Vientiane Bistro is one of my top spots for Lao cuisine - I've been coming here for years. Their papaya salad[1] is a must. A lovely rendition, it's fresh, with a punchy fish sauce. At two peppers, it'll burn your taste buds off! If you must, ask to reduce the pepper level. Or, just get a Thai green iced tea - it's refreshing and will offset that spice kick. Budget conscious? Get their curry rice special, only $12 (as of now) and comes with a sizable crunchy chicken haunch, yellow curry rice, and steamed veggies, with a ginger habanero sauce that's more savory than spicy. While you're there, grab a bottle of Sunny's homemade chili oil. It comes in spicy and EXTRA spicy. Goes on anything: I sprinkle it on nacho chips and salads as a replacement for dressing. Credit accepted. Street parking. Convenient to the SEPTA L Huntingdon stop. Plenty of seating, so bring friends and family. Call ahead if you have a particularly large party. [1] My first choice for papaya salad in Philly? Usually the papaya salad lady at FDR Park - but Vientiane saves me from making that trip! Yum. read more

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EDIT - My meal was fully refunded which is great customer service. I will have to try it again sometime, hopefully this was just a rare mistake. I updated my review to 4 stars because they said they would make it right and they did. Just ordered via grubhub, Food came fast, was delivered by a grubhub delivery agent so kudos there. This is what I ordered 1 GREEN CURRY * CHICKEN (+ $20.00) * SUPER HOT **** * WHITE RICE * EXTRA CHICKEN (+ $8.00) * CHOPSTICK So 28 dollars before tax and tip. Notice that 8 dollars for double chicken. When you charge basically 50% of the meal again for double meat you kinda expect THEY FINALLY ACTUALLY MEAN IT. No, what I received was a less than half full takeout container with about 7 or 8 small thin pieces of chicken. Kinda like the same size as what you see with chicken and broccoli (like 2 inch long, 1 inch wide, 1/8th inch thick). No way it could have been much more than 3 oz of meat after cooking. This is double chicken? 8 dollars? If this is double the meat, the regular must have 3 or so absolutely tiny pieces of chicken. I would consider the amount I was given pretty stingy if it were the regular serving. Criminal as the $8 double serving. Not to mention my little box of white rice was also only about half full (This was insult on top of injury, WHY?). They also didn't make it spicy enough but that is not even on my radar right now. I paid 28 dollars for what felt like not even close to my full meal. It was not even the case where it was "all veggies," no the container was literally less than half full, you could push everything in the container to a side and have room for 2-3x as much. I am assuming they messed up? Either way, I won't be ordering again. On the bright side it WAS tasty, but there was nothing to prepare me for the value proposition at the end of the day. It literally felt like I was given the leftovers of my meal, especially with half full rice container. (I am not suggesting the delivery agent ate it, the bag was stapled and clearly untampered with) read more

Everything was amazing. The food was delicious and most of all healthy . And the service was excellent. It was a very calm and cool and comfortable vibe. read more

Happened to dine at both Kalaya and VB in the same week. Kalaya was impressive but I actually liked the flavors at VB better. Each dish was perfectly executed. We had green curry, king soup, sweet basil pompano and a lot of the pork belly appetizer. Chef Sunny came out to greet us and gave us a Thai tea tres leche cake when she heard it was my birthday. Amazing experience! Ambience was non-threatening and comfortable and the young waiter was very attentive. What a great evening! read more

Stopped by for dinner. Very cozy little spot with friendly service. We ordered the papaya salad, summer rolls, drunken noodle, and khaopoon soup. The papaya salad was probably the best I've ever had. For real. Very well balanced- fresh, savoring, spicy, sour. The level 3 spice had us both sweating lol Summer rolls were fresh although slightly under filled. The sauces it came with were delicious. This is the first time I've ever had homemade Thai chili sauce! Drunken noodle was yummy with a good ratio of noodle to vegetable. Noodles were cooked well. I'm used to this dish coming spicy but this one wasn't. Khaopoon soup: this was our first time having this dish. It was very delicious- flavors of coconut, curry, lime, savoryness. This soup is perfect for a cold day. My only criticism is that the rice noodles were slightly over cooked and mushy. I see the vision tho We will definitely be coming back! read more

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The tom saap soup (with beef) is absolutely to die for. I've never dined in before, only ordered out, but I swear this is one of the best soups I've had in my life read more

