Laughing Monk Cafe

Laughing Monk Cafe on Brighton Avenue, in the Allston neighborhood of Boston, is a wonderful little Thai restaurant with a focus on Isan cuisine from the northeast region of Thailand. The menu is loaded with all the Thai standards as well as many plates unique to that area of the country. This place has the meats. I had a platter with three types of grilled pork, called Khao Moo Daeng, that was absolutely delicious. Service was friendly and attentive. The room is small and cozy but the atmosphere is nice. They do a lot of takeout here. Highly recommended.

We have been the loyal customer for 3 years and tried almost everything on the menu 😉 The Tom Yum is the best in Boston. If you love pork, don't miss the crispy pork larb(salad), it's super authentic and will bring you to Thailand 🇹🇭 Beef shank curry is also one of my favorite dish, it's so flavorful and balanced. The front desk lady is also very nice. Every time I go the restaurant, it feels like I am visiting my friend's kitchen 🧑‍🍳 If you love Thai food, this restaurant will be the hidden gem for you

I've been having meal in this restaurant for many times. the food and people are great. For the food, it is very authentic, just like having Thai food in Thailand. My fav are Larb moo grob and Pad See Ew. Also, the Thai tea is also good, it's not that sweet!!!! For the people, the server are very welcoming and hospitality. Overall, I will definitely recommend this restaurant to all of my friends and families.

Their food is awesome. And I have to give a big shoutout to the front desk auntie (possibly owner), so the other day we dined in, and I left my Thai milk tea unintentionally. Five minutes later I tried to retrieve it, she quickly admitted that she trashed it and offered us a new one in a few minutes. Amazing service and amazing lady!

This place is hands down the best spot for authentic Thai food in Boston. Their specialty is Northeastern Thai which is not the typical dishes you’ll find everywhere else. Everything tastes amazing ,especially, Leng Zap and Crispy Pork Belly Larb. The staffs are attentive and friendly. Highly recommend! 🫶

This is the best restaurant that I've eaten at in a long time Every single dish was hot, full of flavor, and a generous portion. The space is very small, but for me that isn't a problem If you like seafood, I HIGHLY recommend their crab fried rice. The scallion pancakes were A+ And their thai tea was so good! My friends and I should have ordered one to go. Long story short, if you're in the area and don't mind waiting for a table - I'd definitely check this spot!! Our server was really nice too (:

This is one of Boston’s iconic Isan foods. It may not be well known, but anyone who has experienced Isan cuisine in Thailand will recognize familiar dishes such as larb and nam tok

One of the most authentic north eastern Thai food you can find here in Boston. They have variety of menus you can choose from and if you love spicy like the Thai spice, this is for you. If you don’t make sure to ask them for the level of spiciness.

Delicious & Authentic northeastern Thai food in Boston. If you like spicy, flavorful, acidic, this is it. This place is absolutely delicious from beginning to end.Very warm and welcoming staff. I'm 100% coming back!

Everyone should know from my last review how obsessed I am with laughing monk. TL:DR I have allergies and they're super accommodating for adjustments, and super kind overall. I go here WAY too often to the point that everyone here knows my order when I walk in, but recently Ive been starting to try some other stuff (like the moo ping is SO GOOD). My boyfriend gets various soups and those are always super tasty and recently he's been getting the Yum Talay which is the seafood salad and he LOVES it. I don't wanna rave about this place too much cause I don't want it to get busy but also who am I to gatekeep, this is my favorite Thai place anywhere I've been (Seattle, NYC, DC, Boston are my main places) If I had a last meal on death row, breakfast lunch and dinner it would be this place. Their Pad Thai... so sorry I started drooling P.S. please enjoy all of these photos of the same meal cause I can't help but take photos of how good it looks to send to my friend max whenever I go :)

This was a very cute place with large portions! I loved the food here - we got crab rangoons to share for the table which was a good choice. I got the massaman curry but one thing to note when ordering their curry is that a bowl of rice is a separate and extra charge. I also got the Thai iced tea which tasted spectacular. The servers were also extremely nice and gave us spices we could add, and also made sure that our water was always refilled. I had a great experience here!

