Sao Lao Thai Café - Authentic Laotian-Thai Cuisine in Houston, TX

Perfect food for the neighborhood it serves. Warm, cozy, and friendly service. The owner is genuine and passionate about what she's does and her origin story is just as amazing. The Loa Pho is so good and I will return to eat the curry.

Vibe: Warm, cozy, family-run atmosphere. Very welcoming and relaxed. Service: Friendly, attentive, and genuinely kind staff. Food: Fresh, flavorful, and well balanced Thai dishes. Location & Parking: Easy to find off Shepherd just north of 610. Plenty of parking. Overall: Great spot for families, friends, or coworkers. Definitely worth coming back.

Food is Bomb.com legit authentic laos and Thai food. Makes me miss my mom's home cooking. If you've never been its a must try whether you choose to dine in their cozy atmosphere or grab it Togo. Best part you can customize your spice level to your preference. Just a few of my favs drunken noodles, boat noodles, and never the less Lao sausage! Never go wrong with laos sausages!!!

Probably one of the best red Thai curry I have had. I know next time I come back I'll be getting the chicken wings. The place is a little small but it's definitely worth the wait. The portions are big. I left full and satisfied.

My friend and I visited on a Saturday night around 6 PM. At first, we were a little worried about parking and a long wait time (especially considering the fact that there isn’t a ton of space for seating) but luckily there weren't too many people in the restaurant. As for parking, there is plenty of space in the lot so there were no issues at all. My friend and I ordered the following: Chicken Wing Drunken Noodle Boat Noodle Soup All the dishes came out within 10 minutes so we were really pleased with the service here. The chicken wings were crispy and juicy. I won’t say they’re the best wings I’ve had but they’re decent! I also enjoyed the sauce that came with it. As for the boat noodles, the broth was aromatic, savory, and delicious but temperature-wise, I wish it was hotter. It was better than lukewarm but soup/noodles dishes like this are best when the soup is piping hot (in my opinion). The noodles and ribeye steak were good but unfortunately we never got the pork balls. While ordering, we asked for the pork balls to be on the side since I’m picky but they just never showed up. As for the Drunken Noodes, there’s a good number of components that go into this dish (i.e. mushrooms, protein, kale, chillies, etc.) Some of the noodles in the dish were undercooked so the texture was a little harder than it should’ve been but the flavors are on point! Overall, I’d give this spot a 3.7/5. It's definitely on the pricier side which I’m more than happy to pay for (especially when it’s a local mom and pop shop) but I can’t say this spot blew my mind.

From the moment we walked in for a quick lunch date to the time we left, everything was amazing! The customer service was top-tier, the food was absolutely delicious, and the cozy atmosphere made it even better. We will definitely be back!

Absolutely love this place! The food is incredible and flavorful! The kind of meal you keep thinking about after you leave. What truly makes this restaurant special, though, is the owner Souli. She is welcoming, kind and genuinely made us feel like family. It’s rare to find a place where the hospitality matches the quality of food. Highly recommend and will def be back. Sao Lao Cafe deserves all the love and support! Please get the Boat Noodles you won’t be disappointed.

What a gem in the neighborhood. Everything was excellent. We got the Lao jerky, nam khao, red curry, tom yum and lao sausage. The red curry was some of the best i've had in houston. The sausage was unbelievably good, I've had it in many other places and its usually on the drier side or the beef is overly processed and very dense. This sausage was beyond expectation. The owner was also incredibly friendly and nice. We will most definitely be coming back again to try other dishes. highly recommend!