Baan Mae

The food was ABSOLUTELY phenomenal here. Since it was my first time here, I didn’t know what to order, but my bartender gave amazing recommendations. The salmon belly straight up melts in my mouth and the fattiness and oil from the salmon immediately coats my mouth. The Sakoo was really nice as well, but the salmon is what I would recommend the most!! I need to come back again and try out different things on the menu. If you want some good southeastern Asian food while you’re in DC, definitely check this place out!

Great meal with flavors that popped and punched! Everything was *almost* as it should be. Chicken wings were wonderful, full of flavors, the sauce had a delicate balance of spices and tanginess. Pork jerky tastes like home and paired well with the sticky rice and the relish, although I would have loved more relish because it was so yummy. Lastly the lao curry/gaeng phed lao was a good finisher. The curry sauce had a nice intriguing tamarind taste. The fish was firm and didn't have strong, funky flavor that usual cause me to aboid ordering fish dishes in SE Asian restos. Overall, a great hole in the wall that feed you home style meals, with great service. Glad to have found/tried it. Wil definitely return!

It was for my husband's birthday dinner, and we wanted to try something new in DC! The food was amazing. Each food was very flavorful and exotic - they were different from regular dishes I usually get from other Thai/Viet restaurants. They remembered the dinner was for my husband's bday and they prepared mango sticky rice for us! It was on the house and they kindly prepared a tiny cute candle so he could blow 🥰

Went here with a couple of friends for dinner and sat outside. What a great experience! The food seemed to be a mix of Laotian, Thai, and Vietnamese. We got two apps, three entrees, and some (non alcoholic) drinks and the meal still came it at less than $50pp There was also an interesting bar inside. I don’t drink but it seemed to offer a unique and festive experience. I also like how there was an “Eat Invasive” section on the menu because the catfish highlighting every dish is an invasive species. I recommend the Sakoo and Pork Belly lettuce wraps but everything was good. This place is a hidden gem right now. I will be back!

Possibly my second favorite restaurant in DC. Having spent a couple months in Thailand a few years ago, these flavors really took me back. Got the crab curry and the tapioca balls. Both were absolutely delicious. Drinks were pretty good as well. Chill atmosphere. I’d definitely visit again.

I don’t see these in the reviews much, but the salmon belly was *chefs kiss* 👌🏾. Same goes for the curry! Ribs were delicious and tender. We will definitely be back! 💜

This place has such a cool vibe and delicious food. We had a great time sitting at the bar, enjoying the decor and food all in one. Service was fast and friendly, and even brought me some moist towelettes after I finished my ribs.

Baan Mae is hands down one of the best spots I’ve been to in D.C. The flavors are bold, authentic, and clearly made with love. The cozy, welcoming vibe makes you feel like you’re eating at someone’s home. Service is always kind and attentive. I also appreciate how the menu has a great mix of comfort dishes and regional specialties you don’t see everywhere. This is truly a unique restaurant that you must go and try! Chef Seng and the team are incredible.

4.5 Stars, ALMOST PERFECT!!! I'm a huge fan of SE Asian food, the funky, salty, sweet blends that make the food down right addictive! Baan Mae has these combos in spades. The small but fun space maximizes every corner. Groups larger than 5 might find it tight, but with the warm friendliness of the staff you won't mind. We came in on a winter night, tummies rumbling and ready to eat the whole menu....and we did....so let's jump in. Fi-Oao O'Fish boa sandwiches that are fried catfish, slaw, in a bun; and were so good we ordered another round (this place was made for sharing, but if you are more than 4, just double everything)! All of the dumplings are good, the shrimp dumplings and the tapioca dumplings were perfect little apps. We had the mushrooms het hoi nang lom which faded into the background because when that LAPHET THOKE TEA LEAF SALAD hit the table....the world shifted on its access!!! The Tea Leaf salad is a signature dish in Laos and they did it justice here! Slam dunk. The crab ped was delicious and clearly made of real crab, the sauce was bonkers good and we opted to get the rice noodles (instead of rice) to sop it up...and...ya.....you should too! We also got another red curry that came with blue rice and we didn't leave a drop. Dishes come fast and hot. Spice level is just right (enough that you might pause between bites, but you'll never turn away). We also got some cocktails that were solid but just order a Singha or two and lean in. What a treat!

