I would give 5 stars for this place. Little gem in this location. Curry was just perfect and not too salty. The salad was too fishy for me but otherwise everyone was very nice and Vincent was a great waiter.

As soon as I slurped the Tum Clams, my first thought was, "I CAN'T WAIT TO COME BACK!!!" Like other reviewers have said, this is authentic Thai and Lao food! Our dishes were packed with flavor! They are truly the house of somtum!

Sorry mom, but your seafood somtum doesn't compare to Banh Somtum! I’ll probably get teased for saying this, but OMG, it's the truth! Super fishy and fermented from the shrimp paste—so authentic! I’ll be back very soon!

For the spice level, my brother and I tried level 5. Next time, we’re going to see if we can handle Phed 10 or something even hotter!

Love it! We’ll be back very soon!

ທຸກຢ່າງອິ່ມອຸ່ນໃຈຫລາຍ! ຂອບໃຈຫລາຍໆໃຫ້ແກ່ພໍ່ຄົວ!

Very good Laotian restaurant. This is one of the first Laos cuisine places I’ve tried and it did not disappoint. Seems very similar to Thai food! I had their pineapple fried rice and wings and they were great quality and great portions for the price. It’s a smaller spot but there’s a good amount of seating. Wasn’t too busy when we went. Was definitely worth a try!

Love it here! Boyfriend and I drive 45 mins to come at least once a month. The thai boat noodle is Absolutely delicious. We get the Level 4 spice. Love the chicken skin appetizer, wings and lao sausage. The dipping sauce is DIVINE!

The restaurant is relatively clean and servers are always friendly. The only thing is it is kind of crowded on the way to the restroom. Only one restroom to service the customers and it's a bit run down. I'm gonna give the benefit of the doubt that this is a landlord issue because I do feel they're doing the best with what space they're given.

Highly recommend! You won't regret it. Caution to people sensitive to spicy foods.. spice levels are adjustable 😀

Stopped in for lunch with a friend. We had the Chicken Pad Thai, Lad Na (Rad Na), and fried spring rolls. The Rad Na was perfectly savory and not too sweet (some places make it very sweet, but I prefer it to just be savory), the chicken was tender, and the noodles were extra wide. They even asked me how spicy I'd like it, which I don't think is typical for Rad Na, and "medium" spicy was just a hint of heat - I'd probably kick it up a notch next time. My friend's Pad Thai was delicious as well, as were the fried spring rolls. The restaurant is small, probably 10 tables or less, but is obviously a popular destination as all the tables were full for lunch. Staff was friendly. A solid choice for Thai food, worth the drive up from my office for lunch.

We have been craving Laos food so we decided to stop by for dinner and the food did not disappoint. Whenever a place has thai boat noodles you have to order it. We also ordered the Laos style papaya salad, Naam Khao, and Rad na with beef. The perfect balance of flavor and spice to leave us completely satisfied.

Very authentic and tasty Lao food. Everything was very flavorful and the prices were phenomenal.

Came here twice this week. Once on Thursday and again today, Sunday (Easter). Don't be fooled by the outside, inside is a cozy, very clean, genuine Lao/Thai restaurant (I wish I found this place sooner). On the Thursday I came, it was quite and I had the pad see ewe. Everything was fresh and delicious. I had it medium spicy and it had a good level of heat that I enjoyed. What I loved is they did the proper flat noodles which made it more enjoyable. Service was good and it was enjoyable lunch.

I came again today, Sunday, but this time with the family. The food is still really good, however this time it was really really crowded (which makes me happy since it's good, genuine Laotian food). There was lots of takeout and lots of people dining in. I think they probably could have added one more person since it was so busy the service was lacking - drink never got refilled, which is okay since we all ordered water. The food took longer to come out but it was well worth the wait. I definitely probably won't come here during the weekends since it just very busy and the restaurant is very small.

Overall, so far, I think this is the best Laotian food I have had here in Houston. The menu is small but what they have is very good. Once the summer gets warmer, I will probably try their salads. Definitely will recommend this restaurant if you are looking for something different.

Thank you for the dumplings!

