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    Ben Thai Cafe

    4.3 (1.4k reviews)
    ModerateThai, Noodles
    Closed 11:30 am - 3:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:30 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

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    BEN THAI CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Happy hour specials
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Ben Thai Cafe

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    Thai Ice Coffee & Thai Ice Tea
    Shivangi K.

    Been here a few times since first review and have definitely found my favorites here. Their Pad Kee Mao, Ka-ree (yellow curry), and Gra Prow Fried Rice are all phenomenal! I cannot recommend this rotation enough. The thai iced tea & iced coffee are such a fun treat along with the main meal. I have a hard time resisting... The food always comes out fast once ordered and service is great! It's a small space, but have never had too much trouble with seating. Yes, they do get pretty busy/packed for dinner. An unassuming but wonderful spot!

    Eggplant with beef
    Tina H.

    Egg plant had good texture but was a little salty. The pad Thai was good but would've been better with thicker noodles and the pineapple fried rice had a little bitter ness to it. The murder wings had great texture too but had too much garlic. Mango sticky rice was good to end our dinner. But all in all. 7/10

    Michael L.

    There is a middle aged gent who seems to be the owner of the restaurant, and I think this individual does not put forward a good look for the restaurant as a whole. There was a delivery driver who came in asking if he could use the restroom in between the stops, and this man told him "yes, but don't make it dirty, if you make it dirty I block you" in a very rude and condescending tone. The food was ok but not amazing. Pad kee mao deviated from the authentic preparations I've had at countless other Thai establishments across the country. Not very much basil and no spicy flavor. Prawns were a little overcooked. Seemed like a very "Americanized" preparation which probably suits certain clientele but you are certainly not paying for authentic Thai food here. He also seemed to be in a huge rush to get us out the door even though he still had several open tables and no line of customers waiting. He basically came without warning as I was finishing up the meal and having a conversation with my girlfriend, slapped down the payment terminal, watched me as I was picking out tip options, and essentially grabbed the terminal out of my hand as soon as I selected a tip option. Very weird overall experience and unfortunately can't find anything worth returning for. I also can't recall anything offensive that we had done other than sit down and order food and eat peacefully and quietly. Maybe he was having a bad day, but inexcusable nonetheless...

    Khao Soi Deluxe with Roasted Ox Tail ($26.50)
    Tiffany Y.

    My friend recommended this place after saying it had the best Khao Soi he's had! I thought this was really solid Thai food, but not the best that I've ever had. I would still come back though if I was ever craving some Thai food. Ben Thai Platter ($22): Everything on here was crispy and fried nicely. Nothing felt too oily at all. I really liked how there were 4 different sauces to dip the appetizers in too. Khao Soi Deluxe with Roasted Ox Tail ($26.50): The ox tail was so tender and I loved the flavor of the north. I do think it's a bit on the pricey side, but it was really tasty and the noodles were cooked well. Roasted Duck Curry ($23): The curry was good, but didn't feel super cohesive with the pineapple in it. The duck was on the leaner side and I felt like the skin wasn't as crispy as it could've been. You definitely taste the roasted flavor in the duck though. Mango + Sweet Sticky Rice ($12): Really solid dessert option! You can't go wrong with this. Drinks: They do a really nice deal where you can get 50% off non alcoholic drinks if you check in on Yelp :) I got the unsweetened Thai iced tea and it was delicious and refreshing!

    Roasted Duck Curry
    Stephen L.

    A solid Thai place in SF! If possible I'd give it right below 4 stars. Came on a weekday night and it was pretty empty. Location is good and interior is lively. I thought each of the dishes were overall well made. Overall, my main critique is that I wish the flavors were a bit bolder. A little more salt and spice is always appreciated for those who have stronger flavor preferences. I think this was true for the pad thai and the spicy basil eggplant. The duck curry was excellent. Great flavors and well cooked. Highly recommend this dish for anyone who comes. The duck was well cooked as well, juicy and flavorful Overall wouldnt mind coming back! A good experience that caters a bit more to broader taste preferences

    Pad See Ew
    Anh T.

    I got a reservation with a friend here on a weekend evening, and most of their restaurant was full. Pad See Ew: There were perfectly chewy noodles with a smoky, savory sauce. The pork was tender and well-seasoned, and the dish had a nice balance of sweetness and soy richness. Paradise Wings: These were crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. There was a strong, delicious garlicky flavor that paired well with a sligthly sweet flavor. This was generally a cozy spot with reliably tasty Thai comfort food!

    Yellow curry
    Erika U.

