Lao Garden Restaurant & Bar — Restaurant in Berkeley

This place was empty when my friend and I walked in but we decided to give it a shot. I’m so pleased we did because OMG the flavorsssss. Everything was spectacular!! From the drinks to the decor to the food, everything was FRESH, colorful and vibrant. We got the drunken noodles and Nam Khao, every bite was followed with an “Mmmmm”. They’ve got the sweet salty sour crunchy texture game on pointttt. Can’t wait to come back and try everything on the menu!

Also kudos to the owner who was lovely, she offered us a drink that wasn’t on the menu, it was like a pandan sweet drink (tasted similar to a Thai iced tea but less sweet) it was perfect! I feel like they’re still under the radar because they’ve only been open a few months but this place will be packed come summer....

I didn't have time to take any pictures because as soon as the food was served, my dinner partner and I chowed it all down. It was delicious. We got fried rice balls, sautéed eggplant, and Nam Khao, which was as good a take on that dish as I've tasted.

I've always loved Laotian food, but sometimes it can be hard to find vegetarian friendly Laotian restaurants. At Lao Garden, several dishes were clearly labeled as being offered with vegetarian substitutions. I really wanted to stop eating so that I could save leftovers for my girlfriend. I failed.

Our server was attentive and charming. The restaurant is decorated beautifully, and there's a big back patio that I'm looking forward to checking out. I'm already planning...

If I could give this place 9 stars, I would! The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful. They're super proud of the food they make and they were more than happy to tell us all about the dishes and to make recommendations. The owner/chef came over and talked with us and shared about the recipes.

The food... Also incredible! We ordered a few different dishes that they recommended and each dish was unlike anything I've ever eaten! We got the thum lao lao, laab seen, nam khao, and famous saikoo... All were absolutely delicious and so unique and flavorful!

The atmosphere was also really nice... It wasn't very busy when we went and it was quite peaceful. Can't wait...