Padaek Arlington Ridge

Came in right as they opened for lunch. Had been waiting to out Padaek for awhile now, and while the food was wonderful it was lacking the punch of Lao flavor. Everything was tame, clean palette if you will. Nonetheless they dish we ordered were still good. Servers were pretty attentive. When asked how certain dishes are, it would have been nice to get more than yeah, that one is good. No description of flavors beyond what's already described in the menu. The inside is beautifully decorated. Thia place is popular, especially with overseas Laos and Thais in the area. Will try the other location to see how the flavors compare.

The food here is absolutely fantastic - fresh, great portions, beautiful presentation, overall so happy with the cuisine. The decor was also lovely and modern and the ambiance was pleasant. Good temperature and music. I will say the only disappointing thing was really sad service. Lack of a greeting at the door, miserable looking waitress. No offer of beverages as we were seated. Just overall terrible experience with the server. Some people just don’t have the personality for that type of job. I will probably be back for a to go order rather than dine-in. Hopefully if I dine in again I get a more pleasant server. Overall wonderful restaurant!

AMAZING FOOD! The flavor were impeccable. The catfish sauce was filled with flavors and layers. The Sakoo was uniquely delicious. The Crab noodels were light and just the right portion and combination. Service was quick, though we had to go get a waiter to get our order taken, but I think this was a one off experiwnce and not the norm. Would 1000% recommend.

love the falls church location so i had to come to this one as well. my monkey business cocktail was SO GOOD. if you love coconut, pandan, and southeast asian flavors this is the drink for you. food was great overall. the beef laab was fresh and and acidic in the best way. the GAENG PHED PUU was so creamy and full of crab meat chunks. it little salty but good. PLA MAKHAM was so crispy and well balanced. overall, definitely come again! edit: i came back and got more dishes! generally this meal was very salty and required lots of rice and drinking water. still very good but maybe reduce the salt levels

The beef jerky is a reason by its self to go here, everyone loved it. The chicken satay was the best I ever had (very meaty). The crab noodles were ok but the Paa Tawd (catfish) was some of the best food I ever had. Drive 90 minutes to eat here and I have eaten here twice now.

Went for the first time and realized it was restaurant week. Food was great - I had blue catfish in a pumpkin curry. My wife had the ribs. Great flavors and preparation. Service suffered a bit from the restaurant week crowd, but it was fine. Same for the atmosphere - the place was packed and loud. They do have outdoor seating, as well as a covered porch-like area. Would love to sit there next time.

Got seated asap. Food got served in less than five minutes after ordering. Ambience is nice and food is amazing. Chairs are comfy too and servers are kind. Serving sizes are big too

FANTASTIC! I went at the very end of lunch hour, so expectations were moderate. Staff was very friendly and helpful. Food was really outstanding. Flavors were well spiced, but not too spicy, just right. Warm and vibrant. Shrimp was VERY fresh, perfectly done. Plate was beautifully but simply decorated, and this is all at lunch mind you. Very impressed and will be back soon. Great for lunch, and would be also nice for a date-nite. Waitstaff VERY polite and friendly. Couldn’t ask for a better experience. Arlington is very lucky to have this restaurant. Now been for dinner as well. Three times now. Consistently fantastic. This place is really doing something special. crab dish was subtle yet spicy and perfectly flavored. Very pretty presentation as well. VERY vegetarian friendly and/or flexitarian/pescatarian friendly. Clearly marked menu for vegetarians. Very lucky to have this restaurant nearby.

Really good Thai/Laotian restaurant in Arlington! Same owner/chef as Thip Khao in Columbia Heights (which is incredible and tons of unique dishes). We ordered the chicken satay, crab fried rice, shrimp pad thai, and crispy basil with chicken. All of them were excellent, but our favorite was the shrimp pad thai. Will absolutely be back soon!

