Zaap Lai Thai and Lao Cuisine

We lived in Asia for many years and traveled yearly to Thailand. This place feels like coming home to us. We eat here almost every time we come to Elizabethton for a visit. The food is delicious and authentic. The portions are generous with plenty of good ingredients. The service is friendly. When they say it’s spicy, they mean it, but you can choose your spice level for the less adventurous. Definitely branch out and try to Lao dishes. They are amazing!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

We were in town today from Asheville. We found this wonderful restaurant via a Google search. Hubby and I ordered Lao dishes. Wow! The flavors were amazing, and the sticky rice was really special. While dining, many locals stopped in to pick up numerous takeout boxes. Apparently this is a popular lunch spot. We will absolutely stop in again next time we are in Johnson City.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

The restaurant and food was amazing. We tried Wonton, Pineapple fried rice, Drunken noodles, and Mango Sticky Rice. All of them are 5/5.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Okay, it wasn’t love at first taste. The orange chicken tastes like it had cinnamon in it and the fried rice had a faint taste of fish but it was faint. The vegetable tempura was absolutely to die for though. There was only one person working the front desk and waiting on tables. The building is small and parking is kind of a hassle but the food I would say is pretty authentic. A lot of people got soup so it’s entirely possible that I just got the wrong thing. My guests enjoyed their meal even though one of them got the wrong thing. Probably because the girl was overworked. I’m not sure if that’s normal for this restaurant or not but I hate to see employees clearly overworked. They had several to go orders while we were there so it is clearly a popular spot. I would absolutely go back and try something different. But I’ll definitely get the vegetable tempura again!!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 4

Recommended dishes: Thai Fried Rice, Pineapple Fried Rice

Food=Good

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 5

Service: 4

I loved the pineapple fried rice with shrimp and their green curry. Their food is so flavorful and delicious!

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

I have been coming here for nearly a year, and the food and service is really good every time I come. The crab rangoons, chicken pho, and chicken pad Thai are so good. The staff are really nice too and do a great job. Overall very nice restaurant to visit :)

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

This meat looks dodgy.

If you are not a big eater, you will not be able to easily eat all the huge portions here. If you order a side dish, you will end up taking a large portion home and eating one or two more meals. Anyway, it's a lot. The taste isn't bad and the quality of the ingredients isn't bad either. I think there just aren't enough employees to serve... Anyway, the diligent employees work really hard. There will be a lot of customers during meal times, so be mindful of this when visiting.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 4

I eat here regularly and I can say I have never been disappointed in the food or service! They are a pretty busy place but so worth it for sure!

Wonderful Thai food!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

This is my favorite restaurant in town I can't count how many times I've eaten here. They have always been extremely consistent but the last 3 times I ordered (3 different dishes) there was something off about them. I tried to ask for an explanation but was told NOTHING has changed. I'm sorry but something CLEARLY had changed because my memory and taste buds are still intact. Its frustrating to not know what to expect. This dish #46 BBQ beef always comes with char marks as if it was grilled (you can look at any other photo of it and see. Now I don't even think it's being grilled maybe pan fried, it's drier, and usually has some good fat pieces. The last time I got beef Jerky it was a tough fatty chewy cut of meat and didn't seem like it was finished cooking or however they do it. And rhe last time I got noodles they were really bland and veggies werent chopped right. I'm truly not trying to bring this place down I just really want the quality and strandard of the food to go back to what it was....
Edit* changed to 1 star, another bad review said the same thing they are diluting flavors and ingredients and stretching out ingredients to cut down cost.....they didn't respond to his review so hopefully the see this

Who knew that you could get amazing Thai food in a little strip mall in Johnson City? If you're a Knoxvillian that still misses Taste of Thai and believes it was the best, make the drive...you won't be disappointed.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Have been a regular here for a few years and food has always been great!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Beef Jerky, Naem Khao, Spring Rolls

Today at lunch, we tried Zaap Lai for the first time. I had Naem Khao, with crispy coconut rice, cilantro & sour pork. Phenomenal! Mom had pineapple fried rice & she loved it. I wish we'd had room for dessert, but we were both stuffed, with plenty to take home. They serve Pepsi products, which is a drawback, for me. They also have Thai tea & Thai iced coffee.
When we went in, there was only one person working the front of house. She was hostess, handling carry out, serving & bussing all by herself. To be working alone, she did a great job, but one person alone means slow service. She managed to keep the dining room remarkably tidy. It was uncomfortably warm the entire time we were there. But the place was absolutely PACKED the whole time we were there. It's a tiny place.
All things considered, Zaap Lai is ABSOLUTELY worth a visit. Will 100% return.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 4