For my birthday dinner, I requested Bhan Mae Vane. I had heard wonderful things, and as a fan of…read moreLaotian food, I wanted to come with my family to see the hype. We came on a weekday evening, and it was packed! The sound travels here so that it can get really loud and busy. The inside is super casual with seating for large or smaller groups. The service by the staff was good. Our food came out quickly, and everyone was friendly and checked in on us. We ordered the Tom Kha, Nam Khao, Fried Clear Rice Paper Roll Wraps, Pineapple Khao Pad, and Geng Ka Ree. Everything was fabulous! Lots of great flavors and spices. The portion sizes were spot on. My favorite was the Nam Khao and the Fried Clear Rice Paper Roll Wraps. I love the bite-sized and sharing family-style. My companion and family also enjoyed it. If you like Laotian food, Bhan Mae Vane is a must-try in the East Bay! Find them off Webster Street with street and neighborhood parking. I look forward to going back!

Do you like the funk?…read more Our server explained to us the Lao version is more funky and fermented, while the Thai version is more mellow. We went with the Lao version. The Thai iced coffee was delicious and strong! As it should be. It did give me the jitters though because I'm a weak sauce. We were a party of ten and I was able to make rezzies via phone for a Friday evening at 6:30pm no problem about a week beforehand. The kiddos ordered à la carte, and five of us adults had the following: - BMV ultimate papaya platter with Lao sausage, angel wings and crispy pork. Crispy pork was legit, papaya salad definitely had that extra funk. The angel wings were crispy and meaty and my friends loved the Lao sausage. One even said "it's like tom yum soup in a sausage". It was very lemongrass forward which is not my thing, but that's my problem. I feel we could have ordered à la carte and that would have been a better deal than $75 for the platter. Some of it was fluff like the cabbage, rice and pork rinds. - Khao soy soup: Fiancé thought it would be creamy and coconut-y like the Thai version but it wasn't. I did enjoy the flat noodles but they were all stuck together. - Pia pla ka pow (fish with basil): Good one. The fish was moist and flavorful. The veggies were al dente and delicious too. - Sakoo: Unique! I enjoyed the chewy mochi exterior and the savory ground pork filling. It needed a sauce. I just used the chili sauce that was on the party platter. - Laab Gai: This fell flat for me. I'm not a huge fan of organs though. - Nam khao fried rice: One of our favorites! The crispy pieces really made this dish. Would definitely order this again. - Mango sticky rice: Served warm. Very sweet mango! - Purple rice with egg custard: Also served warm. This was ok. - Side of rice: HUGE serving! Unfortunately it was clumpy and hard, which means old. Street parking only. Get the nam khao and mango sticky rice!

I'm absolutely blown away. I was surprised about how good everything was. Might have been the best…read morefood I've had this year. My family ordered 1 appetizer, 4 entrees, and 2 drinks, all shared, and all 4 of us agreed that EVERY single item was phenomenal. That has absolutely NEVER happened before. At most restaurants, there's always at least one thing that someone doesn't like, and often multiple things that multiple people don't like. Not the case here. The appetizer was the spicy basil wings. Very good to start. But little did I know what was coming my way. The drinks were Thai tea and lychee limeade. The Thai tea was normal. As in good, I liked it. The lychee limeade was amazing, had to order another one. I would like to try the mango next time (there will definitely be a next time). Very sour, which I love. I hate lemonade that's not sour enough. Oh and that too, I usually hate limeade, don't really care for lemonade, and don't drink soda. I usually only drink water, juice, or tea (no coffee, alcohol rarely). So that's saying something. The Laos fried spring roll entree was really good. I always liked fried rolls but something about this tasted better. They were Laotian rolls, so maybe that was part of the difference from the ones you get from Pho restaurants. The duck over rice was amazing. I'm not usually one to pick duck, I don't mind it but I usually don't order it, but this was my mom's choice and it was really good. I like the sauce too. The Panang duck curry was so good. My mom doesn't even like curry and she liked it. And the Chiang Mai soup dish, I've never had anything like it. It was still hot after, I don't know, 20 minutes maybe? At the bottom especially. We all ate this together at the end, while the other dishes were in the order I listed them for myself (mostly, kinda switched around a bit eating family style), and generally the same for everyone else. I tasted a tiny bit of the soup in the beginning and thought it was nothing special, like when my spoon was clean it was the first thing I scooped. Only the soup though, none of the stuff inside. Honestly I didn't read what was in it, some crispy noodle or something. I was not sure if I would like it but my sister said she had it in Thailand and liked it so if I didn't like it she could eat it. That ended up not being a problem. Okay so anyway, we started on the soup at the end. To start, it was pretty good. Somehow, every bite we took tasted better and better, for at least like 5-10 bites maybe. At that point, I was thinking it's the best thing I've ever tasted. (But of course that's probably not actually true, and I'm just falling for the recency bias, kind of like how my favorite song changes all the time.) Never had anything like it. I've been missing out. But wow, I have to come back. And I highly recommend this place. Life changing experience honestly. Like if you asked me right now if I wanted to get Japanese or Korean (my other favorites) food or this, I would go here. I honestly wanted more of every single dish, especially the fried spring rolls, duck over rice, duck curry, and soup. Wait a second... that's all the entrees we ordered! Also the limeade. I need to get that again. But I also want to try other stuff next time so I'm torn. I literally need all 4 of these dishes again so I don't know what to do. I hope these dishes aren't seasonal or otherwise temporary. I noticed the menu had a month and year listed (I think it said April 2026 and it's May 3 2026 today) so I believe they update it frequently. If I lived closer I would come 20 times in a row and try every single thing, but unfortunately I live in San Ramon so it's not like I'm trying to go to Oakland every day. Soon though. My sister lives there, if I were her I would go here every day until I was sick of it, if that could ever be possible. I don't know if I could ever enjoy other food this much again. I was also completely sober so it wasn't like I had munchies or anything (felt I should specify being a young adult who grew up in California). Hmm, that gives me an idea for the future though. Even the pricing is fair (no dishes over $30), and the place is nice. Great service too. The only drawbacks are small tables for parties over 4 people, and it's REALLY loud in the restaurant, but well worth it. If you are sensitive to noise I'd recommend earplugs, earmuffs, earbuds, headphones, or something. The place is also relatively small. I'd recommend making a reservation if you plan to go on a Friday or Saturday night. It got busy, very busy. Well our reservation was at 6 and it wasn't crowded yet, a couple tables open, but by the time our food came out the place was absolutely packed and I think people without reservations had to wait to sit. I'm not sure though, I was too focused on the amazing food to care. Anyway, once again, highly recommend and I will be back.

