Sap Sap Lao Deli & Cafe

🇱🇦The food here is mind blowing 😍 Every bite is full of flavor, it's so good that halfway through the meal you're already planning your next visit. I also had a refreshing citrus cocktail (sorry, I can't remember what it was called) but it sounds like they have a full bar and the bartender is very creative and talented. 🌸The weather was nice enough to sit on the patio which I would highly recommend if you get the chance. 🤗 The service was great and everyone was so nice. You should definitely give this place a try. It's now added to my list of Favorites ♥️

I found SAP SAP LAO when I came to the White Center. The location is hidden area, so it's hard to tell, but once you come, you might not forget. There is a place to sit outside the patio and indoors. The store ownerwasso friendly and nice service. When I asked for recommendations, he replied that they were all delicious, lol. I ordered Kao Piak Sen, which is said to be popular, and lemongrass beef skewers. Kao Piak Sen was a lao chicken soup with house-made rice noodle. Both meals are so tasty. We ate everything up and it was so delicious. I would highly recommend it to you as well.

Grew up in WA however never visited this area. Entry from street side, took a sec to find the place but if arrived from the alley, more noticeable. From the outside looks like an old building and as walk to the entry, there is a nice outdoor seating area. We opted for indoors, which reminds us of Asia. Older building but they made the decor work to give a cooler vibe. Kao piak sen. Just like home, and I like how they made the noodle. More like udon vs usually at home it’s more white flour. Sausage. Delicious. A little spicy with that lemongrass fragrant that just so good with “sticky” rice. The provided jeow bong, assume from jar, not homemade, either way always good with this combo. Normally we go with Lao papaya salad. Overall excellent and reminds this Lao customer of a really good home cook meal. Service was excellent and we got a Thai ice tea, on the house. My kiddo love it! Solid 4* but bias is leaning higher, they were just so cool with us and great to be able to speak Laotian! Note on my rating system: Sharing this as I believe many might assume a 3-star review indicates a negative experience. 5 stars: Exceptional! Outstanding food, service, and/or experience—well worth traveling for. (For example, we often drive from San Antonio to Austin just for Uchi.) 4 stars: Surpasses expectations in terms of food, service, and/or ambiance. 3 stars: Solidly good or meets expectations. I would revisit any place rated 3 stars or higher. 2 stars: Falls below acceptable standards for food or service. 1 star: Best to avoid.

This places blows us away every time. The Kao Piak Sen, or chicken soup with thick homemade rice noodles is so silky and hearty and soothing. The Lao sausage is incredibly flavorful and the mango sticky rice is some of the best we’ve ever had. Owner is also a hilarious and really nice. Lots of gluten free options, too. Tell all your friends so this hidden gem in White Center sticks around!

I loved the Kao Piak Sen (my new favorite soup), and the Lao Sausage plate was very aromatic and delicious. The chicken was very crispy and the owner greeted us and was very nice. One of the best restaurants ever :D

Chicken Noodle Soup: very simple noodle soup but flavourful. Crispy fried rice: very crispy rice, fresh lettuce to go with. The price is fair and portion is not large. Overall, good place to have Lao dishes.

Amazing, no notes. The food here is delicious and staff is all very friendly. Literally everything we got was so good. Definitely recommend beef skewers, chicken wings, lao sausage, and the nam khao. The green thai tea was also amazing and a great way to finish the meal. We’d be here every week if we lived in Seattle 😭

Elijah was fantastic. We came in from out of state and he really took care of us. Tried a few things on the menu. All our questions were answered. Very personal. Not quite what mom makes but so close.

I really wish we lived closer to this establishment because my family and I (most especially my husband and myself) would return again. During our visit, we ordered the pork sausage with sticky rice, papaya salad, nao kham, egg roll, and mango sticky rice. The first two dishes were spicy but all of the main dishes packed such a good flavor of sweet and salty. As my daughter had a nut allergy, we always inquire about dishes that contain nuts. The owner who took our order informed us that traditionally, the nao kham has peanuts but their establishment does not include nuts in this dish, which was a relief because my daughter loved the nao kham. The egg rolls were devoured by my kids and so did the mango sticky rice. What I appreciate about the mango sticky rice was that it wasn't overly sweet. Again, I wish we lived nearby because we certainly would have frequented them.