I was invited here after a wedding. I had never had laotian food before, and let me tell you... It was amazing! I ordered the coconut soup, with shrimp (Kang Ka I think it was) the have a "hotness scale" for ordering your food, which was pretty cool I thought. (hotness 1-5) I ordered a 3, and it was not spicy at all. We all shared our dishes, so I can not tell you the other things I had, but I can tell you that everything I ate was to die for, and the coconut soup is now my all time favorite soup in the world...

Best Thai-Lao food in town. Must try Laos sausage and Boat Thai Noodles. I mean you should try everything.

Boat noodles are amazing.

The Tom Yum Noodle is my Favorite, especially to nurse a hang over, the staff and chef are amazing. You can definitely tell they know what they are doing back there, every time I have been here the food has been consistent and delicious.

p.s. if you're craving for something crispy, the chicken skins hit the spot.

Been going here for a while and the food never disappoints. Just be prepared to wait a bit for your food. This place is not a fast food joint.

9/16/24 update.
The last 3 times I've visited, the portions were disappointing!! Each time there were only 4 slivers of meat in our dishes. This place used to be great, now meh. Lost a long time customer. I'm dropping my rating for this restaurant that used to be a hidden gem.

As soon as I slurped the Tum Clams, my first thought was, "I CAN'T WAIT TO COME BACK!!!" Like other reviewers have said, this is authentic Thai and Lao food! Our dishes were packed with flavor! They are truly the house of somtum!

Sorry mom, but your seafood somtum doesn't compare to Banh Somtum! I’ll probably get teased for saying this, but OMG, it's the truth! Super fishy and fermented from the shrimp paste—so authentic! I’ll be back very soon!

For the spice level, my brother and I tried level 5. Next time, we’re going to see if we can handle Phed 10 or something even hotter!

Love it! We’ll be back very soon!

ທຸກຢ່າງອິ່ມອຸ່ນໃຈຫລາຍ! ຂອບໃຈຫລາຍໆໃຫ້ແກ່ພໍ່ຄົວ!

I would give 5 stars for this place. Little gem in this location. Curry was just perfect and not too salty. The salad was too fishy for me but otherwise everyone was very nice and Vincent was a great waiter.

There aren't many authentic Thai AND Lao restaurants so this place is rare in itself. The boat noodles (preferably dark broth) has a familiar but unique taste. The thai tum yum noodle soup was a little more on the sweet than tangy side. I ordered level 3 spicy and thought it was just right, looking forward to coming back and trying level 4.

Everything is so delicious and authentic!

Banh tom sum papaya salad is very yummy, the 3 season fish is very fresh too. Highly recommended

Very authentic and tasty Lao food. Everything was very flavorful and the prices were phenomenal.

I loved this place! We got the yellow curry and pad Thai and both were scrumptious. Great vibes too. Can’t wait to come back and get more adventurous with the menu.

Amazing food! As authentic as you can get and the price is twice as nice!

Fall in love with their Tomyum noodle. If you love spicy thai food, then you must try this restaurant

Love it here! Boyfriend and I drive 45 mins to come at least once a month. The thai boat noodle is Absolutely delicious. We get the Level 4 spice. Love the chicken skin appetizer, wings and lao sausage. The dipping sauce is DIVINE!

The restaurant is relatively clean and servers are always friendly. The only thing is it is kind of crowded on the way to the restroom. Only one restroom to service the customers and it's a bit run down. I'm gonna give the benefit of the doubt that this is a landlord issue because I do feel they're doing the best with what space they're given.

Highly recommend! You won't regret it. Caution to people sensitive to spicy foods.. spice levels are adjustable 😀

One of the best Thai/Laotian restaurants I've been to, anywhere

It was good, everything tasted fresh and authentic. Some dishes might not be the best if you’re a picky eater.

very good food

First time here and the food was great. Everything came out quickly and was hot. I got the fried spring rolls and a D9 with chicken and a Thai tea. The young man recommended spice level 3, it was perfect. Prices are good, service is great.

P.S. second time, the green Thai tea is amazing too. The young man who waited on us is doing an awesome job with suggestions and service.

Prices were increased for every dish and the menu still reflected the old prices. You just don’t know until you get the bill. Some stir fry are smaller in portions too.

Very good Laotian restaurant. This is one of the first Laos cuisine places I’ve tried and it did not disappoint. Seems very similar to Thai food! I had their pineapple fried rice and wings and they were great quality and great portions for the price. It’s a smaller spot but there’s a good amount of seating. Wasn’t too busy when we went. Was definitely worth a try!

