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    Mekong Kitchen

    4.3 (83 reviews)
    ModerateLaotian, Thai, Noodles
    Closed 11:00 am - 3:30 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
    Updated 1 week ago

    Order Mekong Kitchen Takeout or Delivery

    Mekong Kitchen Photos

    Business Info

    MEKONG KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Mekong Kitchen

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    March 2026 menu
    Billy L.

    Today was my third time at Mekong Kitchen and it confirmed I won't be coming back. I didn't write a review after my first two visits because I thought maybe the bad service was just a one-time thing, but after three visits now, it clearly isn't. The food is actually pretty good, but the service completely ruins the experience. Everything is extremely slow. The food takes forever and the service is just as slow and inattentive. There were only two people working the front, one waiter and one waitress. You ask for something and it either never comes or you have to ask multiple times. My green curry lunch special took almost 30 minutes, and I didn't order anything complicated. I asked for Thai chili with fish sauce and chopsticks and never got them until I flagged down the waiter. It wasn't just me either. The table next to me never got their rice because she forgot. By the time she came back, they were almost done eating. They asked for fish sauce too, but that never came either, so they just gave up and asked for a to-go box. Even getting the check took flagging someone down again. There was also a group of six nearby, looked like they were from PG&E, and they were clearly frustrated. No one came to take their order for a long time. They asked her for drinks and those didn't come out until much later. You could literally see the annoyance on everyone's faces. The service overall just felt unorganized and unprofessional. The waitress looked like she just rolled out of bed wearing sweats and a T-shirt and was very soft spoken, to the point it was hard to hear her. I overheard the waiter apologizing to another table saying she was new and that's why service was slow, but that's not true. I've been here months ago and she was already working here then, and the same issues were happening. It honestly feels like they're understaffed and not properly trained. Both the front and kitchen need help. This is especially frustrating during lunch when people don't have time to sit around waiting forever. This place has potential because the food is good, but the service is consistently one of the worst I've experienced. If they want to stay in business, they need to make some serious changes. I won't be coming back, and based on what I saw from other customers, I'm definitely not the only one.

    Pad see Phad Si Ew
    Monika T.

    I've seen this spot when they participated in restaurant week, but did not get to come here. Recently tried it. Looking forward to stuff chicken wing, unfortunately, they did not have it. Ordered salt and pepper wings, had high hopes, however, tasted no spice, it was hot out the oil, the crunch was right. But taste was lacking. I also ordered pad see ew, which was good, I must have been starving... I inhaled it. I would return to try other items. Waiter was chill and helpful. Ambiance was good, because we got there a bit close to their closing

    Ana Q.

    Another great visit to Mekong Kitchen! Dining area was comfy and clean as usual. Service was prompt and friendly. Most importantly the food we ordered was delicious and fresh tasting! Highly, highly recommend the Pad Thai. The very best on the island.

    Nicole M.

    Great place with exceptional food! Staff is very welcoming and knowledgeable about the cuisine. Beautiful restaurant and love that its family ran.

    Sticky Rice With Mango
    Sylvia J.

    I've past this place a million times and finally went in and it was an amazing decision! The menu had a wide variety of great options, the food was fantastic and great quality. The servers were super friendly, and it had a cute vibe inside. Definitely a place to come and try and try again!

    Thai Iced Coffee,  Small
    Steve D.

    I tried Mekong Kitchen on a sunny Saturday evening at 5pm. I had the Seafood Noodle Soup and Grilled Chicken. Both dishes had very mild flavors, with very little seasoning. Which was okay. The Seafood Noodle Soup was loaded with shrimp, fish balls, and pieces of fish. A garnish of basil and bean sprouts were offered. Chili oil and soy sauce were available on the table. The very soft noodles were easy to eat. The scallions and bok choy added color to the soup. The warm broth had a mild taste, and not salty at all. Price: $21. The Grilled Chicken was a colorful presentation, but not what I expected. It was three pieces of grilled chicken on a bed of salad. Although the chicken had grill marks, it didn't taste like it came from a grill. It had little seasoning or flavor. I ended up taking it home. I ended my meal with a Thai Iced Coffee. The bold rich flavor was delightful, and was perfect for a warm day. Service was attentive and prompt. One young man served the entire dining room. The decor is creative, yet simple. There's bar seating and plenty of tables. The dining room has a high ceiling, with strings of lights. Why 4-stars? Depending on when you come, there is alot of traffic noise from Park Street. It's not the restaurant's fault, but I didn't have a 5-star "perfect" experience.