We were in the White Center area and decided to try this new-ish restaurant for Laotian food. Apparently, they were written up in Seattle Times, so EVERYONE has been eating here. When we arrived at 5:30pm (they close at 7), nearly all dishes are sold out for the day, including the milk used for Thai tea! After we arrived, the owner hung a sign stating "SOLD OUT" to stop the flow of diners. The interior of the restaurant is modest-sized occupied by a (too) spacious bar. The inside is dimly lit even though it is not a romantic venue. Heck, it is just plain dark. We got up and asked to be seated outside instead, which they accommodated. The food came out very slowly. We didn't learn until the end that one of our ordered dishes is also sold out. I suspect the kitchen is undersized for the restaurant since they converted a bar-restaurant into a full restaurant plus outside seating. Service was intermittent. The only server is friends with the adjacent table and chatted with them regularly. The owner was busy elsewhere. The Food: Kao Piak Sen, $15 - 4.5 Stars Lao chicken soup, with house-made rice noodles. The broth is slightly thickened, possibly with cornstarch or flour. Optional to add their hot sauce. This dish has a clean and freshly made taste, and is very homey and comforting. This is one of their signature dishes. Phad Lao with chicken, $15 - 4 Stars Stir fried rice noodles with choice of chicken or tofu - the Lao version of phad Thai. This is a lightly savory noodle dish that is easy to wolf down in a hurry. Impressively, it is not oily. The noodles are not stuck together, either. Flavor profile is simple but also a touch plain. Papaya salad, $14 - 3.5 Stars This Lao version is different from the Thai version - no peanuts, mixed with clear vermicelli noodles, with the same light and refreshing taste. My biggest complaint - they gave us a smaller portion than the adjacent table by a visibly obvious margin. Going through the Yelp photos, our portion is smaller, too. It is one thing to be neglected because they are friends; it is quite another to be given different portion size, too. Minus 1 star. Egg Rolls, comped We had ordered chicken wings. After all our food came out, they finally told us they are out of chicken wings. That is just plain weird, service wise. I asked to add the two-piece egg roll (under "Sides" in the menu); the owner gifted us three pieces to make up for the lack of food. This is the pork and veggies option. It is fairly standard, probably 3.5 to 4 Stars. I am leaving this as unrated since it was comped.

I honestly haven't been to many Laotian restaurants. Seattle has really opened my eyes and palate to new and amazing restaurants. Sap Sap is located in the heart of so many delicious restaurants in the White Center area. The restaurant is clean and has a comfortable atmosphere. With an outdoor space great for over flow customers and will be fantastic in the summer. The staff were super friendly and helped when we sat outside by starting up the heat lamps. We ordered The Lao Sausage plate w/ sticky rice $16 Kao Piak Sen $14 Fried Chicken $14 The Kao Piak Sen; house made chewy rice noodles in a deliciously delicate yet flavourful chicken soup. Super comforting, like a warm hug. If you like cilantro you'll love this dish! The Lao Sausage is lemongrass forward and packs a punch of herbbatious flavours. As for the chicken wings, they're hot, juicy, crispy and is accompanied with a sweet chili sauce to dip. Honestly you can't go wrong with any of the dishes. When in doubt ask for recommendation from the staff. I can see why on Google they have 150 reviews with almost 5 stars. And on Yelp with their 86+ reviews with also 5 stars. Let's keep supporting local small businesses and keep them thriving in their communities! Watch them do and bring amazing things around them.

I found SAP SAP LAO when I came to the White Center. The location is hidden, so it's hard to tell, but once you come, you might not forget. There is a place to sit outdoors and indoors. The person who seems to be the owner of the store is friendly and very pleasant. When I asked for recommendations, he replied that they were all delicious, lol. I ordered Kao Piak Sen, which is said to be popular, and lemongrass beef skewers. Kao Piak Sen was a lao chicken soup with house-made rice noodle. Both meals are so tasty. We ate everything up and it was so delicious. I would highly recommend it to you as well.

This is a hidden little gem in White Center. It's tucked away in an alley so you would never just bump into it unless you knew where you were headed. It has indoor & also a covered patio for dining, cozy on the inside, a little bigger than a hole in the wall and the menu is not that extensive but all the dishes we had weee really tasty, almost like home cooking. At first we had a young server that we had to ask several times for things, but than the owner started helping us , he was very friendly and funny. He really made us feel welcomed. He recommended we add some of the house garlic, chili sauce to our Khao Piak Sen & it was a great suggestion. I can't wait to go back & try more of the dishes.

