Bida Manda mean "father and mother" in Sanskrit. This restaurant was started by siblings (a brother and a sister), and they named their restaurant to honor their parents. What a great idea! I like to come here for one dish: the squash curry or the pumpkin curry. It's either vegetarian or vegan, so yeah, it's pretty much the highlight of the menu as far as I'm concerned. It's called the Manda Curry or Mom's Curry: Slow-cooked house coconut curry with fresh root vegetables, jasmine rice, and pumpkin. It reminds me of Vientiane Palace's Squash Curry. Upscale ambience! read more

Wow is mainly what I can say. I am a huge fan of Asian cuisine generally, but Bida Manda has been one of the more unique experiences I've had with Asian food in quite some time. The two times I went recently, it was a packed house, so reservations are definitely recommended. There's plenty of street parking within a close walk of the restaurant. We ordered the chicken wings, lettuce wraps, and the pork belly soup. All of them were packed full of flavor and prepared to perfection. The chicken wings had an incredible, almost tempura-like batter to them. And the pork belly soup - omg - there's a reason it's the dish they most recommend. I will definitely be back! read more

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I enjoyed the lettuce wraps. I did not enjoy the Chicken Pad Thai and Shrimp Pad Thai. Both dishes tasted like spaghetti instead of authentic Thai flavored food. The shrimp were also small. The ambience was cozy and colorful. However, the loud noise from chairs scooting on the floors, the closeness of adjacent tables, and the noise level disturbed my peace. I may return again for the lettuce wraps and Lao ice coffee. Service was great. This is a small restaurant, and is it not suitable for large groups or quiet romantic dining. read more

Bida Manda - Crispy Rice Lettuce Wrap Lunch - Laotian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Phenomenal crispy lettuce wraps! Honestly that was such a standout dish. We also had the papaya salad with dill and trout, and the pad lao. Both were fine, but are not dishes that I see myself craving in the future. Also had the mango purple sticky rice, which was solid. The ambiance is perfect for a date night or time with friends; the lighting is bit on the dimmer side but the place is tastefully decorated. Service was good, no complaints there! read more

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Back for more!! I stop in for a meal every time I'm in town. Super chill spot close to downtown hotels with light jazz playing quietly overhead. Low lighting and candles adorn the interior. I had dinner and chose the Sweet Chili Salmon again as it was so good last time around. Tonight did not disappoint. The salmon was perfectly cooked and served with lime vinaigrette herb salad and jasmine rice. Service is always so pleasant from the warm welcome at the door through the prompt and polite delivery of their amazing dishes. I look forward to coming back the next time I'm in town. Here is a link to the online menu: https://www.bidamanda.com/menu read more

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great experience here. had a lovely server, quick service and the ambiance was delightful. we started off with the lettuce wraps which were so refreshing and delicious, I'd give it an 8/10. We wanted to try the spring rolls but we are students on a budget so our waiter suggested those. We got the salmon which was the best thing we ate! 10/10! It was perfectly cooked and warm. The sauce was great as well and I liked that it was a little crispy on the top. I got the pad thai with chicken which was okay! Probably a 7/10! It was good but I think if I came again I would go for a different dish. The curry also looked delicious as well. We ended the meal with a palate cleanser and they brought out a little agar agar dessert to celebrate a promotion! Very nice of them. read more

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This is the perfect spot for a romantic date night. The restaurant has a warm and cozy feel. Just don't sit too close to the door, the cold breeze is VERY strong. The waiter started by telling us the love story of the owners and their wedding photo is displayed when you first walk in. Super cute ! The Crispy Pork Belly Soup Dinner was delicious. Perfect curry tasty and the crispy pork belly had a nice crunch. Everything tasted fresh and cooked to perfection. read more

Bida Manda - Crispy Pork Belly Soup Dinner - Laotian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