When I tell you my mauf exploded, mama ain't lyin'. We started out with the Hua Pii (Banana jicama blossom, tamarind sauce, Vietnamese mint, shaved egg yolk, peanut) - THIS IS THE SALAD YOU WANNA START OFF WITH Next we enjoyed the 1 TON (Wonton stuffed with chicken, shrimp, Tom Yum sauce, ground peanut, cilantro, fried crispy garlic) - crispy, steamy, just order it now Jaew bong wings, crispy fried chicken wings with a tangy and spicy sauce were my husband's faves Gaeng Phed (Red curry, lychee, snap pea, pea tendrils, butterfly pea flower Jasmine rice, with crab) - sweet and savory and just the ultimate mouth bomb Whatever you do, don't you dare walk outta there without dessert. We enjoyed the Bua Loy, as sweet warm pandan coconut milk dessert with pumpkin, black sesame mochi, tapioca, and toasted pumpkin seeds - all I gotta say is - mama loved it!

This is such a cozy little restaurant serving up delicious food. The sakoo is delicious-sweet and spicy with a fun texture. Our fave was the crab curry which had a generous amount of crab. Paired with the vermicelli noodles it was a great meal for a cold day.

Chef Seng can do no wrong. I'm a loyal patron of (read: I'm completely obsessed with) ALL of her restaurants, and Baan Mae is no exception. Recently, Baan Mae debuted a weekend noodle shop during lunch hours called "555." As a soup aficionado, I knew I'd have to stop by. To start, I ordered the porky jerky which was super crispy, yet still very tender. As for my soup, I ordered the banh canh, a traditional Vietnamese soup with thick noodles in a pork, crab, and shrimp broth. It was SO filling and delicious. My husband ordered the boat noodle soup which was perfection. You can't go wrong with anything here!

I've had this place on my list for a long time after having it recommended to me by two people! Today, I finally visited with a friend for their weekend 555 noodle bar lunch, where you can choose from 4 soups for 15.55 each (or order anything off the regular menu, which is also available). I tried the wonton soup, while my friend ordered the Burmese curry special off the main menu. The wonton soup was lovely and perfect for a cold day - tasty pork dumplings in a slightly sour broth with a bit of chili on top. It was warm and comforting, and we finished the whole massive bowl, but the star of the show was definitely the Burmese curry! The pork belly was melt-in-your-mouth perfect, and it was in such a unique and flavorful and rich sauce. We immediately made plans to come back next month, which shows you what a good impression it left! The only real negative was that they seemed understaffed today, so service was slower and folks seemed a bit stressed. I suspect a lot of that is just it being so close to the holidays, so we'll see how it is in January. The only other bump we hit was that we ordered dessert, and they subbed half of it due to running out of an ingredient without letting us know beforehand so that we could not order it - we ended up not eating any as a result. However, they apologized and said they normally give a heads up if they don't have the menu item, so I really think this was related to being short-staffed this day rather than anything else. The space is cute, the menu is interesting and changes weekly (including frequent pop-ups from other chefs!), and the food was wonderful, so I'm looking forward to returning! Definitely recommend coming and ordering one of their meat dishes (I've eaten the sticky ribs at their sister restaurant, Padaek, and can vouch for them as well - fall-off-the-bone perfection!). It's hard to predict what will be on the menu, but that's part of the fun. It's a small space and they don't take reservations for groups smaller than 4, so it may be worth getting here earlier if you're dining with a small group. Glad to have tried this spot and looking forward to my next meal here!

My friend and I came because of the 555 Noodles, and it didn't disappoint. We visited on a Saturday, at noon, right when they opened. The owner, I think she was the owner, was very friendly, and made very good suggestions. Always came over to check on us, conversed with us during her free moments. We sat by the window in a small spot but it was just right for the two of us. We had two noodle dishes, mom's noodle soup "khao poon beef" and the banh canh tom cua, from the 555 menu along with the pun khao poon. So good but I think our favorite was the banh canh tom cua because the broth was thick and so were the noodles. Had a kick to it too so if you like spicy, this might be up your alley. Street parking of course in DC. I'd come back to try more stuff, I wish this place was closer to where I work so I could be a frequent customer! Thanks for the delish lunch!

Thip Khao was one of my favorite restaurants in DC so I when I heard the owners were opening another restaurant, I was very excited for it. Baan Mae meets the hype!! The menu was a unique mix of Thai + Lao and everything that we ordered was a delight. I really liked the sakoo, pork jerky, gaeng phed, and pun Khao poon. But truly all the apps and mains that we ordered were delicious. The only thing that we didn't like was the sticky rice dessert - the ice cream and mango were fine but the rice tasted a little... plasticky? The waitress was very attentive and helpful when we asked questions. And it's a cozy, wonderful spot.

