Banana Leaves Asian Cafe
160 Congressional Ln, Rockville, MD, 20852
Banana Leaves Asian Cafe Menu
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Address :
160 Congressional Ln
Rockville, MD, 20852 - Phone (301) 230-8908
- Website https://www.mybananaleavesrockville.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : No
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : No
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Divey
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Dogs Allowed : Yes
Waiter Service : No
Caters : Yes
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Kristen B.
For fairly cheep carryout it was good. I just happened to be wanting some thai style takeout and shopping nearby and saw it on yelp. The food was good and fast. Better than many of these asian/thai takeout places in the Rockville area.
(4)Jeff H.
We ordered here because we really wanted delivery. The green curry was not bad, but not really memorable at all. The sauce was light on coconut milk and was a little watery tasting. Also there were large amounts of eggplant that I personally don't like, but then again I'm not a big fan of eggplant in general. There were also large chunks of tofu that were bland and just diluted the already watery curry sauce. The curry could have been spicier too. The drunken noodles were also OK, but far from great. They just lacked that sweet and full flavor and were hardly spicy at all. The noodles were also a little too mushy and thick for my taste. So this place is good if you really just want delivery, but if you want better food, I'd recommend going to Benjarong instead.
(3)Mok-Yi C.
With the understanding that this newly opened restaurant is mainly a carry-out spot (they only have two or three tables inside), I was _very_ pleasantly surprised by the caliber of food served there. The quality is on par with high end Asian restaurants in DC without the price-tag (and atmosphere, although the restaurant is very clean and bright). Food was seriously good and they serve a nice variety of cuisines, not your typical Asian restaurant menu. Lots of items I have never seen before. While I have never tried them during lunch, I understand that they have a very affordable and flexible lunch menu that is worth checking out. If you do decide to give this hidden gem a try, I highly recommend trying their coconut shrimp and chicken satay. I intend to go back for Round 2 very soon!
(4)Roxie D.
This is my favorite place for delivery, hands down. Their food is great, and their delivery drivers are always super nice and prompt. They always accommodate my requests for extra peanut sauce and give me extra fortune cookies. What's not to love?
(5)Colleen W.
I have eaten here a few times so far. Decent food. Friendly staff. My husband is now a Hugh fan. Working right next to this place means I get to play delivery girl and I am OK with that!
(4)Lindsey L.
We ordered food for delivery at 6:15pm on a Sunday night. Our food arrived at 6:45pm. They lady from the store called us to confirm the order. Great service and fast delivery - what can I say. We will order from here again for sure. Not to mention the food was hot, well prepared and tasted great! :)
(5)karen y.
I take my son to the barber shop next door, and I've always seen this place, but never ventured in. That is, not until my son's barber said it was good and to try it out. I wasn't quite sure if it was Chinese, Thai, etc. since the name "Banana Leaves" didn't scream Chinese food. But there is a nice smattering of Chinese, Thai, Malaysian, and even saw some Japanese dishes (not sushi!) On my first visit I got the lunch special green Thai chicken curry. It was delicious! It was a great deal for what the amount of food I got. The next couple of times, I got the same thing, but was there after the lunch prices were over. Of course you get a bigger portion and you pay more, but I thought it was worth it. I've been there about 4 times and I always order my green Chicken curry! I like it because it's not a heavy curry sauce, and I love the eggplant and basil that's in it. I'm always satisfied after I eat it, AND I don't fall into a food coma afterwards! The woman behind the counter is really nice and always has a smile on her face. I will keep coming here and will most likely branch out and try their other dishes, but for now I'm loving their green curry!
(4)Amanda B.
Super fresh, but I really didn't like the Mango chicken very much. I saw the recommendation for it and took a chance because mangoes are delicious. But it ended up a little flavorless...perhaps too light. I don't know. It's now what I expected, but I still enjoyed the food because their ingredients are so good.
(4)Mindula F.
They have vegetarian meat now! Awesome! I got the vegetarian chicken with basil leaves. Tasted pretty good and for a little less than six dollars, amazing. The chicken pieces are look like compressed tofu but I don't think they are. Anyway really cool for me and I recommend it to vegetarians! Get the one entree lunch entree, the 2 isn't worth it!
(5)Chris M.
This place is inconsistent. My first visit was decent. This most recent visit was totally bland. I had the pineapple fried rice and beef rice noodles. Both lacked flavor and the rice noodles were a bit overcooked.
(2)Tom W.
Talk about an awesome place this is the spot. The drunken noodles is to die for. The noodles just melt in your mouth while your grubbing on this superstar dish. Also, the soups are fresh and you can taste the freshness with ever mouthful. If you are in the Rockville area check the Banana Leaves out! YOU LOVE IT ;)
(5)Nasif A.
If you're in the mood to stay indoors, hang out with the girlf, watch a chick flick, and hey, why not dinner - Banana Leaves delivers. Literally. We did this twice in a row over the weekend for a total of four entrees. Honey Peanut Chicken was goop on top of noodles, Pad Thai was... well, very subpar Pad Thai, and Spicy Mango Chicken is like any generic chicken dish you'll find at an Asian restaurant. The one dish I liked was the Malay Rendang Beef. Simply put, Banana Leaves is for the palate of a starving college student. The lunch specials sound great and the Rockville delivery option adds great value, but these can't change the generic tastes that this restaurant serves.
(3)Kari S.
Ordered the lunch special and had it delivered. The food arrived at the time promised and was still hot. Overall, its a good option especially if you are ordering the special, $6.95 for spicy beef and green curry served with a side of fried rice? Yes please!
(4)Mel L.
They no longer honor the check in 15% off offer. Came in to pick up my order and the cashier told me that they stopped offering the discount since two weeks ago. If that's the case, they should take it off from this website!!! Totally deceiving!
(1)Bruce G.
Really, I wanted to like this place, but I was quite disappointed. Three stars from me means it was certainly acceptable, but barely so. I saw a flyer from the place and was eager to try it. Like a number of Chinese places, they have a long menu of entrees, but a list of lunch specials ($5.50 for one item, $6.95) that is much shorter. The menu and the list of lunch specials is a mix of Chinese and Thai, with a small number of Malaysian items, most of which seem to involve eggs (which I detest) so I will not try them. But Thai food I love, and the prospect of getting something like Thai green curry on a lunch special had me really wanting to try this place. The restaurant is clearly set up mostly for take-out, but they do have a small number of tables -- and, since I have no place to take the food to, I opted to sit at a table. It's counter service, so no need to tip, which is fine with me, but most of what goes into a rating in my reviews is the food. I ordered the tamarind shrimp and green curry chicken, two Thai dishes. The tamarind shrimp was a dish I'd never had before in any Thai restaurant; it turned out to be mostly onions, some tomatoes, and a few -- very few! -- tiny shrimp. The sauce was nice enough, and I used it to flavor some of the rice that came with the order, and that and the shrimp and tomatoes were certainly good enough, but I don't like onions (unless they are really thoroughly cooked, as in French onion soup!), and this dish was more onions than anything else -- or even more onions than everything else combined. Usually when a dish comes to me with onions, I pick out the onions and put them to the side. Here I simply had to hunt for the tomatoes and shrimp, eat them, and leave a bunch of onions behind, which means leaving behind a goodly fraction of the dish. Thai green curry is one of my favorite dishes. When I can, I order it with some meat other than chicken, but chicken was what was available so that was what I got. I was happier with it than the tamarind shrimp, but the sauce was certainly milder than I would prefer (though not unacceptable) and the proportion of vegetables to chicken was greater than I would like -- though I guess that, as well as the really tiny amount of shrimp in the other dish, is how they kept the price down. It would have been nice to say this place was worth 5 stars, or even 4, but an honest evaluation of my experience here was that it was acceptable, but barely so, and as I said, that is my criterion for a 3-star rating.
(3)Hieu V.
I'm picky, so trust me when I have to admit that this restaurant is good!!! Since I work in Rockville so I have tried almost everything on the Lunch Special menu. Everything is good. From the curry-s to orange chicken and everything in between. Don't hesitate to try Thai Tamarind Shrimp or Malaysian Mee Goreng, they're super good. A tip though, if you order something quite savory like Curry, Tamarind shrimp... pick Steamed rice. Basil beef, triple delight... are good with fried rice. The delivery is super fast! They always make it in 30 minutes even in rush hours. The deliverer is friendly and handles items neatly. I usually don't tip a lot to deliverer (excuse me) but for him I have to! The only con is that when you order 2 dishes, the rice portion is really, really small. I always have some chicken/beef... leftover and then I come home and finish it with rice at home. Overall, a very good place for delivery or pick-up Chinese/Thai/Malaysian food.
(5)b r.
I tried their veggie General Tso Chicken for carryout dinner. I was surprised to see that it's just a hole in the wall and expected to see folks seated at tables. Their cooking/food prep area was not visible to the public. I'm a fan of at least semi-visibility of a restaurant's kitchen. I'm glad they have a large vegetarian selection, including mock meats. For the money ($15 with extra cost of brown rice), I was expecting something more. It was pretty good, but I expected broccoli or some vegetable and a little sauce with it (all the sauce was contained on the outer "chicken" crust). In comparison to nearby Asian restaurants that cater to vegetarians (Yuan Fu, Vegetable Garden), it didn't quite live up to the food quality and definitely not the ambiance. But if I were nearby Banana Leaves again, I would try a lower cost lunch special.
