Viengthong
2820 Martin Luther King Jr Way S, Seattle, WA, 98144
Viengthong Menu
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Address :
2820 Martin Luther King Jr Way S
Seattle, WA, 98144 - Phone (206) 725-3884
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : No
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Belle G.
I almost always crave this place! Whenever my boyfriend and I come here we order the Viengthong Beef that comes with BOMB sauce (which is listed under appetizers but comes with a huge amount enough for two HUNGRY people to share), the sticky rice ($3 and more than enough for two people), and either papaya salad or the green curry. All of which will equal to $25-30. With your meal, you're served with a platter full of veggies, which include romaine lettuce leaves, mint, cilantro, and green onions. We wrap the beef, sauce, sticky rice, mint, and cilantro, roll it up and eat it like a fresh spring roll. This place is conveniently next to Franklin high school and across the street from the Philly Steak shoppe. We came on Saturday, but we prefer to visit during the week since it's not as busy.
(5)Linda P.
Tried this place Twice, excellent food or so I thought...and went to ER only Twice...Turns out Allergic to ALL THAT MSG IN THEIR FOOD. If you are used to MSG in your food then this is the place for you!!! Service is not at all the best by any means, owners and servers seem like they don't care if it's good food or service. I can't believe they've been in business for this long and at cash only....Really??? Where is the IRS? From now on I'm going to listen to my hubby n trust my gut and make my own Laos food without the MSG or big ER bills....Thanks Viengthong! Thanks! If you are/were lazy like me then you will have to endure this mediocre service & food. No disrespect just being real. If you are craving for some authentic Thai/Lao food then hit up Grandma's Thai in Kent. Now that's real cooking. It's also a real grandma cooking just like how we were used to.
(1)Catherine C.
This isn't a fancy restaurant or anything. It looks sketchy from the outside and it's at a bad location, but like they say, "you can't judge a book by its cover." I love the little lady that serves you. Idk if she's the owner or whatever, but she's soo adorable and very kind! Their food is really good and their prices are very reasonable. I don't care too much for their Phad Thai-- other than that, everything else is really good. Their Papaya Salad are to die for! I'm a sucker for anything authentic... I would definitely come back.
(4)Bolynna K.
My boyfriend and I come here pretty often. We love it! Our usually is viengtong steak, papaya salad, BBQ chicken and Tum yum soup. The steak is tender and flavorful plus dipped with chili sauce makes is so good! The papaya salad is deliciously spicy, although being Cambodian I think it could use a little more stank lol. The BBQ chicken is good, a little more on the sweet side but still tasty. They give you a lot of soup which is nice. This place takes cash only. Overall wonderful experience and great customer service.
(5)Pam U.
This place a gem. Laos/Thai that makes me crave even more. Cash only, the only down side but either way the food is great. Som Tam, khao tod and their fried tilapia is always a hit when I go with my sister. It's the closest thing to home cooking for us,
(5)Monica C.
First and last time here I suspect, I so want to give this place another chance but it just did not live up to my expectations. I grew up eating every Southeast Asian food there is. My mom's part Cambodian, so I grew up picking up rice with my hands and eating papaya salad with lemongrass beef skewers. My uncle is Thai and eats larb every other day, I think I've had a plate every time I've been over to their house the last 20 something years of my life. The larb was very underwhelming. It lacked flavor complexity and did not elevate my senses. Usually, larb is very simple yet aromatic and has a beautiful fresh taste. It's usually layers and layers of lemongrass, mint, shallots, and sometimes toasted rice. It's dressed lightly with lime juice for a tangy taste and eaten with crisp veggies. Sad to say that I couldn't taste any of the flavors I mentioned above. The ground chicken was moist but it was bland despite being 3/5 stars. This made me really upset, I love larb and I usually eat it like a freaking beast without the veggies LOL. I have a habit of just pouring it over rice, but it was strange how under seasoned it was because it looked legit. Also, the cabbage used to hold the larb was cut wayyyyy too thin. I think I got like 4 teeny pieces of chicken on it and when I was trying to shove it in my mouth, it just fell back on my plate. I should have asked for a head of cabbage and made my own little cabbage bowls, I ended up just forking it and stopped using my hands LOL. My favorite dish was the bbq chicken. The chicken was moist and had a pleasant flavor, it's seasoned with curry and coconut milk but is extremely mild. I was hoping they'd serve it with a different sauce because it just came out with sweet and sour sauce. The skin was my favorite part, it isn't crispy though so I suspect it's precooked and reheated when ordered. But overall not bad, if you order one thing here, I recommend you get the chicken Sticky rice is $3, actually a pretty decent portion. It was shared between two people and we didn't finish it. Service wasn't the best I must say. The décor and hole-in-the-wall aspects of this place didn't deter me at all, I've seen worse but I just didn't feel very welcomed. The owner barely said a word to us and there was only one other table besides my girlfriend and I. I actually wanted to ask her if she could recommend some dishes for us because I Yelp-stalked all the pictures beforehand but that didn't happen. Customer service is a heavy weighting factor in my reviews because I think it can make or break a place. At least ask how the food is or if there's anything we need. One of our orders were forgotten too but the owner never came back to really check on us so I guess we saved a few bucks. For almost $11 bucks a person for two dishes, I thought it was wayyyy expensive. Guess I'm going back to my aunt's house for larb.
(2)Lili P.