This place is one of the few restaurants in the Houston area serving authentic Thai food the way Thais eat.

I miss this place. Their dishes are so good.

Best Lao sausage. Everythings wonderful!!!

Highly recommended!!! I was craving Lao food, and this place did not disappoint. The food here is delicious! Bahn Somtum is officially my go to spot for Lao food.

Very delicious food. I ordered the Red Curry and Lao Sausage. The curry was very yummy and the spice level is great. The sausage is very good as well. I will definitely come back to try other items on the menu. Also, the green tea is very refreshing.

It's actually a humble, small restaurant serving excellent Laos and Thai food.

Highly recommend it.

If you live in NW Houston and you have not tried this place out. You need to do it right now!!

Great traditional street food!

By far the best boat noodle in the Houston area, hands down.

We have been craving Laos food so we decided to stop by for dinner and the food did not disappoint. Whenever a place has thai boat noodles you have to order it. We also ordered the Laos style papaya salad, Naam Khao, and Rad na with beef. The perfect balance of flavor and spice to leave us completely satisfied.

This is always going to be my go to place for Thai food. It's a hidden gem. Love the Lao sausage, yellow curry, pad kee Mao.

Loved the dark version of the boat noodles and laos style papaya salad. Beef jerky was a little sweet but the sauce that is served on the side with the jerky and wings was yummy. Will be back!

The best Thai Laos food you’ve ever had. This place is awesome and the people are super sweet.

The most authentic Thai food ever in town. Must try for real authentic food.

Great food 😋Master Chef Mindy..her food was awfully excellent!!! 😋 👍❤️

I order 3 orders of fries chicken wings and it’s horrible and black hard as a rock and Same with sticky rices redone like 5 times and how can they run a restaurant like this .!! I called but no one answered. Please don’t go there

Food is delicious!!!

Yummy !!

It’s so yummy, love this place!

I went for dinner tonight with a big group of friends. None of us had eaten here before, so we had questions about the menu, and all the questions were answered by the fantastic staff and everyone had a great meal.

We were able to split the bill without any issues and that's always a small feat with a big group in a small restaurant.

I ordered the Pad see ew with chicken and it was lovely. The noodles were tender and the chicken perfectly cooked. I did not manage to take any photos of the food but it was nicely presented and tasty!

The best Thai food i have ever had, simple dishes done perfectly.

Good fresh food and good price, fast service, I recommend this place for everyone

Stopped in for lunch with a friend. We had the Chicken Pad Thai, Lad Na (Rad Na), and fried spring rolls. The Rad Na was perfectly savory and not too sweet (some places make it very sweet, but I prefer it to just be savory), the chicken was tender, and the noodles were extra wide. They even asked me how spicy I'd like it, which I don't think is typical for Rad Na, and "medium" spicy was just a hint of heat - I'd probably kick it up a notch next time. My friend's Pad Thai was delicious as well, as were the fried spring rolls. The restaurant is small, probably 10 tables or less, but is obviously a popular destination as all the tables were full for lunch. Staff was friendly. A solid choice for Thai food, worth the drive up from my office for lunch.

Relaxing and awesome food. I love Tom Yum soup!

We catered here from here fot my wife 40th bday since it's her favorite Lao/Thai spot. Food was delicious as always!

Delicioso sabor y buenos precios, nos encanta la atención y la rapidez (recomiendo drunken noodles y mango sticky rice

Great food with excellent service!

Been coming here for over five years, really great food quality and prices. Friendly service, you get good auntie cooking, hope to take anyone here

Really good food

So good!

All the food at Banh Somtum is very authentic and delicious Thai/Lao food! I been coming by here to eat over 4 years now.. The papaya salad and beef salad are my favorite..If you haven’t try this place out yet you must try it! You will love it like I do. ❤️😋

Good food and service, but a bit crowded.

My parents and I were looking for Thai restaurants after watching a YouTube vlogger explore Thailand and eat their awesome food. Bahn Somtum did not disappoint!

We ordered the thai style papaya salad and it was fresh. We also got their Pad ka prow and the serving on that was bigger than I expected. Their creamy Yellow Curry is unforgettable (and i’m craving it now while i’m writing this)!