An authentic thai place in Allston! It is small and only has around 5/6 tables for seating. The service is great and the servers there are friendly. All the dishes are really authentic and you can request to adjust spice level to your liking as well.

This is just one of Laughing Monk's locations! This location is closer to Boston in the Allston area so it's much easier to get to with public transportation. Food: I got the Tom Yum soup and the Pork Belly skewers. The soup was so hearty, delicious, and warm. I loved the sourness of the soup. Unfortunately, the noodles were clumpy and were breaking apart. This is such a fixable mistake so that wasn't great. The pork had good seasoning and liked the fish sauce it was paired with. Ambiance: This is a smaller location than the Wellesley or Boston locations but allows for more casual dining. Price: It was about $18 for the soups. Not bad for Boston pricing but I wish there were more noodles in the soup and that the noodles had been loosened before. Overall, I would go again just to try other dishes and it offers Thai dishes that not every restaurant offers.

Good here is always great. My favorite Thai restaurant in the Boston areas. This branch of the Laughing Monk Cafe is especially great, compared to the other branches that don't serve the Eastern/Eastern-San thai dishes and are geared more towards the Fusion with Japanese rolls. Not this branch--it's all authentic Thai E-San/Eastern dishes here. Yummy and definitely my favorite Thai restaurant in the areas.

The food here is surprisingly good at a restaurant that's about as big as a 1 bedroom apartment. We came for a casual dinner in between afternoon and evening classes at nearby Boston University. The dining room was sort of clean and extremely drafty, so definitely do not come for a sit-down meal during the winter. Even on an April evening when it was in the high 50s Fahrenheit I had to keep my jacket on. My date and I shared a fried chicken gyoza appetizer and each had a thai iced tea. I had the chili basil stir fried entree with ground pork and she had the pad see ew with chicken. Jasmine rice cost extra. Everything was very tasty and portion sizes were reasonable. After tax and tip the bill came to $75. Service was provided by the same young woman working the cash register for all the carryout orders piled up behind the counter. Fortunately there are so few seats in the dining room that the waitress took our orders and served our food without too much delay. We'll be back!

I was reading good reviews on yelp, so I tried Laughing Monk Cafe for first time, take out at dinner time I orderd Pad See Ew with Fried Tofu (flat rice noodle, egg, carrot, Chinese broccoli :listed $14.95) but I was charged only $13.50 ! Although carrot was not included. Nice and sweet as American standard, but I could use slightly more portion, probably chef forgot carrot or out of ingredients ? Who knows but hey, less than listed price is always welcome ! As you see on my photos, package on two orders were really nice, I like these much better. Nam Tok Kor Moo Yang I was paying attention to online menu description and photos, but I got regular lettuce and cucumber instead of mint leaves ? and I got two pieces whole chilli instead of ground chili, mistakes ? make me wonder in the kitchen worker's level. Mint leaves are quite important for authentic Thai meal and should not be replaced by lettuce and cucumber at all in my opinion. Probably there are someone in the kitchen confused with other order ? Maybe online price are higher than on site price, dunno... Nam Tok Kor Moo Yang sounds Thai dish to me, I didn't want to have my mistake from my side, so I wrote my order down on paper to be exact. BUT !!! I was charged again less than menu list online, instead of $21.00, I was charged $20.00 !! so I should be happy. I am quite cheap guy, you might have noticed. And this Nam Tok Kor Moo Yang, tasted really automatically great, I mean not too authentic. It was medium spicey level in Thai standard. Lady server was so nice and very professional, taking care of full house and take outs nicely just by herself. So my review star level is more like 4.75 ! Food tasted great !

Great food quick good service. Great taste as well. A nice find in the Boston area small place good service and quick to.

Food: 5 stars Fig.1 and Fig.2 I will never get tired of the delicious Thai style sashimi shrimp forever. Laughing Monk Cafe surely knows how to bring more umami and fresh flavors to shrimp by adding the traditional Thai chili sauce with garlic and Perilla leaves. Fig.3 I really appreciate the good amount of spiciness in this red curry dish. In addition, the beef tendon has the next-level tenderness, which could almost melts in my mouth with a tiny bite. Service: 5 stars The servant is very welcoming. Once a time I asked for a box to pack up the unfinished fried rice to go. I was thinking having some red curry sauce on the top of fried rice could be perfect. However, the servant had already taken away the red curry dish. After she knew my intention to get some red curry sauce later, she felt so very sorry and wanted to bring a Thai milk tea to me for free. Of course I did not let her do that. My point is the servant really cares about customers' feelings. Atmospheres: 3.5 stars The place is a bit small which only has a few tables there. If you plan to come to the restaurant Friday or weekends, you'd better get yourselves prepared for a long waiting. Overall, I will still give the Laughing Monk Cafe a five star rating for their delicious foods as well as warming services. Good job!