Based on the yelp reviews I ordered what seemed to be the most popular items: phad Lao and som Tom. I'm pretty new to Lao food ... So I hope this is a very bad representation of Lao cooking . The flavor of the phad Lao was one dimensional; it was just overly salty ..there was no balance of sweet , salty, tangy, spicy. It seemed like it was just stir fried with oyster sauce and nothing else. Luckily I had some fresh lime at home to give it a bit more flavor . The som Tom was the exact same! Just salty and fish saucy. A squeeze of lime made it a bit better but geez what a disappointment! It was almost inedible . I might has well have saved my money and cooked some ramen noodles with a dollop of salt on top instead . One of the worst meals I've had in a long long time. Update : it's been a week and I still can't shake off how bad the food was ... Seriously ! Ugh
(1)Tan Lo S.
I love me some Viengthong! Such good Lao food in Seattle! I come here usually for work pick ups and don't get to dine-in often. But mane their food is good!! Nothing is pre cooked-always always fresh to order!! Their VT steak is so good with the sauce. The spicy sauce is so mouthwatering that I want to eat more and more. The steak is actually a lot for an appetizer portion. Comes with fresh lettuce, cilantro, and mint. Love it! Their bbq chicken is also my fave! Tender thighs marinated in SE Asian ingredients then cooked so the meat is not chewy, but tender and flavorful. I like this one with sticky rice and some steak spicy sauce! Their papaya salad is delicious as well-mouth droolong because of how fresh it is. They use Kapiet which I like! Their spice levels are accurate and they are generous. Their papaya salad is how it should be. I have also tried their fresh rolls which are huge just like when I make it at home! Their pad thai taste homemade too which is reminiscent for me. Overall-great food and great service! Love the homey feel to it and how the quality is consistent and full of ingredients that are fresh and tasteful! The only downfall is the cash only payments, limited parking and they're open 11-8 daily except they close Mondays.
(4)Janet N.
Who would have ever thought Laos food was so good! I've always had this place bookmarked and I've always driven past it but never really had the time to ever stop in. Plus the parking lot is atrocious. It's always full and I always see cars parked on the sidewalk lol. Last night I finally had the chance to stop by and ordered togo. I ordered pork larb, papaya salad, their steak appetizer, and a side of sticky rice. To my surprise the total only came out to $31 and that's pretty cheap. 3 entrees and a side? Score!! The larb was my favorite. I love that there was a nice balance of mint and meat. It was seasoned super well and the mint did not overpower the flavor of the pork. The steak appetizer, which should honestly be an entree lol was good as well. They gave a lot for what I had paid for. I liked that there was a bag of fresh veggies (lettuce,cilantro, mint, green onions) to accompany it. The papaya salad was just ok. It was really plain in my opinion. It tasted like any other papaya salad which is quite disappointing because I was told they served the best. The sticky rice was perfect. For only $3 it fed me and two other people. I really like this place and I definitely see myself coming here a lot.
(4)May N.
My favorite and only Laos place. Sticky rice, vienthong steak and beef larp are my always plate. Hubby tried everything on the menu. Been coming here for as long as I can remember (over 14 years). Bring lots of cash and buy some food for the next day. I drive from Lynnwood.
(5)Mariel L.
We weren't that impressed overall It could've been good but you can tell none of the dishes we ordered were made-to-order fresh the papaya salad didn't look appealingly fresh; looked like it was old or has been sitting for a while - it was too dark (they put too much badek). The BBQ chicken was very tasty I must admit! The beef LARB with tripes was not exceptional ~ not as impressive; my friend makes it better. Tom Yum soup was not piping hot- it was served in a traditional hot pot bowl but there was no fire under (deceiving presentation). The whole fried fish was delicious but was slightly disappointed to later find out it was just tilapia. The customer service was good though; the waitress was very friendly. I don't plan on returning here though as I have had better
(2)Madison G.
I am a big fan of this place because it is authentic Laos food. It isn't the Americanized Thai food you get from every other place around Seattle. The nam khao and the steak slices that come with the spicy sauce (unfortunately I forget the exact name of this item) are my favorite, so I suggest you try. :) If you're weak to spice like me, be careful when ordering the papaya salad. It'll be spicier here than most Thai / Lao restaurants. The only inconvenience is that this place is cash only, so come prepared. Debit / credit not accepted. :(
(5)Giri S.
We ordered 3 dishes: Yum Woon Sen, Tom Kha Gai and the papaya salad (thai style). Flavors were all pretty good with the sourness of the yum woon sen. The papaya salad wasn't as crisp as it should have been. The Tom Kha Gai was the best dish by far. We were disappointed with the portion size given the $30 price tag ($3 for rice too? that's one star off). I'm taking off another star for being a cash only place.
(3)Mem T.
I was very disappointed in the food here. I was visiting Seattle from Dallas, TX and decided to try Lao food. I'm Laotian myself so I've had plenty. The store was not very clean. But that's ok since hole in the walls aren't always clean. I ordered the papaya salad, sticky rice, "friend chicken" which was not fried, it was grilled and ordered the beef jerky and thai coffee. My husband got the Pho. The papaya was not good at all. I don't even know how to explain it. It wasn't flavorful. The heaven beef jerky was not sweet. And the fried chicken I asked for was grilled. My husband had a stomach ache from the pho for a day. I normally devour my thai coffee, but I only drank 2 gulps. Not sure how to describe the food, but it was not to my liking. Very disappointed that I spent $40 there and barely ate anything. Sorry Seattle, your Lao food is on the very bottom of my list. Hopefully it was just an off day. I want to give it a good review to support my Laotians but I can't. Sorry.
(1)Sharif B.
Zang. So good. I grew up immersed in Cambodian and Laotian food. This was like being a kid again. Didn't have to re-season things, everything was great as is. I did love that they had every type of condiment you could want on the table just in case. Portions were generous and the prices were more than fair. The service was a little slow at first but the food made up for it in spades. Ordered 4 things and I'm looking forward to trying everything on the menu.