Overall great experience and amazing food! 10/10!

FLAVOR TOWN!!! DELICIOUS

Do you ever have that conversation with your friends after church wondering where to eat for lunch? Yeah I get this conversation with my friends on a weekly basis.

Here's how the conversation goes:

Friend 1: HEY GUISEEE!! Let's get something to eat after church!
Friend 2: oooooo where?
Friend 3: ya where
Me: let's try something new. I don't wanna eat at our regular spot.
Friend 4: I'm hungry
Me: Y'ALL I GOTCHUUUU

*checks yelp* .... *filters distance* .... *filters category*

DING DING

Me: "Let's check out this place! Banh Somtum! It's close to church!"

and there you have it. regular after church convos on where to eat for lunch. weekly.

We like to order lots of food and just eat family style. And this time around we were feeling adventurous. We usually eat at some pho place but I just wasn't feelin it.

We arrived at the place at a perfect time cause within 15 minutes people were trickling in and the small restaurant was filled. Although there was one LARGE family that took up half the entire restaurant.

The food. Where do I begin. My friends and I have been to many Thai places, but this place had some Laotian dishes that we've never had. I think my favorite out of all the dishes we ordered was the Tom Yum Noodle Soup! It was so good! Be careful on spice level cause we had the green curry fried rice on medium and my freaking mouth was on fire.

Here are the things we ordered.
1. Boat Noodle (dark broth)
2. Tom Yum Noodle
3. Green Curry Fried Rice
4. Pad Kee Mao

It was definitely enough to feed a group of 5.

Also, the art work on the walls are pretty cool to look at. Like. Really cool.

10/10 new lunch spot after church.

A few months back was my first time and the taste was decent, but now is a joke. I am nk chef, but I'm sure I can train myself to cook way way way better then this place. Don't waste your time here.

Perfect date spot with inviting décor, flavorful food, good portions and great prices. We will be definitely back. Such a cute little place. Just be mindful of the spice level. It is Laos spicy, not American spicy.

I ordered the thai boat noodle with flat noodle and thai tea. Both were good!

My favorite restaurant in the entire area, especially the jalapeños fried rice. 😋

Service was good. Food was good too. Just wish my Thai Boat noodles could be sizzling hot, it would taste way better.

Order a 🌶️ less than your usual. Unless you're actually Thai, be prepared for a dining adventure, this is not prepared to mainstream American tastes.

The food here is amazing. Never had Laotian food before and the service & food was awesome.

My bf and I came here for years, and never disappointed once! The food is amazing and the staff are always friendly.💋❤️

Very good, best boat noodle in town

Our go-to lunch spot. 🤤

You're closed on Wednesday...my only day off is Wednesday!!! Awesome food! Highly recommended.

Reasonable price good services

Great food and service

First time tried the Boat Noodle Dark Broth Style. Interesting taste and very delicious. Watch for the spice level if you can’t handle the heat well.

Really delicious authentic Thai dishes! Friendly staffs and great food. Highly recommend this place.

Was craving papaya salad, saw this restaurant was closed to where I was at and thought I give them a try. The reviews seemed promising. Got there around 1:30 the place was pretty empty. I ordered the beef larb and the lard ko ( Lao-Thai) papaya salad. The plating was nice, the larb was good, but it need little more lime for my taste. The papaya salad was good. I specified 2 peppers and it was still pretty hot. I also ordered the beef jerky. That was a total disappointment after the first 2 dishes. The bland beef was thinly sliced and fried. It had little or no flavor.
The amount of food given could be more generous as they fluff and garnish the plate with cabbage and cucumber. The pricing is ok, but if they improve the portion size, it will be better.

Delicious. Spicy. Authentic.

Mmmmm authentic

Everything was good. We ordered the fried spring rolls, fried chicken, a seafood plate, and some other plate with thick noodles.
The place was empty when we walked in but a few more tables walked in right after.

Delicious! Love the boat noodles.

Good Food plenty of Vegan options Very accommodating will definitely go back

Very scrumptious food. Love everything that we order.
Sugarcane juice is very refreshing.

remind me of flavors from Thailand 😁

Small family style restaurant with the the greatest staff ever. The food is authentic Tai. Loved the personality if the owners. Its the type of place where you go for amazing food and keep coming back because of the way they make you feel as a customer.

