I wanted to like this place very much, but we had a mixed experience. I walked in to order and the gentleman kept pointing at the Cash Only sign saying that I needed cash. I told him I had plenty of cash, but he didn't want to take my order until I showed him my money. I ordered a fresh roll, a chicken satay, and a pad Thai. He told me the same and I paid him plus a 25% tip. I asked for chop sticks. No response. I returned on time and the order was ready. The fresh rolls were nothing but brown shredded iceberg lettuce with slivers of shrimp in a rice paper roll. It was difficult to eat and not worth the effort. The pad Thai was okay, but nothing special. The peanut sauce was very good. The cucumber salad was abundant! I think he charged me for a separate order and included a full salad. It was good, but not that fresh. The chicken satay was okay, but a little dry. Again, the peanut sauce was helpful. The tables were full when I ordered and when I picked up my food. I think it is more a matter of my preference and expectations, perhaps. Although, brown, wilted iceberg lettuce as the only thing in a fresh roll is not acceptable. read more

Best Thai food in San Rafael. The vegetables are all a little "undercooked" which I actually like.

The food here is just amazing! This is my third time visiting the Bay Area from Indiana and this is always a must. I ordered the red curry chicken with jasmine rice and it's absolutely delicious and the best I have ever had. My husband tried something new this time. He had pad phed. Both came out piping hot and perfectly seasoned. read more

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Really take out only but great quality. A friend of mine from Bangkok said after eating here "This is the real thing".

One of my favorite places, always fresh food, made to order and very reasonable! I try to go there every other week, the owner and staff are very nice people! read more

This is the best Thai food in downtown San Rafael. Over the years I've tried them all and this one is it just be sure you bring your cash because they don't take credit cards. read more

Cash only, atm across the street. Not for large groups. Sits 13 people max and maybe 5-6 max at a table max. Two women run the place and they are fast and efficient. We can the seafood soup, number 11. It was a 4/5 read more

Amazing cashew chicken. Stopped in for take out as a first timer and they were in the middle of prepping multiple take out orders - translates to busy bc it's delicious. My only "complaint" is more pineapple. Bc it was a delicious and I just wanted way more. read more

Food is great, big portions and good price. My favorite is chicken basil with fries egg on top. Don't forget to bring CASH.

I'm lucky that I work a few blocks away and can walk there. The gai kraw prow is my favorite!! Love this place!

Pretty decent and quick Thai spot to go to for a bite. Cash only spot, so remember to bring the cash money. Ordered 3 items: Tom Yum Soup, there were mushrooms, tomatoes, shrimp, lemongrass, and funnily enough, pineapple. Not a bad soup to start a meal with the sour and mildly spicy flavor, quite appetizing. 4/5pts BBQ chicken, generous portion of BBQ'd chicken, came out quite yellow from its marinade, served on a bed of cabbage. It was exactly half a chicken, kept the remaining portion for lunch the next day. It wasn't superb or anything, but definitely half a chicken. 3/5pts Pad Thai with Pork and Tofu, big portion of pad thai with large tofu chunks. Pork seemed to have been marinated with baking soda which helps the pork get really soft and changes the texture a lot. Depends what you like.. Pad Thai flavors were alright, but felt that there could have been less sauce, as it arrived quite saucy. Also, could have been tossed a bit more in the wok, to give it some 'wok hei'. 3/5pts Paid $43.00 for that ($51 with tip), Everything was OK. Could return if in a pinch. read more

