Bida manda is not all that. Food is really good but I don't see it as a 5 star restaurant!!

We have been here a number of times for lunch and for dinner. The service, food and staff are always all pleasant. We checked in early for our reservation last night and got a drink and sat in their lounge. They sat us earlier than our reservation was and our server was awesome. We will absolutely be back! read more

LOVE this restaurant. Food, atmosphere and drinks are great. My only concern is I wish it wasn't so hard to get a reservation! But maybe the exclusivity factor is also what adds to the charm of this restaurant. I have a gluten allergy and they were very accommodating. There's lots of gluten free items marked on the menu and the servers understood my concerns and were knowledgeable. read more

Absolutely my favorite restaurant in town. If I had to choose my last meal on earth this would be it. The owners are incredibly kind and the food it top notch! Book your reservation two weeks in advance to get a spot for dinner. Their weeknights and weekday lunch availability is more open. Everyone loves the pork belly soup! read more

The food is absolutely fantastic here. I recommend the crispy pork belly soup as a must. The saffron crepe was pretty amazing as well. I've been here a few times now and have never been disappointed. read more

There Is a reason why this restaurant has been voted number one for several years in a row! Excellent food, options and the staff! Book 2 weeks in advance, it stays booked up and I recommend it all the time! Owners are stellar and really know how to run a great restaurant! read more

I don't have to have sex anymore, I just go to BM. BM is like the sex you never want to end. It's like a threesome with Chord Overstreet and Tyler Posey. I just went to lunch and the Lemongrass Chicken was perfect! The Papaya Salad was just the right amount of hot and flavor. The Spring Rolls melted in your mouth and that Baguette was glory glory hallelujah! This has to be the entry way to heaven. Come here and you will not be disappointed! read more

oo la laa.. Bida Manda is what you get when tradition meets modern - tastefully. I've heard great things about Bida Manda from a few friends and decided to check it out when I was in the area. The core of the restaurant is a portrait of the owner's parents in traditional Laotian clothing, taken on their wedding day. The restaurant is built on this foundation of family and culture. Mother's recipes, stacks of individually placed branches plus a dash of class ultimately creates a serene environment and a full stomach of delicious comfort foods. Will be back soon Bida Manda! read more

Very solid restaurant. I checked it out on a Tuesday night. I had to wait for a while to get seated at the bar. I tried the famous crispy pork belly soup. The portion was HUGE, and it had a great mix of curry, spice and herbs with fresh ingredients, giving it a very genuine and unique taste. The service was great as well. read more

Food was different and good. Parking was a pain (well I am not a fan of downtown parking) but at least there is a parking deck close. Staff was nice. I went there for a business meeting and it was too load to have much of a conversation. Will go back again for the unique food and my Pina Colada was yummy. Desserts were on the mark, too! I went on a week night and it was slammed - I wouldn't have expected to need a reservation on a week night so be prepared. read more

This is definitely one of the best places in Raleigh for Asian food. I liked the portion sizes (which were huge), the menu, the quality of food. Recommended! read more

Truly outstanding food in a lovely setting. I have had dinner and lunch at Bida Manda and both experiences were wonderful. Food was absolutely delicious and well presented. Hope to be back soon. read more

I just LOVE this place. Love the environment, love the food, service is great, owners are always there and visible. Love it!

Delish.. I love the food super ... Definitely recommend this place to everyone to try... Kinda romantic.. Good first date

Food was awesome. Service - majority of the servers and hostesses there are snooty and not so friendly. They actually look like a whole bunch of unhappy people. Why would an upscale restaurant hire unhappy looking servers? (esp. the ones at the Bar) Very odd. Food - 5 star. Service 3 star. Hence my 4 star rating. For a restaurant that's this upscale ambiance, I expect quality and friendly service! read more

Lettuce wraps, pork belly soup and sea bass

This place is worth a visit. Service exceeded expectations, menu is deep, varied and creative. If it weren't for the cursing bus station drunks outside I would give them a 5. read more

