This place is the affordable and bigger plated almost bib gormad version of mawn. Same honey sauce on both chicken dishes. Here the fish is fried like mawn used to do it. Chicken is pressed flat and made into one large plate sided dish to share. Pasta was stuffed with so much crab meat that it is also better shared. The hoe cake was sweet and savory like cornbread from Atlanta without the dryness you get in Huntsville or Dallas. Large plates were def large enough to share for 2-3. I tried Mawn and Sao in the same day this week and I think Sao is my few favorite for warm dishes & they only carry a few options. The bar service was small with high attention played to each guest. Bathrooms were east coast sized but decorated with chicken decor like bar room. If you want to book they don't answer the phone you must show up or get reservation when it is dropped. I was ready to buy a rest here before I figured out how to get in; you can just show up hours early and see if they have open seats later for dinner. Both places use same china, similar chicken decor and Mawn has a bigger bathroom. Sao bar seems fit for adults only read more

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After receiving some bad intel that Mawn gift cards are usable here (lies), a friend and I went to Sao for a late dinner walk-in around 9pm on a week night. Once we were seated at the bar, we ordered a papaya salad and beef and broccoli mee caton to share. The portion size was a bit small, but the taste profile of each dish more than made up for the price. Papaya salad was a great mix of sweet and tangy sauces, which complemented beautifully well with the refreshing crunchiness of the green papaya shavings. That mee caton, though. Chef's kiss. I loved that they perfected the texture of the flat noodles where the bottom part was slightly crispy in contrast with the chewier strands on the top. The gravy was also nice and subtle in flavor, which added a nice finishing touch on the overall dish. Like many, I'm still in search of the elusive window of opportunity to try Mawn (and use up my gift card) the next time I'm back in Philly. This doesn't make Sao as a lesser alternative to its sister restaurant in any case. After my dining experience there, I'd consider it as downright deserving of its own spot as a noteworthy restaurant for foodies to try in Philly. read more

The food at Sao is amazing and so is the service! They have limited seating inside and don't take reservations, so you have to put your name down and wait for a table. I stopped by around 5:45 and was originally told a table probably wouldn't be available until 8pm. Luckily, I wasn't too far away when they called around 6:30 saying they had a table ready. The bluefin tuna crudo was super fresh. We also got the seafood mee katon, which was easily enough for two people to share and came with plenty of seafood. Everything tasted really good together. Our waiter knew the menu really well, so we let him pick our main dishes and he did not disappoint. read more

Sao - Seafood Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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One of my favorite restaurants in the city! Similar to their well known sister, mawn, sao highlights SE Asian flavors and offers some of the best dishes we've had. The hoecakes are one of their classic dishes that is interesting to read about but once you have it, it makes sense. The crab curry is deliciously spicy and we took home the leftover curry to eat with rice the next day and it was amazing. The shrimp are edible with shells on and so flavorful. Not one bad dish. It's a small restaurant so there's limited seating. Reservations are a game every month, just like with Mawn but absolutely worth trying to get. Can't wait to be back! read more

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Incredible. We loved this even more than we loved Mawn. The hoe cake, crab gravy noodles, and hamachi are peak food. The oysters came with amazing sauces, the beef skewer was excellent, and the cutlet was pretty perfect, but there are enough intriguing things on the menu that I'd consider swapping those next time. read more