(3)Fatima D.
Don't even deserve a star! I called and placed an order with a cashier, she was very rude and seemed impatient so I felt rushed, when our food was delivered to our condo it tasted very salty and blend! Tasted like they poured a whole bottle of salt in our food...I ended up throwing my food away and cooked dinner. This was the worst experience ever! For an" up scale" restaurant I was definitely expecting more! I wasted my money and food. Never ordering from them again! This was my first time ordering their food and it will definitely be my last. So people! Please skip this place and order your take outs elsewhere.
(1)Bradley S.
This place is really delicious, Natural foods and not too fried, nutritious. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a treat, They have great rice dishes and savory meat. Get the Thai Ice Coffee, you really must, Its like a 20 oz serving of liquid lust. But really, eat this food. And get the coffee.
(5)Shervin S.
I gave them a 5/5 rating because I compared them to their competition in the area. Banana Leaves may or may not be authentic but one cannot deny the freshness and quality of the ingredients. It is surprisingly good especially compared to their competition. Not once did I get the hind of syrup/sugar in their dishes, not once did I get bitter notes from bad oil in their fried dishes, and not once did I question the freshness of their ingredients. They use fresh ginger and garlic, it shows in each dish you eat. What I tried: Hunan Chicken Spicy Wow a place that actually makes food spicy upon request.... No syrup/gelatin/sugar in the hunan sauce here! It's similar to the hunan chicken I've made at home. The slices of chicken are chicken and tougher. Doesn't feel like paper thin gelatinous chicken like most places. Good amount of veggies and lots and lots and lots of fresh garlic and ginger. Very VERY Good. Pad Thai Not ever cooked, noodles were perfect, lots of fresh peanut, fresh limes (not dry!), tofu was of very good quality, pork was great, scallions and veggies were fresh, and the dish never felt clumpy/heavy. Above avg! Dumplings Their dumplings are thin skinned but once cannot deny the quality of the filling. I always dissect my first dumpling to observe the color of the filling. It didn't look or taste frozen at all and was above avg quality. Ordering from here from now on. Tony Lin, Asia Cafe, China Garden, and the rest are now off the list.
(5)Sweetie P.
We were looking for Thai delivery. Banana Leaves has that covered. They keep your phone number in a computer which makes it easy to reorder. We ask for light oil and they keep that request on file. First, the delivery driver should not smoke while on deliveries. The bag arrived fast but redolent of cigarettes. The Pad Thai with Tofu was interesting. It had an odd odor. Despite the strange smell, we sampled it anyway and found it tasted very good. The odor was off putting and we could not place what it was. Somehow though, the food did not taste like its fragrance. We finished it all. Pad See Ew with Tofu was very good. Not OMG delicious, but very good. We went back for thirds and finished it all with no leftovers. Tip: ASK if their mangos are soft and ripe BEFORE you order "Mango and sticky rice". The better restaurants just won't serve it when they don't have ripe mangos on hand. The mango flesh was very pale yellow and hard, NOT bright yellow/almost orangey and soft, as it should have been. I did call to let the restaurant know their mangos weren't ripe so they didn't continue to serve it (although I suspect they already knew this as soon as they cut into it). I was pleasantly surprised when the woman who answered sounded concerned. I overheard heard her tell the chef. She then said she placed a note under our phone number in the file to include a complimentary Mango and Sticky Rice with a future order. I'll ask if they're ripe, first.
(2)Natassja M.
Ordered the spicy eggplant with garlic sauce for lunch for $5.50. This one item lunch dish came with a large portion of fried rice and eggplant for a great deal! I'm also very picky with this dish since I've had really bad versions of it but their recipe here was perfect! Will definitely come back here to try other items on their menu, especially their lunch menu!
(5)T G.
We did carry out. The place is a real dive with very few tables lined up on the kitchen--but that makes it more authentic. I could have been in SE Asia. Door open on a 90F day. The saled shrimp was good. Large shrimp, fresh, lightly battered. Sauce was flavorful.
(4)Runar W.
We had maki sushi to go (crispy yellowtail roll, yellowtail roll, crispy spicy tuna roll and California roll). The sushi was just average, though the crispy ones were the most tasty. I've heard that their Asian fusion dishes are better than their sushi, which remains uncontested by our experience.
(3)Bruce G.
Really, I wanted to like this place, but I was quite disappointed. Three stars from me means it was certainly acceptable, but barely so. I saw a flyer from the place and was eager to try it. Like a number of Chinese places, they have a long menu of entrees, but a list of lunch specials ($5.50 for one item, $6.95) that is much shorter. The menu and the list of lunch specials is a mix of Chinese and Thai, with a small number of Malaysian items, most of which seem to involve eggs (which I detest) so I will not try them. But Thai food I love, and the prospect of getting something like Thai green curry on a lunch special had me really wanting to try this place. The restaurant is clearly set up mostly for take-out, but they do have a small number of tables -- and, since I have no place to take the food to, I opted to sit at a table. It's counter service, so no need to tip, which is fine with me, but most of what goes into a rating in my reviews is the food. I ordered the tamarind shrimp and green curry chicken, two Thai dishes. The tamarind shrimp was a dish I'd never had before in any Thai restaurant; it turned out to be mostly onions, some tomatoes, and a few -- very few! -- tiny shrimp. The sauce was nice enough, and I used it to flavor some of the rice that came with the order, and that and the shrimp and tomatoes were certainly good enough, but I don't like onions (unless they are really thoroughly cooked, as in French onion soup!), and this dish was more onions than anything else -- or even more onions than everything else combined. Usually when a dish comes to me with onions, I pick out the onions and put them to the side. Here I simply had to hunt for the tomatoes and shrimp, eat them, and leave a bunch of onions behind, which means leaving behind a goodly fraction of the dish. Thai green curry is one of my favorite dishes. When I can, I order it with some meat other than chicken, but chicken was what was available so that was what I got. I was happier with it than the tamarind shrimp, but the sauce was certainly milder than I would prefer (though not unacceptable) and the proportion of vegetables to chicken was greater than I would like -- though I guess that, as well as the really tiny amount of shrimp in the other dish, is how they kept the price down. It would have been nice to say this place was worth 5 stars, or even 4, but an honest evaluation of my experience here was that it was acceptable, but barely so, and as I said, that is my criterion for a 3-star rating.
(3)Martin D.
Great customer service! ! Tasty food, delicious sticky rice. Good price, good food in Rockville.
(5)Eric J.
What is this, food for ants?
(2)Shervin S.
I gave them a 5/5 rating because I compared them to their competition in the area. Banana Leaves may or may not be authentic but one cannot deny the freshness and quality of the ingredients. It is surprisingly good especially compared to their competition. Not once did I get the hind of syrup/sugar in their dishes, not once did I get bitter notes from bad oil in their fried dishes, and not once did I question the freshness of their ingredients. They use fresh ginger and garlic, it shows in each dish you eat. What I tried: Hunan Chicken Spicy Wow a place that actually makes food spicy upon request.... No syrup/gelatin/sugar in the hunan sauce here! It's similar to the hunan chicken I've made at home. The slices of chicken are chicken and tougher. Doesn't feel like paper thin gelatinous chicken like most places. Good amount of veggies and lots and lots and lots of fresh garlic and ginger. Very VERY Good. Pad Thai Not ever cooked, noodles were perfect, lots of fresh peanut, fresh limes (not dry!), tofu was of very good quality, pork was great, scallions and veggies were fresh, and the dish never felt clumpy/heavy. Above avg! Dumplings Their dumplings are thin skinned but once cannot deny the quality of the filling. I always dissect my first dumpling to observe the color of the filling. It didn't look or taste frozen at all and was above avg quality. Ordering from here from now on. Tony Lin, Asia Cafe, China Garden, and the rest are now off the list.
(5)Kathryn L.
Finally stopped lounging around & wanted some good Chinese food. I've tried this place a few time via EAT24 & decided to pop in. I thought it was a dine in spot, but was more of an extreme take out set up. Had a few tables inside & a patio, where we opted to eat. From the Veggie Rolls & Dumplings (extra pan seared-TASTY) to the Veggie Pad Thai & General Tso Chicken for my pal, the order was placed & the food came out quick & fresh...most of all very delicious. Nice portions as well, even with the good price point of more for less. The service was great, as our server was on point in checking on us through out our meal. Extra nice service when she asked us to let her know when we were done so she could packaged up our leftovers. Cheap, quick & tasty Chinese food, is always a great combo especially when the customer service is the added benefit.
(4)Grace S.
Ordered lunch before and liked them so I ordered some delivery dinner off of their regular menu. I thought I'd try their Thai food side by a simple pineapple fried rice. It's really better named as soy sauce flavored random rice with pineapple in it. I also ordered fish fillet in black bean sauce. The fish fillets were covered in a sort of batter and then deep fried, which becomes soggy when drenched in sauce. Why the batter if it's saucy?? Go figure. The last dish I got was beef and scallop in brown sauce. Sounds delicious, right? Wrong! The beef was tough and the flavor reminded me of leftover meat that's slightly off. Combined with the weird texture, I couldn't take more than two bites. The scallop was decent. My favorite was the broccoli in the beef dish.. Enough said. Update: the owner gave me a call to invite me try same dishes again on him and promised he would try to correct the above mentioned points. I was impressed by his willingness to improve. I'll probably go back and give them another chance.