The food at Bida Panda is close to perfection - everything is so delicious. I've visited multiple times now, and each dish is full of spice and flavor. Some favorites are the Green Papaya Salad (must have!), lettuce wraps (must have!), crispy pork belly soup, sea bass, and purple rice with mango. Each bite is so delicious, and we rave every time! On top of that, customer service is top notch. The staff are so kind and patient, accommodating to food allergies. They've accommodated to paleo diet, gluten and dairy allergies, etc. Additionally, they often give treats for birthdays, and it isn't uncommon for the staff to just give a free appetizer or dessert, just because! In terms of parking, there's street parking just down the road with a few minute walk. The restaurant is beautifully decorated; cozy but not too tight. read more

Bida Manda - Laotian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Beautiful low stim ambiance with friendly and efficient service upon entrance and at the bar area. We had a lovely dinner featuring the pork belly soup which was SO GOOD and the basil stir fry. I'm telling y'all to get the pork belly soup it was like a flavorful party on my damn tastebuds. You won't be disappointed. read more

The restaurant was beautiful!! The little attention to details made the atmosphere perfect for friend hangouts, date night, or family gatherings We didn't have reservations and we got lucky with quick seating, and attentive service with great food recs! The fried rice sounds basic BUT I'm still thinking about that dish! Unique gluten free options made everyone at the table experience a great meal!! read more

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Clean delicious- run well by the owners. Definitely a great spot. Came to eat something different, and was happy that I went here to eat.

5 stars across the board. Friendly staff from host to server and management. Inspired menu and cozy atmosphere. A few standouts include: crispy pork belly soup, salmon ceviche (so good!), and sea bass. read more

Bida Manda - Crispy Pork Belly Soup Dinner - Laotian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Beautiful place, wonderful, thoughtful, attentive service, and the food is so beautifully presented and exquisitely spiced. All the stars. Bravo. read more

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This place was a gem. It was quiet (on a Sunday afternoon), our server was helpful, patient & kind, the spring rolls & sauce were SOO GOOD, the rest of the meal was quite nice as well (needed a but more heat for me but great textures & good flavor). read more

Bida Manda - Laotian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Simply THE BEST LAO ICED COFFEE I've ever had. I loved the combination of rich bold coffee with sweet condensed milk. It gave me the perfect jolt of energy i needed to seize the day. The Café Cabana tasted like an espresso martini combined with a chocolate dipped banana (in the best way). It was a fantastic brunch cocktail and was like drinking a fluffy cloud. The service was amazing from start to finish and the atmosphere was very intimate which I enjoyed. I can't wait to go back with friends read more

Bida Manda - Lao coffee - Laotian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Service was excellent!! Ambiance was nice!! Crispy pork belly soup was a very flavorful dish that we enjoyed, minus the pork cracklings. The belly was a little too crisp. The chicken pad Thai was mediocre. The pina colada was on point!!! Also the delicious macaroons for desert! To good to get a pic read more

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Venue was clean, dimly lit, and spacious. It's recommended to make a reservation. Our server was good about ensuring we were able to order what we needed. I enjoyed the crispy rice lettuce wraps (no meat/seafood). I got the pad lap with tofu, it was ok. My friends enjoyed the short ribs in a soup/broth. I liked the Thai tea and my friends enjoyed their alcoholic beverages. I would return to try more things! read more

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Get the crispy pork belly noodle soup. It's so good! It was the table favorite. That and the crispy rice lettuce cups were delicious. It comes with a yummy ginger and garlic fish sauce (I think those were the ingredients but don't quote me on that). We had a reservation (which I recommend you make in advance because it can get extremely busy) for 5:30pm on a Monday and it started off fairly empty but quickly filled up. We were surprised at how packed it was on a Monday night. Things to note about the service: it's slow AF and not very attentive but there seemed to only be one server for our half of the restaurant and one other guy bringing out some dishes. It was extremely difficult to flag down our server whenever we wanted to order or ask for anything. It felt like she was on a mission back and forth from the kitchen and to every table but ours haha. She said the lettuce wraps/cups come with 6 lettuce leaves but we only got 5 and when we let her know we were short she ended up bringing us 4 extra leaves which was nice. The lemongrass sausage was tasty as well (toddler approved!). Dessert was good but the mango was not ripe (don't know if it was intentional) and not very sweet. The iced coffee drink was too sweet according to my MIL who loves sugar and she asked for more milk (they only have half and half) which balanced it out. I would skip the pad lao which was pretty basic and not memorable. We got it with shrimp. We also ordered papaya salad with ribeye which was absolutely massive and the salad portion is more of a side salad size. It was overall tasty but just something to keep in mind if you're expecting more salad than protein. The server said that the chicken option comes with two huge chicken breasts. The taste of the meat was good as well but the texture was pretty fatty and sinewy. We also didn't realize that it came with rice until we were basically through eating it. They also have some chili sauce on the side if you like heat but fair warning it's spicy AF. Overall good, a bit pricey, and would return but just for the wraps, sausage, and pork belly noodle soup. I'd like to try some of the other items of the menu as well. read more