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Wow wow wow! I was so lucky to snag a solo spot at the bar during my birthday week. What a great way to celebrate :) I was promptly seated once I checked in for my reservation. Like the sister restaurant Mawn the place is small and cozy with limited seating. The restaurant is in a great location off of Passayunk Ave across from Barcelona wine bar. I started off with FDR beef skewer. This was one beef skewer grilled to perfection and was delicious. I only wished it came with two skewers! Then I ordered the Mawn cutlet and Seafood Caton. The Mawn cutlet was HUGE! The chicken cutlet was cooked to perfection. Breading/seasoning on point with this very delicious caramel/fish sauce drizzled on top. The whole cutlet had paramesane cheese, salty pickles and fresh basil on top. Just an explosion of flavors! very good. The Seafood Caton was also delicious with seafood gravy smothered over flat/wide noodles with tons of plump shrimp, scallops, crab meat and squid rings. There was also hints of pepper and ginger slices throughout. It was so much food for one person but I was happy! I made friends with another solo diner and she ordered the famous Honey Butter Hoe Cake. I also tried a bite of the hoecake and through it was very good! The cake was nice and sweet with the smoked trout salad on top which you would think it wouldnt work but it does! Since I mentioned it was my birthday I got this delicious matcha ice drink with a candle and when I decided later to order the Thai rice pudding (fresh cream, coconut, banana with blueberry compote OMG so so good) I also got a candle :) My new friend ordered the corn creme brulee which I grabbed a bite. Overall experience was fantastic. Food is great and I had several days worth of leftovers haha. Thank you for topping off my birthday week Sao! Cant wait to take friends here in the future. :) read more

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Out of everything we got, the only thing we didn't care for was the red snapper crudo. It was a tad bit fishy. Oysters were fresh and loved the Sweet Amalia one best. The bar peanuts is a must try bec it is seasoned so well. The crab gravy noodles were a burst of flavor and definitely on the spicy side. My favorite dish were the noodles. Ho cakes were interesting. It was a buttery sweet pancake and it worked well with the savory toppings on it. Loved the blue fin carpaccio! Must try. The cutlet was HUGE. Adding the crab gravy onto it was superb. read more

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Sometimes places are hyped up so much that it's hard for them to live up to the praise. I should not have worried about that for Sao. Dimitri really worked each table well. After queueing up for first seating due to having no reservation, we enjoyed a Comfortable, friendly and laid back house serving amazing flavors and perfectly cooked components. Beef skewers: perfectly cooked, seasoned garlic/herby all the way through, tender and smoky from the grill. Chefs kiss Soft shell shrimp: crunchy, sweet, savory deliciousness Beef and broccoli Mee caton: umami, mildly spicy, fresh citrusy dipping sauce, awesome noodles-a little crunchy, a little chewy Wing phat plaza: coffee with rum, coconut and banana notes. Milk punch: didn't taste like the name suggested-but not bad- light rum with a hint of vanilla. The diners next to us confirmed that the hoe cake they got was as delicious as it looked-we're looking forward to our next visit and trying that hoe cake. read more

I see why everyone talks so highly of this spot- it's really worth the hype! The interior is small and has an elevated-casual vibe. A non-pretentious, cozy spot where the staff is welcoming and the food really speaks for itself. Drinks - the Wing Phat Plaza is a cocktail with vanilla, coffee, chicory, coconut, and banana and it was amazing!! It was sweet, smooth, and hardly tasted like alcohol. They also had another espresso-based cocktail special; a reposado espresso martini with a really delicious foam topping with black salt. This second drink was definitely stronger and bolder but still amazing with that sweet foam on top. Warm thai herb salad- one of their specials for the evening. Comforting, warm, spicy, thai basil forward. Really delicious and a nice light dish to start! Bluefin tuna carpaccio - I'm a sucker for a light raw fish dish and this gave me exactly what I needed! The fish was fresh, and the tangy sauce balanced well with the hint of spice from the jalapeno. FDR Beef skewer - Perfectly seasoned and a nice, tender bite! Definitely reminiscent of the skewers you get at FDR Park! Spicy Crab Gravy Noodle - the ultimate comfort dish!! Delicious, bold flavor, spice but not too much spice. Has some very tender crab throughout although I thought the crab pieces would be larger and have more of a bite to them. Mawn Cutlet - two large pieces of breaded chicken cutlet, a great quantity for the price. Our server recommended getting this especially since we wanted the spicy crab noodle and she was absolutely right. The more subtle flavors of the cutlet paired really well with the leftover gravy from the noodles! The chicken was cooked very well, soft on the inside and perfectly crispy on the outside. The service was great overall; we sat at the bar and both our server and bartender were extremely friendly and made super helpful suggestions! read more

