We recently tried Pho Vietnam under the new ownership and were really impressed. The menu includes…read moreVietnamese, Thai, and Lao dishes, and everything we tried tasted very authentic--like something you'd get from a family kitchen rather than a typical Americanized restaurant. The flavors were fresh, well-balanced, and clearly made with care. It's great to see new owners maintaining the authenticity while bringing new energy to the place. If you're looking for genuine Southeast Asian food instead of watered-down versions, this is definitely worth a visit. We'll absolutely be coming back.

Picked up food today and was extremely disappointed. I got the chicken soup and it had no flavor at…read moreall. Chicken was dry and they shorted us on bean sprouts, cilantro, mint and lime. I don't know how something could taste like nothing. Just over a bland meal. Husband got mixed meat pho and said broth was bland too. Pretty bummed with our lunch. I'm feeling a bit under the weather and was looking forward to something healing and tasty and I definitely did not get that.

I have been coming to this café for years and I'm not sure why I've never posted a review. This…read moreplace is phenomenal. The first time we went. I got the beef pho my husband got the beef Bulgogi. The pho is delicious massive portions with amazing flavor, perfectly cooked noodles and delicious tender cuts of meat. I feel like most people are coming here for the pho. I tried his Bulgogi. It was just as delicious very tender. You can definitely taste all of the flavors in it. It came with rice and some kimchi. Also cooked perfectly, and the kimchi was punchy and crunchy. Every other time that we have visited here, we have gotten the pho. I've also tried the chicken. It's just as a delicious. I know this place has won some awards for its food and I can see why. I did recently try some crab Rangoon's. They were delicious as well not too greasy just the perfect crunch and flavor I come here about twice a month and I will continue to do that because the quality and the price is perfect.

I was really excited to come here, and so disappointed by the pho I got. The noodles were sticky…read moreand a lil bit overcooked. Sliced beef was dry. I am glad that they have chili oil very easily with access. The broth is okay. The veggies for the pho were fresh and the portion size for a medium is huge. Overall, good value for money, but under par in terms of taste. There's a lot of easy places to sit. The place is pretty bustling, and it's super easy to place an order. The staff is lovely, tables are cleaned. Parking lot is easy too. I just wish I could have enjoyed the food more.

I used to live just around the corner from 119th and Quivira…read more If Khop Jai Der had been there back then, leaving the neighborhood would've been a whole lot harder. Restaurants come and go. I watched one disappear from this very spot years ago. In its place is a Lao family sharing a piece of home with Kansas City. From the moment we walked in, the room smelled of fresh herbs, toasted spices, and slow-simmered broths. Before I even opened the menu, I had a feeling I was about to eat well. Mimi welcomed us like old friends. Instead of rattling off the most popular dishes, she asked what we liked, talked about the food she grew up eating, and guided us through the menu with the kind of pride you can't fake. We started with the Moo Ping and Lao sausage, and both set the tone for the rest of the meal. The grilled pork was smoky around the edges with a savory marinade and just enough sweetness to keep you reaching for another skewer. The Lao sausage was unlike anything I'd had before--packed with herbs and spices and served with crisp vegetables, fresh ginger, jalapeños, and a bright dipping sauce that let every bite taste a little different. For our entrées, Mimi recommended the Pad Kua Mee and the Mee Ka Til. On paper they're both noodle dishes. On the table, they're two completely different stories. The Pad Kua Mee leaned on the quiet confidence of perfectly cooked rice noodles kissed by the wok, while the Mee Ka Til wrapped tender beef in a fragrant coconut curry broth layered with herbs, peanuts, and vegetables that changed with every bite. Then came my first taste of mango sticky rice. Sweet, juicy mango, warm emerald-green sticky rice, silky coconut cream, and toasted sesame seeds. I actually caught myself doing a little happy dance at the table. After we finished eating, Mimi pulled up a chair and shared a little of her family's story. One thing she said stayed with me: every dish is tasted before it leaves the kitchen. Not because they're chasing perfection, but because they want every plate to taste the way their family remembers it. That's when the meal made sense. The food wasn't trying to impress me with oversized portions or flashy presentations. It was trying to introduce me to Lao cuisine the way their family knows it--with care, with pride, and with recipes that have earned their place at the table. I came because I wanted to try Lao food. I'll keep coming back because Khop Jai Der reminded me that the best restaurants don't just feed you. They share a piece of themselves, and if you're lucky, you leave with a story worth telling.