We had an excellent first meal here with a couple of friends. Being able to sit outside was a blessing because it was a bit too cold inside. We had the beef jerky and spring rolls for appetizers. The jerky was flavorful even without the very nice spicy red sauce. I did not have the spring rolls because I was scarfing down the jerky but the others liked it. Our mains included two salads: the excellent laab, and the Tum Lao (super spicy as well as sour, terrific). Dick ordered a curry whose name I did not get, but I liked it. Also fairly spicy, My choice was the nam tok, ribs which I expected would come in a rack but instead it was flavorful slices with lots of salad on top. And Nancy got the eggplant salad which all of us liked, even Paul who usually does not like eggplant. Lots and lots to eat, we came away with many doggy containers. We look forward to returning to try more of the menu

Ate here 2 times and really like the food, but there's some things you need to know. First, not all of the dishes will satisfy a big hunger. I left feeling hungry. Next, they don't know what spicy means. The medium plus was very mild. Go for the Thai spice to see what that means. I will next time. Finally, they bring out the food when ready. My wife got her dish 5+ minutes before I did. On the plus side the food is tasty and worth the visit. IMO Prices are a little higher than they need to be given the location.

Food is absolutely delicious just like the original Location. Derive is also wonderful. I got pork and rice which is my favorite. I really like the spaciousness of this location in contrast to the original. The server was a little odd as she didn't seem very familiar with the menu. She just recommended the priciest items. She also said they had no caffeinated drinks but clearly I ordered the green tea. Which was really tasty. I would definitely be back.

Went here with family and they were kind enough to seat us on short notice. Parking was easy and the place is very nice and spacious inside. I would absolutely recommend this place and go back. The prices are reasonable and the food is absolutely amazing. The only think we didn't love were the fish cakes, but everything else was fantastic. The chicken satay was juicy and perfectly cooked and seasoned, the spring rolls were crispy and so was the fried fish. We also got ribs from the special menu which were fantastic. The flavor combinations were very unique across the different foods we tried. I wish their dessert menu was a little larger but this place is great!

Last night we paid a visit to the Padaek in Arlington Ridge on S. Glebe. There's another Padaek in Falls Church. We arrived shortly after the 5pm opening to a modern smartly decorated restaurant. Service was excellent: affable and responsive. JP started out with the Lost in Oaxaca cocktail, a potent blend of mezcal and tequila. But hey, wait a sec, aren't all tequilas mezcals? Actually, mezcal is a term for tequila that is distilled from agave in a Mexican state other than the five states where tequila is distilled. I ordered the Thai Iced Thai since I didn't see any coffee on the menu. I had Thai Iced Tea years ago, and pardon the pun, it just isn't my cup of tea. Too sweet and pungent. We ordered the Tamarind Glazed chicken wings, which were actually a combination of party wings and drumsticks. These are quite good, the best dish we had on this visit. JP ordered a noodle dish with pork belly. He could have selected tofu instead of prok belly. This dish was okay. I opted for the curried Kaho Soi (Gai). It was so-so. Way too many noodles. Really skimpy on the pieces of dark meat. Not a big deal, but I like the mustard greens and pickled onions to be delivered on a side plate along with the kaho soi bowl. Padaek just dumps the sides in the khao soi beforehand. This place is spendy for what you get, so we probably won't be back.

Flavor above everything else The spot doesn't miss. Everything is so delicious! We had a group of 8 and were seated shortly after we checked in. They were very fast and we got our food quickly, which is nice because we were hungry! We started with the chicken wings and everyone loved them! Really tender and crispy. The fried rice was amazing - one of our favorites. The pork was really good too and came with a delicious sauce. And the salad was spicy!! But we loved it. Everything was so good. We can't wait to come back and try more dishes!

We always loved the original Padaek so when we closer one opened, we made sure to check it out. Very new and nice looking inside. The decor is much more modern compared to their original location. Service was friendly and great as usual The food also does not skip a beat. We always get the Naem Khao Thadaeu (salad lettuce wrap) and it will still delicious. We got a couple of the other entrees and they al continue to deliver. Will definitely be back!