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Amazing food that tops mawn for this raw fish lover! The special chirashi bowl was amazing The soft shell shrimp were perfectly crispy and salty The spicy crab gravy noodle dish was spicy and rich as billed. The service is nonpretentious with knowledgeable servers. One of the best restaurants in Philly far! read more

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Didn't think it would be possible to love a restaurant more than I love Mawn (which is a lot) but here we are! My husband and I were obsessed with everything we ordered and left the restaurant brainstorming when we'll try to get a resy again. Here's what we ordered for 2 people: - 2x oysters each - papaya salad (they had a special for a less spicy version of the papaya salad, which def has a little heat!) - soft shell shrimp (a favorite from Mawn that we couldn't say no to) - Hamachi crudo - it was hard to pick one crudo but the coconut based sauce is what drew me in - hoe cake - insanely good and absolutely worth the hype. Perfect blend of savory and sweet. - whole fish - the special of the night, we're both suckers for a fried fish and we're so happy we got this before it ran out! We were absolutely stuffed when we left but I can't imagine not ordering any of the dishes we chose. Our waiter was thoroughly impressed with the amount of food we finished so maybe stick to 2 dishes per person! read more

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we lined up at 4:40 on a friday and got seated at open, bartenders are so nice and gave good recs on food and oysters. the star for me was the hamachi crudo, a piece of hamachi with pickled veggies and fried scallion just went together perfectly, and the crab gravy noodles were just sooo good and the portion was huge!! beef skewers are a must try, a lot of people talk about the hoe cake but it wasnt memorable to me. the vibes here are so good and i will miss that hamachi crudo every day read more

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Finally, my husband was able to get a reservation at SAO! It's honestly crazy how fast spots disappear, gone within seconds. We've been fans since their time at Mawn, so we had high expectations for this new spot, and it did not disappoint. As someone who is Cambodian and grew up in Cambodia for half my life, I can confidently say Chef Phila and his team really delivered. Everything we ordered was delicious, but the spicy crab gravy noodles were our favorite, packed with bold flavor and real crab meat. A must-order! Every dish was cooked perfectly, and I loved how rich and flavorful everything was. The space is a bit small, though. I'd love to see them expand so more people can experience Cambodian cuisine. The staff were super friendly and helpful, which made the experience even better. Overall, it definitely lives up to the hype. Highly recommend if you want to try Cambodian food. This place truly hits the spot! read more

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Had a great time last night at Sao. We got some of the most talked about items: - Aged Hamachi Crudo: very fresh and tasty - Spicy Crab Curry Noodles: these were delicious, bursting with flavor in each bite. Portion size was also quite generous. - Honey Butter Hoe Cakes: these were a mix of sweet, salty and buttery, very good but just wasn't sure if the roe did anything for me other than adding texture to the dish. - Creme Brulee: the white the creamy vanilla custard base was so good, but the crackling caramelized sugar top was slightly too burnt almost tasting bitter at times. - Cocktails: the Wing Phat Plaza (sort of like espresso martini) was delicious but the Milk Punch was disappointing - Service: the staff was so friendly - Ambiance: a little crammed but not a big deal This was a one and done kind a place for me but I could definitely see why people might want to keep coming back here. read more

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So, I feel very lucky that I managed to dine at Sao and Mawn in a 3 month span. I will say the OpenTable priority notification system does work since that's how I managed to snag both reservations. I booked 2 bar seats for a Friday at 4:30 pm. We arrived and the restaurant wasn't packed yet. So, the hostess asked if we wanted to dine at the bar or at a table. We opted for the bar since there was more action there and we are nosey. We ordered drinks and munched on the bar nuts. The nuts were smokey, savory and lightly salted. The bartender/mixologist explained the menu and we were eager to get started. We ordered the hoecake and clams for appetizers. For entrees there was a special sea bass that was smothered in a mole sauce and the beef and broccoli mee canton caught my eye. So, I went with that. Our appetizers arrived in a timely manner. Now, let me say the hoe cake is insane!!!! It's buttery, sweat, savory, the smoked trout salad and roe knock the flavors out of the park. We truly enjoyed it. The clams were delicious too. The broth was delicious and the claims were tasty. Our entrees were up next. The sea bass was light and flaky. It had the taste of salmon, meaning it was very meaty. The mole sauce was sooooo good. The beef and broccoli mee canton caught me off guard. The beef was tender, and I believe I tasted a hint of ginger and scallions. The noodles and broth elevated the dish and brought all of the flavors together. We truly enjoyed all of the food. We opted for dessert because the two cannolis were small and easy to devour. One was a lemon ricotta cannoli the other was pumpkin ricotta cannoli. They were insanely good. We gave our compliments to the pasty chef and would like to thank Sao for a fantastic dining experience. read more

