Low key and casual. Delicious and soul quenching Lao/Thai food. Can always expect a good meal from Padaek. Service was prompt and friendly. Easy to get a table on Thursday evening.
Allen H.
Make no mistake - this is the Padaek location to go to if you have a choice, not the Arlington one. The Arlington one is significantly closer to my place but I always end up making the trek out to Falls Church because the OG location is simply better. Recommendations: the Naem Khao rice salad is crispy, crunchy, savory and delicious - I recommend getting it with the tofu, even if you're a meat eater like I am. I order the Ping with pork shoulder literally every time, because it's a fantastically heaped plate of seared meat with a nice mildly spicy dipping sauce. It also comes with a bag of tasty sticky rice that makes a low-carb eater like me abandon my low-carbness, at least for one meal. Padaek Falls Church will always be on my list of places to take out of towners.
Lauren C.
I personally am not a fan of South East Asian food too much, I always hated the taste of coconut milk in Thai curry's cause my stomach would turn, or fried fried fish with lemon grass, and I can't eat pork like Hmong sausages were a no go. Though, this spot definitely changed my mind on fancying a nice Naem khao- it wasn't too sour or drowsed with fish sauce and it wasn't too fried either. The ambience is definitely a quaint little spot tucked away and I admit I never noticed it until now. The service is also attentive and I thoroughly enjoyed how it felt kinda authentic or like a homey spot.
H S
We really miss the daily buffet which existed before Covid-19. I'm trying to get my husband to eat here with me more regularly because their food is still fantastic. Now you just don't walk away groaning from over ingesting. ??Vegetarian options: Two different styles of tofu
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Drunken Noodles G V, Crispy Rice Salad, Sticky Rice, Tom Yum G V, Khao Poon G V, Pad Thai
Cyndy K.
Cyndy's Bottom Line: Big flavors! *Located in Seven Corners Center *Ample parking *Walk ins welcomed *Hours: Mon-Thur: Lunch 12pm-3pm, Dinner 4pm - 8:30pm, Fri-Sat: Lunch 12pm-3pm, Dinner 4pm-9pm Sunday: Closed *Thai and Lao cuisine. The menu offers a good variety of items. *Carry out, online ordering, Door Dash delivery *Serves beer and wine *Pantry Items for purchase: Jaew Bong - House Fermented Chili Paste, Tamarind Salt, Lao Papaya Salad Sauce, Thai Papaya Salad Sauce The Thai and Laotian food is absolutely delicious with layers upon layers of robust flavors. Mouthwatering dishes guaranteed. This is what we ate: -NAEM KHAO Thadaeu -Crispy coconut rice salad, peanuts, lime, cilantro, scallion, chili, served with green lettuce wraps and a choice of sour pork or vegetarian/vegan with crispy tofu. The rice is delicious with bites of crispy goodness and chewy textures of light sprinkles of coconut and peanuts. Combination of flavors of saltiness, sourness of the pork, fresh lime and herbs all blend well together. Very yummy! -KIEP MUU -roasted green chili dipping sauce with crispy pork rinds. +The crispy pork rinds are fried to a light and airy crunchy goodness. The roasted green chili dipping sauce adds a spicy savory to pork rinds. Yumminess! -TUM THAI -Green papaya salad, fish sauce, bird eye chili, tomato, eggplant, lime, garlic, served with sticky rice. +The sauce is divine! Well balanced with a savory, spicy yumminess and the freshness of the green papaya so yummy! -PING -Pork shoulder grilled & marinated with herbs, toasted rice sauce, cucumber, served with sticky rice. +The pork shoulder is so tender and flavorful. Add the toasted rice sauce - superb yumminess! The spicy acidity, with the toasted rice, fresh herbs enhance and balance the richness of the pork. DRUNKEN NOODLES -Wok tossed flat rice noodles, chili-garlic sauce, fish sauce, basil, bell peppers, onion. +Love the smokiness of a wok tossed noodle together with tasty flavor of the sauce is so yummy satisfying! *The dishes are always flavorful and consistently prepared. *Friendly and attentive service. *Highly recommend!
