Thip Khao Restaurant
Laotian restaurant · Columbia Heights
3462 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20010, USA
![Thip Khao Restaurant by Check, Please! DC [Official photo]](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62590075/ThipKhao1.0.0.jpg "Thip Khao Restaurant by Check, Please! DC [Official photo]")
Highlights
Spicy Laotian specialties & exotic cocktails in a sleek setting
Spicy Laotian specialties & exotic cocktails in a sleek setting
"Considered the standard-bearer for Lao cuisine in D.C., Thip Khao comes from mother-and-son chefs Seng Luangrath and Boby Pradachith. Their Columbia Heights standby continues to satisfy heat-seekers with a menu full of fermented fish sauce, a heavy dose of chiles, offal, and cured meats. Hit orders include crispy tamarind-glazed wings, grilled pork shoulder with lemongrass, and a fiery Lao papaya salad with eggplant. Over in Shaw, the space that formerly housed the team’s cocktail bar Hanumanh recently turned into a modern Southeast Asian eatery called Baan Mae. The more casual Laotian spot is known for hosting chef pop-ups and also serves $15 bowls of noodles for weekday lunch. If you find yourself out in the suburbs, the family’s Northern Virginia staple Padaek recently settled into a new Arlington home. Best for: Family-style dining, bring a group of friends or family that are down to try an array of dishes" - Tierney Plumb
"Thip Khao makes some of the best food in the city. The Lao spot’s red curry noodle soup will clear your sinuses, and we love their crispy beef sesame jerky. There’s often a line before the doors open, and you’ll probably be squeezed very close to your neighboring table. Don’t get too hung up on either of those things, though—Thip Khao is worth it. Get access to exclusive reservations at this spot with Chase Sapphire Reserve. New cardmembers get $300 in annual dining statement credits." - omnia saed, allison robicelli
"Credited as the family that sparked the #LaoFoodMovement, this essential eatery in Columbia Heights is noted for bringing Lao food into the city’s broader culinary conversation and has expanded to newer digs in Northern Virginia." - Eater Staff
"To get an understanding of just how good the food in DC truly is, go to Thip Khao. The Lao restaurant in Columbia Heights always has a line by the time they open, with crowds waiting to order dishes like the mee kathi, a noodle soup we can’t stop dreaming about. Other standouts include the crispy beef sesame jerky paired with a sour chili sauce we would gladly take home by the bucket, and the fried catfish marinated in a glorious mint and lemongrass glaze. The tables are close together, so be prepared to get cozy with your neighbor. Don't worry, it just gives you an excuse to check out what they’re eating. Get access to exclusive reservations at this spot with Chase Sapphire Reserve. New cardmembers get $300 in annual dining statement credits." - tristiana hinton, allison robicelli
"At Thip Khao, not only will you see other people, you'll practically be sharing your meal with them. The cozy wooden tables at this lively Lao restaurant in Columbia Heights are packed close together—which works well if the only person you've eaten with this week is your boss over the last-minute Zoom that should've been an email. The restaurant is something of a cult classic, a haunt for just about any occasions and that's because the food here is obsessively good, like the mee kathi, a noodle soup we can’t stop dreaming about made with a rich red coconut curry, peanuts, cabbage, bean sprout, mint and cilantro. Get access to exclusive reservations at this spot with Chase Sapphire Reserve. New cardmembers get $300 in annual dining statement credits." - tristiana hinton, omnia saed
