TV Restaurants

Is Lao’d Bar Still Open? Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives Update (Austin, TX)

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Season 42 Austin, Texas

Current status

Open

As of October 2026, Lao’d Bar is listed open on laodbar.com, reviewed by our team on September 21, 2026; not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.

What the source shows: Re-checked 2026-09-21: laodbar.com is still live with a current Labor Day holiday-hours banner, a hiring notice, and a working OpenTable reservation link, consistent with the prior check. How we decide a status →

What happened after Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives?

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives visited Lao'd Bar for its Southeast Asian street-food menu, sampling a Lao'd smash burger, crispy chili prawns, chicken lahb with roasted rice powder, and skewered meats served with spicy-sour dipping sauces, according to the Austin American-Statesman. The open-air East Austin restaurant is run by chef Bob Somsith and serves Laotian American cooking in a night-market-style setting with string lights and communal tables. The restaurant was named a 2025 James Beard Foundation Best New Restaurant semifinalist and appeared in the Austin American-Statesman's 2024 dining guide, according to the Statesman.

In September 2026, Lao'd Bar's website listed Labor Day holiday hours, a hiring notice, and a working online ordering system, according to laodbar.com. The site also advertised catering for birthdays, weddings, and corporate events. Lao'd Bar's episode, "Flavortown Flavorfest," aired August 22, 2025.

The episode Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Season 42

Episode 3
Aired
Title: Flavortown Flavorfest · What was featured: Lao'd smash burger, crispy chili prawns, and chicken lahb
How Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives restaurants have fared: 27% closed →

Also in Season 42 Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

Season 42: 26 of 30 still open · 1 renamed, moved or under new owners

All 12 Season 42 episodes →

Nearest restaurants By distance from 9909 FM 969 Bldg 4

All 304 TV restaurants in Texas →

Before you go: Businesses change fast. Always confirm directly with the restaurant — call ahead, or check its own current website or social media — before making plans around anything on this page.

Sources we checked 2 references

  1. laodbar.com http://laodbar.com/
  2. statesman.com https://www.statesman.com/entertainment/dining/article/flavortown-austin-guy-fieri-laod-bar-food-network-20823051.php
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Record ddd-1565 · checked by Cal Marchetti.