Thanade Sawasdee
Delighted to discover the true flavors of Laos at Padeak! The authenticity of their dishes is truly impressive, making for a delightful culinary experience. The taste is exceptional, reflecting a genuine appreciation for Laotian cuisine. Highly recommend for those seeking an authentic and delicious dining experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Timothy Williams
Great experience here I would definitely go
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sticky Rice
Mark Stevens
Food was too salty. It’s also next to a cigar shop, which permeates.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 4
Desy A.
Hostess and staff are super friendly and helpful. Food is great! Authentic spices. Nice environment in the dining area.
David K.
Just stumbled upon this restaurant and really enjoyed it. The crispy pork rice was delicious!
I went to the Falls Church location YEARS ago. This location is even better. They have Thai and Laotian food, but you want to stick to the Laotian menu.I had the Siin Savanh to start and then the Naem Khao Thadaeu salad. Both were outstanding. I'm looking forward to going back
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Big B I.
I'd be happy to help you with that! Here's the corrected text: "My daughter introduced me to Padaek, located at 2931 South Glebe Road, Arlington Ridge, VA 22206. This family-owned restaurant showcases Lao and Regional Thai cuisine. A shout out to Chef Seng, who adds spicy flavoring to each dish. Even though I attended an event in Baltimore, MD, I drove to their Arlington location because it had the best Thai food we've ever had. The portions are plentiful and the selection will make you want to come back for more."
Ellen D.
Trust me, when I say.. you NEED to check this place out. This restaurant has become my favorite Thai Restaurant from just one visit. The only downside is that this location is quite small so you'll have to wait for a table. I came here on Friday evening, around 6pm and had to wait about 15-20 minutes for a table? We were so luckily that we didn't have to wait too long; a line formed behind us! When we were standing around waiting for a table, we got to really take in all the decor and aesthetic of the place. It's simply decorated with Thai paintings, curtains and tablecloth. [Food: 5 of 5] Tum Lao: 5/5 : Lao style papaya salad served with sticky rice. This dish was one of my favorites and was pretty spicy; I love spicy so this was such a great kicker for me. The sticky rice and the lettuce paired well and helped soothe the spiciness. Satay: 5/5 : Best Chicken Satay I have ever had. The sauce was a little too sweet buy it was honestly soo good, I over looked it. Drunken Noodle: 4/5 : This dish didn't WOW me but it was pretty good still. Pad Thai: 4/5 Ordered mine with no bean sprouts (yuck!). It could've used a squeeze of lime and some (or a lot) pepper flakes! [Drinks: 4 of 5] This rating is based on my personal preference. I LOVE Thai Tea and this was just the right ratio of milk to tea. I'm not giving this a 5 of 5 because I did not enjoy the coffee thai tea, I think those 2 drinks should not mix. However, my friend did really enjoy it. So if you want some extra caffeine and try something new, get the coffee thai tea! I can't wait to come back to this restaurant and try their other dishes!
Ed Sevillano
I went in unsure of what to expect. Food was AMAZING.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Meg N.
There are two locations, the Falls Church location being the OG and Arlington Ridge being the newer restaurant. We came to the OG location on a Friday night at 6:30PM and were promptly seated. The restaurant is smaller and there was only 1 host and 1 server for the whole restaurant. After we were seated, there was a line waiting for a table to open up or to be cleared. It took a while for the tables to be cleared since there were only 2 people out front working so some people in line ending up leaving. To avoid waits, I'd come before 6:30PM! Venture out of your comfort zone and order something besides the pad thai and drunken noodles. These were OK but definitely not the star of the show. Don't be afraid to try something new! We got the Naem Khao Thadaeu (cripsy coconut rice salad, $18) with tofu as an appetizer, pork shoulder ping ($18 + $2 pork upcharge), and drunken noodles ($18 + $1 beef upcharge). My favorite item was definitely the rice salad, it was packed with different flavors and textures (crispy rice, lime, red onion, peanut crunch, lettuce). The pork shoulder ping was really flavorful too. It actually reminded me of Vietnamese grilled pork. There was sauce on the side and was flavorful but a little sweet. I inhaled the spicy powder on top of the sauce and let me tell you, it definitely isn't for those who think Sriracha is spicy lol. That didn't stop me tho, I asked for a spice tray and added the pickled peppers to my dishes for an additional flavor bomb. Again, the drunken noodles were ok. Portions were on the smaller side or just individual portions instead of serving family style like I'm used to at asian restaurants. The thai iced tea was good as well. We got the thai iced tea with half and half but I want to come back and try the thai iced tea with lime. Overall, I would definitely be back to try more of their dishes!!!!