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Bida Manda is consistently an 'A' experience and I recommend it to anyone visiting Raleigh if you've got time to stop by. Food wise, I'd say everything is good! I've had chicken curry, Pad Lao, Tom Khem, the appetizer Lao sausage, summer rolls with shrimp, and a noodle soup. Very enjoyable! Some dishes seem mild compared to home cooked food with Lao friends. The staff is super friendly and server Gwen is an absolute rockstar. When we entered, the host took good care of us and got us seated. The. Gwen showed up and made sure our dinner experience was outstanding. She helped with delicious food choices and made sure we were well fed! Thank you, Gwen!! read more

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This place is like eating at a cute library with delicious modern Laotian food. I felt like I was eating back home at an LA artisan restaurant. I came to RDU for a layover and this caught my eye and I was not disappointed. The servers are all great, especially ours, Jarrett who was very knowledgeable and kind to us. The food was astonishing and at a good value. I highly the pork belly read more

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I would come back to Raleigh just to eat here. The crispy rice lettuce wraps are to die for. The chicken curry and Kua Mee Lao were both flavorful and delicious. The coconut ice cream was heavenly. The service knocked it out of the park though! Our server was smiling and friendly, gave us a history of the restaurant, and helped with choices. I can't say enough about how great she was. The restaurant is cute and clean and reflective of the care they take with their dishes. Just an amazing experience all the way around. read more

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We visited on a quiet Monday night. The ambience is calm and romantic. We started with the pork spring rolls and had the pork belly soup and Pad Thai for entrees. Everything was delicious. We were given complimentary shrimp chips with our drink order and a coconut/pineapple palate cleansing drink at the end of our meal. Both were very nice touches! Service was solid. read more

So the food is great. I've been twice. The ambiance is very romantic. The service was amazing. The staff was very attentive. I just got a mule. But the shrimp chips, my absolute fave!!! read more

The food was really delicious. The ambience and decor were nice. Service was excellent.

We started with the Crispy Rice Lettuce wrap & Bida Sompheng's salmon Laab Ceviche with crispy shrimp chips. (I would have preferred no fIsh sauce), both were Stars. We ordered the crispy pork belly soup for our main dish. it was good, I wish the pork belly was a little better, it come on a separate plate, cold, and with some salad and veggies. With that said, the soup was still amazing. we also had Khao Poon Gai Noodle soup. Just amazing...flavors that you you may have never tasted, sooo good. cant wait to explore more of this great menu. read more

Bida Manda - Happy Campers! - Laotian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

The food was amazing and our server was the bartender who was attentive, knowledgeable, and friendly. So glad that we tried this place. We will be back again soon! Everything tasted fresh and the serving sizes was generous. read more

Bida Manda - Crispy Pork Belly Soup Dinner - Laotian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

The best lettuce wraps Everyone talks about the lettuce wraps and for good reason. This is my second time here and the wraps are as good as I remember. They are so delicious with the right amount of crisp and fragrance. Paired perfectly with lecture and cucumber slices (and don't forget to ask for extra). We also tried the pad Lao which was a tad salty but otherwise excellent. Lecture wraps are the star of the show tho. PSA: we informed the restaurant that we were celebrating graduation and they took the wraps off our bill! Excellent service read more

