They have some delicious chicken pho! The service is phenomenal and it's a cute little dine in spot. They are super amiable to customizations and again, the taste is delicious! read more

So far the best Thai in town! I haven't gotten something I did not like. My fave is the coconut lime with crispy pork belly!! The LARB. YUM!! read more

First of all the service was excellent! We ordered the Som Tom papaya salad which was delicious & had plenty of juice! Oh my gosh, my mouth is watering just writing about it! We ordered the sticky rice to go with it. The whole thing was superb. We also ordered the Prick Khing stir fry with beef. It was also delicious & well balanced between the saltiness & sweetness of the dish. The portion sizes were good & we took left overs home. Can't wait to go back. read more

Busy place. I can see why the Food was delicious and freshly made. Service was excellent. It's not a large seating area but the Ambiance was quaint. We will definitely return. read more

We came here on Friday for lunch and ordered three Laos-style dishes. Everything was excellent--very authentic flavors and great service. read more

Zaap Lai - Laos style Papaya salad with little crabs, Beef Laap come with sticky rice, Nam Khao. - Laotian Near Me - Johnson City, Tennessee

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Food was delicious service was great. I had crab lagoon and the wonton soup. Hubby had beef noodles.

The best Thai I can find in the East Tennessee! I've been to many places around the are and I keep coming back to this place because it's so good. I almost always get the Panang Curry with rice and it always hits the spot! My daughter loves the Pho and my husband always gets Pad Thai with cream cheese wontons. When I was pregnant I would make the 45 min drive just to eat here after work! read more

I have been told multiple times that I needed to try Zaap Lai and finally did it this week. Everything we got was delicious and I know I'll be craving more of it in upcoming weeks. Highly recommend giving Zaap Lai a try! read more

Zaap Lai - Basil Fried Rice w/ Tofu Pad Thai w/ Tofu Fried Dumplings Appetizer - Laotian Near Me - Johnson City, Tennessee

Best Thai food in Johnson City. Absolutely delicious and great service. The Pad Thai, Tom Kai Soup, Lao, fried rice are amazing.

So happy to find a restaurant that serves delicious Thai dishes! The establishment can seat 30 people maybe more; we visited on a Sunday afternoon and there were a couple of large parties dining. There were also several patrons who were placing to-go orders. This looked like the place to be. There was one young lady managing the front of the house, sitting patrons, taking orders - to go and for sit downs, prepping the tab, bringing out orders; it was definitely a lot for her to handle, but she managed well. Our orders came out very quickly and my did it taste so delicious! We had missed Thai cuisine since moving to the area, and we are very happy to have come across Zaap Lai. I'm looking forward to returning here and trying more from their menu. read more

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Our favorite place to eat, food is fantastic and service is better than most with an occasional miss because the waitress thinks she can remember the order rather than write it down. read more

Best Thai in town, I've never had a dish I didn't love. The Rangoons are phenomenal, possibly the best I've ever had and the Thai Ice Tea is delicious. read more

Always have friendly service. They have THE BEST wonton soup, fried dumplings and crab Rangoons. If you like Thai food this a must.

As always, the food was terrific- well flavored and cooked. Our party of 9 were all impressed! HOWEVER, granted it was Saturday evening, food service took half an hour to arrive and then just 2 or 3 meals at a time and one of the group's meal took another 20 minutes. A few other service glitches made this evening a not too good experience. read more

All their food is delicious, I have tried a most of their dishes (I have been going to Zaap Lai since it opened), in the menu, I there is nothing to complain about, there are all good. The service is quick and friendly, food comes out at a decent pace. The dinning area is small but it seems efficient and very comfortable. I recommend you go with friends ask for different dishes and try them all, you won't be dissatisfied or disappointed. read more

