Little Serow

Waited in line starting at 3:45 (in the rain!) to get a guaranteed spot for my girlfriend’s birthday — great decision. Definitely one of my top five favorite meals I’ve had in DC (and more importantly she agreed).
The line on a Friday is a funny thing in itself — all dudes waiting to get reservations for special occasions, so we collectively bonded over that. At 5:30 on the dot they let us in to put our names on a list. Would have been nice if they were a little flexible in the hurricane — I’ve seen Rose’s start the reservation process early. They didn’t give us a choice of early or late seating and we said «as late as possible» but that meant coming back 90 minutes later at 7 — so don’t bet on an 8 or 9 PM seating. All minor stuff.
Then we sit down and the food is truly amazing. We got a nice ($ 45) bottle of rose and then started chowing down on all the courses. They bring you a bowl of sticky rice and vegetables to soak up the sauce and noodles and act as extra utensils and we used them a ton. Especially on the second course (tomatoes, noodles, tamarind, other stuff) — we couldn’t stop soaking up the best-spring-roll-sauce-you’ve-ever-had-in-your-life. We commented on it and they brought us a little bowl of extra sauce — classy touch. They describes one of the dishes as «sneaky spicy» and that is one thing to keep in mind — pretty much every dish is mouth punishingly hot — but we liked that.
The waitstaff is wonderful and talked about all the dishes and the best times to come during the week to get a spot for a return meal. Amazing experience, will be back soon.

Finally after years, I tried out Little Serow’s and they did not disappoint! My boyfriend and I went on a Wednesday night around 7:30pm and they were booked but we put our name down and went to the bar next door to grab drinks and were called to be seated around 8:15pm.
The place itself is hidden away in a basement on the same block as Komi — no signs for the restaurant. Shabby, minimal interior and very dimly lit room so the ambience isn’t very impressive (aka I wouldn’t celebrate a birthday here, for example). However, we were prepared for this and were more curious about the food and the dishes were really tasty and well executed. Each Thai dish got a little spicier each time, so be prepared! But the finale dishes help balance out the spice so that by the time you get to dessert, the fire is gone from your palette.
I definitely think Little Serow’s has the best Thai food in the area. I like the small plates and multiple courses and the variety of dishes — usually at Thai restaurants, you order your big plate of food and some appetizers but I like that we can try many different flavors here and are not overloaded with the same dish. You WILL get super full by the end of the meal– I really couldn’t some dishes so the bf helped me out so you’ll definitely get your money’s worth.

I’ve been trying to go to this restaurant for 3 years, but never had been able to get a table. Until this year, I decided to pay a line stander starting around 3:30pm. Note the restaurant does not open until 5:30pm but the lines prior to opening is ridiculous! The restaurant is so tiny that they hold a maximum party of 4 at a time.
I went last week for my birthday when they offered an all seafood menu. It’s a set 7 course meal for about $ 70 (typically $ 50 on other days). They had a good balance of spicy and mild dishes in between. Although the dishes were small. We were all very full toward the end.
Very cute and casual restaurant. The wait staff are all very nice and very accommodating. Would like to come back again to try their other menus.

Little Serow is definitely worth the hype and wait!
Came here on a Saturday evening with two girlfriends and we showed up before the opening and were met with a line out the door. Not to fret though, because as soon as 5:30 rolls around, the line moved and we were able to put our name down on the list for a meal at 7pm. As expected, the reservations went quicker and quicker and we were able to get in earlier than we were initially quoted for.
The venue is quite small, but has a very funky vibe. As many other people might mention, the menu changes from week to week and if you can’t handle heat, than I strongly recommend you avoid this restaurant (also, they’ll ask about allergies when you first ask for a table).
I’m pretty satisfied at how the $ 50 prefix is set up, because I’m not as well-​versed in authentic Thai/​southeast Asian cuisine as I would like to be, so I wouldn’t have known how to properly order at a restaurant like this.
Our server came and recommended a wine, and my friends went along with her suggestion (I was a bit apprehensive because I didn’t want to add to an already steep bill, but hey why not splurge every now and then)
Our menu consisted of the following:
nam prik num
finger chilies /​shallot /​bla ra
khanom jin naam yaa
catfish /​krachai /​fresh noodles
muu nam tok
pig ears /​rice powder /​mint
laap gai chiang mai
chicken /​offal /​lanna spices
tow hu thouk
tofu /​ginger /​peanut
het grapao
mushroom /​basil /​egg
si krong muu
pork ribs /​mekhong whiskey /​dill
— one of the highlights were definitely the ribs! so good!
PRO TIP: ASK FOR THE RICE MILK, it definitely helped reduce the heat!
Overall, our bill ended up being about $ 83/​head, so just make sure you skip the wine if you feel like making this experience cheaper haha.
Would recommend to anyone who enjoys spicy food and a great meal in DC!