(5)Legna E.
Food was salty that I drinked so much water. The dipping sauce for the beef was so salty. When i got my papaya salad the smell of fish sauce was so strong. Also the papaya was warm and not even cold. Not enough tomatoes in the papaya salad. Two things i really enjoyed was my pho and my thai tea. I wouldn't come back anytime soon. Parking is not that great which really bothered me.
(3)Gina Marie S.
I always come here when i'm homesick for my grandmothers cooking, Its A+ and everything is so authentic! You won't regret trying this place and you will probably become a huge addict for their Papaya Salad (I am a victim!) And their Phao Lao is to die for!
(5)Sarah V.
There are only a handful of Lao restaurants in the Seattle area, and VT is hands down the best one!! This is one of those restaurants that you will think about randomly and won't stop thinking about until you satisfy your craving. I always get the fried tilapia with chili sauce, sticky rice, papaya salad and dry beef. Omg the tilapia is always huge and super crispy on the outside. It's so good, I can almost always eat the whole dang fish by myself. The dry beef is almost like beef jerky, but much sweeter. It's kinda like beef tapa (you know what I'm talking bout if you're Filipino). It's addicting. The papaya salad is ok. Sometimes it's made perfectly, but other times there is way too much fish sauce. It overpowers the dish. The good thing is that they make it super spicy, 3 stars can feel like 5. The VT steak and BBQ chicken are also noteworthy. The steak with the lettuce, mint, green onion and sauce is good, I mean really good. The BBQ chicken is just ok to me, but other people love it. The only bad things about this restaurant are that it's cash only and they close at 8pm.
(5)Lan H.
SO GOOOOD! Don't let the 'hole in the wall' decor steer you away from this hidden gem! One word: AUTHENTIC. This place is one of my favorites! The food is as authentic as it gets, not that watered down 'American-asian' stuff. It's real Asian food with all the traditional ingredients. Cons- It does have a certain smell, but that may be due to the traditional ingredients. They also only take cash, which can be somewhat of an inconvenience.
(5)Michael K.
Viengthong is something of an institution for Lao food - if you go to the trouble of eating here, make sure you eat some Lao food! They will make Thai food if you order it, but you can get good Thai food at a number of places, not so with Lao. Nam Kao Tod - basically a salad of fried rice, coconut, peanuts, onions, chilies, and pork sausage, all chopped up with lime juice on it. It's a fantastic dish, and if you come here you owe it to yourself to eat this. Other restaurants either don't make this dish, or it doesn't measure up. Gai Yang - this is grilled chicken that has been marinated in coconut milk and spices. It's been excellent every time I've had it, and I still prefer this place over the others I've tried. Other good dishes are Larb, Nam Tok, and Som Tum. Food is 4 stars good Point deducted for the overall cleanliness and atmosphere, which is lacking. This place is a dive, and cash only - service is good, food is good, but it's not a place for a romantic meal, just a delicious one.
(3)Anna T.
Oh my gawwwwd. Friends let me tell you. This is by far the best laos/thai good joint that I have ever stepped foot into. I cannot tell you how good this place is, just thinking about the food here makes me drool. If I lived closer to Seattle, best know I'll be here everyday. The food is legitimately AUTHENTIC. That is the only true reason I come here. If you haven't tried this place, you haven't had real laos/thai food. I have yet to find a place like this anywhere else in the Seattle Tacoma area. I love this place so much I just..I just.. I JUST CANT!
(5)Danna L.
Great little place in the neighborhood. We come and grab take out often. It looks like a family run place which I really like supporting. The food is pretty consistent with great Asian flavors. The prices are really reasonable as well.
(4)Alanna M.
Lao restaurants are very few and far between, but they seem to be popping up more and more. It's just not a mainstream type of cuisine, at least not yet. I will usually meet a friend or even go alone just to have the sukiyaki soup. It's my alternative to Vietnamese Pho. It's a bean thread noodle soup that is served with an extremely flavorful coconut sauce on the side you can put into your soup and/or save a little to dip your meat in. It has mixed vegetables (typically celery, napa cabbage, lettuce), shrimp, calamari, beef & tripe. Since I tend to order the same thing, I usually walk in, seat myself and when she sees me I tell her what I want from across the room as she gets me a glass of water. We also have small convo since she knows my parents too. Another dish I tend to order is the "nem kao". It looks like fried rice, but the rice is mixed with herbs and spices, fresh coconut, chili and egg to bind before being deep fried, crumbled and mixed with cured pork. You eat it by wrapping it in lettuce, cilantro and green onions -- lettuce wrap! Their fried tilapia topped with a spicy sauce & bbq chicken is delicious too. If you want to be adventurous, try the Lao papaya salad which is sweet, sour and spicy. You can order it as spicy or as mild as you'd like although it's always best HOT HOT HOT! Also order some beef jerky (Lao jerky is not anything like your oh boy oberto!), larp gai (minced chicken salad), soup and sticky rice to get the whole Lao dining experience. I'm giving it 4 out of 5 stars only because my ethnicity is Lao and nothing beats home cooking at my mom's house. In terms of options available in town, this is my go to restaurant for Lao cuisine. They also cater and make orders in larger quantities. Homey, family business and a non-pretentious dining establishment. Also worth noting is they accept cash only and are closed on Mondays.
(4)Jennifer M.
This place is my go to for some authentic Laotian food. My family always get the papaya salad, sticky rice, beef larb, stir fry laotian noodle. I'm not really a big fan on fish, but the last time we were here we ordered the chili fried fish. To me I didn't like it, the fish just didn't smell fresh, but everything else was really good. This place would be so much better if they accepted debit/credit cards.