Tiny Thai restaurant with seating for only about a dozen people at a time; fortunately the stiff competition from the heavily concentrated Allston dining scene is your ally--at least as far as seating goes. Parking can be tougher but it's easier than you'd think. No bells and whistles, it's all about the food, and it is both excellent and authentic. Moo Ping (marinated and grilled pork skewers): Very tender (even more than you can imagine) and moist (make that full-fledged juicy), full flavor from the marinade, and an extra boost from the thin, acid-and-herb dipping sauce. Gai Ping (grilled marinated chicken): Different flavor from the pork, but same dipping sauce. Moist, flavorful, and enjoyable, but if you're torn between pork and chicken, go with the pork. Som Tum Thai (papaya salad): One of a dozen different varieties of papaya salad, this basic one had nice crunch, a mix of tart and spicy, and some funk from fish sauce and tiny dried shrimp. Refreshing but by no means a hiatus from lively flavors--not that we needed one. Isan Style Sausage: Ground pork, rice, and herbs, it wasn't as spicy as versions had elsewhere, but extremely flavorful, and interesting plump shape, presumably from being sliced prior to frying. Served with several accompaniments, including peanuts, cilantro, ginger slices, and Thai chili peppers. Khao Phot: Sweet corn and julienned carrot salad with tomatoes, salted egg, yard long beans, fresh chili, garlic, palm sugar, lime juice, and fish sauce. Refreshing start and a good complement to heartier and/or spicier appetizers like pork sausage, fried pork belly, or any of the skewers. Vegetable Gyoza: My wife's appetizer choice (she's not a meat eater), this steamed dumpling (can also be had fried) had cabbage, peas, carrot, edamame, wheat flour, garlic powder, and sesame oil. Surprisingly robust flavor and not at all a spinachy-but-not-much-else approach kind of dumpling. As a staunch carnivore, I still enjoyed it. Yum Talay (spicy lime salad with steamed seafood): Nicely done, with spice and gentle textures, though I found the protein a little boring. The only item I didn't love. Deep Fried Pork Belly: A fantastic dish, pretty much along the lines of chicken katsu. Good juiciness. Nothing special flavor-wise about the batter, but it had good crunch and was just the right thickness. Loved the spicy-tart-crunchy dipping sauce that was more of a pickle or salsa. Great combination. My only (possible) regret is that it might not reheat as well as the other items. (Solution: eat the whole thing in one sitting.) Pad Ka Pow: Chile-Basil protein in a spicy, thinned-down black bean sauce; I chose chicken. Excellent rendition: crumbly, tender and moist even aside from the sauce, with all of the flavors bold but none outshouting any of the others. I typically use this dish as my barometer for any first time visit to a Thai restaurant, and Laughing Monk laughed all the way to the bank on this one. Because we ordered so many dishes, and held off on ordering the last two until mid-meal, the server assumed we wanted them to go, hence the different plating in the photo. Wasn't worth having them replace it (I'm not that guy). Pad Ped: Fried catfish (choice of protein, can alternately choose pork belly or beef) with chili, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf, fresh peppercorns, herbs. Dark semi-spicy flavor, served with jars of accompaniments (Thai chili pepper, fish sauce, jalapeño-like peppers, Thai chili powder) to spice it further. Crisp, flavorful, superb. Just be careful to avoid sharp fishbones if you opt for the catfish version. Pad Thai with Tofu: An item from the "American Thai" menu, as the server put it; the rest were from the "Authentic Isan" menu. Slightly sweet but nice noodle-forward texture; not the over-sweetened, excessively wet Pad Thai that's turned me off to the dish in general.