(3)Pati Y.
Seems Thai with a strong hint of Polynesian. Was just lamenting the lack of good Polynesian food. Adds a nice fresh flavor to the food; not as heavy as traditional Thai. First time delivery thru Grub Hub. Chicken coconut lemon grass soup is awesome. Mango sticky rice-yum! Satay over done (but isn't it always no matter where you get it) peanut sauce good. Shrimp corn dumplings good. Looking forward to leftover curry for dinner tonight.
(4)Lauren C.
Great option for casual take out thai food. ORDER FROM HERE FOR LUNCH! Mon - Sun (yes, you heard that right - weekends too!) from 11-3 they have a great selection of lunch specials for $5.50 or you can make it a two item special for $6.95. I ordered the Spicy Basil Beef and the Malaysian Red Curry Chicken and enjoyed both. The Malaysian Curry was a mix of Chicken and Tofu which did throw me off a big but the sauce was tasty. Even better as leftovers. I would probably explore other options on the menu next time to find my "go to" dish. We also got an order of the Chicken Satay that came with a tasty ginger peanut sauce. The satay was alright....but that sauce. Very good! Dipped everything in there! The food was delivered hot and fast and the delivery driver was really friendly. I think I may be spoiled by their lunch prices and don't think I am ready to pay double the price for delivery during dinner hours, but I can't wait to try other options on their lunch menu! What a deal!
(4)Katelyn K.
Came in for a quick lunch and discovered the Daily Lunch Specials. The price for a 1 entree meal was only $5.50 and an a second entree option was only like a dollar more. The SO had the pad saw ew and triple delight - both were delicious. The fried dumplings were fried a lot, so the wonton wrapper was bubbled and crisp, but the meat inside was still super tender and moist. The Tom Yum soup was delicious. A little too many strips of red pepper for my taste, but the flavor was great! Would definitely stop again.
(4)Lindsay H.
Totally mediocre. Ordered delivery for the first time (just moved to this delivery area so I'm new to the Thai delivery game). Spent 50$ and got a few not so extraordinary tasting dishes, whereas I'm used to spending $35-40 and getting the same amount yet WAY better quality food. (we're talking a move from gaithersburg to rockville so it shouldn't be all that different). Needless to say, I'll be trying a new orient-oriented place next time. Oh, delivery took an hour and 20 min even though it was estimated 45 min. ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT. Interpret how you will.
(1)Mindula F.
They have vegetarian meat now! Awesome! I got the vegetarian chicken with basil leaves. Tasted pretty good and for a little less than six dollars, amazing. The chicken pieces are look like compressed tofu but I don't think they are. Anyway really cool for me and I recommend it to vegetarians! Get the one entree lunch entree, the 2 isn't worth it!
(5)Michael G.
I have to say, I'm quite disappointed in this place. I got a menu on my door, so I decided to give them a try. I ordered moo shu pork and combo pad Thai. The moo shu had chunks of pork that had the consistency of carrots. I have never had pork that made a crunch when you bit into it. It was also very fatty and tough. I'm lucky I looked at one of the pieces before I put it into a pancake because it was bone. Looked like a chopped off piece of pork chop. I could have broken a tooth if I hadn't picked it out. There was also very little pork in the dish. As for the Pad Thai, it was subpar and had more noodles than meat and the quality of the chicken, beef and shrimp (tiny) was poor. Along with that, something tasted bitter in it. I ended up throwing both of them in the trash. There was also no rice in the order. The only reason they get two stars is because the spring roll was decent. For what I paid and what I got, I won't be ordering from them again. I usually order from Red Ginger and their food is excellent and they don't skimp on the meat and use quality ingredients.
(2)Nisha G.
I've been coming here regularly since it opened and the food and service continues to be wonderful. Other than their basil dishes, the pepper steak salad and crispy spicy shrimp are worth trying.
(5)Zelda S.
Love this place! Tasty, affordable and fast delivery!
(4)Hieu V.
I'm picky, so trust me when I have to admit that this restaurant is good!!! Since I work in Rockville so I have tried almost everything on the Lunch Special menu. Everything is good. From the curry-s to orange chicken and everything in between. Don't hesitate to try Thai Tamarind Shrimp or Malaysian Mee Goreng, they're super good. A tip though, if you order something quite savory like Curry, Tamarind shrimp... pick Steamed rice. Basil beef, triple delight... are good with fried rice. The delivery is super fast! They always make it in 30 minutes even in rush hours. The deliverer is friendly and handles items neatly. I usually don't tip a lot to deliverer (excuse me) but for him I have to! The only con is that when you order 2 dishes, the rice portion is really, really small. I always have some chicken/beef... leftover and then I come home and finish it with rice at home. Overall, a very good place for delivery or pick-up Chinese/Thai/Malaysian food.
(5)Chris M.
This place is inconsistent. My first visit was decent. This most recent visit was totally bland. I had the pineapple fried rice and beef rice noodles. Both lacked flavor and the rice noodles were a bit overcooked.
(2)Tom W.
Talk about an awesome place this is the spot. The drunken noodles is to die for. The noodles just melt in your mouth while your grubbing on this superstar dish. Also, the soups are fresh and you can taste the freshness with ever mouthful. If you are in the Rockville area check the Banana Leaves out! YOU LOVE IT ;)
(5)Nasif A.
If you're in the mood to stay indoors, hang out with the girlf, watch a chick flick, and hey, why not dinner - Banana Leaves delivers. Literally. We did this twice in a row over the weekend for a total of four entrees. Honey Peanut Chicken was goop on top of noodles, Pad Thai was... well, very subpar Pad Thai, and Spicy Mango Chicken is like any generic chicken dish you'll find at an Asian restaurant. The one dish I liked was the Malay Rendang Beef. Simply put, Banana Leaves is for the palate of a starving college student. The lunch specials sound great and the Rockville delivery option adds great value, but these can't change the generic tastes that this restaurant serves.
(3)Kari S.
Ordered the lunch special and had it delivered. The food arrived at the time promised and was still hot. Overall, its a good option especially if you are ordering the special, $6.95 for spicy beef and green curry served with a side of fried rice? Yes please!
(4)Mel L.
They no longer honor the check in 15% off offer. Came in to pick up my order and the cashier told me that they stopped offering the discount since two weeks ago. If that's the case, they should take it off from this website!!! Totally deceiving!
(1)b r.
I tried their veggie General Tso Chicken for carryout dinner. I was surprised to see that it's just a hole in the wall and expected to see folks seated at tables. Their cooking/food prep area was not visible to the public. I'm a fan of at least semi-visibility of a restaurant's kitchen. I'm glad they have a large vegetarian selection, including mock meats. For the money ($15 with extra cost of brown rice), I was expecting something more. It was pretty good, but I expected broccoli or some vegetable and a little sauce with it (all the sauce was contained on the outer "chicken" crust). In comparison to nearby Asian restaurants that cater to vegetarians (Yuan Fu, Vegetable Garden), it didn't quite live up to the food quality and definitely not the ambiance. But if I were nearby Banana Leaves again, I would try a lower cost lunch special.
(3)Fatima D.
Don't even deserve a star! I called and placed an order with a cashier, she was very rude and seemed impatient so I felt rushed, when our food was delivered to our condo it tasted very salty and blend! Tasted like they poured a whole bottle of salt in our food...I ended up throwing my food away and cooked dinner. This was the worst experience ever! For an" up scale" restaurant I was definitely expecting more! I wasted my money and food. Never ordering from them again! This was my first time ordering their food and it will definitely be my last. So people! Please skip this place and order your take outs elsewhere.
(1)Bradley S.
This place is really delicious, Natural foods and not too fried, nutritious. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a treat, They have great rice dishes and savory meat. Get the Thai Ice Coffee, you really must, Its like a 20 oz serving of liquid lust. But really, eat this food. And get the coffee.
(5)Natassja M.
Ordered the spicy eggplant with garlic sauce for lunch for $5.50. This one item lunch dish came with a large portion of fried rice and eggplant for a great deal! I'm also very picky with this dish since I've had really bad versions of it but their recipe here was perfect! Will definitely come back here to try other items on their menu, especially their lunch menu!
(5)T G.
We did carry out. The place is a real dive with very few tables lined up on the kitchen--but that makes it more authentic. I could have been in SE Asia. Door open on a 90F day. The saled shrimp was good. Large shrimp, fresh, lightly battered. Sauce was flavorful.
(4)Runar W.
We had maki sushi to go (crispy yellowtail roll, yellowtail roll, crispy spicy tuna roll and California roll). The sushi was just average, though the crispy ones were the most tasty. I've heard that their Asian fusion dishes are better than their sushi, which remains uncontested by our experience.
(3)Missmoti G.