    Visited SF from San Jose for the day and wanted good Thai food. Unfortunately this place was just average and the quality of service was meh. It's a cute little spot, seats close together, lots of windows so you don't actually feel crowded which was great. Got seated within a few minutes of arrival and forgotten about for 10-15 minutes before a couple of waters were provided. Our order was taken and appetizers came out shortly after. Wings - was really looking forward to these and ended up disappointed because they tasted like the oil they were fried in with some garlic thrown on top. The flavor was on the surface and just fell right off the chicken. Crunchy but flavorless (except for the oil) no salt or pepper or anything. Roti came by itself , so had to add the peanut sauce. The peanut sauce saved this meal- legit the best thing we ordered. The roti was a little oily for my liking but the sauce was so good we added a second batch. Mains - pad Thai, rice and curry. The yellow curry chicken was good, average lots of veggies. Rice was with pork and unfortunately the meat was very tough I pushed most of it away. Pad Thai flavor wise was good but it just all clumped together into a ball like it was too stuck to each other. Overall nothing horrible about this place but also nothing special where I would want to come back (except for that peanut sauce). Service only improved slightly as we had food coming out timely but nothing special. And it was really loud where we were seated.

    Lavender cocktail
    Selina L.

    Good food, nice atmosphere, delicious food. I came on a weekday lunch with my friend and the place was pretty empty. Server was super attentive and friendly. I liked the food here. The cocktail options were good too, they've got a big bar!

    Paradise Wings
    Andrea G.

    We come to this restaurant pretty often since our office is located only a few blocks away. The service is always great. The servers are friendly. The restaurant can get crowded but we often go for a late lunch so it's not full. We usually order a bunch of appetizers. The money bag filled with curry meats and veggies, the fried spring rolls with meat and veggies, the murder wings, which are a must, the paradise wings which are sweet and savory. The papaya salad, the calamari. The appetizers are all very good. My favorite are the murder wings. We ordered different entrees to share: yellow curry, pad see ew, spicy eggplants, salmon curry, pad thai, and pork palo. All the dishes are generous portions, delicious, and flavorful. We have been here over a dozen times over the years and will continue to come back.

    Thai tea
    Veerawan T.

    We were craving Thai food and saw this place nearby, so we decided to check it out. We arrived right when they opened, and the service was super friendly. A kind gentleman helped us and even struck up a conversation. The ambiance was bright and clean. The food was great overall, and the khao soi was my favorite. Emperor Khao Soi - I was extremely impressed by this dish. It came with three different meat options: chicken satay, duck, and oxtail. All of them paired perfectly with the soup, and I loved the texture of the egg noodles. I can definitely see why this is their most popular item! They don't play around with their portions too, it was huge. Pad Thai - The noodles were thinner than what I'm used to, and it was slightly dry. The flavors were subtle but still excellent. Also Thai teas are a must

    Papaya Salad
    Samantha S.

    Came here with 2 friends on a Saturday night. The restaurant was crowded but we were seated immediately. We shared the papaya salad to start. This might have been my favorite dish it was super fresh and tasty!! I got the ka-ree (yellow curry with chicken). It was decent but not the best yellow curry I've had. Rice does not come with the curries automatically so you will need to order it as a side. My friends got the pad kee mao with tofu and chicken. The noodles were great! I would highly recommend them. I would come back if I had the opportunity! But I would get a noodle dish instead of a curry :)

    Emperor Khao Soi
    Alex H.

    Still my favorite Thai restaurant in the city! Absolutely love the Emperor Khao Soi. If there's one thing to get here, it's that (enough to share between 2-3 people) and the mango sticky rice (butterfly pea rice).

    Chicken pad Thai- would not order again
    Rose N.

    I ordered To go. The murder wings were soggy (which I kind of expected), but also the flavor wasn't that good. Thai wings are usually the best but I was definitely underwhelmed. Flavor, texture, and even a little pink/undercooked inside. I would never order these wings again. I have ordered regular Thai wings to go and they have also been so good and the highlight of my meal. This falls way way short. I also ordered the chicken pad thai. It was terrible. It was like eating noodles with a *hint of flavor. But the flavor was missing in its entirety. The whole meal was so disappointing and a complete waste of money. The portion was also so small. I would say it's about half the size you would expect.

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    Ben Thai Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Ben Thai Cafe

    Does anyone know if the peanut sauce is vegan, or does it have fish sauce in it?

    Our peanut sauce doesn’t contain fish sauce. We only use peanut butter, sugar, salt and curry paste.

    Which items can be made gluten-free and vegan?