    Pad see ew
    Karen W.

    Been wanting to try this place since it became Mekong Kitchen and we had the opportunity after a movie night nearby. They close at 10 pm on Saturdays so we had enough time to dine there after the movie ended at 9 pm. We met our friends there after the movie and it is brightly lit compared to the former restaurant that occupied it previously. Friendly attentive service. We ordered eggplant, Pad See Ew and Woon Sen. The eggplant was tasty and had a little kick to it and hubby and I shared the woon sen which was delish. The menu is huge and there is something for everyone. I would go back to try the weekday lunch specials as parking is available in the back on Buena Vista and there are so many items still to try. Only thing is the lights at night made the dining area warm with no ventilation

    (Lao) Papaya Salad
    Judy L.

    Food was incredibly tasty and fresh! Beautiful decor and atmosphere. Servers were nice and food came out quickly. Ordered a meal to go since the food was so good. Would definitely recommend to anyone who likes Thai food with the Laos twist. Yummy on all levels!

    Soup leftovers.
    Victor G.

    Mekong Kitchen opened seamlessly into The Noodle Lover Club's space with little retrofitting. Seated quickly, courteously by associate who also was the "chef". Ordered. Food came quickly in 5ish minutes. Came for Tuesday's Lao Specials which are no longer offered. Offerings (Thai): lunch specials. Appetizers, curries, soups, grills, salads, noodles, rice entrees, desserts. Just 2 Lao entrees. Bites: Lao Sukiyaki (18) +glass noodle as free carb, fried wings as free appetizer. Came with salad. -small salad tasty with red cabbage, cucumbers, lettuce.. fresh it was. The usual dressing. -wings crunchy outer texture paired nicely with moist nonjuicy meat inside. Passed on dipping sauce. Sukiyaki came in an sterno fueled mini wok, keeping soup hot. -broth didn't have touted "homemade sesame peanut soup" taste. Plenty of glass noodles with a single bland shrimp, some calamari, a poached egg, fish balls, green onions, bean sprouts, bok Choy...contents of soup tastier than soup itself. 3.5 stars lunch specials, happy hour main attractions.

    Alex F.

    Decided to give them a try after seeing a recent ig post. Kasoy was very authentic. Broth was legit, definitely tasted the bean paste. Only complaint is that it needs more protein for the price. Chicken over spicy basil fried rice looked better than it tasted. Strange citrus flavor, like lemon or tamarind throughout the dish. Would've been a great without it. Service was excellent, given we were the only table there. Will definitely come back for their lunch specials during the week. Go give them a try!

    Melissa H.

    New Lao restaurant in Alameda and everything was SO good! We came with empty stomachs, got everything the server recommended us, and cleared off all our plates. The angel wings were so flavorful and delicious I really recommend. Also must haves are the Nam Kao, Lao Sausage, Papaya Salad, and Phad Ke Mao. I wish this place the best business because their food is flavorful and delicious, their servers are super nice, and the location is great. Will definitely be returning!!

    Fried tilapia
    Sarah Z.