Food was amazing. It took ober an hour yo gey there. It was worth it. Staff were very friedly.

My dinner here was delicious and I can't wait to go back! My fave was definitely the crab meat longevity noodles - there was so much flavor and a good amount of crab meat in every bite. If you have room, I also highly recommend the dessert. The ice cream and the black sesame pudding was SO good!!

Colorful ambiance, friendly service, flavorful food This padaek is lot larger than the Falls Church restaurant. Great for large parties. Food came quickly. Our favorite was the pork sausage starter and the Naem Khao Thadaeu (coconut fried rice with pork, tofu and flavorful bits)

Came in around 1215; store had just opened. Ordered around 1220, food arrived by 1230, very fast service. Ordered a Laotian salad and the fried catfish. The Laotian salad had the correct amount of spice and savory fish sauce taste. Found myself drinking more water along the way. The catfish was cut finely and fried to perfection and served with crispy Thai basil; wasn't sure if it was decor or not, ate one like a fried kale chip.

Everything we ordered in the photo was good! I especially liked the chicken wings, it was flavorful! The crunchy eggplant was good as well, unfortunately, they said it was the last day they are offering this in their menu. We got the crab fried rice and the crunchy fish, I forgot how it's called. The place was spacious and located next to an acai place. A must try!

It was my first time at this location. The ambience is so cute with beautiful fresh flowers at each table, and many types of seating. Service was good with refills in water, and they answered any questions we had. I was given a take out container with a lid that didn't work so they gave me another one after they tried to close it. The food was ok, I've been to their other stores like Siang Khene which I thought the food was better. I had their Sau Oa (I might have misspelled it) as an appetizer. It was tasty and spicy, especially with the sauce. I was expecting it to be have a charred exterior but it was quite soft. I also got their chefs special yellow curry with noodles. It was the right amount of spice, enough to numb my lip but I liked the heat. It came with pork and some crispy noodles at the top.

Very friendly staff and quick services. I would recommend the porn sausage and grilled pork shoulder. The crab longevity noodle was too salty for me. It's $100 including taxes and tips for an appetizer, two main dishes, and two beers. A bit pricey but the portions were quite big.

The new Padaek location is fabulous! As regulars of the OG location in Falls Church, we wanted to try out their new location and it's so much more spacious and decorated so well! The service was attentive, there's plenty of parking, and plenty of outdoor seating! Our usual orders are: - Naem Khao Thadaeu (this is a MUST ORDER. It's the crispy coconut rice salad and I love it with the sour pork sausage) - Siin Savanh (loved by Phil of Somebody Feeds Phil and now loved by my husband and I! A wonderfully flavored beef jerky) - laab (a classic southeast Asian dish. Theirs is tangy and delicious) - Khao Soi (maybe one of our favorite Khao soi dishes in NOVA--and tastes better than their the one at their OG location) - pad phed (almost reminded me of krapao--sooo good and flavorful) - gaeng phed puu (crab with coconut red curry--also sooo good) I'm so happy this new location opened. While the prices seem a little higher than they used to be a the OG location in Falls Church, this location seems a little more "upscale" and has some more and different menu items. It's honestly hard to miss with the dishes at Padaek and I will be returning here regularly.

I like Padaek especially their crispy rice salad which is my favorite and I like that they have Thai and Lao dishes. However, as nice as this location is, I have not had good experiences here and I tend to have a strike system that ranges from one very bad experience to maybe 3 meh experiences. I've had multiple meh experiences on top of the not so cheap prices now. Both times that I have come to this location and the third time I ordered delivery from here: 1. Crispy rice salad is ALWAYS soggy and NEVER crispy for delivery and for in person dining (I only have this issue at this location and not the other one for some reason) so for home delivery I air fried it to make it crispy 2. I ordered 2 Thai ice teas with my delivery meal of over $100 and the drinks were left off 3. When I called to ask for the drinks, it took me 4 tries to get my call picked up 4. Once they picked up, they ask me when I would come to get my drinks... I'm sorry, what did I just pay almost $10 in delivery fees and 20% additional delivery tip for if I'm coming to get it myself? 5. They tried to offer credit for next time I visit but how are they going to make sure that actually happens and I'm not that excited to come at this point. 6. They finally agreed to refund me the drinks and said it would show in 2-3 business days but it's been over a week and no refund. I plan to call tomorrow to follow up. Would not recommend this location though. Prices are going to everywhere while service is going down. My friend that we were hosting for dinner that night was shocked at how bad the experience was.