It came recommended but didn't deliver. Half of what we ordered was nice. The other half so-so. So all up a disappointing dinner. Soft shell crab was nice. Summer time rolls (rice paper rolls) while put together nicely tasted plain. My chilli salmon was well cooked - but it was a shame they served it with cold steamed plain rice. When I asked if the rice was meant to be that way they said. My friend also got served cold rice in her main meal. I assume the rice was plated up and left to stand and get cold or the rice cooker was switched off. I enjoyed a margarita which was well made. My friend had to return her Mojito because it tasted really salty and also had a very overpowering amount of lime juice. They were happy to changed it for another drink. Overall the place failed to impress. read more

I've been to South East Asia and frequently eat at Asian restaurants on the West coast. Found Bida Manda a bit too pricey and fancy for my taste, but the fish wrapped in banana leaf and sticky rice I had were excellent. Very crowded, but good service at the bar. Also liked the cocktail I had. read more

Pork Belly soup was amazing, the coconut broth mixed with the pork belly was an excellent combination. If you are unable to make a reservation you can easily grab a seat at the bar. read more

Been hearing about this place and finally got a chance to visit. It didn't disappoint! Service was spectacular, food was even better than my highest expectations. They will split the soups between two bowls with no issue, so since we shared the pork belly soup (not only the best soup i have ever had, but one of the best things i have ever eaten - i have already made the next reservation I could get to go back and have this again soon!), we were able to share 2 appetizers. The lettuce wraps were outstanding, and very much enjoyed the wings appetizer too. read more

The economist Tyler Cowen has a hypothesis that the best ethnic food will always be found in the 'burbs because rents are low and the ethnic communities who live there will keep the food authentic. In general he's probably right, but Bida Manda is a nice exception. They make the rent in a primo spot in downtown Raleigh with nice decor, downtown-grade service and somewhat overpriced cocktails, but the food and friendly staff are not to be missed. I had the duck larb, which was excellent and served Lao-style to be eaten with the fingers and a bit of sticky rice, and my wife had a papaya salad with perfectly cooked sweet duck. Even better than the larb was the service; our cheerful waitress brought us a free appetizer when the kitchen lagged a bit, and then a free dessert afterwards for our anniversary. If I ever make it back to Raleigh, I'll make it back to Bida Manda. read more

I went out with my gal pals for a little wine n' dine action and we had heard that bida manda was a great spot. We're a group of fun Yo pro's that like experimenting but also like a great value. We were blown away, like roll your eyes, oh mah gawd blown away. We started with the stuffed Anaheim pepper and soft shell crab. As a soft shell crab lover I was very pleased and the spices in the pepper were perfect then had the pork belly soup and duck larb (get it traditional style with the skin and liver, etc.) And these were divine. The flavor in the soup and larb were absolutely incredible I couldn't have been more pleased. Highly recommend this place to anyone but if you like Asian cuisine it's a must!! read more

One of the best Asian restaurants in the triangle in terms of quality ingredients and authentic food, complimented by great service. Very pricy, but they do deliver quality and interesting food to make it less painful to pay the bill. Some dishes are better than others, and sometimes a dish will be off, but enough of the dishes do shine brightly. read more

I know this is technically "Laotian" food, but we love it because it's as close as you can get to Thai Issan food, or "country" food. Excellent all around; atmosphere, staff, food. read more

This is my family's go to spot for birthdays and celebrations. We are NEVER disappointed by the outstanding food and service - we always have an amazing dining experience. The atmosphere is cozy, but extremely beautifully decorated. The owners are wonderful and often go around to talk to customers - they have an inspiring story about opening their restaurant in their parents honor who still live in Laos. I usually get the pumpkin curry (AMAZING veggie option) or the green papaya salad. Extremely authentic but also gourmet food & also great cocktails! This place is always busy even during the week so make sure to make reservations! Overall, great people, great food, great atmosphere, and great experience every time. read more