This place is AMAZING. Hands down in my top 5 dining experiences ever. This is as close to authentic Thai as you can get.
The menu changes weekly and is a generous tasting menu with good portions. On the evening we went, they featured Northern Thai dishes and each one was so unique, flavorful, and fresh.
The ambiance is in this cozy basement restaurant and the staff is so friendly and knowledgeable about what to order and what drinks to pair with each dish.
They create an impeccable experience for you that is not to be missed. There is a line here every night, but trust me it (and the price) is WORTH IT! This is the ideal special occasion spot in DC!

You want Northern Thai at a more reasonable price, and perhaps less insistence that you eat with your hands for the «true experience»? Head on over to Baan Thai, a short distance away!
In my opinion, this place is overrated, serving up solid but forgettable Northern Thai food for quite the premium.
I was very excited to try this place, as I live a block away and was always awestruck by the lines outside the door, so one night, my parents (visiting from out of town) and I checked it out. Basically, it’s a set menu for $ 45 a person, and ours consisted of 7 courses. I liked the nam prik num (a chili paste dip) and the pork ribs with whiskey, but honestly, nothing really stood out in my mind and compelled me to go back. A lot of the dishes were also very strong and oversalted, in my opinion, like the laap gai chiang mai.
Also, it’s nice to have some heat in the dishes, but maybe don’t set my mouth on fire so that my taste buds are numbed and I am full by the middle of the meal from the gallon of water I chugged? This is coming from someone with a high tolerance (and love) of spiciness!
It’s admittedly interesting that you get unlimited sticky rice and vegetables to accompany your food, and the underground ambience with the sea green brick walls is kind of hipster, but it doesn’t justify the $ 45, and a one time experience here is more than enough.

Last night in Washington, DC, so I decided to have dinner at Little Serow. This cavelike spot serves an innovative weekly set menu of Northern-​Thailand specialties.
Seat on a first-​come, first-​served walk in basis; no reservations. Although it has no visible door sign, patrons can spot this place easily by a long wait line outside before it opens.
The 7 course meal packs heat, meat and peanuts, along with a basket of herbs and a bamboo pouch of sticky rice to refresh the palate. Servers here are tentative and friendly. Each course was enthusiastically explained by the server. Couple of dishes are on the salty side. But overall, the experience was very pleasant.

This place is a gem. Hands down, amazing Thai food and now I will always judge other Thai restaurants for just not doing it right. The staff is beyond friendly, attentive, knowledgeable, and all the great things service should be. The damn right delicious.
I’m giving this place 4 stars for two reasons:
1. Honestly, we felt rushed. The plates came almost on top of each other. If we were sitting at a small table, I wouldn’t have any place to put my cup of water. However, I do understand that Little Serow is crazy busy and they need to move folks in and out as fast as possible… so I’m a bit torn because of that.
2. If you read any of the other reviews, you will know that this place dishes out the spice! The spice makes this place what it is. It’s delicious, it’s hot, it’s favorable! However, my stomach did NOT agree with my decisions that night. It did not agree. That’s all I will say.
If you can handle the heat, get in this kitchen!

Look, this is by far our favorite restaurant in DC. Period. We eat here ever month to month and a half and it has been consistently excellent. The service is outstanding and the food is utterly delicious, and yes it’s spicy. Our favorites are the Laap gai Chiang Mai and fried tofu, not to mention the pork ribs and basically everything else they serve.
Does baan Thai have decent northern Thai and dollar sushi happy hour? Yes, and we go there for happy hour about every other week. Can it replace little serow? Not a chance. This place is legit.

