Lay Lagom Cafe’Bar — Restaurant in Ko Samui

Lay Lagom: A Genuine 5-Star Experience

Lay Lagom nails the basics and then some. Perfectly situated, you get great views, comfy seating, and a relaxed atmosphere. The background music is just right - setting the tone for a chill day or evening out.

The team? Always welcoming and ready to help. They've mastered the balance of good service with enough English for smooth conversations. Their happiness is palpable, and it makes a difference to the overall vibe.

Now, about the food. Delicious is a fair start, the skill is there they just need a little tweaking. Most things they have nailed, fruit and yogurt with a scary good honey and granola topped, black pepper pork and rice delish, best ice cap around so far, ham and cheese omelette delicious, Panag curry awesome, but the burger was a miss (the fries were solid) their burgers ratios of bread to meet was off by 25% (too much bun which seems to be an issue here and most countries trying to please the tourists) their spicy burger sauce needs refinement, and their on the burger fixings like lettuces , cheese, tomato and onion ratio is too low. I give the burger 3* but that doesn’t change my 5* rating. They’ve hit the sweet spot with portion sizes, presentation, and fair pricing. And that’s not a small feat, especially when surrounded by the culinary richness of Koh Samui.

What sets Lay Lagom apart? It’s their essence. In an island where the community spirit of the local Thai blends seamlessly with the resilience of the Burmese, and where expats and tourists add their own flavor, Lay Lagom has become a microcosm of this harmony. They welcome everyone, and it feels like home.

Is it perfect? That's subjective. But if you value good food, an inviting atmosphere, and a place where every staff member is genuinely happy to see you, then Lay Lagom is a spot you shouldn’t miss. If you’re in the area, drop by. Experience the vibe for yourself. You won’t regret it. Oh, and the coconut cake is the best...

The stars I’m giving here are for the view, the vibe and the staff.

My friend was here 6 months ago and proclaimed it the best pad Thai she’s had. Naturally, I wanted the best. However, pictures alone show that what I had and what she had were very different. Presentation is wonderful here, however the pad Thai was completely overpowered by the flavour of dried shrimp. The gentleman working graciously accepted my feedback and exchanged my meal for panang curry. The curry, again well presented, fell flat. The flavour wasn’t offensive like the pad Thai, but it was also lacking. The rice overcooked and gummy.

The coffee was creatively served, my americano coming with simple syrup as a sweeter and not sugar. My cappuccino served with a little ‘bucket’ of brown sugar. It was perfectly acceptable but not notable.

If I came back it would be for a soda and the view. Unfortunately I’d be very hesitant to order any Thai food from this place. From the positive reviews it seems many of them show pictures of western food. Given my friend’s experience, I’m guessing a change of chef and not for the better.

I do hope they can correct the food as this place has a lot going for...

We went here 3 times. The first 2 were really nice. The stuff was super welcoming and attentive, even though they did not understand very well English they still tried hard to get right all of out orders. Coctails were quite tasty and neatly made. 3rd time we went there to get some food but unfortunately were met with total lack of understandment. We asked if it is possible to made a vegan pad thai for us (which just means instead of fish/oyster sauce - tamarind sauce) and the chef said it is not possible. At this point we were alteady traveling for almost 3 weeks in Thailand and it never been a problem. We were super disappointed since we already spent quite an amount of money there and after all the chef refuses such an uncomplicated quest. After that we went to restaurant next doors and it was no problem for them. So after quite good experience came a big...