Phakhao Lao Restaurant — Restaurant in Vientiane Capital

I came here on the recommendation of a friend who lives in Vientiane. The restaurant was wide open, bu an older man said they were closed until 6pm, 2 hours later. I came back around 5:50 pm and asked if I could just sit an an outside table and wait until they started serving. He obliged. A little after 6 pm and younger woman told me that she could not give me a table because I didn’t have a reservation. The entire restaurant was empty. I was one person. I said I would order and eat quickly. She insisted she could not serve me, and she was rather rude about it. Her attitude conveyed the sense that I was bothering her. I explained that I had been told to come back when they opened at 6. She didn’t care. She didn’t offer an apology. She just seemed annoyed.

Despite this bad first impression I came back a week later after traveling to Vang Vieng and Laing Prabang. The same woman was there. It was a 8:45 or 8:50 pm. The restaurant’s Google listing says it is open until 10 pm. Again she refused go serve me, and she told me they were closed! There were still people in the restaurant. Even if they closed at 9 pm a restaurant owner who valued their customers would oblige someone who had been turned away and sought them out again. Again she just seemed annoyed by my presence. No apology. No courtesy whatsoever.

I have worked in the service and hospitality industries for years. I have never been treated so rudely....

I’ve lived in Thailand for a few years and spent months in Laos, so this was a particularly unfortunate experience. Owner was extremely curt, with what appeared to me to be a disdain for foreigners.

I was with a Laos speaker (albeit from Thailand). It’s no mistake they have no price on the menu; they charge foreigners 2-3 times the price of locals.

I can accept double (scratch that) triple pricing, when it’s done out of necessity and not spite. But the restaurant owner scoffed when kind banter was directed her way in her own language, and basically told my Laos speaking friend to suck it up when it was pointed out we were clearly being charged three times the actual price for a meal as simple as papaya salad.

If you don’t know better, you might think you’re having a good experience. And if that’s the case: God bless.

But this restaurant is contemptuous of foreign clientele, and feels justified in cheating us. My worst dining experience in the country, and I have a very “forget about it” attitude when such slights occur.

But this place made disrespect a point, and that should be pointed out. The lady serving you has ice on her wrist. She got that from cheating her customers....

November 2023 update: This place still sports a giant menu of Lao-Thai food. The fried dishes here are nice, especially the fish in tamarind sauce. The staff are usually fine but the owner was in a bit of a mood this time and turned away a colleague of mine who arrived earlier because she couldn't understand him speaking in English - luckily I arrived right after and could intervene in Lao. Poor first impression though.

2020 review: As other reviewers do mention often, yes, prices are on the slightly higher end, but the portions are generous. We ordered the special menu for two at 170k (€17) total, which consisted of 4 different dishes and two little baskets of sticky rice, which really is a lot - we couldn't finish everything. And if you're coming in as a tourist from western countries, the prices are still incredibly cheap in comparison. The dishes were flavourful, albeit spicy: do inform the staff if you can't handle chillis well! I also enjoyed the outdoor setting around a wooden house, and the fact that the kitchen was clean. The menu has lots of Lao dishes on offer, so I'll definitely come back...