Zaap Lai is a good Thai restaurant. It's a relatively small restaurant in a shopping center, but there are several seats available so you can dine in. The night we went, they were really busy and a little short-staffed, but they handled it pretty well. The call-in orders were also really heavy with lots of people picking up to-go orders. We ordered Basil Fried Rice and Chicken Tandoori. The Chicken Tandoori was really good and had good flavor. The peanut dipping sauce was also good. The Basil Fried Rice was good, but it could have used a little more flavor, and the rice was a little overcooked. Overall, I thought Zaap Lai was good. I give it a 7/10. read more

Zaap Lai - Basil Fried Rice - Laotian Near Me - Johnson City, Tennessee

Some of the best Thai food I've ever had. Got the yellow curry, pad see ew, Laos crunch rice dish, Thai tea and Thai green tea and everything was phenomenal. Really friendly staff, will be back! read more

SUPER delicious. Insanely fast, hot, and fresh food. Hands down the best crab rangoons I've had in my life. Hurts your heart to know you can't go every day if you stop while passing through the area. 10/10 debating moving just to eat here weekly. read more

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The Pad Thai That Even My Picky Eater Loved! When I saw that this restaurant was filled with locals, I knew it had to be good. We were not disappointed. My family and I all settled on the Pad Thai. One spicy, one medium, and two very mild for the kids. All were flavorful and appropriate spice level for the order. The youngest guest at our table, my 4-year-old granddaughter, enjoyed her meal so much that she ate half of it! That's a testament to the amazing flavor. The restaurant was busy when we went, but the waitress was on top of her game. She made sure everyone was well taken care of. I highly recommend this restaurant if you're in Johnson City. The food is delicious, the service is great, and the prices are reasonable. read more

They have the best won ton soup I have ever tasted. I often order it to go and to home and relax with that joyful bowl of deliciousness.

I love this place, so many great dishes. My personal favorite is the Ping Siin Haeng (Beef Jerky). By favorite one of my favorite meals of all time, I get it every time I go. Great atmosphere, a bit slow on the service but that's because it's hard to find good workers nowadays. Overall an incredible establishment and I will be coming here regularly as long as it's around. read more

I had really high hopes for Zaap Lai considering Thai and Lao people people always cook with yummy, bold flavors. We stopped by for lunch and we were able to sit anywhere we wanted since there was only one other party dining in. The waitress was nice and answered any questions we had about the menu which was pretty extensive. We ordered the chicken pad thai, pork laab, tom yum goong, and Nem khao. I went ahead and asked the server if they cooked their food super spicy (if you know how spicy Asians like to eat their food, then you know what I mean! We want that butthole burning spice lol) and she said yes. Well to my surprise, everything came out bland. The spice was nonexistent, the laab didn't have any flavor (and it was served with lettuce instead of cabbage which was weird), and the tom yum soup could've used a lot more lemongrass. I've had homemade nem khao before, and their's tasted a bit stale and underwhelming. We ended up having to ask for the spice rack and used plenty of the Thai chili powder to add a powerful kick to the food. Of course it didn't make up for the lack of flavor, but we made do with what we had. Overall, definitely not coming back. The service was great. Our server was attentive and sweet, but the food was lacking in too many departments. We'll be on a quest to find better Thai/ Lao food in the area. read more

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4.5 stars We eat here at least once per month. It is consistently yummy. We usually order carry out and they always get the order correct. The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because the spice level can vary from day to day, despite being ordered the same heat level each time. read more

I came into Zaap Lao this week for dinner while working in Johnson city. I have seen great review of this place but this is the first time I've checked them out.. I will say, I was a bit disappointed by my experience I started with some fried dumplings and you could tell they were prepackaged, but worse than that, they had no flavor. Next I had some Tom Yum Goong (Hot & Sour soup with Shrimp). A nice portioned sized bowl, but no flavor at all. Finally, I had their Thai Beef Salad, and it was very good, but I ordered it very spicy and it was barely spiced. I tried to order Mango and sticky rice, but they were out of mangoes and I heard other customers ordering items, but told, "sorry, we are out of that, too" This is a cute place, and nice staff, but I probably won't be back. I found a better Thai restaurant in town the next evening read more