I’d give them an extra half star if I could – a good, but not great experience.
My boyfriend and I had dinner here a few months back. I lined up at 5PM-​ish and put our names down for the second seating, which worked out perfectly. We were texted around 7:30PM to head back to the restaurant and seated at 8PM.
The menu is prix fixe at $ 49 per person, with 7 – 8 small courses. The food was really good and although the portions of each individual plate seem tiny, my boyfriend and I were both stuffed by the time we got to the last round! They also will bring out extra rice upon request, which is useful for rounding out some of the spicier dishes.
I didn’t think the food was too spicy at all, especially for a place that hypes its authenticity. Compared to home cooked Thai dishes I’ve had at friends’ houses, Baan Thai on 14^th (also specializes in authentic Northern Thai cuisine, more take-​out friendly), and Thip Khao (Laotian, but hopefully a useful heuristic for DC), all of the dishes we had at Little Serow were more mild. I think other reviews hyping up how spicy it is don’t have very much Thai food elsewhere…
Food-​wise, I think Little Serow is a bit pricey, but a fun experience worth trying! The super cozy interior, hipster-​cool ambiance and ultra-​trendy alternative décor make it a fun, unique date night, but it’s definitely not somewhere I’d put on my regular dinner rotation, price aside.
Something that I really didn’t like was their drink menu – we ordered a craft beer (Evil Twin) glass off of their very limited/​curated menu. The waitress brought out a tiny glass – like a juice glass – definitely something that would have qualified as a small pour anywhere else and poured like 4 oz of beer into it from a bomber. Evil Twin is a more expensive brewery, but it was still pretty outrageous how much they were charging for such a small amount of beer. My boyfriend casually asked about how the bombers are stored between pours, since there’s a lot of loss of carbonation – the waitress didn’t have an answer to that either. It seems like a really strange oversight for somewhere that is so meticulous in their presentation of everything else.

Rather than get too in the weeds about my experience, I’d prefer to offer some advice for those interested in going…
1– it’s spicier than you think.
2– it’s more food than you think.
3– the rice milk is delicious but it is more filling than you think!
4– pace yourself! the last course was the best course when I went (palm sugar crispy chicken thighs)
5– the wait isn’t so bad– with other lines around town, it seems like the little serow line is getting a little more reasonable. I got in line around 4:45−5p and was able to secure a table with out waiting too long. Points for texting you when your table is ready.
And yes – for the record – the service, experience and food was amazing and I can’t wait to go back! The kind of dishes where you’re thinking «wow, I can’t believe this combination of flavors exists and I haven’t experienced it yet» and «omg, I might die because of how spicy this is, but I can’t stop eating it.» It’s also a steal for $ 45* with complimentary sticky rice and veggies.
With the ever changing menu, if I went back heeding my own advice, this review would easily be upgraded to 5 stars.
*Apparently the price has gone up since i’ve been — it’s now $ 49.

So this ended up being our «Second Dinner» because as we were walking, we saw a line of people. I asked one person «What is this line for?» and he responded «It’s for a restaurant called Little Serow. They don’t take reservations but it’s an amazing authentic Thai place.» This got my attention, so we ended up waiting in line for Little Serow, put our name down for dinner, and ended up going over to Sushi Taro because we still really wanted to try the sushi here. But still also eat at Little Serow. So yes, two dinners in one evening LOL.
Just a tip on how to get seated: Go early and stand in line if you want to try and be one of the first to be seated. Otherwise, you put your name down for the «next available» seat. You provide them with your cell and they text you when your table is almost ready. It’s better than standing around and waiting for your seat. You can go next door for some appetizers, or just walk around that area for an hour or so.
So this is a pre fixe coursed meal where the chef creates the dishes based on some of the best ingredients he has on hand that day. They suggest one of the sweeter wines to pair with the food, since most of the food is a little spicy. I opted for something that similar to a Champagne or Prosecco, but a little sweeter. I’m typically not the type of person who likes sweet wines or Reislings, but she was right: this did pair well with the spiciness of the food.
They brought over a basket of fresh veggies like cabbage, mint leaves, etc to enjoy with each of the dishes as you so desire. If you want the freshness, or the crunch, or just something to balance out some of the flavors, you can do it however you want. No judgement here.
My favorite dish was the pork — I kind of wish we started off with that because I was too full to finish my portion of it by the time it came out (second to last). Just have fun with it and enjoy the entire meal as they bring out each dish!