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Mawn's sister restaurant did not disappoint! Dark and dreamy inside, it had an intimate feel. Service was exceptional as well! I loved my green thai tea, it was on the floral side and it was SO SO GOOD. Milk punch was good as well, tasted like yakult to me. Absolutely OBSESSED with the all-star chirashi bowl. It was delicious. Generous portion of fish & the rice was so fragrant. Still thinking abt it. Oysters were fresh and I enjoyed them more than the ones at Mawn, we got Red Head Select (PEI), Shiguko (WA), and Walrus + Carpenter (RI). Hamachi crudo was delicious, thick cuts paired perfectly with the tangy sauce. Hoe cake was good, the smoked trout salad was a bit on the saltier side for me. Mawn cutlet was generous, definitely tasted better the next day!! The crab curry noodles were nice and bouncy with a mildly spicy curry and a good amount of crab. Very fragrant. The only dish that was a bit of a miss for me were the skewers, a bit on the drier side when compared to the skewer at Mawn (which I recommend more). Overall, I loved Sao and if you are a fan of seafood, their cold dishes are phenomenal. I will be back!! :) read more

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Not sure how to properly rate the restaurant. The foods we ordered were definitely unique and delicious BUT both my friend and I got food poisoning within a few hours after dining here. It's unfortunate because the service was super friendly. We assume it is from the oysters we had. It tasted a bit fishy but we thought maybe that's what that specific type of oyster is like. But turns out it had gone bad. The restaurant is small and difficult to get reservations. so we did walk in and waited 1.5 hours to be called back. I don't know if I would come back...the dishes itself were delicious but the food poisoning was quite traumatic read more

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Was lucky enough to score a reservation! The food was amazing hard to recommend just one dish! So try them all! The staff is very nice and knowledgeable. The restaurant is a bit bigger than Mawn with about 6 to 7 tables. Overall a great experience and hope to dine here again. read more

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Vibes: casual, low-key, intimate; bring a friend or two Tasting notes: - Papaya salad: refreshing, tangy with an excellent crunch and surprising amount of heat - Beef skewer: wonderfully tender, served in a pair; loved the contrast with bright cherry tomatoes and herbs - Chirashi bowl: very lime-forward and umami rich sauce in the rice; every spoonful is a delightful mix of fresh seafood - Fried Chicken: lovely caramelization; large pieces of chicken - Crab gravy noodles: aromatic and on the soupier side; noodles are soft with a subtle chew to each bite - Hoe cake: sweet and salty make for a fun combo, as do creamy trout and fluffy pancake - Whole dorade: flaky, tender meat in a light sauce - Crème brulee: felt like spooning and eating a melty toasted marshmallow - Cannoli: light but sturdy crisp shell with fluffy filling; cardamom was not overwhelming Other thoughts: - above meal was very satisfying for 4 hungry adults - courses came out in a good pace - friendly and attentive service, pleased that I was able to sample wines before committing Impression: chirashi bowl was my personal highlight, will be back for the oysters! read more

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Oysters and the hoe cake were my favorite. Thought the aged hamachi crudo was okay. Felt like there was a lot of coconut cream that overpowered the dish. Also felt the fried shallot in the bluefin tuna carpaccio did the same. Prefer Mawn over this sister restaurant as the service there was also a lot better. read more