Easily one of the best Lao restaurants around! The owner is super friendly and kind, the food is amazing. Everything was so flavorful and perfectly cooked. It's a very comfy restaurant and I would really recommend you give them a try!!!

Amazing Lao food! I ordered my two favorite Lao dishes here, the nam khao and the Lao sausage. Both items were super packed with flavor I could not stop eating. The server was really attentive. He would ask me if I needed more lettuce for the nam khao and talked to me. They were really enthusiastic about their food!

I love coming here. The place is run by a man named Viseth (sp?) who's a great host. It's hidden in an alley between 15th & 16th. Cozy interior and a lovely covered patio. Music comes from various YouTube sources, The food is all fresh, so expect reasonable wait time with great results. My favorite is the Phad Lao noodles. Try wrapping it in the lettuce leaves it's served on. Alo they have some small bites. Be sure to try the chili garlic crunch condiment. Yum!

What a gem in the area! The people here are very kind and really like to hear feedback on their food. They were trying out different lao jerky when we were in that day and got to sample a few along with some fries (which we loved the seasoning on them). Nam khao: a favorite in texture, flavor, and freshness! Use the lettuce leaves, put some rice and veg in, and go to town Spicy fried chicken: came out hot, crispy, and juicy Kao piak sen: loved the crispy garlic on top, scallions, and added chili oil! I enjoyed this dish, although my partner doesn't enjoy soups with a thicker broth like this one (probably due to the type of home made noodles they use) We'll be back to try more dishes! I think they continue to add to their menu, depending on the audience.

OHHHH MY GOODNESS! Hands down the most authentic and amazing Lao food we have ever tried! The staff was incredibly kind and gracious, making us feel so welcome. We will absolutely be back regularly. If you like a little kick, I highly recommend trying the papaya salad. It's the perfect combination of fresh crunchiness with just the right amount of heat! And don't even get me started on the mango sticky rice -- it's absolutely HEAVENLY. Honestly, you have to try everything on the menu. Each dish bursts with flavor and authenticity. Run, don't walk, to SAP SAP Deli!

Food was absolutely amazing. Owners are super nice as well. Loved the Khao Piak. So tasty and fresh. The lap sausage was also tasty and not dry.

This place is AMAZING. It's tucked behind El Catrin and takes a second to find the place but worth all the effort. Nam Khao - Our favorite. Perfectly tangy, not overly crispy and super fresh. Wish we got two orders of this! Lao sausage - The most TENDER Lao sausage I've had. Love the sauce it comes with. Deliciously seasoned. Papaya salad - The perfect pairing with the Lao sausage to add some freshness. No complaints here. We really enjoyed it. Khao Piak Sen - My favorite Khao Piak I've had. Other places don't season the broth to my liking and it always feels incomplete. However, the broth here had a hint of sweetness and tons of flavor. So comforting and delicious. I add tons of chili oil to give it a nice kick. We ordered for pick up but were warmly greeted and welcomed. Seems like a family owned business which I will never hesitate to support. While the inside is on the smaller side, the space is divided well, and there's outdoor seating as well. My new favorite Lao restaurant in Seattle and I'm already looking forward to our next visit back.

A small family establishment serving Laotian food with great service. Feels more like going out to a friend's house to eat more than going out to a restaurant. It's more on the pricey side for the amount of food you're getting (ie, two sausages about that size of a bratwurst for $17), but the food is delicious and the people friendly.

Love the Lao sausages. A little hard to find. Google map told me to turn in on a small alley. The restaurant is at the end of the alley, behind a Mexican restaurant. Was eyeing the outdoor seating. Will be back in summer to check it out.

