Vientiane Restaurants

This is a very popular restaurant that's located in the centre of the city in one of the streets that leads away from the river. It has a contemporary design, soft seating and good music which add to the chilled ambience and the staff are excellent. Happy hours every day offer two for the price of one on standard cocktails and pitchers of beer, and the restaurant serves some splendid Asian and Western food at very reasonable prices. I came here and had honey spare ribs and rice which was very good.

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Xayoh is a trendy pizzeria and bistro that also serves a handful of Lao and Thai dishes. The setting is lovely, but the menu is generic. This is a popular place for an afternoon jug of beer or two and a fairly good hangout come the evening. They also do a good breakfast in the morning.

We've been here quite often for a beer and food (well, when you go out for beer here you will always order some food to have it with alcohol, that's how locals do to deal post drinking problem easier:) and it seems that other people like that place too (mainly Lao).
Beer has the lowest price in the town and it's good idea to order draught one here. Listen to live music or karaoke and try not to think about mosquitos biting your ankles (it's swampy area next to the place). erviceis fast and very friendly but they don't speak much English. However you shouldn't have big problems ordering your beer.
For food: there's english menu. Try local fish or some of the local salads (spicy ones) or shells. Most of dishes are Lao and Thai, a few Western and a few Chinese ones and some are suitable for vegetarians. You won't pay more for the dishes than in downtown area.

Favorite Dish: Mostly people come here in larger groups to drink beer and snack on local foods - place is popular for Lao. Then they will listen to bands and karaoke. The atmosphere gets livelier on fridays and weekends but it vary from season to season. Mosquitos are annoying there. Beer is normally served with ice cubes but it's cold enough if you drink from bottle.
Sometimes they run out of draught which is cheaper than bottled beer.

In general great place for hanging out where locals do.

Don't forget to put mosquito reppelent on your skin before sit down or you'll be targeted badly.

Sorry, no pics from here we were always here only in night time.

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I have dined a couple of times at the kualao restaurant and it´s a really good place to get traditional lao food in Vientiane.
The place has very nice interior and sometimes traditional lao music and dance.
The level of the service is higher than in most restaurants in Laos, but you also pay a bit more for the food there.

Favorite Dish: I have had the set menu both times i have been there and it has been a nice mix of lao dishes.

It is difficult for me to categorize this tip. Should it be under restaurants or elsewhere? Finally I decided to place this tip under restaurants. The main attraction of Nam Ngeum river cruise is the Bamboo Boat Restaurant where one can enjoy lunch while cruising the river. The Nam Ngeum River provides visitors a closer look at nature. There are bamboo boats of various sizes depending on the number of people in your group. Lunch must be ordered before boarding the cruise.

Favorite Dish: Grilled fresh water fish and prawn that goes along well with the unique Laotian sticky rice.

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One of the restaurants that I frequented most for my two weeks stay in Vientiane. Food served are authentic Turkish like Kebab and Turkish pizza. Love the decor especially the different theme of wall decorations. The glass front give a fantastic view of the street outside. The interior is very clean and the service is quite fast even during lunch hour.

Favorite Dish: Turkish Pizza has been my favourite.

It's a little bit hot to walk around here in the midday in dry season but you can cool down and eat something nice for your stomach in those makeshift restaurants under grassy roofs on Mekong shore parallel to Fa Ngum road. There are many of them and you can sit in any that suits you because prices and menus are more or less the same. Many look quite lonely around noon so good thing about that is you don't need to wait long to get food (which is prepared and cooked in open kitchens by each restaurant).
Here you can try some nice fish soups, BBQ and rice dishes - and good fruit shakes of fresh fruits. Evenings draw more people here but also mosquitos.

As these shadows and huts are only temporary built you must not be sensitive about heat because it's not possible to have AC here. In that case you'd have to go to other restaurants in near buildings.

Here on the photo taken by my aunt you can see how this kind of place is built - all of natural, local material, mostly bamboo. Some places allow to lay on the floor while drinking (impractical for eating unless your body isn't used to).

The name of this Australian owned bar-restaurant means 'no problem' and it's one of the most common phrases you'll learn while travelling in Laos. This place seems to be popular with foreign tourists and wealthier Lao and youngsters. It's by the Mekong promenade, next to Wat Chan with views ower the river bank and makeshift restaurants at its sand. If you come there in evening there's normally more people than by daytime and has livelier atmosphere. Many come there to play pool (few pool tables in 2 floors), other to flirt and drink :). But in general it is okay place with friendly feel and helpful staff.

The rooftop terrace is quite a pleasant place to sit down and enjoy night breeze; the place feels warm with it's interior design of bamboo-thatch. It's quite spacious and bright, airy. Has English menu with western and local foods with comparable prices.

Favorite Dish: Its vegetarian lasagna is not bad and not too expensive. But it's small - for 35 000 KIP. I understand some ingredients are difficult to get. Beer Lao or Lan Xang beer is 12000 KIP per bottle.