Sao - Bluefin Tuna Carpaccio, Aged Hamachi Crudo, Papaya salad - Seafood Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Sao represents the best of Cambodian flavors meeting seafood-inspired dishes and drinks to complement your meal. It's also just as competitive to secure an RSVP, so have the notifications ready or be alert at midnight each month. The social media team for Phila always does a great job readying folks when new dates open too. My partner and I were seated immediately for a 5:00 PM service, at a two-top near the entrance. The tables are sat pretty close to one another, so don't be surprised if you accidentally photobomb another foodie's pic. There's also bar seating and high tables, including space for potential walk-in dining. Similar rules apply as when trying for Mawn, the sister restaurant. Service was among some of the best! Our server, Dimitri, constantly checked in on us, took effort to remember our names, and broke down the dish contents and any questions we had. They offer specials off the menu as well, some that we were excited to try. The Food Breakdown: Soft Shell Shrimp (4.5/5) - Offered here and at Mawn, these were divine. You can eat them directly without peeling, and six came with our order. If I had to comment, the lime helps give a touch of acidity but made the crunch just a teensy bit less spectacular. Assorted Crudo Chirashi Bowl (5/5) - This was one of their specials, and probably my favorite of the night. It's filled with all of their crudo--the scallop being my favorite. The bonus is also including uni, trout roe, and Siberian Osetra caviar. Mawn Cutlet (5/5) - It's breaded, pounded chicken with pickles that tastes excellent. This is where value meets portion size, and I thoroughly enjoyed the textures and how well the fish sauce caramel blends with the meat. Whole Dorade (4.5/5) - Super meaty and served alongside a spicy Thai chili and vinegar sauce. I can see how it's an intimidating dish if you're not used to picking bones off a whole fish or less tolerant to spices. Absolutely worth if you're used to it for a very filling, shareable dish. If you're lucky enough to land an OpenTable reservation here, take advantage of the specials and the classics on offer. read more

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This place delivered! My expectations were already sky-high since Mawn (Sao's sister restaurant) is my favorite restaurant in all of Philly. The food here was amazingly good, as if Mawn had a competitive sibling that was trying to 1up their sister. Service was good, and the restaurant was cozy, if you care about such things (I don't). The delicious and flavorful food is what will keep me coming back. read more

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I got lucky and somehow snagged a Sao reservation and was absolutely elated to come try out this hyped-up restaurant, especially since I have not been to Mawn yet. I was promptly greeted by the host and seated shortly. Our waiter Dimitri was so knowledgeable & passionate about the menu & food & drinks at Sao and made our experience @ Sao truly exceptional. For drinks I ordered the Wing Phat Plaza which was Sao's version of an espresso martini with notes of banana & vanilla in it. It was so rich, smooth, and delicious, and had a slight hint of salt in it which I absolutely loved. My friend ordered the Milk Punch which was a rum based drink with notes of Thai tea, bergamot & lemon. For appetizers, we ordered all the oysters on the menu, and they were so fresh and delicious. One of the condiments served with the oysters was a vinegar-based sauce with scallions & green chili & I probably housed it all myself. We also ordered one of the specials that night which was a poke bowl composed of all the proteins offered in their crudo menu served over rice - Bluefin Tuna, Aged Hamachi, Dayboat Scallop, and Spotted Prawns. The tuna came topped with caviar which made the dish extra ~fancy~. This was probably our favorite dish we got although it was very close to the others. For our main course we ordered the Honey Butter Hoe Cake, which was a fluffy pancake served with roe. It was so soft, buttery and melted in your mouth. Dimitri recommended we get the pancakes with either the Mawn cutlet or the Fried Chicken in Hull Sauce to complete the meal as Sao's version of chicken & waffles. We went with the Mawn cutlet which was a crispy fried chicken generously topped with parmesan. The two dishes complimented each other so well - sweet & savory, soft & crispy, we were in Breakfast (for dinner) Bliss...yumm! For our main course we ordered the spicy crab noodles. They were so flavorful, velvety & spicy while also being the perfect comfort food. For our second round of drinks, we ordered the house martini which was a classic strong gin martini and dangerously smooth. I could have definitely had a third round if it wasn't a weeknight because the drinks were absolutely delicious. Overall we had an amazing experience at Sao and definitely recommend it! It is a very seafood-forward restaurant, so I was in heaven! The food, ambiance, and service were all 12/10! read more