I live literally right around the corner and never bothered stopping by because of all the worrisome reviews I have seen. That was until I received a menu through the mail and checked out the prices. Lunch specials are priced just right. I said down and highlighted all the dishes I wanted to try and today called in and placed an order of lemongrass chicken and pad see ew w/chicken from their lunch section. I was really pleased with the taste of the lemongrass chicken. Sliced chicken pieces, bbq-ed; well seasoned with a hint of sweetness and surprisingly it was moist. The pad see ew w/ chicken was also great. It was not oily and had seasoned moist chicken breast pieces mingling with the wide rice noodles. My only compliant would be the rice. The portion for the rice was not enough for the chicken and the rice was hard, which made it difficult to swallow. I would surely be back to try more items from their lunch special.
(4)Marat S.
Reliable delivery place. They have a good variety in their menu with good flavors. The different style noodle dishes are all great. Convenient online ordering is key. Keep up the good work.
(4)Sweetie P.
We were looking for Thai delivery. Banana Leaves has that covered. They keep your phone number in a computer which makes it easy to reorder. We ask for light oil and they keep that request on file. First, the delivery driver should not smoke while on deliveries. The bag arrived fast but redolent of cigarettes. The Pad Thai with Tofu was interesting. It had an odd odor. Despite the strange smell, we sampled it anyway and found it tasted very good. The odor was off putting and we could not place what it was. Somehow though, the food did not taste like its fragrance. We finished it all. Pad See Ew with Tofu was very good. Not OMG delicious, but very good. We went back for thirds and finished it all with no leftovers. Tip: ASK if their mangos are soft and ripe BEFORE you order "Mango and sticky rice". The better restaurants just won't serve it when they don't have ripe mangos on hand. The mango flesh was very pale yellow and hard, NOT bright yellow/almost orangey and soft, as it should have been. I did call to let the restaurant know their mangos weren't ripe so they didn't continue to serve it (although I suspect they already knew this as soon as they cut into it). I was pleasantly surprised when the woman who answered sounded concerned. I overheard heard her tell the chef. She then said she placed a note under our phone number in the file to include a complimentary Mango and Sticky Rice with a future order. I'll ask if they're ripe, first.
(2)Tahirah W.
Standard fare here-nothing to write home about in my opinion. Noodles were decent, as was the hot and sour soup. This will work for delivery if you cannot get out of the house yourself. Other than that, I wouldn't make this my "go-to" place to eat. And I should withdraw a star after the delivery man had the audacity to look at me as if I should tip him more than the standard 2 bucks I gave him on top of the bill that already included a delivery charge. I mean-the nerve of that guy!
(3)R E.
This is the first time I've ordered from this restaurant. I don't feel like I got what I actually ordered. I ordered the Malaysia Me Goreng (sp), which I've had and liked at other restaurants. This wasn't like any me goreng I've had anywhere else. The sauce tasted like plain spicy tomato sauce. There were only 2 pieces of tofu. The chicken was under cooked. There was no cabbage, but they added red and green peppers, which wasn't listed on the menu as part of the dish and which I hate, but what if I was allergic?? It was not good. I didn't have the energy to return it, but I'm not going to be going back. I gave it 2 stars instead of one because the dish wasn't entirely unappetizing by any means and my friend really liked her order. I just felt that I didn't get what I ordered, which isn't OK. Also, I could easily see into the kitchen from the (very small) restaurant (it's really more of a carry out or delivery place), and I could see piles of supplies everywhere. It just didn't look well organized in their kitchen. If they're willing to let people see that, I have to wonder what they're not showing people.
(2)Sean C.
This was not my first time ordering from here, but it may be my last. I ordered the Pad Thai, which had very little seasoning to it and no heat. I know that some people don't like spicy food, but a little spice would be better than ZERO..it tasted like it was seasoned with water. The Spring Rolls were mushy and again, no seasoning. The General Tso's had a passable base flavor, but again..not spicy at all, and no counter balance of sweet. The meat was a good quality and the coconut rice was actually hte high point to the meal.
(2)Renato S.
reliable take out for chinese or thai. We've ordered delivery in the past as well and been happy with the speed of delivery and the food. General Egg drop is pretty good, the lo mein is good as well. Pad see ew is spicey but I liked it, general tso's was a touch dry. There's no seating here, it's take out only.
(4)Ivy P.
Very good food for a small Chinese carryout restaurant. You can order online via seamless or its official website. High recommend drunken noodles.
(5)Missmoti G.
I live literally right around the corner and never bothered stopping by because of all the worrisome reviews I have seen. That was until I received a menu through the mail and checked out the prices. Lunch specials are priced just right. I said down and highlighted all the dishes I wanted to try and today called in and placed an order of lemongrass chicken and pad see ew w/chicken from their lunch section. I was really pleased with the taste of the lemongrass chicken. Sliced chicken pieces, bbq-ed; well seasoned with a hint of sweetness and surprisingly it was moist. The pad see ew w/ chicken was also great. It was not oily and had seasoned moist chicken breast pieces mingling with the wide rice noodles. My only compliant would be the rice. The portion for the rice was not enough for the chicken and the rice was hard, which made it difficult to swallow. I would surely be back to try more items from their lunch special.
(4)Marat S.
Reliable delivery place. They have a good variety in their menu with good flavors. The different style noodle dishes are all great. Convenient online ordering is key. Keep up the good work.
(4)Sean C.
This was not my first time ordering from here, but it may be my last. I ordered the Pad Thai, which had very little seasoning to it and no heat. I know that some people don't like spicy food, but a little spice would be better than ZERO..it tasted like it was seasoned with water. The Spring Rolls were mushy and again, no seasoning. The General Tso's had a passable base flavor, but again..not spicy at all, and no counter balance of sweet. The meat was a good quality and the coconut rice was actually hte high point to the meal.
(2)Zara K.
It's alright ! Tried their green curry it was very watery and had carrots! Not a huge fan of carrots in my Asian food! It's in this really insignificant place where the fans are loud and everyone has a difficulty understanding you if you try altering ur order according to your specifications! It wasn't too bad! I like that they deliver and might try their coconut shrimp (if I am able to put my point Accross that I don't want sauce all over my coconut shrimp just leave them as they are!)
(3)Roy S.
First time here since they have reopened. It is super small inside so its better for carryout. The people are nice and I got my food pretty quickly, but not so fast that it was sitting around, they cooked it fresh!! I had the orange chicken, basil beef, and lemon grass chicken. The lunch special is all 3 of these and rice for $7.95. I also had the Thai iced Tea which was really good. The lemon grass chicken was great!! Great flavor very tender. The basil beef was pretty good but not awesome. The orange chicken was fine, better then carry out fare but not fantastic. They are close to my job and I am very curious to try the Rendang (My favorite Indonesian dish) I just wish they would lose the Chinese food and focus more on the Thai, Indo, and Malay aspects. I will be back!!
(3)YouMin K.
This place is tiny and really for take-out or delivery; not for eating in. This is the only place I know of in the Rockville area serving Malay food, e.g., Rendang Beef, and Laksa. Highly recommend the Rendang Beef (very meaty with a flavorful sauce) and Hunan Shrimp (not too spicy and lots of broccoli). The Laksa was terrible (thin, not much taste, and too oily). I've had a couple of other dishes, including lemon grass chicken, but they were not memorable. The prices are reasonable.
(4)Lady Phade 1.
Ordered the Basil Tofu and Pad Thai and Spring Rolls. Everything was delicious! The pad thai was not the best Ive had but the Basi Tofu was on point! I mixed the two together. Good price for the amount of food. Will definitely go back!
(5)V. S.
They deliver to Bethesda so they get points with me, even though they said it would be here and 30 minutes and it arrived almost an hour later. I ordered Crab Rangoon and they were decent but if you like a slightly sweeter version I'd skip them. They came a little burnt and it was served with sweet chili sauce. The Vietnamese Spring Rolls were very yummy though. I do not suggest ordering the Drunken Noodles with Beef since the dish was very heavy on the soy sauce and had very little heat, if any, to it. I would order here again since they deliver but will try Pad See Ew next time or Pad Thai.
(3)Alma O.
Another decent takeout place in the Rockville area. Recommend the Thai basil tofu, thai seafood combination and if you like spicy the curry chicken has a kick to it. Not a fan of the mango chicken - too sweet and the thai fried rice - too much white pepper.
(3)Heather J.
Chinese restaurants are ubiquitous in Rockville, and many of them are excellent. So, I don't really feel the need to try super hard to like one of them when there's another one around the corner that's easy to like. I tried Banana Leaves tonight with a Living Social deal. I wasn't disappointed, but I wasn't impressed, either. We got the kung pao chicken and the vegetable and tofu curry. The kung pao tasted fine, but it didn't taste like any kung pao I've ever had, and it didn't look like it, either. The curry was fine, too, but nothing to write home about. Both definitely could have been spicier. On the plus side, the portions are generous and the service is fast. As others have mentioned, it's pretty much take-out-only; there are only two tables. I don't think I'll be back here, because there are better Chinese restaurants in the area that are just as convenient and comparably priced.
(3)Jen B.
I've eaten here twice, and both times was impressed. Really delicious. I have tried the sesame chicken and the orange beef, both really tasty with meat that was crisp on the outside and tender in the middle.The food portions are huge for the price, one portion can easily serve two people for lunch or dinner. Their carryout was fast and hot when it arrived, as well. We have tried a lot of different Asian takeout places in Rockville, but I think this is our new go-to!