(4)Lea A.
Arghl I really wanted to like this more. There's usually a couple things my husband and I do whenever we go to a Thai or Thai/Lao place: order the regular chicken Tom Yum. My hubby has particular tastes for it and this one wasn't bad but it didn't blow him away. I thought it was fine. A major negative was the actual container it was in (picture attached). It looked dramatic, but wasn't really practical for scooping up the soup and the contents. Whenever I go to a new place unsure of what to order, I order the most common terms found via Yelp reviews which were the nam khao and the laotian beef. The Nam Khao was interesting, and were definitely much more to our tastes and we definitely enjoyed it more. My husband LOVED the spicy sauce that came with it and the lao beef (drenched everything in it). However, based on our experience we weren't compelled to think of returning any time soon. I liked it enough to try again, so maybe next time I'll order different things and update this review. But until then, just 3 stars for me.
(3)Traco A.
Actual, authentic, fantastic Laos food. Don't get in a huge hurry though, cuz they aint.
(4)Linna S.
My fav restaurant for thai/lao food. Thai restaurants seem to be a dime a dozen. But this one is particularly superior for its authenticity. My orders pretty much remain the same w/out even glancing at the menu. Chili fish, vieng thong steak, chicken laab & sticky rice. In addition to the three; I rotate between the phad thai or papaya salad which is great but the quantity above is usually between myself & another person. A lot this i know; but we always clean off all the plates. Like most Thai restaurants; they bring out a spice tray which will help u to slightly tweak your spice level. Someone like me; 5 stars is a tickle. Order the above; you will not be disappointed. I've introduced many & they never fail! Highly consistent & always delicious!
(5)Cat C.
Being laos myself, I was definitely happy to come to a Laos restaurant and not have to make Laos food! Nam was delicious BBQ was a bit dry but my kids loved it Sticky rice was perfect Papaya salad was okay. I'll definitely be back. I just hate the fact that they don't accept cards. and being a person that doesn't carry cash, it's difficult to round back.
(3)Mike S.
We split the Nam Kao and a beef salad. I've had a Vietnamese dish like the Nam Kao, I love all the fresh leaves, herbs, mint, & onion you wrap the wrap the rice dish with. Excellent on a hot day like today. The salad was my kind of salad, mostly beef and onion with lots of chilies and some mint leaves. With the options for Laos food here, this is my new go to place.
(4)Rob S.
Love this place..one of the most authentic Laos food..Papaya salad is the best. Grill chicken and sticky rice is the must for papaya salad. . Recommend "nham kao tod"! Something different and you will never find it any where else. . Only reason I give 4 stars is because of the service..other than thatm.love it
(4)Gigi L.
Authentic! The food was delicious! I had Nam Kao, Laab Gai, Tom Ka Gai, and Som Tum. The flavors are definitely authentic and they will not hold back on the fish sauce and fermented paste (unless you ask them to do so). I would say the prices range between $9 to $14 a plate. I'm not giving them 5 stars due to lack of cleanliness and customer service. Also, be prepared to pay with cash only. Overall, I will be returning.
(4)Will N.
Most authentic Laos place I been to. Their steak and sticky rice is really good for dinner. Papaya salad with the beef is my favorite. Also the larp chicken has very good flavor
(5)Jen L.
So yummy. Great service. Authentic laos food. My recs: - Shrimp with black bean sauce and mushrooms. - Larb with chicken and beef are great with cabbage and sticky rice. - Nam Kao. - Whole fish with chillis All done perfectly spicy. Can't wait to go back.
(5)Jackie D.
My friend and I have wanted to try this place for a while. So we decided to get take out on Saturday night. We got the papaya salad, the steak with the hot sauce, and a meat dish I forgot the name of plus sticky rice. The steak was the best part of the whole meal the sauce was so good! The papaya salad was nothing special and had to much fish sauce in it. The sticky rice was good, you can get by with one order for 2 people. I highly recommended this place!
(4)Audrey N.
I hate to be the downer on all these 4-5 star reviews, but I guess I heard better than I had experienced. Been here a few times and yes, the papaya salad is one of the best. Before coming here, I've always had people tell me it was great and authentic. Aside from the papaya salad I had, my pad see ew was not so great. I was pretty disappointed. I'm used to the thick noodles used, but these used the yellow more powdered noodles that were thinner, so they came out a bit "chewier" than I'd like. As for the sauce..it was just WAY too salty. I'm talking about, I don't care how much I spent on that plate, I am just not going to eat it. I couldn't even enjoy the veggies :( because the sauce has seeped in so much. I've only requested for 2 stars, but it was already quite hot. Pad Thai was okay, but have had better. Overall, I really don't think I'll choose to eat here. Soup looks great and everything else does too, but looks were deceiving :(
(2)Kitty T.
I love vienthong!!!! The steak with dippin sauce, the fried fish with chili sauce, papaya salad and nam kao are my favorites! Best Laos food!!
(5)Donna W.
Love this place...even tho the lady in long hair never seem to have any smile on her face. She's actually very nice. Service are fast here n food are extremely BOMB!!! If u like spicy food this is a must try place.
(5)Letha H.