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    Are you delivering

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    Khao Tiew - fried mushrooms

    Khao Tiew

    4.5(730 reviews)
    4.1 miWest Portal
    $$

    Second time is a charm and this continues to be one of the best Thai meals and restaurants I have…read morebeen to in the city. Is Khao Tiew worth the wait and the hype? Absolutely. To get the best optimal experience at Khao Tiew, please remember to put your name on the waitlist and to get there on time when your party is close in queue (if you're not there, you're square, no expectations since they have tons of people waiting). I came here on a Monday night with my friend and I put my name down on the waitlist around 5 pm on the yelp app (heads up you have to be one mile away to be applicable to put your name down). Since I have been here before I know the deal and expected the wait. We were seated around 6:40 pm but it was so worth it in our opinions. The shop itself has a good amount of tables with a nice retro Thai feel from its decor. The servers are very nice and friendly but also the food comes out super quick which is what I personally appreciate as well. Here are some highlights from our absolute feast that we demolished (no food was left behind or forgotten). * Nuer nam tok: The medium rare beef was chewy, had the right amount of spice, and paired well with the crunch of the herbs. The saltiness of the meat ate well with the fresh sides of lettuce and cucumbers. * Crispy shrooms with ground pork: The crispy mushrooms were my favorite last time and the version with ground pork was exceptional. The mushrooms had a nice light batter and the sauce coated your mouth with an umami punch. * Drunken noodles: I love the amount of shrimp and calamari they gave! The noodles itself were coated in a semi sweet sauce that had a delicious soy flavor. * Duck curry: WOW the most tender duck dish I ever had, no notes! * Kaya jam with coconut ice cream: Creamy, fluffy, and a great way to end a meal. This dish is so hard to explain in words, you have to get it. Overall, amazing spot, amazing find, would wait 2 hours again for a third time :)

    I always drive by this place and hesitate to stop by because the line is always out the door but…read morenow I totally get the hype. There were 3 of us and we lined up around 3:45pm before their 4pm opening and luckily made it in with the first wave of seating. The restaurant has a decent amount of tables, though it's not super big so I'd definitely recommend coming early especially if you have a big group. We started with the papaya salad and didn't realize it was deep fried. It was still good but I personally would've preferred it fresh. The fried mushrooms were AMAZING - perfectly crispy and paired so well with the sweet and sour dipping sauce. For mains we ordered the khao soi with crispy fried chicken and it was hands down my favorite dish. The broth was so rich, flavorful, and comforting. We also got the sizzling soft shell crab which was solid but probably something I'd skip next time. The duck breast turmeric curry was my second favorite - the curry flavor was absolutely chef's kiss. To end the meal we got the dessert toast and it was the perfect finale. Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, buttery, warm, and topped with the perfect scoop of ice cream.

    Photos
    Khao Tiew - Inside

    Inside

    Khao Tiew - Train fried rice

    Train fried rice

    Khao Tiew - Beef over rice

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    Beef over rice

    Kin Khao - Pad Kee Mao

    Kin Khao

    3.8(2.7k reviews)
    0.7 miUnion Square
    $$$

    We stopped in for dinner at Kin Khao and found it to be a pretty average experience overall. The…read morefood was good, but not a Michelin star food experience. Service was inconsistent, with staff not especially attentive during the meal. The Pork belly flavors were amazing, but the quality was lacking significantly. About 1/4 or less was actual edible meat. The yaowara noodle dish was very good. The Cauliflower in XO sauce was good, but average. Over the food was average and not recommended if you are looking for a true Michelin experience. Ambiance was loud, small, and cramped.

    Stumbled into this place as a walk-in of 2 and it was great! We sat at the bar and started off with…read more2 cocktails (Koh Kood & Soi Ari). Both are rum-based and had a really nice kick, especially the Soi Ari with the pandan in the aftertaste (which we found super refreshing). Food we ordered were the Nam Tok Beans, the Pad Khee Mao, and the rabbit curry. Both of us love spice so the Nam Tok Beans blew us away! Did not expect that kind of packed flavor at all but it makes a seemingly ordinary bean dish so much more exciting. The noodles were cooked perfectly and made a great in between to the rabbit curry. Which speaking of, oh my god??? SUPER tender and fall off-the-bone. Rabbit can be a hard dish to put on for people who have never tried it, but I really appreciate that it's not as bone-y as other rabbit dishes I've had in the past. It really was like chicken but softer. Wow wow wow. Huge shoutout to our bartender for giving us extra birthday shots on the house. Never had Amaro before tonight but it was delicious. Did not get his name unfortunately but he's fantastic! The reason I give 4 stars despite the great experience was because I noticed less urgency from the host and the servers in terms of getting stuff out. Doesn't help that the place is smaller and more expensive for a Michelin star establishment. Sitting by the bar made a huge difference for us since we had a great experience with our bartender, but I have a feeling that those at regular tables that night might've lost patience with the wait times for certain dishes. TLDR: if you love spicy Thai food, have the money to spend, and aren't in a rush, this place is worth checking out.