Sap Sap has been on my list since i heard they opened. Glad to try a new Lao restaurant. My dad and I stopped by for lunch after being in West Seattle since we were already on the west side I suggested here. So glad we visited. We had to drive around the block cause we missed seeing it the first time around it sits a little off the street. Red building, a few tables for inside seating and a bar along with covered exterior tables. Probably the third Lao place I've tried. Their Nam Khao is probably my favorite so far. It has a very citrus forward flavor thinking lime which rally brightens the dish and has the crispiest rice I've had in the dish. We also had the Lao Sausage my go to when trying a Lao place I haven't been too. You have the option of steam or sticky rice with the sausage we went steamed cause my dad doesn't care for sticky rice. We sat near the kitchen was great to hear the clanging of the pans as the two women chatted and cooked. What really made the visit memorable is the service. We felt well taken care of the server asked my dad if he wanted tea since it was raining and chilly outside. And we weren't for it, far and few between that provide free tea now days. We were asked if we needed more lettuce he said the beat was taking the lettuce that the Nam Khao is on and rolling the rice into eat. You know we listened to that our Nam Khao plate was completely clean. Definitely want to return and try the rest of the items in the menu.

Love this whole in the wall Laotian restaurant! I'd go as far to say that it's the best in Washington state. I've been here a couple of times and everything has been exceptional. The customer service has been very friendly and top notch each time. While they don't have a big menu, everything has been delicious and I recommend trying it all! Lemongrass beef skewers - Excellent char and flavor. Very juicy, nice meat to fat ratio. Kao Piak Sen - So delicious and comforting. The chicken soup was flavorful and garlicky, and I enjoyed the chewy texture of the noodles. Excellent portion for sharing. My boyfriend doesn't care for soup, but he really enjoyed this dish! Phad lao - This is our favorite dish and we order it every time, as long as they have it available. Love the crispy rice and myriad of flavors. It's slightly sweet, zesty, and it's got plenty of spices that make it so addicting. Pork belly - Nice meat to fat ratio (more meat, less fat). Papaya salad - very tasty. Can't recall if we got mild or medium, but it was on the spicier side.

Wow best Laos food I had, papaya salad fresh, beef sticks fresh, owner is very friendly, great music playing super chill spot!

Been twice now, both times the crispy rice has been good! I add spicy sauce for a kick. They're always attentive and tend to build genuine relationship with their customers. Both visits I witnessed them having real conversations with the other parties and mine. They're super chill with good food and they have a little bar area. If I worked nearby, this would be my hotspot!

A colleague suggested this establishment to me, and although I initially expressed interest, I never followed through, preferring instead a nearby alternative. However, due to growing dissatisfaction with the same culinary options, I decided to visit. I am pleased that I ultimately did so with my wife and daughter. Every dish we ordered was exceptional. I will definitely return.

My partner and I stopped in on a whim because we were in the area, we used to live nearby, but we moved. All I can say is Yum. It's got the ambience of a fairly empty dive bar however, the owner is friendly and chatty and told me all about the food and why he makes what he does and how excited he was that he tried the sauce that he made. The menu is not extensive, but everything is made with care and love and the food is nothing short of amazing. I especially recommend the sausage because you can't get good Laotian sausage very many places. There is another restaurant that I won't name that is known for theirs , but it is almost "Bull" in comparison. Honestly, I would recommend the drive to White Center for this food.

I was completely out of my stomping grounds in the West Seattle/White Center area when I went looking for a spot to grab lunch. After checking Yelp, I found the Sap Sap Lao Deli with a 5 star rating. Well, of the 76 reviews, apparently 3 people felt they were worthy of only 4 stars and 2 people felt that a 3 star rating was warranted. Maybe they all were there on the same day when the restaurant had a bad day, but it's hard for me to fathom that! Sap Sap is a small restaurant on the corner in an alley (hole in the wall essentially), but this place deserves every 5 star rating they've received. We were seated immediately and greeted and helped by the owner very quickly. We'd had a chance to look over the menu and ordered the Chicken Phad Lao, but were still trying to decide on a 2nd dish. I asked the owner for a recommendation and he said that all dishes had been perfected, but the Lao Sausage was very good. He rushed off to put the order in and came back a few minutes later, where I ordered the Lao Sausage. The Phad Lao arrived before the Lao Sausage and the owner brought me a Laotian beer on the house, due to the delay on the 2nd dish. I was taken aback by that, but very pleasantly surprised. That is top notch customer service! The food lived up to the 5 star reviews. The Phad Lao was very good; great flavor, tender glass noodles and a large portion that provided enough to take home. The Lao Sausage arrived with sticky rice and what a treat it was! It was sliced into sections and was perfectly crispy on the outside, but tender and moist on the inside. The flavor was incredible. It was a little spicy and contained the perfect amount of lemongrass as well. I ate the whole dish, so no leftovers on that one. The food and the customer service are enough for me to make the long trip to White Center, but fortunately the owner told me that he is opening another location in the Shoreline/Mountlake Terrace area soon. I can't wait for that to occur so I can explore more of their menu! This restaurant is a must-visit if you like southeast Asian cuisine.