Bida Manda - Crispy Rice Lettuce Wrap Lunch - Laotian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Years later... tried it again. The Lettuce Wraps were as amazing as I remember. The "Old Manhattan" fusion whiskey drink was great. The Papaya Salad was incredible... with a couple caveats... The duck breast was SUPER fatty and too chewy. Also the rice was rubbery. But the vegetables and flavor was amazing! Great service and beautiful atmosphere, as we remembered! read more

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This place is amazing !!! Took the family for a birthday dinner and it was sooo amazing !! The service was great and our waitress was so sweet. This place is really good. read more

Delicious food. Unique menu. Always have a great experience. Quiet for conversations while remaining lively.

This place was recommended to me during the peak of the COVID era by North Carolina locals. I suspect one reason that I did not make it is that I figured I would be missing something if I did not eat inside in person. I think I was correct, as the atmosphere included some rather splendid bamboo paneling, and my salad was the sort of thing that's better fresh. The place offers clearly labeled options for special diets, and I wanted to stay on the lighter side. Still, my salad was a robust creation, with fried eggplant and tofu, a sliced spring roll, and some noodles to mix with the herbs and greens. It came with more sweet chili sauce than anyone would ever need, but I certainly used plenty of it for a dynamic flavor experience. My Thai tea didn't really impress, being both small in size and not especially noteworthy in flavor. The price was on the higher side, but given the splendid presentation and unique options, I found it worthwhile. read more

Bida Manda - Thai iced tea - Laotian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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First time at Bida Manda and we really enjoyed it . My husband ordered the papaya salad with duck & I got the shrimp pad Thai. We both chose medium heat levels. We both really enjoyed our entrées ! Unfortunately, we did not have room for dessert. Maybe next time :) We will be back ! read more

Bida Manda - Shrimp pad thai, and papaya salad with duck cooked M. Medium heat levels . Really good ! We will be back - Laotian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

First time at Bida Manda did not disappoint! Our server Gwen was amazing and super friendly, and was so considerate of my nut allergy when serving all our dishes, which was greatly appreciated. Seating was plentiful, and the space had a great vibe and was very clean as well. The appetizers we got (lemongrass and summer rolls) were delicious, as were our Thai Iced Teas. As for entrees, they were delicious and non-offensive, although we wished the curry would've had a slightly stronger flavor and kick to it. But that, along with the Pad Lao and Tom Khem were still delicious and tasted great with the rice. Gwen also hooked us up with plenty of tasty shrimp crisps to much on as well. Overall, a great dining experience, and excited to come back to try some other items on their menu! read more

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Fantastic food and service. Sat at the bar bc this place was poppin! Pretty open space so it was a little chilly. read more

Bida Manda - Manda Amphones Curry - Laotian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Bida Manda is hands down one of my all-time favorite places in Raleigh. Every time I go, I'm reminded why I keep coming back--absolutely phenomenal Lao food, warm service, and an atmosphere that feels both cozy and elevated. Some must-try favorites: The crispy rice lettuce wraps - packed with flavor and texture, these are a perfect way to start the meal. Spring rolls - fresh, light, and delicious with a dipping sauce that hits just right. The crispy pork belly soup - rich, comforting, and loaded with flavor. And of course, the shrimp pad Thai - perfectly balanced and always satisfying. The service here is consistently excellent--friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable. The staff really makes you feel welcome. And the ambiance? Beautifully designed, peaceful, and perfect for everything from casual dinners to special nights out. If you're in Raleigh and love Southeast Asian food (or are curious to try something new), Bida Manda is a must. It's a place I always recommend and will continue to return to time and time again. read more

I've been dying to try Bida Manda since they opened, and I have been an absolute OG Fan of the restaurant group since Gravy stole my heart many years ago. Now I've been many times. This place is solid. Every dish is perfectly executed and full of flavor. Laos cuisine options are not plentiful in North Carolina, but this place holds its own when it comes to Laos food. The service is always excellent at the bar, and in the dining room the place is always buzzing with people. Their cocktails are delicious as well. 10/1 recommend. read more