We have been getting takeout from here for years, and it has usually been good. Tonight, though, we ordered chicken fried rice, broccoli with tofu, and (my usual fav) Phad Lao. All were supposed to be mild. The fried rice had so much MSG in it that it was all I could notice about it, and left my mouth feeling weird (even though I'm not at all sensitive to msg). The noodles were swimming in oil. There was at least a tablespoon of oil left in the takeout box after I removed the noodles (which were still swimming in oil). The "mild" noodles were also quite spicy, which was an unpleasant surprise for my kids. The broccoli was perfection, as usual. The tofu, however, was rubbery and squeaky. I decided that it was so bad I should call to let them know. Maybe they had a new cook? When I did (politely) they said something like "yeah, sorry the noodles were too spicy. We were really busy tonight, that is probably why". When I said it was more than the noodles, and explained the rest, and that I just really wanted them to let the kitchen know it wasn't up to usual quality, she just reiterated that they were just really busy, and that was probably why the food was bad. That's it. I, again politely, said that if they kept serving food like that they soon wouldn't need to worry about being busy. Then I recycled the menu. They have lost my business for the foreseeable future. I was quite disappointed with how they handled it, and even more disappointed in the food this time. Yuck.
(2)Justin B.
Had a great meal with a friend here the other day. We were pleasantly surprised by the sizes of the dishes. Service was a bit spotty but the food was worth it. We had the tom yum goong soup with prawns among other things that I can't remember the names of. What I really like was the fact that they didn't skimp on the prawns. They could have easily threw in a few pieces like most other places but we definitely had like a dozen prawns swimming around in our soup! Bonus!
(4)Al Y.
We started off with the Nam Kao which comes out with lettuce wraps, mint, and onions. Never had deep fried rice like this but love the texture and with wrap was crunchy and minty. Interesting flavor and really different. Followed up with some Beer Lao and the Dry Beef. I didn't know what to expect but got some moist jerky like strips in a caramel soy sauce. Looking on the internet while gnawing on my meat I noticed that this is authentic, esp. with Lao beer and sticky rice. I can't say that I'd order it again since i don't think of jerky as a meal. Once again, something different about the texture and the soy flavoring. Never had Lao dried beef before, but it's growing on me. Did a taste test between Singha (Thai) and Beer Lao - much prefer the Beer Lao as it is a fuller lager. I like this place and would go again. Portions are big, there isn't any wait, and beer is cheap. Overall great service and quiet. Recommended. Remember to get your cash before going (no cards/checks, etc)
(4)Alex W.
Possibly the worst Thai food experience I have ever had. Together my three friends and I got a chicken phad thai, yellow and red curries, and fried rice. Cash only, slow service, none of us ate any of the chicken in any of our dishes because it seemed pretty seedy. Well...let's just say that our phad thai wasn't the only thing that was 0 stars.
(1)Vivian S.
I love this place and If u love Laos food this is the place to be. I've been coming into this place for years. The food is excellent, services is quick, and the price is perfect to meet every1 budget. Highly recommended.
(5)Charisma L.
Ordered papaya salad, fried fish, phad laos, pad-sa-ew, beef larb, sticky rice, and Thai tea. The sticky rice was good. The larb was okay. Everything else was either super salty and super sweet or just super salty. This is the worst Thai/Laos food I've had.
(1)Joop V.
My friends and I went to this Thai/Laotian restaurant for the first time. Parking was easy as there's a free lot in front of the restaurant, so it was nice that we didn't have to go through the hassle of finding parking space. Viengthong is run (but not sure if it's owned) by Thai people. The decor of the restaurant was a bit weird, but I never cared much about restaurant ambiance since I wasn't expecting anything upscale anyway. I was able to converse in Thai with the one and only waitress there about what I wanted to order for our table. We ordered Thai iced tea, Singha Beer and the following food: Pad Thai, Chicken Basil, Sticky rice, Rice, Fresh spring rolls, Tom Yum Soup, Yum Nam Tod. Overall, I was quite happy to get some decent Thai/Laotian food here. If anything I think I would love to go back there for Yum Nam Tod again..they were yummmmm! Other traditional/popular dishes among Americans (such as Pad Thai and Chicken Basil) though, were so so..decent, but nothing memorable. Note: bring cash to pay! It's a cash-only business..no cards, no checks!
(4)Jennifer F.
The best Laotian/Thai restaurant! Authentic Laos food. Love the papaya salad... 5 stars. Their fried rice is amazing. The BBQ chicken is the best I've ever had. So juicy but crispy on the outside. Vieng thong steak is one of my favorites also. I've never had something I didn't like here. I definitely recommend trying this place. Just wish there was one up north closer to me :(
(5)Erika P.
Delicious authentic Laotian dishes. The papaya salad and Steak appetizer is a must try. Only down fall is that they only take cash. Otherwise it's great
(5)Michael C.
My experience was luke warm. Over all, the food was seasoned well, but executed poorly. After reading all the yelps I had the beef strips with spicy sauce, papaya salad and fried rice. As everyone else has said, the spicy sauce with the beef was the star of the show. Unfortunately the beef strips were tough as boot leather. Good taste, poorly executed. The fried rice tasted fine, not bad, not great. We noticed it had the frozen peas and carrots that you get at the supermarket in it. Unfortunately, the dish was not fresher or tastier than what we make at home. Lastly I had the papaya salad. It was good - I'd never had anything like it before. Surprisingly, the strong fishy taste worked well. After 1 good dish, and 2 mediocre dishes - would I go back? Meh, maybe.
(3)Tracy S.
Absolutely love this restaurant. I've been coming to this place for over 15 years and it's the only place that serves authentic laotion food in the area. The only bad thing is that it's CASH ONLY.
(4)Sue P.
Love this place, a little out of the way but we always made it here. The price is quite expensive but we still order lots and same things since everything we have here is always good. We love laos food. The service always great. The place is a little too old style, it doesn't bother me too much compare to the great food.