Bay Thai Cuisine - Pad Thai with pork - Thai Near Me - San Rafael, California

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I really wanted to like this place. I chose this place based on the good yelp reviews and also because they have Angel Wings (which are stuffed chicken wings) and are hard to find. What was at first excitement at the prospect of having some good Thai food turned out to be a big disappointment. Here is what we had: * #8 Rad Na - stir fried rice noodles with bits of broccoli and egg in a gravy sauce. Imagine Thai chow fun, except this dish was so so so salty, it was barely edible. I had to rinse the noodles in water and it was still salty. What was the point of having gravy on it if I had to rinse it off because it was inedible? * #30 Pad Pak Seafood - this was supposed to be prawns, calamari, scallops, and vegetables in a garlic sauce. Hubby was disappointed because there was only ONE scallop in the entire dish and the rest of it was also way too salty. It was as if they used a ton of salt and pepper to try to flavor the dish instead of letting the ingredients shine on their own. * #35 Pad Pak Raum Mit- Tofu and vegetables in a garlic sauce. The "sauce" was so watery, the vegetables were too large and chunky, there were only THREE pieces of tofu, and this dish too was way too salty. A real dud. * #3 Angel Wings - deboned chicken wings stuffed with a mixture of silver noodles, ground pork, celery, cilantro, onions and carrots served with a sweet-and-sour sauce. This was the one of the reasons I chose this restaurant, because they have Angel Wings. They were mediocre and a bit on the dry side. At least this one was not overly salted. * #27 - Pineapple Fried Rice - this is the one dish they did well! It had prawns, egg bits, cashews nuts, raisins, pineapple, and the rice was wonderfully flavored in a nice yellow curry. Everything in this dish was delicious and well-balanced. Having only 1 out of 5 dishes turn out nice was a disappointment. Having 3 out of 5 dishes so over salted to the point of almost being inedible was sad. I had gotten this as takeout so of course we didn't discover any of this until we got home. If we had dined there, I certainly would've sent the oversalted things back to the kitchen. I wonder if the cook was just having a bad day, but I don't think I'll be going back to see if it would be better. This place takes cash only. If you have a large order, you better make sure you have the cash. This is a mom and pop style business. On the plus side, all the vegetables and ingredients were very fresh and of good quality, just ruined by the excessive salt. They were also fast and efficient. read more

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This place is a best bet for quick quality Thai food in San Rafael. I tried Bay Thai not knowing how much I would actually enjoy what I got. I figured I couldn't go wrong with a standard (Pad Thai), it was XLNT. You won't be disappointed. read more

This is my go-to for affordable pad Thai in Marin. Not the best I've had but hits the spot. Order a can of coconut water and I couldn't even drink it. Tasted like aluminum, I would not recommend ordering it. Their Thai iced tea was way too sweet for my liking it was more creamy than I had tasted the dark Thai Tea. The curry, Pad Se Ew/Drunken Noodles, and Pad Thai are fabulous! Their mango sticky rice is a must-try. I would recommend takeout as their in-door seating is restricted and can get hot pretty quickly with the open kitchen cooking in the back. They take Cash only!! read more

Best Thai food around hands down. No delivery but it is worth it to pick up. Last time I got the salad & it was too spicy which is strange because I love spicy, but still will not go elsewhere EVER for thai. read more

If you want really good but also not to expansive Thai food this is the go to place. Everything we had from vegetarian, seafood or chicken is always fast, fresh and sooo good. Love em. Only small downside you need to know they do cash only. But it's important to support our small restaurants even more now! Keep up the good work please bay Thai. read more

Bay Thai Cuisine - Green curry lunch size. - Thai Near Me - San Rafael, California

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OG Thai corner-in-the-wall joint, delicious food with soul. The go-to spot for Thai in San Rafael! Cash only. read more

I love the owners and staff at Bay Thai! I have been coming here since I was young and although I moved away several times, I've always made it a priority to stop through to grab some good food! The food overall is pretty well done, their curries are fantastic, their Thai basil fried rice, chicken satay, and drunken noodles are great as well, although I will say their pad Thai has been hit or miss lately (in terms of the flavor being outstanding), but it's never lower than a fairly good quality meal. Never a bad experience here, never feel like I'm paying more than what I'm getting in return, so they're affordably priced and have pretty good Thai food! It can be a tight squeeze inside, so for a big group, their outdoor seating is best. I'm certain you won't find better Thai anywhere in San Rafael! read more

Hands down, the best Thai Food around. Delicious and generous portions at a fair price. There's nothing more that a diner needs.

