Sabaidee! Welcome to Sep Lai! We serve traditional Laotian food using many local ingredients to create unique and authentic dishes. As is the norm in Laos, all our dishes are made to be shared! Although you may find similarities with other Southeast Asian dishes such as Thai or Vietnamese dishes, Lao cuisine is a distinct cuisine with its own complex and exciting flavors. Full of fresh herbs, raw vegetables, flavorful meats and always accompanied by a basket of sticky rice, we are proud to share this cuisine with everyone, including vegans, vegetarians and those sensitive to gluten! We hope that the dishes of our parents and grandparents will inspire you with the same comfort and joy as they do us, and that you will exclaim: "Sep lai! It was delicious!"
Details
Our Specialties
Spring rolls, Imperial rolls, Khao Poon soup, Papaya salad, Laap, Som Pak, Lao burger & Winter melon noodle soup.
Sep Lai is widely appreciated as a cozy, welcoming gem in the neighborhood, celebrated for its authentic and flavorful Laotian cuisine. Many guests enjoy the intimate atmosphere and the beautiful backyard terrace, which provides a perfect setting for sharing a variety of fresh, well-presented dishes. The tasting menu is frequently highlighted as a fantastic way to explore the diverse textures and bold, aromatic spices of the food, with popular items including the Khao Poon soup, crispy Nem Khao, and the pandan crème brûlée. While experiences with service speeds and dish seasoning can vary, many diners value the thoughtful, friendly staff and the convenience of the bring-your-own-wine policy, making it a popular destination for casual gatherings and group events.
Honestly I really want to like it so badly, I even went second time & ordered completely different dishes. But everything is great except the food. It's overly salty, we had to rinse the vegetables in order to be able to eat it.
The flavour is flat, we tasted more of the fish paste & saltiness than the mix of flavours that were described in the menu. Perhaps that's how Lao food is like & we might have the wrong expectation.
Unfortunately would not recommend this restaurant for food flavour.
Cute resto right next to the Charlevoix metro, it looks smaller than it seems. There are different types of seating & in the summer you can sit outside. We tried different soup dishes, brochettes, meatballs. Tasty dishes ressembling other southern asia areas.
Dec 28, 2025
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Having tried Laotian food in Toronto, I was looking forward to this place. I didn't read the 3 star reviews which often are honest reviews before booking the reservation. My mistake. Only one server for the the whole place. some dishes came out tasting uncooked, not one dish wowed, had the $55/person tasting menu. Expensive for what you get.
Cozy little spot with décor that perfectly fits its intimate vibe. The menu is simple but appealing, we tried the chicken brochette, pork boulette, papaya salad, rice salad, & fried chicken skin. Everything was tasty, but unfortunately almost all dishes were a bit too salty.
It's a charming place, especially for a date night or a quiet evening with someone special. Probably less ideal for bigger groups due to the space. Overall, a good experience & worth a visit if you're looking for a cozy night out.
Soooooo good. Highly recommend !
So many good dishes, the Kua Mee was my favourite though. Go with people who love eating family style & sharing multiple plates. Service was great as well & their terrace is so good. Super reasonably priced. Can't wait to go back.
We were really looking forward to trying Sep Lai for authentic Lao food, but unfortunately, it was a huge disappointment. Every dish we ordered was dominated by an overwhelming artificial lime flavor that tasted anything but authentic.
The sai oua (Lao sausage) was far too salty, & both the papaya salad & mango salad were nearly inedible. The nem khao & laab gai (chicken) didn't fare any better. In fact, we barely finished the dishes we ordered - which says a lot.
When a place advertises as authentic, you expect freshness & balance, but this was the opposite. I do not recommend Sep Lai & will not be back.
Unassuming & deceptively large BYOB Laotian restaurant definitely delivers! Must try-dishes: Nem Khao, pork Sai Qua meatballs & crispy chicken skin Nang Kai Tod. The dishes were large enough to be shareable. We were stuffed by dessert rolled around! For dessert, the pandan creme brulée was light, creamy & delicious! Would definitely return & take advantage of the backyard terrasse before summer's end! If you happen to forget your wine like we did, there is a lovely beer & wine store across the street from the restaurant on rue Charlevoix (Beau Dégât, bièrerie de quartier) that offered great wine pairings with our meal.
We were group of 11 so we had the tasting menu. Service was quite good. The food was very tasty, although the warm dishes, especially the Nem Khao, were very salty. The soup was amazing.
The place is beautiful, the first taste of the food was delicious lots of flavours however the food was extremely salty to the point that I couldn't eat most of it. I ordered 4 different dishes, each had its unique taste but the amount of salt spoiled the experience. Once we got the food the waitress never came back to ask how we were, so we didn't get a chance to tell her about it. We ordered 4 meals 1 was not salty, the second one was salty but we were able to eat it because of the mixture of the vegetables but the other 2 none of us could eat.
