Gai Noi

Stopped here for lunch. It was not too busy and we were able to get in right away. We got the basil wings, tofu, and peanut noodles. All were excellent! My favorite thing was the wings. We also tried the dole wip mocktail and the Arnold Palmer, which were amazing. The restaurant itself was so cute and clean. Parking was metered street parking.

I have gone to Gai Noi many times and it was one of my favorite Minneapolis locations partly because the food was so delicious but partly because it was such a great value and so fairly priced.unfortunately, on my last visit there, I saw that the menu had changed quite significantly, both in layout and price. For example, egg and basil fried rice which used to cost $12 now cost 16.52, crunchy wings which were $13 are now 17.70. while the quality of the food is still very tasty and the service is friendly and attentive, I don't think I can justify paying nearly $20 for wings or $17 for fried rice.I would still return because the food is very delicious and the lunch special (pictured here) is a good value for $19, but I'd be unlikely to return quite as often.

I was excited to try Gai Noi as it was highly recommended on Reddit. Unfortunately it didn't live up to the hype and I'm surprised that Google labeled it as a Laotian restaurant because I feel like most of the food there was actually more Thai. I will say that the ambiance of Gai Noi was great. I especially liked the moss light fixture. - Gai Basil - The flavors itself was great especially with the soft boiled egg on top of it. I did think it was a bit spicy though. Also I wish they clarified that there would be rice in the dish on the menu so we wouldn't have to order extra rice on the side. I will say that the rice wasn't enough to cover the flavors of the dish so you do need to order extra rice.- Drunken Udon - This was quite surprising as it was not the classic Drunken Noodles dish. Instead it felt a bit like a pasta, slimy, udon dish. Also there really wasn't much ingredients in the dish when usually there's some egg, carrots, etc. - Yellow Curry - This was a pretty standard curry. Honestly the flavors were not too memorable. I did appreciate the amount of chicken and ingredients that were in the dish.Next time if I come, I will definitely just order the items that the waiter recommends.

Service was amazing! Our waitress helped us navigate our first visit flawlessly. The ambiance and setup of the restaurant was amazing! We sat on the terrace/greenhouse area and being surrounded by plants with sunshine was addicting. We had such a blast. The food as well was out of my norm, but pleasantly so. The spice level was higher, but everything we ate was so delish I'm still thinking about it months after the fact. Can't wait to go back!

This place was AMAZING!! I have never had Laotian food and i was blown away by every single dish. The service was phenomenal, the interior design was breathtaking, and the food was some of the best I've ever had! I can't even pick a favorite because each dish was fresh, crispy, and unique in its own way. The pho spiced old fashion was also super delicious and very fragrant - it was cool how all of the spices hit your nose when you go to take a sip! Overall would definitely come back to this place next time I'm in town.

Excellent service and food! Came here on the recommendation of a friend and it did not disappoint! Neat, trendy place in Loring Park neighborhood. Waiter Elliott was awesome- friendly, knowledgeable, and prompt. Laotian food is served family style-- fun to order your pick and share. We started with the pork egg rolls-- best ever! I had the pad thai and grilled ribeye. Hubs had the yellow curry, also outstanding. Two seating areas- downstairs is more traditional. Upstairs has communal seating, brighter, lots of plants.Will definitely be back!

I love the aesthetic of the upstairs seating area. The natural wood tones, all of the plants, and the dim lighting give the area such a cozy vibe, especially with the combo of the fireplace. I tried the Laoatian sausage, egg and basil fried rice, and the crispy chicken wings for dinner. The wings and fried rice were amazing! The wings were so crisp on the outside and moist on the inside - the seeet and sour sauce added another level of flavor! To end the meal I tried the chocolate cremeux. The crèmeux was so rich and decadent. The cream on top was so sweet and fluffy, and a nice contrast to the density of the chocolate. Very tasty! Finally, our server was very nice and all of the additional staff were really great. They all made it a great evening!

I just adore Gai Noi. The community seating upstairs is so wonderful, whether someone gets seated next to you or not, because of all of the plants and gorgeous natural light. The servers are attentive and kind but not overly present at your table. And the food of course- is the star of the show. I cannot over state how often I think about the basil wings. We got 2 entrees and 1 appetizer and shared between 2 people and we were completely stuffed.

There's a lot to like about this place. It feels like a giant spa. The ambiance was soothing, soft with warm lighting, if only I had a massage and hot soak with my meal, that'd be the ultimate dream. We came near opening on a Saturday and were one of the first so we were seated quickly. Our server was amazing, super friendly. Food came quick, it's all family style. We started with some mocktails, the guava mule and lemongrass palmer, these were some of the best mocktails I've had. Not super sweet, refreshing, sends a wake up jolt to you. Food was where we were left a bit disappointed. Every dish just seemed to miss the punch of flavor you want in Laotian, Thai, and other southeast Asian cuisines. Aside from the khao poon, that had too much fish sauce. The sticky rice and laab beef dish was good, I would have liked more heat and lime. The basil wings were crispy and juicy, but could have used more salt, it didn't seem to have any seasoning. The walleye was probably the most disappointing, almost like bland fish nuggets that the tamarind sauce couldn't even save. I'd give this place another go for the mocktails and some apps.

I walked in on a Monday night to Gai Noi and it was pretty busy for a realy cold Monday. However the service was fast, caring, and kind. I actually loved my server and would have tipped her more, but there is a service charge already included of 18% and there was no easy way to leave more money - I guess i'll just have to go back!This is not quite as good as I was hoping after seeing it pop up on the NY Times list, however it is really good for not being in Asia or a place like NYC. I do like that the spice level is set, some dishes are spicy, some aren't. That's the way it should be, and I think that makes a ton of sense. The Basil Gai was really quite spicy, and I loved it. The chicken had some of the most flavor I've ever tasted in chicken, and I would definitely order that again. The drunken Udon was underwhelming. It had good flavors, it was tasty on a cold night, but it was no better than the drunken noodles I would get at a good-ish place in NYC.The space is comfortable, great to read a book, go with the family, or hang with friends. I think it was perfect for my Monday night single diner meal - but I would have been happy to have been there with colleagues, my wife, or anyone for that matter. Good, not great - but I'll be back!