Cozy neighborhood-mom and pop type Cambodian restaurant with bold and traditional flavors. Warm service, and excellent quality and value lunch menu- great selection of starters, main. The cocunt shavings on the mango sticky rice are so freaking good- one the best desserts in the city :) read more

Vientiane Bistro - MANGO COCONUT STICKY RICE- perfection!! - Laotian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I wasn't sure what to expect walking in and was met with a super long menu of options. It is broken down a bit into Laos/Thai and then appetizers, but we weren't so sure where to start. We asked for help and were given a ton of suggestions we probably would never have chosen ourselves. We started with the Tom Saap. I found this flavoring to be pretty pleasant and fragrant. The structure of the dish is a little hard to eat but the soup floats around a flame with meat cooking all the time. This didn't come with rice so we ordered on the side (it feels a bit egregious not to offer rice with this). Then went with the mok casserole with salmon. The salmon here was good but felt like salmon I could have cooked at home and the casserole itself was...meh. For the price of the salmon upcharge this was not worth it. Not sure if we just tried the wrong dishes or if this is reflective of the place at large. Would consider trying other dishes from here? But I'm certainly not rushing to come back here. BYOB. Service was okay. When we walked in we made eye contact with essentially everyone in the kitchen, none of whom seemed interested in offering us a table. Once we got the food, we didn't really see our server (the only server it seemed, despite us being 1/2 tables) until it was time for a to go box and the check. read more

Vientiane Bistro - MOK CASSEROLE - Laotian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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How have I not reviewed this place yet?? I love coming here. I mostly come for just their Lao dishes as it is truly authentic. King soup - this is the only spot in Philly that I know either has it or does it right! The soup is loaded with herbs and flavor Crispy nem salad - omg!!! So tasty. Just get it. This is my kiddies and my favorite dish. You might think it sounds funky, but the sourness mixed with the crispy rice just makes everything just work! Lao sausages - served with sticky rice and some unique sauces. So flavorful and the green sauce is delicious. We always order extra sticky rice with it. read more

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Best Lao spot in the city. Vientiane is the reason why I am so familiar with Lao cuisine. People are hesitant to come to this part of town, but as a Kensington-born girl, I'm grateful to have a nice BYOB restaurant to eat at which is owned by the friendliest and most genuine people ever. There are so many good options to choose from such as Thai classics and Lao specialities you may have never heard of before. This place is for everyone, including those who are looking for vegan and gluten-free options. I have so many favorites but my favorites of all time are the Lao papaya salad, beef jerky, mussels (get the basil or green curry sauce), brisket pho, gang naw mai (bamboo stew), laab (beef and duck are my favorites), sai gawk (Lao sausages) and kow piek sen with moo krob crispy pork belly. All of these are so flavorful and fulfilling. You can also request different spice levels. I am grateful this place grants what you ask for. When I ask for very spicy at other places, it's not enough but here it is what I asked for. Their brewed drinks are super refreshing, especially the green Thai tea and Thai coffee. The ambiance is the best during dinner, which is super intimate and cozy. You can really go here for any occasion whether it be a casual meal or a celebration. read more

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Came here on a Friday night and it wasn't too packed. It is a small little cozy resturant serving thai and lao's. I didn't love what I chose so I defintely will be back to try other dishes. I got a fish curry casserole- it was very eggy/tofu like with fish inside- it wasn't what i was expecting lol. read more

Vientiane Bistro - Laotian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Hands down, one of my favorite places to go for some delicious food. My go to items are the sausages served with sticky rice. It's so flavorful and the sauce that it's served with is wonderful. I could eat it on it's own! The crispy Naam salad with the cured pork is another go to. The crispy rice mixed with the sour flavors from the pork is the perfect combo. Lastly, can't end a meal without dessert. The mango and sticky rice is a must! Small restaurant, but never had an issue getting a table. Also, the staff is very attentive. Can't wait to be back read more

Vientiane Bistro - Laotian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Restaurant is nestled in Kensington. It's really a hidden gem if you can disregard the neighborhood it's in. Came by on a Saturday and was able to order the pad kee mao aka drunken noodle lunch special which came with spring rolls and the sai gawk which is a lao sausage plate. Both were really good and loved the coconut rice that came with the sai gawk. Also tried the naam lettuce wrap which was my favorite dish, must try! You can get it with or without the cured pork. Service was quick and staff was friendly read more