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Food was good but a bit overpriced. Online menu did not reflect price increases so it was a surprise. Plus, the order was over an amount that they automatically add gratuity but don't tell you. You have to read all the hand written signs to figure it out. A good restaurant for every once in a while. read more

We always look for AUTHENTIC Thai cuisine when we travel. We've found real, quality Thai food in the darndest places. Zapp Lai is one of these places and it is actually Laotian, which is a country which borders Thailand. The language and culture is similar but I enjoy Lao cuisine better. So, if you're looking for great Thai/Lao cuisine, you won't find much better this. read more

Zaap Lai - Seating area. - Laotian Near Me - Johnson City, Tennessee

Amazing food! Overall, a nice spot for authentic thai food. The staff was super friendly and accommodating for specific dietary requests. The green curry and red curry were both stellar. Great depth of flavor with fresh ingredients. Great quantity and very filling. The pineapple fried rice and pad sieew were also fantastic. There wasn't as much spice but once i added some red peppers, the flavors burst through. Loved every entree and I would go back regularly! read more

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Everything is always great. Been there about 5 times, I've tried the chicken pad thia, chicken fried rice, a bunch of their appetizers and their thia tea is awesome!!! Only negative thing: I've had their mango sticky rice first time it was AMAZING, the second time I tried it, it was gross. Idk what the difference was but I'll keep going back. The place is small but the servers are great and do a great job on their customer service. read more

The grilled pork with sticky rice was amazing! I especially enjoyed the chili sauce - it really packed heat and some funk (fish or shrimp paste?)! The Thai iced tea was also perfectly creamy and sweet. I can see why this place is so busy! I wish they offered cup size portions of their soup - a full size is too much on top of entrees. read more

This tops all laab aka meat salad on the planet. The papaya salad was off the charts with thicker slices of papaya that gives an out of this world crunch. read more

Zaap Lai - Papaya Salad - Laotian Near Me - Johnson City, Tennessee

Pad Thai was on point and the Pho was delicious! Server was awesome and the only one working the front of the restaurant! read more

Been to Zaap Lai several times and always had great food, especially the Lao dishes. Strongly recommend the Ping Siin Moo (get the BBQ pork--beef version is a bit on dry side). Curry dishes are pretty standard and worth it if you're in the mood. Service can be spotty at times, particularly when they're busy but the staff is always nice. Nice, clean, and cozy atmosphere. Don't forget the Roti for dessert (excellent with condensed milk). read more

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THE best! Drunken noodles and red curry are both to die for. So flavorful and cooked perfectly. So happy this place is nearby read more

What a nice surprise to find Zaap Lai in Johnson City! I'm always a bit reluctant to try restaurants that are in a strip mall but I'm glad that we gave Zaap Lai a try. This is a very small restaurant with maybe 15 small tables and minimal decorations in the space. It is not the most inviting environment but the staff was very friendly and the food was better than expected. My friend and I shared the Crab Rangoons for appetizer and they were really rockin'. They tasted very fresh and the wonton skin was crisp and flavorful. They were cooked/fried perfectly. The cream cheese filling was tangy and creamy and had a great flavor. I ordered the Pad Chow Mein for my main course and my friend, the Pineapple Fried Rice. The Chow Mein was an A+ dish. The vegetables were lightly cooked and very fresh with bok choy, carrots, broccoli and onions. The shrimp was cooked perfectly and was not rubbery at all. And the sauce on the noodles was light and not too salty. It was really, really delicious. I ate the entire meal and it was only $10.95 for dinner! My friend really enjoyed her Pineapple Fried Rice as well. If I lived here, I would probably be a regular customer in the establishment. Super delicious! read more