I have wanted to come to Little Serow for some time now. Foodie friends have urged me to go for a year, especially since it’s right down the street from me. Finally, I had an opportunity to treat a friend to a fancy birthday dinner — so, there we were! I started waiting in line at 4:15 p.m. Like my wait at Rose’s Luxury, it was freezing. Nice people of all ages chatted in line. But would it be worth the wait? [Rose’s Luxury wasn’t.]
Yes, it was — with a few qualifications.
[Btw, You should know that you eat what they give you and it’s prix fixé ($ 45 per person)]
We were ushered in by very friendly hosts and seated right away (others were waiting in line to get reservations for later). It filled up – both at the tables and at the bar. This was interesting: the space was set up, in general, like a bar — i.e., for quick food and drinks. There is no dilly-​dallying here. We were seated at bar stools at a tiny table. Even the water glasses were so small that servers stopped by to fill them every minute or so (annoying, honestly, when you’re trying to carry on a conversation). The recommended wine was a very sweet Riesling (a Unilocaler had recommended it to offset the heat of the spices) — honestly, too sweet for me. Perhaps it’s because I am used to spicy Asian food.
Now, on to the food: loved it. It was a completely new dining experience. The menu changes each week. This one was heavy on the pork. We had a small basket of rice (refilled as needed), a small plate of crunchy veggies (lettuce, huge radish slices, etc.), exotic «pastes» to combine with it all, and the following small dishes: a coconut milk soup with dumplings, pork rinds, a delectable tofu dish, another multi-​layered plate of veggies and something that I’ll need to look up – and topped off with amazing pork ribs.
Bottom line: the food was just spicy enough to make it complex and interesting, not over-​salted (a problem I had with Rose’s Luxury), a perfect mix of crunchy/​spicy/​salty/​acidic/​alkaline/​creaminess. It was simply a FUN meal. Just sort of: «Why not bring together all these wacky tastes and textures?» So, I loved that. So many highly ranked restaurants hold on to tired, old dishes that were popular when they opened. I love it that Little Serow is testing new things each week. So, cheers, guys!
Oh, and there’s no desert or coffee — just a heads up. They do not want you to linger — which takes me to my final point. I am giving LS four stars for this reason: the dining experience was not a relaxing one. It was honestly stressful. At one point there were four dishes on this tiny table (plus the rice and veggies, water and wine). When the server brought a fifth dish while we were still trying to get through #3, I was having none of it. I turned back dish #5 and said: «Please wait — we’re not ready for it.» And it came back again five minutes later. The server tried to convince me that my friend and I needed to experience all the dishes together, but I wasn’t convinced. I just wanted to say «Calm down. Stop rushing us!»
When we were ready to go, we looked around and the bar was empty, as were several tables. We looked at each other and said: this is weird. Why were we being rushed so mercilessly? I was just perplexed. So my advice to LS is: keep up the brilliant cooking, rework your business model so that the experience is more enjoyable for diners — and get larger water glasses! Then I will return again and again!

If you’re at all questioning to give Little Serow a try — do it! We came on a Wednesday night, and were a bit skeptical of the no-​reservations prix fixe menu. All that changed as soon as we walked in the door. The hostess greeted us like we were coming over to a friends house, and helped walk us through the night’s menu. Regarding the service alone, everyone was so friendly, attentive, and helpful in explaining the dishes.
I’m not someone who enjoys spicy foods, and there were times where it was a bit much. But the dishes were prepared in such a way that there were so many delicious combinations going on at once, that you could work through the heat factor and really enjoy the meal.
The menu is prix fixe at $ 49 per person, which is actually on the lower end of the spectrum of comparable restaurants, and you get seven courses, making it a good value. I was actually full after the fourth course, and I didn’t even finish everything on the plates!
Overall, the service is what really stood out to me as exceptional, and while the food wasn’t my favorite meal of all time, I enjoyed trying something new, expanding my palate a bit, and left quite satisfied. I would highly recommend this restaurant.