Food is great; portions are generous; awesome service by the staff; ambiance is cramped, but its worth the visit. Just a head's up, its cash only, so be prepared! I recommend the tom kha gai and the spicy eggplant with chicken. Thank you! read more

This place is a shoe box! There are 4 tables with seating for 12. No bathrooms. Cash only. HOLE. IN. THE. WALL. Good for groups? Aah, heck no! The food. Now that's a different story. I was very happy with the food. The green curry was very good, albeit not so spicy. Make sure you get at least medium spice. The ground chicken eggplant was hit or miss. We always order it, but sometimes the eggplant is a little chewy. (Today it was perfect though). The Pad Thai has pretty good flavor. Not the best I've had, but not bad. The Angel Wings are also worth a try. This is a solid place to go for Thai Food. Probably best to get take out though, because of the seating. I've been here about a half a dozen times, and I'll likely be back again. read more

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I enjoyed the food here. The taste was good, atmosphere was fine and good staff. Thanks for the nice dinner.

simple delicious cooking in a sweet family stmosphere... some of the best thai "home cooking" i've eaten. i've been eating here since 1998!!' read more

Some of the best authentic Thai on the go I love this hidden gem. It's easy on the price and very good on the food soul

I have to admit, I was transported back to Bangkok for just a little bit. Bay Thai serves up Bangkok's style of street foods at tables out front on the sidewalk and, literally, the street (as so many do in these times), on paper plates, but with real flatware (not plastic) It was my first time here, so I ordered two of my favorite summer treats from those days in Thailand. I judge a Thai place by some favorite dishes and these two did not disappoint. The Tod Mun (Thai Fish Cakes) are light and a little spongey as they should be. The sweet chile sauce was perfect, but the fish could have used a bit more Thai Red Chile Paste in the mix to balance it out, but hey, that's for my taste. My other treat was the Mango with Sticky Rice. Of course, like any good Thai place they only use the sweet and luscious Champagne Mangos. They are smaller and not readily available in other seasons. That's why you can't get Mango With Sticky Rice all year in discerning Thai restaurants. All in all, I'll be back to Bay Thai for that Thai food on-the-run fix that I need once in a while. It's really good for that Street Food vibe, and the prices are very fair. read more

Bay Thai Cuisine - Yummy Summer Mangoes - Thai Near Me - San Rafael, California

Great food. But 3 stars because it says here on there Yelp page they accept card.... But this place is CASH ONLY.

I feel like the quality of food has improved a lot since I first reviewed this restaurant. And with outdoor seating due to the pandemic, it feels more like a restaurant than just a take out spot. The green curry is flavorful and packed with a variety of vegetables. The default spice level adds a nice amount of heat. The Thai iced tea is heavy on condensed milk but still quite good. The flavor's a little milder than at other places. Service is very matter of fact: here's your food, here's your check. Nobody is checking up on you or refilling water but it's a small place and I appreciate that they are spending their energy making delicious food and getting it out quickly. Small pink blossoms sometimes fall from the trees above. Not much the restaurant can do about that and the color is nice but just be aware while you're eating. They only accept cash. That wasn't an issue when they were take-out only because you'd pay when you ordered. But now it seems like they should tell you or have a big sign because it would be easy to order, eat, and then find out they only take cash. read more

I came about 30 minutes before close & did not like the way I was treated. Other ppl were there eating but the lady made me feel rushed & inconvenienced to just sit down for a quick bite. They take cash only, which is strange it's 2023. Once I realized, the lady said "I told you that already." Some people just need to learn customer service. Curry was ok, because the vegetables were still very uncooked, I hate when Thai places just throw the veggies in the curry and serve it. read more

Best Thai in Marin! Love the Shrimp Pad Thai and Eggplant. It's our go-to take spot. Cash Only.

