The Famous Khmer-Lao Restaurant — Restaurant in San Jose

Famous Lao Papaya is fantastic! My boyfriend and I tried the Papaya Platter and Nam Khao. They really nailed every dish in flavor, texture, and freshness.

The sausages were incredibly flavorful and juicy. Papaya salad really hit the spot, the flavors were authentic and spot-on and definitely my favorite. Chicken wings were cooked perfectly also. I would highly recommend the platter to get a bit of everything they have to offer. The Nam Khao was also a winner for me - it had a great texture and touch of citrus and herb-y freshness that made it super addictive to eat. There was so much food leftover for two people. I left with a very happy belly!

This place is definitely optimized for to-go/delivery since everything is served in compostable containers, but there are plenty of seats for eating-in and the restaurant is really well-maintained, clean, and newly renovated. When ordering, they were incredibly helpful and helped us pick a spiciness level that worked for us - if spiciness is a concern (or a must-have lol), let them know and they can go as mild or as hot as you want.

The menu is short (they're confident in what they do and they do it well) and very clearly labeled with photos, ingredients, and name which feels super accessible to anyone new to Laotian food. They also offer add-on options which is great if you wanna add a sausage or two in your dish. They also sell frozen sausages and other goods you can buy and prepare at home. They accept cash and credit and the ordering process is really streamlined. Parking in this plaza can get hectic on weekends, but there's always street parking on the outer perimeter of the plaza.

Come to this place (or order take-out)! You will not be...

Absolutely love this place! I usually do takeout since the space itself can be tight. The service is quick and friendly. The plaza can be chaotic due to parking and mealtime rushes. In a spot full of Vietnamese businesses, I was really happy to have a go-to spot for food. My Laotian friend said the food here is pretty basic, but I think it's accessible and tasty for anyone to try.

As a note, when ordering online, I think it's funny that they ask for how many chilis to put in. My family always put the max because we love spice. When we order over the phone, we clarify that we want things extra spice. The chilis that come with the foods are a crazy breed because I swear it's 10x spicier than the ones we grow at home.

Khaw mee fried noodle: This was good for a carb. It reminds me of Vietnamese hu tieu. Not my favorite thing out of everything but nothing's wrong with it.

Papaya salad: Great texture and flavor! The spicier the better. The bottom is not too watery for takeout.

Laab: Probably my favorite item on the menu. It's so fresh and we ate it with the accompanying cucumber and lettuce. The spicier the better as well.

Sausage: We always split a portion of this because the sticky rice fills you up. I love the flavor of the sausage. It's always piping hot and crispy too.

All in all, this is a solid spot for good...

The food was okay, but there were a couple things that were disappointing. First, the dish we wanted to order wasn’t available. Then we ordered something that the staff said would take around 15 minutes which I was totally fine with waiting for, but it ended up being more than 30 minutes. The food didn’t amaze me so I don’t think it was worth waiting for and I wish they would have been more honest about how long it would take.

Edit response: The main issue is the difference between the expected wait time of 15 minutes and the actual 30 minutes wait time. I believe there were two other groups when we ordered and there were also tables open, so it was not crowded at all especially for a restaurant during dinner time. I feel that the response I received from this review indicates that the owner is not open to hearing feedback and taking constructive criticism. I probably won’t come here again since it seems there won’t be any improvements...