom yum was super tangy and flavorful with lots of mushrooms and tofu. The Nam Khao had so many textures from crispy rice and peanuts, the lettuce leaves and mint. I've never had this dish before and it reminded me of a fried rice but with a lot more punch. It had acid, fish sauce, sausages--I WAS FLOORED. The Pla Rad Prik was also equally spectacular. Crispy fried fish filets, perfectly deboned and glazed with spicy sour sauce and topped with fried Thai basil the bell peppers, onions, and string beans complemented the texture of the fish so well and provided a fresh contrast. The rice was definitely needed with this dish. It was just one staff in the front and a lady which I presume was the chef in the back running the whole restaurant and they are amazing! Please give this place a try on a whim like we did because it was one of the best meals I've had in a long time. read more

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