Easy to locate, it's in a congested area, both the road traffic and in the parking area. Parking was surprisingly easy. I was able to park across from the front door. There is also parking adjacent to the building, including close handicapped parking. Remember the parking area is congested when you cross. Walking in, the counter is to the right, a small waiting area to the left, and dining in front. It can seat maybe 30, and it is not crowded together. There was a sign to the left indicating to wait to be seated. It took maybe a minute for someone to come out from the back, and I was seated immediately. The menu is pretty extensive, with dishes separated by Thai or Laotian origin. They are also grouped by type, whether noodle-based, curry, stir fry, etc. It makes it very easy to find what you want. After ordering, the food took maybe five minutes to come out, hot and fresh. I ordered the Pa Mang curry, which has green beans, bell pepper, zucchini and basil. The vegetable option adds cabbage and broccoli. It also comes with a scoop of rice on a separate plate. The curry was very nicely presented, with a red pepper in the middle of some green beans in a orange-yellow curry. It tasted as good as it looked. The flavors were distinct and everything worked together well. I asked for the spice rack, which provided three different types of spices. You can adjust the heat level to whatever your prefer. Service was good, and the server friendly. read more

Zaap Lai - Looking out the front from the rear of the restaurant. - Laotian Near Me - Johnson City, Tennessee

This was a great discovery in Johnson City! My very Yelpy friend found Zaap Lai for us to try and I'm so glad she did. Located in a strip mall near Target, Zaap Lai's decor is exactly as I'd expect. It has a small dining area with not much decoration. We started with Crab Rangoons for an appetizer and they were fluffy and delicious! For my msin course I had the Pineapple Fried Rice with chicken and it was great. It was sweet but not too sweet and everything was cooked to perfection. It was a big portion size so I had extra left over for lunch for the next day too. I'll definitely be back again! read more

Zaap Lai - Crab rangoons - Laotian Near Me - Johnson City, Tennessee

Got the crab fried rice with seafood and the fried egg rolls... they gave a sampling of their sauce rack with multiple sauces and peppers. It was seriously good. $30 tab but in my opinion it was worth it cause the seafood was perfectly cooked and not small pieces at all. It was a huge portion. Take my money any time! I was just visiting town but I hope I can make it back sooner or later. Oh also you can choose your spice level 1-5. I did 3 and it was perfect for me. But did have the nose running a little bit but it was so worth it. read more

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A regular for me in Johnson City! Very authentic Thai food!! All the meals we got in the pictures were cooked perfectly and had the flavors I had been craving. This is easily the place I take all my friends who visit me from out of town & they are all usually surprised and love the authenticity and great flavors of the menu items. A must try in JC!! read more

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Best takeout for Thai/Laotian food but would argue for any hot meal. It stays hot as the heat capacity of curries/stir frys with rice is high and was very very warm after a 20 min drive. And arguably better than most restaurants of its kind in other larger cities. The taste is so fresh and authentic time and time again. We probably have gone dozens of times annually since it opened. Our favorites are the #35 Panang curry w beef, #34 green curry with chicken, #37 Pad Thai w shrimp and #51 Pad phet chicken , med hot is perfect spiciness (a couple notches above Tabasco sauce hot). You can't forget the #1 Satay chicken w the peanutty dipping sauce. There's also a Loatian main dish that we order as an app where you eat it as a lettuce wrap, #49 Naem Khao (high on lime sourness that gives it an unusual but tasty flavor--as a full meal it is a bit overwhelming) A perfect meal, best to share family style. Soooo fortunate we have this here! read more

Zaap Lai - Panang curry-best in town - Laotian Near Me - Johnson City, Tennessee

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As someone has rightly said: Thai food ain't about simplicity. It's about the juggling of disparate elements to create a harmonious finish. Like a complex musical chord it's got to have a smooth surface but it doesn't matter what's happening underneath. Simplicity isn't the dictum here, at all. Had a fantastic Friday dinner at Zaap lai! We ordered their chicken satay, veg spring rolls, pad katiem and among others! Was bowled over by the taste of the food here! It's authentic, it real and it's good !!!!!!!! The only thing that was missing was their dessert! We wanted to order their mango sticky rice which was unavailable so we had to do without it! I had a great time! Hope you enjoy your visit too! read more

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