We have been to Brewery Bhavana so we had to come try out Bida Manda. Both were impressive with food, drinks, and atmosphere. I had the Spa Ice and my boyfriend had the Pickle Rickey (wubbalubbadubdub), both were refreshing to sip while waiting to be seated. We sat at the bar, which was fine for us; we aren't picky on where we sit in restaurants. Our server and bartender was very friendly. We ordered the fried spring rolls and Tom kha gai soup to start. Holy wow! The soup blew my mind with flavor. I only ate one spring roll because I was obsessed with the soup but the spring rolls were also outstanding! We had the basil steak for dinner which was delicious, however, it wasn't as earth shatteringly good as the appetizers in our opinion. We would absolutely recommend this restaurant and will be returning in the future. read more

Really, really good! Spring rolls, check. Beef larb, check. Shrimp pad thai, check. Pad king kai, check. I'm a fan and would definitely return! read more

If there is one word that perfectly encapsulates our experience here, it would be: family. My husband and I listened to the This Is Love podcast Eight Thousand Miles about a year ago and were both brought to tears at the hard work and dedication of Van and his sister, Vanvisa. Dining at Bida Manda had been on our bucket list for such a long time, and our first visit did not disappoint! I called to make a reservation for a Wednesday night, and luckily they had an opening at just the right time for us. When we showed up, we were greeted with such warmth from the staff that we felt right at home immediately. We arrived a few minutes early, but that wasn't a problem because we were ushered directly to the best spot in the house - Table 2, which is nestled perfectly in the front corner of the restaurant. From here, we had an incredible view of the whole restaurant, while also being able to enjoy the crisp breeze of outside air from the open window. The service had already proven to be quick and welcoming, but the best welcome we received was when Vanvisa, the co-ower of the restaurant and the Sister from the podcast, personally came to our table to welcome us and offer us a menu. Both my husband and I were in complete awe and happiness to have met such an inspiring young woman! We felt so honored to be welcomed into her restaurant and served with such hospitality. Vanvisa was so kind and conversation with her seemed to flow naturally, despite the restaurant bustling with excitement on a typical weekday night. Our waiter, Matt, was incredibly helpful and knowledgeable of the menu and also the history of the restaurant. He was very quick to bring out our food, and the staff was kind enough to offer us an extra appetizer to try: the lettuce wraps. Additionally, we ordered the lemongrass sausage and the tom kha gai soup. Both of us agreed, without a doubt, that this was the best food we have EVER eaten in a restaurant. The flavors were full and delightful, and we felt like we were instantly transported to their home in Laos. We also ordered the curry and the bass as our main dishes and couldn't recommend these enough! Although we weren't able to finish all of our main courses (we tried!) the staff was kinda enough to bag them up for us in a very classy brown bag. Since we were originally there to celebrate an early wedding anniversary for ourselves, Vanvisa herself brought a complimentary dessert for us to try, two flavored macaroons. You guessed it... the BEST macaroons we have ever had! This was such a special moment for us and a perfect evening to celebrate our second anniversary. We truly felt like we were a small part of the family during our visit. This outstanding evening had to come to an end at some point, but not before we had the opportunity to meet Van himself. He came over to our table at the end of the evening to introduce himself. Just like in the podcast, he was humble and kind. Everyone at Bida Manda works to ensure that you feel as though you are home. We feel that this is the best restaurant you will ever encounter, from the personable staff and owners, to the flavorful food and warm environment. Thank you Bida Manda! read more

The food, the service, the atmosphere--this was literally a perfect lunch. Everything was exectuted with consideration and all the pairings and suggestions were on point. The staff was well informed and were exceptionally kind. The food itself was phenomenal. Truly a wonderful experience all around. read more

My favorite restaurant in Raleigh for any occasion and walking distance from our house! I usually order the papaya salad with duck or steak and he always orders the pork belly soup without fail. I've honestly never had a bad meal here. Small but nice wine list and thoughtfully prepared cocktails. read more

This place is alright. After reading many reviews my boyfriend and I decided to give this place a try since we were in the Raleigh area. Upon coming in I was immediately attracted to the decor. The ambience is really nice and I loved the bamboo around the bar. As far as the food goes, it was definitely too pricey for it to be mediocre. As a person who is very familiar with authentic Laos food this place just doesn't satisfy me. When my boyfriend and I went in at exactly 5pm we were seated and ordered maybe about 10 mins after looking at the menu. We waited for our food for over 30 minutes. The placement of the food was nice, but that's it. We asked for Laos hot/spicy on our food and it was definitely not spicy at all. Overall, beautiful decor but the food is not worth the price. read more

