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!"
Our Specialties
Spring rolls, Imperial rolls, Khao Poon soup, Papaya salad, Laap, Som Pak, Lao burger & Winter melon noodle soup.
Sep Lai is a charming Laotian spot where sharing plates and aromatic notes of citronella, coriander and ginger set a travel inspired mood, especially on the cozy back terrace. Dishes like khao poon, nem khao, laap and a fragrant coconut curry showcase fresh ingredients, generous portions and good value, with many noting the option to bring your own wine adds to the relaxed vibe. The atmosphere is warm and unpretentious, with friendly service that suits dinners, dates and groups alike, and the terrace is a favourite in nicer weather. Occasional comments mention saltier preparations or slower service when busy, but the overall experience is consistently praised for tasty, well balanced flavors and a welcoming neighbourhood feel that invites return.
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.
Nous avons découvert ce restaurant un peu par hasard. Un coup de fil plus tard, on nous propose deux places au bar - une belle opportunité. L'accueil est chaleureux, le personnel agréable, & la décoration soignée. Dix minutes après notre arrivée, nous passons commande. Bonne surprise : on nous informe qu'une table s'est libérée en terrasse. Nous acceptons avec plaisir, en nous disant que nous avons de la chance.
Malheureusement, la suite s'est révélée bien décevante…
Il a fallu attendre une heure avant que le premier plat n'arrive - & il ne s'agissait que d'un amuse-bouche : peau de poulet croustillante. Ensuite, 20 minutes plus tard, seule la viande de mon plat principal est servie. On m'indique que le riz gluant qui l'accompagne ne sera prêt que dans 15 minutes. Je préfère alors attendre que tout soit servi en même temps. Finalement, nos plats arrivent au complet après encore un bon quart d'heure.
C'était bon, rien à redire sur le goût, & le cadre est agréable. En revanche, l'organisation en cuisine pose clairement problème. Le personnel nous a expliqué qu'ils étaient débordés ce soir-là, en raison d'une affluence exceptionnelle. Mais en lisant d'autres avis, ce type de désagrément semble récurrent…
Dommage, car il y avait du potentiel. Nous ne reviendrons pas.
Small portions, overpriced, alright food. I find the less pretty places which are cheaper have better food. Significantly better food. The beef skewers were overpriced but okay. I felt the food was salty than flavourful.
People were nice, i feel they're alr8ght in decor & situation but please stay true to the flavours, please.
Belle découverte! Petit resto intime avec terrasse rempli de verdures. Service attentionné, délicat mélange de saveurs, plats à partager. Une expérience à répéte
Aug 15, 2025
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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.
Small Laotian restaurant with an amazing terrace, perfect for warm summer evenings. The food is delicious & the atmosphere is truly pleasant. Service can be a bit slow when it's busy, but the staff is so friendly that it's well worth the wait. A great spot I highly recommend.
La terrasse est magnifique & bien isolée du bruit de la rue, proprio hyper sympathique elle fait de belles suggestions pour nos choix sur le menu, la bouffe est excellente, un apportez votre vin en plus, bien situé & accessible (Métro, auto, marche, Bixi), pas ma première fois & certainement pas la dernière. Le menu n''est ni trop gros ni trop petit & c'est facile de faire des ajouts. Gros, gros, GROS coup de coeur pour les crevettes géantes & leur beurre !!
Aug 8, 2025
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The food was great, & the back patio had a great vibe, but unfortunately the service was genuinely terrible. It took over at hour for some of our food to come out, & the server rarely checked in with us! Please improve on this because the restaurant has so much potential!!
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.
Un de mes restos coup de coeur qui vaut le détour. Tout est bon sur le menu & que dire de la soupe Kah poon..j'en mangerais matin midi soir. La terasse est vraiment mignonne en plus.
Aug 2, 2025
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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.
This is our go-to place in PSC for a nice terrasse with good food. We had some of their salads (papaya & mango) as it was a hot hot day & it was refreshing. The skewers are to die for & a must! Their spring rolls were also delicious & very generous in portions. Definitely recommend for a summer eat with a quiet terrasse at the back. It is also bring your own wine!