(4)Johnalee S.
For very solid delivery this is my go to. The Green Curry is pretty solid. As are the Thai Iced teas. All the noodle dishes do not fail to disappoint. The Chicken Satay is one of my favorites. $15 delivery minimum. Always hot. Usually very fast. Recommend.
(4)M. P.
We got take out here for the first time. The food wasn't terrible but there are a LOT better options with a very short (~2 mile) drive from this place. We had a Pad See Ew that wasn't Pad See Ew - it was more Chow Foon. Spring rolls were kind of soggy on the inside while crispy outside. The dumplings had a curry taste to it, a bit different. The scallion pancakes were kind of rubbery but whatever. Didn't try any other dishes we had so I can't comment. Overall, I wouldn't make it a point to go back here, like I said, there is a lot better within a close distance.
(2)Nina S.
Very fresh selection. They pack your pick-up orders very well too. Veggies are crisp and never overcooked. Meat entrees are seasoned well.
(5)Alan M.
The food here is amazing, so far one of the best chinese food in MD I've tried. There's also other foods, such as thai, vietnamese, and others. I have so far just ordered delivery, so I don't know how the place looks like, but the delivery people have been quite efficent, with the food being hot when getting here. Everything feels freshly made, which is great, because I have had more then one chinese restaurant that has reheated food. The duck crepes are amazing, I love them, and the basil chicken is amazing, it's a bit spicy, but really tasty. The Lo Mein is one of the best I've tried, it's really fresh, and there's mushrooms in it, which is great There's is a great variety of dishes to try, and they don't let you down, you can order something new every time. I recommend this one!
(5)Pumpkin S.
Who are these people praising this place for good southeast Asian food?! I tried one Thai dish, and it definitely wasn't flavored correctly. And my dining companion's fried rice had that umami-on-steroids flavor which made me wonder about MSG in their food.
(3)Jack E.
Take out was quick and lunch special is HUGE. Everything tried is tasty. I like the vegetarian entrees, but various chicken dishes are also good. Staff was cheerful. Place is too small to eat in, but tables outside are fine in good weather. Is now a regular in my lunch plans, and for a quick supper on occasion, too.
(4)Mike K.
Shared a lunch with three items for under $10. Red curry,Thai basil beef, pad key prik (like chow foon). This place is on lower level of Congressional shopping center. Nice place and will be back. Mostly carry out but sat outside on a nice afternoon.
(3)MoMo L.
the place makes really decent southeast Asian food!! It's more like a carryout place but they do have 3 small tables. When my family got there I told the owner / chef that we wanted to eat there. He kindly told us that it was ok but they would serve us in plasticware and carryout containers. I was totally ok with it. Laksa noodle soup: yummy!!!! the soup base was perfect for me. nice curry taste. not overly spicy which was just right. I will go back just for that. Malaysian Mee Goreng delicious! could taste the "wok hey" if you know what I am talking about. definitely more tasty than the regular chinese lo mein. we had to order it not spicy because the kids were going to eat that but still pretty good! Rendang Beef: not bad. the sauce is actually pretty good but we think the beef can be cooked for longer as they can be more tender. Banana leave rice: the chicken satay was really good! nicely marinated and the satay sauce was perfectly made. the curry shrimp in it is nothing special. Next time I will just order the chicken satay by itself. Indian pancake: kind of disappointed. the pancake seems to be from the frozen pack. curry sauce was just ok. won't order it again. I will definitely go back but will probably get carry out next time! It's nice to have some local restaurant that serves something different from the typical Chinese or Thai food that everybody else is making.
(4)Jing W.
I like their Thai fried rice with shrimp and also the basil tofu. They are my favorite dishes and really good because I think they have some Thai spices put into so it taste very well.
(5)Elena S.
We ordered from here last night and it was awesome! Food was delicious, fresh and quickly delivered. We ordered through grubhub and they offer some coupons (we got free veggie egg rolls). The veggie dumplings and crab rangoon are a must!
(5)Sheri Y.
We ordered pas thai and spicy basil chicken I feel it's okay. The spicy basil chicken has a lot of of green pepper, red pepper and onion. I don't see a lot of basil, But sauce is great with Rice. Pad Thai Is a little chewy and It tastes very good even though it's a carry out order. Overall it's okay I will go back if it's on my way
(3)Trang P.
Looks like this place has changed ownership. I've been looking for a malaysian place outside of downtown DC and have yet to find one so I was very excited to try the food here. I went in wanting to try the malaysian food, but that is no longer on the menu. When I asked the person there, he didn't speak english and just stared at me like I was crazy. The only things on their menu now is the typical chinese stuff, general tsao chicken, etc....had to leave very disappointed....
(1)Liana K.
Deciding to order food here was a mistake. We picked it up and have several notes: - first off, we opened the bag to discover that the lady at the cafe gave us false information when she said all the dishes came with rice when they actually DIDN'T. we felt thankful that we ordered an extra rice but were disappointed when we saw how extremely tiny the portion was (significantly smaller than the average order of rice) - food was bad!! -first thing we tried was the scallion pancake. not great, but we kept our minds open. ("tastes like fried bread!" -my grandma) - then came the Pad se ew (our usual favorite dish that is hard to screw up) and Banana Leaves managed to make it bland and tasted like it could have gone bad. the beef also had a bad flavor. - pad thai wasn't horrible but the chicken had no flavor and didnt leave you wanting another bite. - honey peanut chicken was the best dish but that's not saying much. not enough sauce and the chicken and tofu were (again) flavorless. -Tom yum had tooooo many green peppers. overall, my family describes it like this... "it wasn't just not good, it was BAD." not to mention it wasn't any cheaper (it was actually more expensive) than other thai restaurants. save yourself the disappointment... UPDATE: Banana Leaves called my Grandmother this morning apologizing for our disappointing order. He/she said they didn't know what happened and they had even had a meeting this morning discussing why the food turned out as bad as it did. They even offered to give us a free meal that he/she will cook themselves. Super nice gesture and we also appreciate that the establishment is concerned about its quality.
(1)teddy l.
The food here was nothing like the food in Malaysia. The only decent dish was the roti canai. The banana leaf dish did not even begin to resemble what you would get in Malaysia. I have no idea how they came up with their version of it. Huge disappointment...I wanted to like this place because I don't know where to get good Malaysian food in the area.
(1)M. F.
The Crabmeat Rangoon and Pan-Fried dumplings were yum. The Lemongrass Coconut Chicken Soup was overly-peppered (lots green & red bell peppers, not spicy at all) and bland. The Grilled Lemongrass Chicken was bland and contained too much invisible skin and fat. And the Kung Pao Style chicken was slimy and bland. Won't be ordering again.
(2)Aaron W.
Penang Star is gone, and good riddance - by the end they were serving turkey wraps. We're hoping this new place will make it. We've ordered from them twice, and we're happy twice. The key to this place is the freshness of the food - everything is obviously made to order and tastes like it was bought that day. Big portions, too. Last time, I got the Basil Chicken, and while delicious and very fresh, it was too spicy for me - be careful if you order something with a pepper, because it's more like the equivalent of three peppers in other restaurants. I'd get it again toned down. This time, I got the Grilled Honey Peanut Tofu. Comes with noodles, and while the noodles are a little greasy (but tasty), the tofu was actually delivered crisp, and the sauce isn't oversweet. I got it with a side of edamame, which was edamame. Further update: Third time I ordered myself, and got the chicken pad see ew and duck crepes. The duck crepes were outstanding; the duck had zero fat on it and a little sushi radish, scallions and hoisin on the side and yum. Pad see ew fine (got it to test it for the wife), but not quite as good as others I've had; not terrible, wouldn't be my first choice. Wife has ordered chicken and broccoli from there twice, happy twice. She got chicken wantons last time, and the wontons just explode with flavor, just delicious. We'll be ordering from there again, and we really hope this one makes it - Penang Star wasn't all bad, but it went into the restaurant death spiral (good food, cutbacks on the quality, then crummy menu) because they couldn't get business. This place is better than that one ever was.
(4)Benjamin B.
I've only done carryout, but I love the food here! I am so pleased to get Crab Rangoon outside of St Louis! The spicy mango chicken is my favorite dish, and always enough for two meals. Staff is fast and very nice inside.
(5)SY Y.
This is mostly a take out place as it is extremely small with 3-4 tables. I was a little disturbed that there was a sign that says no restroom?! Isn't that violating some kind of health law? We tried their mee goreng (fried noodles) and the Malaysian curry chicken. Both dishes were quite good. They have your typical or standard Chinese restaurant take out fare (general tso's chicken, and etc) but they also have other more "exotic" dishes. Worth trying especially if there are some kind of deals.
(4)Stacey B.
It's not a hit or miss, it has been a hit hit hit! My family and I eat Chinese food on special occasions. Before now it's always been a hit or miss. At BL they have great lunch specials. Their food is honestly the BEST Chinese food we have had in a very long time. I hope this place makes it and stays open! Don't let previous restaurants at this location mislead you into thinking this is the same place with a different name. It's all new and all good! Carry out is the only way to go!!
(5)Shannon D.