(5)Flora R.
Just like home. When I can't get my mom to cook or I don't want to, this place hits the spot. I love the Tom som. it's the most authentic outside of the house. It's crabby, fishy, and stinky! Nam khao is also pretty tasty. Service is decent. Since there's really only one person manning the FOH, she does what she can. The menu itself is part Lao and Thai. I haven't tried the Thai dishes. I don't go there for that anyway. But if you want a true taste of food from the motherland, this is a good place to start. I only know of one more spot that serves Lao food in this area. But we'll talk about that later. Happy eating!
(4)Jeremy M.
Probably the ONLY Laotian restaurant I've been to worth writing about. Portions were all HUGE, cost was relatively inexpensive and surprisingly the has never been too much of a wait for me at this place. I've driven by this place countless times, but never stopping in until I went with a Laotian friend. We ordered: Larb Some sort of Laos Special soup Fried beef papaya salad Sticky rice Everything was delicious! I would highly reccommend trying this place!
(5)Sarah R.
Best restaurant ever! If you want some Lao home cooking or craving Lao/Thai food, this is the place to go! Legit!
(5)Yuri S.
First time was a four star, second time was a one star. Two star average. The phad thai was fantastic the first time - delicious, tangy, great tofu. The second time, it was horrid - over sweet, terrible tofu quality. WTF.
(2)Doc V.
My sister from California came up to visit me and we were on a mission to find authentic papaya salad, and, without thinking twice, I turned to YELP to perform my search for "the best papaya salad" in Seattle. Thanks to a picture that was posted of the dish, my sister and I were instantly enticed and decided to come to this place. I told boyfriend that sister and I had dinner plans here and he asked the location so I told him. His response? "Down in the hood. Be careful. That's our Bronx." Despite his response, my sister and I drove down and since the sun was still up, the place didn't look so scary. The location did seem a little sketchy, but, that was not a concern of ours. We stepped inside and the place was empty. It was near 7 in the evening (they close at 8pm during the weekday). We ordered "medium" spicy papaya salad, chicken larp, sticky rice, fresh shrimp spring rolls, and squid salad. We were not disappointed by any means. Sister and I were really pleased with the papaya salad and it definitely hit the spot, as well as did justice to the authentic dish. For those who are used to having Thai papaya salad, this isn't what you'll get here. The papaya salad has more of a Lao flare, which I prefer. While we were waiting for our dishes to arrive, there were a couple of people who came by to pick up their orders to-go. I told sister that I would take boyfriend here in the near future because, by far, this is the best Thai/Lao restaurant I've encountered in Seattle. It makes me feel like I'm back in the bay where my favorite Thai restaurant serves the BEST papaya salad ever! They only accept cash so be prepared. Parking is right in front of the restaurant which seems to provide limited spaces. Definitely come here if you want to experience yummy and authentic papaya salad.
(5)Syed T.
OMG I love this place. I eat the Red Curry chicken at least 3 times a week! So good!
(5)Marisa C.
First time going to this restaurant and I loved it! :D A friend told me about this place awhile and finally found the time to explore it. And I have sure been missing out. My boyfriend & I ordered the papaya salad, viengthong steak, nam kao with sticky rice. Only down side is that they only accept cash, but it is worth it! :DD I want to go back ASAP!
(5)Daren D.
Oh boy, walking into this place reminded me of the old Thai Kitchen in Skyway approx 15 years ago. You'd walk in and right away feel that homey, relaxed atmosphere. You can tell things are rather aged and old, like that fridge by the bar counter--which reminds me of going to the relatives for gatherings and seeing their old appliances with pictures and stuff on them. Definitely unique decor for the SE Asian feel with that charming feeling only time can bring. I stopped by for take-out and tried the Phad Lao w/ chicken. It was good, but not great. Fresh coconut juice, too. Would like to try their better dishes.
(4)Visith S.
I heard about this place from some of my other Laos friends. I've been craving all kinds of Lao foods ever since i moved out of the parents. My mom never cooks for me anymore either and i don't know how to cook Lao food myself. When i first walked in they were blaring Laos music and the decor totally reminded me of home. I felt like i was in the right place for Lao food. Upon reading the menu i discovered many different Lao dishes i was familiar with but there were certain foods which i really wanted which they don't serve there. I orded the Larp Gai, Tom Yum Goong, Papaya Salad, Sticky rice and a bunch of other stuff. I'll admit I ordered way to much just for 2 people but i was pretty excited to eat Lao food. The food itself was very good, reminded me a little bit of my mom's cooking. I've been bringing all my friends here to try Lao food and so far they've all been very pleased. The only thing that i didn't like was that they don't have all the different kinds of Lao food on their menu which is why i'm giving this review 4/5. Seeing that there are very few Lao restaurants in the Seattle area i was expecting to be able to eat all kinds of Lao food. Other than that It's a great place to go when I want Lao food. Overall, I can see myself coming back here with friends that haven't tried my people's food. Keep it real, LAOS IN THE HOUSE!
(4)Charlene I.
Probably my favorite asian restaurant in Seattle! They have the best papaya salad I've ever tasted! It's pretty fishy though so if you're not into that type of flavoring you probably won't agree with me. Haha! The sticky rice paired w/ the special steak or dry beef is delicious!! You won't have food like that any where else in Seattle, TRUST! I'll be honest though, I've never tried anything else on their menu, but I never feel the need to LOL.. but from what I've heard from others, it's just as up to par as the dishes I get regularly. :) In conclusion, you should definitely visit this restaurant!!!! I'm craving Vieng Thong as I'm typing this review lol... *only set back - CASH ONLY!* boo!