Low key and casual. Delicious and soul quenching Lao/Thai food. Can always expect a good meal from Padaek. Service was prompt and friendly. Easy to get a table on Thursday evening.
Make no mistake - this is the Padaek location to go to if you have a choice, not the Arlington one. The Arlington one is significantly closer to my place but I always end up making the trek out to Falls Church because the OG location is simply better. Recommendations: the Naem Khao rice salad is crispy, crunchy, savory and delicious - I recommend getting it with the tofu, even if you're a meat eater like I am. I order the Ping with pork shoulder literally every time, because it's a fantastically heaped plate of seared meat with a nice mildly spicy dipping sauce. It also comes with a bag of tasty sticky rice that makes a low-carb eater like me abandon my low-carbness, at least for one meal. Padaek Falls Church will always be on my list of places to take out of towners.
I personally am not a fan of South East Asian food too much, I always hated the taste of coconut milk in Thai curry's cause my stomach would turn, or fried fried fish with lemon grass, and I can't eat pork like Hmong sausages were a no go. Though, this spot definitely changed my mind on fancying a nice Naem khao- it wasn't too sour or drowsed with fish sauce and it wasn't too fried either. The ambience is definitely a quaint little spot tucked away and I admit I never noticed it until now. The service is also attentive and I thoroughly enjoyed how it felt kinda authentic or like a homey spot.
We really miss the daily buffet which existed before Covid-19. I'm trying to get my husband to eat here with me more regularly because their food is still fantastic. Now you just don't walk away groaning from over ingesting. ??Vegetarian options: Two different styles of tofu
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Drunken Noodles G V, Crispy Rice Salad, Sticky Rice, Tom Yum G V, Khao Poon G V, Pad Thai
Cyndy's Bottom Line: Big flavors! *Located in Seven Corners Center *Ample parking *Walk ins welcomed *Hours: Mon-Thur: Lunch 12pm-3pm, Dinner 4pm - 8:30pm, Fri-Sat: Lunch 12pm-3pm, Dinner 4pm-9pm Sunday: Closed *Thai and Lao cuisine. The menu offers a good variety of items. *Carry out, online ordering, Door Dash delivery *Serves beer and wine *Pantry Items for purchase: Jaew Bong - House Fermented Chili Paste, Tamarind Salt, Lao Papaya Salad Sauce, Thai Papaya Salad Sauce The Thai and Laotian food is absolutely delicious with layers upon layers of robust flavors. Mouthwatering dishes guaranteed. This is what we ate: -NAEM KHAO Thadaeu -Crispy coconut rice salad, peanuts, lime, cilantro, scallion, chili, served with green lettuce wraps and a choice of sour pork or vegetarian/vegan with crispy tofu. The rice is delicious with bites of crispy goodness and chewy textures of light sprinkles of coconut and peanuts. Combination of flavors of saltiness, sourness of the pork, fresh lime and herbs all blend well together. Very yummy! -KIEP MUU -roasted green chili dipping sauce with crispy pork rinds. +The crispy pork rinds are fried to a light and airy crunchy goodness. The roasted green chili dipping sauce adds a spicy savory to pork rinds. Yumminess! -TUM THAI -Green papaya salad, fish sauce, bird eye chili, tomato, eggplant, lime, garlic, served with sticky rice. +The sauce is divine! Well balanced with a savory, spicy yumminess and the freshness of the green papaya so yummy! -PING -Pork shoulder grilled & marinated with herbs, toasted rice sauce, cucumber, served with sticky rice. +The pork shoulder is so tender and flavorful. Add the toasted rice sauce - superb yumminess! The spicy acidity, with the toasted rice, fresh herbs enhance and balance the richness of the pork. DRUNKEN NOODLES -Wok tossed flat rice noodles, chili-garlic sauce, fish sauce, basil, bell peppers, onion. +Love the smokiness of a wok tossed noodle together with tasty flavor of the sauce is so yummy satisfying! *The dishes are always flavorful and consistently prepared. *Friendly and attentive service. *Highly recommend!