Amazing new location for Padaek. Space is lovely and inviting, service is wonderful. Open kitchen. Food is better than ever, especially when Chef Seng is there. Favorite dishes are always the pork neck, naem khao, crab curry, crab noodles, sai oua, chicken wings, crispy catfish. But you cannot order incorrectly here all of the food is great. I go for the more Laotian side of things but the Thai dishes are great as well and her curries are some of my favorites around. Parking can be tough

And in conclusion..... The food was great. Ask for the spice tray. The jalapeño spice added to Pad Thai was very good. Unexpected because I've never tried jalapeño in it. Mieng Catfish plate had a lot of food and catfish. Posted pics of it because we couldn't find any on here.

I was so glad Padaek finally reopened! The interior is very cute and they have big tables for groups as well. Tried out the Ping (grilled flavored pork and sticky rice) and it was super flavorful with a bit of char on the edges! Also didn't skip on the classics like Naem Khao Thadaeu (crispy rice salad with pork sausage) and Kao Soi noodles. The menus seemed slightly different from the Falls Church location, but the quality of the food is just as outstanding as before! Reservation can be made through Resy! There is a huge parking lot but you can park in front of Giant if you have trouble finding parking in the plaza.

Absolutely mouth watering. Tried salad, sausage, jerky, and nam khao with my friend and we were so happy and stuffed. Chef Seng and team have done it again! I haven't been to the other location but have been to Thip Khao and love it too. Laotian and Southeast Asian food is so amazing and flavorful; I'm glad it's spreading more throughout the region. The inside of the restaurant is quite spacious and beautifully decorated, adorned with colorful paintings and ratan furniture. There is a separate room that could be used for private events as well and the space is good for parties of any size. They have a lunch menu as well that I believe is $15 so it's a great place to check out if you're in the area!

New Padaek location! The decor is modern and sleek and you can definitely fit more people here than their Falls Church location. My friend and I stopped by for dinner this past Monday and we enjoyed our entrees. The service was good and pretty quick, too. PING - 18 I've had this before and I really liked the marinade they used to grill the pork. This entree comes with sticky rice (definitely eat it while it's still warm, otherwise it is kind of hard to pull apart). The sauce on the side made the meat a bit more tangy with a slight spice to it. Overall, it was a great option for me and there was more than enough meat that I was able to take it home and eat it for lunch the next day. My friend got the GAENG HANG LAY which is a braised pork belly curry that was super flavorful and homey, a perfect comfort option. HIs entree doesn't come with sticky rice though, which he seemed sad about. Definitely would recommend this, too. Good experience, delicious food. Give this Padaek location a try!

We've been to this location a few times and the food is always good. They have a great environment with lots of seating inside and outside. Their pad Thai, noodle dishes and curries are all really good. For starters, the papaya salad is super refreshing as well. We also love the dessert which is black rice with white rabbit ice cream. Would highly recommend trying it out if you go!

Its great to have a Padaek in Arlington and not having to drive to Falls Church or downtown to Thip Khao (though all of them are awesome.) The chef's ability to create amazing flavor depth really differentiates this from other Lao and Thai restaurants. The Peek Gai wings were wonderful. Crisp outside, juicy inside, strong in flavor without being overly spicy. Our entrees - both vegetarian and meat - were all good. Pro tip for Arlington soccer travel and ADP parents - this is a great meal while the kids have an 90 minute practice at Gunston!