    I wanna give a 4 but I'll do a 3 for this particular visit due to some missed marks. Overall this is a great spot, but there were some question marks during my visit. Ambiance was great. Clean and modern. I liked the lights they had strung up. Service was slow. It seemed like there was only 1 waitress so she had to take all the orders and do everything, so it's understandable. What we ordered: 1) Fried Tilapia: 1/5 unfortunately this came undercooked and they offered to refry it, in which it just came out super dry. Still had that fishy taste too. They had partially comped the dish, so that was nice of them. 2) Nam Kao: 5/5 this was my favorite dish I had. Super fresh and crunchy. Wish they gave more lettuce though, but highly recommend! 3) Angel Wings: 3/5 they were a little TOO sticky and sweet. It was super fresh and hot which was great. 4) Oasis Hotpot: 5/5 I loved the broth! Super clean and delightful. Flavorful as well. Lots of veggies! 5) Pad Si Ew: 3/5 It was great, but sadly too sweet. I started noticing a lot of their dishes come pretty sweet. 5) Pad Ke Mao: 3/5 Same comments as well. 6) Thai Green Tea: 5/5 SUPER DELICIOUS! Highly recommend. Overall food was great but there was always one thing that missed the mark. I noticed all their dishes are pretty sweet so FYI! It would be great if they could use less sugar. Portion sizes are huge for the price. Great deal. This place has huge potential! I would come to try again! Food is actually really good, just too sweet.

    Salt & Pepper Fish
    Con C.

    Flavorful bold tasty.... salt and pepper fish, pork chop and nam kao. Airy space with beautiful decorations and nice touches. Food came fast, staff was friendly and discount if paying with cash. Also have a happy hour worth checking out! Can't wait to come back!

    Mussuman chicken

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    Everything was tasty! I got the pad Thai with chicken. The service and ambiance were great.

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    4 months ago

    Delicious food. We arrived in time for Happy Hour! The food was served fast and hot. There weren't too many folks for a Friday night.

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    Ask the Community - Mekong Kitchen

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    My friends and I stopped by on a Friday evening at 7:30 p.m. looking for a table for four and the…read morewait was around 45 minutes. Between the four of us, we shared a variety of dishes, including their Champa Wings, Nam Kaow, Lao Sausages, Yum Nom Tok, Champa's Fried Rice and Pad Thai. Of these dishes, my favorite was easily the Nam Kaow. This dish had so many layers of flavors and textures. I could honestly eat a whole plate of this myself and be satisfied. Every grain of crispy rice was fried to perfection and there was a wonderful sour and spicy tang throughout each bite. The other dish I really enjoyed was the Lao sausages. These sausages are packed with so many different herbs and spices. The lemongrass flavor was especially prominent. Like the Nam Kaow, this dish also went really well with the fresh mint and lettuce that's provided on the table. There's a good reason why this unassuming Thai and Lao neighborhood restaurant has a line out the door: the food is absolutely delicious. Definitely one of my favorite meals I've had in 2026 -- I can't wait to stop by again.

    Wow. If you want some good thai food that is good both for takeout and eating in, this is the…read moreplace. Here's everything I've ordered and their rankings. Pad Thai: 8/10 Yellow Curry: 8.5/10 Appetizer Sampler: 9/10 Papaya Salad: 9.5/10 Crab Fried Rice: 10/10 Pad See Ew: 10/10 We love this restaurant so much. They don't skimp out on portions either. We'll be back for sure.

    The Saap Avenue - Ho Mok Pla (Lao Style Steamed Catfish) ($22) - steamed catfish folded in banana leaves. Great! Very flavorful.

    The Saap Avenue

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    Piedmont Ave, North Oakland