A very lovely dining experience with the most attentive staff. My husband and I overindulged in their small plates, main dishes, cocktail, and dessert. I am so happy we got a variety of items because each dish was full of different flavors. To begin our meal, we ordered the mak muang cocktails (Mango puree, Don Q Cristal rum, chili), which was so refreshing and you could taste the sweetness of the mango puree that was perfectly balance with the chili. Almost wish we ordered more! For starters we got the chicken wings and sakoo. The chicken wings were perfectly crispy and the Lao preserved chili paste was delicious. The sakoo came with 5 tapioca pearl dumplings that were filled with preserved radish and peanut, topped with chili, and cilantro. My husband for the khao soi with chicken and it was perfectly spiced and the noodles were perfect! I opted for something I had never had before- the kimin paa, a Southern Thai style pan fried turmeric Branzino that was topped with lemongrass, garlic, and tamarind salt. The turmeric coconut sauce that surrounded the fish was delicious and I could've had a whole jar of it! The green mango salad and butterfly pea coconut rice paired perfectly with it and helped balance the spice. I could not leave without having their dessert, and it did not disappoint. We got their sesame sticky coconut rice with white rabbit candy and mango and it was the perfect portion for the both of us to share. We pretty much rolled out of the restaurant- we were so stuffed and everything was delicious. I think we found out new fave restaurant in the District.

First Laotian restaurant ever! It was a great experience. There is a small outdoor seating area in the back of the restaurant. The inside is cozy with extravagant Southeast decor. There's a long bar table to the right of the restaurant as soon as you walk in if you were to go alone. The service was great! And the atmosphere was radiant - we were lucky to get a seat outdoors. I recommend putting a reservation if you were to go with friends as it gets packed on a weeknight! I got the Khoa Soi. The soup was very delicious and not too creamy. The chicken was grilled to perfection and I love the yellow egg noodles. The portions are a bit small for the price but that's the price you pay for the city. Highly recommend for a date night or even a night with some friends! Make sure to schedule a reservation to be safe!

One of my favorite spots in DC! You can't go wrong with anything on the menu, every single dish is perfectly made and delicious. They now have noodle shop during lunch hours, only serving a few apps and soups. I do still prefer their full dinner menu, but soupy noodles will be perfect for cold winter days. The staff are all very friendly and attentive. The ambiance is cozy and intimate. A must visit!

Such a great experience! Came to Baan Mae for dinner a week or two ago with a group of friends. First off - we had a reservation for 4 but wound up being 7. The staff were soooo accommodating and let us take over a whole corner, despite us being in the way of the host stand. They really went above and beyond to accommodate, which I really appreciate. The food itself was fantastic. We tried almost one of everything on the menu that evening, but highlights are the lettuce wrap entree and the wings. The wings are possibly the best I've had in DC, they're crispy, saucy, and just spicy enough without being overbearing. Cocktails were great as well! The space is cozy and comfortable, nothing super fancy. I'd go back in a heartbeat!

reincarnation of hanumanh, one of our favorite restaurants in DC and our favorite concept from chef Seng. Baan Mae is fantastic - the food has all been delicious and we've had many iterations of the menu since opening. The space hasn't changed, but the cocktail program and team have. Patio out back when weather cooperates. Food comes out quickly, service is wonderful, really can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Favorite dishes are the massamun and crab curries, the longevity noodles, naem khao and banana blossom salad, pork ribs, sakoo and shrimp crudo. And don't skip dessert

Amazing from start to finish. Pro tip: sample appetizers, you can't go wrong. We had the tapioca dumplings with the chicken dumplings. Both delish. For dinner, the branzino and massaman were a hit. Can't wait to go back and sample some more!

Baan Mae is a new addition from Chef Seng, who also introduced Khip Tao and Padaek - Making online reservations was a breeze, and we wanted to ensure that we had a table reserved due to their recent opening for our group. The menu consists of small plates, mains, desserts, sides, and a beverage list. We started off with the following shareables: +hua pii - a banana jicama blossom salad with tamarind sauce, shrimp, Vietnamese mint, shaved egg yolks, and peanuts +shan tofu sliders - chickpea tofu sliders with tofu mayo and pea shoots +satay - Burmese fried chickpea tofu skewered, served with a peanut sauce and cucumber relish +jaew bong goong - pan-seared Argentine red shrimp with jaew bong sauce, prickly ash peppercorn, and a bread stick For the entrees, we tried: +the gaeng phed - a crab curry with lychee, snap peas, and pea tendrils, served with jasmine rice +khao soi chiang mai - yellow coconut curry with chicken drumstick, egg noodles, pickled onions, and chili oil +massaman - curry with short rib, potatoes, and onions, served with jasmine rice +and, the naem paa - pan-seared branzino, served with a noodle salad, lettuce, mixed herbs, and ngoc cham topped with peanuts Note that their menu is updated daily, so there may be items that are swapped out. It is highly suggested to go in a group so that you can order a variety and try different dishes. Staff were friendly, and the ambiance was cozy. There's plenty of metered street parking in the area. +online reservations available +ample metered street parking

Baan Mae is such a cute spot. I tried to snag a table for 2 at 7pm on a Friday without a reservation--not a good idea! Thankfully, the hostess was a very good problem solver and was a star at securing us a table. Both of us got the massaman curry--one with beef, one with tofu. The butterfly pea flower rice is a nice and unique touch (it's blue!). The food was good and fresh, though I'm partial to the abundance of vegetables that Thai places often have in their curries (this was pretty sparse). The outdoor seating was cute. The drink menu was small, but the options were decent. I would return with a reservation and continue exploring their menu. I appreciate that there are some vegan options (their appetizer looks so interesting, it has tapioca pearls), but wish they were more filling. Service was fast and very good at filling our very tiny water cups. It's summer in DC--let's do water cups bigger than 8oz! Please!