When I heard that Padaek was getting a new location, I was so so sooo happy for them! I love the original location which is small and quaint-- like the vibe of an auntie or mom making a nice home cooked meal. However, with their new Arlington location, they've modernized into a hip and very aesthetic restaurant. Very different. It think the changes make a lot of sense. It appeals to the new neighborhood. While I think it's very cute and Instagrammable, I find that it is indistinguishable from other local restaurants' aesthetics. I am also happy to report that the food is still very good! Simply delicious. They seem to have added new menu items as well as alcoholic beverages. My friend and I ordered the Naem Khao Thadaeu (must order with the sour pork), Pad Thai, and the Crab Noodles. We also got the two of their specialty cocktails that wr both enjoyed. I'll probably continue getting take out at their Falls Church location, but definitely eat in at this one. The staff here are running a tight ship and you can tell how important the success of this new adventure is to them-- many of whom I recognize from their original location. I love to see it and they genuinely seem to love what they're doing. I can't wait to see them continue to succeed!

Wow, as a loyal follower of Padaek falls church, I was absolutely ecstatic to go to their new location in Arlington Ridge. As soon as your see and enter the restaurant, everything is absolutely beautiful, I love the door and the beautiful designs of the door. Everybody was soooo kind and welcoming, despite the crowd, staff seemed excited that we were there and during both visits, the staff was incredibly attentive. The food absolutely passes the same delicious standard of the original restaurant. We ordered the fish cakes, moak paa, crab noodles, Kua mee, Tom yum, papaya salad, and laab. Everything was absolutely delicious, we would absolutely order everything again and we are excited to continue to make our way through the menu! We are excited to continue to be loyal Padaek followers and support the new location!

Love their new location! They did such a great job with the new decor in this spot. It's very conveniently located to grocery stores so you can stop to get food during lunch or dinner. We got the Tom Yum soup, drunken noodles, and papaya salad. Everything we had was very tasty and they did a great job making food spicy. I wish for my drunken noodles the tofu was fried instead but in total very good.

Came in for lunch on a weekend, it was not as busy as i thought it would be. We were seated immediately, water came quick, but there wasn't any ice in it and it was warm, tasted directly from the sink, yuck. I had to ask for ice. We ordered: Nam Khao thadaeu - 4/5 Pork Spring rolls - 4/5 Tum thai - 4/5 Drunken noodles beef - 3/5 Jaew bong fried rice - 2/5 Tom yum shrimp -2/5 Paa tawd - 5/5 From the bottom up, Paa tawd is made with fried catfish, they cook it so well that you cant tell its catfish, that distinguish taste to catfish. Sweet and tangy, its a must try. Tom yum soup is alright, i think they cooked it too long with the lime in the broth, it's over powering with boiled lime, yuck. Fried rice was too wet to be called fried rice. It's ok but not really fried if it's semi soggy. Drunken noodles had flavor to it, i got it with beef, beef was a little chewy and the entire dish is a tad salty. Tum thai is the papaya salad i didn't get to try but the family enjoy it. Spring rolls were pretty good, crispy and flavorful. The nam khao was an int dish for me, my bro loved it. It's a must try. I definitely would like to come back and try their other dishes, overall it's a keeper.

