I've always enjoyed visiting this place, even bringing my sister when they first opened. Today, I came with two friends who hadn't been before. Usually, the food is great and the service decent. However, the host didn't give us the option to choose between a shared table or our own, despite it not being busy. This was new for my friends. The server seemed rushed and talked under his breath. When we were ready to order, he seemed impatient. I'm vegan and wanted to modify the Pad Eww see, as I had done before, but the server refused without offering alternative vegan options or explaining other menu items. I tried to help my friends choose, but one received a noodle soup with unappetizing chicken fat. When I asked to replace it, the server was rude and insisted she pay for it. He ignored my concerns and rolled his eyes. We waited an hour for our meals, and our server rarely checked on us. I had to ask other servers for water twice. We felt mistreated and unwelcome. I shouldn't feel like a burden when spending money at a business. Additionally, the cocktails weren't worth it. I won't be returning.Vegetarian options: Limited vegan options, and difficult to make modifications
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: Pad See EW, Pad Thai, Basil Wings
T and J H
Authentic Laos food! Loved it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Vinh Huynh
Less like a traditional restaurant, and more like your grandma decided to make a business out of her cooking. Very homely atmosphere, and incredibly relaxing.Food prices weren't cheap, but definitely fair for the portion size. The taste being a 10/10 made for incredible value.If you've never had an Asian homestyle meal before, this is the place to experience it: especially with friends and family.
The ambience and plating are nice. All our main dishes were sweet. The food, I don't really think they would pass a blind taste test with cheaper restaurants. The service was alright, but a little awkward through inexperience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 3
Nathaniel Tiberius
Everything about this place is awesome. Great food, great atmosphere, great staff, great cocktails.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Angela O'Malley
I’m a big fan of Lat14, and so when Gai Noi opened, I was eager to try it out.My first visit was with a friend back in September (shortly after it had first opened). While sparsely staffed, it was fine because it was early in the lunch hour on a week day. Our server was pleasant and helpful. The food was tasty; my mocktail was tasty. The upper level of the restaurant was beautiful. My two gripes were there was no hot tea on the menu (which is bizarre to me to have an Asian restaurant with no hot tea - yet there were numerous mocktails with boba) and if you ordered the pad see ew, there is no option to add in protein (again, odd to me). The server suggested to order a beef dish, and since I wanted my pad see ew with meat, it was basically a $12 upcharge to my main. Not sure why you wouldn’t provide an option to add a protein to noodles (which lat14 does, as well as virtually every restaurant I’ve ordered pad see ew from). Anyhow my first visit was good, and at that point I was okay for a return visit.Fast forward to this week. House has been hit by the flu. Lat14’s online ordering isn’t working, so I place an order for pickup at Gai Noi. Still no option to add a protein to pad see ew, so I continue to do my $12 beef add on and order a fried rice and red curry (which DOES have an option to add protein). Spouse goes to pick it up. He comes back with a massive bag; I look inside and reply that this is not our order. Granted, he should have checked the order before he left, but the employee should have handed him the correct order. It was twice the price of our order, and I figured that person probably wanted their huge order of food (and I wanted my food), so spouse drove back to get the food. When he got there, the person at the front replied, “Oh, that’s where the order went.” No apology for handing him the wrong order and then him having to drive back. The person who ordered all that food was named Molly P. - definitely not Angela O’Malley (name under which our order was placed).Now for the food. Curry was ok. Fried rice was ok. The pad see ew was dry and needed more sauce. There huge chunks of egg in it - almost like someone cooked an omelet then chopped it into chunks and stir fried it? It was really off-putting and bizarre. I know pad see ew has egg in it; I’ve never seen hunks of egg in it (picture attached). My spouse and I agreed that this did not make us want to order from Gai Noi ever again.Lat14 is much better. We’ve been ordering from there for years and am never disappointed. So we are sticking with Lat14 from now on.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 3
Melanated rich Convo
More of a upscale sit down away from the downtown traffic with multiple levels for diningSteps away from a lovely walk in the park!!
Atmosphere: 5
Daniel Bai
Not a lot of volume but great flavor. A bit on the sweeter side.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Chris Storlie
One of my favorite spots for noodles and wingsDietary restrictions: Lots of amazing GF optionsKid-friendliness: Lots of mocktail options for the kiddos so they can join in on the fun
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Shrimp Skewers, Crispy Pork, Sticky Rice, Pad See EW, Dole Whip, Peanut Noodles, Green Curry Noodles, Fried Green Beans, Thai Basil Wings
Sasha Mercedes
You get one write-up in the NYT and evidently this allows you to be pompous pricks… We’d never been to this restaurant but thought we might be able to get a table on a Tuesday at 7- knowing that there are no reservations. Parking is a circus. It’s reminiscent of picking someone up at MSP. We finally found a spot, so my partner parked while I ran inside to get us on the waitlist. I was told that they would not add me to the waitlist without everyone in the party being present. So I waited… Then one of the three hostesses asked for my name- which was confusing because I had just been told to wait until my parter arrived. Miscommunication and too many bodies at the host stand make for a most unfortunate first impression. I must have looked agitated because two of the three hostesses looked right at me, then held up a menu to shied their faces and started having a private little conversation (presumably about me.) I’d had enough at that point. Maybe the food is good- but I’d rather order something from a Burger King drive-through than have to deal with such miserable people at the onset or what was supposed to be a pleasant night out at a much anticipated place.