Food and service are both stellar. Have been back three or four times now and each time have enjoyed trying new dishes and revisiting favorites (including the fried whole branzino and mochi dumplings).

Baan Mae, which translates to Mother's House, truly lives up to its name. From the minute I walked in, I was greeted warmly and taken care of. Every server had a smile on their face and was happy interacting with guests and each other. The food is clearly made with so much love and soul. Each dish was comforting, like a warm hug. I look forward to becoming a regular here!

We got the sakoo (tapioca pearl dumpling) and the 1 ton (pork and shrimp wonton) and the ribs. Everything was very flavorful and filling. The meat on the ribs fell right off the bone. We didn't make a reservation, but walked up and sat at the bar. If I went again I would definitely make a reservation since it's a relatively small space.

Great ambiance. Fast and super friendly service. Food was reaally excellent. Great drinks selection. Highly recommend!

Wow. I don't even know what to say. The food is fantastic. Great cocktails. The food here is truly an experience. Every bite I had tonight was sooo tasty. The wait staff was so helpful and friendly. The decor was fun and welcoming. Visit Baan Mae for a beautiful culinary experience!

Came here for dinner and it was incredible! The restaurant itself is small and intimate but well decorated. We started with drinks and were impressed, especially with the seasonal som paw dee. For food we had the sakoo (tapioca dumplings), hua poi (banana blossom salad) and the gaeng phed (red curry). All three were incredible, but the curry really stands out - the taste reminded me exactly of a curry I had in Thailand a few years ago and have been searching for something that could compare! I cannot recommend this restaurant enough and can't wait to go back!

This place is about as close as it gets in DC to the much missed Little Serow. The food is not as spicy as LS but just as flavorful. The shrimp Laab, crab curry and mushroom salad were all excellent. One star dropped due to underwhelming beer selection.

This food was so delicious, unique and the service was incredibly attentive. I cannot wait to return! We ordered the following: khanom jeeb Shrimp and chicken with water chestnuts and shiitake mushrooms steamed dumpling hua pii (gf) Banana jicama blossom salad, tamarind sauce, shrimp, Vietnamese mint, shaved egg yolk, peanut thom khem Braised pork ribs, caramelized fish sauce, palm sugar, lychee glaze, sticky rice gaeng phed (gf) Crab curry, lychee, snap pea, pea tendrils, butterfly pea flower Jasmine rice (vegan option available Shan tofu & seasonal vegetables) As a thai food lover, the crab curry was quite possibly the best curry i've ever had -- extremely flavorful and unique with some delightful sweet elements, and the salad was so fresh, flavorful and crave-worthy. I will come back for these two items especially. The ribs were good as well, maybe an 8/10 and the dumplings were okay not the most flavorful but worth a try! Overall awesome experience can't wait to come back.

Celebrated a friend's birthday here and it was a lovely time! The restaurant is tiny so recommend a reservation especially with a big group. They have a cute cozy patio in the back which I would recommend asking for. They change up the menu often with seasonal flavors which was fun for fall. They offered a complimentary birthday dessert which was delicious. Staff was so friendly and kind. A great little spot!

Vegetarian favorites: sakoo and khao soi. Ordered a second khao soi (vegan) because it was so good! Really liked vegan massaman. One of us loved the satay (especially the sauce). All three cocktails were great, especially Next Question. Everyone was friendly and helpful. Will return!

I was surprised to see this place so busy on a Wednesday, but just goes to show I have been missing out! We were still able to be seated almost immediately although it looked like most people had a reservation. We got the fish sliders, khao soi, and koi goong nyak which was perfect for two. All were delicious, and the koi goong nyak was the perfect amount of spicy (if you like spicy food). A cute little spot for your next date!

I had the best experience at Baan Mae with 5 of my friends. We sat on the heated patio, which was so cute and perfect. It wasn't too loud. The temperate was 60 degrees, so it wasn't too cold. The service was amazing. The tapioca dumplings, the ribs, the chicken wings, jerky, and curry were absolutely amazing. My favorites were the ribs and dumplings. The DC Tap Water and Leaf me alone drinks were fantastic. I already can't wait to come back!