Delighted to discover the true flavors of Laos at Padeak! The authenticity of their dishes is truly impressive, making for a delightful culinary experience. The taste is exceptional, reflecting a genuine appreciation for Laotian cuisine. Highly recommend for those seeking an authentic and delicious dining experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great experience here I would definitely go
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sticky Rice
Food was too salty. It’s also next to a cigar shop, which permeates.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 4
Hostess and staff are super friendly and helpful. Food is great! Authentic spices. Nice environment in the dining area.
Just stumbled upon this restaurant and really enjoyed it. The crispy pork rice was delicious!
Restaurantji Recommends
I went to the Falls Church location YEARS ago. This location is even better. They have Thai and Laotian food, but you want to stick to the Laotian menu.I had the Siin Savanh to start and then the Naem Khao Thadaeu salad. Both were outstanding. I'm looking forward to going back
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I'd be happy to help you with that! Here's the corrected text: "My daughter introduced me to Padaek, located at 2931 South Glebe Road, Arlington Ridge, VA 22206. This family-owned restaurant showcases Lao and Regional Thai cuisine. A shout out to Chef Seng, who adds spicy flavoring to each dish. Even though I attended an event in Baltimore, MD, I drove to their Arlington location because it had the best Thai food we've ever had. The portions are plentiful and the selection will make you want to come back for more."
Trust me, when I say.. you NEED to check this place out. This restaurant has become my favorite Thai Restaurant from just one visit. The only downside is that this location is quite small so you'll have to wait for a table. I came here on Friday evening, around 6pm and had to wait about 15-20 minutes for a table? We were so luckily that we didn't have to wait too long; a line formed behind us! When we were standing around waiting for a table, we got to really take in all the decor and aesthetic of the place. It's simply decorated with Thai paintings, curtains and tablecloth. [Food: 5 of 5] Tum Lao: 5/5 : Lao style papaya salad served with sticky rice. This dish was one of my favorites and was pretty spicy; I love spicy so this was such a great kicker for me. The sticky rice and the lettuce paired well and helped soothe the spiciness. Satay: 5/5 : Best Chicken Satay I have ever had. The sauce was a little too sweet buy it was honestly soo good, I over looked it. Drunken Noodle: 4/5 : This dish didn't WOW me but it was pretty good still. Pad Thai: 4/5 Ordered mine with no bean sprouts (yuck!). It could've used a squeeze of lime and some (or a lot) pepper flakes! [Drinks: 4 of 5] This rating is based on my personal preference. I LOVE Thai Tea and this was just the right ratio of milk to tea. I'm not giving this a 5 of 5 because I did not enjoy the coffee thai tea, I think those 2 drinks should not mix. However, my friend did really enjoy it. So if you want some extra caffeine and try something new, get the coffee thai tea! I can't wait to come back to this restaurant and try their other dishes!
I went in unsure of what to expect. Food was AMAZING.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
There are two locations, the Falls Church location being the OG and Arlington Ridge being the newer restaurant. We came to the OG location on a Friday night at 6:30PM and were promptly seated. The restaurant is smaller and there was only 1 host and 1 server for the whole restaurant. After we were seated, there was a line waiting for a table to open up or to be cleared. It took a while for the tables to be cleared since there were only 2 people out front working so some people in line ending up leaving. To avoid waits, I'd come before 6:30PM! Venture out of your comfort zone and order something besides the pad thai and drunken noodles. These were OK but definitely not the star of the show. Don't be afraid to try something new! We got the Naem Khao Thadaeu (cripsy coconut rice salad, $18) with tofu as an appetizer, pork shoulder ping ($18 + $2 pork upcharge), and drunken noodles ($18 + $1 beef upcharge). My favorite item was definitely the rice salad, it was packed with different flavors and textures (crispy rice, lime, red onion, peanut crunch, lettuce). The pork shoulder ping was really flavorful too. It actually reminded me of Vietnamese grilled pork. There was sauce on the side and was flavorful but a little sweet. I inhaled the spicy powder on top of the sauce and let me tell you, it definitely isn't for those who think Sriracha is spicy lol. That didn't stop me tho, I asked for a spice tray and added the pickled peppers to my dishes for an additional flavor bomb. Again, the drunken noodles were ok. Portions were on the smaller side or just individual portions instead of serving family style like I'm used to at asian restaurants. The thai iced tea was good as well. We got the thai iced tea with half and half but I want to come back and try the thai iced tea with lime. Overall, I would definitely be back to try more of their dishes!!!!