Their Tom Ka soup is the best I've had in Marin. The Pad Thai was pretty good- not incredible- but did have several prawns. I'd go back just for the soup. read more

Always very nice service, great food, pad Thai is tasty, I always get Thom Ka soup. It's a small restaurant that keeps the prices within reason. I like the cozy atmosphere. I've never had an issue with take out it's always great. Cash only, which doesn't bother me. read more

I used to come here before the pandemic, then forgot about it. I was reminded of it yesterday so went there today to get lunch (takeout). I got the Chicken Pad Kee Mow, and it was wonderful and very large (at least two meals). It included broccoli, onion, bell peppers, and tomatoes. I don't see how it could have been better. read more

This spot is super convenient for me, and it's always bustling so I couldn't wait to give it a try! We started with the Tom Kha Pak and a side of steamed rice, which is my favorite Thai dish made vegetarian. It was SOOOO creamy and flavorful, and packed with veggies and soft tofu. The side of steamed rice was really generous too! After a promising appetizer, we had high hopes for the vegetarian Pad Thai, but unfortunately it just was not good. It not only lacked salt, but also just lacked any flavor at all. We had asked for it spicy but didn't detect any heat at all. The good thing was that it was packed with veggies and tofu, and unlike other places they didn't skimp on those two things. Another thing I found odd was that they served on single-use paper plates which I found kind of wasteful. Overall, I can see myself grabbing some Tom Kha soup for lunch on a weekday, but if you're vegetarian I wouldn't set your hopes too high! read more

Almost don't want to write this, because it's such a hidden gem. First, it's the food and the quick service because we always order to go and we always order mostly the same order. Angel wings, so good! Green chicken curry with just the right amount of heat. Pad Thai, which is wonderful! read more

I don't eat at this place I'm 6'7 and probably don't fit in the seats it is a hole in the wall but the food and service is not a disappointment. The food is great here never fails and they are on point with timing if they say your food will be ready in 15 minutes trust that it will be done in that time on time. read more

Great thai but only takes cash! My go to dishes are fantastic...chicken basil eggplant, shrimp pad thai, chicken red curry and basil chicken. There are no comparable thai restaurants around that do such a great job on these dishes, especially the eggplant dish. So come prepared to pay cash and enjoy! read more

Delicious food, friendly quick service, pleasant cozy ambiance, reasonable prices, and super duper clean kitchen. I'm vegetarian and I appreciated all the veggie options and easy accommodation for soft tofu. read more

THAI: Tiny Thai restaurant on 4th street in San Rafael. If you blink you will miss it. Stopped here with my colleague and we came after the lunch time rush and we were seated immediately. They have a lunch menu and because it was such a deal decided to order from there. I ordered the #2 which was the chicken basil. It came out really quickly and essentially it was minced chicken perfectly spiced over jasmine rice. I will be back to try more dishes. Make sure you have CASH on you. Fast service and a great lunch deal. read more

This small mom and pop shop is easy to pass by but I was glad I stopped. The restaurant seemed to be run entirely by 2 people, they have a really small storefront with a few tables out front. It is really relaxed as far as ambiance, they appear to be mostly to go. The food is served on paper plates, so if you are looking for a fancier sit down restaurant this may not be for you. If you go out to eat for the food I highly recommend stopping in. They are cash only and extremely reasonably priced, so make sure to stop by an ATM. I had the Pad Thai, Gai Ka Praw, Thai tea and Mango sticky rice for desert. The Mango sticky rice was the daily special, I highly recommend it! The Tai tea was delightfully sweet. The Gai Ka Praw is an excellent choice for those who enjoy a flavorful chicken. The Pad Thai had a slight spice that made it delightful. Overall, the food was fantastic. read more

Ok bad service tonight.. the lady didn't heard my order right ??? Omg .. no steam rice ??? Which I said 3 times over the phone order ???!!!! I called back n she said she didn't charge us for rice .. omg $32.41 damn.. didn't give us forks or napkins .. thank god I have silverware in our car..guess we not coming here again !!! Disappointed!!! read more

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