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    Bai Kao Thai

    4.7 (70 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

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    Pad Kaprow with fried tofu and chicken
    Susy P.

    What a hidden gem, our colleagues told us about this restaurant so we had to try it out. Be careful on your drive because Deers can jump in the road. The restaurant had a nice selection of Thai cuisine. We ordered the wonton soup and the dumplings, pork and chicken, both were flavorful and fresh. I ordered the pad kapow with fried tofu and chicken medium spice. Everything was cooked perfectly and very nice flavors. My fiancé got the chicken with mushrooms and ginger. I think the ginger for him was a little too strong. We'll have to find him something next time the staff was very friendly. They've been open about a year and a half. We definitely will return

    Spring Garden Rolls
    Latesha J.

    After visiting Glenstone museum, my friend and I had lunch at Bai Kai Thai. It was late afternoon and pretty empty. We were able to have a whole area of the restaurant to ourselves for a couple of hours. We tried a lot of items on the menu. My favorites were the crispy shrimp dish and the garden rolls. The sauce that came with the rolls was creamy and delicious. We also had the Thai iced tea with lychee. We ended the meal with a hazelnut chocolate dessert that also had ice cream. It was delicious and definitely more fitting for two people to share. The space itself is spacious and it seems it would be really good for families dining together or groups.

    Drunken Noodles
    Al H.

    I ordered three items from Bai Kao Thai to be delivered. Drunken noodles Tom Yum Pad Kaprow I ordered drunken noodles with beef as the protein and a spice level medium spicy . The dish had a lot of flavor With onions, chili, peppers, tomatoes, soy sauce, a small amount of fish sauce, and oyster sauce. The noodles, although slightly overcooked, still had enough chew to have them to compliment the dish. The beef was slightly overcooked, creating a tough chew, but still very flavorful. The amount of beef in this dish was three times what I have expected in competitors offering. This dish was loaded with beef. Overall I would give this l dish a four rating. The Tom Yum soup with fantastic. The chicken stock base with garlic, chili, kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass, mushrooms, and chicken were perfectly cooked and seasoned. The dish also had lime, a large helping of cilantro and onions. Like the drunken noodles, the Tom Yum was almost half chicken that was perfectly cooked and tender in bite-size pieces. A very pleasing dish I would rate this a 5 I had the Pad Kaprow with chicken as the protein. This was an excellent presentation with red bell pepper, chili, basil leaves. soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce in a very pleasant chicken stock base. What made this so pleasing was the tremendous amount of flavor in the sauce. Also the chicken was cooked very well. I would rate this dish a five. Spice level. I ordered medium spice on all three dishes. Since this is my first time eating at this restaurant, I didn't know how they calibrate spice. On my next order, I will ask for very spicy, not medium spice. A very pleasant and flavorful dinner

    Pad See Ew and fried rice
    Marievien A.

    Service was excellent, our waitress was attentive and very kind. The food was soooooo good! Loved everything we got and had to order another dish as extra just because we wanted to try it. The pad see ew was delicious, along with their basil fried rice (forgetting the menu name). We added on one of their special beef soups that was very similar to pho. The noodles were cooked well and the broth was so comforting and flavorful. When we asked for chilli oil they provided these 4 sauces, I tried 3 of them and each one was delicious, their crushed pepper one was very spicy and complimented each dish well.

    Chocolate Truffle (6.27.24)
    Carroll N.

    6.27.28 This restaurant is located in Potomac Oak Center and has been opened for three months. I hope they succeed because the food and service is fantastic, but it's not in a prime location so they are likely not attracting as many patrons as they could be. I ordered the Pad See Ew, Thai Iced Tea, and Chocolate Truffle. Everything was delicious. Likely one of the best Thai restaurants that is solid after opening only a few months ago. Highly recommend!!

    Cassie V.

    I was really hopeful for a good impression of this restaurant after reading reviews. We arrived at 1:30 on a Sunday we did have a large group of 12 people but we were the only ones in the whole place. We ordered some appetizers and soups. They took forever to come out and were mediocre in flavor. We ordered our main dishes and the server seemed to be a little overwhelmed by our orders. The food just took a really long time to come out. All the dishes seemed to be on the sweeter side like sugar had been put into each dish this was a pretty big turn off for most of our party as we expected a good spicy dish. We had to ask a few times for water refills as well. I was honestly blown away by the whole experience and not in a good way.

    Pork belly with Chinese broccoli 10/10!
    Jon L.

    Been looking forward to trying out this locals mom and pop Thai place hidden in the little shopping center next to dominos and it did not disappoint! I forgot to take some pics because we were so hungry and the food was so good. Plain comfortable interior definitely an upgrade from the Chinese place that was here. It was a pretty busy Saturday night but service was fast and friendly. All the standards were great ie pad Thai, pad see ew, lad na but I really loved the special crispy pork belly. I'm guessing all their specials are amazing and next time we're going for fish and curry. Oh yeah mango sticky rice as good as it gets!