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After a whole month of waiting we finally got a reservation to try SAO Philly ! Shoutout to my boyfriend for making this reservation ! First things first the atmosphere , it's small but very cute. I love the little details they put into it to make our dinner memorable . We started off with drinks , we asked our waiter Dimitri ( I think that's how you spell his name lol ) what his drink recommendations are and he said to get the Henny Lemonade. Now Henny is my weakness but this drink was so good that it tasted like an Arnold Palmer , it was sweet and a little strong but overall I would get it again. First course we had were the Oysters with 3 different sauces which is Cocktail Sauce , Laos Crack Sauce and black pepper lime vinaigrette. They were very good not briney and pairs well with the sauces ! I highly recommend eating them with the crack sauce for spicy and savory flavor and black pepper like for salty and citrus flavor. Second course was the Spicy Crab gravy noodles . I love noodles and will always be a noodle girl . And this was one of the best things I've ever had it had a nice spicy curry flavor more like a Japanese curry with fresh crab. Spice level in my opinion was like a 5/10 not too spicy but enough for my palette. Noodles were cooked to perfection and I could not stop eating it ! Third course was the honey butter hoe cake which had trout salad and salmon roe on top of a honey butter hot cake. This was my very first time trying trout and I did not know what to expect because this was one of the highly recommended dish by others. It was very delicious and not too fishy , the flavors between the pancake and the trout salad blends well together as a sweet from the pancake and savory from the trout salad with salmon roe. If you're adventurous and want to try new things this is the dish to try ! Our fourth course was one of the specialty of the restaurant which is the chirashi bowl . And this blew my mind ! Imagine it as an upscale of a poke bowl. The bowl came with layers of sushi rice , caviar , an assorted fish and sashimi such as hamachi , uni , shrimp , tuna , and CAVIAR . I never had caviar until now and it was so delicious I cannot stop eating til the point where I was full because we had other dishes . It was so fresh to perfection and the sushi rice was cooked and season PERFECTLY ! Our last course to end the night was creme brûlée. You cannot go wrong with a good creme brûlée , the sugar on top was perfectly caramelized and the filling was decadent with real vanilla bean . I'm a girl who has a sweet tooth so this was up my alley . It was smooth , creamy with perfect amount of sweetness. If you want to try this place out reservations are really hard to get we had to wait for a month to reserve a spot because they are gone within seconds the minute it opens up . They start taking reservations on OpenTable the first of every month starting at 12 noon. Or you can walk in during lunch hours but there might be a long line . Our next mission is to try their sister restaurant Mawn , that will be a determination ! I hope you get to try this place out and hope you guys like the dishes we recommended ! read more

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Absolutely amazing experience at Sao. Our waitress was super attentive without hovering, didn't rush us, and also gave great recommendations and descriptions of popular dishes. The ambiance was cozy and fun, even if it was slightly loud and crowded. I think it was the perfect space for dinner for two. The food was out of this world. We got the honey butter hoe cake, soft shell shrimp (which I've never tried before), yellowtail crudo, scallop crudo, and the special beef skewers. The fresh herbs, along with the cambodian seasonings and sauces, really made this meal stand out. The flavors were unmatched, and I really appreciated the creativity in every dish. You can't find food like this just anywhere! It was great for sharing, and all dishes were the perfect size for a group of 2. The dishes were a little pricey, but I felt like it was worth it. I hope for sure to be back soon! read more