I crave authenticity when it comes to food. Little Serow is just that and much more. Takes no reservations so you have to get in line. A normal Thursday showing up solo 15 minutes before they open was not a problem, second in line actually.
A great teal warm comforting brick wall and cordial service is the first thing that you experience. Coming inside is like dining in someone’s home. It’s certainly a step up from your usual Thai restaurant experience just on service alone. But snootiness and superiority is checked at the door, you won’t find that here even with all the huge critical accolades the restaurant gets.
I knew the food was going to be filled with much spice and heat going in, and what I was even more curious about was the drink menu. What would they pair with this food? Too my surprise a solid beer list, and nice to see a good selection of what I love with Thai food as well, German Riesling and Gewürztraminers. If you see new Vermouth on the list, you absolutely have to get it
But this all of course leads to the food. Spicy is an understatement, the food is loaded with power and wonderful intensity. There’s nothing here that is fire breathing or more importantly so hot you can’t eat it, it is however, not for lightweights, and right out the gate is the nam prik harohk which sets the tone. Set with crispy pork skin, sometimes made with either catfish or mackerel, it explodes in your mouth in a mix of tamarind, garlic? and pepper greatness. The dish’s literal translation is chili sauce from hell for a reason.
A big saving grace is you are served copious amounts of rice and lettuce to dig into. Reminds me so much of Korean samgyeopsal /​posam dining, where I would just ram leaves and paste down my throat along with the other dishes. This is a place where I am so in the element. The tom kha soup with snakehead is murderously wonderful, why cant we eat more of this invasive species into extinction? Delicate little balls of it melt in your mouth surrounded in an intense milky like broth, fine shallots, and those little hidden peppers of power.
It’s hard to pick out a favorite dish since so much of the intense wonderful flavors accompany it are so diverse and expansive. Tangy plump sour mushrooms with lemon grass in the yum het, coconut like flavors in the tofu of tow hu thouk, and those to die for pork ribs in mekhong whiskey and dill. As a certified cucumber freak I had to just lap up the yum het sauce in all it’s wonderful vinegar greatness.
Eating the food and it’s wonderful flavors here is unlike anything I ever experienced, with maybe the exception of Pok Pok in Portland. Still it’s about as close as you will get without booking a flight over the Pacific, seriously and at $ 49 dollars per person it’s a bargain. No wonder this place is so amazing.
The spices and flavors that I ate so much of had me practically entranced I ate every friggin last drop of it. When dinner was over I literally felt high for an hour.
As I mentioned though it’s not for lightweights, so make sure you plan accordingly if you feel you may have to.
An absolutely incredible food and dining experience.

Finally had the pleasure of dining at Little Serow tonight. Given it was a Wednesday night on a cold January night, the wait was not horribly long. Got there at 5:10pm and was #10 in line. Needless to say, we were accommodated in the first seating. Menu was seafood and shellfish. The stand-​off dishes were the mud crab, pumpkin with yellow bean and lobster roe, and the fried whole fish. Service was wonderful — the servers were very attentive. Came by to explain the dishes and fill our water glasses.
I would totally go back for a non seafood menu.

This is definitely one of my favorite restaurants in town! I hate the fact that they don’t accept any reservations but I would definitely stand in line and wait to eat this food again!
Every single course on the menu was heavenly, the sour and refreshing notes pairing with the spiciness of the dishes were spot on. The modern take on Thai cuisine brought out flavors I didn’t expect. It was a wonderful dining experience for a great price. I can’t wait to try Komi!
Order a riesling, a sweet white wine to pair with your spicy dishes. Parking lot is nearby. Street parking is not easy to find.