    Thai Tea
    Camila M.

    HIGHLY RECOMMEND A NEW THAI RESTAURANT IN POTOMAC, BAI KAO THAI LOCATED AT 12944 TRAVILAH ROAD STE D I just found the best Thai restaurant I have ever been to. Trust me - I live in NY and have lived there for 18 years, so I have an abundance of restaurants, including various Thai restaurants, to choose from. My husband and I have tried many. But while visiting my parents, who live in Potomac, I have come across a brand new gem: Bai Kai Thai. They are an authentically Thai, lol family owned restaurant that JUST opened for business a few weeks ago. Today we went there for lunch and I have to say I was very impressed. I had the drunken noodles with shrimp, my father and my husband had the Pad See Ew with shrimp, and my mother had one of their lunch specials, a thinly sliced chicken with rice and vegetables. All of our dishes were incredibly tasty. The flat rice noodles were delicious, the shrimp was so fresh, perfectly cooked and huuuuge, and my mom's chicken was truly thinly sliced - I don't even like chicken and thought her dish was phenomenal, I would actually order chicken if I go back. The flavors are so well-balanced, and you leave there without feeling bloated or uncomfortable even though the dishes are very largely portioned. I took half of mine home to enjoy once again at dinner. For starters we had garden rolls, which are rice paper wrapped shrimp and vegetables (super healthy and gluten free), and for dessert we had my favorite dessert in the world, Mango Sticky Rice. You should see how fresh the mago was, so buttery soft and sweet, it melted in our mouths. The sticky rice was perfectly prepared with coconut cream and toasted sesame seeds. Seriously addicting. They don't have their alcohol license yet, but I have to say the Thai Tea was something I can't even describe in words - a must try for sure. We looked at the menu and they offer so many great options for people who are health conscious and have dietary restrictions. If I lived here I would try many of their lunch bowls, where you can make your own selection of fresh and healthy ingredients. You can easily order takeout but I recommend going there to meet them and see what a great job they did renovating the space. If you haven't been there yet, you're truly missing out. As we know it's important to support our local restaurants and small businesses, and this is one of a kind, mom and pop shop, that is a true community gem. We know how 9 out of 10 restaurants don't survive and I feel we would all lose so much if we don't support them.

    Christine P.

    We have driven past this place a few times in the last few weeks and decided to stop in around 8:30 pm. They gave us their soft opening menu and as a group, we ordered the kanom jeeb ($8.95), larb kai ($8.95), tom yum soup ($6.95), som tum, and two drunken noodles. None of the dishes were bad, but nothing stood out. We ordered one drunken noodle with chicken ($14.95) and one with shrimp; the one shrimp was noticeably more flavorful and spicy, even though we asked for the same spice level. The larb kai was lacking flavor and did not have much spice to it either.

    Dan R.

    In recent years, the Rockville/Potomac/Gaithersburg/Germantown areas have seen the addition of new Thai restaurants. And that is great news for those of us who love Thai food and/or lived in Thailand at one point and thus know what really good Thai cuisine is. The latest on the list is Bai Kao Thai, which had a soft opening on March 11th. Located in a strip on Travilah Rd. in Potomac, this is definitely out of the way compared to other Thai restaurants in or near the 270 corridor. But a first visit confirms that it was well worth the drive. Bai Kao Thai is still in soft opening mode, as its menu notes. We find 9 familiar Thai food standards, 5 starters, and four items under Soup and Salad. I found the Som Tum (Papaya Salad in Tangy Thai Limve Dressing) to be excellent -- not quite as hot as found at other Thai restaurants but superb flavor -- so good, I remarked that I would love to be able to order it as a main dish. Larb Kai (Minced Chicken With Spicy Fresh Lime Juice....) was also excellent. For main dishes, my son and I ordered the Pad Thai as a crucial test. It did not disappoint. Using the wider noodles, in contrast to some area Thai restaurants who have chosen to use a capellini style noodle, this dish hit all the right notes -- it had a deeper taste to it, and that was apparently because the chef used less fish sauce than I am used to on this dish. There was no egg, and I would recommend that they add some more green onion. But overall this Pad Thai rendition was superb. Pad Nam Prik Pao, with a protein of your choice (chicken, pork, tofu, vegetables, beef or shrimp) was excellent -- a bit more sweet than expected but definitely worth a try. Bai Kao Thai again has not yet gone into high gear. The restaurant is very nice, with a brighter front seating area -- the inside is kind of dark and there is a bar, something one does not always find. Service was superb -- and once they became aware that we were experienced Thai food fans, we were able to speak with the chef. Among the things we discussed was Khao Soi, which does not yet appear on the menu. The best versions of Khao Soi at area Thai restaurants, have bone-in chicken and are wonderfully flavorful. We also discussed Pad Kaprow, which I prefer with minced chicken, something that can be found at area competitors such as Bangkok Garden, and Siriwan Thai. As we we leaving, we met two other persons arriving apparently for their first time at Bai Kao Thai. In conclusion, Bai Kao Thai is a superb new entry to the list of Thai restaurants in the area. They're clearly ramping up slowly so a flood of new customers may place some pressure on them, but a number of 5 Star reviews almost guarantees that they will get much more busy sooner than later. Among my recommendations -- every Thai restaurant needs to offer Thai Iced Coffee, something they need to add. The Bai Kao Salad Bowls on the back of the menu are an interesting twist, though not sure how popular those will be for veteran Thai food addicts. The current soft opening menu list of 9 items is a good start and one would hope they can expand on this as the months go by. There's a lot of competition now in this area, with such excellent places as Bangkok Garden, The Thai Cuisine, Siriwan Thai, Amina Thai, and Sisters currently dominating. Almost forgot Thai House in Gaithersburg, and the new Thai Cottage. But Bai Kao Thai definitely deserves your time and I can only wish them luck and encouragement.