An absolute great experience! My wife and I went to the Laughing Monk Cafe last night expecting to find a very good restaurant based on the 4.5-stars rating that it has. However, what we found was something even better than very good. Let's start with the service. Our server was very cordial and polite and she was able to answer all the questions we had about some of the dishes. She also offered her recommendations for some of the dishes we tried and all of them were beyond delicious. We liked very much all the dishes we tried, starting with the appetizers (Crab Rangoon and Scallion Pancakes) and continuing with the chicken cashew nut that has been one of the best we have ever eaten. We finalized with a black coconut crème brûlée that was absolutely unique. I accompanied all of this with plum wine, which is one of my favorite drinks. In terms of the place, it is cozy, although pretty small for the popularity of the place. It can become packed pretty easily, which it is highly recommended to be there maybe before 5:30 pm. Now, what we observed is that there were many to-go orders which definitely speaks about that this restaurant is very well liked in the area. In general, great experience!!! Highly recommend!!!

Delicious Thai food in a small restaurant with a handful of tables. We tried pad see eww and scallion pancakes and both were quite delicious. Bok choy was very good in the dishes.

We stopped here for a weekday lunch. This restaurant took over the old S&I spot. They renovated, so the dining space is a taaad larger than the old space. There are a few tables and seating for a max of 14 people total. Although there is a heavy curtain over the door, you will still feel a draft when the door opens. The gentleman at the front handles take out orders and waits the tables. Very friendly, refilled our waters frequently (papaya salad was spicy!) and answered all of our questions. We ordered drunken noodles with chicken, papaya salad with all the different toppings, sticky rice, and the shrimp omelet soup. The papaya salad was massive and very fresh. Would recommend to get mild because mild already has a good kick! Shrimp omelet soup was flavorful with a slightly thick broth. Try the soup with rice or noodles! Glad my husband ordered the sticky rice because I ended up eating it all with my soup. The drunken noodles were yummy but the authentic isan menu items are better. Excited for this new addition to the Allston food scene, will be coming back soon.

In this location, you'll find Northern Thai cuisine from the Isan region and even though the interior is small with a few tables for 2 people and a large table for a party of 4, you won't be disappointed by the dishes they offer. This was our second time and even though our first time there we thought the food was on the saltier side, this time around, it was truly delicious from what we got. We're weren't too famished but wanted Thai food. So we got the papaya salad with salted crab and shrimp, which should be mixed thoroughly to gain that all-around texture and flavor without the dish being salty. We lovingly recalled the chargrilled marinated pork jowl with sparkles in our eyes and had to order it twice because it was that good - sliced thinly, grilled perfectly, juicy, tender, just the perfect richness, and paired well with the dipping sauce! Let's not forget about the chargrilled bone-in chicken which was super tender and flavorful! Really wished I took some pictures before everything was devoured. Means I'll have to get more of these dishes next time! Service was quick and attentive and even though our server, who seemed to be the only one, except for another person from the kitchen helping out from time to time when it got busy, didn't give too much warmth during the experience, whenever we asked for her assistance, she didn't hesitate and was very polite. Here, you won't come here for an atmospheric experience but more along the lines of very good Northern Thai cuisine to be shared and enjoyed among friends, and then you're on your way. Note: Within the bathroom, the toilet can be flushed with a wave of your hand at a specific spot on the top of the tank! Super cool!

Wow, good laughs and great time. So looking forward to trying all the menu"'mmm Hit this place up , for some good Thai food!

I've found my go to Thai place. Five years living in Thailand has left me very particular about the food that gets passed off as Thai--Americanized, mainstream fare. This place has it authentic, and a large Isan menu which few other places offer, with the exception of a couple of offerings like som tam. Here, you can get a dozen different types of som tam alone. Full disclosure, I've just been here one time, got the Thai som tam and gai yang, with some sticky rice. Both were excellent, and enough to make two meals out of. The flavors were definitely authentic, nothing watered down for the weak Western palate. I will be a regular, I think. FYI, seating is extremely limited, so take out is the best option.

I had the green curry which was great! There was some vegetable in it that no one at our table had had before, so that was fun. We also got dumplings at the start and those were great too. Service was great!

One of the best restaurants out there! I ordered the khao soi and it's my fav of all time.