Love this place I come here every chance I get

Pad See Ew was outstanding! I am confident the noodles and tofu are made in-house. I'd pass on the sugar cane juice (made by a local vendor and a bit pricy) but the food was amazing as was the friendly service. I'll return for the boat noodles 🍜

Thai tea was bomb!

Yummy authentic food at reasonable price. Drunken noodles and pad see ew are the Best!

Been coming here for a couple years now and it’s consistently amazing. Friendly staff, efficient service, great selection. Highly recommend

Very good.

Definitely this is the place to go for Thai food. All their food is fantastic. I am in love with their Boat noodle soup, can not find anywhere! Also Pad Thai is #1. We will be back. Thank you, we love this place.

I have been trying many Thai restaurants and this is the most authentic Thai restaurant in my opinion. Especially their boat noodle (dark broth is unbeatable)...

I didn't get to take any pictures beside the thai boat noodle but I love thai food and thai spice.

Always good. Yet to have something bad from there.

Seafood salad was fresh but the portion was tiny for the pricing. The serving size of all their fried noodles got smaller (80% of previous size) AND a reduction of meat - I guess deal with inflation without raising the prices. Food quality was good and I could tell the ingredients (veggie, meat, seafood) were fresh. I would consider using them for catering event.

Clean, delicious, fair price. No lines and friendly service

Wonderful little restaurant we happened to come across. Amazing Thai food friendly staff

The food is always good here. No complaints.

This place has the best Thai Boat Noodles I have tasted so far! Flat wide rice noodles and 4 spicy level is an amazing combo. Don't get me started with the Laos sausage, every bite was beautiful and amazing. I wish I lived closer 😭😭😭However, I will be back!

This place is right down the street from where I work and I always look forward to dining here. Nowhere else in North Houston would I be able to find authentic, cheap, and delicious Laotian/Thai Street food that hits close to home. Their papaya salad is amazing and their speciality dishes are all fantastic.

Curry, noodles, chicken wings are all delicious.

Boat noodles, sausage and pad Thai were all good. Wasn't the biggest fan of the larb, but that may just be a personal preference

This is the place for authentic Thai and Laos food.
1000 time Better than Thai Cottage

Food is so delicious

So we went in for a small lunch. Total fail! Seven outstandingly fan-DAMN-tastic dishes later and a bunch of to go boxes we were stuffed, fat & happy. Small little place but it was almost full at 1130 on a Saturday morning. Great service too. Plus as a bonus they have some really cool art in there. I should have taken pics of that. So as if the great food wasn't reason enough to go back, taking art photos certainly is.

Very Friendly attentive staff
Authentic Fresh Lao food
Quick to get food

Amazing food! Tasted just like home away from home. Khop Chai!!

Good food

👌🏿

The food was fresh and delicious.The staff was friendly and professional.

Been here multiple times enjoyed all of it, its also really cheap so if your in hs- college then this is for you,pad thai was overall around average but I can't complain since it was around 10$
the flat noodles were another one of my favorites with great texture and seasoning on the meat.

Awesome authentic thai/laos food

Good food, even better service

The food is super good, so authentic, 👌👍👍👍

Amazing little restaurant for Thai and Lao food! I love the boat noodles dark with the thick noodles, pad see ewe, and papaya salad. The whole menu is amazing with classics I grew up with. Downside is that the restaurant is small so you can expect a wait during peak hours but it’s worth it!

I have eaten here several times and all the food choices are good and the service is excellent.

Service was amazing! The food was delicious! Best pad Thai that I have had so far. Had an amazing meal over all. Recommend sticky rice for dessert

Awesome food!

Absolutely love their Yum Nuer beef salad.

Really good food and thai coffee

Came here twice this week. Once on Thursday and again today, Sunday (Easter). Don't be fooled by the outside, inside is a cozy, very clean, genuine Lao/Thai restaurant (I wish I found this place sooner). On the Thursday I came, it was quite and I had the pad see ewe. Everything was fresh and delicious. I had it medium spicy and it had a good level of heat that I enjoyed. What I loved is they did the proper flat noodles which made it more enjoyable. Service was good and it was enjoyable lunch.