Came here on a Sunday night with my family, and we might have a competitor for our favorite Laos…read moreplace. We got the following : Lao Appetizers Plate - Everything had great texture with the sausage standing out the most to me. Very soft and not too salty. Garlic Pork Spare Ribs - Great flavor, but a little on the dry side. Still tender enough to enjoy. Duck Larb Salad - Bright flavors and everything worked really well together. Recommend adding this to any meal balance out the other fried items. Kao Piak - I find that most places over cook their chickens, but the meats here were cooked perfectly. Broth was a bit salty for me, and I usually like the broth thicker, but still good overall. Mango Sticky Rice - I liked the crispy fried rice bits that added a nice crunch. Mango wasn't quite in season right now, but it was still sweet and soft enough. Overall service was great, and there is a lot of parking in the area. Def recommend checking it out.

Had an incredible time at this hidden gem of a Lao restaurant in SF! The flavors were so…read moreauthentic, Service was warm and welcoming. A must-try for any Southeast Asian food lover!

So blown away. My fiance and I tried this place on a whim after signing up for the InKind app at my…read moresister in law's suggestion. We decided to try this place craving something new, and we weren't disappointed. It wasn't busy around 6pm, but the vibes were really cute inside. I love the patio area they have. Would be perfect for a group meet up on a nice day. We ordered the pork sausage to start, the saikoo which according to my fiance is a must for laotian food, the yellow curry, and the crab fried rice. Everything was genuinely amazing. Here are my rankings below: Sausage: 8.5/10 Crab Fried Rice: (with the fish sauce) 9.5/10 Saikoo: (with the fish sauce) 9.5/10 Yellow Curry: 9/10 Would definitely order everything again. It's not quite thai, but thai with a twist I'd say. Bit on the pricey side, but everything was so fresh and you can see where the chefs are making everything, so you know you're getting quality. And the portions honestly made it really worth it. Such a great place! Will 100% be back.

Dependable Khmer restaurant in Oakland Chinatown. Can't remember my first time here, it was likely…read more+10 years ago? (I started a draft review of this spot in 2023, and went back in June 2025...) The one auntie there remembered me - it helps that I walked in 2-3 times in one week - and my order. My order, you ask? Somlor machu kreung (kreung sour soup), made with prahok, the best ingredient on earth. Oh, and white rice and a small bowl of fresh bird's eye chilis. A filling lunch or dinner, I recommend pairing it with a Heineken. There's seating for a crowd. Planning to bring a crowd? Call to reserve a table. Credit accepted. Find Battambang dangerously close to the 12th St. Oakland BART.