I came to Banana leaves because of a livingsocial deal and I'm glad that I did! They offer a vast menu of Southeast Asian food. I was able to order easily online and when I showed up at the restaurant about 25 minutes later my food was ready. The spicy mango chicken, Indian roti, and coconut rice I ordered was all delicious and very reasonably priced. I would definitely go back again.
(5)Derryk A.
This little place tuck away behind Congressional Plaza next to Congressional Aquarium is a fine little place. Serving fine carry out some really good stuff here the type that would rival a sit down restaurant. But alas there are just a few tables there that are really design for waiting rather than dinning in. But fear not if dinning in is the only choice that you have then they won't mind that at all. Their menu consist of a combination of Chinese American and Thai selections something that you don't find too often around here. They even have a few Japanese inspired items from the grill which I did not find as delightful as their main focus of the Chinese and Thai. If you are a vegetarian don't despair they even have a few things for you. All in all you really can't go wrong here if you are looking for quick take away. Great quality food and very much prepared properly, it has quickly become my new go-to spot for carryout only. Other places that I frequent for carry out can be exceedingly slow due to the high volume of customers because they are a sit-down restaurant first. On the other hand most other carryout only spots are so bad with such horrible mush that they slap together makes you want to give up on carryout altogether. This place, Banana Leaves is an island in a stream of banal surroundings an oasis of bounty a cornucopia of goodness and I highly recommend. P.S. One more thing is that if you check in on Yelp while you are there they might give you a nice virtual coupon good for your next visit.
(4)LaTanya GeminiondaRise J.
I purchased a voucher deal for this restaurant in Rockville near Congressional Plaza. For the location I was expecting a better carryout atomosphere. This is not a sit down restaurant it's strictly more of a carryout. I ordered the calamari, mango chicken, spring rolls and general tso's. I have to say I was not impressed. The calamari was pretty good and so were the spring rolls. This was my first time trying this restaurant and the mango chicken dish was definitely not my favorite. I don't know if its the sauce or what didn't really care for it. The general tso's chicken didn't taste fresh. It has so much breading and very little chicken. They were busy because of the voucher they had out there but I wouldn't try them a second time.
(2)Andrea B.
For a "Chinese" take out restaurant I am highly impressed! Most of these takeout menus are exactly the same. But this place has some really interesting options. Very fresh!
(4)Tahirah W.
Standard fare here-nothing to write home about in my opinion. Noodles were decent, as was the hot and sour soup. This will work for delivery if you cannot get out of the house yourself. Other than that, I wouldn't make this my "go-to" place to eat. And I should withdraw a star after the delivery man had the audacity to look at me as if I should tip him more than the standard 2 bucks I gave him on top of the bill that already included a delivery charge. I mean-the nerve of that guy!
(3)Kristen B.
For fairly cheep carryout it was good. I just happened to be wanting some thai style takeout and shopping nearby and saw it on yelp. The food was good and fast. Better than many of these asian/thai takeout places in the Rockville area.
(4)R E.
This is the first time I've ordered from this restaurant. I don't feel like I got what I actually ordered. I ordered the Malaysia Me Goreng (sp), which I've had and liked at other restaurants. This wasn't like any me goreng I've had anywhere else. The sauce tasted like plain spicy tomato sauce. There were only 2 pieces of tofu. The chicken was under cooked. There was no cabbage, but they added red and green peppers, which wasn't listed on the menu as part of the dish and which I hate, but what if I was allergic?? It was not good. I didn't have the energy to return it, but I'm not going to be going back. I gave it 2 stars instead of one because the dish wasn't entirely unappetizing by any means and my friend really liked her order. I just felt that I didn't get what I ordered, which isn't OK. Also, I could easily see into the kitchen from the (very small) restaurant (it's really more of a carry out or delivery place), and I could see piles of supplies everywhere. It just didn't look well organized in their kitchen. If they're willing to let people see that, I have to wonder what they're not showing people.
(2)Renato S.
reliable take out for chinese or thai. We've ordered delivery in the past as well and been happy with the speed of delivery and the food. General Egg drop is pretty good, the lo mein is good as well. Pad see ew is spicey but I liked it, general tso's was a touch dry. There's no seating here, it's take out only.
(4)Ivy P.
Very good food for a small Chinese carryout restaurant. You can order online via seamless or its official website. High recommend drunken noodles.
(5)Martin D.
Great customer service! ! Tasty food, delicious sticky rice. Good price, good food in Rockville.
(5)Eric J.
What is this, food for ants?
(2)Jeff H.
We ordered here because we really wanted delivery. The green curry was not bad, but not really memorable at all. The sauce was light on coconut milk and was a little watery tasting. Also there were large amounts of eggplant that I personally don't like, but then again I'm not a big fan of eggplant in general. There were also large chunks of tofu that were bland and just diluted the already watery curry sauce. The curry could have been spicier too. The drunken noodles were also OK, but far from great. They just lacked that sweet and full flavor and were hardly spicy at all. The noodles were also a little too mushy and thick for my taste. So this place is good if you really just want delivery, but if you want better food, I'd recommend going to Benjarong instead.
(3)Alma O.
Another decent takeout place in the Rockville area. Recommend the Thai basil tofu, thai seafood combination and if you like spicy the curry chicken has a kick to it. Not a fan of the mango chicken - too sweet and the thai fried rice - too much white pepper.
(3)Heather J.
Chinese restaurants are ubiquitous in Rockville, and many of them are excellent. So, I don't really feel the need to try super hard to like one of them when there's another one around the corner that's easy to like. I tried Banana Leaves tonight with a Living Social deal. I wasn't disappointed, but I wasn't impressed, either. We got the kung pao chicken and the vegetable and tofu curry. The kung pao tasted fine, but it didn't taste like any kung pao I've ever had, and it didn't look like it, either. The curry was fine, too, but nothing to write home about. Both definitely could have been spicier. On the plus side, the portions are generous and the service is fast. As others have mentioned, it's pretty much take-out-only; there are only two tables. I don't think I'll be back here, because there are better Chinese restaurants in the area that are just as convenient and comparably priced.
(3)Jen B.
I've eaten here twice, and both times was impressed. Really delicious. I have tried the sesame chicken and the orange beef, both really tasty with meat that was crisp on the outside and tender in the middle.The food portions are huge for the price, one portion can easily serve two people for lunch or dinner. Their carryout was fast and hot when it arrived, as well. We have tried a lot of different Asian takeout places in Rockville, but I think this is our new go-to!
(4)Johnalee S.
For very solid delivery this is my go to. The Green Curry is pretty solid. As are the Thai Iced teas. All the noodle dishes do not fail to disappoint. The Chicken Satay is one of my favorites. $15 delivery minimum. Always hot. Usually very fast. Recommend.
(4)Nina S.
Very fresh selection. They pack your pick-up orders very well too. Veggies are crisp and never overcooked. Meat entrees are seasoned well.
(5)Zara K.
It's alright ! Tried their green curry it was very watery and had carrots! Not a huge fan of carrots in my Asian food! It's in this really insignificant place where the fans are loud and everyone has a difficulty understanding you if you try altering ur order according to your specifications! It wasn't too bad! I like that they deliver and might try their coconut shrimp (if I am able to put my point Accross that I don't want sauce all over my coconut shrimp just leave them as they are!)
(3)Jack E.
Take out was quick and lunch special is HUGE. Everything tried is tasty. I like the vegetarian entrees, but various chicken dishes are also good. Staff was cheerful. Place is too small to eat in, but tables outside are fine in good weather. Is now a regular in my lunch plans, and for a quick supper on occasion, too.
(4)Sheri Y.
We ordered pas thai and spicy basil chicken I feel it's okay. The spicy basil chicken has a lot of of green pepper, red pepper and onion. I don't see a lot of basil, But sauce is great with Rice. Pad Thai Is a little chewy and It tastes very good even though it's a carry out order. Overall it's okay I will go back if it's on my way
(3)Trang P.
Looks like this place has changed ownership. I've been looking for a malaysian place outside of downtown DC and have yet to find one so I was very excited to try the food here. I went in wanting to try the malaysian food, but that is no longer on the menu. When I asked the person there, he didn't speak english and just stared at me like I was crazy. The only things on their menu now is the typical chinese stuff, general tsao chicken, etc....had to leave very disappointed....
(1)Liana K.
Deciding to order food here was a mistake. We picked it up and have several notes: - first off, we opened the bag to discover that the lady at the cafe gave us false information when she said all the dishes came with rice when they actually DIDN'T. we felt thankful that we ordered an extra rice but were disappointed when we saw how extremely tiny the portion was (significantly smaller than the average order of rice) - food was bad!! -first thing we tried was the scallion pancake. not great, but we kept our minds open. ("tastes like fried bread!" -my grandma) - then came the Pad se ew (our usual favorite dish that is hard to screw up) and Banana Leaves managed to make it bland and tasted like it could have gone bad. the beef also had a bad flavor. - pad thai wasn't horrible but the chicken had no flavor and didnt leave you wanting another bite. - honey peanut chicken was the best dish but that's not saying much. not enough sauce and the chicken and tofu were (again) flavorless. -Tom yum had tooooo many green peppers. overall, my family describes it like this... "it wasn't just not good, it was BAD." not to mention it wasn't any cheaper (it was actually more expensive) than other thai restaurants. save yourself the disappointment... UPDATE: Banana Leaves called my Grandmother this morning apologizing for our disappointing order. He/she said they didn't know what happened and they had even had a meeting this morning discussing why the food turned out as bad as it did. They even offered to give us a free meal that he/she will cook themselves. Super nice gesture and we also appreciate that the establishment is concerned about its quality.