Bida Manda - Green Papaya Salad with Crispy Dill and Lemongrass Local Trout - Laotian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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My wife and I came here on a whim because we were out and I happened to see there was an open reservation at 5:45 on OpenTable. However, after I booked the reservation, I got a call immediately from the hostess letting me know that it was a mistake on OpenTable's part and there was not actually availability at 5:45. (OpenTable can be slow to update sometimes and causes conflicts. I've had this happen before.) She apologized but said there were some open seats at the bar if we still wanted to come. We love sitting at that bar, so no complaints from us! We arrived and she was very apologetic and thanked us for understanding. We were greeted as we sat by the bartenders. They actually sent out the crispy rice lettuce wraps as an appetizer for the OpenTable mixup (very kind considering it wasn't even their fault!) I had the Nutty Negroni cocktail. Really delicious and interesting. Classic Negroni flavor with a little more complexity and sweetness. My wife had the roselle freezy, which was also very good. A nice balance of tartness and sweetness. We got the soft shell crab with papaya salad, which was a special, and the crispy pork belly soup. If they have it when you go, GET IT. We're suckers for some soft shell crab and this one was really good. The papaya salad was a perfect pair with it. The pork belly soup was also delicious. Very warm and comforting. (We had just walked 10 blocks in the freezing cold, so we were quite happy with it.) We got all of it medium spicy, which I think is the way to go if you're somebody who likes spicy and has a good but maybe not great tolerance for it. If you don't like spicy or aren't the best with it, then mild is probably what you want. Now let's talk about prices. Yes, it's a little more expensive but the value is there. Most apps $15-20, entrees $20-30, and drinks $8-16 at the time of this writing. All very very delicious AND the portions were large. We finished the crab but had a little bit of the papaya salad left, and while we tried to work on the soup, we didn't make much a dent at all. When we asked for a box, they didn't bring us one. They took all of the dishes away, boxed it up neatly for us, and brought it back bagged and ready to go. Just outstanding service. Truly exceptional hospitality and food. Can't recommend Bida Manda enough! read more

A cozy family run jewel, nestled in the downtown area. A good friend recommended I visit, and he truly earned his good friend status by sending me here. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, topped only by the service and food. This is a must try if you are in the area wanting some excellent dishes. Be sure to take a walk back to the bathroom so you can take in the artifacts that decorate the space. Ask questions and learn about the heritage of the restaurant and the photo of the two people hanging above the entrance. Also, that pork belly soup. Get it. You won't regret it. Thank you so much for having me as a guest in your restaurant. I hope to be back when my travels bring me back to town. read more

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I've been wanting to eat at Bida Manda for so long (reservations are hard to get unless you plan ahead), and I thought an early Valentine's Day dinner would be the perfect time to try it out! All of their Laotian food was superb, and we cannot wait to come back again. Definitely hoping to try the pork belly soup next time as it was just rated top 50 soups on Yelp! I would highly recommend the crispy rice lettuce wraps (the crunch and flavor was amazing) and pad thai (has such a deep color which translated into its deep flavor)! Those were both unbelievable. The green papaya salad with crispy dill & lemongrass trout was also amazing - I got it medium heat which was perfectly spicy for me. The crispy trout was perfectly crispy, even the skin! I also loved the atmosphere here. The low lighting, exposed brick, and bamboo-like NC wood accents were beautiful! read more

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First of all, Gwen is a superstar. Excellent service the entire night. The food - high level opinion is that it's very tame and safe; flavors were good but not strong across every dish except the sausage appetizer which had great, strong, distinct flavors. The Summer rolls were nice and fresh with the wrapper nice and soft so you can tell it wasn't sitting there. But nothing mind blowing. The Tom Khem, pad lao, and chicken curry was the same - mild in flavor, nothing really standing out. But still satisfying and comforting. Pricey for what it is, but you'll have a good night out here in a place that does have nice ambiance if you care about that. read more