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Seng Luangrath more or less put Laotian food on the DC map, and her Columbia Heights dining room is where it started. The menu swings wide, from crispy coconut rice salad to warming soups and curries, and the "jungle menu" keeps things interesting with grilled chicken hearts and rice-fermented pork belly. Sticky rice is non-negotiable. Dinner only, casual, and built for sharing, meaning the more people you bring, the better your night goes.
The awards strongest first
- The New York Times The Restaurant List
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in Washington, D.C., Right Now
- The Infatuation #15 · Top 25: The Best Restaurants In Washington, DC
- Washingtonian #42 · 100 Very Best Restaurants
- Eater The 38 Essential Restaurants Around D.C.
One number, weighted & current 84
How we scoreThe dishes from the writeups
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Nam khao
“nam khao, a crispy coconut-rice salad with fermented pork”
The New York Times -
Naem khao
“Peanut and herb-forward plates like naem khao, a crispy rice salad”
The Infatuation -
Tam muk houng
“The tam muk houng, a traditional Lao green papaya salad, has enough chilis to reset your sinuses”
The Infatuation -
Muu som
“specialties like grilled chicken hearts or muu som, rice-fermented pork belly stir-fried with tomatoes and wood-ear mushrooms”
Washingtonian, 2026
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