(1)Colleen W.
I have eaten here a few times so far. Decent food. Friendly staff. My husband is now a Hugh fan. Working right next to this place means I get to play delivery girl and I am OK with that!
(4)Roy S.
First time here since they have reopened. It is super small inside so its better for carryout. The people are nice and I got my food pretty quickly, but not so fast that it was sitting around, they cooked it fresh!! I had the orange chicken, basil beef, and lemon grass chicken. The lunch special is all 3 of these and rice for $7.95. I also had the Thai iced Tea which was really good. The lemon grass chicken was great!! Great flavor very tender. The basil beef was pretty good but not awesome. The orange chicken was fine, better then carry out fare but not fantastic. They are close to my job and I am very curious to try the Rendang (My favorite Indonesian dish) I just wish they would lose the Chinese food and focus more on the Thai, Indo, and Malay aspects. I will be back!!
(3)YouMin K.
This place is tiny and really for take-out or delivery; not for eating in. This is the only place I know of in the Rockville area serving Malay food, e.g., Rendang Beef, and Laksa. Highly recommend the Rendang Beef (very meaty with a flavorful sauce) and Hunan Shrimp (not too spicy and lots of broccoli). The Laksa was terrible (thin, not much taste, and too oily). I've had a couple of other dishes, including lemon grass chicken, but they were not memorable. The prices are reasonable.
(4)Lady Phade 1.
Ordered the Basil Tofu and Pad Thai and Spring Rolls. Everything was delicious! The pad thai was not the best Ive had but the Basi Tofu was on point! I mixed the two together. Good price for the amount of food. Will definitely go back!
(5)Alan M.
The food here is amazing, so far one of the best chinese food in MD I've tried. There's also other foods, such as thai, vietnamese, and others. I have so far just ordered delivery, so I don't know how the place looks like, but the delivery people have been quite efficent, with the food being hot when getting here. Everything feels freshly made, which is great, because I have had more then one chinese restaurant that has reheated food. The duck crepes are amazing, I love them, and the basil chicken is amazing, it's a bit spicy, but really tasty. The Lo Mein is one of the best I've tried, it's really fresh, and there's mushrooms in it, which is great There's is a great variety of dishes to try, and they don't let you down, you can order something new every time. I recommend this one!
(5)Pumpkin S.
Who are these people praising this place for good southeast Asian food?! I tried one Thai dish, and it definitely wasn't flavored correctly. And my dining companion's fried rice had that umami-on-steroids flavor which made me wonder about MSG in their food.
(3)Lindsey L.
We ordered food for delivery at 6:15pm on a Sunday night. Our food arrived at 6:45pm. They lady from the store called us to confirm the order. Great service and fast delivery - what can I say. We will order from here again for sure. Not to mention the food was hot, well prepared and tasted great! :)
(5)Grace S.
Ordered lunch before and liked them so I ordered some delivery dinner off of their regular menu. I thought I'd try their Thai food side by a simple pineapple fried rice. It's really better named as soy sauce flavored random rice with pineapple in it. I also ordered fish fillet in black bean sauce. The fish fillets were covered in a sort of batter and then deep fried, which becomes soggy when drenched in sauce. Why the batter if it's saucy?? Go figure. The last dish I got was beef and scallop in brown sauce. Sounds delicious, right? Wrong! The beef was tough and the flavor reminded me of leftover meat that's slightly off. Combined with the weird texture, I couldn't take more than two bites. The scallop was decent. My favorite was the broccoli in the beef dish.. Enough said. Update: the owner gave me a call to invite me try same dishes again on him and promised he would try to correct the above mentioned points. I was impressed by his willingness to improve. I'll probably go back and give them another chance.
(3)Pati Y.
Seems Thai with a strong hint of Polynesian. Was just lamenting the lack of good Polynesian food. Adds a nice fresh flavor to the food; not as heavy as traditional Thai. First time delivery thru Grub Hub. Chicken coconut lemon grass soup is awesome. Mango sticky rice-yum! Satay over done (but isn't it always no matter where you get it) peanut sauce good. Shrimp corn dumplings good. Looking forward to leftover curry for dinner tonight.
(4)M. P.
We got take out here for the first time. The food wasn't terrible but there are a LOT better options with a very short (~2 mile) drive from this place. We had a Pad See Ew that wasn't Pad See Ew - it was more Chow Foon. Spring rolls were kind of soggy on the inside while crispy outside. The dumplings had a curry taste to it, a bit different. The scallion pancakes were kind of rubbery but whatever. Didn't try any other dishes we had so I can't comment. Overall, I wouldn't make it a point to go back here, like I said, there is a lot better within a close distance.
(2)Kathryn L.
Finally stopped lounging around & wanted some good Chinese food. I've tried this place a few time via EAT24 & decided to pop in. I thought it was a dine in spot, but was more of an extreme take out set up. Had a few tables inside & a patio, where we opted to eat. From the Veggie Rolls & Dumplings (extra pan seared-TASTY) to the Veggie Pad Thai & General Tso Chicken for my pal, the order was placed & the food came out quick & fresh...most of all very delicious. Nice portions as well, even with the good price point of more for less. The service was great, as our server was on point in checking on us through out our meal. Extra nice service when she asked us to let her know when we were done so she could packaged up our leftovers. Cheap, quick & tasty Chinese food, is always a great combo especially when the customer service is the added benefit.
(4)Lauren C.
Great option for casual take out thai food. ORDER FROM HERE FOR LUNCH! Mon - Sun (yes, you heard that right - weekends too!) from 11-3 they have a great selection of lunch specials for $5.50 or you can make it a two item special for $6.95. I ordered the Spicy Basil Beef and the Malaysian Red Curry Chicken and enjoyed both. The Malaysian Curry was a mix of Chicken and Tofu which did throw me off a big but the sauce was tasty. Even better as leftovers. I would probably explore other options on the menu next time to find my "go to" dish. We also got an order of the Chicken Satay that came with a tasty ginger peanut sauce. The satay was alright....but that sauce. Very good! Dipped everything in there! The food was delivered hot and fast and the delivery driver was really friendly. I think I may be spoiled by their lunch prices and don't think I am ready to pay double the price for delivery during dinner hours, but I can't wait to try other options on their lunch menu! What a deal!
(4)Katelyn K.
Came in for a quick lunch and discovered the Daily Lunch Specials. The price for a 1 entree meal was only $5.50 and an a second entree option was only like a dollar more. The SO had the pad saw ew and triple delight - both were delicious. The fried dumplings were fried a lot, so the wonton wrapper was bubbled and crisp, but the meat inside was still super tender and moist. The Tom Yum soup was delicious. A little too many strips of red pepper for my taste, but the flavor was great! Would definitely stop again.
(4)Lindsay H.
Totally mediocre. Ordered delivery for the first time (just moved to this delivery area so I'm new to the Thai delivery game). Spent 50$ and got a few not so extraordinary tasting dishes, whereas I'm used to spending $35-40 and getting the same amount yet WAY better quality food. (we're talking a move from gaithersburg to rockville so it shouldn't be all that different). Needless to say, I'll be trying a new orient-oriented place next time. Oh, delivery took an hour and 20 min even though it was estimated 45 min. ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT. Interpret how you will.
(1)Michael G.
I have to say, I'm quite disappointed in this place. I got a menu on my door, so I decided to give them a try. I ordered moo shu pork and combo pad Thai. The moo shu had chunks of pork that had the consistency of carrots. I have never had pork that made a crunch when you bit into it. It was also very fatty and tough. I'm lucky I looked at one of the pieces before I put it into a pancake because it was bone. Looked like a chopped off piece of pork chop. I could have broken a tooth if I hadn't picked it out. There was also very little pork in the dish. As for the Pad Thai, it was subpar and had more noodles than meat and the quality of the chicken, beef and shrimp (tiny) was poor. Along with that, something tasted bitter in it. I ended up throwing both of them in the trash. There was also no rice in the order. The only reason they get two stars is because the spring roll was decent. For what I paid and what I got, I won't be ordering from them again. I usually order from Red Ginger and their food is excellent and they don't skimp on the meat and use quality ingredients.
(2)Nisha G.
I've been coming here regularly since it opened and the food and service continues to be wonderful. Other than their basil dishes, the pepper steak salad and crispy spicy shrimp are worth trying.
(5)Zelda S.
Love this place! Tasty, affordable and fast delivery!
(4)Jing W.
I like their Thai fried rice with shrimp and also the basil tofu. They are my favorite dishes and really good because I think they have some Thai spices put into so it taste very well.