I am OBSESSED with all of Chef Seng's restaurants. I've been to Padaek (in Falls Church) probably no less than 40 times, so when Chef opened up a new restaurant closer to me, I was elated. I've already been to the new Arlington Ridge location at least 10 times, and I have no plans on slowing down, especially since the menu at the ARL location is a bit more expansive than at the FC location. (Also, the ARL location is gorgeous! Kudos to the interior designer!) Listen to me when I say EVERYTHING ON THE MENU IS GOOD. If you've never been, here are some suggestions: - Tum Thai (Thai-style papaya salad): I love, love, love papaya salad and I can say that Padaek has the best version, hands down. It's not too sweet or too sour, the flavors are super balanced, and the papaya is always nice and crunchy. (If you're feeling adventurous, opt for the Tum Lao, which features fermented fish sauce for an extra punch of flavor.) - Sai oua (spicy herbal pork sausage): flavor-packed perfection. I'd suggest ordering a side of sticky rice to accompany the sausage, and dipping both into the accompanying green chili sauce. - Naem Khao Thadaeu (crispy rice salad): divine! Heaven sent, if you will. Get it spicy if you can handle it. - Aom (Lao herbal curry stew): it's so hearty and herbaceous and delicious. - Pad Thai Mun Goong (specialty shrimp pad Thai): I keep using the word delicious for everything, but this is truly delicious. I love a well-balanced pad Thai that packs flavor in every time, and this gets the job done. The Arlington Ridge location also has a full bar and happy hour at the bar M-F from 4-6!

The food is pretty good. I was able to taste the Spring Rolls and Eggplant salad, which was enjoyable. In regards to the Mieng with Catfish, the only thing hot was the fish. Everything else is served cold. If you're looking for a hot meal, do not order this one. When trying to add the items into the green leaf like a burrito, it kept falling apart. I don't think I'll personally order this again. I would definitely visit again because they have other items I would like to try. The atmosphere is inviting and friendly.

Having been to their original location a handful of times before, was excited to check out their new one in Arlington. Went here for dinner on a weeknight. Ordered Drunken Noodles with beef ($21) and Pad Thai Mun Goong ($21). The dishes are pricey compared to other restaurants in the area. I would say probably 25% more expensive. The drunken noodles were tasty, loved how spicy it was. But the beef was inedible due to the cut they used. It was tendons and cartilege pieces. We couldn't eat it and for $21, this was very disappointing. The noodles were also cut up in small pieces which was unusual. The Pad Thai with shrimp oil (Pad Thai Mun Goong) was good overall. Probably wouldn't come back due to the pricing.

Beautiful new location with lovely interior, amazing bar, and phenomenal staff. The bartender (Ank? may be misspelling it!), made the most phenomenal tamarind style cocktail with mezcal and tequila ! The coconut rice wrap and still old faithful, and the papaya salad was fresh and tangy. The fried tofu was good but a little too sweet for us. The Pad Thai was also tasty but a little too sweet (for us). Our friends got the chicken basil friend rice and it was DELICIOUS !! We love all their establishments and happy to support !

Great ambiance, friendly service, and delicious food! After trying out Thip Khao and Laos in Town, I was excited to learn about a Laotian restaurant in Arlington that not as much of a trek to get to. I decided to try out some new dishes and ordered the chuenh taohu (fried tofu) as our appetizer and the gaeng hang lay (pork belly curry) for my main, both of which were flavorful and satisfying. While I'm glad to have tried those dishes out, there's a bunch of other interesting dishes on the menu that I'm looking forward to trying out next time. The friendly service and inviting ambiance, made the overall dining experience enjoyable.

We wanted Laotian food so tried this place. We ordered two appetizers (sausages and papaya salad). Both were tasty especially the papaya salad. We got two catfish dishes and both were tasty although not very meaty. One was in tamarind sauce and other with mint. Thai iced tea was perfect. Nicely decorated especially the room with all the paintings. Service was very good too.

We thought this restaurant would be better than the one in falls church, but we were wrong. The inside is nicely decorated but the food is terrible. The lemongrass chicken with green beans was very salty and had no lemongrass, I could barely eat it, my husbands crispy duck was soo bad it had to be returned and don't get me started on the spring rolls, they are the frozen factory bulk buy ones, not freshly made on site. Move on guys, there are too many Thai restaurants in the DMV to waste time, life is too short, to be eating this crap.