Excellent food quality Thai restaurant, tables is limited, go early for lunch will be ideal

Man, all of it is on point. The crispy chicken is sizzling. The noodles - perfect texture. Fresh veggies. That crab Rangoon hitting like today's special catch. Hell yeah.

I got food to go after a night of heavy drinking. The drunken noodles were my hangover cure. The to go meal came in a good portable container of cardboard with a plastic seal that you peel. I didn't eat in, but when I picked up my food the restaurant looked intimate and the other food looked tasty. I ate my meal at home and the first few bites were really good, however, it did feel really greasy and the vegetables could have been cooked better. I will try this place again, I have a feeling it'll be better to dine in than carry out.

I came here for lunch on a weekday with some friends! This Thai restaurant is a great addition in Allston! I thought they would also serve sushi like their location on Huntington Ave. but they only offer Thai food options which they have a huge selection of! We ordered the Pad Thai (a classic yummy dish!), Pad See Ew (also can't go wrong with), Mango Curry (sweet and savory! It wasn't too spicy as well! I really liked it!), papaya salad with salmon (it was a bigger portion than we thought, it kind of tasted different than other papaya salads and was a little spicy, I thought the salmon was not a good combination with the papaya salad though), and the crying tiger (the beef was a bit dry and tough to eat). All their dishes are reasonably priced especially for the big portions! I would definitely come back here for more Thai food!

Food is excellent! Service is great! We ordered pad ka pow with chicken, more moo yang ( grilled pork neck), and moo ping (grilled pork skewers). The meat is all marinated and tasty, together with the secret jaew sauce, it just brings the flavor to a different level - greatest Thai dishes we have ever! Highly recommended to anyone who's visiting the area.

one of the best thai food restaurants i've ever tried. delicious. the raw shrimp appetizer was acidic and fantastic. both the curry dishes had a wonderful amount of ingredients and the flavors were so deep and rich. pad see ew noodles were perfectly cooked and did not stick to each other- skillful cooking. the chicken in the dish was tender and the veggies added nice contrast. portion size good as well and price not too steep. restaurant pretty small in size and did not need reservations.

Honestly, I've never sat down to eat at this restaurant, so I can only speak to their food delivery service. Laughing Monk Cafe (Allston) has one of the best Thai foods in the Boston area. This location specifically serves northern Thai cuisine & that makes me so happy! I've also ordered the typical pad Thai or pad se ew, but please do your self a favor and try their meats! Isan cuisine: koor moo lan ( pork cheek!) super tender meat & it pairs so well with the most amazing spicy sauce, star of the show!! Give laughing monk a try & I will update when I go in person to touch on their ambiance!

Really great food and service. Lovely little place with great ambiance. Very small number of tables so you may have to wait if you want to eat in. The food was really wonderful. Service was very quick. Will go back there again.

Amazing authentic Thai food. The basil fried rice was perfectly spicy, and you can taste the love in the pad Thai. I'm not from the Boston area but I would definitely come back for this food again.

I traveled to Thailand and experienced Isan cuisine. It was a beautiful experience. Initially we looked at the menu and it has the familiar dishes such as Pad Thai, wings and rangoon's. To our surprise the back of the menu was written in Thai. I asked the waitress to take us on a cultural journey of exploration and that she did!!! We had the pork larb with pork liver. Incredible. We had the papaya salad with salted water crabs. Fermented, fish sauce driven and spicy but still really good. We had the chargrilled pork jowl (pork neck). Come on...no reason to eat any other cut of pork ever again. We had the seafood Yum and this was by far the best dish. Incredible. Mouth watering. A play of all the taste buds...sweet, sour, salty and a hint of heat. Wow. And to top the day off we went to the Laughing Monk on Huntington Ave for sushi. The freshest we have had in New England. Any of the special or common rolls will delight. Thank you to the owners and staff for holding a high standard amidst very difficult economic turmoil and inflation. I know it might not matter to some but all the chefs originated from Isan.