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    11 months ago

    So yummy! Food is always promptly ready for pick up and their lunch special is such a great deal!

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    2 years ago

    So happy to have a local authentic Thai place. Food is consistently very good. We order usually once a week for pick up.

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    Ask the Community - Bai Kao Thai

    Does this restaurant have outdoor seating?

    Not that I'm aware of. But there is seating in a solarium like area in the front of the restarant

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    Kiin Imm Thai Restaurant - Rockville

    Kiin Imm Thai Restaurant - Rockville

    4.3
    (1.1k reviews)
    6.6 mi
    $$
    Family-owned & operated
    Established in 2018

    I visited one of my favorite spots in Rockville today, Kiin Imm Thai, and it never disappoints. It…read moreisn't a huge restaurant, but our party of six was seated right away, which was a pleasant surprise. The Boat Noodle Soup hits the spot every single time. It's so comforting and filling that I always feel like I need a nap afterward! The rich, spicy broth has the perfect kick that lingers in the back of your throat, and the lemongrass flavor is incredibly satisfying. It has just the right amount of noodles and tender beef, and it's even topped with crispy fried pork skins that add the perfect crunch. If you enjoy spicy food, this is definitely a dish you need to try. The food comes out fairly quickly, so don't be surprised if your appetizer and entrée arrive around the same time. I don't mind because everything is so delicious, but it's something to keep in mind if you like to pace your meal.

    The food was good overall, and I especially enjoyed the braised pork leg with rice. The flavor was…read moredelicious, and I had no complaints about the food itself. Unfortunately, the service was very disappointing. I asked the server if she was Thai, and she nodded to indicate that she was. However, after that, her attitude was cold and unfriendly. She rarely smiled, seemed annoyed whenever we needed anything, and made us feel as though we were not welcome. The poor service took away from what could have been a pleasant dining experience. Good food is important, but customers should also be treated with warmth, courtesy, and respect. I hope the restaurant will improve its customer service.

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    Burn, Baby, Burn !!!
    Burn, Baby, Burn !!!
    Huli Huli Pork
    Huli Huli Pork
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    Sisters Thai

    Sisters Thai

    3.8
    (430 reviews)
    5.9 mi
    $$

    Lunch special had a great red Panang curry, which was just the slightest bit watery otherwise it…read morewas perfect with a decent amount of spice, lots of pork. The vegetables were really fresh. The drunken noodles were slightly soggy without the best noodle chew but still had great flavor and a little bit of spice and heat. Red bell peppers were really good and tomatoes were cooked well. Tofu tod was fried nicely and so were the crispy chicken wontons. Service was really good! The tap water tasted slightly off though. They did offer to give us lemons though which was a nice touch. Parking is a large lot in the front. Really nice interior decor. Exterior covered seating as well which might be a bit hot in the summer.