Vientiane Bistro - PAD KEE MAO and CURED SOUR PORK CRISPY NAAM LETTUCE WRAP - Laotian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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My boyfriend and I had their lunch special. It was a good deal and came with a small salad, an appetizer, and an entree. I really enjoyed the vegetable spring roll and small salad I had; the dressing on the salad was sooooo good! I got pad thai for my entree and the serving was pretty big for lunch. Overall a cute spot with extremely friendly service and great food. I can't wait to try more! read more

Vientiane Bistro - Laotian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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This restaurant creates moments worth remembering. The team is funny, cordial, and thorough. The restaurant executes consistently well. It is so wonderful to have this little gem as part of our community. The staff demonstrates real interest in your enjoyment. read more

Hidden gem in a shady location. Absolutely one of my go to spots. Small dine in area but always able to get a table for 2 or 4 for some reason. Love bringing newcomers here and it never disappoints. Everything on the menu is delicious, everything . Always trying something new, try family style so you can have it all. Friendly staff, some of the best in Fishtown. Come try this hole in the wall!! read more

This restaurant was amazing and their environment was good. Good food and service. recommended,

Vientiane Bistro creates loyal customers! Their dishes demonstrate skill and good flavor. The staff exhibited consistent kindness. The cozy setting is surprisingly affordable. When in the vicinity, I'll make another visit. read more

Located in a small storefront in Kensington, this is a gem. Ate with my wife and our two college-aged children. We were all blown away by the food. Really don't think you can go wrong on their menu. The spring rolls were amazingly crispy; steamed pork dumplings flavorful. We also shared a crispy crepe stuffed with shrimp that everyone at the table loved. I ordered the Laotian sausage, Sai Gawk, and couldn't have been happier with it. This is exactly the kind of small place that you're thrilled to stumble across, and look forward to visiting again. read more

Vientiane Bistro - SAI GAWK - Laotian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Cute little place, decorated well inside. Hidden spot in an area I would normally not get to, but the food is pretty good, especially their Lao dishes! Not your typical Thai restaurant with just the usual dishes, it has a lot more varieties and flavors. I would definitely vote for their Lao specialty dishes, just for the unique flavors and combinations. Our favorite was the "king soup" with red curry coconut & vermicelli noodles, added crab/pork meatballs, rich but also refreshing. Appetizers all looked good. Sad they don't have mussels any more... the crispy crepe is good with contrasting textures, paired well with picked cucumbers. Tamarind wings are also decent- very sticky, a tad bit too sweet for me but overall good. The duck is also cooked well, crispy skin and 2 huge leg/thighs. But the sweet basil sauce is a bit disappointing, too syrupy and not much other basil or interesting flavors. Curry dishes are good but nothing outstanding or different. Will definitely come back to try more of their Lao specialties! read more

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Enjoyed a delicious meal last evening at Vientiane. We were returning our son back to college from Winter break and wanted to grab dinner before getting back on the road. Quaint inside. I loved the pop music playing , maybe a little loud for a date night but for our family dinner. The service was friendly and attentive. Parking was easy. Just a 10 minute drive from Temple University We ordered the crispy pork spring roll and steamed vegetable dumplings. Perfect morsels full of flavor. We also ordered the crepe with shrimp which came with a delightful palate cleanser. My son order the pho with brisket which had a beautiful clear broth packed with flavor. My daughter order the pad Thai and I had taste and agreed with her that we will never be able to order pad Thai again from our favorite place back in Baltimore. My husband had Laotsausages with sticky rice which he loved and I had the sweet basil with beef in this beautiful spicy, tangy, sauce with a hint of sweetness and perfectly cooked broccoli and carrots. My son said he will go back with friends and we definitely want to come back next time we visit. read more

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Great food--very tasty--and good variety. We all ordered many things and shared them. Friendly service, too.