(5)May Y.
Despite the whole hair-in-food thing that has been going around I'm still coming back. This is the only place where I can get delicious, addicting fried fish with mouth watering, salty, make-your-nose-cry spicy pepper sauce drenched on top. It's a must try! We order this probably once or twice a month. Order sticky rice with it so you can catch the delicious sauce with some balled up sticky. And you better eat with your hands or you can't call yourself Asian! (This only applies if you're Asian of course.) Their nem is also good. It's a crunchy fried rice. Try it! I used to get their papaya salad but after 24 years of being alive I've come to discover I'm allergic to something that they put in it so I can't eat it anymore. I'd be more sad if it weren't for the fact that I don't think their som tam is that good anyway. Blasphemy I know but I'm just not a fan of how dark and salty and fishy it is anymore. Having to pull cash out of the ATM to come to this place is an inconvenience I know but it's worth it for the fish. BTW, I don't eat in. I always order takeout. And I always give them an hour from when I call to pick up my food and it's always usually ready for me.
(4)Dennis S.
Vienthong is my absolute favorite Lao restaurant in Seattle! Viengthong's menu offers "Lao-Thai cuisines" and their dishes are authentic and delicious. Some of their dishes are more ethnic than they are American-friendly, so Vienthong is a good option for those who want to experience true Lao and Thai food that is not watered down. Because Laos and Thailand border each other, Lao and Thai cuisine overlap each other, and this restaurant serves the best of both foods. Although I usually order "larb" and "tum maak houng" aka "som tum" (papaya salad), one of their soups and "kao neaw" (stick rice), I've enjoyed all of the various dishes that I'ved ordered at Vienthong. Vienthong is marooned out and cozy on the inside but it is unpretentious. The service is good; the waitress can smile, check on you and fill your water but won't sugar coat the accomodation or try to be your best friend. I like this. Rather this than a sweet smile and bad food. This place is located in the Mt. Baker neighborhood of South Seattle and it is behind the Franklin High School (best high school ever!) football field. It is also located very close to the Mt. Baker Link Light Rail Station should you decide to hop on the Light Rail to get there. Bring cash.
(5)Justina S.
The papaya salad is on point!
(3)JoAnne B.
My husband and I were the only customers and we still got horrible service! The owner was not pleasant at all. The food was mediocre.
(1)Coleena S.
The flavor....oh my. Some of the best Lao food I've ever had. The sticky rice that comes in the baskets goes perfectly with everything. A friend of mine ordered a chicken dish with Chinese broccoli. Even something as simple as that is packed with amazing flavor. I'm salivating right now as I write this review. I was in the mood for green curry. It was fabulous. I cannot wait to go back to check out their papaya salad, the laap, the steak and the fried fish. As one reviewer said, they're not going to overwhelm you with their customer service, but once you get your food...you won't want to be bothered. You'll be too occupied shoveling it in your mouth. Remember to bring CASH ONLY, because they're not going to take your debit/credit cards.
(5)Epan S.
Great food. Horrible customer service. The 4 stars are for the food, not for the service. The service, I'll have to give them negative 4 stars.
(4)Patricia C.
This is my all time fav laos restaurant. If I don't get my laos dishes homemade this is my quick go-to spot.
(5)Caitlin E.
Liked the Lao noodles a lot, great texture and flavor. I did not like the veggie curry that I ordered. The gravy it was in was mild and didn't have the ginger, garlic, chili, tangy, sweet deliciousness that I had hoped and that I remember from my brief trip to Laos and Thailand. The sticky rice is generously served and seems super fresh. They must sell enough of it to not have to put it in baggies to microwave like a lot of restaurants. It was so good! I will definitely be back and will make my way around the menu (probably avoiding the curry) and likely hit some of the delicious looking heaps of steaming spicy fried rice and the heated pots of Tom kha soups that walked by my table!
(4)Jen T.
Went here for the first time because my friend had insisted it was the best papaya salad she had ever had and that she constantly craved it. The restaurant was a bit sketch- no day of light shining through, in fact they purposely had thick shades to cover the windows.... We ordered the Papaya Salad, Beef steak appetizer, sticky rice and coconut water. The coconut water was extremely delicious and refreshing- not your typical flavor. The Beef steak was not bad, but nothing special at all. It came out with lettuce, mint, onions and cilantro. The mint looked weird and the lettuce wasn't the cleanest. The papaya salad and sticky rice finally came out... the papaya salad was NOTHING what I expected it to be. It was extremely salty and it was a brownish color. The taste was a stinky fish/shrimp scent that did not leave my palette easily. So perhaps this was not for me....but this is not what gives this place the low score,,,along with a few other reviews.....we also found a long nasty hair in our sticky rice!!!! Disgusting!!! My friend asked if she should send it back to them-- I laughed and thought...they'd probably just take it back to the kitchen and pull out the hair and re-serve it to her. The owner should probably consider to tie up her hair or wear a hair net!!! Gross. The thought of it makes me gag a bit. Oh and they ONLY take cash....hello, its 2012! Won't be back.
(2)Natalie M.
This place doesn't require much say other than the fact that the food is GREAT! BEST Lao's food in Seattle. Flavors live up to the cuisines authenticity. Errybody needs to get lost in Viengthong Bliss when given a chance! :D
(5)Emily K.
I decided to give Viengthong a shot after reading about it on eater.com - I figured a hole-in-the-wall joint off MLK had to be pretty good to make it on to Seattle's top 38. Viengthong is DEFINITELY a diamond in the rough with some flavors that I've been searching for since my travels in SE Asia a few years ago. Authentic papaya salad, larb and yum woon sen, accompanied by baskets of sticky rice. Friendly servers that will help you make tough menu decisions. Great prices as well! A gem for sure!!!