Ambiance - 5/5 From the outside, the restaurant looks pretty…read moresimple, but once you walk inside, you can immediately feel the culture and personality of the place. I really loved the interior design. Everything was clean and well put together. The restaurant had a smaller, cozy feeling but still felt spacious enough to sit down and enjoy a meal. My favorite parts were the cultural decorations and paintings throughout the restaurant. Little details like that made the experience feel more authentic. Even the cashier area was beautifully designed and added to the overall atmosphere. Customer Service - 5/5 The service was very good. The server was extremely welcoming and friendly -- I believe she might have been the owner. She greeted us with a beautiful smile and created a warm environment that made the whole dining experience even better. Small interactions like that make a restaurant feel more personal and memorable. Food - 5/5 Dish Ordered: Trei Chlaing Chein Kroeung (Pan Fried Catfish) 5/5 My first time trying Cambodian food, and honestly this was an amazing introduction to the cuisine. This was one of the best fish dishes I have ever had. The fish was cooked perfectly -- crispy golden skin on the outside while staying incredibly tender and flavorful on the inside. The sauce was what brought everything together. It was light with the perfect consistency, not too thick and not too heavy. You could taste the lemon coming through, adding the right amount of freshness and kick. There was a little spice, but not the kind that takes over the dish. It created a wonderful balance where every flavor complemented each other. The combination of the fish, sauce, citrus, and seasoning was simple but executed perfectly. Every bite made me want to keep eating. It was honestly delicious. Would I Order Again: 100% Yes. This is easily a dish I would come back for. No surprise this restaurant was previously Michelin recommended -- you can taste the quality and care behind the cooking. Additional Comment: I've always struggled with the idea that eating healthy means sacrificing flavor. A lot of healthier foods like salads can sometimes feel unsatisfying, but this dish reminded me that food can be both healthy and incredibly delicious when done right. I have passed by this restaurant ever since I was young, and it's amazing to see that it's still here after all these years. Seeing a restaurant with food this good not filled with customers honestly feels like a shame. Great food deserves to be discovered, shared, and supported. From the welcoming service, beautiful cultural atmosphere, and unforgettable food, this was an incredible first experience with Cambodian cuisine. I will definitely be back. This is the kind of restaurant you hope stays around for many more years.

I ordered for pick up every day and I trying to try different things…read more I love the appetizer. Fried shrimp rolls and fried garlic pork belly so gooooood

Banger and it hits every time!…read more This is my go to spot for pad see ew. All of my noodles are coated in the sauce, and the sauce is seasoned perfectly. The tofu is a little crispy on the outside yet soft and so flavorful. Nothing about this plate is bland, and I order it maybe every two weeks. Yellow curry and fried pumpkin are good too! The fried pumpkin is the right amount of sweetness, and I eat it without the sauce they include. Highly recommend if you're in the uptown area and craving Thai!

I love lao khao soi and was so happy I randomly found this place! I ordered to go and the staff was…read moresuper nice, asking me if I needed anything else but I was literally heading home after this so I didn't need any utensils or anything like that other than some hoisin sauce and chili oil. It took about 10 minutes to make and 10-15 min for me to drive home and everything was still piping hot! I did request for it to be spicy and the staff packed the chili powder on the side and warned me that it would be spicy which I love and I threw everything in and I was sweatinggg, this was when it was 80 degrees outside too but I couldn't resist. The soup was flavorful on its own and they used different ground pork that I'm used to. But it was overall good, customer service was great and I would probably dine in next time! Can't wait to come back!

First time here for lunch on a Wednesday at noon. The restaurant was empty so the service was good…read more Everything came out quickly. The fried appetizer was good to share. The tofu pumpkin curry wasn't too spicy but good flavor. The tofu pad Thai wasn't too sweet and good portion. Parking lot in back and street parking.

This food truck has become one of my neighborhood favorites! It's right down the street from me,…read moreand every time I go, I'm reminded why I keep coming back. The portions are HUGE for the price--you definitely get your money's worth. The food is always fresh, flavorful, and consistently delicious. It's one of those hidden gems

Really good permanent location. Right across from Fruitvale BART station. Friendly staff…read more Been awhile since we came here, so, we went the other day to support & enjoy the food. We had to catch them before they sell out! You gontta go during lunch hour for realz.. I enjoyed my fave garlic Shrimp & Garlic Noodles. They pack it up real good. Omg so yummy. My husband had the Lao Sausages & Fried Pork over rice. He enjoyed as well. They also have other vendors with them as well. Love to come here when we can.

Came by Chai Thai Noodles in Oakland for a late dinner and it hit the spot…read more I ordered the Chan Pad Poo, which is basically Pad Thai with crab meat. Asked for it extra saucy and it came out just right--definitely one of the better Pad Thais I've had in a while. The crab gave it a nice richness and I'd happily get it again. Also tried the Tom Yum Noodle Soup with flat noodles. Noodles were cooked well, but the broth didn't have that deep tangy/spicy punch I usually look for in Tom Yum. Not bad, just a little lighter than what I'm used to. Menu marked both dishes as spicy, but they weren't too hot. For me, that was fine since I like a good kick (my spice tolerance is about eating Thai red chilis straight), but most people would probably find the heat level pretty comfortable. Service was quick and friendly, and the place had a relaxed vibe. Not too busy for dinner, with some nice artwork and Thai décor around the room. Overall, I enjoyed it--especially that Chan Pad Poo--and would definitely come back again.

Food is amazing! Got us coming back here and the owner/staff are great as well, really welcoming…read more We already came back the following week