    I'm absolutely blown away. I was surprised about how good everything was. Might have been the best…read morefood I've had this year. My family ordered 1 appetizer, 4 entrees, and 2 drinks, all shared, and all 4 of us agreed that EVERY single item was phenomenal. That has absolutely NEVER happened before. At most restaurants, there's always at least one thing that someone doesn't like, and often multiple things that multiple people don't like. Not the case here. The appetizer was the spicy basil wings. Very good to start. But little did I know what was coming my way. The drinks were Thai tea and lychee limeade. The Thai tea was normal. As in good, I liked it. The lychee limeade was amazing, had to order another one. I would like to try the mango next time (there will definitely be a next time). Very sour, which I love. I hate lemonade that's not sour enough. Oh and that too, I usually hate limeade, don't really care for lemonade, and don't drink soda. I usually only drink water, juice, or tea (no coffee, alcohol rarely). So that's saying something. The Laos fried spring roll entree was really good. I always liked fried rolls but something about this tasted better. They were Laotian rolls, so maybe that was part of the difference from the ones you get from Pho restaurants. The duck over rice was amazing. I'm not usually one to pick duck, I don't mind it but I usually don't order it, but this was my mom's choice and it was really good. I like the sauce too. The Panang duck curry was so good. My mom doesn't even like curry and she liked it. And the Chiang Mai soup dish, I've never had anything like it. It was still hot after, I don't know, 20 minutes maybe? At the bottom especially. We all ate this together at the end, while the other dishes were in the order I listed them for myself (mostly, kinda switched around a bit eating family style), and generally the same for everyone else. I tasted a tiny bit of the soup in the beginning and thought it was nothing special, like when my spoon was clean it was the first thing I scooped. Only the soup though, none of the stuff inside. Honestly I didn't read what was in it, some crispy noodle or something. I was not sure if I would like it but my sister said she had it in Thailand and liked it so if I didn't like it she could eat it. That ended up not being a problem. Okay so anyway, we started on the soup at the end. To start, it was pretty good. Somehow, every bite we took tasted better and better, for at least like 5-10 bites maybe. At that point, I was thinking it's the best thing I've ever tasted. (But of course that's probably not actually true, and I'm just falling for the recency bias, kind of like how my favorite song changes all the time.) Never had anything like it. I've been missing out. But wow, I have to come back. And I highly recommend this place. Life changing experience honestly. Like if you asked me right now if I wanted to get Japanese or Korean (my other favorites) food or this, I would go here. I honestly wanted more of every single dish, especially the fried spring rolls, duck over rice, duck curry, and soup. Wait a second... that's all the entrees we ordered! Also the limeade. I need to get that again. But I also want to try other stuff next time so I'm torn. I literally need all 4 of these dishes again so I don't know what to do. I hope these dishes aren't seasonal or otherwise temporary. I noticed the menu had a month and year listed (I think it said April 2026 and it's May 3 2026 today) so I believe they update it frequently. If I lived closer I would come 20 times in a row and try every single thing, but unfortunately I live in San Ramon so it's not like I'm trying to go to Oakland every day. Soon though. My sister lives there, if I were her I would go here every day until I was sick of it, if that could ever be possible. I don't know if I could ever enjoy other food this much again. I was also completely sober so it wasn't like I had munchies or anything (felt I should specify being a young adult who grew up in California). Hmm, that gives me an idea for the future though. Even the pricing is fair (no dishes over $30), and the place is nice. Great service too. The only drawbacks are small tables for parties over 4 people, and it's REALLY loud in the restaurant, but well worth it. If you are sensitive to noise I'd recommend earplugs, earmuffs, earbuds, headphones, or something. The place is also relatively small. I'd recommend making a reservation if you plan to go on a Friday or Saturday night. It got busy, very busy. Well our reservation was at 6 and it wasn't crowded yet, a couple tables open, but by the time our food came out the place was absolutely packed and I think people without reservations had to wait to sit. I'm not sure though, I was too focused on the amazing food to care. Anyway, once again, highly recommend and I will be back.

    Came here on a Sunday night with my family, and we might have a competitor for our favorite Laos…read moreplace. We got the following : Lao Appetizers Plate - Everything had great texture with the sausage standing out the most to me. Very soft and not too salty. Garlic Pork Spare Ribs - Great flavor, but a little on the dry side. Still tender enough to enjoy. Duck Larb Salad - Bright flavors and everything worked really well together. Recommend adding this to any meal balance out the other fried items. Kao Piak - I find that most places over cook their chickens, but the meats here were cooked perfectly. Broth was a bit salty for me, and I usually like the broth thicker, but still good overall. Mango Sticky Rice - I liked the crispy fried rice bits that added a nice crunch. Mango wasn't quite in season right now, but it was still sweet and soft enough. Overall service was great, and there is a lot of parking in the area. Def recommend checking it out.

    Mekong Kitchen - laotian - Updated May 2026

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