Not yummy, not good value, and sent me to the porcelain throne for most of the following day. read more

Vientiane Bistro - $11 for four tiny satay skewers - Laotian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Had a lovely time here for a BYOB birthday dinner on a Friday night! The server had set up our table in advance and it was pretty quiet. It seems as if most people come in for pickup / takeout, but the spot itself is very cute, intimate, and clean! We ordered a bit of everything - summer rolls, ban xeo, yellow curry, papaya salad, and naam lettuce wraps. Everything was delicious, my favorites being the ban xeo pork crepes and the curry. This was also very veggie and vegan friendly, with so many different options on the menu! We also ordered the mango sticky rice for dessert and the restaurant changed the music to happy birthday and sang, clearly having fun with it. I look forward to returning with a group! read more

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I'm from CA where we have a huge hub of diverse ethnic restaurants. Aaaand man oh man, this place was probably the BEST Laotian and Thai food restaurant I've ever had. The staff was very hospitable and friendly. The duck laab was absolutely delicious, the nam khao was chefs kiss, the Thom saap soup was fragrant and delicious- soul food for sure. The pompano fish was cooked to perfection. The mussels were delicious. This is a must eat if you're in Philly. read more

Vientiane Bistro - Beautiful artwork out front. - Laotian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

My favorite food to order here is sticky rice with mango. It's served warm. The rice isn't too sweet, the mango is fresh, juicy, and sweet. My coworker ordered the chocolate banana spring rolls and she said it's not too salty, not too sweet, and not too flaky. Now I am curious to try it next time I order. My other coworker who ordered the pad Thai said it's delicious too. read more

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Holy cow the green curry noodles are out of this world. Love this place. Support local small businesses. Family owned and operated. They make and love all of their food. I have had so many of their dishes and they are all BOMB!! Gluten free options also!! read more

The best food and the friendliest staff! Off the beaten path but not to be missed. Vegan options.

Finally made my way to Vientiane Bistro. Everything was phenomenal!! There was only two of us so we didn't get to try everything. What we did get was absolutely amazing though. We got the Kow Piek, Crispy Naam Lettuce Wrap, Chicken Satay, Chicken Pad Thai, & Tod Paa which is a whole fried Pompano. Kow Piek is a porridge like dish topped with bean sprouts, cilantro and scallions. It's very warming on a brisk day. The Crispy Naam was different. I had no idea what to expect since it was my first time but it was tasty. It's marinated rice, crispy coconut flakes and herbs. You wrap it with fresh lettuce. Each bite was a burst of flavor. I love eating anything with my bare hands. Although everything was delicious, the whole fried Pompano was my absolute favorite. It was beautifully plated on a wood server and accompanied by another plate of fresh veggies and noodles. The fish was cooked and flavored to perfection! If you are looking for a Thai/ Laos restaurant, Vientiane Bistro is the place to go. Don't let the neighborhood scare you. The best places are little gems like this. read more

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After many good experiences ordering from here I have to say I really don't know what happened tonight. We ordered our usual favorites: Shrimp pineapple fried rice, tofu Penang curry, and chicken satay. However tonight everything but the satay was insanely disappointing. You can compare the pictures of the rice and curry from tonight to my previous review and it's like looking at 4 different dishes. Tonight unfortunately was a waste of $48. There was no yellow curry in the pineapple fried rice and no color or seasoning whatsoever. It was like the vegetables, rice and shrimp were steamed, mixed together and just tossed in the container. The portion was also smaller than I've ever seen before. I hate to say it but I could have gone to my corner Chinese take out spot and paid less than half the price for the same quality. The Penang curry had barely any peanut flavor, even though we order mild there's usually still a little spice to it but tonight, flavorless, and the vegetables, when always tender, were raw. Might give this place a break for a bit and see if anything changes and give an updated review. Whoever was working the kitchen seems to have disappointed a few people this weekend based off other reviews. read more

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Ordered delivery from here via Uber Eats due to Covid. The estimated time was about an hour, but I noticed that the order was completed and picked up within 30 minutes. The food was fresh, hot, packaged well, and most importantly, delicious. I ordered the mussels, spring rolls, banh xeo, and grilled wings. The flavor and spice levels were perfect. Will be ordering again! read more

What an expected surprise this place is. It's a small, unassuming restaurant but the food they are putting out here is full of flavor! We were the only ones in the restaurant because I guess they get a lot of online orders. I hope that's the case because of people aren't frequenting this restaurant, they are missing out. I wasn't familiar with many of the dishes on the menu but the waitress was very patient and helpful explaining the dishes and making recommendations. We had the Crispy Brussel Sprouts, Sticky Tamarind Wings, Crispy Naam Lettuce Wraps and the Spicy Tom Yum. The brussel sprouts is a very large portion, great for sharing with more than two people. They are packed with so much spice and flavor....some of the best brussel sprouts I've ever had. My favorite dishes were the wings and lettuce wraps. Those wings are fantastic! They are really sticky so dampen your napkin to wash your hands after but the mix of sweet and spicy is perfect. I just loved the sweet and crunchiness of the lettuce wraps, so light and fresh. I did like the tom yum but I think it needed a little more flavor and spice. This is definitely a restaurant to add on a rotation. read more