5/5, easily some of the best Thai food I've had in Boston. Laughing Monk Cafe in Allston is a small, unassuming hole-in-the-wall with just several tables. When we were sat down, we were giving a double sided menu, one side with your typical Thai takeout fare, the other completely in Thai. When I asked the staff about their Thai menu, she gave me the English version. If you don't know Thai, definitely ask for it. I had the yum woon sen with ground pork, which was citrusy and so flavorful. It didn't look like a big portion, but it filled me up. My friend had the pad Thai with chicken, and although the chicken was a bit dry, the noodles made up for it. The noodles in both dishes were so flavorful and chewy in the best way. I definitely recommend!! Good shit

Amazing and authentic Thai food. The menu had many items at a very reasonable price, and the food came out very fast and was delicious. Very kind staff and the restaurant had a clean and casual interior.

Come to this place with a warm welcome, tiny place but everything is clean and comfy. The food doesn't need to be discussed because it is so yummy..

Laughing Monk in Allston offers really authentic dishes that I definitely have not seen elsewhere in Boston. The papaya salad was so refreshing, and as someone who isn't a fan of papaya, I still thought it was really good. The grilled pork was perfect,and the Khao Soi - also amazing - I loved the flavor; it was rich and creamy but not overwhelming.

Best Thai in the area. Go back whenever I'm in Mission Hill. Pad Thai, pad see ew, and drunken noodles are favorites.

After spending a month in Thailand, I have spent the past four months searching for a restaurant that came close to the delicious food of the country. This restaurant is it! Absolutely devious Koh Soi and chicken pad Thai. This is the only place I will get Thai food in Boston now.

Nice ambience, fast service, and kind waiter. Prices typical for Boston. Got the yellow curry; looked small but was full after.

Holy @#$! this place is GREAT Thai food at a very reasonable price. The only downside is that the restaurant itself doesn't seat that many people so you might have to wait during peak times. This is the best Thai food in the Boston area (Crying Thaiger a close 2nd).

One of my favorite place for authentic Thai food. This place is clean. Their dishes are fresh. My favorite dishes are the papaya salad and Kua Gai chicken.

Got takeout today. Food were flavorful. They are authentic tastes like in Thailand. I got papaya salad and larb pradook( cat fish salad). Great service also. Will definitely go back for more.

I've literally been on the hunt for the real tam poo plara in Boston, after having moved here from Thailand. &This is it. The Tub wan is also divine. If anything this is the one dish you can't miss. I'd also love to have that moo ping everyday too if i could. Not even kidding.

The food is excellent! If you are looking for authentic thai food. My recommend dishes are Som tum, Pad Thai, and Moo ping!!

phenomenal food and service, the waitress gave the best recommendations and was so attentive and accommodating. we got the anchovy sauce papaya salad and crispy pork larb per her recommendation and they were our favorite dishes. Also got the chicken pad see ew and the noodles were so thick and chewy, stir fried ground beef was also good, great spice level

This is the best Thai restaurant in Boston ever! If you are looking for OG Papaya salad (Somtum) or Padthai, I would definitely recommend you to try it here.

The best Thai food I've had! Couldn't recommend more. The service is quick and the food never disappoints. The Larb is out favorite thing and we get it any chance we get!

Absolutely fantastic 1000% recommended. Best Thai food around! We drive 1 hour to go here!

5/5 very authentic Northeastern Thai Food. Very recommend!!! You should try Pad Thai.

(4 1/2 STARS) Had a really good meal here! The drunken noodles with beef and the red curry with chicken were both excellent. We got medium spicy, which actually wasn't THAT spicy -- if you like very spicy get hotter than medium! The service was good, and the inside, while small, is clean and cozy. And they play cool Thai pop music! It can get a little cold when people walk in and out, so would suggest bringing a sweater (in winter). The Thai iced tea was a bit too sweet, but they gave us extra ice and water when we asked so it could be made less strong. If you like Thai this place is worth a try!

WARNING: THIS FOOD WILL MAKE YOU HAPPY. I am reluctant to write this review. The food was so good i almost want to keep it a secret. I had the best tom yum soup I have ever had. I have been to Thailand. This soup was authentic and so good. My friend got the larb which was made with ground duck, and he said it was amazing. i got the pad Thai and it was outstanding. But best of all was the staff. They were friendly and just so nice. Before leaving I went to the kitchen and just peaked in and thanked the people for a wonderful meal.

Glad to know where I can get the real authentic Thai food now. Everything are delicious, very flavorful and big portion.