I went yesterday with a friend who's been there, it was my first time. I ordered coffee, and I was surprised when the waiter told me that the chef doesn't serve hot beverages. That seemed odd, but okay - I had iced tea. The food is served with the intention of sharing dishes. We ordered 7 different items - each one better than the last. We loved everything, and had plenty to bring home left overs. Such beautiful foods and flavors. I'll be going back as well as taking out. Highly recommend! Have coffee afterwards. Totally worth it!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kyle Lee
Went there last night, the food and ambiance was on point. Our server Todd was also really helpful and had great recommendations!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Suzanne Forward
The last couple of times I have been have been unfortunate. An order of crispy pork was added that we didn't ask for, and nut deducted from the bill. The ground chicken salad came with the rubbery skin. The chicken rice noodle soup had no chicken. Both times, the wait staff just shrug their shoulders. Lat14 is much better.
Everything we tried was make you dance in your seat good! Service was great! Food came out pretty quick. We dined a little early as they don't take rezzies. Which was a good thing because there was a massive wait by the time we left. Food is served family style which I liked so you could try a little of everything.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pad See EW, Egg and Basil Fried Rice, Basil Chicken Wings, Pork Egg Rolls, Thai Basil Wings
ken li
Nice atmosphere, the food was good, but the service was questionable. We ordered 8 items for a table of 4, but one of the pork dishes was way too spicy. We asked the server to remake the order, but she refused, saying that it was mentioned as spicy on the menu. While I understand that, it was unbearably spicy. I didn't like the way she handled the situation, but I didn't want to continue arguing. When the check came, gratuity was added, but she didn't mention it. That was rude and sneaky! I will not go back to this restaurant and will not recommend it to anyone.
I've always enjoyed visiting this place, even bringing my sister when they first opened. Today, I came with two friends who hadn't been before. Usually, the food is great and the service decent. However, the host didn't give us the option to choose between a shared table or our own, despite it not being busy. This was new for my friends. The server seemed rushed and talked under his breath. When we were ready to order, he seemed impatient. I'm vegan and wanted to modify the Pad Eww see, as I had done before, but the server refused without offering alternative vegan options or explaining other menu items. I tried to help my friends choose, but one received a noodle soup with unappetizing chicken fat. When I asked to replace it, the server was rude and insisted she pay for it. He ignored my concerns and rolled his eyes. We waited an hour for our meals, and our server rarely checked on us. I had to ask other servers for water twice. We felt mistreated and unwelcome. I shouldn't feel like a burden when spending money at a business. Additionally, the cocktails weren't worth it. I won't be returning.Vegetarian options: Limited vegan options, and difficult to make modifications
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: Pad See EW, Pad Thai, Basil Wings
Authentic Laos food! Loved it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Less like a traditional restaurant, and more like your grandma decided to make a business out of her cooking. Very homely atmosphere, and incredibly relaxing.Food prices weren't cheap, but definitely fair for the portion size. The taste being a 10/10 made for incredible value.If you've never had an Asian homestyle meal before, this is the place to experience it: especially with friends and family.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Jalapeno Wontons, Seasoned Fried Beef
The ambience and plating are nice. All our main dishes were sweet. The food, I don't really think they would pass a blind taste test with cheaper restaurants. The service was alright, but a little awkward through inexperience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 3
Everything about this place is awesome. Great food, great atmosphere, great staff, great cocktails.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I’m a big fan of Lat14, and so when Gai Noi opened, I was eager to try it out.My first visit was with a friend back in September (shortly after it had first opened). While sparsely staffed, it was fine because it was early in the lunch hour on a week day. Our server was pleasant and helpful. The food was tasty; my mocktail was tasty. The upper level of the restaurant was beautiful. My two gripes were there was no hot tea on the menu (which is bizarre to me to have an Asian restaurant with no hot tea - yet there were numerous mocktails with boba) and if you ordered the pad see ew, there is no option to add in protein (again, odd to me). The server suggested to order a beef dish, and since I wanted my pad see ew with meat, it was basically a $12 upcharge to my main. Not sure why you wouldn’t provide an option to add a protein to noodles (which lat14 does, as well as virtually every restaurant I’ve ordered pad see ew from). Anyhow my first visit was good, and at that point I was okay for a return visit.Fast forward to this week. House has been hit by the flu. Lat14’s online ordering isn’t working, so I place an order for pickup at Gai Noi. Still