    Fun restaurant with cute decor and Thai dish staples!…read more We've been here a couple times and my favorite thing about this place is the atmosphere! I love the effort into making the place look so photogenic. Decor is very cute and gives an "antique store" vibe, with small knick-knacks and old books lining the walls! The bathrooms are also really nicely decorated and so fun :) For dinner, we ordered crab rangoons to start and then the classic Thai dishes - pad see ew noodles, panang curry with chicken, and pik khing with string beans and beef. Food was cooked very well and spice level was just right! I will say price point is a little high for my liking compared to other Thai places. A small extra bowl of rice will put you back an eye-watering $3 and is a little steep, but can be worth it when that carb craving hits :)

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    Interior
    Interior
    Roti Green Curry
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    Thai Cottage Bistro

    Thai Cottage Bistro

    4.6
    (134 reviews)
    4.3 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Family-owned & operated

    7.1.26 There have…read morebeen a few changes since my last visit two years ago, most noticeably to the décor and layout. I noticed that some of the tables have been changed from square to rectangular, making the dining room feel more open and spacious. Each table is now decorated with a small lamp, and artwork adorns the walls--simple updates that add warmth and enliven the ambiance. Another noticeable change is the packaging for the entrée I ordered. It has been updated from a square container to a rice bowl, which I much prefer. The previous packaging reminded me of a school cafeteria, while the new presentation feels more appealing. During my last visit, they also offered lunch specials, which no longer appear to be available. That was a bit disappointing, although it may have been a promotion when they first opened. Their menu is somewhat atypical for a local Thai restaurant, with offerings such as tacos, burgers, and sandwiches. I was in the mood for my usual favorites--Pad Thai and Pad See Ew--but neither is on the menu. I ordered a Thai iced tea and the Kao Mun Gai Tod. The iced tea was good, but I would have preferred a bolder tea flavor. It seemed a bit diluted, possibly from too much ice. The chicken, however, was crispy and flavorful, and the rice was cooked perfectly--tender rather than dry or chewy. Our server was attentive throughout the meal. She checked on us regularly and promptly cleared our table, providing excellent service.

    (4) ~ very good overall food & service. Note: Free parking garage nearby…read more DRINKS: ** Water (tap) = (4) very good, must be filtered;) * Thai iced Tea = (3.75) Good FOOD: ** Thaiger (Tiger) Crying Sandwich (provolone) = (4.25) Very tasty when you add the sauce to the sandwich;) ** Papaya Salad = (4) very tasty ** French Fries = (4) very good ** Mango Sticky Rice = (4) very good ** Roti Banana (see photo) = (4) very good * Tom Kha Soup (chicken) = (3.75) Good * Moo Ping Burger (see photo) = (3.75) Good

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    Thai Cottage Bistro
    Thai Cottage Bistro
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    Thai Chef - Rockville

    Thai Chef - Rockville

    4.1
    (353 reviews)
    6.2 mi
    $$

    Thai Chef Rockville is truly a gem in Rockville Town Center. With the whimsical decor and charming…read moreatmosphere, it feels welcoming and upbeat the moment you arrive at the front entry area. Bonus points for being directly across from a parking garage, which currently offers the first 90 minutes free! This is a great spot to take friends or on a fun date night. We chose to sit outside on the cute multicolored chairs and loved the view of the park next door. The patterned plates and mason jar-style cups were such a cute touch to make the whole experience feel cozy and homey. I went to the restroom to wash my hands and even the same attention to detail to decor and ambience was applied in there. The service was great -- our server was attentive and helpful, and there was a busser on standby quick to clear empty plates so we always had plenty of table space. We felt checked on the perfect amount throughout the meal, and the appetizer came out before the entrees -- as it should! Everything was hot, fresh, and delicious. We realized chopsticks hadn't originally been brought out with our meal, but after asking our server, she brought them over promptly. Overall, the service was prompt and efficient from start to finish. We love going to Thai Chef Rockville and plan on coming back!

    My partner and I came back today for a late lunch. The place was not crowded…read more We ordered a Tom Yum soup with two spoons, Drunken Noodles and Pineapple Fried Rice. We've had the Drunken noodles before and they are consistently good. The fried rice, my first time for this dish, was very good. Three large shrimp, chicken, chunks of pineapple and some veggies with a very tasty rice. Yum. One disappointment today that I think is worth mentioning. We routinely get the Tom Yum soup and it is one of my favorite things here. Today, the broth tasted like sriracha sauce. My partner agreed. The manager came over and asked how things were. I told her that I was disappointed in the soup, and asked if they had changed their recipe. I told her that we routinely get this item as a favorite, and that it normally has a complex flavor of spices and this time tastes like simple sriracha. She asked if we wanted a different soup. I told her no, that this is our favorite soup and that we get it every time and it's just disappointing this time. She said it probably had too much chili paste put into it and that she'd talk to the head chef. And that was the end of it. Never heard another word or saw her again. When the check came, the charge for the soup was still on the bill. I'm deducting a point from my 5-point scores in the past because I'm disappointed that the manager acknowledged there was a problem but still charged for the soup.

    Photos
    After school wonton
    After school wonton
    Thai Basil Gimlet
    Thai Basil Gimlet
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    Peppery Garlic Fried Rice

    Bai Kao Thai - thai - Updated August 2026

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