(5)Kelly M.
This place is a longtime favorite for me, been coming here since I was a kid. My family knows the family that owns it. I have my favorites here and it is my one stop for some authentic homemade Thai/Lao dishes. The best dishes here are the Viengthong steak, fried fish, phad thai and nam kao. The food is always cooked perfectly and seasoned just right. Service is mediocre, they don't ignore you but they sure aren't going to kiss up to you. Food is out in a timely manner and you get good servings. Prices are fair, you actually get a good amount of food. The downfall I see is that they only take cash, which for people like me can be a hassle sometimes. If you want actually authentic Thai/Lao dishes, give this place a shot, unless you like the whole American adapted versions then hey, to each's own.
(5)david tetsuo b.
The best Pa Lard Prig around. :P
(5)Kay S.
I went to this place twice for the first time over the weekend. The first time that I went, I found the food to be...eh, decent. I found a lot of their dishes to be a bit too salty for my taste, but I did really like the spiciness of everything. My friends and I ordered: Chinese Broccolli (way too salty), phad thai (just as salty), fried fish (not bad!), Larb chicken (my first time tasting this dish, so I have no idea what it is actually supposed to taste like..but I thought it was was good) and couple other dishes. The dish that really stood out to me, however, was the Tom Yum soup. It was really good...so good that I had to go the next day to get more! So, the next day, I ordered larb, fried fish and of course, the main event dish, Tom Yum soup! Boy, was I excited to eat it! The soup came out first and I was grubbing! The other two dishes followed shortly thereafter and I ate a couple bites here and there, but mainly, I just wanted the Tom Yum soup. So after about two bowls down, I reach over to the pot for a third helping...and what do I find?? A long piece of hair tangled with a mushroom. My stomach felt queasy and I felt like I wanted to barf (well maybe it wasn't to THAT extreme, but seriously, it was nasty!). I kept looking at the hair, then at the owner (who's hair by the way is so long it's almost to her knees!), then at the hair, then at the owner. Then I started picking around at the other dishes to check for hair. By this time, I had completely lost my appetitie. I will NOT be going back again!
(1)Faye A.
This is one of my favorite restaurants in Seattle! I always see this nice lady with super long hair working there. The first time I tried spicy papaya salad (the laos kind) and beef larp was here and I've been hooked ever since. I've tried their other dishes like the pad thai, tom yum soup, fish cakes etc and they were all pretty good too. I believe they are closed on Tuesdays, fyi.
(5)Linda S.
Best place to eat if you want the flavors of a real Lao cooked meal! (Seattle Area) Food is always the same. Server is nice and sweet (lady with the long hair and lots of jewelery) heheh. The papaya salad is sooo yummy. The juices are made from home made fermented fish sauce. Fried rice is very good. They have fried Rice Balls which is so yummy (hard to find/Hard to make) I been coming here for for years and nothing has changed. You will not be disappointed! Try it if you have not ate there yet.
(5)Chris C.
I don't know much about authentic Thai or Lao food, but a friend took me here at lunch today and it was amazing. I'm going to Thailand next week and this was where he took me to get ready for what I might experience, though he did mention that this was more what I would find in Northern Thailand rather than 'Bangkok' style. I had the Larp Gai and it was nothing like what I expected, but completely awesome and the sticky rice was amazing. Would definitely recommend. Cash only.
(4)Melissa N.
So I discovered Laos food a couple years ago through a friend and just fell in love with this place. You know this place will be good because it looks like a hole in the wall. You walk in and you are greeted by a short woman with long hair. She doesn't smile to often LOL. I usually order their papaya salad and the beef and broccoli with viengthong sauce. I just recently got hip to their fried fish which is soo delicious. This place is very authentic. The service can be better but I am not expecting 5 star service. The only downside is that it is cash only and you better believe the lady when she tells you the ATM is across the street and you can come back and pay. Even if you are a regular. CONS: Cash only
(4)Paul B.
I got Laos food in Thailand before, and I compared it to the cooking of the American Dirty South. Meaty, saucy, and soul-feeding. This place was kiiiiinda the same. I looked at the menu and saw that most stuff was still Thai. However, we did ask for some of the more authentic Laos dishes and what we got didn't disappoint. I should preface that my godmother is Laotian, and I grew up on Laos style home cooking. This place served it up pretty quick, and had those authentic, home-cooked flavors that really really did remind me of my childhood. Steer away from typical Thai dishes and go out of your comfort zone because you'll be pleasantly surprised. Laos food is less spicy as well. Always opt for sticky rice to make the experience more 'real.' I should also mention that this place is by no means a fine-dining, elaborate meal type place. Come in expecting the typical ghetto decor and Laos karaoke music in the background. Throw that aside your inherent fear of such places and get your ass over here!!!
(4)Annie L.
It was my first time having Laos food. It was different but not for me. The place is also very run down.
(2)Vinh L.
Ok, if you are all about how good the food is then this is definitely the place to go. I come here for the papaya salad and I'm never disappointed. I would think of this place as being authentic, and since that's the case I like to eat it super spicy, with sticky rice with my bare hands. Eff the utensils! I've tried random dishes from the menu with every one being palatable. Not a single one I didn't like. I did minus a star because of the service. Nobody complains of the service, but I always seem to get a sense of coldness from the waitress. Maybe it's just me. Also it's a cash only joint, so if you're caught with only a card you gotta run across the street to the US Bank ATM. There goes another 2 bucks....... but anyway GREAT FOOD!
(4)