no option to add a protein to pad see ew, so I continue to do my $12 beef add on and order a fried rice and red curry (which DOES have an option to add protein). Spouse goes to pick it up. He comes back with a massive bag; I look inside and reply that this is not our order. Granted, he should have checked the order before he left, but the employee should have handed him the correct order. It was twice the price of our order, and I figured that person probably wanted their huge order of food (and I wanted my food), so spouse drove back to get the food. When he got there, the person at the front replied, “Oh, that’s where the order went.” No apology for handing him the wrong order and then him having to drive back. The person who ordered all that food was named Molly P. - definitely not Angela O’Malley (name under which our order was placed).Now for the food. Curry was ok. Fried rice was ok. The pad see ew was dry and needed more sauce. There huge chunks of egg in it - almost like someone cooked an omelet then chopped it into chunks and stir fried it? It was really off-putting and bizarre. I know pad see ew has egg in it; I’ve never seen hunks of egg in it (picture attached). My spouse and I agreed that this did not make us want to order from Gai Noi ever again.Lat14 is much better. We’ve been ordering from there for years and am never disappointed. So we are sticking with Lat14 from now on.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 3
More of a upscale sit down away from the downtown traffic with multiple levels for diningSteps away from a lovely walk in the park!!
Atmosphere: 5
Not a lot of volume but great flavor. A bit on the sweeter side.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
One of my favorite spots for noodles and wingsDietary restrictions: Lots of amazing GF optionsKid-friendliness: Lots of mocktail options for the kiddos so they can join in on the fun
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Shrimp Skewers, Crispy Pork, Sticky Rice, Pad See EW, Dole Whip, Peanut Noodles, Green Curry Noodles, Fried Green Beans, Thai Basil Wings
You get one write-up in the NYT and evidently this allows you to be pompous pricks… We’d never been to this restaurant but thought we might be able to get a table on a Tuesday at 7- knowing that there are no reservations. Parking is a circus. It’s reminiscent of picking someone up at MSP. We finally found a spot, so my partner parked while I ran inside to get us on the waitlist. I was told that they would not add me to the waitlist without everyone in the party being present. So I waited… Then one of the three hostesses asked for my name- which was confusing because I had just been told to wait until my parter arrived. Miscommunication and too many bodies at the host stand make for a most unfortunate first impression. I must have looked agitated because two of the three hostesses looked right at me, then held up a menu to shied their faces and started having a private little conversation (presumably about me.) I’d had enough at that point. Maybe the food is good- but I’d rather order something from a Burger King drive-through than have to deal with such miserable people at the onset or what was supposed to be a pleasant night out at a much anticipated place.
Restaurantji Recommends
I went yesterday with a friend who's been there, it was my first time. I ordered coffee, and I was surprised when the waiter told me that the chef doesn't serve hot beverages. That seemed odd, but okay - I had iced tea. The food is served with the intention of sharing dishes. We ordered 7 different items - each one better than the last. We loved everything, and had plenty to bring home left overs. Such beautiful foods and flavors. I'll be going back as well as taking out. Highly recommend! Have coffee afterwards. Totally worth it!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Went there last night, the food and ambiance was on point. Our server Todd was also really helpful and had great recommendations!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The last couple of times I have been have been unfortunate. An order of crispy pork was added that we didn't ask for, and nut deducted from the bill. The ground chicken salad came with the rubbery skin. The chicken rice noodle soup had no chicken. Both times, the wait staff just shrug their shoulders. Lat14 is much better.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Crispy Pork, Sticky Tofu, Basil Chicken Wings
Everything we tried was make you dance in your seat good! Service was great! Food came out pretty quick. We dined a little early as they don't take rezzies. Which was a good thing because there was a massive wait by the time we left. Food is served family style which I liked so you could try a little of everything.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pad See EW, Egg and Basil Fried Rice, Basil Chicken Wings, Pork Egg Rolls, Thai Basil Wings
Nice atmosphere, the food was good, but the service was questionable. We ordered 8 items for a table of 4, but one of the pork dishes was way too spicy. We asked the server to remake the order, but she refused, saying that it was mentioned as spicy on the menu. While I understand that, it was unbearably spicy. I didn't like the way she handled the situation, but I didn't want to continue arguing. When the check came, gratuity was added, but she didn't mention it. That was rude and sneaky! I will not go back to this restaurant and will not recommend it to anyone.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: Sticky Rice