Last fall I had an amazing Papaya Salad at a food court in St. Paul at The Hmong Village mall. I…read morehave been craving it ever since and for my birthday lunch this week I drove across the metro to this Lao restaurant to satisfy my craving. Khop Jai Der is a very small place with tables crowded together that made it difficult to navigate with my current and temporary situation of using crutches. I ordered the Papaya Salad and asked for moderate spice level. What I received looked nothing like my last fantastic salad. Very little sauce, a skimpy amount of papaya, pieces of cabbage that were way too large and a spice level that was way over-board. The female that brought my dish ignored me for the rest of my lunch even though she was sitting at the table next to me talking to her friends. I never got a water refill that I desperately needed and had to get up and maneuver my way to the restroom for napkins after deleting the two at the table because of severe sinus drain. I finally took 70% of my meal to the register and asked for a to-go box. I showed my Hmong co-worker the next day and he agreed that this was not the place to get what I craved. He brought me a homemade bowl of the greatest papaya salad for my lunch today so I finally did find redemption, but it wasn't from KJD. With an almost inedible $20+ lunch, inadequate and dismissive service while my digestive tract was on fire and a claustrophobic environment, I can't find a reason to recommend this place. The biggest let down that I've had in a very long time.

I ordered this mean via doordash for the first time and was happy to give this a try! It was…read moreavailable during doordash's "happy hour", so why not give it a try right? It came with a buy one, get one free egg roll order and I ordered their pork platter with vermicelli noodles. They gave just the perfect amount of nuoc mam (sorry for spelling, also was just a tad bit saltier than i prefer) sauce that mixed super well with the deliciously grilled pork and lettuce/carrot mixture! Egg rolls were super crispy and crunchy!

Ate here after a long absence and discovered they are substituting grilled onions for all the fresh…read morevegetables in the vermicelli bowls. Was not very good. Would never order again.

best egg rolls i've ever had in my entire life and not like any other i've ever tasted. the pork…read morebuns were nice too but not enough sauce/ bbq inside. i've never seen them fried that way . everything was amazing and the brisket was very tender.

Love, Love This restaurant!! No matter what you order, it is Amazing!! The Pho and the Bahn Mi…read more...it is a really hard decision between the 2. Next time: Pork Bahn Mi for dine in and ordering the Pho to take home!! The service is fast and very efficient!! Do NOT forget Thursday night: Buy One Bahn me and second one is $3. The atmosphere is soothing, they play excellent music and not loud!! If this was the only restaurant I could go to, I would be happy!! The coconut shrimp=excellent. The eggrolls..E-Yum!! Love this place!! Thank you, Pho Tower for being Amazing!!!

Enjoy the meal and service is great every time! The apps are…read moreto enjoy all! Definitely to commiting a visit at least once a month

The reason for 3/5- I am so disappointed. Out of all the times that I have eaten here I have never…read morebeen disappointed. I usually come here for dim sum, and it is upsetting for me to say that my husband and I should've chose somewhere else to eat for dinner. For dinner, we ordered fried rice and chow fun. Those two main entrées were okay. You can't really mess up those two fillers at an Asian restaurant. We ordered scallion pancakes- they came out soggy and soft. Not even crispy like how they usually are. The flavor wasn't there either. If I wanted microwaved scallion pancakes, then I would've bought them from the store and made them myself. My husband ordered the short ribs- they were bland and tough like rubber. It had a funky taste to it that he couldn't describe and he had to force himself to swallow it because he didn't want food to go to waste. I ordered the chicken feet- this is one of dim sum's signature dishes and I am so upset I didn't even get to enjoy one of the dishes I always order. It was dry and the flavor wasn't there. The service was fantastic. They checked in on us and made sure our water was filled. The timing of the food coming in and out was fine. The ambiance was inviting. There was a sense of urgency and I appreciated that.

Great food great atmosphere and great service. I have taken on multiple occasions parties at 5:00…read moreor 6 and all the meals were fantastic.

We go to Bamboo Penny's often. The food is amazing and very Thai!…read moreOutstanding service too! Priced right, try it and you will certainly agree!

If you're looking for the absolute best Thai food in Kansas City, look no further than Pad Thai in…read moreOverland Park! The food is consistently outstanding, the service is warm and welcoming (Ann, Pim, and the team are the best!!), and every meal has so much flavor! The Chu Chee Chicken is hands-down the star of the menu. The rich, flavorful curry sauce is perfectly balanced, and the chicken is always cooked to perfection. It's one of those dishes you'll find yourself craving long after you've finished the last bite. As someone who requires gluten-free options, it's refreshing to find a restaurant that takes dietary needs seriously while still delivering incredible food. Pad Thai has earned its place as my favorite restaurant in Kansas City. Five stars all the way!

Today, my daughter and I dined at a Thai restaurant called "Pad Thai Restaurant." The server who…read moreattended to us was named Pim; she has only been working there for two or three months, but she is already excellent--friendly, cheerful, and providing great service.