(5)MoMo L.
the place makes really decent southeast Asian food!! It's more like a carryout place but they do have 3 small tables. When my family got there I told the owner / chef that we wanted to eat there. He kindly told us that it was ok but they would serve us in plasticware and carryout containers. I was totally ok with it. Laksa noodle soup: yummy!!!! the soup base was perfect for me. nice curry taste. not overly spicy which was just right. I will go back just for that. Malaysian Mee Goreng delicious! could taste the "wok hey" if you know what I am talking about. definitely more tasty than the regular chinese lo mein. we had to order it not spicy because the kids were going to eat that but still pretty good! Rendang Beef: not bad. the sauce is actually pretty good but we think the beef can be cooked for longer as they can be more tender. Banana leave rice: the chicken satay was really good! nicely marinated and the satay sauce was perfectly made. the curry shrimp in it is nothing special. Next time I will just order the chicken satay by itself. Indian pancake: kind of disappointed. the pancake seems to be from the frozen pack. curry sauce was just ok. won't order it again. I will definitely go back but will probably get carry out next time! It's nice to have some local restaurant that serves something different from the typical Chinese or Thai food that everybody else is making.
(4)Elena S.
We ordered from here last night and it was awesome! Food was delicious, fresh and quickly delivered. We ordered through grubhub and they offer some coupons (we got free veggie egg rolls). The veggie dumplings and crab rangoon are a must!
(5)Mok-Yi C.
With the understanding that this newly opened restaurant is mainly a carry-out spot (they only have two or three tables inside), I was _very_ pleasantly surprised by the caliber of food served there. The quality is on par with high end Asian restaurants in DC without the price-tag (and atmosphere, although the restaurant is very clean and bright). Food was seriously good and they serve a nice variety of cuisines, not your typical Asian restaurant menu. Lots of items I have never seen before. While I have never tried them during lunch, I understand that they have a very affordable and flexible lunch menu that is worth checking out. If you do decide to give this hidden gem a try, I highly recommend trying their coconut shrimp and chicken satay. I intend to go back for Round 2 very soon!
(4)Roxie D.
This is my favorite place for delivery, hands down. Their food is great, and their delivery drivers are always super nice and prompt. They always accommodate my requests for extra peanut sauce and give me extra fortune cookies. What's not to love?
(5)karen y.
I take my son to the barber shop next door, and I've always seen this place, but never ventured in. That is, not until my son's barber said it was good and to try it out. I wasn't quite sure if it was Chinese, Thai, etc. since the name "Banana Leaves" didn't scream Chinese food. But there is a nice smattering of Chinese, Thai, Malaysian, and even saw some Japanese dishes (not sushi!) On my first visit I got the lunch special green Thai chicken curry. It was delicious! It was a great deal for what the amount of food I got. The next couple of times, I got the same thing, but was there after the lunch prices were over. Of course you get a bigger portion and you pay more, but I thought it was worth it. I've been there about 4 times and I always order my green Chicken curry! I like it because it's not a heavy curry sauce, and I love the eggplant and basil that's in it. I'm always satisfied after I eat it, AND I don't fall into a food coma afterwards! The woman behind the counter is really nice and always has a smile on her face. I will keep coming here and will most likely branch out and try their other dishes, but for now I'm loving their green curry!
(4)Amanda B.
Super fresh, but I really didn't like the Mango chicken very much. I saw the recommendation for it and took a chance because mangoes are delicious. But it ended up a little flavorless...perhaps too light. I don't know. It's now what I expected, but I still enjoyed the food because their ingredients are so good.
(4)SY Y.
This is mostly a take out place as it is extremely small with 3-4 tables. I was a little disturbed that there was a sign that says no restroom?! Isn't that violating some kind of health law? We tried their mee goreng (fried noodles) and the Malaysian curry chicken. Both dishes were quite good. They have your typical or standard Chinese restaurant take out fare (general tso's chicken, and etc) but they also have other more "exotic" dishes. Worth trying especially if there are some kind of deals.
(4)Stacey B.
It's not a hit or miss, it has been a hit hit hit! My family and I eat Chinese food on special occasions. Before now it's always been a hit or miss. At BL they have great lunch specials. Their food is honestly the BEST Chinese food we have had in a very long time. I hope this place makes it and stays open! Don't let previous restaurants at this location mislead you into thinking this is the same place with a different name. It's all new and all good! Carry out is the only way to go!!
(5)Shannon D.
I came to Banana leaves because of a livingsocial deal and I'm glad that I did! They offer a vast menu of Southeast Asian food. I was able to order easily online and when I showed up at the restaurant about 25 minutes later my food was ready. The spicy mango chicken, Indian roti, and coconut rice I ordered was all delicious and very reasonably priced. I would definitely go back again.
(5)Derryk A.
This little place tuck away behind Congressional Plaza next to Congressional Aquarium is a fine little place. Serving fine carry out some really good stuff here the type that would rival a sit down restaurant. But alas there are just a few tables there that are really design for waiting rather than dinning in. But fear not if dinning in is the only choice that you have then they won't mind that at all. Their menu consist of a combination of Chinese American and Thai selections something that you don't find too often around here. They even have a few Japanese inspired items from the grill which I did not find as delightful as their main focus of the Chinese and Thai. If you are a vegetarian don't despair they even have a few things for you. All in all you really can't go wrong here if you are looking for quick take away. Great quality food and very much prepared properly, it has quickly become my new go-to spot for carryout only. Other places that I frequent for carry out can be exceedingly slow due to the high volume of customers because they are a sit-down restaurant first. On the other hand most other carryout only spots are so bad with such horrible mush that they slap together makes you want to give up on carryout altogether. This place, Banana Leaves is an island in a stream of banal surroundings an oasis of bounty a cornucopia of goodness and I highly recommend. P.S. One more thing is that if you check in on Yelp while you are there they might give you a nice virtual coupon good for your next visit.
(4)V. S.
They deliver to Bethesda so they get points with me, even though they said it would be here and 30 minutes and it arrived almost an hour later. I ordered Crab Rangoon and they were decent but if you like a slightly sweeter version I'd skip them. They came a little burnt and it was served with sweet chili sauce. The Vietnamese Spring Rolls were very yummy though. I do not suggest ordering the Drunken Noodles with Beef since the dish was very heavy on the soy sauce and had very little heat, if any, to it. I would order here again since they deliver but will try Pad See Ew next time or Pad Thai.
(3)LaTanya GeminiondaRise J.
I purchased a voucher deal for this restaurant in Rockville near Congressional Plaza. For the location I was expecting a better carryout atomosphere. This is not a sit down restaurant it's strictly more of a carryout. I ordered the calamari, mango chicken, spring rolls and general tso's. I have to say I was not impressed. The calamari was pretty good and so were the spring rolls. This was my first time trying this restaurant and the mango chicken dish was definitely not my favorite. I don't know if its the sauce or what didn't really care for it. The general tso's chicken didn't taste fresh. It has so much breading and very little chicken. They were busy because of the voucher they had out there but I wouldn't try them a second time.
(2)Andrea B.
For a "Chinese" take out restaurant I am highly impressed! Most of these takeout menus are exactly the same. But this place has some really interesting options. Very fresh!
(4)Aaron W.
Penang Star is gone, and good riddance - by the end they were serving turkey wraps. We're hoping this new place will make it. We've ordered from them twice, and we're happy twice. The key to this place is the freshness of the food - everything is obviously made to order and tastes like it was bought that day. Big portions, too. Last time, I got the Basil Chicken, and while delicious and very fresh, it was too spicy for me - be careful if you order something with a pepper, because it's more like the equivalent of three peppers in other restaurants. I'd get it again toned down. This time, I got the Grilled Honey Peanut Tofu. Comes with noodles, and while the noodles are a little greasy (but tasty), the tofu was actually delivered crisp, and the sauce isn't oversweet. I got it with a side of edamame, which was edamame. Further update: Third time I ordered myself, and got the chicken pad see ew and duck crepes. The duck crepes were outstanding; the duck had zero fat on it and a little sushi radish, scallions and hoisin on the side and yum. Pad see ew fine (got it to test it for the wife), but not quite as good as others I've had; not terrible, wouldn't be my first choice. Wife has ordered chicken and broccoli from there twice, happy twice. She got chicken wantons last time, and the wontons just explode with flavor, just delicious. We'll be ordering from there again, and we really hope this one makes it - Penang Star wasn't all bad, but it went into the restaurant death spiral (good food, cutbacks on the quality, then crummy menu) because they couldn't get business. This place is better than that one ever was.
(4)Mike K.
Shared a lunch with three items for under $10. Red curry,Thai basil beef, pad key prik (like chow foon). This place is on lower level of Congressional shopping center. Nice place and will be back. Mostly carry out but sat outside on a nice afternoon.
(3)teddy l.
The food here was nothing like the food in Malaysia. The only decent dish was the roti canai. The banana leaf dish did not even begin to resemble what you would get in Malaysia. I have no idea how they came up with their version of it. Huge disappointment...I wanted to like this place because I don't know where to get good Malaysian food in the area.
(1)M. F.
The Crabmeat Rangoon and Pan-Fried dumplings were yum. The Lemongrass Coconut Chicken Soup was overly-peppered (lots green & red bell peppers, not spicy at all) and bland. The Grilled Lemongrass Chicken was bland and contained too much invisible skin and fat. And the Kung Pao Style chicken was slimy and bland. Won't be ordering again.
(2)Benjamin B.
I've only done carryout, but I love the food here! I am so pleased to get Crab Rangoon outside of St Louis! The spicy mango chicken is my favorite dish, and always enough for two meals. Staff is fast and very nice inside.
(5)