Padaek offers Lao and Thai cuisine, and they had recently opened up a 2nd location in the Arlington Ridge area. I'm not really a fan of their Falls Church location, so I was curious to see if their new location was any better. We tried: +Satay - grilled marinated chicken with peanut sauce and relish; the peanut sauce was pretty good, as it was thick and creamy and had a savory taste; the chicken could have been cooked a little longer; these were definitely generous sizes for an app +Naem Khao Thadeau - fried coconut rice salad with pork sausage (can opt for tofu), peanuts, lime juice, cilantro, scallions, and chili, served with a side of green lettuce; I only ate a nibble of this, but it was just way too cilantro-forward +Pad Thai Mun Goong - wok-tossed rice noodles with shrimp oil, jumbo shrimp, bean sprouts, peanuts, and lime; this was more on the sweeter end; the noodles seemed to have been overcooked and was just clumped together; the shrimp could could have been more fresh, as it had a 'fishy' taste and odor to them; there was also some type of seasoning used in this dish that made it have an off flavor to it +Crab Noodles - stir-fried yellow noodles with crab meat, garlic butter, Chinese celery, shiitake mushrooms, and shaved cured egg yolk; could have used more crab, as it seemed more concentrated on the shiitake mushrooms for protein; the noodles tasted slightly better than the pad thai Overall, the food was pretty disappointing. Service was friendly, and the decor is modern, cute, and inviting. There's parking available in the plaza, but can be somewhat tight. +great decor +plenty of parking

Solid tastes in a place that I've never realized was there. It's in a strip mall area so not that noticeable. There's free parking although it's sometimes hard to find a spot. Staff are very friendly and the setting is nice and casual. The food is very good. We started with fried tofu as an appetizer, which my wife loved and I enjoyed as well (I'm not really a tofu guy so that says something). I had Khao soi (aromatic coconut curry, yellow noodles, grilled boneless chicken thigh) while my wife had gaeng hang lay (Northern Thai and Burmese inspired pork belly curry, ginger, onions, cherry tomatoes). Both were delicious.

Excellent service, lovely outside seating area, tasty food. Whoever said they went home. Hungry must've been confused.

Some of the best Thai food I have had since moving to the area. Stopped in for a late lunch on a weekday recently and there were plenty of tables open. The space is nicely decorated and we sat in a booth. They had lunch specials available- I think it was an entree and app for $15. We ended up getting the spring rolls and Pad See Ew from the lunch menu, Naem Khao Thadaeu- coconut crispy rice lettuce wraps, and the Chaing Mai Khao Soi- a curry (nice blend of Thai and Indian curry flavors) noodle dish with the most tender chicken. We loved everything and the flavors were fantastic! We will definitely be going back.

Beyond expectations!! Way Beyond. We had two "salads", wings and the spring rolls. Everything was over the top in flavor. The wings were huge, crazy crispy and swimming in this carmely sauce. The new spot in Arlington is gorgeous too w a great patio.

We loved our meals at Thip Khao but our more recent meals at the other Padaek location were good, not amazing. This Padaek was amazing. At the other Padaek, they only had Coors or similar types of beer and cheap wine. This location has great cocktails with unique ingredients. Even the food here somehow tastes better. They have Mee Kathi on a special menu (I dont know why it's no longer part of the regular menu) and I swear, it tastes better here. The Tum Lao was also very good, with the perfect amount of heat (where it doesn't overwhelm the dish but builds). I was skeptical about ordering the Khua Khao Jaew Bong, but it had wonderful flavors (and that always tasty wok char). I don't judge places for ambiance because I love hole in the walls, but the new space is beautiful. The service was much better than at the old Padaek, where you always felt rushed and the waiter never smiled at you, but it still was not the best. Our waitress really tried to rush us--dropping off the check, giving us a box for leftovers, not asking us if we wanted dessert--even though we barely stayed a total of one hour and the restaurant had plenty of empty tables.