AMAZING
REASONABLY PRICED FOR A 7? COURSE MEAL
I LUCKILY GOT A TABLE AFTER A 30 MINUTE WAIT
will stop writing in caps. come here. the food is actual spicy, not toned down for the Western palate.
good service
bartenders know their stuff and will help you pair your beverages appropriately with the dishes
must return

We definitely had a gastronomical feast at Little Serow, a place we’d been meaning to try for two years but didn’t get to until last week. As common sense had it, we planned to get there super early (5:15) to line up and hope to get in soon after the restaurant opened. Luckily, after it opened (at 5:30) we only had to wait for under ten minutes to be let in and seated at a table. Strangely, though, as our dinner progressed we noticed the line died down almost immediately after the first wave of eager diners who got there around 5 was accommodated. Maybe next time we come we’ll actually come at a normal dinner time; there were even empty seats at the bar and a couple of empty tables around 7.
Now onto the food. It was definitely very well seasoned and very flavorful. We felt we were brought back to Thailand. Our mutual favorite dish was the chicken and chicken livers. It was finely diced and the spice level was just enough. The pork ribs marinated in mekhong whiskey were also tasty, very juicy and loaded with different flavors playing off your tongue. Overall, the dishes tend to contain combinations of contrasting flavored (sweet, salty, spicy) and with each bite you’ll want to pause and contemplate on the taste profile. The exemplary dish we had was the ma hor: sour fruit, dried shrimp, and pork. The dish had slices of pineapple as the base, plums as the middle layer, minced pork and tiny pieces of dried shrimp as the core, and topped off with cilantro.
One regret I have for Little Serow was the lacking wine menu. Although I understand Thai cuisine doesn’t necessarily lend itself to wine pairings, I also believe you can’t do fine dining without fine wine. I tried three out of the four whites by the glass, and they were all way too sweet for my taste. I was hoping the South African one would be drier but it wasn’t. Furthermore, the weekly changing menu naturally demands a changing wine menu as well to go with the food; but the wine menu is pretty short and I think static.
Lastly, I think most people already know, the place doesn’t really accommodate many dietary restrictions. If you’re allergic to peanuts or cilantro, you’re out of luck and probably will never be able to dine here. The fixed menu also means pescetarians and vegetarians should stay away.
I would come back, but with two modifications. I’ll probably forgo the pre-​opening wait; waiting on the street outside a nondescript basement little eatery and watching people having happy hour drinks next door at Duke’s makes me feel like a fool. Seemed like showing up at 7 would be way more pleasant and normal (eating at a normal time). And I’ll opt to try the bottled wines (and of course quiz the server on them, since I doubt they have a sommelier).

Maayynnnnnnnn! The things we do for friends, right?
2015 rings in another year, which of course means… BIRTHDAYS! While I would love to focus on my own birthday, I have to keep in mind that other people have birthdays too… albeit not as special as mine… OF COURSE. My BFF’s birthday is before mine and since she has the designation of «bff», I guess there’s some kind of law that states I have to treat her to at least a halfway decent experience. DANG! Wait a sec… she still likes Thai food. Little Serow allegedly serves Thai food. DONE!
Little Serow is a very non-​descript restaurant found in the Dupont Circle section of the city. Street parking is the only thing available and… well…good luck finding a spot. This place is on the basement level of a massive building that houses several other restaurants and businesses. PLEASE NOTE: No reservations here. Basically, it’s first come, first serve. The décor of the restaurant is what can be considered minimalist with their light green/​teal wall coloring, candle lighting and overall basic set up. The service is ok as the wait staff is very professional, but they promote the restaurant so heavily that they come off a bit like brainwashed cheerleaders.
Quick tip: Food photos are allowed, BUT… using the camera flash is a no-​no. Stupid rule considering that the lighting is SUPER DIM.
Here’s the bottom line: the food was massively underwhelming. For me, the problem was the focus. WHAT? Yes, I said FOCUS. Some places focus on great taste, some focus on quality product, some focus on technique, etc. At Little Serow, their focus seems to be on extreme flavors. Excessive spice/​heat, salt and acidity pretty much explains every course. For further evidence, a constant and endless flow of water as well as a plate of cold veggies are provided to help soothe the tongue from the seven to eight course assault it would face.
Since this is a prix fix menu, the selection generally remains the same so there isn’t really much of point to repeating what others listed in their reviews. Besides, nothing stood out for the normal things most people go for like… umm…oh…I don’t know… great taste or balanced flavors?
So, for $ 45 per person (base price not including drinks and tip), you too can have a long wait before having your palate blown apart by flavors so extreme that it’s impossible to truly enjoy the ingredients and preparation. The next time I’d like a higher quality Thai meal, Thai X-​ing will definitely be the choice!