Lived in Honolulu HI, Fairfax VA, San Francisco CA, and Seattle. Have been to dozens of Laotian restaurants in each location and can unequivocally rate Sap Sap Lao as the best Laotian food we have had. Although the menu is a bit limited, all of the dishes are outstanding. The owners are friendly and attentive. Will definitely return and highly recommend.

The food is so comforting and delicious. I love their Khao piek sen, the texture and flavor is so balanced and they give you so much. Good thing it reheats well later. They can make the Nam Khao without pork and it still tastes amazing! Definitely will not be disappointed eating here, it's the best!

Incredible food and incredible service. Owner/manager whoever runs front of house is super personable and friendly. Food was flavorful without making us feel weighed down. The soup was reminiscent of a Cambodian noodle soup for me but much "clearer" in the sense that it wasn't muddled, homemade noodles were dense but light. Papaya salad was SO spicy because I ordered a medium, I literally burned my tongue. It's much easy to eat if you have it with plain sticky rice. The pork crispy rice was super crispy and had so much flavorful, much tastier when eaten on a lettuce leaf. All in all, great experience.

Loved their food. Cant wait to eat there again. Yummy mango sticky rice. Probably my fav.

TLDR; delicious food, nice staff, clean restaurant, excellent service. The chicken wings were so ridiculously juicy inside and extra crispy outside. They were served piping hot, so watch your mouth!!!! The medium-level spicy for the papaya salad was REAL spicy. So glad we didn't order the full-on spicy because we could barely handle medium. So much good flavor though! The lao sausage was delicious and came with a wonderful garlic sauce and a little basket of sticky rice. The phad lao noodles with tofu were tasty but probably my least favorite of the four dishes. I'll be back soon!

This is absolutely a hidden gem! The food was delicious, every dish was tasty and authentic feeling, and I wish I had more room in my stomach to taste the other menu items. We got the chicken soup to share, soo yummy and simple esp on a fall day (esp with extra chili oil!). The egg rolls were great too. The lemongrass beef skewers were mildly sweet, flavorful with a char, and delicious with rice and the pickled cabbage mix. Service was super friendly, funny, and helpful. Loved the 90s jams and cool paintings all around the restaurant, good vibes overall. Highly recommend!!

Food is yummy! It gives me a feeling that I want to eat more. Service is good. They are attentive. It's a small place sitting in a sketchy alley. Parking is tricky but there are places you can park near by. Though, their hours of opening is weird and limited.

I wished I could take pictures of the food we bought for takeout. Unfortunately they did not look as good as they look. The dishes did not taste as good too. Lol. Suggests chicken noodle soup, fried noodle dish to eat T the restaurant served hot. This is our second trip to the restaurant. Service is great! Ambiance awesome. I love the people there. Polite and kind to their customers. They really take care of us and they are sincere about what they serve. They are great ambassador of their country and their food. Well done!

Amazing food. Service was top notch and the owners are wonderful people. Mango sticky rice is awesome.

Food We ordered two dishes to share with the party! We got the sausage (4.5/5) and the kao piak sen noodles (5/5) with sliced chicken. The broth was flavorful and I loved the chewiness of the noodles with the spices. Service This is a family-owned business. We came in at an odd hour that wasn't lunch or dinner so we were the only patrons which was quite lovely because we had everyone's full attention! The owner was Uber friendly and attentive and smiley. Service was impeccable and personable! Ambiance Casual and absolutely loved the 90s music playing! Love the backstreet boys and savage garden music playing. Hands down would come here again if in the area and the service and food are none to beat!

Food was all amazing. Location is a bit hard to find since it's tucked away in the corner of a parking lot, but once I found it the inside had good ambience and the outdoor seating was cute with umbrellas hanging off the ceiling and a nice breeze. All looked clean. Got the iced coffee, beef lemongrass skewers, papaya salad, Lao sausage and rice noodles, they were all great and I wish I could eat there every day. Got some skewers for takeout and they were still great cold the next morning ;-)

Great food. Lao's sausage is very good. The dishes are flavorful and light. The restaurant is in the ally. It is a little hard to find.