Went as a large party of 10 for a birthday lunch on a Saturday. Most of our group was running late, but we were seated promptly and the servers were very patient with us as we waited for the rest of our group to join. The place has a beautiful ambiance with paintings of Southeast Asian landscapes and decor. Even the outside feels reminiscent of being in Southeast Asia with the various plants and decor! The servers were all very kind and efficient, helping to remove empty plates to make room for more. My personal favorite dishes included the crab noodles and the paa tawd. The crab noodles were garlicky with visible and generous chunks of crab. The veggies accompanying the paa tawd were all very fresh and the catfish was nice and crispy! The chili sauce with it was also very nice and balanced, though my family makes it leaning on the sweeter side and I'm more used to that. I wish the tum Lao was a bit spicier but I will definitely ask for more heat the next time I get a chance to visit. Would definitely revisit next time I'm in the area and craving Thai/Laotian.

Chef Seng and her crew at their new location are wonderful. The decor, interior, cleanliness, and bright space are perfect for lunch or dinner. They have an area you can rent out for corporate events, bdays, occasions, etc that looks spacious and so gorgeous with the pretty and colorful art painted on the walls. The food is great! We came during soft opening and my favorites were the Siin Savanh (beef jerky marinated in ginger, garlic, sesame seeds), sticky rice, Nam Khao (crispy rice). Piing Muu (grilled pork) was also seasoned well and excellent. Khao Poon Paa (vermcelli coconut noodle soup w/ fish) had tender fish chunks, but it could have benefited from some spice. (We forgot to ask, but at least you know you can get it mild)! Overall, great place if you love Lao/Thai food or it is your first time trying. Support local and enjoy the delicious food, and beautiful restaurant at Padeak!

I've been a fan of Padaek's original location and am so happy they opened a new location in Arlington! The food is incredible and the ambience is so nice. I love the thoughtful decor and how nice everyone is. Some of my favorite dishes are the peek gai, naem khao thadaeu, laab, and kua mae but you honestly can't go wrong with any of the dishes!

Possible unpopular opinion here, but the menu is not the same as the OG location and that was a surprise and disappointment. We were able to navigate the menu and order the most "Lao" dishes (vs Thai ones) and the food was good -- but we didn't realize some of our favorite dishes would not be available here. That said: My Thai Tea Limeade was yummy. The coconut rice lettuce wrap was awesome. The sausage app was awesome. The fish sauce braised ribs were awesome. We wished they had the steamed fish in leaf dish from OG spot. My friend and I were really looking forward to that. We will probably go to OG location for more authentic menu even though the vibes are not as chic.

This place was incredible! So beautiful of an interior and definitely a large space. The service was also very attentive and it was still pretty busy on a weeknight. I love that so many of the dishes here are so unique and I definitely got to try some of their specials, but would come back to try other things for sure because it was all five stars! I tried the lemongrass catfish, which was cooked to perfection, and not fishy at all. This dish had a ton of flavor and was slightly spicy and not over powered by the lemongrass flavor! They also gave you a pretty hearty serving of catfish, and it was nice and flaky and it was fried very lightly so it wasn't overly greasy or heavy to eat. I also tried the pad Thai special, which had really large shrimp in it, and a very unique flavorful sauce that tasted a little bit more like a dark soy sauce. I really love this pad. Thai and the noodles were not dry at all like some places! Finally, I tried the crab noodles which were really good and a very interesting and unique flavor. These were definitely delicious. I also tried the spring rolls which were not my favorite, but they were still good.

The Arlington branch of Padaek is a nice addition because of its easy parking and larger, more modern interior. It unfortunately is quite different than the original branch. The dishes are more Westernized and less authentic, and the menu is more limited than the Falls Church location. Would recommend going to the OG location instead of this newer one.

Had some delicious lunch here with my boyfriend. We stumbled in hungry and excited to try Laotian food. We ordered three entrees to share: the maok (steamed catfish) a green curry with chicken and eggplant, and the crab noodles. Everything was so so flavorful and delicious!! The restaurant also has all good vibes, love the artwork, colors, and atmosphere. The owner is also so friendly and adorable highly recommend checking this place out!!!!

Everything was excellent and I would highly recommend. We will be returning to try the rest of the menu. Our server gave us great advice (wish I asked for her name) and provided great service!