    Photos
    Kin Khao - Inside

    Inside

    Kin Khao - Yaowaraj Noodle Bangkok Chinatown Stirred Fried Noodles $28.00

    Yaowaraj Noodle Bangkok Chinatown Stirred Fried Noodles $28.00

    Kin Khao - Blue flower limeade

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    Blue flower limeade

    Blackwood

    Blackwood

    4.1(2.3k reviews)
    1.3 miMarina/Cow Hollow
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    12 years in business

    Came here with a group of friends for a New Year's Eve dinner!…read more The service was great, as the servers were attentive and checked up on us fairly often. The restaurant closes at 9:30pm, and they were kind enough to let us stay until then! I also enjoyed the ambiance - the interior was quite beautiful, and had many floral decorations, which I enjoyed. For food, I got the hot stone pot, which comes with minced pork and prawns. The dish was not only delicious but also was a large portion size. The rice was crispy on the bottom, and it was nice that the server mixed the dish for me on the table. I would definitely come back to try other dishes! One of my friends got the Pad Kee Mow, and she also very much enjoyed her dish, agreeing that it was delicious and that the noodles were perfectly chewy! I got the French 75 as a drink, and it was very good as well! Overall, I would definitely come back, especially to try the brunch, which I've heard many good things about! Truly a 10/10 experience!

    Cutesy Thai restaurant off busy Chestnut Street in the Marina. Came here during happy hour when…read moredrinks are half off and the appetizers are $4 off. I would describe the ambiance as "modern cherry blossom" with it's tall ceilings and pop music to boot. I had the popcorn chicken appetizer - very crispy and tasty with the five spice outer coating. Next came the egg rolls, about four rolls cut in half with accompanying Thai sweet chili sauce. I split the pad see ew with tofu. It would have been nice to have had a few more vegetables thrown in, especially the broccoli as I counted just a couple of pieces. I did like the tofu although I felt there could have been more and a bit more tender. They could totally redo the front patio dining area as I think it would draw more customers in. If it had not been for my friend recommending this spot, I would have walked by. Overall the customer service was good and I would come back to try other dishes - I'd say the popcorn chicken was my favorite.

    Photos
    Blackwood - 24 hour beef noodle soup

    24 hour beef noodle soup

    Blackwood - Chicken and Waffle

    Chicken and Waffle

    Blackwood

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    New Thai Elephant - C01. Pad Thai Noodle

    New Thai Elephant

    4.3(598 reviews)
    1.2 miNorth Beach/Telegraph Hill
    $$

    Cozy ambience that's great for meetups and long hangouts to chat and catch up. The staff was very…read morekind and the service was decently fast. The interior is well decorated with Thai culture and with the darker tones of the design, it makes the restaurant feel quite fancy. 4.5/5 - Crispy Pork (Moo Krop) Fried Rice - Very savory fried rice dish. Spiced well and very filling. We didn't expect the pork to be cut so large and mixed into the rice, but it was very tender and easy to still eat. We would've expected the pork to be sliced maybe in half or fourths to make the dish feel like a "pork fried rice" than a fried rice + pork mix, but it still worked well and if you love pork, this will definitely be your fix! 5/5 - Pad Thai - We thought the restaurant nailed this classic noodle dish. Filling portions and did not overcook their noodles. You can taste each component of the dish, which speaks to everything not being under or overcooked. We ordered nuts on the side but you would be quite satisfied ordering this if you like pad thai! 4.5/5 - Pad Gra Prow - Appropriate veggie to beef proportion and very flavorful. Minced well and great to complement with your carb dishes (noodle or rice). We thought the dish was slightly oily but it feels well absorbed when eaten with our pad thai. If you have tried the dish before and would like it, this will be satisfactory!

    Went on a Friday at 7pm and it was packed! There were 4 of us in our party and we managed to still…read moreget seats without any wait. Appetizers- Shrimp Spring Roll: it was pretty good actually. The stand out for me was the peanut sauce. Absolutely delicious. Overall, 8/10. Entrees: got the crab fried rice to share. The flavor was really good. It didn't have too many of the crab pieces though. I would give it a solid 7/10. Also ordered the green curry with roasted duck, which comes with a side of jasmine rice. The curry was good and the duck was tender. I'd give it a 8/10. I would come back here to try other items on their menu. TBH very reasonable pricing and good value since the portions were generous.

    Photos
    New Thai Elephant - Dinning area

    Dinning area

    New Thai Elephant - Pad Thai

    Pad Thai

    New Thai Elephant - D07. Tom Yum Goong

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    D07. Tom Yum Goong

    Ben Thai Cafe - thai - Updated May 2026

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