Ba Lao

Absolute rockstar of a spot on Willy St.! You know you hit gold with a place when you wake up the next day and you are still raving and talking about what you ate. And that is exactly what we been doing. Welcoming staff, casual fun feel with 5 dishes on the menu. Lukas was such a great host, helping us with questions we had and sharing in our chatter about Madison culinary scene. We tasted 3 out of 5 and were mind blown at the freshness and flavor. Yum Goong, the shrimp salad dish was just beyond… I could eat that weekly! Huge thanks and bravo to kitchen staff - not an easy space to churn out Bib Gourmand level dishes. Yep - I said it, this is a Bib Gourmand worth spot. The cocktails were good too, but the star is the food. We will be back to try the other two dishes. Nearby tables were having them and looked stellar. This place used to be Taco Local and never had good ventilation- hence can get a bit smokey in there. So while it has a cute casual atmosphere, my atmosphere rating reflects that issue taking away from the pleasure induced by those tasty dishes. In any case, run don’t walk! …go and enjoy this new spot!

Hit Ba Lao post-Badgers hockey game for some late night bites and a cocktail. Brian behind the bar whipped up some fantastic cocktails and recommended various bites from the small but mighty menu of shared plates. The wings were insanely juicy, the lao brat was everything you want a Laotian-inspired brat to be, the wontons were a hit, and the Yum Goong was maybe the sneaky favorite. It's new and they're still developing the concept but it has an excellent foundation and with the Ahan pedigree, you know this place will be a booming success. Service was top notch, everyone was really friendly. Will definitely be back.

Ba Lao just opened and it was popping when I went Friday night — only their second night open! It’s such a cute cocktail spot with bar seating and a larger area with high-top tables if you’re coming with a group. The staff were definitely busy, but they handled it so well — attentive, on it, and still making time for quick check-ins with everyone. I tried the Taro Fizz and it was exactly as good as I imagined. I’ll definitely be back with friends next time to hang and try some of their bites 🙂

They recently opened and this place is so fun. We enjoyed great service from their amazing staff who recommended the Lao Brat. This was life altering. I love pickled mustard greens and they absolutely enhance the sausage which is amazing in its own right but even better with the other ingredients. If you are in the neighborhood or just waiting for a table at Ahan it’s a great place to pop in and enjoy a drink or some tasty snacks.

We got drinks here on their opening day. The staff was friendly and the atmosphere was fun. The drinks we tried were unique and really good. I will definitely be visiting again to try the food. I highly recommend checking them out!