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Food was incredibly delicious. My favorite is the braised pork belly, crispy naam lettuce wrap, and papaya salad. We ordered other things too like the roasted duck with egg plant, fried tofu in tamarind sauce, sai gawk lao sausages and banh xeo (asian crepe with shrimp). Everything was delicious! Service is quick and the place is cozy and clean! Highly recommend to check out this place! read more

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Ordered delivery. Got: + Sai Gawk - Stuffed with chopped pork, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves. Served with cabbage salad and spicy roasted chili garlic sauce jeow muk phet sticky rice. Very flavorful, although wish there were a few more pieces of sausage. Sticky rice was fantastic. The sauces were interesting and went well with the well-charred sausage, with flavors from the lemongrass and lime leaves that was nice to try for the first time in sausage + King soup - a bit over-salted, so it sort of overwhelmed whatever complexity. But it was still good, thanks to the fresh bean sprouts and purple cabbage and all the mint/cilantro that I love about southeast Asian broths and curries. Beef was a little touch and dry, didn't really soak up the flavor of the broth + Vegetarian Crispy Naam Lettuce Wraps Salad - Interesting marinated rice with coconut flakes, but couldn't really get hints of coconut. I found more luck combining it with my other dishes, like pouring the sauce from my beef jerky and dipping it in my curry. I think I should have gotten it with pork or meat. But the options on Ubereats I had were the "ham", which I was unsure what to expect, and vegetarian. Definitely needed a savory twist, but maybe better for vegetarians + Home Made Lao Beef Jerky - I've had Chinese beef jerky and it was cool to try another Asian twist on beef jerkey. There's a nice dark caramelized sweet exterior. Goes really well with rice or some of the other dishes read more

Excellent takeout- full of flavor and consistently on time and accurate order fulfillment.

Food is so good and a great value. We have been several times. Glad to have this place in the neighborhood.

One of my favorite restaurants in Philadelphia! A hidden gem and a place where you can find genuinely great food. I love getting pho here and cannot recommend the banh xeo enough. Everything here is so delicious and I can't wait to visit again! read more

Vientiane Bistro - BANH XEO - Laotian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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WOW! Got the Chicken Khao Poon (aka King soup) and the Chicken Pad Kee Mao! The soup was incredible! The broth was so flavorful and had just the right creaminess from the coconut milk! I chose mild and it still had a nice kick without being too hot. The chicken was perfectly tender and also beyond flavorful. Seriously warmed up my whole soul Also, the Chicken Pad Kee Mao was delicious, perfectly chewy noodles and great flavor! Great portion size. Ordered this all as takeout and it arrived still piping hot. Can't wait to order again soon! read more

Kicking myself for not trying Vientiane Bistro sooner. We live in East Kensington and it has always been on my to-do list to check out Laotian food since I've never tried it! Not to mention, the Head Chef is a woman which is a huge plus for me! Get it, Sunny! We were in the neighborhood on a Tuesday night and decided to order some take out. I'll be honest, I was unfamiliar with a lot of the menu items, but I'm pretty open to anything, so we went with a mix of new dishes. There were so many amazing options that it was tough to choose, but ultimately we landed on the following: 1. Sticky Tamarind Tofu 2. Crispy Naam Lettuce Wraps (Sour Cured Pork) 3. Sai Gawk (Lao Sausages) 4. Sello (Green) 5. Iced Passionfruit Tea The food was incredible. The drinks were incredible. There was not a single thing we didn't like or complaint to be had. Everything was super flavorful and had a good kick of spice to it! We also snagged a jar of Sunny's homemade chili oil that added nice spice to the food as well. They're offering 15% off your eat-in or take out order right now, so be sure to mention that when you check out! Literally can't wait to come back to Vientiane. Thank you for a delicious and affordable meal! read more

This place is so good. The best Tahi food I have ever had. It is really nice on the inside and the service was really good. I would highly recommend trying this place if you are in the area looking for Thai food read more

Vientiane Bistro - Red Curry with Beef - Laotian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania