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Ban Bamboo

4.0 (75 reviews)
InexpensiveLaotian, Thai
Closed • 4:00 pm - 9:00 PM
Updated over 3 months ago

Order Ban Bamboo Takeout or Delivery

Ban Bamboo Photos

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BAN BAMBOO ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Good for kids
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - Ban Bamboo

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Heather M.

I had an amazing dinner here tonight! The Thai Fried rice was great, a lot of food - I got full quickly. The chicken pad Thai was great as well! The restaurant was quiet, a little chilly, but overall quiet and intimate. It was in a great location, and the window views are great.

Laos papaya salad
Sirena W.

Yum! Authentic thai / laos cuisine. We ordered from the thai / laos specialty section and got: Laos Papaya Salad, Laos Sausage and Khao Soi. The laos papaya salad was SPICY but so so so good! And that's coming from someone who can handle spice. There's fermented crab paste in there that makes it unique and so delicious. The laos sausage was perfectly crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside. If you've never had, they're lemongrass-y galanga-y flavor bombs. (My mouth is watering thinking about it). The khao soi was a bit lack luster compared to other ones I've had... but it satisfied a craving. If you enjoy spice and delicious food, this place wont disappoint.

10. Vegetable Spring Roll$6.99 For The three. These were HORRIBLE. Not well seasoned and a lot greasier than they appear
Joan S.

On 6/26/22 my first time here My to go order was: three vegetable spring roll and a Tofu pad Thai. I'd definitely return for the latter (nice generous portion; Think I got 3 meals from it) but MOT the former as they were too pricey for what they turned out to be.

14. Crab Dumplings and 29. Pad Thai
Michael F.

Another COVID-19 "Stay At Home" Take Out Review Only. Specific to COVID-19, I had no concerns with ordering from Ban Bamboo. They clearly kept the restaurant clean and were well organized for the current state of affairs. With the number of shops still open, I recommend giving them your business. I really had no clue what I wanted and was very happy with the conversation in guiding me to options. I ended up settling for some fried crab dumplings and chicken pad thai. The dumplings were good. Each were bite-sized and the order came with a soy based sauce for dipping. Very fair portion for the price, however, I'm not sure I would get them again. On the flip side, loved the pad thai completely and am already craving another. Again, portion was more than fair and not just in size but also the amount of protein included. Good stuff!

Roach found in my Tom kha gai.
Dana B.

Ordered take out from here. It tasted fine then I got to my Tom kha gai. Tell me that is not a roach floating in my soup I thought. Sure enough. Really disgusted and disappointed in this place. The delivery service only gave a partial refund. Be forewarned- expect dirty food when you go here I guess.

a buddha statue on a table in a store
Cindy L.

WOW. WOW. WOW. Ban Bamboo is the BEST thai food restaurant you will find in Philadelphia. The flavor and bright color of the food, the exotic decor and friendly service won my 5 stars review. My boyfriend and I were in the neighborhood and we walked in around 8:30, hoping to get a takeout order as the sign showed they close at 9. Soon as we walked in, we were greeted with appetizing aroma from the kitchen. The server offered us a menu with pictures to help with our decision making (everything on the menu looks so good!) We ended up ordering 1. Tom Yum Soup w/ Vegetables $4.95 7. Fried Wonton $5.95 53. Som Tum Gai Yang $17.95 29. Pad Thai w/ Shrimp $15.95 The server was so kind and patient. He took his time to explain the difference between Thai and Laos papaya salad, which comes in Som Tum Gai Yang. ( T is milder and L is spicier w/ more fish sauce taste) He mentioned that the BOH staff only eat what they cook, so their food is just as authentic as what you'll find in their kitchen. (the spiciness is also the same as how they like it) What came to my surprise was, even though they were closing in 15 mins, the server still asked if we'd like to dine in! He checked with the kitchen staff and they had no problem with us staying after closing time. (We did takeout anyway) Needless to say, the food was AMAZING! Soup had a nice balance of sourness and spiciness. Fried wonton was golden and crispy ( they cut out 2 holes on the takeout box so it didn't turn soggy) Som Tum Gai Yang came with a bag of sticky rice, well seasoned roasted chicken and a big portion of papaya salad. Shrimp Pad Thai was delicious and enough for two! I can't wait to go back for dine in and i'd 100% recommend this place for anyone who's a fan of flavor!

the front of a restaurant
Gerald S.

Arriving at 3:30, I learned Ban Bamboo closed for two hours on Saturday afternoon and reopened at 4. So, I had a little time to wander along Ridge Avenue and take in the beautiful Spring day and the local color. The street scene was active with outdoor seating at the brewery and many open doors allowing the kitchen aromas to waft out to we pedestrians. Definitely created the aura of being a neighborhood. When BB's "Open" sign lit, I went in to discover a small dining area with lovely Buddha shrine front and center, and heavy southeast Asian decor all around. A cafe in Vientiane or Pattaya would look as good. I ordered Tom Kha Soup (veggie), Beef Satay, Red Curry (veggie), Drunken Noodles (chicken), and Kai Soi (beef), to go. It was 40 minutes to readiness, so I continued my exploration of the area while waiting, and thought about what I remembered about Lao and Thai cuisine. While both are very regionalized so that there are many distinctions even in different parts of each country. Still, there are a few generalities that hold true. Where Thai uses coconut milk in many dishes making it sweet, often counterbalanced by the heat of chili peppers and bitterness of lemongrass; Lao kitchens lack coconuts, and use more lime and fermented fish sauces for flavor. Lao is a lot saltier than Thai. So, it was easy to know which was which in my package. The Tom Kha Soup came on strong on sweetness from its coconut milk/galangal base, followed immediately by a lemongrass bite. It could have used more variety of veggies in the bowl, but the taste profile set off a riot in my mouth. The Red Curry was similar in sweetness, but lit a fire from the chili paste used to turn the color crimson. The veggies were still semi firm, adding to the texture, along with the bell pepper, bamboo shoots and Thai basil. The Beef Satay was lean meat with excellent BBQ type sauce, and on the sweeter side. Drunken Noodles were definitely from Thailand in flavor and plenty spicy from roasted chili sauce. Kai Soi, on the other hand, was more a hybrid, using thin sliced beef in a coconut milk broth, mixed with egg noodles, red onion, cabbage and lemon/lime juices. It reminded of Indian curry with its sweet/sour profile. Although travel time neutralized the higher taste amplitudes to reduce the delicate intricacies that exited the kitchen, it was still a wonderfully entertaining meal that is well worth revisiting, along with this Ridge Avenue neighborhood.

Waiting for my order

Waiting for my order... It's worth it. Tell yourself that! It's been longer than they said, but how great could it be? I wonder! Gee, I hope it's good... sure wish I had something to tell, but it is taking longer than they said.

Marquise H.

Oh, how I hate to write lackluster reviews.... Initially chose to order takeout here based on the few yet pleasant previous reviews. However, unfortunately, I feel like I went to a completely different restaurant than what I'd read about. Strike one: Although I ordered & paid via Grubhub to ensure a smooth & easy transaction, I was disheartened by the cold disposition with which I was greeted when I arrived. Not everyone is warm & fuzzy, and I get that, but the employees didn't even grant eye contact. The brief visit felt transactional and dismissive. Strike two: SMALL SERVINGS. When I got home, I was shocked at how little rice & spicy basil they'd included for a price of $17.95 (to mention there were just 7 shrimp included in the entree). Hate to sound petty, but the amount of food included in a main dish was anemic and underwhelming. Strike three: The food was way less than delicious. At best, each dish (also ordered the vegetable spring rolls & tulip dumplings) was merely ok. I loooooove Thai food (see my Green Basil review for a tasty treat), but have never been so disappointed, and am unlikely to return.

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7 years ago

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10 months ago

amazing chicken pad thai. been coming here for years, very nice people. great food. close by

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5 years ago

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2 years ago

AMAZING FOOD EVERYTIME! This is my favorite Thai food spot in Philly! Everything is sooooo good. My go to is the cashew chicken

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3 years ago

This is our favorite place to eat in Philly. Such a banger. Big entree portions. We always get papaya salad, pad Thai, and mango sticky rice

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3 years ago

We get pad cashew with steam tofu every few weeks. Wonderful food. We love this place!

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3 years ago

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4 years ago

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5 years ago

Go to for Take out! So good and quick for take out! Large menu so there are options for everyone and everything I've ever gotten is great!

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8 years ago

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Ask the Community - Ban Bamboo

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Ban Bamboo - laotian - Updated October 2026

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