Vientiane Noodle Shop

We discovered an absolute gem in Milwaukee today: Vientiane Noodle Shop.Here you see Pad Burapa. This is a Laotian dish. I am more familiar with Thai stir-fries, but this dish did to me something I have not experienced since my introduction to Thai food, in the hole-in-the-wall joints of San Francisco, over 20 years ago: Gave me near out-of-body, "I cannot believe food can be this good" experiences. It is *that* good.And that I have not experienced anywhere in Milwaukee, or Chicago, since, though another basement hole-in-the-wall in midtown Manhattan did also do it ten years or so ago.Here's the kicker: They also have the best pho in the city. Best as in tied with Mint Asian Kitchen in Mequon - or maybe a bit ahead as this joint garnishes with Thai Birdseyes instead of the customary jalapenos which is very cool. (These two places, along with Xankia downtown, have the best broth, and also noodles that are fresh and never balled.)

The place was popping! It was still Phobruary promotions when we went to check them out and they were the only location hosting specials past 5pm. we arrived around 6pm and lucked out to one empty table. The server was handling all the tables herself so we patiently waited to place our order because she was honestly being a rockstar! We ordered egg rolls and spring roll apps to share and both were really good. I don't like shrimp so I just carefully pulled it out of the spring roll and gave it to my friend I also ordered a Lychee Bubble Tea with light boba and it was delicious!! Then the star of the show the Pho! This was the first pho I've received to date where I actually had more than one meatball!!! The meatballs were also so tender and flavorful! The beef slices were also very good. Definitely recommend checking them out.

What a killer spot. The portions are HUGE. Seriously, get one and share. The chicken broth is super flavorful and may actually be better a little watered down. Very nice man at the counter. They are generous with the chicken and onions. The noodles were very very soft though and a little mushy. We will absolutely be back.For those who are a little squeamish- did get a B for county rating. Definitely a delicious little shop and worth it.

Came for Phobruary. $8 bowl, a good deal. I liked the broth and meat/noodle portion was great. Did order the spring rolls but did not like them or the sauce very much. They have a big menu and a good amount of seating. Would try some other dishes!

We came here for pho-bruary and got a delightful $7 bowl of beef pho. I'm very picky about my pho, and I was pleasantly surprised by how delicious it was!! For $7, you got a really good portion of fresh broth, noodles cooked to perfection, lovely sliced beef, and the cherry on top was the beef meatballs. They tasted homemade to me! Service was fantastic and speedy. It's super cute inside too with Laotian cultural decor. I would definitely come back especially after pho-bruary to try out other things!!! We weren't super hungry then, but I regret not trying more!

I have been going to the Vientiane ( pronounced Vien chun) Noodle Shop with my family for over 20 years. I love that it's authentic Lao food. The service is friendly. During COVID-19, my husband and I would call in to go orders, and the owner would know how we wanted our laap. The food here and close to how my dad's recipe. I love it because it's the kind of food I grew up and still eat.I recommend the Lao beef jerky with sticky rice. I usually have my papaya salad Lao style, which is very spicy and has a fermented crab sauce. If you are not that adventurous, you can order it without. The food is always flavorful and prepared well. Highly recommend it.

this place never disappoints!! i went yesterday evening around dinner time and they were about half full of folks. i ordered the kang seen which was sooo tasty. full of flavor, so warming, and finished every drop!! my partner got the pho w veggie stock and tofu and theirs was just as delicious!! decorated beautifully and super cozy.

It's been 8 years since my review. Time to update and upgrade! I've had pho and apparently Khao Poun a couple of times, in addition to fresh spring rolls and the Vientiane Salad. The Khao Poun is not as spicy as most places, but every bit as delicious! This restaurant serves up authentic dishes and has the reputation for being the best, if not one of the best, at what they do. Make it a point to get here soon, if you haven't already!

Vientiane Noodle Shop came to our attention when we read that "Top Chef" host Kristen Kish and judge Gail Simmons visited the restaurant when they were in Milwaukee filming the 10th season of the show. We stopped by around 1:00 pm on a weekend on our way to another store nearby. The space inside the restaurant is pretty tight, which is not unusual for eateries in this price range. It was quite crowded that day, indicating the popularity of the restaurant in the community, although the staff seemed to run the place efficiently.We ordered Fried Vientiane Sausage, Pork Larb, Chicken Pad Sieew, and Beef and Meatball Pho for our lunch. The qualities of the dishes were quite large, and the leftovers were more than enough for another meal. All the dishes are flavorful, but we liked the Fried Sausage and the Pad Sieew better particularly because the meat was tender and largely free of chewy bits. The flavor combinations of the sausage were quite distinct, and the Pad Sieew had a mild but relatively complex flavor profile. The ground pork in the Larb and the beef in the Pho, however, were not from the best cuts of meat and had a lot of gristle (tough elastin). The Larb was also too salty; with all the spices and fresh herbs in the dish, we didn't think it needed so much salt to bring out the flavors. The taste of the Pho was just fine; so, our search for a great Pho in the city continues.My overall impression is that the restaurant serves flavorful Laotian dishes but tries to keep the price low for their loyal customers in the community by using inexpensive ingredients such cheaper cuts of meat. We will for sure stop by again when we are in the neighborhood and want a quick lunch.

I grew up eating Lao food and the flavors here is what I grew up with. Super authentic Lao food! My family usually orders the Khao piak, which is Lao chicken noodle soup with homemade noodles, Khao poon, Tom kha, Lao papaya salad, beef laab (cooked the way my mom used to growing up), pho, spring rolls and egg rolls. Everything that I've ordered here has been amazing! Service is great. It's just a small restaurant, nothing fancy, but you're just there to eat delicious food, so that shouldn't matter anyways, right? For anyone looking to try authentic Lao or Thai food, I say give Vientiane Noodle Shop a try! You won't regret it!P.S. I eat here all the time so pictures are of the meals I've had here at different times.