I came again today, Sunday, but this time with the family. The food is still really good, however this time it was really really crowded (which makes me happy since it's good, genuine Laotian food). There was lots of takeout and lots of people dining in. I think they probably could have added one more person since it was so busy the service was lacking - drink never got refilled, which is okay since we all ordered water. The food took longer to come out but it was well worth the wait. I definitely probably won't come here during the weekends since it just very busy and the restaurant is very small.

Overall, so far, I think this is the best Laotian food I have had here in Houston. The menu is small but what they have is very good. Once the summer gets warmer, I will probably try their salads. Definitely will recommend this restaurant if you are looking for something different.

Small restaurant serving Laos/Thai food, I reminds me of the coffee shops in South East Asia. Excellent food quality. Enjoyed the flavors and spice level. They have an interesting selection of Salads as well

The waiter was really nice in describing the food. The food was even better than the description.

Food was delicious! I truly miss real GOOD Asian food. The boat noodles we ordered were flavorful with just the right amount of spices. I had a level 2 spice and it was hot which was great! It was hearty and so delicious. The service was nice and quick and the waiter remembered everything. There were no errors! We definitely found our new favorite place to visit again and again.

This has got to be one of my favorite places the cooks in this restaurant take pride of their culture and pride in the delicious food I love this place must say i have enjoyed it i have many dishes to try and cant wait until this freeze is over. You have to try this place

It was good.I really wanted Vietnamese egg rolls with Roman lettuce celantro and car or slices, but regular iceberg did the job.....the rice was seasoned pretty good.Forgot to take pik of egg rolls cause we ate them up to quick.Customer service was good and place was clean.

I recommend this place!! 5 stars. real authentic Thai food. taste like Thai Thai food, not Americanized. big serving portion and great service.

The food is very tasty. The servers take good care of their customers. My family and I travel 75 miles one way to eat there every week or two.

Fantastic Pad Kee Mao and Pad Thai. Didn't see it listed on the menu as a "meat," but tofu is an option.

The BEST & most authentic Thai spot around this area!!! The pad thai & tom yum soup is so so good and some of my favorites here. The green curry, the chicken wings & sticky rice, the spring rolls, the papaya and tiger tear salad are great too :) Can you tell we eat here often?? We’ve been coming here for a few years now. Oh and the staff are quick and nice. Try this place and I promise you will not be disappointed!!!

Fresh tasty rice and noodles recommended if u go

Great food in this small, cozy, establishment. We ordered tom yum noodles, boat noodles (dark broth with wide noodles), pineapple fried rice with added shrimp and fried spring rolls.
Everything was delicious. The depth of flavor in the boat noodle broth was amazing. The Tom Yum was some of the best I've had.
Usually fried rice with shrimp has small salad shrimp or shrimp that is cut up into it but this had whole medium to large shrimp that were properly cleaned and shelled with just the tail of the shell remaining.
Seemed as if every dish could be adjusted heat (spicy) wise from 0 to 5, five being most spicy. Not knowing what to expect I got level 1 for the boat noodles and found it to be fairly mild. Next time, as there will be several next times at this little spot of awesome, I'll be more adventurous and bump it up to at least a 3.
Great flavors, everything was fresh and served hot and quickly.

I love the Spicy Basil Seafood Mix

Always enjoy supporting small, local restaurants. Never had anything I didnt like.

First time here and was taken away by the flavor in the thai food. I had the pineapple fried rice and it was rich!

This is my favorite Thai restaurant!! Their seafood Pad Thai and Pad Kee Mao noodle keep me coming back.

I began my meal (pictured), but this is their delicious Seafood Pad Thai!!

Love this place, pad kee mao is the best. Only problem is there level 1 spicy can sometimes be too spicy ( I'm not a big spicy food person) so just watch out for that but overall awesome!!

This is the best of the best do.not hesitate to try this place wow!!!!!

Excellent service. Excellent foods. The foods do have a spice level and I would highly recommend trying out your foods with some spice! These foods have so much more kick with spice added to them. All of the food was great and tasted amazing. We ordered our food and got them on a timely matter. Especially since we did order a good amount of food. The boat noodles were amazing. The fried rice was spicey and delicious and wasn't thicj and heavy is sauces. Seating was great and we'll spaced out in a tight space. Parking is extremely easy and there is a good amount of parking spaces too. I would highly recommend this place to satisfy your boat noodles cravings!