I got Phad Lao based on some reviews where people really liked it. It was very dry and not very flavorful. The noodles and the chicken - dry. Couldn't finish it. This was dinner time on a Saturday. The egg rolls are lumpia like, nothing of note. Mango rice was good but it was half of a small mango over quite a bit of rice. Kind of pricey for that and not enough fruit. A disappointing $40 meal for us. This was our second time. Not worth the detour.

Incredible food and service! Staff and owner were fun to talk to and the food really blew me away. The lao sausage in particular was so snappy and juicy, the best I've had. I also learned today that there is a Laotian Sriracha, which they let me try out. It went super well with the noodles and the sticky rice. Will definitely make the drive to come back here.

We're trying to find something close before heading South. I found this business on Yelp and decided to give it a try. It's in an alley. Took us a few times to find it. Everything was delicious, especially the papaya salad. It has enough sweet and sour to balance the dish. The khao piak sen noodle soup was good. It's good for a cold day or a hangover. Highly recommended this place.

Delicious! Warm and welcoming service, the staff are very child friendly. I haven't had Lao food before this restaurant so I don't have a good basis for comparison, but the flavors are very strong, savory, herbal, and sweet. I love the chicken wings, Nam Khao, Lao sausage, sticky rice with sauce/paste and the skewers. I have visited multiple times and also gotten take out, and their food is consistent and tasty. The only minus is there's not much parking, but otherwise it's become a regular dinner option for us - delicious food and great service.

AMAZING!!! The guy there was running the place by himself and he did his VERY BEST to make his customers appreciated! It's a small place located in White center with a divey feel, complimented with its tantalizing aroma and flavors of their food! I will definitely recommend and return to this place in the near future!

AMAZING food and service. very delicious and authentic Lao meals. we could not stop eating the flavors were so vibrant and full. we live in the neighborhood and it's our next favorite spot !

Locally own and friendly service. If you are looking to try out Laotian cuisine then stop on by this small and quaint little cafe in White Center neighborhood. They have a small menu but their items were tasty. They also have inside and outside seating. Parking however is somewhat limited, but don't be discouraged.

Fantastic, authentic food from Laos. We tried the larb and the fried chicken with a side of sticky rice, all perfect! Very friendly service with a strong neighborhood feel and sense of place. Interesting Laotian and Southeast Asian beer selection. Highly recommend.

Finally! Delicious, authentic, family owned Lao food in the neighborhood! That Kao Piak Sen was on point, especially on a cold, rainy day like today. Papaya salad was fire & liked how we were able to ask for fresh peppers only vs the dried peppers. Chicken wings were nice & crispy but not overcooked & dry. Staff there were super friendly. I definitely will be coming back and bringing some friends with me!

I was so excited to see this Laotian restaurant open in White Center. I think I've tried 90% of the menu at this point, and I have to say that the kao piak sen (chicken soup with tapioca noodles?) is my all time favorite! It is so comforting though I'd never tried it before. We also met the owner of the place our few times there, and he is always very kind and accommodating towards us. Thank you for all that you do! Parking is ample since we park on the street on 15th Ave. The place is a bit tucked away, but don't let that stop you from visiting this flavor-packed gem!

Owner was super nice and food was good- not a single dish my friend and I wouldn't recommend

We ordered 3 dishes and loved them all! Will definitely come back! Service was also very nice and welcoming.

This is yum salmon after I ate, sorry. This resturant is great a small wait time but worth it. Most definitely worth it.

So happy to have a Laos spot near home. And the drinks were so good. I enjoyed the papaya salad and the nam khao. I'll have to try more dishes next time.

Great food and even better customer service! The owners are super welcoming and friendly. We ordered one of everything and were not disappointed! The vibe and food were comforting and homey! Great place to hang out and chill. They have a bar and also many TVs to watch sports games. They also have an outdoor covered patio for warmer weather. Highly recommended literally trying everything!

So happy to have found this gem!! Lao food is so hard to find as is... and at the quality that Sap Sap offers. We tried the restaurant once and knew we had to have them cater our baby shower. Affordable, delicious and great service! Thank you!!