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We visited @saophilly for the first time. Y'all -- I wanted to cry at multiple points in this meal. We sat at the bar, highly recommend as you may witness a live fish butchering or just get to talk to dope people like D and Steph! Their service was phenomenal and didn't miss a beat. Anyway, oysters were (apparently) delicious - I tried the Lao Crack sauce and was immediately obsessed. Please bottle and sell in 12oz portions!! Hamachi crudo and the spotted prawn crudo. Both were amazing but the hamachi won my vote. It was like butter and a flavor explosion at the same time. However, the Honey Butter Hoe Cake will live in my dreams until I have it again. A perfectly cooked hot cake/pancake topped with smoked trout salad and roe... This blew my mind and was easily one of my favorites. We also had the special edition of the Mee Caton which had scallops, shrimp and lump crab meat instead of the beef for the night. BIG FAN of this dish and would definitely have again. Only wish there were more noodles. The Mawn Cutlet was super crispy and topped with Parmesan galore. Can attest that next day it's slaps just as hard. Finally the whoopie pie dessert... So good I ordered a second one to take home. The restaurant is small but the vibes are great. It's low key, and chill. Very cute for date night, or like small family dinner. Would not suggest for more than 4 people in one party as a heads up. This one goes on the must try list! And, as a Yelp insider tip, reservations are hard to come by, but if you don't mind a game of chance... Show up, put your name on the wait-list and then grab a drink at one of the other places nearby. You'll be happy you did read more

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The owners of Mawn have done it again with this additional restaurant. I'm not a big oyster person but decided to order a couple and let the waitress pick which ones for me and I must say they were pretty good where I might have to start eating them more often. To drink I got tequila drink that had beer in it as well and it was very delicious. For my entree they had a twist to their Mee Caton usually made with beef but the special had crab and shrimp instead and man oh man it was one of the best meals I ever had. For dessert I squeezed in some cream brûlée that put the icing on the cake. It definitely can be hard to get reservation here but it is worth it. They do have a bar for walk ins as well but can be busy. All the staff was really nice and helpful. My glass of water was always full read more

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We had an incredible experience at Sao last week! Dimitri, our server, went above and beyond to help us with recommendations, was constantly checking in on us throughout our dinner and really went out of his way to be attentive and kind. The food was absolutely incredible and unique. We would 10000% return (if we are ever able to get a res again) read more

Sao - Seafood Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

absolutely obsessed with this restaurant, phila lorn has done it again! mawn is my favorite restaurant in philly, so i was super excited to try this new addition. i love the crudo specials at mawn, so i knew that this spot will be right up my alley. i've been to mawn countless times, so my friend and i were trying to avoid repeats. i had to try one of each oyster variety, and my friend and i shared three of the four crudos. i absolutely loved the aged hamachi and spotted prawns crudo. everything was so bright and flavorful, and the seafood is delightfully fresh. i enjoyed the oysters as well, but i think the crudos were much more unique -- there is no shortage of exceptional oysters in philly. my friend and i also shared the scallop in crab gravy which was decadent and super flavorful. i loved every bite and couldn't get enough. the hoe cakes were super rich as well. i loved the buttery pancake paired with the umami of the trout salad and roe. for cocktails, i tried the milk punch which was absolutely delicious. it smelled smokey which worried me, but the drink was sweet and refreshing. i could not taste the alcohol at all. super dangerous drink, i could easily down 5 of them. my friend and i were so stuffed we opted to skip dessert, but i already have another reservation and will be back soon... can't wait to try more! read more

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If you are lucky enough to get a reservation don't hesitate to go and make the most of your time here. Everything we ate was top notch, there's nothing I wouldn't order again and we got most of the menu options. The service and ambiance of the restaurant were spot on and worth visiting because of it. Definitely worth the effort of getting the reservation and I can't wait to go back. read more