FINALLY got yo try Bida Manda last night! My first few attempts were thwarted because I didn't make a reservation so . .. be sure to make a reservation! This place gets crowded and now I know why. I got the Pho Lao and it was delicious. I was determined to only eat half so I could have the rest tomorrow, but alas - I ate it all! I like that they give you the condiments on the side so I could spice it to my taste. My dining companions got the Crispy Pork Belly Soup and Chicken Curry. I tried both and they were also quite tasty. I think I am going to get the Pork Belly Soup on my next visit. In addition to the amazing food, the staff was friendly and helpful. I will definitely be back! read more

So good. Can't get enough of this place. The ambiance and design esthetic ala In Situ Studio is on the money. The food is fresh and divine. The service is impeccable. What more could you want from a local business. Don't be afraid to go spicy and wash it down with a cold Lao or Vietnamese beer. read more

This place is amazing in every way. The atmosphere is naturally welcoming. I immediately felt connected with the story and genesis of this restaurant which was an homage to the owners' parents in Laos. You can feel the live in the service and the food. I went for lunch and had the Pad Thai which was incredible. Hands down the best pad Thai I have ever had. I'll be back...often. read more

Sophia was our waitress and she was amazing. We did our meal family style and tried many different options. The food was incredible, definitely a must read more

A great introduction to a hard to find asian cuisine. Excellent service, reasonable prices, a good atmosphere and delicious food! Only criticism is that my prime rib entree was served a little late/ too cold. Be sure to order the pork belly soup and beware laotian hot! read more

Having lived in Raleigh four years now, I'm saddened that I haven't dined here until now. My husband and I kind of when on an impromptu date night without a reservation. We gladly got a drink at the bar and waited twenty minutes for bar seating which sometimes we both prefer. My husband had a delicious Moscow Mule and I had a Rosey Smash (I'm a sucker for herb infused drinks). They a very cool "lounge" area to hang in while you wait, it was appreciated because you are still very a part of the restaurant even though you aren't seated. When at the bar a very nice and knowledgable man helped us for the evening. We ordered the Crispy Pork Belly Soup, Anaheim Pepper, and Green Papaya Salad with Grilled Ginger and Garlic Pork Neck! The soup came first in two bowls for us to split. Let me tell you, THE BEST ENTREE AT A RESTAURANT I HAVE EVER HAD! It was every positive descriptive adjective one could think of. I'm kind of wanting to have it right even though it's 9AM. I mean UNBELIEVABLE! Now I don't want the rest of the food to seem less appealing but this was the star. Next came out Anaheim Pepper which was stuffed with sausage and had a perfect grilled flavor. The Green Papaya Salad (ordered medium) (and no those aren't noodles its in ripened papaya) with the Grilled Ginger and Garlic Pork Neck was also awesome. My husband also had an Amaretto Sour which was beyond and I two Pear Old Fashioned's. I don't favor myself a bourbon girl but this was on point. We did not order dessert as we were waaaaaay to full! All in all, as I started the review I'm very sad I'm just finding this place but happy I have. I plan to share this with countless people. read more

Bida Manda - Pear Old Fashioned - Laotian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Had a wonderful experience here the other night. I was unable to get reservations so my friend and I just showed up with high hopes. The host was able to get us in at the bar. Drinks were great and bartenders were knowledgeable and efficient. We were starving so the from scratch shrimp chips (perhaps only served at the bar?) snack were melt our mouths orgasmic. Friend ordered the Pad Thai which was good and I ordered the Saffron Crepe. The crepe was amazing and I can't wait to go back to try the pork belly soup. read more

I received the best customer service here of anywhere in Raleigh so please understand they have that on lock, however I found my food very unpalatable. It was some type of curry cauliflower combination and had not been with a group of people I would have sent it back. read more