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We had a nice meal here last night. Shout out to our server who was awesome! I started w the Milk Punch which I thought was good but not good enough to order a second one. We also ordered a special which consisted of all the crudo in one dish. It was soooo good. We loved this dish so much. We then had the honey butter hoe cake. We mainly ordered this bc the internet told us to lol. It was interesting. It was a pancake that tasted like a funnel cake and it was topped w smoked trout and roe. It was very interesting tasting and we liked it but prob wouldn't order it again. We ate the Beef and broccoli Mee Caton and it was excellent - the noodles were chewy and the beef was cooked perfectly. Lastly we had the sea bass special of the night and it was sooo good. Loved this meal and would order this again and again. I also had a Henny lemonade - which was good but again not sure I would order it again. Overall the entire dinner was good meal but I felt it was somewhat over priced. Also I have eaten at Mawn maybe 10x (before it was so hard to get the reservation lol) and I was not wowed here by the unique tastes the way I always am at Mawn. read more

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There really needs to be a half rating on this platform. I enjoyed Sao, not as much as its older sister, Mawn, which is why I rounded down from 4.5. Overall, the space is cute, well decorated, a clear theme, and I like that this space has a bar/oyster counter for walk ins. It's dimly lit, which gives it a sexier vibe than mawn but it's still casual and fits the ambiance of most restaurants on east passayunk. The food was very tasty. It's clear that Chef Phila (James beard award winning chef) has carried their personality and style over to this restaurant. If you get anything at this restaurant, let it be the hoe cake. I've never had anything like it. The pancake has a subtle sweetness and it's perfectly contrasted with the white fish salad and roe on top. We also enjoyed the special chicken skewers (delicious), the scallops in crab gravy (khao soi flavor profile if you've had the dish at mawn), garlic fried chicken (crispy but not dried out!), and I last minute ordered the papaya salad after a pang of jealousy watching another table get it delivered (carry over from mawn). I was really impressed with the cook on the scallops in my dish as they were lightly coated in batter and fried but not over cooked! All in all, we enjoyed ourselves! I would recommend you check it out (especially if you like oysters). read more

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Walk in at bar Had a table ready 90 min after getting there at 5 Raw oysters nice Saved the caviar from that to add to hoe cake - umami breakfast for dinner Tuna carpaccio was excellent Crab gravy noodles - spicy, curry, noodles perfect texture but the crab was so broken up in the sauce that it was not worth the $35. Needs to have a bigger chunk of crab. Dessert was cannolis - shell was light and crisp but the filling was soupy :) read more

SAO absolutely exceeded our expectations. Our waiter was amazing from beginning to end. We got the scallop crudo, hoe cake, crab gravy, and cutlet. More than enough food for two people! Our waiter even brought us lovely matcha shots with a birthday candle for my bf followed by two glasses of wine. Just a lovely experience and well worth the wait. read more

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Incredible food (especially crab curry noodles) and a charmingly awkward waiter. Overall great vibe.

All I can say is congratulations & THANK YOU for an incredible experience. The service is casual, well informed, friendly & efficient. The food is full flavor delicious. The room is sexy, sophisticated & relaxed. Just fantastic all around. All the best to you, Sao. read more

The Ribeye and Mole may have been the best one of the best dishes I've ever ate. Steak was perfectly cooked and the sauce was made even better. Also shout out to Dimitri our server he was the man read more

We enjoyed Mawn and were eager to try its new sibling Sao. There are many similarities. Reservations are very difficult to come by. The funky sweet sour salty spicy cuisine of Southeast Asia is on fabulous display across the menu. The papaya salad and soft shell shrimp are the same at both spots, and a must order. The crudos are amazing and melt in your mouth. The entrees are limited but there are quite a few off-menu specials. We chose two, the whole dorade (incredible) and the seafood Mee Caton (more reminiscent of Chinese flavors with ginger and sesame). Aside from several meat dishes, Sao is a seafood paradise with an abundance of fresh herbs. There are similarities to the wonderful Kalaya in Fishtown too (though generally not nearly as spicy). Service is super accommodating and the atmosphere is dark and romantic, though quite cozy. Whether you score a much coveted reservation or snag a seat as a walk-in, you will be in very good hands. read more

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Everything about this place was a 10/10. The food. The service. The vibes. Exceptional meal, no notes. read more

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Service was great. Fair warning- the Hoe Cake with caviar is $86. Mawn Cutlet was very tasty, but best as a shared plate. read more